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Stanley Johnson: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) reacts against Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) reacts against Xavier Musketeers during the second half in the semifinals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Stanley Johnson
Jan 17, 2015; Tucson, AZ, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Stanley Johnson (5) celebrates after scoring against the Utah Utes during the second half at McKale Center. Arizona won 69-51. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports /

Potential Fit

There are several problems with Johnson joining the Phoenix Suns, unfortunately. Keep in mind, this team already has Brandon Knight and Archie Goodwin at shooting guard, P.J. Tucker, T.J. Warren and Marcus Morris at small forward, and Markieff Morris and Brandan Wright capable of playing at power forward. Wing prospects seem like the last area of need for this roster.

That being said, general manager Ryan McDonough has iterated many times that since the Suns aren’t a playoff team, they have areas of need everywhere. Even if they draft a player and there’s positional overlap, McDonough said a rookie could earn their spot by outplaying the player in front of him, which makes sense since everyone on this roster is basically expendable right now.

As a Wildcat, it’d be easy for most Suns fans to get on board with his selection, which would be a huge plus after a lot of people lost faith in the front office over the past year. Johnson would also bring some much-needed passion and drive to the roster.

If Stanley Johnson is still available when the Suns pick at No. 13, they shouldn’t think twice about taking the local U of A product, since there’s virtually ZERO chance there’d be a better prospect on the board at that point.

The only problem is, I don’t see how Stanley Johnson slides all the way to 13th.

Even if everyone completely forgot about his memorable NBA Draft Combine interview that established him as a top-10 pick, he’d be a great fit for the Detroit Pistons or Charlotte Hornets, and the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers would be foolish to let him slip past their clutches. Those teams will all choose their rookie before the Suns.

Johnson would be a dream come true for the Suns — even with the positional overlap — and if he’s still available when the Suns make their pick, McDonough shouldn’t think twice about living by his word and taking the best available player. Unfortunately, it’s highly unlikely he’s still on the board at that point.

Next: Conclusion

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