What if the Suns were to draft for need
By Adam Maynes
Power Forward
The question that Ryan McDonough must have an answer to before the draft is: Is Marquese Chriss the starting power forward of the future?
If the answer is unsure or no, then the question of drafting by need is equally as strong with power forward as it was at small forward.
With both Chriss and Bender capable of playing power forward – although both with entirely different skill sets – if the Suns as an organization are happy with both of last season’s top ten picks, then the Suns will practically ignore the power forward position if drafting by need, and focus entirely on different positions. Chriss has already apparently cemented himself as the starting power forward after opening 72 games his rookie season, and while the Suns didn’t get enough from Dragan Bender because of his late-season injury, his time on the court was not entirely a waste as he did show flashes of good court vision on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Picking a power forward again this draft would defiantly not scream logical.
If McDonough were to have reservations about either or both Chriss and Bender, then he and his staff would need to focus fairly heavily on the power forward position from a draft by need point of view. However, this does not seem to be the case. If all things were equal when the Suns are on the clock, then drafting a power forward, no matter who he is, just doesn’t make any sense.