Little known shooting guard has earned Suns' final two-way spot

The Phoenix Suns had stronger involvement than usual in the NBA's Summer League slate that just finished up, thanks to the participation of two rookies in Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro. There was lots to like from both players, and they have a chance to crack the rotation proper once the regular season gets underway.

There were plenty of other unknown faces on the Suns' roster vying for the final two-way spot with the organization, not to mention the opportunity to put themselves in the shop window with other teams.

The selection for the franchise should be obvious though, as Isaiah Wong played like he knew he was better than everybody else at Summer League.

But who exactly is Wong, and where did he come from? The 23-year-old was taken 55th overall in the 2023 Draft, and if that number sounds familiar it is because Bronny James was taken at the same stage in this year's draft. That's where the similarities end though, with James given a guaranteed contract and Wong playing exactly five minutes across two games for the Indiana Pacers.

One of them didn't even count statistically, and it ironically came against James' father LeBron in the final of the In-Season Tournament, with Wong spending far more time with the organization's G League affiliate, the Indiana Mad Ants. He somehow found his way onto the Suns' Summer League roster, and showed out when given the opportunity to play.

But why would the Suns want a player like Wong - who appears to be the score first kind - when they have three All-Stars on their roster? The answer is simple, and it is twofold. Firstly you can never have too many legitimate scorers on your team, and if Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are getting double-teamed, you know a guy like Wong is going to be left open all night long.

Yes it is only Summer League, but there was a real comfort level in how he scored in a myriad of different ways. We're not making this a comparison with Bronny for engagement, but right now Wong looks like the more likely of the two to be able to have even a small impact on an actual NBA game. That makes sense though, because he has a year's more experience.

But on a more pratical level, it makes sense for the franchise to take a flyer on a more offensive-minded player with that two-way spot because Dunn and Ighodaro are both so clearly going to have a greater impact on the defensive end. If this is a group that can bring Bol Bol back for a second season, they can surely find a spot for Wong.

Their G League roster, the Valley Suns, has former NBA players dotted throughout, and needs guys like Wong who are desperate to prove themselves to pad out the team. Head coach Mike Budenholzer is also more likely to get anything at all out of the player than former leading man, Frank Vogel.

Finally - and perhaps most importantly - Wong could add some depth to the Suns' guard rotation. We all know what happened last season, and Monte Morris and Collin Gillespie - while both nice additions - aren't the kind of guys that could shut Wong out of the rotation if he has some nice showings. The Suns need to get this one done.