Phoenix Suns Rookie Continues To Improve Stock in Summer League

Koa Peat has been a member of the Phoenix Suns organization for less than a month, but has already left an undeniably positive mark on the culture throughout Summer League.

Peat - the 30th pick in June's draft - has officially been shut down for the Suns' final Summer League contest in the coming days according to local insider John Gambadoro on Thursday, ending his run that featured averages of 16.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and two steals added for good measure.

The show-stealing performances stacked together by Peat has softened the edges of the fiercest critiques surrounding the Suns trading up to roster the Arizona product. Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report is one of the figures that is acknowledging the impressive run that Peat is on, as the rookie is currently graded as a 'B+' for what has been seen in Las Vegas thus far.

The 19-year old has defied expectations at virtually every single turn, as his strengths have reliably been honed in on to an even greater degree. Peat is consistently the strongest player on the floor at any given time, has a fearless mindset when it comes to attacking the rim, is a versatile defender that appears to be much more in tune with professional schemes compared to other peers, and is also quickly coming along as a decision maker/passer in a manner that puts a cherry on top of everything else. 

There are still concerns that will follow Peat into his regular season NBA debut (he has attempted just one three-point shot in Las Vegas), but they were very much over-magnified during the pre-draft process. Peat's well above average scoring efficiency shows that he can be a low-volume, high-impact scorer, particularly as a roll man and transition threat - with the jump shot coming along being a potential added bonus. 

It simply feels more likely that Peat will earn legitimate playing time as the regular season grows closer. Peat is physically and mentally ready to handle NBA minutes, while his skillset is conducive to being a difference maker within the context of the 15-man Phoenix roster. 

All in all, Peat's best traits have translated in an essentially immediate basis, while the areas of concern haven't been nearly as detrimental as they were believed to be even one month ago. 

Suns fans should absolutely feel confident about the future of the franchise, with the development of Peat, Khaman Maluach, and Rasheer Fleming sitting at the forefront of this turnaround.

Join The SunsRoundtable

Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.

Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.