Re-Drafting Every Suns 1st Round Pick Part 4: 2002-09

Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Amare' Stoudemire (1) stretches on the baseline during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks center Amare' Stoudemire (1) stretches on the baseline during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
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2008, 15th Pick

Who The Suns Took:

Robin Lopez, Center, Stanford

Career Stats:

628 GP, 8.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.7 APG, 52.6% FG

Who The Suns Should Have Taken:

Serge Ibaka, Power Forward, Congo – Originally taken by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 24th overall pick

Career Stats:

603 GP, 12.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 0.6 APG, 51.6% FG

Robin Lopez was a goofy, less-than-stellar center for the Suns for several years. He wasn’t a star, and he wasn’t expected to be. However, the Suns could have taken a defensive nightmare in Serge Ibaka, who would have provided Phoenix with the interior defense they needed to put them over the top in the playoffs. He would have been a core player for the team, and perhaps could have developed more offensively not being the fourth option behind Durant, Westbrook, and Harden in OKC.