The Phoenix Suns’ desperate search for depth is taking them all the way back to 2014.
Chris Haynes of TNT reported Monday that the Suns will be hosting a free agent workout this week featuring former NBA forward Jabari Parker. Ex-Lakers swingman Stanley Johnson and one-time Suns guard Chasson Randle will also be participating in the workout, Haynes adds.
By far the most interesting name there is Parker. The No. 2 overall pick coming out of Duke in 2014, Parker was supposed to be the next big thing (and was drafted ahead of MVP winner Joel Embiid, NBA champion Aaron Gordon, and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart among others). But injuries, including back-to-back left ACL tears in 2014 and in 2017, derailed Parker’s NBA career.
Now 28 years old, Parker holds NBA career averages of 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for six different teams. But he has not played since the 2021-22 season when he put up 4.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per night in very limited spot duty for the Boston Celtics.
Beggars can’t be choosers though, and the Suns are very much beggars. After surrendering virtually all their valuable assets in respective trades for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, Phoenix needs to find cheap avenues of acquiring complementary talent. While Parker doesn’t quite have the best reputation as a teammate, the Suns may take whatever they can get at this point.
