Conclusion
Justise Winslow is a tremendous prospect, and whatever team selects him will have, at the very least, an excellent defender and a serviceable option on offense. He very well could become a star in a few years, and his toughness and unbelievable motor are intangibles that will help him adjust to the next level.
But for the Phoenix Suns, a team that didn’t even bring him in for a pre-draft workout, it appears that he’s not even on McDonough’s radar. At the very least, the Suns GM doesn’t appear to be seriously considering trading up for him — or anyone — in the 2015 NBA Draft.
“Where we stand today is that we’re very comfortable staying there and picking there,” McDonough said at a recent Suns draft workout. “It would have to take a really good offer for us to move the pick. As I mentioned before, I think it’s unlikely we add, like, an additional first round pick this year or drop down in the draft.
“We’ll actually take those calls if they come to us but we’re comfortable with where we are at 13, we like the pool of players we think will be there, so that’s the plan as of today.”
Justise Winslow and... Victor Oladipo are eerily similar. Eerily undersized + eerily likable for their effort/grit. pic.twitter.com/Fy7wkiBdJD
— PistonPowered (@PistonPowered) June 12, 2015
Justise Winslow could be that really good offer, but would a deal involving the Morris twins and this year’s 13th overall pick entice any teams with a higher pick? And would Phoenix be panic-trading the Morris twins in that event?
I love Justise Winslow’s potential, but the Suns’ current roster is one star away from taking the next step. T.J. Warren deserves the chance to develop, especially since it’d take quite a few assets to acquire a pick high enough to secure this elite prospect — one who still has to prove himself, at that.
Taking a 19-year-old in the draft and dissembling the roster would be an overreaction after a disappointing season. The Suns need star power, but if they really liked him that much, they would’ve tipped their hand by inviting him to come workout at US Airways Center. As good as Winslow is, Phoenix’s best shot at getting the star they need will come through free agency, not Justise.
Next: R.J. Hunter: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profile