Realistic Expectations for Phoenix Suns Rookie Marquese Chriss in 2016-17

The upside of Marquese Chriss was on display in Las Vegas in short glimpses.

In the NBA Summer League opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, Chriss had a drive from the top of the key where he went behind the back and between the legs with his dribble, then sped past former Maryland wing Jake Layman, spun as he approached the rim and scored on a layup.

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One night later against the Boston Celtics, Chriss jumped from a flat-footed stance, caught a missed Devin Booker three-pointer with one hand and dunked it in one motion.

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For many basketball observers, this was their introduction to Chriss. He was essentially an unknown to the NBA community leading up to his freshman year at Washington. He ranked 60th in his class, according to 247Sports, and he played on a mediocre Huskies squad that didn’t get a lot of television time.

But Chriss was one of the biggest risers on draft boards during the season and over the spring because of his combination of bounciness and potential skill. He made 21 of 60 three-pointers at Washington, suggesting he can be a face-up 4. He showed off the occasional ability to put the ball on the floor. At 6’10” with wheels, he’s the prototypical modern-day power forward. He can guard multiple positions, and the hope is he evolves into more than just a pogo-stick scorer.

Chriss put up solid numbers at Washington—13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game—but it was the moments of athletic freakishness that kept his stock moving in the right direction. That athleticism is also what convinced the Phoenix Suns to trade up in the draft and take him with the eighth pick even after selecting fellow power forward Dragan Bender at No. 4.

“We really liked Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss in the draft, and we were having a hard time choosing between them at fourth,” Phoenix Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said during ESPN’s telecast of the franchise’s game against the Celtics. “That’s why we tried to come up with a creative way to get both of them because we think they’re both very talented and unique young players, but they’re both very different.”

Team Fit

The Suns doubled down on power forward because that was a huge need. Entering the draft, the franchise didn’t have a player at that position on the depth chart.

Phoenix has since signed Jared Dudley to be the starting power forward, and …

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