Phoenix Suns: 5 goals for T.J. Warren in 2017-18

1. Keep starting job

If T.J. Warren accomplishes the first four goals on this list, this last one shouldn’t be a problem. But after watching the Suns draft his direct replacement, the pressure is on for Tony Buckets to carry over the momentum he built after the All-Star break into the 2017-18 season.

To be fair, Warren’s job might not be in immediate jeopardy. As much as Josh Jackson looks like a franchise pillar alongside Devin Booker, it may take him some time to find his bearings. His defensive potential won’t materialize from day one, his jump shot remains the biggest obstacle to his path to stardom and the Suns are even going to try playing them together in small doses.

However, even if this replacement doesn’t happen overnight, Warren’s main priority in 2017-18 is to hold onto his starting job for the entire season — even when the team’s well below .500 in January and the coaching staff starts feeding the younger guys more minutes.

Part of this revolves around staying healthy, since Warren has missed 42 games, 35 games and 16 games during the first three seasons of his career. Part of this includes becoming a designated stopper on the defensive end, shooting 3-pointers at a respectable clip and increasing his scoring and rebounding numbers.

Next: Phoenix Suns - 5 goals for Dragan Bender in 2017-18

No matter what his role alongside a healthy Bledsoe and Booker is, T.J. Warren’s No. 1 objective for the upcoming season is to assert himself as a player who’s ahead of Jackson on both ends of the floor. Being surpassed by the promising rookie may eventually be inevitable, but in 2017-18, Tony Buckets needs to establish a clear pecking order and force Jackson to earn it every step of the way.