Ranking the NBA’s 10 most underrated players in 2022-23

4. Torrey Craig, Phoenix Suns

Even though he didn’t make his NBA debut until November 2017, Torrey Craig is one of the oldest players on this list. Perhaps because he took a few years to break into the league, he remains an underrated contributor to one of the league’s best teams.

After a college career at USC Upstate, Craig didn’t catch on in the NBA. Determined to play professional basketball, he jumped around a distant continent for years, hopping between Australia and New Zealand.

The 32-year-old finally caught on with the Denver Nuggets in 2017 and has developed into somewhat of a journeyman. Case in point: the Phoenix Suns acquired Craig for cash considerations in 2021. A year later, the Suns re-acquired him in the deal that sent Jalen Smith to the Indiana Pacers.

With injuries mounting in Phoenix, Craig has fashioned himself as a part-time starter this season. He’s played in 20 games and started 12 of them, averaging 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He’s also hitting 38.3 percent of his threes, the best mark of his career.

Craig’s versatility is a huge benefit for the Suns. Small forward is the most natural position for Craig, who has played roughly half of his career minutes at the spot. But this season, Craig has emerged as an option at power forward, playing almost all of his minutes at the position.

The forward is consistent and available, even if he’s rarely excellent. His reliability is an engine that can drive Phoenix through the dog days of the season and back to title contention.