Phoenix Suns: 4 reasons why T.J. Warren should start over Josh Jackson
By Drew Zlogar
Heading into the 2017-18 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns will have some questions to answer, one of them being who to start at the small forward position. Here is a deeper dive into why T.J. Warren should begin the year as the starter over Josh Jackson.
The Phoenix Suns won’t be playing for a Western Conference title this year, but should have a more dynamic roster heading into the 2017-18 NBA season. In an offseason that didn’t feature any big-name players coming to the valley, the Suns kept their focus in-house.
One of the storylines that will be monitored heavily is the competition between T.J. Warren and Josh Jackson for the starting small forward role. It is an interesting debate, as Warren is entering his fourth year as a pro, coming off his best (and healthiest) season yet.
However, the Suns took Josh Jackson fourth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft for a reason. The 20-year-old has length, explosiveness and can guard a medley of positions.
For the Suns, this is a good problem to have on their plate: a healthy competition between two players trying to prove their true worth in an NBA uniform. For Warren, as a fourth-year player, he needs to prove to the Suns management that he is a true gamer, and for Josh Jackson, he wants to come in right away and show why he is a top-five pick from his draft class.
In Warren’s case, here are a few reasons why he should be the starting small forward when the Suns travel to play the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 18.