Meet the players Suns got in Ayton trade
The Phoenix Suns are closing their busy offseason with a bang entering training camp next week.
Deandre Ayton, Phoenix's only No. 1 overall draft pick in franchise history, was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers in a mammoth three-team trade deal on Wednesday. He was Phoenix's five-year starting center who helped lead the team to the 2021 finals.
Phoenix got four players in the deal: Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson from Portland; and Grayson Allen from Milwaukee.
Now, Phoenix has 19 players on its current roster. That will be whittled down to the league's standard 15 before the team's regular season tips off on Oct. 24 at the Golden State Warriors.
Meet the new players.
Jusuf Nurkic
Center 7-foot
Position:
Height:
Age/years of experience: 29/nine Career statistics: 12.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 blocks, .502/ .292/.671
Salary owed in 2023-24 season/contract years left: $16.8 million/three Outlook: The Bosnian big Nurkic is a burly 290-pound formidable rim protector and rebounder for Phoenix's new defensive-minded coach Frank Vogel's system. Nurkic produces close to a double-double like Ayton, and is solid passing big will likely be Phoenix's starter to replace him. But Nurkic's health has been a concern for most of his career, especially since January 2019. He's played 153 games since then, including 52 last season (all starts), and has just four seasons appearing in over 60 games. Nurkic adds depth in the middle for Phoenix with his former Portland teammate Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol, and Udoka Azubuike.
Grayson Allen
Position: Guard
Height: 6-4
Age/years of experience: Career statistics:
27, five
9.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, .435/.395/.861 Salary owed in 2023-24 season/contract years left: $8.5 million/one Outlook: Allen's reputation as a menacing cheap-shot artist has followed him since his days at Duke. However, Allen is a sharpshooter who stretches defenses when he's in the groove from deep. Phoenix will need that from him backing up Beal and Booker at the two spot, and because Phoenix ranked last in 3s made in this past postseason. Allen started in 131 of the 138 games through two years in Milwaukee, which had the league's best record 58-24 last season. He'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Nassir Little
Position: Forward
Height: 6-5
Age/years of experience: Career statistics:
23/four
6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, .451/.335/.725
Salary owed in 2023-24 season/contract years left: $6.25 million/four Outlook: The former one-and-done out of North Carolina's 7-foot-1 wingspan adds more length. Little has an explosive first step as slasher from the perimeter. He signed a four-year, $28 million rookie extension with Portland last October after he produced career-highs 9.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists in 25.9 minutes per game in the 2021-22 season. Little flourished as he got more touches when Damian Lillard was sidelined for 53 games that year. In Lillard's return last season, Little's averages slipped to 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 18.1 minutes, in 54 appearances, but his 3-point shooting was slightly improved to his best ever at 36.7%.
Keon Johnson
Guard 6-4
Position:
Height:
Age/years of experience: 21, two
Career statistics: 5.9 points, 1.8 assists, .362/.343/.739
Salary owed in 2023-24 season/contract years left: $2.8 million/two Outlook: One thing about Johnson is that he's got crazy hops. The former Tennessee standout still holds the NBA Combine's best ever 48 inches recorded in 2021. Johnson has a sinewy 185pound frame, still has some rawness to in his game, but possesses speed, decent defender, and plays well above the rim like Phoenix wing Josh Okogie. Johnson's best career numbers came in 202122 like Little. Johnson produced 9.7 points, 2.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and one steal in 25.5 minutes in 22 games that year. Last season, his numbers dropped to 4.7 points in 10.4 minutes through 40 games played.