John Jenkins

A preseason standout for the Mavericks last fall, Jenkins was unable to find a niche off the bench for the team once the regular season began. He averaged 3.3 points in 9.2 minutes per game across his 21 appearances with Dallas, shooting 41.4 percent from the field and hitting 3-of-19 shots from deep. Since the 25-year-old’s best skill is his ability to knock down shots from long range, it’s no surprise that the Mavericks waived him in February when he struggled to do just that. Recognizing an opportunity to buy low on a former first-round pick who had sported a 37.5 percent mark from three-point range prior to 2015-16, the Suns claimed Jenkins off waivers, and he almost immediately turned things around. In his 22 games with the club, Jenkins averaged 5.0 points in 13.0 minutes per game while going 13-of-32 (40.6%) on three-point attempts, including a stretch of nine made treys in a row. Injuries to Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight last season probably opened up more court time than might have otherwise be available to Jenkins during his stint with the Suns, so assuming both stars are back to full health in 2016-17, Jenkins would likely be in line for a reduced role. He’ll need to show consistency with his shooting in his limited opportunities off the bench in order to remain a constant in coach Earl Watson’s rotation.