The Phoenix Suns are set to embark on an important summer after losing in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. They fired head coach Frank Vogel, replacing him with Mike Budenholzer in the process.
It also seems as if the core three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal will be returning to the desert for another season.
The question here is rather obvious. What can general manager James Jones and Co. do in order to turn Phoenix into a legitimate NBA title contender? Last season’s iteration of the team was far from it, leading to speculation about what the Suns will do from a roster-building perspective.
We’re hearing a bit more on this.
Per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports, the Suns are not planning on trading their first-round pick (No. 22 overall) in the coming 2024 NBA Draft. Rather, they are expected to use it on a prospect.
It’s somewhat surprising in that Phoenix’ roster was top-heavy a season ago. Some figured Jones and Co. would utilize this pick as a way to acquire a veteran player. Instead, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
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Phoenix Suns NBA Draft options with the 22nd pick
Having the 22nd pick in a draft class that is seen as weak doesn’t put Phoenix in the best of positions to add a player who can make an immediate impact.
It’s going to be as much about need as anything. Once he was hired, Budenholzer noted that point guard is an area this team has to address. It did not have a natural point guard in 2023-24. Devin Booker played that role at times. He’s much more suited to play the off-ball two-guard spot. Obviously, this is going to be a target of Phoenix once the draft comes calling.
Here, we look at four potential targets for the Suns with the 22nd pick.
- Jared McCain, Duke: This 6-foot 2 combo guard played extremely well for Duke as a freshman. He averaged 14.3 points on 41% shooting from three-point range. Getting someone to add spacing who can run the offense at times makes a ton of sense for Phoenix. The question here is whether McCain will be available.
- Bronny James, USC: Most Suns fans would push back against this idea. For good reason. James is not ready to contribute at the NBA level. He struggled as a freshman for the Trojans last season, averaging 4.8 points on 37% shooting. Though, James has impressed big time during the pre-draft process. That included a workout with the Suns. He’s firmly an option at 22.
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- Carlton Carrington, Pittsburgh: If the Suns want to get someone who can contribute immediately, this 6-foot-4 guard might make the most sense. Carrington averaged 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Panthers as a freshman. His upside might not be as high as others, but Carrington has a high floor.
- Isaiah Collier, USC: Collier makes more sense than Bronny for Phoenix in that he performed at much higher level as a freshman. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 16.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists while shooting 49% from the field. He could be seen as a traditional point man, too.