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Phoenix Suns: Josh Jackson’s growth is vital to the well-being of the future

By Robbie Stratakos

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 13: Josh Jackson #20 of the Phoenix Suns stands on the court during the first half of the NBA preseason game against the Brisbane Bullets at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 13, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 13: Josh Jackson #20 of the Phoenix Suns stands on the court during the first half of the NBA preseason game against the Brisbane Bullets at Talking Stick Resort Arena on October 13, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Josh Jackson is a vital part of the Phoenix Suns’ aspirations to play themselves out of the NBA’s cellar

The Phoenix Suns have an abundance of young talent, but, at the end of the day, their core’s ability to prosper heavily relies on the growth of soon-to-be second-year forward Josh Jackson.

Last season was a historically bad 82-game stretch for the Suns. Going 21-61, they finished with the worst record in the association. In doing so, they were 21st in points scored (103.9) and 30th in points surrendered (113.3); it was an utter disaster in the Desert.

The two bright spots for Phoenix were that they went through the struggle with their youngsters and were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft for their struggles – which was used on Arizona center Deandre Ayton. Phoenix also acquired the rights to Villanova wing Mikal Bridges later in the lottery.

The two college standouts will join a Suns team that’s being formulated around Jackson and guard Devin Booker.

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The Phoenix Suns selected Jackson with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, and he impressed in his rookie campaign. Averaging 13.1 points per game, he showcased the ability to put the ball in the cup. Jackson also played well defensively, especially in one-on-one, isolation sets.

Most of Jackson’s scoring came from attacking the rack and utilizing his athleticism, instead of attacking from the outside – which is a glaring weakness in the Kansas product’s game.

Shooting 41.7 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from beyond the arc in his rookie season,  Jackson was an inefficient scorer. Another area Jackson must improve in is his consistency. While he averaged at or over 17.5 points per game a month from February-April, Jackson has to become a more consistent scorer over the duration of an entire season.

In the first three months of the 2017-18 season, Jackson averaged at or below 10.3 points per game. Now, was part of his early struggles on the offensive end generated from having to become accustomed to the NBA style of play? Of course, but the scoring disparity from Jackson’s first three to the final three months of the season was huge.

If Jackson can improve his shooting efficiency and become a more consistent product on the offensive end, he’ll begin to blossom into the franchise player the Suns drafted him to be. If he doesn’t, then the Suns could be looking at a skilled and athletic player who plays at a high level defensively, but someone who could be more than he is.

At the end of the day, if Jackson fulfills his potential, the Suns will begin to turn the corner and in a big way when considering the talent on their roster.

Last week, Booker and the Suns agreed to a five-year, $158 million extension – which will keep the franchise guard in place for the long haul and happy for the time being. Booker has become one of the best scorers in the association in his three years on the scene. Whether it be spotting up from the outside, attacking the rack, or running the fastbreak, he’s a complete scorer. Averaging a career and team-high 24.9 points per game in the 2017-18 season, Booker was the Suns number one source of offense and has become a star in the process.

Forward T.J. Warren has improved on the offensive end in every passing season, averaging a career-high 19.6 points per game last season, and he also improved his play on the defensive end. The addition of 33-year-old forward Trevor Ariza will give the Suns another two-way wing. And when you insert the skill sets of Ayton and Bridges into new head coach Igor Kokoskov’s rotation, the Suns have the makings of a promising, young team.

In his freshman year at Arizona, Ayton was a dominant force. Whether it be overpowering defenders in the post, hitting the boards with ease, or denying shots with authority, Ayton was a force to be reckoned with in the paint. Averaging 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, he had one of the best seasons in college basketball. The same goes for Bridges.

While he didn’t man a significant role in his first two years at Villanova, Bridges put all the pieces together for a superb Junior year. Averaging 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, while shooting 43.5 percent from beyond the arc, he was an irreplaceable part of Villanova’s National Title run. And Bridges’ skill set should translate seamlessly into the “three and d”, three-point driven NBA.

Bridges is a lockdown on-ball and perimeter defender, an efficient shooter, and capable of finishing inside. A grouping of Booker, Bridges, Jackson, Warren, and Ayton could invigorate fear into the best of the West in the coming years.

The Suns have a go-to scorer in Booker, are hoping Ayton becomes DeMarcus Cousins and Bridges pans out to be a reliable two-way player, but they are going to need more than those three to turn the corner. They need a point guard, but also growth from within, and that starts with Jackson.

He needs to endure a severe increase in production on the offensive end and continue to excel defensively because there’s never a guarantee that a rookie is going to be a home run selection no matter the hype surrounding their game – in regards to Ayton and Bridges.

Ayton is arguably the most NBA-ready player in the 2018 NBA Draft Class, but no one is ever a sure thing. Plus, there’s always the fear that a well-thought-of college or international big man becomes the next Greg Oden, Jahlil Okafor, or in the Suns’ case, Dragan Bender.

Concurrently, there’s the possibility that Bridges was just a very good college player based on the fact that it took him three years to come into his own, but also because he went to Villanova which, while a great college program, hasn’t produced much NBA talent in recent memory.

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The Phoenix Suns have an intriguing young team, and if their core can collectively come into its own, they will be a contender out West in the near-future. But without Jackson becoming more consistent and furthering his skill set, them doing so will be difficult.

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