The Phoenix Suns moved into the first round of the NBA Draft to nab Koa Peat, and they did so despite never getting a chance to properly work him out.
Now that the Arizona native has been secured by the franchise, what players currently in the league has he been compared to? None other than Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets.
Suns got cheaper and healthier Gordon in the form of Peat
If the 19-year-old is to ever reach the same potential as his NBA Champion counterpart, then like Gordon it is going to take time. He was thought of as a potential franchise cornerstone by the Orlando Magic when they selected fourth overall back in 2014, but that proved to be well wide of the mark.
It was in Denver as a complimentary player and important starter alongside Nikola Jokic that he found his final form. Luckily for Peat, he will not be entering into a situation in which he is expected to be anything close to the guy every night.
The comp CEILING for Koa Peat from what I have heard is Aaron Gordon/Paolo Banchero. A player who can put pressure on the rim, handle the ball, attack the basket, physical versatile defender who can guard multiple positions, strong resistance with one-on-one defense because of…
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 25, 2026
If he can be an explosive forward who bursts to the rim and bullies some smaller opponents on the other end of the court, then he will already be well ahead of expectations.
An unfortunate similarity both players share is the lack of a consistent jump shot, which Gordon did not have when he entered the league. Encouragingly for both the Suns and Peat, that ultimately did not hold him back from being one of the most important players on a title winning team. For Peat to get to a level of consistency with a jumper would be great, but there is no immediate pressure.
So to get a guy of a similar profile who is younger, cheaper and going to be healthier is a plus for the organization.
Those who also compare him to Paolo Banchero are currently wide of the mark, although there is a certain irony in the fact he too was picked by Orlando (first overall) and was expected to lead that franchise back to the top.
Banchero started out brilliantly but has stalled the last couple of seasons for the Magic, but there is no denying his offensive game is worlds ahead of Peat. That hasn't always led to success for his team, but there is no comparison. A similar body type about as close as it gets.
If Peat can end up being to the Suns was Gordon was to Denver and the reason why he was linked with a trade to The Valley in the first place, then his selection will have been a masterstroke by the front office.
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