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Suns 2024 Summer League guide: What to expect, who to watch

© Rob Schumacher / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Phoenix Suns begin Summer League play tonight at 8 p.m. MST against the Golden State Warriors. Here’s our guide on everything to know and expect with this year’s Summer League team:

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Roster

Schedule

  • Saturday, July 13 vs. Golden State Warriors at 8 p.m. MST (TV: ESPN2)
  • Tuesday, July 16 vs. Indiana Pacers at 1 p.m. MST (TV: ESPNU)
  • Wednesday, July 17 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder at 5 p.m. MST (TV: NBA TV)
  • Friday, July 19 vs. Milwaukee Bucks at 1 p.m. MST (TV: NBA TV)
  • Additional game on July 20 or 21

 

General Notes on Team and Players

This year’s Suns Summer League team is one of the most important the Suns have had in their history and has much more meaning than in recent years. Phoenix decided to bring back its G League team for the 2024-25 season, so a lot of these players could be playing for a spot on the Valley Suns. Additionally, the Suns actually have two of their own rookie draft picks competing on the roster, the first time this has been the case for them since their 2018 summer team, which was highlighted by Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges.

This year, the Suns have No. 28 overall pick Ryan Dunn and No. 40 overall pick Oso Ighodaro representing them in Vegas. The team also notably features David Roddy, who did not see much playing time for the Suns after being traded to them at the deadline last season but is the only player on the roster already familiar with Phoenix. With his familiarity and two years of NBA experience, Roddy should be expected to be the leader of this year’s team.

Phoenix has five undrafted players from the 2024 class–Jalen Bridges (Baylor), Boo Buie (Northwestern), Tyrese Samuel (Florida), Tyson Walker (Michigan State) and Mason Walters (Wyoming)–on this summer’s squad. Bridges is already signed to a two-way deal with the team, so expect to see him a lot. The rest of these players will have good shots of being on the Valley Suns if they turn in high-quality performances. Isaiah Wong, who starred at Miami in college and was drafted No. 55 overall by the Indiana Pacers one year ago, will also look to make noise after averaging 14.7 points for Indiana’s G League team last season.

In reference to the G League team, the Valley Suns have already selected 14 players in an expansion draft. Of these 14 players, only Quinndary Weatherspoon is on the Vegas team. Weatherspoon, who has appeared in 42 NBA games in his career after being drafted No. 49 overall in 2019, played for the South Bay Lakers last season and averaged 19.1 points (shot 37% from deep), 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.

The Summer Suns have two more players who had G League experience last season in Michael Devoe and Logan Johnson. Devoe, who went undrafted in 2022 out of Georgia Tech, played 30 games for the Memphis Hustle and Salt Lake City Stars last season, averaging 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals. Johnson appeared in 22 games for the Oklahoma City Blue, averaging 6.1 points and 2.8 rebounds after going undrafted last summer out of Saint Mary’s.

Michael Osborne, Robert Franks and Matt Lewis all last played overseas. Osborne, who went undrafted in 2022 after playing at Florida State, was with the Apollan Patras in Greece, averaging 10.2 points and 5.9 rebounds. Franks has played three straight seasons overseas in Australia and Israel after originally signing a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent with the Charlotte Hornets in 2019 and remaining in the NBA until 2021, when he appeared in seven NBA games with the Orlando Magic. Lewis played two seasons with the Iowa Wolves (Minnesota Timberwolves’ G League affiliate) after being undrafted in 2021 and spent last season with Le Mans of the French league.

The head coach of this year’s Summer League team is Vince Legarza, who was the first reported assistant coach hired by new coach Mike Budenholzer.  

Legarza was an assistant coach in Budenholzer’s last season with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022-23, but wasn’t retained for the 2023-24 season under Adrian Griffin. He started his coaching career as a player development coach under Budenholzer in his first two head coaching seasons with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013-2015. Following this stint, Legarza was a player development coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2015-2018 and an assistant with the Utah Jazz from 2018-2022.

The following sections include quotes from Legarza, Dunn, Ighodaro and Bridges from their media availability earlier this week, which you can watch by clicking here.

Quotes on Overall Thoughts of the Team

The consistent theme of each of these press conferences was how hard the team wants to compete.

Legarza: “I think we got some guys that really compete. It’s a very competitive group. Our defense has been really good. We got guys that are playing hard, super competitive, active. Ryan and Oso, David, they’re big, physical, strong defenders. I’ve just liked how our team has competed. A lot of times we feel that more on defense than offense. I think that’s been our biggest strength, just how much we compete against one another.”

Ighodaro: “It’s been great being on the team again. It’s the best part about basketball. Been great being out here just playing, getting to learn each other’s games and competing.”

Bridges on experience so far with Summer Suns: “It’s been amazing. I think we have a highly competitive group, a really talented group. It’s amazing how guys are already coming together, playing the right way. I think we got a lot of good, a lot of talent. We got a lot of mature guys. Lot of the right mix, I feel like, so it’ll be good.”

Quotes on Team Expectations

Legarza on his message to the team: “It’s the same thing we’re talking about with our entire team, our entire organization. We want to compete, we want to get better every single day, and we want to be together. The biggest thing is these guys taking advantage of this time to do all those things. Get better every day, whether it be in the weight room, learning on film, or just competing against one another. Iron sharpens iron type thing. These guys have been great about that.”

What do Dunn, Ighodaro and Bridges want to get out of the Summer League as a team?

Dunn: “I think it’s just going out to compete as hard as we can in this summer league. Just going out and just doing what we do: play hard, play tough, don’t try to be lackadaisical. Just go out and compete.”

Ighodaro: “I just want to win. I’m gonna go out there and compete.”

Bridges: “We just want to compete to the best of our ability. If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. All we care about is we compete, we carry ourselves the right way and play with that competitive fire. The rest will take care of itself.”

Our 4 Main Players to Watch

These rankings are based on who we think will see the most action with the Suns next season, which is why there are only four players.

4. Jalen Bridges

Bridges was one of the best players to not be selected in the 2024 NBA Draft and chose to sign a two-way deal with Phoenix immediately following the conclusion of it.

“The opportunity to be in a great city, be in a great organization (and) the opportunity to make an impact and hopefully contribute on an NBA floor in year one,” Bridges said of why he picked Phoenix. “That’s an opportunity that’s kind of hard to pass up.”

The 6-foot-7 Bridges, who has a 6-foot-10 wingspan, was a four-year college player, playing two seasons at West Virginia from 2020-22 before transferring to Baylor for his last two years. He started all but nine of his 130 career collegiate games and was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team this past season after averaging 12.2 points on 46.6%/41.2%/82.3% shooting splits, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals with the Bears.

With a surplus of 3-and-D wings in today’s NBA, Bridges weighed in on what he expects his role to be in the NBA.

“I know what I am. I’m very self aware,” Bridges said. “I’m not one of the guys that are going to get paid to take all the shots. I’m more so a guy that’s out there to make life easy on the (Kevin) Durant’s, the (Bradley) Beal’s, the (Devin) Booker’s. I feel like I’m a connector piece, 3-and-D, but I feel like that’s putting myself to a box. I feel like I do a lot more than just shoot and play defense.”

Bridges lands at No. 4 on our list due to him being a two-way player, but he does have the potential to make some noise right away.

“Jalen’s done a really good job (with) his size and his ability to move and then make shots, but I’ve really enjoyed his cutting, the way he moves off the ball,” Legarza said. “I think he’s going to have a really good summer for us because I think he’s got versatility. I think he could run and shoot. He’s a good slasher, and then again, his size and his ability to compete defensively have been really good.”

Coming in with both Dunn and Ighodaro has made Bridges’ life much easier.

“It’s awesome to have guys alongside you, not being alone with this because it’s a whole new world, whole new lifestyle for all three of us,” Bridges said. “It’s just special to have two guys that I can lean on that are great people. They’re great basketball players, but they’re even better humans. That’s a great feeling to have that I can call those guys my brothers.”

In addition to Dunn and Ighodaro, Bridges will also team up with Kevin Durant, someone he watched growing up and “who I consider the greatest basketball player ever,” Bridges said.

Still, he is yet to fully process the fact he made it to the NBA.

“I still don’t think it’s kind of hit me yet, but I’m blessed coming from where I come from, Fairmont, West Virginia,” Bridges said. “West Virginia is like the most impoverished state in the country, and a lot of people get stuck there. And it’s just, I wasn’t trying to go back to where I came from. To be sitting here with this logo behind me, it just shows that all my hard work, all my sweat, blood and tears, it all meant something, it was all worth it.”

What is Bridges hoping showcase in Summer League?

“I’m trying to be myself: utility guy, just doing the right things, helping my team win, whether that’s making a shot, diving on the floor, playing defense, getting rebounds, chasing down loose balls, whatever that is, is what I’m looking to do for us,” Bridges said.

Bridges could very well lead the summer team in scoring if he continues this high 3-point clip he shot in his senior year of college. It will be interesting to see if Phoenix relies on him as its No. 1 option in Vegas and allows him to create shots or just uses him as a catch-and-shoot player, given the team doesn’t have many playmaking guards.

3. David Roddy

Roddy only played 63 minutes across 17 games for Phoenix this past season after being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 8.

He arguably has the most pressure to be the best player on the team, given the fact that he is entering his third season in the NBA after being the 23rd overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Colorado State.

In 118 games (17 starts) in Memphis prior to landing in Phoenix, Roddy averaged 7.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game.

Roddy not only has the most high-level NBA experience on the summer squad, but as mentioned before, is the only player on this team who was on the Suns last season. He has embraced a leadership role because of this.

“David’s been great,” Legarza said of Roddy. “His time he’s put in here since I got here, I don’t know how many weeks ago, he’s continued to work and get better. He’s been a real leader for the Summer League team, which is kind of unique opportunity for him. He’s kind of the vet, and he’s the leader. Him just continuing to get better on defense, on offense.

“I think at Summer League, he’s going to get to handle, he’s going to be (spacing), he’s going to shoot. He’s going to do a lot for us defensively. He’s had a great summer. We’re looking forward to seeing him keep on going in Vegas.”

Dunn chose Roddy as a player who has stood out to him so far.

“(I) talk to Roddy a lot, especially in the summer league,” Dunn said. “He’s been helping me a lot, and me, Oso and Jalen a lot just in learning how to be a pro, learning little ins and outs of playing, and lots of tips and tricks.”

Given his NBA experience, Roddy needs to show that he is a little bit better than everyone else on the court, and specifically for him, needs to work on his 3-point shot, as he is a career 30% 3-point shooter and only shot 1-for-8 from deep last season for the Suns.

Still, with the surplus of wings Phoenix has on its roster next season and if Roddy’s shot doesn’t improve, it’s hard to see him seeing much playing time once again, which is why he is No. 3 on this list.

2. Oso Ighodaro

The Suns targeted Dunn and Ighodaro in the 2024 NBA Draft and got them both, despite originally having only one pick at No. 22 overall.

Phoenix traded with the Denver Nuggets to move back to No. 28 (used to select Dunn) and also acquired the 56th pick and Denver’s 2026 and 2031 second rounders. It packaged this 56th pick and a future Celtics’ 2028 pick to move up to No. 40 and select Ighodaro, who is originally from Chandler and played his high school basketball at Desert Vista.

“It’s been crazy,” Ighodaro said. “Just coming back home, being comfortable, knowing people out here has been a blessing, for sure, and then getting to meet my new family in (the Suns). It’s been great. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.”

Ighodaro started 36 games in each of his last two seasons at Marquette. He averaged a career-best 13.4 points on 57.6% shooting and 6.9 rebounds to go along with 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals at Marquette in the 2023-24 season. He was selected to the All-Big East Second Team each of the last two years.

“He’s got great, great tools, good hands,” Legarza said of Ighodaro. “He’s smart. He’s been good in everything we’ve given him. We’ve had him in non-switch type defenses, and he’s getting a hang for that. We’ve had him pick up the point guard fullcourt and create havoc that way. And then he definitely has kind of a knack for switching and being able to move his feet on the perimeter, which is going to help him.”

Perhaps Ighodaro’s biggest strength is his playmaking and high basketball IQ.

“I feel the most comfortable on the floor (as a facilitator),” Ighodaro said. “I think that’s my biggest strength, just my ability to process and have a high basketball IQ and make plays. I’m very comfortable with the ball in my hands, ball handling, passing, screening. Any action, really, where I can create an advantage for our team, I feel comfortable.”

Legarza already sees Ighodaro’s ability to be a playmaking hub for this team.

“I think (he has) the ability to play multiple pick-and-rolls,” Legarza said. “The NBA is really good. There’s great defenses, just great players. Starting one pick-and-roll is tough. Taking that pick-and-roll and turning it over into second and third pick-and-rolls, and his ability to kind of move the ball from side to side, either him physically or just him as a mover is something we’re really excited about.”

Another strong aspect to Ighodaro’s game to watch is how he can switch onto guards defensively, despite being 6-foot-10.

“I love it,” Ighodaro said of his switchability as a defender. “It’s like a game for me getting out there, it’s a challenge guarding guards, and I love playing one-on-one. I love guarding, so anytime I get to switch, especially at this NBA level, where these guards are elite, I’m just excited to take on that challenge.”

Ighodaro does not have one specific skill he wants to showcase in Vegas.

“I just want to win,” Ighodaro said. “I’m gonna go out there and compete. I feel like that’s why they picked me because those winning qualities that I care about, and it’s not really something I’m trying to show. I just wanna go out there and win, honestly. I know me and Ryan have the same goal: go out there and defend, be good teammates and contribute to winning.”

Ighodaro is currently behind Jusuf Nurkić and Mason Plumlee on the depth chart, but will likely see plenty of run if any of these two are injured. He also signed a four-year contract, while Plumlee is on a one-year deal, so Ighodaro will look to establish himself as the team’s backup center for the future and that will start in summer league.

1. Ryan Dunn

Out of all of these players, Dunn is no doubt at the top of the list of the players Suns fans want to see in action.

Like Ighodaro, the Suns loved Dunn and were able to get him in the draft, even by trading down. Multiple experts have called Dunn the best defender in the draft

“(He’s a) super unique defender, obviously, things that we saw on film in college,” Legarza said. “His ability to defend around the rim as kind of a wing. There’s parts of practice where he’s picked up the point guards and navigated screens. There’s been times where he’s been like a big coming over to block shots, but his ability just to kind of keep on going. His rim defense is something that has really impressed me so far.”

In his sophomore 2023-24 season at Virginia, the 6-foot-6, 21-year-old Dunn led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with 2.3 blocks per game and also averaged 1.3 steals to go along with 8.1 points on 54.8%/20%/53.2% shooting splits, 6.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists, starting all 34 games for the Cavaliers and receiving ACC All-Defensive Team honors.

“I don’t think I’d be here without Virginia in my honest opinion,” Dunn said. “I think coach (Tony) Bennett and that coaching staff did a great job pushing me. I think defensively really got me here, and that’s something they instilled in me since day one, going out and competing and guarding the best players and taking those matchups and using my athleticism and strength to disrupt the offense. I feel like that’s kind of something that the Suns saw in me. I give all the praise to coach Bennett for that.”

Dunn, who has a 7-foot-1.5 wingspan, said he watches a lot of long and athletic defenders like Herb Jones, O.G. Anunoby and Jaden McDaniels.

The biggest question mark for Dunn is his shooting ability. He only shot 20% from 3 (7-for-35 on the year) and 53.2% from the free-throw line last season at Virginia.

Bridges is confident Dunn will be put these doubts in his shot to rest.

“A lot of people had questions about Ryan’s shooting, and I feel like he answered those questions really well,” Bridges said. “He’s knocking ’em down.”

What is Dunn focusing on showcasing in Vegas?

“Just going out and playing as hard as I can, competing defensively,” Dunn said. “Just being the same person as I was in college: guarding the best players in defending and offensively, just taking the shots I need to take … The biggest thing is just compete and go out there and play hard.”

He is also looking to refine his offensive game by “shooting 3s and getting the ball on the floor, being able to run out in transition and show what I can do there. Just getting reps, making plays off the dribble, making the right plays and learning from mistakes over time in the summer league.”

Another skillset Dunn will be able to use offensively in the summer league is his screening, rolling and cutting ability.

“I think it’s pretty big through the summer league, we have a lot of great players, and people might start ball watching,” Dunn said. “I think my ability just seeing them turn the back of their heads and being able to cut to the rim more or offensive rebounding, finishing and getting extra possessions, it can help a lot.”

Dunn is also on a four-year contract, like Ighodaro, so if his offensive game develops, specifically his shot and basketball IQ, he could ideally, eventually become the perfect fifth starter around Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant. His potential impact on the actual Suns’ team is no doubt the highest of any player on this roster, even if he does not start his NBA career in a big role.

Dunn will look to show several things in Vegas, and even if he is not the best all-around player on the floor, locking down the opposing team’s best player, doing the little things and proving he can shoot would be exactly what Suns’ fans hope to see from him this summer.

Click here for a detailed look at Dunn’s game in an exclusive interview with Virginia coach Orlando Vandross.

Predictions/Overall Impressions

Starting 5:

  1. Quinndary Weatherspoon
  2. David Roddy
  3. Jalen Bridges
  4. Ryan Dunn
  5. Oso Ighodaro

Most fun to watch: Ryan Dunn

Leading scorer: Jalen Bridges

MVP: David Roddy

We won’t make any predictions on the team’s overall record because that’s not what the focus of Summer League is (focus is rather on players showcasing and developing their skills), but we do expect a lot of fun action and worthwhile tuning in to watch this year’s Summer team. If last year’s Summer Suns were exciting for you to watch just to see Toumani Camara, this year’s team will offer you three rookies just like him in Dunn, Ighodaro and Bridges, who can all make highlight-worthy plays and have a lot to showcase.

Overall, this team does not have much size, but does have a lot of wings who can defend at a very high level and make life challenging for opposing defenses. The question is if they have enough offensive firepower and how they will manage to spread the ball around and space the floor on that end. It will be interesting to see if another name joins our four key players as someone to watch, as there is a window open for a shot creator to find himself open looks on this year’s team.

Stay tuned for motr coverage of this year’s Summer Suns.

Suns release complete 2024 Summer League roster

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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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