Torrey Craig has and will continue to be a valuable piece of the Phoenix Suns. Playing around 16 minutes per game, Craig’s impact cannot be overlooked.
In my opinion, the main interest in Craig is his position and size. Standing at 6’7 and 221 pounds, the small forward can guard larger wing players. And that will help with the postseason matchups.
In the playoffs, it is vital to have bodies to throw at players such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Luka Doncic. Even if Craig is played to pick up a couple of hard fouls or take some pressure off of Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges on the defensive end, his value is there.
The Phoenix Suns’ Torrey Craig has provided stability and energy for the team but also has flashed some quality 3-point shooting.
Craig is shooting 37.2 percent from deep in his 19 games with the Suns. This makes Craig a threat to the defense while the ball is swinging around the perimeter.
Not only has Craig been able to stroke it from outside, but he has been highly efficient inside the 3-point line, shooting 65.3 percent with the Suns.
Am I saying Craig is a huge piece for the Suns’ playoff run? Not at all. With that being said, Craig can play some minutes in the playoffs as he did the past two postseasons for the Denver Nuggets.
Having played 33 playoff games and with an average of 21.4 minutes per game, Craig has valuable experience. In the 2019-20 playoff run he did not shoot well from deep, but in the 2018-19 playoffs, he shot 47.2 percent from beyond the arc. If Craig can shoot well enough, he will be a reliable piece in the Suns’ rotation.
Throwing an extra player at the great NBA wings never hurts. To possess one who can also shoot is extremely valuable. Expect Craig to play important minutes this coming playoffs and do not be surprised if his impact is apparent.