As Mark Williams’ injury creates a rotation opening, Dillon Brooks and Suns veterans are hailing rookie Koa Peat’s refined jump shot and defensive maturity ahead of his debut.
Phoenix Suns rookie Koa Peat is just days away from officially making his professional debut.
The Suns are opening up preseason play on Monday, Oct. 5 against the Detroit Pistons in a major first test for the squad.
Peat, 19, fell to the end of the first round in June's draft, allowing for the Suns to make a trade up to acquire the Arizona native.
While there is a chance that the prized rookie takes a back seat in the early stages of the Phoenix season, a recent injury to center Mark Williams creates a possible opening for the 6'8" forward to carve a spot in the rotation.
The organization seems to be just as high on the trajectory of Peat as the fanbase has grown to be, with Dillon Brooks speaking high on the work he has put in to improve over the offseason (Hayden Cilley, Clutchpoints).
“Fixing the jump shot, gain confidence playing, playing at this speed. You have the right guys, you got a young group full of leaders that are gonna help... I'm not worried about Koa. In his experience or in his youngness because we got the right guys to.”
One of the most substantial concerns that directly led to Peat's draft slide is the purported lack of jump shot. For as productive as Peat could be as a scorer, there were times during the NCAA tournament that opposing defenses were able to leverage the lack of outside game to their advantage in spurts.
Brooks acknowledging that Peat is taking a step forward as a jump shooter is a major vote of confidence for a player that put some mid-range skill on display in Summer League in July.
Beyond the jump shot is the belief that Peat's combination of athleticism, defensive IQ, and physical edge will translate to being a positive difference maker on the front end of his career. Peat put this on display in Summer League as well, but the circumstances are much different, as the caliber of player/athlete isn't the same on average.
Nonetheless, there is confidence that Peat is mature enough to come into his own swiftly, while the surrounding talent is ideal to properly pace the trajectory of a player that the Suns' front office graded much higher than the #30 pick slot he slid to.
Peat is a crucial crux of Phoenix's future, but he may also be a meaningful piece to the present. There's an opportunity for head coach Jordan Ott to mix-and-match him in different lineups. There will be chances for Peat to serve as a pick-and-roll partner to dynamic ball-handlers in Devin Booker and Jalen Green.
There is also potential for the local to become a fan-favorite overnight. Time will tell if the gifted prospect makes the most of the faith the Suns organization has in him.
