There's lots to keep an eye on during the Phoenix Suns' Summer League play, and that is because for the first time in what feels like forever they have legitimate rookies on their roster. Both Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro looking to use the competition to get reps.
Dunn in particular looks like somebody who could feature next season - we've certainly got some lofty goals for him in 2024-25 - and if that does happen it will be as a result of his defensive abilities. For Ighodaro and the undrafted Jalen Bridges, who the Suns signed to a deal, it is too early to tell what their roles will be in The Valley.
One individual who fans didn't expect to see at Summer League - and who looks to be using it to force his way back into the rotation - is forward David Roddy.
The tenure of Roddy with the Suns has been a strange one since coming over from the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline. Royce O'Neale - who also joined at that time and has already been brought back on a longer-term deal - rightly received the minutes and plaudits after arriving.
Roddy's path to minutes was less clear, with previous head coach Frank Vogel at one point suggesting the very much a forward could see some minutes as backup point guard on this team. That spoke more to the glaring problems with the roster makeup of last season, and Vogel was likely telling the media through the use of Roddy in this way that his job was a difficult one.
And yet...
"I think I can add it to my game."
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) July 14, 2024
David Roddy on idea of being a "part-time" point guard.
Former Suns coach Frank Vogel mentioned it last season.
Roddy brought the ball up at times in Suns #NBA2KSummerLeague game.
Talked about "slowing down" and playing at his "pace." #Suns pic.twitter.com/SahloAcJVt
Roddy proved he could handle the ball some during the brief glimpses of Summer League action we have seen already. More than that, it was perhaps a surprise to see him play against the Golden State Warriors recently at all. We're not going to read into stats from these games too much, but simply being out there at all was nice for fans to see.
Entering his third campaign in 2024-25, Roddy is still only 23-years-old. At a time when plenty of players with two year's experience would skip these games altogether, Roddy instead played 28 minutes and scored 12 points. Perhaps most surprising of all, he took an eye-popping eight attempts from deep, connecting on a pair of them.
For a career 30 percent 3-point shooter, that is worth noting. So rather than sulk about the fact he was limited to 3.7 minutes per game across 17 appearances last season, Roddy has instead come to Summer League and has already handled the ball some and shot a lot more from deep than we've seen in the past. That is the mark of a young player that is actively trying to improve.
It is easy to mention at this point that the organization may have gently pushed him into Summer League play, so as to increase his practically non-existent trade stock. Even if that was the case, Roddy diversifying his play could lead to him actually heading back to The Valley and into the second unit next season.
Drafted 23rd in the 2022 NBA Draft, Roddy to this point has been thought of as a player who drives to the basket and uses his thick frame to get into the paint to score. That can still be the case, but the ability to handle the ball some and increase his range is worth keeping an eye on as the Suns continue Summer League play.
Maybe it is already too late, but the fact remains the Suns could do with a young player with some upside who can have an impact on both ends of the court. We're not there with Roddy yet - but if ever there was a chance he could force his way into head coach Mike Budenholzer's plans - the Summer League play we've seen already is exactly how he can achieve that goal.