3 more players that can be the Suns’ fifth starter.
2. Yuta Watanabe
One of the big issues for the Suns’ role players in the playoffs last season was their complete inability to hit wide open threes, specifically from the corner. It was such a problem that it wouldn’t be a surprise if they overcorrected this issue and made Yuta Watanabe the fifth starter.
Watanabe was one of the best corner shooters in the league last year, at a scintillating 51 percent. Overall, he shot 44 percent on 3-pointers, which was among the league leaders for players that took over two attempts per game.
Yuta Watanabe is for the kids. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sNSyKGY4BM
— theScore (@theScore) January 15, 2023
Watanabe isn’t an amazing defender, but he would provide some nice size at the four. He’s also played with Durant for the Brooklyn Nets so their chemistry playing next to each other is ready-made.
Ultimately though, Watanabe is better served for the bench at this point in time. The second unit will need his size and floor spacing a little more than the starting unit will. While Watanabe isn’t a bad defender, he’s also not a great one, and the fifth starter really should be the best defender they can be to help the superstars on this roster each night.