Valley of the Suns
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Roster Swap: Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings. Would you do it?

By Adam Maynes

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 23: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for the shot against the Sacramento Kings on March 23, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 23: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for the shot against the Sacramento Kings on March 23, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Dario Saric Marvin Bagley Phoenix Suns (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Dario Saric Marvin Bagley Phoenix Suns (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Power Forward

Dario Saric, Frank Kaminsky, Cheick Diallo vs Marvin Bagley, Tyler Lydon, Caleb Swanigan, and Nemanja Bjelica

When the Phoenix Suns selected Deandre Ayton with the first overall pick in 2018, they not only passed on a potential generational point guard in Luka Doncic, but also a potential generational power forward in Marvin Bagley.

While it seemed like a foregone conclusion heading into the draft that Vlade Divac would take Doncic number two overall, he instead chose the power forward, a position of need for the Phoenix Suns even to this day.

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While Bagley spent the majority of his rookie season coming off the bench – starting only four of 62 games played, he will likely step right into the starting role this season with very impressive per-36 stats his rookie year of 21.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks. While he shot 3-pointers at only a 31.3% clip, he shot at about 40% in college, so I would expect that to come to him eventually.

Phoenix has been very weak at the position for many years now, the last three without a true power forward even on the roster. But Jones did make a significant upgrade with his trade for Dario Saric on draft day.

While Saric is still only 25-years-old, a hard-nosed defender and has shot 38.1% from beyond the arc over the last two seasons, he is hardly considered a cornerstone power forward in the NBA and is likely to be upgradable at some point in the next few years (if he is even retained after this season as he will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2020).

One might argue that the Suns have the better depth with Kaminsky, however, if Phoenix could somehow swap power forward group for power forward group, there is no doubt that they would based on Bagley alone.

Would the Phoenix Suns make the position swap? Yes.

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