The chosen Sun
Phoenix selects Ayton with No. 1 pick to be franchise centerpiece
The Suns made University of Arizona center Deandre Ayton the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.
That was no surprise.
But what Phoenix did about an hour later was a shocker. The Suns traded the draft rights to Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith and one of their most valuable assets, Miami’s unprotected pick in 2021, for Villanova forward Mikal Bridges, who had been selected 10th by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The trade underlined General Manager Ryan McDonough’s assertion that he would be aggressive this summer and positioned the Suns for a dramatic turnaround in the 2018-19 season after finishing 21-61 last year.
Phoenix used the No. 31 pick on 20-year-old French point guard Elie Okobo, who is averaging 19.8 points and 6.6 assists for PauLacq-Orthez, and selected Colorado guard George King with the No. 59 pick. McDonough said Okobo will be on the 15-man roster next season while King is a candidate for a two-way contract.
“Deandre is a special player, and we are thrilled to welcome him home to Phoenix.” Ryan McDonough, Suns GM
In Ayton, the Suns hope they finally found their franchise big man. The Suns believe Ayton, who averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds for Arizona last season, can be their offensive and defensive anchor. There are questions about Ayton’s game – his defense and rim protection have been criticized – most NBA scouts believe Ayton has the talent, skill-set and potential to be a perennial All-Star.
McDonough said the Suns had Ayton No. 1 on their board before his June 6 workout and were “blown away” by his workout.
“He checked every box for us,” McDonough said. “We think he’s going to be great.”
Ayton, who said he knew he was going to be the No. 1 pick after working out for the Suns on June 6, said he was still blown away when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called his name.
“I was just waiting for my name, and when he called it, my mind went blank,” Ayton said. “I just did the routine everyone else was supposed to do and I just got up there and enjoyed the moment and I saw the reaction on my mom’s face. It was just priceless.”
Ayton said he wants to be the “best two-way (big) man coming in. The game is changing a lot, but I just want to stick to the old-school big man, being down low and really trying to be dominant.”
McDonough called it a “historic day” for the Suns.
“Deandre is a special player, and we are thrilled to welcome him home to Phoenix,” McDonough said in a team news release. “It is extremely rare for a player with his size, length and athleticism to be able to not only finish around the rim but also step away from the basket and make shots.”
Being drafted by the Suns fulfills Ayton’s desire to play alongside guard Devin Booker, a pairing he’s referred to as “Shaq and Kobe 2.0.”
“I’m really happy to be part of the Suns now and start a winning legacy with Devin Booker and Josh Jackson,” he said. “We’re a young team and we’re ready.”
Big trade for Bridges
McDonough had said prior to the draft that he would be hesitant to trade his most valuable assets going forward; Phoenix’s first-round pick in 2019 and Miami’s unprotected 2021 pick. But he said the decision to move Miami’s pick for Bridges came down to several factors.
First, the Suns believe Bridges, a 6foot-7, 210-pound swingman who averaged 17.7 points and 5.3 rebounds for Villanova last season while shooting 43.5 percent from 3-point range, is ideal for today’s position-less NBA in that he can play both forward positions and space the floor with his shooting.
“We think he’s a perfect 3-and-D forward,” McDonough said. “He’s an elite shooter with size and length. With our roster, our needs are floor spacing and shooting. More than anything else he’s a winner.”
The Suns, McDonough said, also thought there was a “big drop” in talent after the top-10 picks.
Finally, McDonough said he believes Miami’s track record as a franchise makes it more likely the unprotected 2021 pick won’t be something Phoenix regrets trading.
Bridges said he wasn’t disappointed that he was traded from the Sixers, his hometown team, to the Suns.
“It’s a blessing,” he said. “It’s not like I was supposed to go to the Sixers.”