Phoenix Suns: Ranking Each Member of the Young Core by Ceiling

Phoenix Suns Young Core Ranked by Ceiling: Cameron Johnson

Cameron Johnson played huge for the Suns last year, seemingly catching up to the draft class before him as far as immediate production goes. With keen defensive instincts, notable athleticism, and a solid jump shot, he embodies a fantastic option to provide energy for Phoenix off their bench.

However, he finds himself fourth on this list due to his lacking inability to create for himself and his age.

With the NBA featuring ball-handling forwards such as LeBron James and Luka Doncic now more than ever, Johnson remains a significant step behind the rest of the league with his inability to run an offense.  A player’s ceiling strictly deals with their future, and with the game’s future calling for small forwards to play this way, it puts Johnson in a tough spot.

Considering how he was drafted ahead everyone else on this list minus Jalen Smith, one might expect him to have more time to grow and develop this needed trait. However, his draft class is misleading. Johnson is actually 25 years old already, making him even older than Devin Booker.

Additionally, very few players learn how to handle the rock and initiate an offense as their careers progress, unlike with three-point shooting or passing skills. So with both the difficulty it takes to develop creative skills at the offensive end and Johnson’s age considered, his ceiling drops lower than one might initially expect.

This means not to dismiss Johnson’s already established talents though. He remains a solid surrounding piece still craved by most teams. With his usefulness, skillset, and clutch play still acknowledge, he owns a Jeff Green-like ceiling.