Phoenix Suns forward Keita Bates-Diop saw his first meaningful action with the team in Thursday night's loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The former Spur arrived in Phoenix during the offseason citing his desire to potentially play a role on a championship-level squad.
Originally believed to be a key contender for the fifth starting spot that was perceived to be an open competition, he was nowhere to be seen through the first four games, save for garbage time.
The Ohio State product finally got an opportunity tonight, playing 18 minutes and getting extended runs in both halves, seemingly taking Nassir Little's minutes, at least for one game.
The versatile forward showed why Phoenix originally showed ample interest. His long, slender frame makes him a prime candidate to be a versatile, switchable defender.
“More length on the perimeter. There’s a problem on the other side there and we just wanted more length defensively and the fact he is a 39 percent shooter last year, we felt like we could pull him (Victor Wembanyama) away from the basket too," said Suns coach Frank Vogel when asked what Bates-Diop brought vs San Antonio.
He also managed to be something of a spark plug offensively as well. The sixth-year vet went 5-7 from the floor, made two trips to the free throw line, and hit a key three pointer that brought the game to a tie with around 4 minutes to go.
It's understandable as to why Vogel and co have decided to keep Bates-Diop out of the rotation early on, as early rotations are usually quite regimented and rigid.
However, it's also beneficial to be open-minded and willing to utilize a player with a skillset like Bates-Diop possesses.
Kevin Durant touched on his performance following the game.
“He is a true pro and someone who has just been waiting for his number to be called, he came out and made some huge plays for us," Durant said.
"It is only going to help with his confidence, so I am excited for Keita (Bates-Diop) and hopefully that leads to more minutes for him.”
Bates-Diop certainly isn't guaranteed consistent minutes in a rotation that's already log-jammed while anticipating Bradley Beal's return in the near future, but he has proven that he's a more than worthy candidate to be more than a benchwarmer.
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