What is Yuta Watanabe's role going to be during the regular season?
That question still hasn't been totally answered, but there is a clearer picture of it after a solid preseason in which Watanabe averaged 10.3 points per game off the bench and got plenty of opportunity to play.
Watanabe's job coming into the preseason was to show that he could guard capably and hit enough shots on offense to relieve some pressure off Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. He did that and more in his four appearances.
Here's what we learned about how head coach Frank Vogel plans to use Watanabe, and how he played in the exhibition games.
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Three things the Suns learned about Yuta Watanabe from NBA preseason
Watanabe looks like he will be one of the first wings off the bench
Nassir Little and Keita Bates-Diop are Watanabe's main competition for minutes at the wing. All three are somewhat similar players. They are capable of guarding well but are limited shot-creators.
All three players received roughly the same amount of minutes in the preseason. Watanabe looked to be in the lead spot as the first wing coming off the bench.
| Player | Minutes | 3-point % | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuta Watanabe | 20.9 | 38.9% | 10.3 |
| Nassir Little | 20.9 | 33.3% | 6.0 |
| Keita Bates-Diop | 19.6 | 33.3% | 5.6 |
Throughout the season, their order in the rotation will likely come down to which can be the most consistent 3-point shooter. Watanabe looked like he won that battle handily in the preseason.
Watanabe has also fulfilled his role on the defensive end of the floor, earning praise from coach Vogel.
"He gets the most out of his ability," Vogel told Trevor Booth of Clutch Points. "He has great attention to detail, focus and is always in the right spot. He gives great effort, and that’s really all you can ask of all your guys. He’s a thinner guy, so he’s not going to be an elite defender on-ball, but he competes and he executes the system and the scheme as well as anybody on our team.”
Watanabe has done more than just catching and shooting on offense
Watanabe's primary job is going to be to spread the floor for Durant, Beal and Booker. But he has shown that he can do some more stuff when given the chance. He's been a good cutter away from the ball, forcing defenses to pay attention to him.
He's also shown way more off the dribble than he did last year on the Nets, attacking closeouts to get easy baskets. Vogel has even given him some opportunities to have plays run for him.
Watanabe looks to have benefited from his experience this summer playing for Japan in the FIBA Basketball World Cup, adding more shot creation to his game.
"With me being on the national team, I had to do more than be a 3-point shooter," Watanabe told reporters. "I was able to attack the rim more. I know I don't have to be that aggressive, especially playing with KD, Book and Brad. But still, to be able to do that helped me."
Watanabe has developed great chemistry with Suns stars
Watanabe's chemistry with Durant has already been well-documented. Durant doubled down on how much he loved playing with Watanabe during the preseason.
"[Watanabe is] such a bright basketball player that [it] just feels like he’s always in the right spot,” Durant told Arizona Sports' Kellan Olson.
“You got guys that know how to play, know where to be in the offense. They’re focused in practice so they know where their spots are and Yuta is one of those guys," Durant added.
Watanabe has also quickly developed a good relationship on the court with Booker.
"He’s got chemistry with Book as well. Book knows to find him. Every time he’s got the ball, he’s got an antenna up for where Yuta is," Vogel told Olson.
That chemistry is important because Booker has been playing more point guard for the Suns this season. He has been able to create some great looks for Watanabe because of the defensive attention that he draws, not even having to look before firing passes for 3s.
For his part, Watanabe has agreed that "the chemistry is getting a lot better every day," as he told reporters during the preseason.
It would be a surprise for Watanabe to start games given how Vogel employed him in the preseason. But he's passed every test that he's been given and shown that he can be a contributor on this team. He should get some good minutes off the bench in the real games and continue to play well.
