Suns Rank: After Ayton, who is the Suns third best player?

We continue to navigate the Phoenix Suns roster, trying to figure out who ranks where within the confines of the current configuration. Devin Booker is the sure fire best player on the team, earning a trip to the All-Star game in 2020 and creating bubble moments we will remember for decades.

Based on voting from yesterday's Suns Ranks, Deandre Ayton took home the title as “second best” on the team. If Devin Booker is Batman, Ayton is Robin. If Booker is Calvin, then Ayton is Hobbes. If Booker is Chandler Bing, then Ayton is Joey Tribbiani.

But who is the Suns’ Ross Geller? Who is the third guy trying to fit in and be a part of the crew (but is just an old college bud who has a hot sister that lives next door, gets married too many times and can’t decide on the best man, and loves playing with dinosaurs in his thirties)? Whoa. Too far down the Friends rabbit hole there. Sorry...it’s been playing non-stop in my house since the quarantine began. Could I be anymore tired of the show? No. It’s still funny every time.

You get what I’m saying. Who is the third best guy on the Suns? You tell us what you think!

*Bright Side will run this SunsRank process for the whole Suns 2019-20 roster! So far we have:

1. Devin Booker
2. Deandre Ayton
3. ...

Kelly Oubre, Jr.

The dunks. The flair. The push-ups. The hair.

Hey, that’s poetic! As is Kelly’s game. Who would’ve thought a season ago when Trevor Ariza quit on the team and needed to be traded that we’d receive someone who would come to define the team in return?

In his first full season with Phoenix, one filled with highlight dunks and kisses to the crowd, Kelly posted his highest numbers in the following categories: games started, minutes played, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, effective field goal percentage, rebounds-per-game, assists-per-game, and points-per-game.

Fun fact: Kelly scored 1,047 points between Washington and Phoenix in 2018-19. He had 1,049 points in an injury filled shortened 2019-20. Another fun fact? Sure, why not? He shot 48% from deep in clutch moments.

Kelly is also the first Suns free agent to raise his hand and say, “yeah, I want to stay here” in quite sometime. He wants to be part of the special thing we believe Phoenix is putting together.

Ricky Rubio

Oh, Papa Ricky.

You’d think the #3 assist-guy in the league would get more respect for the season he constructed in 2019-20.

Never too high, never too low, Rubio is more than just stats. While Kelly Oubre brings the swag and the identity, Rubio brings the calmness that a veteran should. He is a teacher of the game, from explaining to Ayton how to roll on the baseline to providing emotional guidance following a bad call. You can’t quantify all that Ricky does for this squad.

He doesn’t nutmeg. He doesn’t do the in-transition-behind-the-back pass. He doesn’t throw the mid-court alley-oop. All he does is make those around him better is an unceremonial fashion.

What he does is help this young team win. This Tweet might talk about DA, but Rubio deserves all of the credit...

Mikal Bridges

Isn’t it crazy that Mikal turned 24 this past Sunday...and he’s older than Devin Booker?

If your argument for the third best player on the Phoenix Suns is based on potential, Bridges might be your pick. The kid is special defensively. He’s long, he’s quick, and he’s instinctive. He is part of our “core” that will be needed for the Suns to be successful moving forward.

His offensive games needs some love, but he showcased that he is willing to put in the work. Mikal does have Devin Booker to learn from, which isn’t too shabby.

In his second season in the league he displayed growth in multiple facets of his game. Don’t you dare think of packaging him in any deal. He’s ours and we can’t wait to see what his ceiling is and who his comp is. Because, quite frankly, I still have a hard time coming up with a complete comp to Mikal. He’s too unique.

Cameron Johnson

Is it impossible that Cam could be the third best Phoenix Sun? Maybe, but I’ll still give him a nod.

Not many thought that James Jones’ 11th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft would amount to much. Some kid who shoots three’s, right? A guy who must not have NBA talent seeing as he wasn’t a one-and-doner, right? The majority of us have gone from, “who the heck is this guy” to “ohhhh, I get it!”

Much akin to Mikal, Cam showed flashes of what he could be, especially in the Orlando Bubble. Could he be the power forward of the future for Phoenix? If he continues to grow at the rate we’ve seen, don’t be surprised if this occurs.

The time has come for you to cast your vote!

*Bright Side will run this SunsRank process for the whole Suns 2019-20 roster! So far we have:

1. Devin Booker
2. Deandre Ayton
3. ...

Who comes next on the list of best Suns players?