In perhaps the biggest surprise of the entire NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns turned their card in. With the 31st overall pick, they selected forward Fleming from Saint Joseph’s. Of course, the Suns’ best strategic move might have been to acquire this pick, in an agreement that had them acquire it from the Minnesota Timberwolves. In exchange, the Timberwolves got the number 36 pick and two future second-rounders.
Fleming enjoyed an impressive college career in Saint Joseph’s, where he emerged as one of the more versatile attacking forwards in the collegiate ranks. Last year he proved his scoring prowess, averaging a solid 14.7 points per game. He was the most dominant player on the boards, averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. This stellar performance sent him to the top four players in the Atlantic 10 Conference for that category. His defensive skills, though, were really impressive to me. He recorded 1.5 blocks per game, putting him in the top four for blocks in his conference for the 2020-21 season.
Choosing to draft Fleming shows that the Suns are serious about improving their roster and adding young talent to it. That’s how they got the No. 31 pick. Now, they’ve brought on board a player who should be making a substantial impact on both ends of the court. The trade with the Timberwolves is an example of a particularly good approach. Minnesota receives quality assets again, while Phoenix receives one of the forwards with potentially the most upside.
Fleming went on to have a terrific season, ranking highly in many important statistical categories. Now, he is about to provide the Suns a rare competitive advantage as they work to keep stacking talent ahead of what many expect to be a loaded 2024 NBA season.
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