The Phoenix Suns needed to upgrade their depth following a 2023 playoff run in which they were exposed by the NBA champion Denver Nuggets. The Suns did so with several shooters and players with upside, including former Brooklyn Nets wing Yuta Watanabe.

Watanabe played the start of last season with Suns forward Kevin Durant and was a fan-favorite. Watanabe played with great hustle and has a 3-point shot that will aid the Suns' bench dramatically.

Here is what Durant said about Watanabe on his “Boardroom” podcast.

“He's going to be one of those people that's highly, if we (the Nets) don't lock him down, a lot of people are going to want him,” Durant said.

The Suns got him. ClutchPoints evaluated his free agency signing.

Strengths

The Suns' bench lacked reliable options last season. Phoenix tried its best to upgrade its reserves after the arrival of Kevin Durant, but it never found a consistent rotation it could rely on in the postseason.

Even though the Suns were severely limited financially in the free agency market, they scored Watanabe, a 28-year-old wing who said he was in contact with several other teams. He chose the Suns and will reunite with Durant, who assisted plenty of catch-and-shoot threes for Watanabe with the Nets this past season.

Watanabe is an excellent perimeter shooter. He made 60-of-135 attempts last season (44.4 percent) and will be a threat to score off kicks from Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, among other Suns.

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According to NBA stats, 59 of those threes were from catch-and-shoot chances. He shot 51.3 percent in the corner, which will prove very well for the Suns.

Expect Watanabe to be a willing defender, too. The Suns have questions they need to answer about their identity. Opposing teams will see Watanabe as a perimeter offensive threat, but he can be even more effective if he proves he can guard within Frank Vogel's defensive scheme.

This is a great signing for the Suns on a veteran minimum deal. In November, Watanabe's shooting was well-documented around the league. He has Durant's approval. He should be a favorite for Suns fans if he can deliver on his talents.

Development

Watanabe had his best year of his NBA career this past season. He played a career-most 58 games and established himself as a shooter and weapon while averaging 16.0 minutes per contest.

There is reason to believe the NBA has not seen the best of him. Watanabe is 28 years old but finally got a chance to step into a role last season, which he can use even more to help the Suns' success in 2023-24.

Watanabe will have to be able to penetrate on some occasions to become a staple in the Suns' bench. The team knows what it can get out of him, but there will be competition to earn consistent minutes before the playoffs. Watanabe figures to be an important piece because of his shooting ability, but if he wants to maximize his two-year contract and earn a bigger deal, he will have to develop more.