Here are 5 unrestricted free agents that could help the Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have many questions to answer beyond whether Deandre Ayton will re-sign with the team for next season.

They have free agency matters to address about creators on the wing and how to fill the void in the middle should Ayton move, as many have speculated will happen.

The Suns didn't trade their way into last Thursday's draft, in which they didn't have any picks. Suns General Manager generally has liked keeping the team with veterans to maintain its winning culture since he took over the job in 2019. But they could use some youth after finishing as the league's eighth oldest team last season.

"There are a number of guys that we targeted," Jones said to reporters during a Zoom media session on Thursday.

"Just the deals that we had, they didn't come together, but I thought that the draft had some quality depth at similar positions. Ultimately, we weren't able to execute some of those trades and we just look forward to free agency."

To be sure, all eyes among Suns fans will be on what Phoenix and Ayton end up doing. He will be a restricted free agent and the Suns can match or exceed any offer he receives. They also could opt to work a sign-and-trade deal with Ayton.

With that in mind, here are some unrestricted free agents the Suns could look at when the free agency period opens up Thursday afternoon if they choose to make some deals:

More: Phoenix Suns 2022 NBA free agency live updates: Speculation, rumors, news, trade reports

Victor Oladipo

Age: 30

Position: Shooting guard

Career regular season averages (2013-2022): 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 43.8% FG, 34.8% three-point shooting, 79% FT, 2.6 turnovers, 2.0 turnovers, 32.8 minutes per game.

2021-22 regular season averages: 12.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.6 steals, 47.9% FG, 41.7% three-point shooting%, 73.7 FT, 21.6 minutes through eight games.

Career playoff averages: 14.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.7 steals, 38.4% FG, 32.8% three-point shooting, 80.2% FT, 2.2 turnovers, 30.1 minutes through 17 games.

2022 playoff averages: 10.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, 36.8% FG, 27.4% three-point shooting, 79.2% FT, 1.7 turnovers, 24.5 minutes through 15 games.

Past accolades: All-NBA Third Team (2018), two-time All-Star (2018, 2019), All-Defensive First Team (2018), Most Improved Player (2018), NBA steal leader (2018).

Breakdown: Oladipo will likely be joining his sixth team entering his 10th year. According to Bleacher Report on Wednesday, the 6-foot-4 veteran guard is reportedly expected to not re-sign with the Miami Heat after his sole season there, and has his hometown Washington, Detroit and Denver on his wish list for a next destination on a mid-level exception. For that $6 million amount he's willing to take the two former teams in limbo and a playoff contender in Denver, that makes a great case for the league's top regular season team last year Suns to pursue Oladipo since he wouldn't hurt their wallet. He could be a solid backup for Devin Booker by providing more than just spot-up shooting like their other two-guard Landry Shamet. Oladipo showed bursts of his former self this year after he returned from his 11-month absence following his right quad injury. Oladipo was a solid contributor to the Heat off the bench in his small sample size late in the regular season and playoffs. He's a slasher who creates his own shot with his speed, streaky mid-range and perimeter shooting, leaper with some bounce left in him. He can occasionally explode for a 30- to 40-point game, and being a defensive specialist without having to score could make the Suns' D more effective. The only red flag about him is his health, playing just 129 games since his breakout 2017-18 season.

More: Phoenix Suns' best NBA free-agent signings of all time include Steve Nash, Tom Chambers

Bruce Brown Jr.

Age: 25

Position: Small forward

Career regular season averages (2018-2022): 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks, 48.2 FG%, 32.7% three-point shooting, 74.5% FT, 1.0 turnovers, 23.4 minutes per game.

2021-22 regular season averages: 9.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 assists, 0.7 blocks, 50.6% FG, 40.4% three-point shooting, 75.8% FT, 0.8 turnovers, 24.6 minutes through 72 games.

Career playoff averages: 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks, 50.8% FG, 30% three-point shooting, 82.1% FT, 1.1 turnovers, 23.7 minutes through 20 games.

2022 playoff averages: 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals, 0.8 blocks, 56.8% FG, 42.9% three-point shooting, 80% FT, 2.3 turnovers, 34.8 minutes through four games.

Breakdown: Much of the attention to the Brooklyn Nets has been focused on the future of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant playing together, with Durant a focus of speculation as a possible addition in Phoenix. But Bruce Brown Jr. made a great audition for other teams in the process of Brooklyn's troubles this past season. During his first four years in the league, Brown has a physically gifted 6-foot-4 frame and has been proven to be a great ball-handler with a great intelligence. He could add his versatility to the Suns bench that lacks for their guards in their rotation for the mid-level exception as well. Brown was slightly a notch down from the top three as the Nets' fourth-best scorer behind their top three Durant, Irving and Seth Curry, and was their fourth-leading rebounder as they got swept by the eventual East champion Boston Celtics.

More: Deandre Ayton 2022 NBA free agency predictions: Where will Phoenix Suns center end up?

Nicholas Batum

Age: 34

Position: Wing

Career regular season averages (2008-2022): 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.6 blocks, 43.7% FG, 36.3 three-point shooting, 83.7% FT, 1.7 turnovers, 30.6 minutes per game.

2021-22 regular season averages: 8.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.7 blocks, 46.3% FG, 40.0% three-point shooting, 24.8 minutes through 59 games (started in 54).

Career playoff averages: 9.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 44.1% FG, 35.2% three-point shooting, 80.7% FT, 1.2 turnovers, 29.7 minutes through 58 games.

Breakdown: Batum has been consistent during his 15-year career. If James Jones wants a wing player who can be a potential starter if the Suns' Ironman in small forward Mikal Bridges gets hurt, or to give him a breather, the Frenchman Batum most recently with the Clippers is a worthy candidate as the Swiss Army knife he's known to be. You could call the 6-foot-8 Batum "Batman" because he's known for his huge wingspan, almost like an older version of Bridges. His agility and length causes havoc for team's offenses, he hits deep balls to stretch defenses and can penetrate the lane well to open options for others as well as himself, and a loves doing chase-down blocks. Even if he's likely not going to be a long-term guy, Batum on a one-year deal could end being a productive bargain for the Suns.

More: Report: Suns not tendering Aaron Holiday's qualifying offer, becomes unrestricted free agent

Mo Bamba

Age: 24

Position: Center

Career regular season averages (2018-2022): 7.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.4 blocks, 47.5% FG, 35.2% three-point shooting, 68.5% FT, 0.9 turnovers, 18.5 minutes per game.

2021-22 regular season averages: 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, 1.7 blocks, 48% FG, 38.1% three-point shooting, 78.1% FT, 1.1 turnovers, 25.7 minutes through 71 games (started in 69).

Breakdown:  If Ayton moves on, this could be an option to fill that big hole.  Bamba's four years in the league have been a see-saw affair because of injuries. He played just 47 games his rookie year, 62 his second, 46 his third, and 71 this past season for the Orlando Magic. But like the popular 2018 chart-soaring rap hit single dedicated to him by his fellow Harlem-bred childhood friend Sheck Wes, Bamba was "ballin" fairly well producing career highs for all his splits in 2022. He's a 7-foot-1 big who runs the floor like a gazelle (ran a 3.04-second three-quarter court sprint at the 2018 NBA Combine), and he's got muscle to be a strong presence in the paint after he gained nearly 25 pounds of muscle during the league's four-month break during the pandemic in 2020. Also, Bamba improved his 3-ball hitting 107 on a 38.1% clip, which is more than Ayton. If Ayton stays of leaves Phoenix, and Orlando reportedly not tendering Bamba's qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent, Bamba could be a decent restart in the middle from a player development standpoint for the Suns to go after.

More: Jae Crowder trade speculation for Phoenix Suns heats up as 2022 NBA free agency nears

Tyus Jones

Age: 26

Position: Point Guard

Career regular season averages (2015-2022): 6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 43.5% FG, 35.2% three-point shooting, 81.8% FT, 0.7 turnovers, 18.4 minutes per game.

2021-22 regular season averages: 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 81.8% FT, 0.6 turnovers, 45.1% FG, 39% three-point shooting, 21.2 minutes through 73 games.

Career playoff averages: 6.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 38.2% FG, 37.3% three-point shooting, 0.7 turnovers, 17.3 minutes through three games. 

2022 playoff averages: 9.2 points, 3.3 assists, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 39.4% FG, 40% three-point shooting, 1.1 turnovers, 21.8 minutes through 12 games. 

Breakdown: Jones ended the 2021-22 regular season as the league's best in assists-to-turnover ratio (7.04). The Suns have three years left on Chris Paul's four-year contract, and the 37-year-old future Hall of Famer showed that he needs help managing his minutes as his production tanked in the Western Conference semifinals from Game 3. Jones had a career year for the West playoffs' second seed Memphis Grizzlies backing up Ja Morant this past year. That could help bring stability for the floor leadership to run the offense and bring production after the Suns decided Wednesday to not tender Aaron Holiday's qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here are 5 unrestricted free agents that could help the Phoenix Suns