The Phoenix Suns‘ most glaring need is either at center or on the wing, but either way, there’s no question this team should target bigger, defensive-minded wings in the offseason.
Doing so would ease the defensive burden that fell on Kevin Durant‘s shoulders last season, and it’d negate some of the pressure on Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on that end too. Having switchable wings who can defend multiple positions, knock down 3s and handle some playmaking is a necessity in the modern NBA, and even after re-signing Royce O’Neale, Phoenix will still be in need of more players in that category.
The problem is the Suns don’t have a ton of avenues to explore as a second tax apron team. Their trade options for Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and David Roddy feel limited. A Grayson Allen trade is off limits until mid-October, and Bradley Beal trades aren’t happening either.
That leaves either the draft or free agency. We’ve already covered some wing draft targets for the Suns at pick No. 22 in this year’s draft, but very few of those prospects have the immediate 3-and-D skill-set Phoenix requires. In free agency, all the Suns can offer to outside free agents is a vet minimum deal, since they do not have the mid-level exception or any other exception as a second tax apron team.
So this week, after looking at pie-in-the-sky targets and a few veteran minimum centers already, we’re going to rank the top-20 wing targets who could be a decent fit in free agency…and hopefully fall in that vet minimum price range.
Honorable Mentions: Simone Fontecchio (restricted free agent), Joe Ingles ($11 million team option), Jae’Sean Tate ($7.6 million team option), Jeff Green ($8 million team option), Garrison Mathews ($2.3 million team option), Lindy Watters III ($2.2 million team option), Evan Fournier ($19 million team option), Matt Ryan ($2.2 million non-guaranteed), Oshae Brissett ($2.4 million player option), Reggie Bullock, Wesley Matthews, Marcus Morris
Meh wing options for Suns
20. P.J. Tucker
Update: Tucker has exercised his player option to remain with the Clippers.
Tucker has an $11.5 million player option for next year that he’d be crazy to decline, since his value at age 39 is decidedly “vet minimum.” He’s unlikely to secure a multi-year deal from anyone, so he’d have to sacrifice millions of dollars to reunite with Devin Booker in the desert. And even if he did, Tucker’s best days are behind him.
He averaged 1.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 0.5 steals in 15.7 minutes per game this year, appearing in only 31 games between the Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers. Tucker is a strong, burly, defensive-minded wing, and he proved he can still contribute in a playoff setting, averaging 5.5 points in 15.5 minutes per game while shooting 4-of-6 overall and 3-of-4 from deep. But that came in only two playoff appearances, and he’s a step slower on defense these days.
19. Jae Crowder
Crowder is another aging 3-and-D wing with a strong enough frame to spend time at the 4, and like Tucker, he’s lost a step on the defensive end. He turns 34 in July, and it’s worth noting the Milwaukee Bucks have Crowder’s Bird rights if they wish to re-sign him. This season, he averaged 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in his 23.1 minutes per game, but his efficiency took a dip to 42.2 percent overall and 34.9 percent from 3-point range.
Crowder started in 25 of his 50 games for Milwaukee, but when his minutes shrank in the playoffs, he struggled to have a positive impact, shooting 3-for-12 overall and 1-for-7 from 3. He also went from holding opponents to 3.3 percent worse shooting than they’d normally shoot in the regular season to 8.6 percent better than they’d normally shoot in the postseason. A reunion would be a neat storyline, but the Suns should aim higher.
18. Justin Holiday
The Denver Nuggets only have non-Bird rights on Holiday, who shot 40.4 percent from 3 this year. Although he only averaged 4.0 points in 14.9 minutes per game, Holiday wound up playing a more significant role in their second-round playoff series, chipping in 4.6 points in his 16.1 minutes per game while shooting 10-for-20 from deep.
Holiday has good size on the wing at 6-foot-6, with a 7-foot wingspan, but he’s also 35 years old and shouldn’t be a primary target in the Suns’ search for depth in the 3-and-D wing department.
17. KJ Martin
Martin has been on the Suns’ radar for a while now, and the 23-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent. The Sixers have his Bird rights and tons of cap space, so it’s possible they bring him back on a cheap, multi-year deal that is still more than Phoenix can offer.
However, if Philly looks elsewhere, Martin is a 6-foot-6 athlete who has some utility as a vertical spacer, cutter and finisher in the dunker spot. Adding that kind of bounce on the wing could boost the Suns’ presence at the rim.
Outside of that, however, Martin’s offense is fairly limited at this point. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game, and although he shot 53.6 percent from the floor, he only made 28.6 percent of his 3s. That lack of floor-spacing, and the fact that Martin is not a lockdown wing defender, would limit his value to a team like Phoenix.
16. Jordan Nwora
There’s no question that Nwora has skills on the offensive end of the floor. In 34 games after his trade to the Toronto Raptors, the 25-year-old averaged 7.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.6 minutes per game on 46.5 percent shooting. At 6-foot-8, Nwora has some athletic pop when he gets a runway. His sturdy frame helps him on drives, where he ranks in the 86th percentile in fouls drawn, per The BBall Index.
However, there are still elements of his game that need fine-tuning. As a perimeter shooter, Nwora made just 34.7 percent of his 3s in Toronto and 30.6 percent of his 3s to start the season with the Indiana Pacers. He shot 42.2 percent from deep the season prior, but his defense has been lackluster to this point in his career. Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic even expressed it was an area where he was challenging Nwora to improve, saying, “His focus and attention and effort has got to be on much higher level.”
Toronto has Nwora’s Bird rights, so they could very well re-sign him, but there’s a decent chance he winds up hitting the market. Phoenix has to take swings on younger talent at some point, but Nwora doesn’t address the Suns’ defensive needs on the wing.
Established vets in the middle tier
15. Talen Horton-Tucker
Horton-Tucker is one of the youngest players on this list at 23 years old, but he’s been in the league for five years now. The Suns may not have the time or patience to see if he can develop into a positive impact player on a winning team.
This year with the Utah Jazz, the 6-foot-4 off-guard averaged 10.1 points and 3.5 assists in 19.8 minutes per game. Although he’s flashed potential as a playmaker, his efficiency remains a major question mark, since he only shot 39.6 percent from the floor and 33 percent from 3. He’s still young, but as a career 29.3 percent shooter from distance, it’s hard to believe that part of his game will ever come around.
The Jazz have his Bird rights, but given the numerous ways he failed to improve, it feels unlikely he’ll return to Utah. Horton-Tucker is a plus-defender with a broad frame and significant wingspan, which would help, but he’s a completely ignorable presence on the perimeter on offense, and he can’t finish inside either, shooting just 54.8 percent at the rim.
14. Gordon Hayward
Although Hayward is 34 years old now, he’s a proven two-way wing, and the Suns could use more of those. Hayward spent time as a double-digit scorer with the Charlotte Hornets to start the season before getting a chance to contribute on a winning team with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He only put up 5.3 points a night in OKC, but he was hyper-efficient in his limited role, shooting 45.3 percent overall and 51.7 percent from 3. Then again, that came on only 1.1 attempts per game.
The question is whether Gordon Hayward is still a useful player on a contender, and the Thunder didn’t seem to think so. Although he averaged 17.2 minutes per game in his 26 regular-season appearances, once the playoffs arrived, Hayward played a grand total of 15 minutes in three appearances, failing to score a single point. Maybe a change of pace and a full season in Phoenix would help, but Hayward may not be that guy anymore.
13. Josh Richardson
Update: Richardson is picking up his player option to remain with the Heat.
Richardson has a $3.1 million player option to remain with the Miami Heat, and coming off a season-ending shoulder surgery, there’s a good chance he plays it safe. The 6-foot-5 off-guard turns 31 in September, so there’d be some uncertainty in hitting the open market.
If he does surprise everyone and decides to pursue a deal elsewhere, however, Richardson could be worth a look. He averaged 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25.7 minutes per game, and simply having a wing who projects as a contributor on both ends would help.
However, Richardson’s “3-and-D” reputation hasn’t quite lived up to its billing in recent years. He’s not the defender he once was, and he shot just 34.7 percent from 3 this year — dropping his career average to a mundane 36.4 percent. Coming off shoulder surgery, this would be something of a risk, even for a more established commodity.
12. Cam Reddish
Update: Reddish has opted in to remain with the Lakers.
Cam Reddish looked terrific in his handful of games against the Suns, knocking down some key 3s and providing stout, long-armed defense against Devin Booker. The latter was something he excelled at, ranking in the 85th percentile in pickpocket rating, 87th percentile in passing lane defense and 95th percentile in steals per 75 possessions. But despite those strengths, it wasn’t long before the Los Angeles Lakers fanbase was clamoring for Max Christie to take his minutes.
Reddish has a $2.5 million player option, so there’s a decent chance the 24-year-old winds up back with the Los Angeles Lakers. He may still have something of a market given how young he is and how good he is defensively, but teams probably won’t be banging down his door either, since he only averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 20.5 minutes per game.
Reddish only shot 38.9 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from 3, which is alarming for a guy who ranked in the 89th percentile in openness rating on those 3s. As a career 32.4 percent shooter from long range, there have been few signs he’ll ever be able to spread the floor. After five years in the league on four different teams, the dreams of Cam Reddish growing into a modern 3-and-D wing feel long gone, and his defense isn’t quite elite enough to keep him on the floor in a playoff environment.
11. Gary Harris
Update: The Magic will reportedly re-sign Harris to a two-year, $14 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Harris proved his worth to a younger, much-improved Magic team this season, but he also struggled with some of the same injury problems that have hindered him throughout his career.
Although he only averaged 6.9 points and 0.9 steals in 24.0 minutes per game, he served as Orlando’s biggest 3-point threat, knocking down 37.1 percent from deep. That number would’ve been even better on a team with more gravity, since Harris only ranked in the 23rd percentile in openness rating. On a team like Phoenix, having a committed defender and a guy who knocked down 43.4 percent of his wide-open 3s would help.
However, the soon-to-be 30-year-old also missed 28 games this year, and he hasn’t played more than 61 games in a season since 2017-18. The Magic may also value Harris enough to bring him back, since they were 35-19 with him in the lineup but only 12-16 without him.
10. Alec Burks
Burks turns 33 in July, but against all expectations, he stepped up in the playoffs for the New York Knicks. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard spent the majority of his season as a double-digit scorer and 40 percent 3-point shooter with the Pistons before being traded to the Big Apple. He struggled in New York during the season, but once the postseason arrived, he flipped a switch.
In six appearances, Burks put up 14.8 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per game. He also shot 50 percent overall and drilled 42.9 percent of his 4.7 3-point attempts per game. The Suns would’ve loved that type of steady production from anyone off the bench in the playoffs, especially as a guy who ranked in the 17th percentile in openness rating but still knocked down 37.6 percent of his triples.
However, the Knicks own Burks’ Bird rights, and even if they’re too preoccupied with re-signing OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein to make Burks a good offer, he plays at a position where the Suns are already well-stocked. He’d be higher on the list if not for the redundancy at the 2-guard spot and the glaring need for defense on the wing.
9. Robert Covington
Covington didn’t get many opportunities in his three games with the Clippers, and that trend continued after being traded to the Sixers as part of the James Harden trade. RoCo may have averaged 16.1 minutes a night in Philly, but he only appeared in 26 regular-season games and didn’t see the floor at all in the postseason.
At 33 years old, Covington isn’t as spry as he once was, but when he got on the court, he proved he could still be an elite disruptor in small doses, ranking in the 100th percentile in pickpocket rating, 100th percentile in passing lane defense, 99th percentile in steals per 75 possessions and 99th percentile in deflections per 75 possessions. The Suns could use more defensive-minded wings, especially ones like Covington who can spend time as small-ball 5s in a pinch.
But — like many of the players on our list — the fact that Covington failed to regularly crack the rotation of a playoff team might be telling at this point. His 4.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 16.8 minutes per game last year don’t leap off the page, and his 33.9 percent shooting from 3 could make him a liability.
Better, younger options that may be out of Suns’ price range
8. Lamar Stevens
Stevens isn’t a household name, but he can play. Splitting his season between 19 games with the Boston Celtics and 19 games with the Memphis Grizzlies, the 26-year-old showed why there’s optimism with his game…and why some of it should be tempered when it comes to playoff expectations.
The 6-foot-7 forward started out his tenure in Memphis as a small-ball big by necessity and held his own on that front, ranking in the 99th percentile in block rate on contests and the 85th percentile in percentage of rim shots contested. His 2.2 percent block rate ranked in the 98th percentile among all players at his position, per Cleaning The Glass.
But Stevens can defend on the perimeter as well. Last year with the Cavs, he ranked in the 94th percentile in on-ball perimeter defense and the 91st percentile in ball-screen navigation, making him one of the better defensive wings on our list. His defensive playmaking and versatility — along with a burgeoning short midrange game that features a nice little turnaround jumper — would fit in nicely in Phoenix.
However, even with the Grizzlies in tax apron territory, there’s no guarantee Stevens’ market is in the vet minimum range, and the flashes he showed may be enough to convince Memphis to re-sign him. Stevens’ 11.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks in 23.0 minutes per game for the Grizz were impressive, but he struggled to contribute in Boston, so his Memphis numbers may have been inflated on a bad team. Stevens’ 28.9 percent shooting from 3 — right in line with his career average — is less than ideal as well.
7. Haywood Highsmith
Hey look, another undrafted player who became a legitimate NBA role player in Miami! This 27-year-old wing is a little undersized at 6-foot-5, but he makes up for it with a massive 7-foot wingspan. He’s the type of younger two-way player Phoenix should be seeking out.
The problem is the Heat have Highsmith’s Bird rights, and as he told the Miami Herald about, he wants to stay in South Beach near his family. Whether in Miami or on the open market, his value could easily exceed the vet minimum, which is all the Suns can offer.
However, it’s pretty easy to see why Highsmith would be a good fit. His 6.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 20.7 minutes per game don’t seem like much, but defensively, he ranked in the 82nd percentile in time spent on primary ball-handlers this year. Highsmith also ranked in the 92nd percentile in steals per 75 possessions, 86th percentile in deflections per 75 possessions and 98th percentile in defensive miles per 75 possessions, so he’s not opposed to doing the dirty work on that end.
Offensively, Highsmith may be a horrendous finisher in the paint, but he offers plenty of value as a shooter, knocking down 39.6 percent of his 2.9 3s per game. He started in 26 of his 66 appearances for the Heat this season, and if anything, earning the trust of Erik Spoelstra indicates he can help a playoff team.
6. Naji Marshall
Update: According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Marshall has agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
If the Suns are looking for 3-and-D skill-sets with room to grow, look no further than Naji Marshall. The New Orleans Pelicans have his Bird rights, but he is reportedly expected to leave in free agency this summer because of everything else NOLA has going on. At 26 years old, the 6-foot-6 Marshall is coming off his most efficient season yet, shooting 46.3 percent overall and 38.7 percent from 3 — both career highs.
Marshall may have only averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals in 19.0 minutes per game, but he proved himself defensively and was one of New Orleans’ few players who actually performed well in their first-round sweep, averaging 9.0 points per game on 40 percent shooting from deep.
The biggest problem is Marshall might have suitors who are willing to spend more than the vet minimum, and if that’s the case, he would really have to want to play with the Suns to choose Phoenix over the first significant payday of his career. As a former undrafted player and two-way contract, that feels unlikely. Even as a more hopeful target, though, Marshall is near the top of the list for good reason.
5. Trendon Watford
Update: The Nets will extend Watford’s qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent.
As a restricted free agent, Watford could very easily be retained by the Brooklyn Nets, who will have the power to match any offer on the 23-year-old (or grant him an individual offer of their own) if they extend his $2.8 million qualifying offer. So there’s a chance Watford doesn’t even see the light of unrestricted free agency.
But if he does, and the Nets focus on just bringing back Nic Claxton rather than shelling out a few extra millions to keep them both, Watford is a player who should have multiple suitors. He’s probably worth more than a vet minimum, but his market shouldn’t go too far beyond that, and perhaps the allure of playing with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Mike Budenholzer would appeal to him.
Watford is one of the more intriguing upside swings that could actually be attainable this summer. At 6-foot-8, Watford averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 13.6 minutes per game, shooting 52.7 percent overall and 39.7 percent from 3. Like the rest of his numbers, that 3-point percentage came on low volume (1.1 attempts per game), but Watford is a two-way wing who could help Phoenix now while still having room to grow.
He won’t work his way into the starting lineup by any means, but Watford has better ball-handling and playmaking skills than most players at his size. He’s not a true point forward just yet, but his 14.8 assist percentage ranked in the 81st percentile at his position, and he looked more comfortable by the end of the year as an additional ball-handler, even running the occasional pick-and-roll.
Watford may not be the defensive-minded wing Phoenix really needs, but his defense is capable enough to warrant playing time considering what he brings to the table offensively. He attacks the paint with fluidity and strength, ranking in the 80th percentile in drives per 75 possessions, and he has the athleticism and ball control to finish smoothly at the rim despite rarely elevating for dunks, ranking in the 87th percentile in field goal percentage around the basket.
One Nets writer believes Brooklyn might let Watford walk, and if that’s the case, Phoenix should look into a young forward/big who could lend some additional versatility, playmaking, rebounding, perimeter shooting and efficient finishing.
Better, older options who may be out of Suns’ price range
4. Torrey Craig
Update: We had to let this die. Craig will reportedly opt in to remain with the Bulls.
We will never let this die.
In all seriousness, Craig has a $2.8 million player option for next year, so there’s a chance he’ll choose to opt in and remain with the Chicago Bulls. But if he’s had enough of that franchise’s lack of direction or simply wants to be on a playoff-caliber team again, Phoenix would make sense — for the third time — as a potential landing spot.
Historically speaking, Craig usually joins the Suns in a trade deadline deal following a failed negotiation in free agency, so this signing would buck the trend a bit. But this 6-foot-5 wing was a great asset to Chicago’s locker room all season in a way that went well beyond his 5.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.8 minutes per game.
For the first time in his career, Craig had an effective shooting season outside of Phoenix, canning 39.2 percent of his 2.9 attempts from beyond the arc. At 33 years old, Craig is definitely a vet minimum guy now, and although his best defensive days are behind him, adding some size, shooting and two-way play on the wing would be useful, regardless of whether it’s a familiar face.
3. Kelly Oubre Jr.
Update: Oubre has agreed to a two-year, $16.3 million deal with the Sixers, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This is a bit optimistic, and not just because there are probably still some hurt feelings over Oubre launching the “Valley Boyz” movement and then getting unceremoniously traded away in the Chris Paul deal. More importantly, Oubre’s latest season in Philly raised his value well beyond vet minimum territory.
With that being said, the Sixers have ample cap space and may be occupied with bigger fish like Paul George, so if Oubre’s market fizzles, maybe there’s an outside shot at a desert reunion. After all, the Suns could use someone with Oubre’s downhill mindset, and the 28-year-old wing still ranked in the 83rd percentile of unassisted shots at the rim and the 71st percentile in field goal percentage at the rim.
The 6-foot-7 swingman probably played his way into a better contract than the vet minimum he played on this year in Philly, averaging 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.2 minutes per game. He started in 52 of his 68 appearances for the Sixers, and in the playoffs, he logged 37.3 minutes a night while shooting 48.4 percent overall and 39.1 percent from deep.
Oubre also provided us with arguably the funniest moment of the season (which he later apologized for, but still):
The question, aside from how Phoenix would get him to take a discount, is whether that playoff 3-ball could hold up during the regular season. Oubre only shot 31.1 percent from deep leading up to the postseason, and he’s a career 32.7 percent shooter from long range. The last time he shot better than 35 percent from beyond the arc was….back in 2019-20, as a member of the Suns.
“Tsunami Papi” isn’t the lockdown defender Phoenix needs, but he competes on that end and uses his length to get in passing lanes for deflections and steals. He’s earned a new payday, either in Philly or somewhere else, but free agency was unpredictable before all these new CBA restrictions kicked in. If he somehow flies under the radar again, Phoenix should at least make a phone call.
2. Taurean Prince
Update: According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Taurean Prince has agreed to sign a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Prince spent last season playing on the $4.5 million bi-annual exception, and since he had a good year on a high-profile team like the Los Angeles Lakers, he may have played himself out of that vet minimum range. He also told Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation that he wants to re-sign with LA.
But again, you never know what can happen in free agency, and the Lakers may have some decisions to make about their future depending on what LeBron James does. That uncertainty while awaiting the King’s decision could provide an opening for other teams to swoop in on a solid two-way wing who won’t break the bank.
The 30-year-old Prince put up 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.0 minutes per game this year, shooting 44.2 percent overall and 39.6 percent from 3 on 4.6 attempts a night. He felt miscast as a starter at times, but at 6-foot-6, Prince has the frame and defensive intellect to spend some time on the tougher defensive assignments that Phoenix needs to avoid saddling Durant with.
Offensively, Prince is mostly a spot-up shooter who ranked in the 74th percentile in points per possession in those situations, but he’s also an effective drive-and-kick guy and moves well off screens.
The biggest drawbacks — aside from whether he’s available on a vet minimum — are his lack of rebounding and the fact that he’s simply a good defensive wing but not a great one. Prince lacks the speed and physicality to be an elite defensive stopper, but he’s at least passable on that end. If by chance he’s available in this price range, Phoenix should not hesitate.
1. Nicolas Batum
Update: According to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, Batum will not be re-signing with the Sixers. The Clippers will sign him to a two-year, $9.6 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Yes, Nic Batum is 35 years old and will turn 36 in December. And yes, the whole point was to find defensive wing stoppers who could provide some youth and athleticism in the process. Batum is none of those things.
But the well-seasoned veteran has a wealth of NBA knowledge and experience to draw upon, and he’s still more than capable of making an impact on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-8 Swiss Army knife made $11.7 million last year, but he’s undoubtedly a vet minimum player at this point of his career.
Averaging 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks in his 25.5 minutes per game, Batum played three games for the Clippers before being traded to Philly for the other 57. He shot 45.3 percent overall and 39.5 percent from 3, taking 3.1 attempts per game.
While Batum’s best days are behind him, there’s something to be said about having trustworthy vets on your bench, and Batum can help in a playoff setting in ways that go beyond the stat sheet.
Even on the stat sheet, Batum stepped up his numbers to 6.3 points and 5.8 rebounds a night on 40.9 percent shooting from deep during Philly’s first-round series. He also went from holding opponents to 2.0 percent worse shooting in the regular season to 11.0 percent worse shooting in the playoffs.
The Sixers have Batum’s Bird rights and plenty of cap space to re-sign him, but if they’re busy trying to land Paul George, re-sign Kelly Oubre, or simply want to go in a different direction, maybe Batum signs with a playoff-caliber suitor that values him right from the start.
And make no mistake: From his smart defensive rotations to his high-catch, quick-trigger 3s to his intelligent passing, Batum is the type of connective piece Phoenix can trust in high-octane moments. He’d be an excellent pickup on a vet minimum deal, bolstering their wing rotation in the process.
