Re-Drafting Every Suns 1st Round Pick Part 4: 2002-09
By Tim Holstad
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.