Warren appeared to be in the midst of a minor breakout during his second season in the league, even putting pressure on P.J. Tucker for the starting small forward job. However, things fell apart for Warren in early February, when he was diagnosed with a broken foot that would sideline him for the rest of the season. In his 47 games, Warren was at least able to establish himself as the Suns’ top scoring source off the bench, averaging 11.0 points to go along with 3.1 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.8 steals in 22.8 minutes per game. Warren resumed running earlier in June and seems to be trending toward availability for training camp. While Tucker retains the top spot on the depth chart, he required back surgery in mid-September that will likely sideline him through the start of the season, creating an opportunity for Warren to claim a starting role if he proves in camp he’s recovered from the foot procedure. The Suns could also opt to roll a smaller starting lineup that would feature Devin Booker at small forward, but either way, Warren seems poised to grab significant minutes right away to begin his third NBA campaign with Tucker out of commission. He’ll likely see his playing time recede once Tucker returns, but if Warren distinguishes himsef early on, the Suns could certainly opt to keep him ahead of Tucker on the depth chart.

Warren, a lottery pick in the 2014 draft, appeared in only 40 games for Phoenix last season, averaging 6.1 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 53 percent from the floor and 24 percent from three. The North Carolina State product spent considerable time in the D-League, appearing in nine games for the Bakersfield Jam over four separate assignments. Warren had trouble finding minutes in Jeff Hornacek's wing rotation early in the year, but he worked his way into the regular rotation over the final two months of the year following a trade deadline roster shake-up. Warren saw nearly 21 minutes per game over the final 20 games of the season, averaging 7.9 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting an impressive 55 percent from the floor. After losing some depth on the wing in the offseason, the Suns expect Warren to be a part of the every-night rotation, and he'll likely begin the year as the primary backup to P.J. Tucker at small forward. Warren figures to see competition from promising rookie Devin Booker, but he could be one of the beneficiaries if Markieff Morris is moved before the season, which seems less like an "if" and more like a "when". Per Basketball-Reference, 32 percent of Warren's minutes last season came at the power forward spot, and he could continue to see time as a small-ball four in certain lineups.

Warren is entering his first season in the NBA after spending two years at North Carolina State. In his final season with the Wolfpack, the 2013-14 ACC Player of the Year averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 rebounds in 35 minutes per game. As the 14th-overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Warren is clearly in the plans as the team moves forward. He will likely see time at both forward positions and has the potential to carve out a role early in the season given the Suns' relative lack of wing scoring. As seen in college, and in the NBA summer league, Warren can flat out light up the scoreboard, but the question is whether or not he'll have sufficient opportunities as a rookie. His talent is unquestionable, but the Morris twins, P.J. Tucker, and Gerald Green figure to command a lion's share of the minutes at small forward. Warren saw time at power forward in college, but it seems more likely he transitions to a small forward role in the NBA. For now, he'll open as a bench player and will have to earn his spot in the rotation. Still, Warren is worth a late-round flier in deeper formats because of his potential to be a contributor offensively.