First and foremost, I want to start today’s session by saying that I like the acquisition of Duop Reath. It shows that Brian Gregory consistently looks for ways to create competition throughout the roster, and that’s a good thing. Iron sharpens iron, as they say in blacksmith houses.
I like that Reath brings the archetype of a stretch five, something the Suns don’t necessarily have right now, although I believe Khaman Maluach can eventually develop into that kind of player. I also like the potential mentorship aspect with Maluach. Both are Sudanese and have taken their own journeys to reach the NBA. And guess what? Maluach’s developmental timeline got bumped up pretty significantly following the injury to Mark Williams. That comes with added responsibility. Having somebody around, even at the front end of this journey, who can provide some mentorship is an astute way to utilize the roster while helping the young kid navigate what’s ahead.
All of that is good. But everybody needs to drink some settle-down juice when it comes to Duop Reath.
We have to remember who and what he is as a player. He’s 30 years old, so developmentally, his best years are most likely behind him. And truth be told, he really has one transferable NBA skill that everyone seems to be salivating over. He can shoot.
When I say everyone, I’m talking about what I’m seeing on social media. We’re essentially getting tribute videos breaking down the 23 total three-pointers he made last season. People are excited because he chose Phoenix over the Knicks.
We gotta stop this. We can’t fall in love with players simply because they bat their eyes at us. We did that with Bradley Beal, remember? How did that work out? Simply because somebody chooses Phoenix doesn’t mean they instantly need to become a fan favorite or somebody we have undying loyalty to. Of course Reath chose Phoenix. Phoenix has the lower ceiling of those two teams. There’s more opportunity for him here, so why wouldn’t he choose us?
At the end of the day, he’s being brought in to generate competition at the back of the roster. Best-case scenario, he makes the roster. That most likely means the Suns move off either Haywood Highsmith or Jamaree Bouyea, and I’d much rather have either of them. Middle case scenario: Reath takes a two-way contract. That would most likely mean CJ Huntley or Koby Brea is no longer occupying one of those spots. Again, I’d rather have the younger players with more developmental upside. Worst-case scenario, Reath doesn’t make the team. He’s this year’s Jared Butler, the player brought in during training camp who the fan base latches onto before he ultimately fades into the abyss, never to be seen again.
So again, I like the idea of Duop Reath with the Phoenix Suns. What I don’t understand is losing our minds over an unbelievably one-dimensional player. He isn’t a good rebounder for a big. He’s undersized. He can’t defend the perimeter particularly well. He’s average at defending the interior. He isn’t a playmaker or distributor. He can stroke a few three-pointers. That has value. It doesn’t mean we have to be obtuse about everything else. We can recognize what the Suns are trying to accomplish by bringing Reath in. We can respect the process and appreciate the competition it creates. We don’t need to fall in love with him simply because he chose us.
Maybe he shoots his way onto the roster and becomes useful when Phoenix needs to stretch the floor. Maybe his presence helps Maluach navigate an unexpectedly accelerated developmental timeline. Or maybe we forget he was ever here by Christmas. All of those outcomes are possible. Appreciate what Reath could provide, but save the love affair for someone who actually earns it.
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