The Suns will conduct plenty of research on Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic and several other prospects before deciding what to do with their No. 1 pick, writes Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. When the Phoenix logo was revealed in the final envelope at Tuesday’s lottery, it marked the first time the franchise had ever landed the top selection, and GM Ryan McDonough said the team is committed to getting it right.
“I’ll let you know June 21,” he responded when asked whom the Suns plan to draft. “I know people jump to conclusions about who it’s going to be, but we don’t know yet.”
The Suns will be among the most active teams on draft night, also holding the No. 16 pick, acquired from Miami in the Goran Dragic deal in 2015, along with the 31st and 59th selections in the second round.
There’s more today out of Phoenix:
- A new mock draft released by Michael Scotto of The Athletic has Phoenix taking Doncic first overall. He explains that not only would Doncic provide an ideal complement to Devin Booker in the backcourt, the move will give the Suns the freedom to target a center in free agency. The Rockets’ Clint Capela has been rumored as a possibility, and DeAndre Jordan could also be in play if he opts out of a $24.1MM salary with the Clippers. If neither works out, Phoenix could turn toward DeMarcus Cousins, Brook Lopez or Greg Monroe, who will all be unrestricted.
- Ayton is the more likely choice, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, who tweets that the probability of taking the Arizona center is “100%.” Ayton averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds as a freshman with the Wildcats.
- New coach Igor Kokoskov, who started work Monday, should have five immediate priorities, Bordow writes a separate story. He identifies them as developing a working relationship with Booker, turning T.J. Warren into a sixth man, getting improvement from young forwards Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender if they both remain on the roster, creating a defensive mindset and convincing Josh Jackson to become the team’s defensive stopper. The Suns ranked last in team defense this season, Bordow notes, and drafted Jackson last year because of his potential on that end of the floor.
Suns have NEVER had a monster center who does it all. Now they can. They can find a great playmaker and a forward with their other 1 and first of the 2nd. Bagley or Ayden would give the Suns that center for years to come. You build around the center, not a playmaking guard.
Haha, are you watching taped games from the 90’s on your VCR? What teams today are built around the center?
Warriors, Cavs, Celtics, rockets
None of those teams are built around the center! Cavs barely have a center on their roster and the best players on each team are far and away playmakers guards or forwards- guys who can switch on defense
Wolves Sixers Spurs Nuggets Pelicans to name a few on the top of my head.
The Only team where the clear #1 guy is a center in that list is Pelicans but he only started playing center after cousins got hurt.
Aldridge wouldn’t be #1 if Kawai wasn’t out. And even if he ends up getting moved that team is built around Kawai as the Star.
Sixers it’s debatable. Embid is probably better now than Simmons and definitely was better against Celtics.
So you can make arguments that some teams are built around center but the point is that “you build around center not playmaking guard/forward” is old school thinking that isn’t true in today’s league – the best teams right now are not built around centers
You build your team around your best player. If your best players a center you build around him if he’s a forward you build around him and so on.
Sure of course you do. But mostly what I’m talking about is how the initial comment that you build around a center not a playmaker guard/forward just isn’t true and isn’t a good argument for taking Ayton over Doncic
I was being sarcastic, doncic is gonna have the best career of anybody in this draft if the suns pass on him they’ll regret for years
Touché
Shaq?
Josh Jackson is such a friggin beast man, everyone is talking about Booker and who ever they draft but Josh is going to be the real deal.
First, you are a fool of a reporter if you are saying there is a 100% chance. Second, I see it as extremely doubtful the Suns sign Greg Monroe considering he was bought out this year.
Really unclear how Booker and Doncic are complEments in the backcourt. Any quick guard will run right past them at will.
1st Draft Ayton. 2nd figure out Brandon Knight, play him, trade him, or stretch him. 3rd give your best sales pitch to PG13, or overpay for Jabari Parker and run Booker at the 1, Jackson 2, Warren 3, PG13/Parker 4, and Ayton 5.
If the organization thinks Donic can play the point consistently then he’s ur pick. If he’s more off the ball in the NBA then Ayton is the pick. It’s pretty simple. The NBA is positionless and Ayton is a classic Center even tho he can step out to 18-20 ft I don’t want him hanging around the 3pt line as much. So Donic is the guy if the identify that he can play the point consistently. There’s plenty of big guys in this draft they may get Robert Williams or someone along those lines at 16
I feel like they both have huge upsides. But Ayton would be a better fit for how Devin plays. The need a big who can dominate a game if need be. We can find a decent guard later on in the draft like Grayson Allen or Jaylen Brunson to compliment him in the backcourt. But a big man like that? Too much talent too pass up.