Conclusion
In these scenarios I’m assuming the Suns don’t sign Tyson Chandler due to a Rudy Gobert breakout. I’m assuming they don’t sign Jared Dudley due to a Nerlens Noel breakout. Also, unfortunately, if you keep the roster the same otherwise, they still keep Knight due to the only difference being players we draft, not trade situations outside of the draft. Elijah Millsap not signed in this situation due to a full roster. Alec Peters is sent to the G League.
Now imagine a way to keep a majority of the roster intact as of now, to have a roster shaken up to look like:
PG: Eric Bledsoe, Malcolm Brogdan, Norman Powell
SG: Devin Booker, Zach Lavine, Brandon Knight
SF: Josh Jackson, Shabazz Muhammed*, Derrick Jones Jr.
PF: Nerlens Noel, Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender**
C: Rudy Gobert, Alan Williams, Jordan Bell
* Shabazz Muhammed most likely still becomes a free agent (as has happened with the Timberwolves), and is replaced with a more viable backup or starter. However, we will assume he has a better situation with the Suns and re-signs for a team friendly deal.
** Bender might play more at backup small forward position due to lack of depth.
Would this team have Warriors potential? Most likely not, but this particular roster is really only one superstar SF (Paul George in free agency after this hypothetical year) away from being a true contender. But this team alone would most likely at least obtain a 6th seed in the West and would only take minor changes to who has already been drafted.
The players I’ve kept only help show how solid many moves Ryan McDonough has been making, and only solidifies how glad we should be to have him calling the shots.