Conclusion
Crazier things have happened in the NBA Draft, and there’s still a lot of time for players’ stock to rise and fall before Jun. 26. But Stanley Johnson would REALLY have to bomb his draft workouts to slide that far in the draft, and given the fire in his belly right now, that isn’t happening.
Johnson would be a great fit for the Suns. He’s extremely young despite his NBA-ready body, he’d be the wing defender this team badly needs to add to its young core on the perimeter and he could be an extremely talented two-way prospect in a few years.
Unless Phoenix makes some sort of splashy offseason move and brings in a star, this team would have to make substantial internal progress over the summer to compete for a playoff spot in the West next year. Adding a player like Johnson, even if he’s one of the more NBA-ready prospects, would allow this young Suns core to grow into something impressive over the next few years.
Unfortunately, all those skills won’t be coming Phoenix’s way in the draft. The positional overlap isn’t as much of an issue as the fact that a few of the teams in front of the Suns would be crazy to pass him up. When it comes to sure things in the draft, the Suns will continue to have bad luck — with Stanley Johnson, at least.
Next: Myles Turner: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile