NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Every team’s biggest question

Phoenix Suns: Who is the odd man out?

The Suns’ rebuild has been slow and painful, and will continue to be in 2019. They have at least one foundational player in Devin Booker, to whom they committed $158 million over five years this summer. In hindsight, Booker was a steal with the No. 13 pick in the 2015 Draft and last year, he solidified himself as a player worth building around. But Phoenix has had less success selecting higher in the lottery, and it remains unclear who else figures into the Suns’ long-term plans.

The front office has built up a stash of intriguing young players, all of whom have identifiable upside, but also possess profound weaknesses holding them back. Josh Jackson projects as a versatile defender on the wing with secondary playmaking ability, making him a theoretically perfect fit with Booker, who figures to handle much of the scoring and playmaking duties for the Suns over the next half-decade. But Jackson’s limitations as a shooter, should they linger, will place constraints on how the Suns build the rest of their roster. Mikal Bridges’ game fits with virtually any accompanying personnel or style of play; he and Jackson could form a panic-inducing duo. T.J. Warren may simply not be in the plans.

Deandre Ayton is also likely to stick, and could eventually be better than Booker, but he’s by no means a lock to become the caliber of star that can anchor a championship team. Despite his awe-inspiring athleticism and physicality, there are questions as to whether Ayton will develop into a high-level defender and floor-spacer, a concern made more substantial by Jackson’s lack of a jumper. With Ayton now prominently in the picture, Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender are running out of time to prove themselves. At least one will likely end up coming off the bench as the Suns’ future becomes more clear, and if Jackson moves to the four going forward, both Bender and Chriss could get squeezed.