Number Three might be the place to be for the Phoenix Suns

The countdown is in it’s final stages as the Phoenix Suns inch closer and closer to the NBA Draft Lottery on May 14, where they hold the highest odds for pick #3.

For all of the fear and loathing that Phoenix Suns fans have about moving back in the draft (and the greatest odds that they hold are for the 6th overall spot which would be absolutely awful considering how bad last season was), if nothing changes, then they still sit at and will retain the 3rd overall pick in the draft.

For most people, that means that the Suns should immediately begin to look to trade the pick as Zion Williamson and Ja Morant are the projected number one and two picks on the draft simply by talent alone.

Phoenix Suns

But the Phoenix Suns once believed that Josh Jackson was the best player in the draft yet he was taken fourth overall, so sometimes what big boards might say does not in any way mean that the draft itself will fall in that exact order.

In other words: number three might actually be the place to be, for the Suns, if their primary goal this offseason is to enter 2019-20 with a young starting point guard to build around for the future.

But more on Morant in a moment. Let’s say that he isn’t available at three and Phoenix is staring at a shooting guard or wing as the best available player – a position that they have plenty of depth on the roster already.

Does that mean that they should just jump ship and sell the pick?

Absolutely not. While I mentioned Josh Jackson earlier as potentially being the best player in his draft, according to basketball-reference, using Win Share per 48 minutes, Jackson is the fourth worst  player from his 2017 draft class with a -.029 (this is a little deceiving as seven players from that draft of the 60 never even played in a game – so maybe that means he is the 11th worst player taken).

It get’s worse: if you take his accumulative Win Share, of which he holds a -2.4, he is the worst  player taken in that draft – again of players who actually stepped on the court, so eighth.

Let’s say that the Phoenix Suns rate R.J. Barrett higher than Jackson (or at least good enough that he would be a solid replacement for him) and that they believe they can get someone of tangible value in return for the going-on third-year pro.

Should Phoenix move the pick for the sake of moving the pick – even if they can get an okay  point guard (they’re not going to get anyone great with the third overall pick alone)?

Unlikely, but we’ll see. Only time will tell, and it has a habit of revealing all.