How Suns Rookies Graded Out in Summer League

The Phoenix Suns' rookie duo shined in Vegas.

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ryan Dunn reacts after being selected in the first round by the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns saw a handful of promising young players take part in the team's Summer League action in Las Vegas.

Now that the dust has settled, it's time to reflect on Phoenix's handful of games played.

Bleacher Report recently graded each team's top rookies and how they performed - and though the Suns' duo of Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro walked away with a cumulative C+ grade - B/R's Andy Bailey sees the upside in both picks:

"The Phoenix Suns have plenty of offense on their roster from Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, so trading down for a defensive specialist made sense," said Bailey.

"And given his draft position (No. 28) and strengths (defense, defense and more defense), Ryan Dunn has been fine in Las Vegas.

"His shooting has been dreadful, but Dunn looks like he'll be able to both protect the rim and defend on the perimeter.

"As for second-rounder Oso Ighodaro, despite a low scoring average and sub-50 field-goal percentage, he's shown flashes of upside as a skilled center with touch and some passing ability."

Dunn was brought on to effectively be a defensive catalyst on the wing for Phoenix when needed with hope that his jumpshot would eventually follow. It's safe to say his performance in Vegas highlighted both what he can bring on the defensive side of the floor while also highlighting how far he is from fully completing himself as an overall player.

In just 4 Summer League games, Ryan Dunn showcased his lockdown defense and defensive playmaking ability:

Per 36 minutes, he averaged 1.8 STL and 2.1 BLK (and just 3.2 FLS).

Whether the offense develops or not, the Suns got a lockdown defender ready to contribute this season. pic.twitter.com/IOb7IyL8sw

— Suns Are Better (@SunsAreBetter) July 21, 2024

Which is fine - nobody expected Dunn to turn into Mikal Bridges right away.

As for Ighodaro, the Suns' second-round pick flashed some solid athleticism and passing ability for a big man:

All 9 of Oso Ighodaro's assists from the Summer League yesterday

NBA meets Point Oso pic.twitter.com/6luIgWNLdJ

— Ryan Cassidy (@ryancassidycbb) July 21, 2024

The Suns will now wait until training camp to see both rookies back in action again, and with Phoenix practically done in terms of making moves, the two draft picks can begin carving out their roles ahead of the 2024-25 season.

More on how Phoenix's top Summer League pieces graded out can be found here.