Willie Cauley-Stein: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile

Potential Fit

With just about every category, there have been multiple parts, and this one is no different. There are some ways in which this would be a great fit, but there are others that would emerge as problematic.

Let’s start with the good.

Pros

Cauley-Stein would fit right in with the Suns in transition. He would be able to get up and down the floor better than any non-guard on the team, and he would almost be like a DeAndre Jordan-lite in that regard (although they differ mightily in strength, offensive and rebounding ability at this point, so don’t think I’m calling him DeAndre Jordan).

Additionally, Cauley-Stein could pair with Len to form a really strong interior presence that could matchup with any pair of bigs around the league in time. With Cauley-Stein focusing on guarding the versatile fours and Len hanging around the rim, it would be incredibly difficult for anyone to score on them inside, it would be a huge improvement over the current situation, and it would give them the potential to have one of the best NBA defensive frontcourts for a long time.

Cons

If Cauley-Stein were on the Suns, that would mean Len would really need to push to develop his midrange game, because there would be next to no spacing for the guards. The Suns’ youngest and best backcourt players (Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, T.J. Warren, Archie Goodwin) are primarily characterized as slashers, and (obviously) it’s a lot harder to slash when you have that extra defender hanging back and staying in the lane.

If the Suns drafted Cauley-Stein, they’d probably have to go after a shooter, either in free agency or through trade, and they probably wouldn’t be able to roll out a starting five of Bledsoe-Knight-Warren-WCS-Len, because teams would basically be able to play them like they were a college team.

That being said, they should probably look at adding a shooter anyway, because they really don’t have anyone that can just come in and shoot the lights out, unless Gerald Green wants to return to his 2013-14 form.

However

The fact of the matter is that Cauley-Stein is a top five quality talent, and if by some act of God he is on the board at 13, then the Suns should absolutely (1) Hope they’ve done their homework and aren’t missing something that everyone else caught and then (2) Take him, because he’s that good.

If he’s available with the 9th or 10th pick, they might think about dangling the Morris Twins and the 13th pick to move up a couple of spots and maybe get something else in return as well.

It all comes down to this. In theory, there are definitely problems with the fit, but Cauley-Stein might just be worth it if he even scratches his potential, especially if the team can find a way to bring in a sharpshooting wing. Sometimes guys are too good to pass up, and if there’s a way to make it work, the Suns would probably be kicking themselves if they let another opportunity to pick up an All Star talent slip away.

Next: Conclusion