Phoenix Suns general manager James Jones said he expects backup forward Jalen Smith to factor into the team’s rotation for the 2021-22 season during a Zoom call with local reporters on Thursday night.
Smith, who was selected by the Suns with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, did not have a big impact during his rookie season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in 5.8 minutes per game across 27 regular-season contests. His presence or that of another backup big man would have been a big benefit for the Suns the 2021 NBA Finals, as they were dominated by the Milwaukee Bucks in points in the paint, rebounding and second-chance points after backup forward Dario Saric tore his right ACL in Game 1 of the series.