NAZ Suns’ opening night roster includes Bennett, Peters
Nov 2, 2017, 7:06 PM
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Northern Arizona Suns have announced their official roster to start the season. Anthony Bennett, Alec Peters, Tidjan Keita and Peter Jok headline the team.
In late September, the Phoenix Suns signed Bennett but he did not make the final roster. The former top overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft played in only 23 games last year with the Brooklyn Nets and averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Peters will join Bennett. He was the Suns’ late second-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The four-year forward at Valparaiso signed a two-way deal with the team in early October. Two-way contracts allow NBA teams to expand their roster size from 15 players to 17, meaning Peters is the only player on the NAZ Suns that is a member of the Phoenix Suns. Peters or Mike James — the other member of the roster on a two-way deal — have 45 days allotted on their two-way deals to spend with an NBA club.
Peters had a strong preseason game with NAZ as he posted 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
Jok was another player the Suns signed in late September and like Bennett did not make team. The wing player shined at the University of Iowa as a senior, leading the Big Ten in scoring with 19.9 points.
Keita is a former Canadian player that made his appearance in the summer league with the Toronto Raptors. The Suns gave him a deal in the beginning of October shortly before waiving him the same week.
Keita is one of three players, including Bennett and Jok, that is an affiliate player. That means they were on the training camp rosters, waived and automatically sent to that team’s G League affiliate if they signed a G League contract. Affiliate players are still able to be signed by any of the 30 NBA teams.
The final roster has four returning players, three affiliate players, two players picked in the NBA G League Draft, a Two-Way player and a player they acquired via trade.
The NAZ Suns will have their home debut against the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario on Saturday at 7 p.m.
