The Phoenix Suns will enter next Tuesday’s NBA Draft as minor players. They traded away so much of their draft capital to acquire Kevin Durant, and while that is a deal you do every time, the issue of depth is now a glaring one.
If the Denver Nuggets have thought us anything, and really they have created a blueprint for the Suns to try and get the better of them next season, it is that the importance of players around their superstars to make big shots and lock down opponents is crucial.
A single second round pick isn’t going to remedy that for the Suns, but it is a start as they look to build out a rotation.
Equally as important, it represents and opportunity to add a player on an extremely cheap deal. Rarely has a 52nd pick had as much pressure to contribute to a rotation as soon as they possibly can. Another reason the Suns need to take the right player.
While picks two to five look like they are available for the right price, and that is a position the Suns would love to be in, they don’t have nearly enough to send out in a trade that teams at the top of the lottery would have any interest in. Not even the Portland Trail Blazers, who seem set to keep Damian Lillard for now but who have been linked to Deandre Ayton in the past.
The obvious solution for the Suns then is to draft a wing who can defend at a high level, even if most mock drafts see them going in another direction. Here are three players they should strongly consider with their pick.