Could Johnson be Suns’ defensive ‘specialist’?
The Phoenix Suns are having a free agent workout with one player who didn’t play last season and another who played his college ball at Arizona.
Veterans Jabari Parker and Stanley Johnson are scheduled for a workout, Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes tweeted Monday morning. Johnson played one season at Arizona and was the eighth overall pick in the 2015 draft ahead of Suns All-Star Devin Booker, the 13th overall selection out of Kentucky.
NBA free agency begins June 30. Sources have told The Republic the Suns will need to sign some “specialists” in filling out a roster that has three of the game’s most prolific scorers in Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Booker.
The athletic 6-6 Johnson is known for his defense and being able to guard multiple positions. He played for new Suns coach Frank Vogel in 2021-22 when Vogel was coaching the Lakers.
That was Vogel’s third and final year in Los Angeles as he was fired following a 33-49 season.
Averaging 6.7 points in 48 games (27 starts) with the Lakers that one season, Johnson averaged 5.8 points in 30 games for the Spurs last season.
Johnson has the same agents as Suns big Deandre Ayton in Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian. Ayton was taken first overall out of Arizona in the 2018 draft after a one-and-done season with the Wildcats.
Johnson’s career average for points is 6.2 a game and he is a 30.5% career 3-point shooter, but connected on a career-best 45% (18-of-40) of his 3s last season in San Antonio.
The Spurs waived Johnson in February 2023 after signing him to a oneyear deal in December 2022.
As for Parker, the second overall pick in the 2014 draft behind Andrew Wiggins didn’t play last season in the NBA. He last played in 2021-22 with the Celtics for just 12 games.
That was after seeing action in just 13 games in the 2020-21 season that started for Parker in Sacramento. The Kings released Parker, who was picked up by the Celtics.
Boston waived Parker in January 2022.
Knee injuries riddled Parker’s career early. His best statistical season was in 2016-17 when he averaged 20.1 points in 51 games (50 starts) for the Bucks, the team who drafted him second overall in 2014 out of Duke.
The Suns are looking to fill out a roster that has four players on max contracts in Booker, Durant, Beal and Ayton.
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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