With an eye toward shooting, Phoenix Suns work out Kentucky’s Malik Monk

PHOENIX — Teams can never have enough shooters. In the NBA. In the NCAA. High school.

The saying fits for all levels of basketball.

In the NBA, the Golden State Warriors are the perfect example. With two of the best shooters in the game in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, they’ve put themselves in position to win their second championship in three years.

The Phoenix Suns have gone 49 years without a title.

“Shooting has a premium, always, but especially in the league now,” assistant GM Pat Connelly said following Tuesday’s pre-draft workout of Kentucky guard Malik Monk.

Among the 2017 draft prospects, Monk, the SEC Player of the Year, is considered one of the top shooters, if not the top.

“That’s not making a big statement or a crazy statement,” Connelly said.

As a freshman, Monk shot nearly 40 percent from 3-point range. His 104 made 3-pointers ranked third-most in school history. Overall, he shot 45-percent from the field, showing the ability to use screens to get open and shoot off the dribble.

All of which Monk displayed in his solo workout with the Suns.

“He looked really good,” Connelly said. “Shot the ball incredibly well from NBA range, one of our probably better performances we’ve had in the last few years here from shooting from that deep ball. He has one of those strokes that adjusts well to the deeper shot. He shoots it easy, and even when we were shooting shots behind the NBA 3, he still had the same form and (the ball) went in a lot.”

Asked about his shooting range, Monk didn’t hesitate.

“I don’t have any, as soon as I step in the gym,” he said with a big smile.

Monk, 19, does not lack for confidence, that’s for sure. It’s something he credited to his family.

Monk, who averaged 19.8 points per game in college, is projected to be a top-10 pick in this month’s draft. The Suns select fourth overall, which may, to some experts, be too high to make Monk the selection.

Then there is this: The Suns already have a player of Monk’s skill-set and he, too, played at Kentucky. Devin Booker, who just happened to lead the Suns in scoring this past season.

Again, though, shooting was something the Suns identified at season’s end. In fact, it was the first thing out of the mouth of head coach Earl Watson when he met the media on April 12.

“We obviously need better shooting…and finding shooters,” he said.

The Suns were the 19^th-best shooting team in the league this season — of the 18 teams ahead of them, 14 made the playoffs — and fourth-worst making 3s.

Booker, by the way, ranked 39^th (42.3 percent) and 26^th (36.3) among qualified guards in field goal and 3-point percentage, respectively.

In other words, if Monk is the choice, or at least being considered, then the Suns will find a way to make the rotations work.

“Any time you can add shooting and with shooting you can make it work,” Connelly said. “When we’re going through this draft process, we’re looking at every player we think can help us and every player we think is talented enough to be in consideration for that fourth pick.”

Added Monk, “The best player is going to play, that’s what I think. So, If I come here as one of the best I think I have a good chance of playing. I don’t shy away from competition. If it’s two guards here that’s [at] my position that’s good for me. I’m going to have to push and try to fight for that position.”

FREE THROWS

— At 6-foot-3, Monk is a bit undersized as a shooting guard. He does have playmaking ability, according to Connelly, who twice when speaking to reporters mentioned Monk got to the foul line on average almost five times per game.

Playing with De’Aaron Fox last season, Monk didn’t have the ball in his hands too often. That is an area of his game, however, in which Monk believes is underrated.

“I’m pretty good at it. I think I’m pretty good at it,” he said. “I read ball-screens well, I read down-screens and stuff like that well.”

— Besides Booker, the Suns have three other former Kentucky players currently on the roster. So, it would not be a stretch if another Wildcat were chosen.

“We don’t like Kentucky guards apparently,” Connelly joked. “Every year Coach (John) Calipari produces a strong class. Obviously, we have a like for them. It does help that (Monk has) played at a high level. He’s been in the spotlight. Playing in Lexington is not easy just through the attention. Those guys are rock stars down there.”

— The workout with the Suns was Monk’s first. He said he was next headed to Orlando. The Magic own the sixth overall pick.

And Monk was unsure if that would again be a solo workout.

“You’ll have to talk to my agent for that,” he said. “Anything is going to be my agent’s decision, so I really don’t know if I’ll work out with somebody in Orlando or not.”

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