Top 7 Players in the NBA Draft

JerkFace

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The Suns are guaranteed to have one of the top 7 picks in the NBA draft, so what does everyone’s Suns top 7 list look like. The top 3 are pretty easy, but it get dicey after that. No cheating and saying to trade the pick...

1. Zion Williamson - Obvious #1

2. Ja Morant - Obvious #2

3. R.J. Barrett - Doesn’t really fit with the Suns but the talent is too hard to pass

4. Brandon Clarke - This is were the talent takes a big drop. Clarke’s age hurts his stock but he is a high floor talent. Really needs to develop an outside shot. Is a super active, hard nose player though. Relentless motor.

5. Darius Garland - Before he got hurt he was considered the top PG. His low assist numbers are troublesome, but it was a small sample size. Top notch shooter with unlimited range.

6. De’Andre Hunter - Solid well rounded player. The “Bridges” of this years draft in the fact that he will fill up the stat sheet and make an impact even if he isn’t scoring.

7. Cam Reddish - Had a disappointing year at Duke but has all the talent.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Man is it bleak after Barrett. I like Clark and hunter but both would seem like teen slot choices to me in most drafts. Garland doesn’t ignite any interest. Reddish exhibited all the traits that concerned people before his stint at Duke - no way. I suppose if push comes to shove and I have to . . .

1 Zion

2 Ja



3 Barrett










4 Clark
5 Hunter
6 Coby white
7 Bol Bol
 

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Man is it bleak after Barrett. I like Clark and hunter but both would seem like teen slot choices to me in most drafts. Garland doesn’t ignite any interest. Reddish exhibited all the traits that concerned people before his stint at Duke - no way. I suppose if push comes to shove and I have to . . .

1 Zion
2 Ja
3 Barrett

4 Clark
5 Hunter
6 Coby white
7 Bol Bol

I pretty much agree with this except I think I'd have Coby White at #4 for the Suns. I know that's probably a reach but the Suns need a PG bad and he would fill that need. I like him more than Garland, especially when you factor in Garland's injuries. The worst spot we can land in the draft is #4 because that's too high to take White. We could probably trade down to 7 or 8 for him. I'd take him if we fell to 6 but I'm not sure anything would rate our draft very high if we reached for him at 4 or 5. I agree the talent drops way off after Barrett. I do think there are teams that might take Barrett over Ja also so if we land at #3 we're not in terrible shape, depending on who lands at #2.

I might replace Bol Bol with Reddish also based on pure talent alone but he's not someone the Suns should think about drafting, if they land at #6 or not.
 

cardsunsfan

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I bet there is at least one player in this draft that will surprise everybody and possibly be the best player or at least third best player that we could even have even we pick 6.. now figuring out who that might be is the tough part....
 

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I bet there is at least one player in this draft that will surprise everybody and possibly be the best player or at least third best player that we could even have even we pick 6.. now figuring out who that might be is the tough part....

There's always someone like that. Kyle Kuzma, Donovan Mitchell, Giannis, Gobert, Brogdon, and Jokic type of player but I think a good part of why those players end up so good has to do with landing in the perfect spot for them, almost like how we may be able to draft a top PG prospect who will have a great season statistically and look much better than he would if he were drafted to a team where there is a veteran ahead of them in the rotation. That's not always what happens when you see a player like look the steal of the draft because they were selected late in the teens or even in the 2nd round but it does happen a lot.

For example, I think that's part of why Booker was so good right away. We hadn't had a real SG because of the 2 & 3 headed point guard fiasco and Booker entering the league was very much a pure shooting guard so he filled a hole and he excelled when given the opportunity. I think he would have been good anywhere but it might not have happened so quickly as it did here.

I'm not saying that any rookie PG or PF will look great when plugged into our starting lineup because it does take talent for that to work, which is why Chriss and Bender failed in that situation as rookies and second year pros. It takes the right type of player who has a polished game of sorts and giving them the opportunity to step up and play to their strengths. Low IQ basketball players don't generally do that.
 

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Hachimura would not help our rebounding. Unless something changes in the NBA for him odds are he'll be more of a big SF than a true PF, kind of like Marcus Morris.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Hachimura would not help our rebounding. Unless something changes in the NBA for him odds are he'll be more of a big SF than a true PF, kind of like Marcus Morris.
There’s not many in this draft that would help our rebounding beyond Zion.
 

Krangodnzr

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Hachimura would not help our rebounding. Unless something changes in the NBA for him odds are he'll be more of a big SF than a true PF, kind of like Marcus Morris.

One thing to consider though is that he would be a cheap, serviceable rotation big off the bench.

The Suns dont just lack a PG and PF, they also lack multiple good rotation players.

This might not be popular to say, but of the Suns miss out on Ja/Zion/RJ, they will still probably get a player that helps because the Suns need ALOT of help.
 

1Sun

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One thing to consider though is that he would be a cheap, serviceable rotation big off the bench.

The Suns dont just lack a PG and PF, they also lack multiple good rotation players.

This might not be popular to say, but of the Suns miss out on Ja/Zion/RJ, they will still probably get a player that helps because the Suns need ALOT of help.

Or they will get another Bender, Chriss, Len, Okobo, Melton, Marshall, Ennis or Clark.
 

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After Zion, Morant and Barrett maybe the Suns should think trade or draft one of the point guards like White or Garland.

BPA after the 3rd pick may well be a point guard.

Ponds in the second round might be worth considering.
 

SirStefan32

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I really failed to watch college basketball this year, so I know less about the prospects this year than in the previous years. That disclaimer out of the way, I think they should trade the pick and go after veteran point guard and power forward. Keep in mind that the pick is going to be making somewhere between $7M and $9M per year.
If they are set on using the pick, I'd want them to draft the best player available right now- whoever this year's Bridges is.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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One thing to consider though is that he would be a cheap, serviceable rotation big off the bench.

The Suns dont just lack a PG and PF, they also lack multiple good rotation players.

This might not be popular to say, but of the Suns miss out on Ja/Zion/RJ, they will still probably get a player that helps because the Suns need ALOT of help.
Likely true
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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I really failed to watch college basketball this year, so I know less about the prospects this year than in the previous years. That disclaimer out of the way, I think they should trade the pick and go after veteran point guard and power forward. Keep in mind that the pick is going to be making somewhere between $7M and $9M per year.
If they are set on using the pick, I'd want them to draft the best player available right now- whoever this year's Bridges is.
I think that’s hunter but a bit bigger and stronger. True swing forward imo.
 

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Clarke being 23 doesn’t bother me. He’d be an upper echelon NBA athlete with length from day one and had a couple years of great coaching with Mark Few. If he can show some shooting potential in workouts he will push the top-5.
 

Krangodnzr

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I really failed to watch college basketball this year, so I know less about the prospects this year than in the previous years. That disclaimer out of the way, I think they should trade the pick and go after veteran point guard and power forward. Keep in mind that the pick is going to be making somewhere between $7M and $9M per year.
If they are set on using the pick, I'd want them to draft the best player available right now- whoever this year's Bridges is.

My thing is that I want a PG that can do everything reasonably well, isnt a bank breaker, and doesnt cost an arm and a leg to get.

With Booker, I dont think the Suns need a "star" at PG. Point Book wasn't a total bust IMO, though the team does need a better running mate next to Booker.

If you peruse all of the box scores, it seemed to me the Suns were competitive in most of the games that someone was actually contributing meaningful stats at PG next to Booker.

Maybe a Delon Wright or another player of that caliber would work?

If I traded the pick, I'd be more interested in a PF who can rebound and shoot, and trade Bucks pick and Warren for a decent veteran PG. Even if you overpay, it would be worth sorting it out for the Suns.
 

SirStefan32

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My thing is that I want a PG that can do everything reasonably well, isnt a bank breaker, and doesnt cost an arm and a leg to get.

With Booker, I dont think the Suns need a "star" at PG. Point Book wasn't a total bust IMO, though the team does need a better running mate next to Booker.

If you peruse all of the box scores, it seemed to me the Suns were competitive in most of the games that someone was actually contributing meaningful stats at PG next to Booker.

Maybe a Delon Wright or another player of that caliber would work?

If I traded the pick, I'd be more interested in a PF who can rebound and shoot, and trade Bucks pick and Warren for a decent veteran PG. Even if you overpay, it would be worth sorting it out for the Suns.

Your previous point about the Suns lacking multiple good rotation players is a very important one. Once Oubre and Johnson acclimated, the Suns looked pretty good (playing 50-50 ball after the all star break and before the injuries started to pile up. I think that was simply because the Suns had enough actual NBA players around Booker.

However they end up going about it, the Suns have to find multiple NBA-level players this summer. Three competent players at 1 and 4 positions would make a huge difference.

EDIT:
Just to clarify, here is who I consider actual NBA players on the Suns roster:
Veterans:
Booker
Warren
Oubre
Johnson
Holmes

Youngsters:
Ayton
Bridges
JJ (Maybe)

That's barely enough NBA-level players if everyone is healthy, and it still has no power forwards and only one "kind-of, sort-of" point guard. I am assuming Warren is gone, which brings the number of NBA players on the roster down to six or maybe seven. They've got to get that number up to nine, covering PG and PF spots in the process. These guys don't have to be Randles and Walkers of the NBA. Collison and Young from Indiana would be fine. Even Aminu or someone like that.
 
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Krangodnzr

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Your previous point about the Suns lacking multiple good rotation players is a very important one. Once Oubre and Johnson acclimated, the Suns looked pretty good (playing 50-50 ball after the all star break and before the injuries started to pile up. I think that was simply because the Suns had enough actual NBA players around Booker.

However they end up going about it, the Suns have to find multiple NBA-level players this summer. Three competent players at 1 and 4 positions would make a huge difference.

EDIT:
Just to clarify, here is who I consider actual NBA players on the Suns roster:
Veterans:
Booker
Warren
Oubre
Johnson
Holmes

Youngsters:
Ayton
Bridges
JJ (Maybe)

That's barely enough NBA-level players if everyone is healthy, and it still has no power forwards and only one "kind-of, sort-of" point guard. I am assuming Warren is gone, which brings the number of NBA players on the roster down to six or maybe seven. They've got to get that number up to nine, covering PG and PF spots in the process. These guys don't have to be Randles and Walkers of the NBA. Collison and Young from Indiana would be fine. Even Aminu or someone like that.

Exactly. We never agreed on politics, but we generally agree on the Suns.

I think Young and Collison would push the Suns into contention for the 8th seed.
 

JCSunsfan

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OK. Top 7 in the draft.

Zion, Ja, Barrett, Garland, Clarke, Bol. . . I don't know after that.
 

1Sun

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Hunter is one to watch, in my opinion. Could make for a good small-ball 4, especially with his 7'2" wingspan.
 

1Sun

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We really need a veteran to play the point, not another kid.
 

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