4 No.22 draft picks who had successful NBA careers

2. Bobby Portis

Bobby Portis in a lot of ways is the very embodiment of what a 22nd pick should be. He's not one of the three best players on any team he has played for, but his connection with the fanbase makes him perhaps the most important role player on any team.

Never was that more evident than with the Milwaukee Bucks when they beat the Suns in 2021 to win it all, with the energy Portis brought on that playoff run massive. He started only two of the 20 playoff games the Bucks appeared in that year, but his 8.8 points and five rebounds each series always felt bigger than those pedestrian numbers.

Again if the Suns could get in on a player like this with their own 22nd pick, it would be fantastic. They have three stars and need that role player who can fit seamlessly in The Valley, and who can quietly become the heart of the roster as well. They haven't really had that since Mikal Bridges was shipped out of town, and Portis himself would be an excellent get.

Unfortunately that won't be possible, although it would also be fair to say few thought Portis could reach the level he did with Milwaukee, considering that was his fourth team by the age of 25. It doesn't matter how they get it, but the Suns need their version of what Portis brings off the bench these days, whether that's through the draft or use of the veteran's minimum.