Oh, dear Phoenix. The Suns are a franchise plagued by losing seasons, painful memories, and Bob Sarver. The bright spots of their team include Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton, and other young players that could pan out into serviceable starters. That being said, the Suns are a long, long way from contention in the west. A huge offseason looms for Phoenix, as they try to make their way towards a brighter future in the desert.
The NBA Draft
The Suns are projected to receive the second overall pick in this year’s draft but have an equal chance of first or third. Depending on where this pick falls, the Suns will have different plans. Their two biggest needs are at the PG and PF. Booker runs the SG, Ayton plays center, and one of Josh Jackson or Mikal Bridges should develop into a plug-and-play 3-and-D wing. The obvious pick for this team is Zion Williamson. He fills a need perfectly at PF and is the most highly-touted player in the draft. If they get the first pick, it’ll be used on Zion.
If the pick falls to second, they should pivot to drafting PG Ja Morant, the second most talented player in the draft. He also fills a need at the PG position. Anything lower and the Suns should target Coby White, the second best PG in the draft. This would allow them to at least fill a need with a very talented prospect, albeit not one of the top two. Assuming Phoenix drafts either a PG or a PF in the first round, their free agency needs are clear.
Free Agency
The position that Phoenix doesn’t draft should be the one they pursue in free agency. I’m going to keep it realistic and assume that players such as Kyrie Irving (and Eric Bledsoe) don’t answer Phoenix’s calls. If the Suns need a PG, they should target three players. I’d call one a reach, one a possibility, and one a safety.
First off, Phoenix should attempt to woo Kemba Walker. A backcourt of him and Devin Booker would be a sight to see. The more realistic option is Terry Rozier. While Boston does have the right to match any offer made by Phoenix, it’s unlikely they’d pay him too much money to back up Kyrie. He’d complement Devin Booker well and provide a young PG to develop amongst the rest of the team.
If the Suns draft a guard, though, they’ll need a PF. The best-case scenario for Phoenix is to nab Julius Randle. He and Ayton could develop together and form a two-headed monster in the frontcourt. That would certainly catapult the Suns out from the Western Conference cellar. Some lower-ceiling options include Thaddeus Young (unlikely to leave Indiana) or Marcus Morris. Finally, if the Suns strike out on everyone, they could simply allow Dragan Bender to develop with some minutes at the four, though this would lead to more losses than the other options.
The best-case scenario for the Suns is to round out their starting five with two young players that can develop alongside the rest of the team. If they can accomplish that, good things will follow in Phoenix.
Is there a player you think belongs in Phoenix? Hit me on Twitter –@PerSourcesSam.