The Phoenix Suns have an amazing opportunity to change the face of the franchise for the next decade if not longer via the 2018 NBA draft. These are the top-6 events that would make this the best draft day in franchise history.
When the Phoenix Suns won the lottery and had the opportunity to select first overall for the first time in the franchise’s history, and with Deandre Ayton, both a local product and dominant center available to the franchise first, the Suns were immediately in a position to change the face of the franchise forever. Never in their prior 50 years have they had the number one overall pick, and never have they had a dominant center, and one in particular with so many prognosticators comparing him to the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, and others.
Regardless of who else is available, the opportunity to select Ayton is too much to pass up.
If, from this draft, Deandre Ayton is the only player they select that pans out and becomes a star, the Phoenix Suns will have made off like bandits. Pairing Ayton with Devin Booker and potentially setting up a Shaq/Kobe Bryant 2.0 will be enough to scare opponents as it is. Add in Josh Jackson to the combo, and their young core might only be comparable to what the Philadelphia 76ers have been able to put together in regards to youthful talent.
That being said, Ayton will not be the only player the Suns acquire on draft day. The Phoenix Suns have four picks in the draft (two in each round), meaning that if they don’t make a trade, there will be at least three rookies on the roster next season (presuming the 59th pick is a draft-and-stash).
That being said, with so many picks, only three untradables on the roster (Booker, Jackson, and now Ayton), five first round picks in the next three years, two expiring contracts, and a number of other young players, General Manager Ryan McDonough has a great number of opportunities to either move up in the draft, move back in the draft, or acquire veteran talent to help augment the young Suns who already form the exciting core.
These are the top-five events that would make draft day the greatest day of the greatest draft in Phoenix Suns franchise history.