Why did Suns sixth man Cam Johnson, not starter Jae Crowder, make list of Top 25 power forwards?

Don’t know what’s more interesting.

Cam Johnson is ranked 20th on HoopsHype’s list of Top 25 NBA power forwards for the 2022-23 season despite being a sixth man for the Phoenix Suns or that starter Jae Crowder isn’t.

Before even asking, five teams have two players on the list.

• Raptors – Pascal Siakam (5th) and Scottie Barnes (7th).

• Cavaliers – Evan Mobley (6th) and Lauri Markkanen (24th).

• Magic – Paolo Banchero (10th) and Wendell Carter (21st).

• Mavericks – Christian Wood (15th) and Dorian Finney-Smith (23rd).

• Kings – Harrison Barnes (17th) and Keegan Murray (25th).

Siakam rounds out the top five that begins with two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) and continues with Anthony Davis (Lakers), Karl-Anthony Towns (Timberwolves) and Zion Williamson (Pelicans).

Antetokounmpo is arguably the game’s best player.

Davis is as talented as any big man, but he’s injury prone.

Towns will play the four alongside Rudy Gobert, who comes from Utah in a colossal trade.

And Williamson has only shown flashes of being a generational talent in the 85 games he’s played over the course of three seasons.

He missed all last season with a foot injury, but the top overall pick in the 2019 draft should be ready to make New Orleans even more dangerous this season under coach Willie Green.

Johnson was the surprise of that 2019 draft being taken 11th overall, but the 6-8 forward has become one of Phoenix’s key players.

Coming off a career year in which he averaged 12.5 points in the 2021-22 regular season, shot 42.5% from 3 (fourth in the NBA), Johnson finished in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year voting.

“Many questioned the Phoenix Suns for drafting a then-23-year-old Cam Johnson 11th overall in 2019 due to his age and not-so-well-rounded skill set, as Johnson was purely a shooter who didn’t offer much else as a prospect,” HoopsHype's Frank Urbina wrote. “Johnson has proven the Suns to be savvy for the draft pick, however, as he has been an important part of some elite Phoenix teams since joining the squad three seasons ago.”

However, Crowder started all 67 games he played in the regular season, but he averaged 9.4 points on 39.9% shooting. A streaky shooter from 3, Crowder connected on 34.8% from deep.

Crowder is the better rebounder than Johnson, plays more physical, can defend multiple positions and is a leader.

Plus, Suns coach Monty Williams trusts the veteran forward with inbounding the ball, i.e., Valley-Oop in Game 2 of 2021 Western Conference finals.

Crowder found Deandre Ayton on an inbounds lob pass for a dunk with 0.7 seconds remaining to give Phoenix a 2-0 series lead.

For all his intangibles, leadership and winning qualities, Crowder still didn’t make HoopsHype’s Top 25 power forwards.

Three rookies – Banchero, Smith and Murray – did without even playing in an NBA regular season game yet.

So did Johnson, mostly because of his shooting ability.

“On a team with stars up and down the starting lineup, Johnson’s shooting has proven to be pivotal, opening up the floor for the likes of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, as has his ability to defend multiple positions, albeit far from an elite level,”  Urbina added.

While the power forward position has evolved from big, physical players to stretch fours, the position still requires one to rebound and defend players who can score off the bounce or back to the basket.

That is Crowder’s edge over Johnson. Those qualities help Phoenix have one of the league’s top defenses.

Johnson has improved in those areas, but not enough to have him on the floor late in games despite having the ability to open the court with his 3-point shooting.

He never seemed the same after returning late in the regular season from a right quad injury he suffered on his career 38-point night March 4 against the Knicks that ended with him banking in a game-winning 3 at the buzzer.

Months later, Johnson should enter training camp ready to roll while Crowder turned heads with a tweet Aug. 1 that led to questions and speculation about his future in Phoenix.

“CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. GROWTH IS OPTIONAL!! I BELIEVE ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE. I WANNA CONTINUE GROWING!”

Crowder and Johnson, who is up for a rookie extension, are both in the final year of their contracts.

The two have been mentioned in trade rumors this summer in relation to Kevin Durant.

Phoenix could begin this season continuing to start Crowder, but HoopsHype is showing with this list it thinks Johnson should get the starting nod at the power forward position.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cam Johnson, not Jae Crowder, makes HoopsHype's Top 25 power forwards