NBA: Suns agree to terms with 6 players to fill out roster
Devin Booker #1 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns stand on the court during a timeout form the second half of the NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Footprint Center on March 29, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Timberwolves 107-100. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are moving quickly to fill in the roster around their three All-Stars.
The Suns agreed to terms with sharpshooter Yuta Watanabe, big men Chimezie Metu and Drew Eubanks, and wing Keita Bates-Diop on Friday, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press.
Article continues after this advertisementPhoenix also agreed on deals to re-sign wings Damion Lee and Josh Okogie, the person said on condition of anonymity because the deals had not been announced publicly.
The new players will give the Suns depth behind Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, who was traded from Washington earlier this month.
Watanabe will give Phoenix an extra shooter off the bench after shooting 44% from 3-point range while averaging 5.6 points with Brooklyn last season. He is reunited with Durant, traded by the Nets to the Suns at the trade deadline last season.
Article continues after this advertisementBates-Diop played the last four seasons with San Antonio, averaging 9.7 points in 2022-23.
The 6-foot-9 Metu played the last three seasons with Sacramento, averaging 4.9 points on a team that reached the playoffs for the first time in 17 years last season. Eubanks, also 6-9, averaged 6.6 points with Portland last season.
Lee played 72 games for the Suns last season, averaging 8.2 points. Okogie averaged 7.3 points in his first season with the Suns after playing four years for Minnesota.
