Marquese Chriss

Signed a one-year contract with the Warriors in September of 2019.

After being a full-time starter for the bulk of his rookie season, Chriss was in and out of the top unit during his second year. He wound up running with the starters in just 49 of 72 games, while keeping a fairly similar workload at 21.2 minutes. Chriss posted averages of 7.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 block, while shooting 42.3 percent from the field. Those numbers kept his Fantasy value limited to deeper leagues and that shouldn't change much going into his third season. The Suns added center Deandre Ayton with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and are also expected to go with some small-ball lineups that feature guys like Trevor Ariza and T.J. Warren at the power forward position. As a result, Chriss should struggle to match his workload from a year prior and will once again struggle to remain relevant in Fantasy leagues. In addition to the potential loss of playing time, Chriss also shot just 60.8 percent from the free-throw line last year and only 29.5 percent from deep.

Chriss, like many other young players on the Suns, was given extended run after the All-Star break after coach Earl Watson opted to bench many of the veterans after it became obvious the team was well out of postseason contention. The 6-foot-10 rookie demonstrated much of his upside during that time, posting 12.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks across 26.9 minutes per game while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from deep. Though he shot just 32.1 percent from three on the season, Chriss has the look of an athletic stretch-four who can also block some shots – quite a valuable commodity in Fantasy. Ultimately, playing time will likely determine whether or not Chriss is Fantasy relevant heading into next season, as the Suns drafted Josh Jackson with the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. That throws somewhat of a wrench into the Suns rotation, as Jackson plays T.J. Warren’s small forward position, so Warren may need to slide up to power forward on occasion. That will leave some choice for coach Watson about what to do with Chriss in those situations, though Chriss has shown some ability to occupy the center slot in limited action. As a result, he likely isn’t worth reaching for in most Fantasy drafts, though could be a nice flier in deeper leagues if he slides down the draft board.

Despite grabbing one intriguing frontcourt player in 7-foot-1 Croatian big man Dragan Bender with the fourth overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Suns couldn’t pass up the opportunity to trade up for the No. 8 pick and select Chriss, an athletic marvel out of Washington. The additions of Chriss and Bender give the Suns a diverse tandem at power forward to work with as they build for the future, and the hope is that at least one of the two can settle in as a long-term option at the position. Chriss was an unheralded recruit coming out of high school, but he shot up draft boards this season after showcasing elite speed, above-the-rim athleticism and a projectable three-point stroke during his lone college season. From a physical standpoint, the 6-foot-10, 233-pound Chriss looks ready for the NBA, but he’s still incredibly raw, having only played basketball competitively for five years. Chriss fouled out of 15 of his 34 games in college and averaged an underwhelming 5.4 rebounds per game, a startling lack of production on the boards for someone with his length and leaping ability. He rebounded better over his three appearances with the Suns in the Las Vegas Summer League, but still averaged 5.3 fouls and 3.3 turnovers per game, suggesting his game needs plenty of refinement before he’ll be a viable NBA contributor. Fortunately for the rebuilding Suns, there’s no rush to integrate Chriss into the lineup right away, so the 19-year-old’s main priority during his rookie season will be picking up meaningful development time through practice and a limited role off the bench. Since Jared Dudley and Bender figure to open the season ahead of him at power forward, there’s also the possibility that Chriss will log some time in the D-League in 2016-17 if he’s not a consistent member of coach Earl Watson’s rotation. While his statistical contributions figure to be limited in his first year in the league, Chriss is still a premium asset in dynasty leagues, as he possesses perhaps as much upside as anybody drafted aside from top two picks Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram.