Torrey Craig has been a Nugget in the rough for the Suns

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you appreciate Phoenix Suns’ backup forward Torrey Craig?

It’s a 10 for me. He isn’t a star like Chris Paul or Devin Booker nor has he been dominant like Deandre Ayton in these playoffs. However, he has been a key ingredient for the Suns’ success.

He’s had to fight his way to get to this point in his career as he was undrafted in 2014.

After playing a few seasons in Australia and New Zealand, he made his way onto the Denver Nuggets’ summer league team in 2017 where he impressed and was signed to a two-way deal. Much of that deal was spent in the G-League but he showed enough to sign a regular contract with the Nuggets in 2018.

However, although he displayed the hustle us Suns fans have grown to love, Denver gave up on him. They withdrew their qualifying offer and made him an unrestricted free agent which allowed him to sign with Milwaukee prior to this season.

As you should know, Phoenix jumped in to acquire him for a bag of chips when the Bucks traded for P.J. Tucker in March. Nice score, James Jones.

Craig is a rugged competitor filled with fire, passion and an overall love for the game. He is an absolute joy to watch.

He allows for a solid breather for Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder without the team missing a beat. He’s a 3-and-D forward that plays bigger than he is and does whatever is needed to produce winning plays.

Coach Michael Malone has already stated that the Nuggets miss him. Too late, coach. He plays for us now.

In 32 minutes in this Suns-Nuggets series, Torrey has made 3 of his 7 treys (43%) posting 19 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks. That’s pretty darn solid.

Let’s expand a bit and look at his per-36 numbers in the playoffs so far. How’s a 38.9% clip from deep for 2.7 three-pointers along with 16.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks sound? It sounds like a roaring wave of support.

It’s not just about the stats, either. The timing of his production has been key. When the Suns have needed a big shot or a highlight dunk or a big defensive play, he’s been ready to answer the call.

I love Torrey Craig’s game and Suns fans no doubt appreciate how much he’s helping Phoenix get to that ultimate goal.