Three reasons to not like the draft for the Phoenix Suns

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BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 21: Trae Young poses for a photo after being selected fifth overall at the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at the 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Pellegrino/NBAE via Getty Images) /

They didn’t draft an heir apparent point guard

Heading into this offseason, the Suns had three particular spots they needed to address: center, power forward, and point guard.

With the first pick they immediately addressed the center position by selecting Deandre Ayton.

With the power forward position, they addressed it to a degree by trading up for Mikal Bridges, which looks to allow Josh Jackson to play power forward while Bridges plays small forward.

But the improvement of power forward was secondary in most minds to that of point guard, and there were four generally well-renowned point guard in the draft with Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Collin Sexton, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – and the Suns didn’t walk away with any one of them.

And much like the irony of Phoenix trading up to 10 but after Michael Porter Jr., was selected 14th, Shai was taken at 11, and too could have been available to Phoenix as well, had they only gotten to 10 first.

Now, there is some silver lining to this: they did draft French point guard Elie Okobo with the 31st pick in the draft, a good scorer who is not a draft-and-stash and is expected to be with the Phoenix Suns immediately. They still have veterans Brandon Knight, Tyler Ulis, and Shaquille Harrison on the roster as well. Between those four, they will be okay at point guard heading into the year.

Personally, I actually think that Knight returning is a huge upgrade at point guard over last season alone, which even with no one else new in the fold, makes the team much better.

Next: Three reasons to love this draft for the Phoenix Suns

That being said, Brandon Knight is likely not the point guard of the future, and many Suns fans (possibly even Ryan McDonough as well), expect Knight to be traded at some point this season, if not next offseason at the latest, leaving the point guard situation in a perilous position, while the rest of the young Suns are continuing to grow and dying to win.

It seemed that adding a point guard in this draft would have been the focus of McDonough’s after drafting Deandre Ayton first overall. And while he may have tried and failed, not walking away with one of the top four is enough to make this draft for the Phoenix Suns one not to like all that much.

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