EXPERIENCE OVERYOUTH
Why Suns should first try to trade lottery pick
The Phoenix Suns will have a lottery pick if the NBA decides to end the season due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The league is in the middle of a 30-day hiatus that will end next month, but that doesn’t mean the season will resume at that time – or at all.
Tankathon has Phoenix (26-39) using the 10th overall pick to select North Carolina freshman point guard Cole Anthony, son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony, but he’s delaying his decision because of global impact of the COVID-19 virus.
“Given the pain that America and the world are experiencing at this time, I am going to refrain from making any announcements around that topic,” Anthony said Tuesday in his Instagram post.
Underclassmen have until April 26 to declare for the draft, but they can announce they’re going pro without hiring an agent and still retain their NCAA eligibility as long as they withdraw by June 15 at 2 p.m. Arizona time.
Point guards Killian Hayes (France), Tyrese Haliburton
(Iowa State), guard Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky), power forward Obi Toppin (Dayton) and wing Isaac Okoro (Auburn) have also been names attached to the Suns in mock drafts.
Proven veteran over talented prospect
They each have talent, but Phoenix really needs a proven veteran player more than a talented prospect. The Suns came into this season the youngest NBA team.
So, the first thing they should do is try to trade the pick, and a player if need be, to get a five or six-year veteran at either point guard, power forward or perhaps shooting guard.
Maybe they can wait until free agency to address the four and land someone like Jerami Grant, who could turn down his $9.3 million player option and become available.
Averaging 11.5 points this season for Denver, Grant is long and athletic. He can defend, is shooting 40% from 3 this season.
Dario Saric will be a restricted free agent this summer. He’s solid, skillful, competes and a good locker room guy, but is averaging a career-low 10.1 points a game and struggles defensively against small ball.
The Suns can match an offer sheet, but they could also trade that 10th pick, and a player, to possibly acquire a more athletic four like say Larry Nance Jr.
Cleveland will hit the reset button again after firing John Beilein. Two lotto picks sounds better than one for a rebuilding franchise. Nance still has three years, $32 million left on contract, but he has ties to Phoenix starting with his father being a great player here.
Don’t think he’s a good enough shooter? Nance Jr. is shooting a careerhigh 35.2% from 3 to go along with 53.1% shooting overall. Saric is at 34.1% from 3, 46.2% overall.
Future star point guard in draft?
If the Suns stay pat at 10 and pick a point guard, that sends two messages.
One, they don’t have a quality backup to Ricky Rubio.
Two, the pick should be ready to start within two years.
Does Hayes, Haliburton, Anthony, Maxey or say Arizona freshman Nico Mannion meet those two important qualifications?
Missing on lottery selections is a big reason why Phoenix hasn’t had a winning record since 2013-14 or made the playoffs since 2010. The Suns can’t keep doing that or they’ll once again be looking for a new general manager and head coach.
Hayes might be an appealing selection as Monty Williams has said he’s been watching more international play. Williams and GM James Jones need to determine if an impact player or someone who can be one in a year or two will be there at No. 10.
If not, they should trade the pick. Memphis freshman center James Wiseman, Georgia freshman shooting guard Anthony Edwards and guard LaMelo Ball are the top three prospects in this class.
They should go Top 5.
Trade pick or stay pat?
Toppin, the AP national player of the year, is right there with them.
He’s 6-9 with an NBA body, athletic, can hit the 3 and has two years of college experience. He didn’t play in a major conference, but Toppin led Dayton to a 29-2 record, has great physical tools, plays with passion and the right mindset to make a Day 1 NBA splash.
While some teams frown on having two starting bigs, Phoenix opened season with Deandre Ayton and Saric.
They could do it again with Ayton and Toppin, but is he worth trading up to get?
Then again, the Suns can stay pat, continue to develop their current players and believe they would’ve been a playoff team if it wasn’t for the injuries and Ayton’s 25-game suspension.
They have every right to feel that way, but is this roster good enough to make the playoffs if it stayed relatively healthy for a season?
Yes, but with little margin for error. The Suns will likely lose backup center Aron Baynes as he’s an unrestricted free agent, but they have their all-star in Devin Booker, the explosive Kelly Oubre Jr., glue-guy Mikal Bridges, Ayton and Rubio to lead a locker room filled with character guys who’ve embraced the culture.
That goes a long way toward winning, but they should make a couple of moves to improve the roster. They’ll get their chance to make a big move in the draft. What Phoenix does with that lottery pick will set its tone for free agency and the start of next season.