Could the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks make a draft-based trade?

The Phoenix Suns have the sixth overall pick in the NBA Draft, much lower than they had been anticipating. However, the roster’s development could be more about quantity over quality at this point, and the Atlanta Hawks have two picks, not far down, that could give the Suns many additional options.

When the Phoenix Suns fell to sixth overall in the NBA Draft via the Lottery, it instantly seemed like they were going to miss out on the top-three best prospects available – which in fact they will.

The options at number six are not exciting specifically Phoenix Suns fans, so poor, in fact, that many fans are hoping that the pick itself will be traded away entirely in a package that will return to them a much needed veteran.

Phoenix Suns

However, one pick in the top-ten allows for only one potential move involving a draft pick, but two  top-ten picks would provide even more options for a team desperate to wheel-and-deal and improve the roster as quickly as possible.

The Atlanta Hawks have the eighth pick, that is their own, and the tenth pick from the Dallas Mavericks which came to the Hawks in the Luka Doncic and Trae Young trade of last year.

If the Hawks have their heart set on a particular player with the sixth overall pick that might not be there at eight or ten (or they too would prefer not to have two rookies), the Suns could offer to drop back and take their two picks allowing Atlanta to move up.

For the Suns though, Phoenix doesn’t want to add two rookies (I already wrote that they should trade away their second round pick no matter), but what they do need are as many options as possible to acquire veterans to help bolster the core of still young players.

Sure, they could use at least one of the two picks on someone they might like (Cam Reddish and Rui Hachimura should at least be available at one of those two spots), but they would then have at least the other pick to use in a subsequent trade.

How perfect would it be too if Phoenix utilized both  picks in package deals for vets (presuming they were young enough to make such deals worth it), bolstering their roster two-fold right off the bat; or using both picks in a package to make a splash trade with a team that is maybe unexpectedly rebuilding and can trade a more expensive player and receive two picks this year as part of the return package.

Admittedly, this is a long-shot concept for two very specific reasons: the Hawks might prefer quantity over quality and take two players a little lower rather than one a bit higher; and the trade would have  to be made at least several days before the draft so Phoenix could utilize the time to set up secondary deals – something Atlanta might not want to do early to cultivate their own trade options.

It is also unfortunate too that the Suns’ pick isn’t fifth or fourth which would have made it that much more valuable and thus enticing for the Hawks to even consider such a deal. However, if I were in James Jones‘ position, I’d absolutely reach out to the Atlanta Hawks at least once a week prior to the draft to test the waters, because with eight and ten, his secondary trade options become much closer to unlimited.