Phoenix Suns general manager James Jones is “happy” with the acquisition of Kelly Oubre Jr., who was obtained alongside guard Austin Rivers in return for veteran swingman Trevor Ariza in a trade with the Washington Wizards. The Suns swiftly waived Rivers but kept Oubre, another athletic shooting wing who can fit as one of the support pieces around star shooting guard Devin Booker.
“He fits what we’re doing,” Jones said of Oubre, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s a good fit for us and we’re excited about that.”
Oubre, who is averaging a career-high 12.9 points per game, comes at a time when the Suns have railed off the best win streak of their young season, winning three straight games for the first time since early 2017 after knocking out the Dallas Mavericks, Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks.
The Wizards were bound to have difficulties keeping Oubre by means of a contract extension, given their dire salary cap situation with max players like Otto Porter Jr. and a supermax one with John Wall's four-year, $169 million payroll, which will kick in next season.
Oubre represents a potential option at small forward (or power forward) if the Suns' own former pick Josh Jackson doesn't wind up developing as they had hoped. Jackson has had his shining moments, but has struggled keeping things consistent.
The Suns are hoping a little competition between these two can reveal who has the most potential moving forward and who is the most deserving of a contract extension in the near future.
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