Phoenix Suns: 3 takeaways from preseason opener vs. Blazers

1. T.J. Warren looks like a starter

With all the hype over Devin Booker’s potential breakout season, Eric Bledsoe‘s return to the court, the arrival of Josh Jackson and the next steps for Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender, T.J. Warren quickly became the forgotten man.

On Tuesday night, Warren reminded people of how easily he can put the ball in the hole, finishing with 24 points and six rebounds on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. The way he got most of his buckets on smooth midair configurations at the rim just made it even sweeter:

This kind of performance should’ve surprised no one. All summer long, Warren went under the radar as the Josh Jackson hype reached a crescendo, but head coach Earl Watson opted to start Tony Buckets at the 3 — as should be expected, and as will probably be the case for most of the 2017-18 season.

Don’t forget, Warren started the 2016-17 campaign strong, suffered a mysterious head injury that threw him off for quite awhile, and then finished the year even stronger.

Jackson has a higher ceiling and could become a franchise pillar alongside Booker. There’s a chance he proves himself ready as a rookie, but it won’t happen right away. Warren is still the better player right now, which gives him the edge as Phoenix’s starting small forward.

That could change later in the year when the Suns are well outside the playoff picture, and it’s worth noting that Jackson projects to be a star and starter down the line. Conversely, Warren has yet to prove his ceiling extends beyond that of “microwave bench scorer.” At some point, a switch between the two as the starting 3 will be the best call for Jackson, Warren and the Suns.

But that day hasn’t come yet, and bringing the 20-year-old Jackson off the bench will allow him to ease himself into the league without an inordinate amount of pressure. Meanwhile, Warren gets to make good on his recent four-year, $50 million extension.

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For the long haul, the Suns hope that Jackson will eventually bypass Warren for the starting job. But that day hasn’t come yet, and for the time being, T.J. Warren is ready to remind people it’s a little too early to give up on his potential.