Phoenix Suns to pick up option on wing Abdel Nader
Nov 24, 2020, 12:05 PM
Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker, left, tries to shoot past Oklahoma City Thunder's Abdel Nader, center, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)
(Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)
Newly acquired wing Abdel Nader will remain on the Phoenix Suns after being traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Chris Paul deal.
The Suns plan to pick up his club option worth $1.8 million for the 2020-21 season, reports Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro. The deal becomes fully guaranteed on Saturday.
Nader, 27, averaged 6.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 55 games (six starts) for the Thunder last season. He shot 47% from the field and 38% from three-point range.
Retaining Nader keeps the Suns at 14 rostered players, plus rookie Ty-Shon Alexander, who has reportedly been added on a two-way contract.
Phoenix has one roster spot that it can fill via a veteran’s minimum contract or the bi-annual exception it has yet to use.
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The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Nader was a second-round pick by the Celtics in 2016 and has 164 games of NBA experience as a reserve for Boston (2017-18) and Oklahoma City (2018-20). He is a capable, sound contributor but will likely sit behind Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Cam Johnson, who are expected to play the brunt of the minutes as wing forwards.
Additionally, Devin Booker, E’Twaun Moore, Langston Galloway and Jevon Carter are likely to account for all of the minutes at shooting guard.
