The Phoenix Suns informally made 14 first round picks in the last decade. Some of them were truly bad. This is the top-five worst first round picks of the decade.
When the Phoenix Suns hired Ryan McDonough as general manager in 2013, fans were sold on his selection because of his supposed exceptional drafting ability.
The franchise was looking to grow via the draft, and McDonough was going to lead the way.
Sure, he made one really good draft pick in Devin Booker, and while the verdict is still out on Deandre Ayton, especially in the face of what Luka Doncic is accomplishing, there is still a chance that Ayton can become the dominate force in the middle the McDonough was hoping he was picking
Although most of his picks were bad.
And a few were really bad.
That said: The last decade of drafting does not all fall on Ryan McDonough.
Lance Blanks opened the decade at general manager and believe it or not: he was probably worse than even McDonough was – he selected Markieff Morris (who ended up actually being one of the better first round selections made which illustrates just how truly awful the decade had been in terms of drafted talent) over Kawhi Leonard, because Leonard sweat through his suit in an interview.
Thanks, Blanks.
Hopefully as the calendar flips into the 2020’s, the bad mojo that has emanated from this franchise for the last ten years disappears as well, and solid draft selections fall into place with much greater regularity.
Remember the 1990s?
That decade produced Shawn Marion, Stephen Jackson (although he never played for Phoenix), Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Wesley Person, and for what it’s worth: Oliver Miller – although to select Miller, Jerry Colangelo passed over Latrell Sprewell by two picks.
If this next decade can produce a couple of Hall of Famers (who play for Phoenix for a significant amount of time) as well as several other very good players, then the franchise will have righted itself.
With that said, I bring to you: the Phoenix Suns’ five worst first round selections of the last decade.