The Phoenix Suns confirmed NBA reporter Jake Fischer’s sources by trading up into the first round of Tuesday night’s first round to add Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat at pick No. 30.
The Suns will reportedly give up their No. 47 overall pick in the second round this year in addition to two more second-rounders for the 6-foot-7 one-and-done freshman.
It was not an insignificant price to pay for a guy who, while still very young at just 19, isn’t a polished outside shooter nor an elite defender.
Still, Phoenix filled a need by adding a power forward to a roster that leaned heavily on small-ball lineups with Dillon Brooks and/or Royce O’Neale manning the 4 spot throughout a surprisingly successful 2025-26 season.
So, what did media outlets around the league think of the Suns’ decision to move up? Here’s a mini roundup of draft grades for Phoenix’s choice to nab Peat while surrendering three second rounders.
CBS Sports rewards Suns and Koa Peat an A- draft grade
While CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein pointed out Peat’s draft slide tied to his weak outside shooting and “mixed reviews from some workouts,” he still gave the Suns an A- draft grade for the choice. That was the best of the crop listed here.
There were some reports ahead of the draft that scouts wanted Peat to return to Arizona to polish his game and work on his outside shooting, but he ultimately stayed in this year’s class and (barely) in the first round. Even with the warts on his game, Peat has more than enough intangibles to compete straightaway at the next level.
“Peat will play in the NBA for 10+ years,” Finkelstein wrote. “He is strong, has an NBA-ready body and the physicality, willingness, and ability to play through contact, and a wealth of competitive intangibles.”
The Athletic’s John Hollinger grades Suns’ Koa Peat addition a C-
On the opposite end of the spectrum, The Athletic’s John Hollinger was not high on the Peat choice, and certainly didn’t mince his words.
“I was not a big fan of Peat,” Hollinger wrote bluntly. “He’s undersized for a big, his shooting is a major liability and I don’t think he even does the ‘big guy’ stuff all that well.”
Well, then…
Hollinger touted Peat’s ball-handling, game feel and defense, but added that he’s “dubious” Peat will ever be enough of a threat offensively to make a big difference at the NBA level. He also noted that the Suns sacrificing future picks to trade up to get him adds to his skepticism.
NBC Sports (B+) and Yahoo! Sports (B-) grade Koa Peat to the Suns
In the middle of the pack, both NBC Sports and Yahoo! Sports draft grades were more favorable to the Suns than Hollinger, but not on the level of CBS in terms of rosy outlook.
NBC’s Kurt Helin called Peat “a good player to take a flyer on at the end of the first round,” but that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for Phoenix provided they gave up three second-round picks to get into that position.
Helin did credit the Suns for taking a big swing with the trade, and notes that Peat being a Phoenix native should help him acclimate to the NBA in a familiar locale.
Yahoo!, meanwhile, touted Peat’s football bloodline — a father who played nine seasons in the NFL and an uncle who was a Pro Bowl offensive tackle.
But this is basketball we’re talking about, and while Peat certainly has the physical tools to compete against grown men, Yahoo! joins the cacophony of critics pointing out Peat’s lackluster jump shot.
“Since Peat can’t shoot yet, it’ll be important that he’s paired with a floor-spacing center,” Kevin O’Connor writes.
Well, provided the Suns currently have Oso Ighodaro (who struggles even to make free throws) and Khaman Maluach (26.7% from 3 across 11 G League games and 23.8% on 21 attempts from deep in the NBA), the team’s spacing could become a problem.
Nevertheless, if the Suns opt to lean heavily on defense with a lineup like Collin Gillespie, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Peat and Maluach, that would be a bear for opponents to face.
Developing a reliable 3-point shot needs to be a priority for Peat regardless, but spacing will be a question mark with him on the floor until then. If nothing else, Peat has proven he can finish through contact at the basket and find his spots from 2-point territory, so he shouldn’t be a black hole on offense.
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