Report: Suns could show interest in UA product Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Brooklyn Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is expected to receive interest from the Phoenix Suns in free agency, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls are also potential suitors for the Arizona Wildcats product, Charania adds.

The Nets have reportedly declined to extend a qualifying offer to the 2015 first-round pick before free agency begins, making him an unrestricted free agent. The 6-foot-7, 217-pound forward is coming off his worst shooting season of his four-year NBA career.

Hollis-Jefferson averaged 8.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game on 41% shooting in 2018-19.

A poor shooter who hit 18% of his three-pointers on less than one attempt per game, Hollis-Jefferson could project on the Suns as a smaller, energetic power forward. He would complement the offensive production from likely starter Dario Saric, who Phoenix acquired in a draft-night deal that also moved them from the No. 6 overall pick to the No. 11 selection.

Hollis-Jefferson’s value comes in his athleticism and switchability, which allows him to defend from shooting guards to smaller power forwards. Finding playing time at any position other than power forward would be difficult with Mikal Bridges, Josh Jackson and Cam Johnson also on the roster.

The Suns enter free agency with a qualifying offer extended to swingman Kelly Oubre Jr., making him a restricted free agent.

If they allow their other free agents to walk, they could be working with just more than $13 million in cap space, which could help them land a starting-caliber point guard. With an exception or any leftover cap space, the team is also in need of power forward depth, which is where a player of Hollis-Jefferson’s caliber could end up being targeted.

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