Suns’ Devin Booker Gets 100% Real on Nick Richards’ Phoenix Fit

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker had high praise for recently acquired Nick Richards, who was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Suns last week. Richards made his Phoenix debut last Saturday, scoring 21 points and adding 11 rebounds in a 125-121 win at Detroit.

Asked how Richards fits in with his new team, Booker said The Big Man Makes “Fantastic” and praised his work ethic and flexibility in learning a new system.

“He’s doing everything we’ve asked him to do,” Booker said. “Learning fast, obviously a little adjustment. I think the Guard-Big relationship is one of the most important relationships out there. He tells me things he sees, I tell him things I see. It’s a relationship. “

Booker said working with another great takes time and there are specific factors that only come into play after a certain amount of experience together.

“Flow, timing, screening angles are probably the most important things,” noted Booker. “It’s just building chemistry.”

Nick Richards brings solid inside presence to Phoenix

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) defends Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards (2) in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
David Richard featured photos

Phoenix acquired Richards and a second-round pick from Charlotte on Jan. 15 in a trade that sent forward Josh Okogie and three second-round picks to the Hornets.

The Suns ranked last in the NBA in points from their starting center when Richards was brought in, with the team relying primarily on a rotation of veteran Mason Plumlee and rookie Oso Ighodaro in recent games. Center Jusuf Nurkic practiced Friday for Phoenix, but It is unclear if he will get playing time in Saturday’s contest against the Washington Wizards. Nurkic has not played since January 7 due to illness.

Richards has given the Suns a reputation in the middle, averaging 11 points and 10 rebounds in his three games in Phoenix while shooting 75 percent from the field.

The Suns’ Kevin Durant was a big proponent of bringing Richards in, saying: “He’s a strong presence in the paint, a big body that can wreak havoc down there and cause some issues with his rim protection. Getting hands on the basketball on the offensive glass and then finishing above the rim. It’s something we all have to get better at as a group. Hopefully he leads us in this area. Just checking the paint. “