Phoenix Suns: 5 Options In The 2015 NBA Draft At No. 44
1. Larry Nance Jr.
Maybe this is just nostalgia talking, but I can’t be alone in hoping Phoenix finds a way to keep the Nance name in the Suns family on draft day. As the heir of Suns legend Larry Nance, this 6’9″ Wyoming product is graced with his father’s jaw-dropping athleticism and versatility.
The Suns need help at the power forward position, so even though Nance needs to work on some of his perimeter skills, he has the potential to be a very good defender (as he was in college, winning the Mountain West Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year Award) and a destroyer of human lives in transition.
From his shot-blocking ability to his highlight reel finishes around the basket, Nance brings quite a bit of potential and athleticism to the table — which is pretty impressive for a guy who tore his ACL his junior season.
He needs to fine-tune his perimeter shooting to become a viable pick-and-pop threat, but even if Nance Jr. doesn’t live up to his father’s legacy, perhaps playing where Nance Sr. once played would motivate him to create a legacy of his own. Unless the Suns really feel they need a three-point specialist in the second round, Larry Nance Jr. represents a feel-good pick in a low-risk slot.
Next: Phoenix Suns 2015 Draft Profiles Master List