Every Suns player’s value as a 2018 NBA Draft pick

Troy Daniels – Mid Second Round

Daniels will play next season at 27, so he isn’t as young as other guys on the team. But he’s been a consistent three point shooter throughout his career, and he has plenty to offer as a bench option for a competitive team that needs shooting. His contract is pretty cheap for an eight year veteran, so he could be a legitimate option as a role player, and on a better team his efficiency should only improve.

Dragan Bender – Early Second Round

The Suns knew Bender would be a project when they drafted him fourth overall two years ago, so it’s not surprising he’s struggled thus far. He’s still on his rookie deal, and he’s shown enough to give hope that he could improve. But even with low initial expectations he’s underwhelmed, and his stock is far lower when he was initially drafted. There’s no reason to give up on him, but he’s no longer worth an early first.

Marquese Chriss – Late First Round

Chriss was the eighth pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and he’s been just okay in his first two seasons. He’s averaged less than ten points per game, but he’s shown defensive potential with a Defensive Box Plus-Minus of 1.3. He’s a great athlete with a shot that could be able to improve enough to get him up to league average from three. He’s far from a sure thing, and if his stroke doesn’t improve significantly he’ll never be a quality NBA starter. But he’s young and on his rookie contract, and his potential is definitely worth a late first rounder.