Could they trade the pick?
One writer here at Valley of the Suns has already written that the Suns should trade their pick (even if it is first overall) since Ayton isn’t an “absolute lock” at first overall. He believes that as that is the case, Phoenix can get better value by trading the pick and getting a package of established players (as well as potentially more picks), feeding off of what hype Ayton does have.
Even Andrew (the post’s author) would admit to you that the odds of such a trade are slim and that the only way he would want Phoenix to trade the pick is if they landed a package of players that – at least on paper – was an absolute trade win for the Suns. Unlikely that such a steal package can be had, would anyone object to the suns maybe offering the first overall pick for Kawhi Leonard Leonard, straight up, especially with the recent news that Kawhi might be absolutely done with San Antonio?
In the end, it is probably highly unlikely that the Suns trade the pick at all. Since a can’t pass up trade will probably never materialize, McDonough will make a selection no matter where the pick lands between 1-4. However, if he was to trade the pick, the spot would probably only be at pick 4, and only if the move drops them back a couple of slots while also adding a player in the package capable of stepping in right away, and/or an unprotected first round pick for next season.
McDonough would be hard-pressed to pass up on Ayton, Doncic, or Bagley, but if he is selecting at fourth overall, the odds of him finding a player that will step in and make an impact right away begin to shrink heavily. Adding a young, veteran player through trade that could step in and make a difference right away, plus a pick several spots down (where maybe he can select anyone in the Bamba, Jackson, Young, Porter range), as well as another trade piece with a first round pick in a future draft, and the opportunity to make such a move may not only have some realisim of occurring, but such an offer might be impossible to pass up.