Suns Rookies Will Have Opportunity to Make Impact

Phoenix’s newbies will be in position to make an impact in Year 1.

Forward Oso Ighodaro talks to the media during the Suns Summer League at Verizon 5G Performance Center on Jul 9, 2024, in Phoenix. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

After an underwhelming start to their newest trio’s tenure, the Phoenix Suns needed to make big additions this offseason.

While they got their primary add in veteran point guard Tyus Jones, they also made fringe additions at the 2024 NBA Draft in Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, who should be ready to hit the ground running.

Despite a near-50-win season last year, the Suns still don’t have a prolific roster. They’re headlined by the star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, and filled out by Jones, Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and more.

While NBA rookies typically don’t make positive impact overall, Phoenix’s lack of depth will force it to rely on the newbies more than usual. But that could work in their favor.

Dunn was the first player added to the roster at No. 28. A sophomore at Virginia, the 6-foot-8 forward largely made his name with defense, putting up a punishing 2.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. His offense — just 8.1 points per game on 55% shooting with few threes to show for it — is a work in progress. But he’ll in the least be a body that will make things tougher offensively for the opposition.

Ighodaro, who was selected at No. 40, had been on NBA radars for a few seasons. But finally pushed through in his fourth season at Marquette with 13.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 stocks per game.

He’s an undersized center-forward combo at around 6-foot-9-ish, but has a unique skillset on both ends, functioning as a mobile rim-runner with a push shot replacing any theoretical 3-point shooting.

Next season, both Dunn and Ighodaro aren’t likely to play extended minutes, but they will offer ancillary skillsets and bodies the Suns can throw out intermittently. And they’ll hopefully be players that can get in a groove quickly in an aging core looking to contend sooner rather than later.

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