3 problems the Suns solved at the NBA Draft

The Phoenix Suns had a productive 2024 NBA Draft, as they took two players and added a third undrafted big man to a two-way contract. It is too early to tell if any of these three individuals can be actual players for a fringe contender - first round selection Ryan Dunn looks the safest bet at this point, but there's no doubting the Suns were active.

The addition of these three youngsters gives a needed boost to a franchise that had a certain malaise on their way to winning 49 regular season games last season. Maybe that's just the way it is when you have three star players, but the vibes didn't always look fantastic for this group.

Which is why taking the draft seriously actually remedied some of the issues that had been stopping the Suns from reaching their full potential.

Alongside Dunn, the organization also took Oso Ighodaro in the second round, with Jalen Bridges the undrafted big out of Baylor to join on a two way deal. With the introduction of the Valley Suns (nice name...) to the G League next season, all of a sudden it feels like there's more of a long-term vision to what owner Mat Ishbia is trying to achieve.

Which is just as well, because the game plan of trading everything for Kevin Durant and saddling themselves with Bradley Beal's horror show contract hasn't reaped the rewards just yet. Adding youth to 27-year-old Devin Booker to bridge the gap between now and the day Durant leaves though, well that seems like a much smarter way to approach business.

3. Provides much needed depth

One of the main issues the Suns faced last season was having to sign so many players to minimum deals as a result of paying their top three players so much money. They had only a single second round selection in 2023 in Toumani Camara, and he was in Portland with the Trail Blazers long before the regular season even got underway.

This meant that when Beal was injured (limited to 53 regular season games) or Grayson Allen missed a game or two, there were glaring holes in the rotation. The influx of three rookies doesn't solve this problem immediately, but it certainly helps.

Head coach Mike Budenholzer will have to two the line between developing these players and trying to win it all, an unenviable task. But where Dunn in particular is going to help is with that aforementioned regular season malaise that crept in last year, with his energy and defensive IQ the perfect remedy for those listless nights in places like Charlotte and Washington.

The Suns of 2023-24 had to rely on guys like Eric Gordon and even Nassir Little once guys started dropping with injury, but the addition of Dunn and Ighodaro pushing for minutes should bring the level of the roster up across the board. This group have needed young and hungry players for a while now, and they've gone and gotten three to begin this offseason.

2. Begin to faze out Jusuf Nurkic

Center Jusuf Nurkic was excellent for the Suns last season, but the playoffs exposed the harsh reality that as long as he is a major contributor, there is a ceiling on how good this team can be. At two years and $37 million remaining on his current deal, the franchise will likely hope to trade him down the road.

Being in the second apron makes that more difficult though, so the arrival of Ighodaro and Bridges if nothing else can help to start the transition away from Nurkic. Assuming he does stick around, he still has a place on this roster. Most likely as a starter for the coming season, just perhaps not a closer.

If one of the two young bigs was to really catch on - or even if the Suns go and get another veteran with the minimum - then Nurkic could become an excellent backup big man. One of the better players in the league in that role, with Drew Eubanks having recently departed The Valley after an underwhelming campaign.

No matter what way you chop it up though, Nurkic's role with the Suns as we know it is going to change as a result of this draft, and the organization will profit from it. He is still capable of playing his part, but taking him off the court when the matchup or playoff series calls for it and not being forced to use him in favor of and athletic and bouncy big sounds very appealing if you're the Suns.

1. Additional players to trade

One of the penalties for being in the second apron is that the Suns can't stack contracts together in order to trade them for a star making that much money on their own. So they can't take three rookies and Little's $7.2 million owed to him next season as an example, and go out and get another established player.

But the Suns can still use these incoming rookies as part of trades, just like they did with Camara last summer. There's no telling between now and opening night what kinds of players might suddenly become available, and the more assets the Suns have to get a deal done, the better.

They can now move their 2031 first round pick - a valuable selection given it is unclear where the franchise will be at that point - and can attach that to all manner of players going out in a deal. Dunn's defensive chops are the reason the Suns drafted him, but it is also why plenty of other teams out there would be interested in bringing him into the fold.

Players such as Kelly Oubre Jr., Dario Saric and Cory Joseph were all making roughly the same amount last season that Dunn will make in his rookie year. Not that the Suns would give up a first-rounder for an expiring contract for example, but you get the point. Deals can still be done and the more ways the organization has to get what it needs, the better their chances of winning.