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Phoenix Suns Big Board 1.0: Top 10 prospects

By Lucas Johnson

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 22: A shot of the first round draft board during the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler /NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 22: A shot of the first round draft board during the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler /NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Luka Doncic of Real Madrid during their Real Madrid vs Movistar Estudiantes Spanish ACB basketball league match played at Wizink Center pavilion, in Madrid, Spain, 31 December 2017. (Photo by Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Luka Doncic of Real Madrid during their Real Madrid vs Movistar Estudiantes Spanish ACB basketball league match played at Wizink Center pavilion, in Madrid, Spain, 31 December 2017. (Photo by Oscar Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

No. 6

Texas center Mohammed Bamba is a boom or bust in my opinion. His 6-foot-11 frame is something that will automatically catch the attention of NBA front offices and his college stats are nothing to ignore either. Bamba has averaged a double-double so far with 11.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 4.5 blocks. Bamba has shot a solid 51.5 percent from the floor and a surprising 22.2 percent from 3-point land on 1.8 attempts. Honestly Bamba shouldn’t be shooting 3-pointers and the Suns probably won’t have him do that if he does get draft by the franchise. Bamba will probably never be an elite scoring center, but he could be an elite defensive player. The question is, will Bamba end up being a DeAndre Jordan or Bismack Biyombo type of player? Depending on how much Bamba develops on offense, it’s a flip of a coin on what he could be.

No. 5

Michael Porter Jr. is probably not going to play in college again after injuring his back in his first game for the Missouri Tigers. In high school he averaged around 36 points and 13 rebounds, but to be fair high school isn’t always a good measurement for NBA scouts. With that in mind, his highlights speak for themselves.

If it wasn’t for his injury, Porter may be a top three prospect on this big board. He can score from inside and out. He has the rebounding, passing and defensive skills to be considered one of the most well rounded players on this big board. If drafted by Suns, he would most likely slide to the power forward position and Bender would have to transition to the center position.

No. 4

Luka Doncic could end up being one of the best European point guards in NBA history once his career is said and done. He has put up impressive numbers while in Europe.

Per Game Table
Season League(s) G GS MP FG% 3P% 2P% FT% TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
2014-15 Liga ACB 3 2.7 .333 .500 .000 .750 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 2.0
2015-16 Liga ACB, EuroLeague 43 13.3 .500 .397 .591 .767 2.7 2.0 0.3 0.3 1.4 1.5 4.5
2016-17 EuroLeague, Liga ACB 67 19.9 .446 .347 .547 .819 4.4 3.7 0.8 0.3 1.9 1.3 7.8
2017-18 EuroLeague, Liga ACB 31 25.2 .474 .335 .611 .835 5.6 4.7 1.1 0.3 2.2 1.3 16.2
144 18.7 .465 .350 .578 .817 4.1 3.3 0.7 0.3 1.8 1.3 8.5

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/13/2018.

The question with Doncic is his defensive ability. Doncic is a solid point guard but lacks elite athleticism to defend NBA point guards. His scoring ability, playing making skills and 6-foot-6 height makes him all too enticing not be a high draft choice for the Suns. His defense and the time it would take him to fully develop is why he isn’t in the top three on this big board.

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