Suns’ Jared Dudley: Team needs another star and Josh Jackson fits the bill
Suns forward Jared Dudley has his analyst hat on this offseason and shared his thoughts on this year's draft class and how each would fit in Phoenix.
Kansas guard Josh Jackson (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
(AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
The Phoenix Suns own the fourth-overall pick in this month’s NBA Draft.
Considering this draft class is highly-regarded, Phoenix should be able to grab a solid contributor at the very least.
But Suns forward Jared Dudley thinks the team needs another star to build around, joining soon-to-be third-year shooting guard Devin Booker. Dudley, who has been doing NBA analysis for ESPN and Fox Sports this offseason, thinks he knows the guy that would fit the bill for the Suns.
“This league is a star-driven league,” Dudley told Bickley and Marotta Monday on 98.7 FM, Arizona’s Sports Station. “So I’m looking at who has the biggest star potential.
“To me, (Kansas forward Josh) Jackson has the most star potential out of (Markelle) Fultz or (Lonzo) Ball — out of anyone. He’s got the most star potential out of anyone, in my opinion.”
Dudley’s opinion isn’t necessarily shared by talent evaluators, who have Fultz and Ball rated higher and many project the duo of Pac-12 point guards to be the first two players selected on June 22. There is a chance that Jackson could be available when GM Ryan McDonough and the Suns are on the clock with the fourth pick.
“For one, to be a star in this league, athleticism is huge,” Dudley said. “He’s very athletic. He brings another dimension, that we don’t have, as an elite wing defender, and you’ve got to have that because you go against the LeBrons and the Durants. That’s why you saw (Boston Celtics GM) Danny Ainge take Jaylen Brown last year.”
But what if Jackson is off the board when the Suns pick? Who makes sense there? Dudley has opinions for a contingency plan.
“(Duke’s Jayson) Tatum is a scorer. (Florida State’s Jonathan) Isaac, to me, he has the most potential. You have someone like (Kentucky’s De’Aaron) Fox, you have someone like (NC State’s Dennis) Smith,” he said. “For me, when it comes to who can win a championship, if they all reach their potential, to me, Isaac has the most potential.”
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