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Suns Notes: Draft, Doncic, Ayton, Jackson

May 16th, 2018 at 5:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns will conduct plenty of research on Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic and several other prospects before deciding what to do with their No. 1 pick, writes Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. When the Phoenix logo was revealed in the final envelope at Tuesday’s lottery, it marked the first time the franchise had ever landed the top selection, and GM Ryan McDonough said the team is committed to getting it right.

“I’ll let you know June 21,” he responded when asked whom the Suns plan to draft. “I know people jump to conclusions about who it’s going to be, but we don’t know yet.”

The Suns will be among the most active teams on draft night, also holding the No. 16 pick, acquired from Miami in the Goran Dragic deal in 2015, along with the 31st and 59th selections in the second round.

There’s more today out of Phoenix:

A new mock draft released by Michael Scotto of The Athletic has Phoenix taking Doncic first overall. He explains that not only would Doncic provide an ideal complement to Devin Booker in the backcourt, the move will give the Suns the freedom to target a center in free agency. The Rockets’ Clint Capela has been rumored as a possibility, and DeAndre Jordan could also be in play if he opts out of a $24.1MM salary with the Clippers. If neither works out, Phoenix could turn toward DeMarcus Cousins, Brook Lopez or Greg Monroe, who will all be unrestricted.
Ayton is the more likely choice, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, who tweets that the probability of taking the Arizona center is “100%.” Ayton averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds as a freshman with the Wildcats.
New coach Igor Kokoskov, who started work Monday, should have five immediate priorities, Bordow writes a separate story. He identifies them as developing a working relationship with Booker, turning T.J. Warren into a sixth man, getting improvement from young forwards Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender if they both remain on the roster, creating a defensive mindset and convincing Josh Jackson to become the team’s defensive stopper. The Suns ranked last in team defense this season, Bordow notes, and drafted Jackson last year because of his potential on that end of the floor.

Poll: Who Should Suns Draft With No. 1 Pick?

May 16th, 2018 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

Josh Jackson‘s lucky underwear paid off at Tuesday night’s draft lottery, with the Suns taking home the No. 1 pick for the 2018 NBA draft. While it was the fourth consecutive year that the team with the worst record in the league came away with the first overall selection, it was the first time in franchise history that Phoenix had nabbed that top pick.

“In the 50-year history of the Phoenix Suns, there have been a lot of great nights and great accomplishments, and I think this is one of them,” GM Ryan McDonough said, per Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. “This is something the franchise has never done before.”

While the Suns are in position to select whichever player they want from this year’s draft class, there’s no LeBron James or Anthony Davis in the 2018 pool. While there are plenty of tantalizing prospects to choose from, none of those players is a consensus top choice.

The top candidate to come off the board is probably big man Deandre Ayton, who played his college ball at Arizona, averaging a double-double (20.1 PPG, 11.6 RPG) in his first and only season with the Wildcats. After the Suns won the top pick on Tuesday night, Jackson endorsed Ayton, suggesting the youngster’s ceiling is “through the roof.”

However, Ayton isn’t the only prospect in play at No. 1. Many draft experts think just as highly of Real Madrid star Luka Doncic, who is viewed as one of the top prospects to ever come out of the EuroLeague. Doncic is also familiar with new Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov, who coached Doncic on the Slovenian national team.

While Ayton and Doncic are widely considered the top two prospects in this year’s draft class, McDonough said there’s a “small grouping” of players the club will consider with the No. 1 pick, per Bordow. As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, Marvin Bagley III – an Arizona native – could be a part of that group. The ACC Player of the Year, Bagley averaged 21.0 PPG and 11.1 RPG in his freshman year at Duke.

What do you think? Do you like Ayton, Doncic, Bagley, or someone else for the Suns at No. 1? Should the team give much consideration to how those players would fit alongside Jackson and Devin Booker, or does it simply make sense to pick the best player available?

Vote in our poll, then jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

Phoenix Suns Win No. 1 Pick In Draft Lottery

May 15th, 2018 at 7:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Having entered draft lottery night with the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick, the Suns won the first overall pick, making good on those 25.0% odds. The Kings grabbed the No. 2 overall selection, with the Hawks coming in at No. 3.

The Suns are looking for a franchise player they can pair with Devin Booker, and the top two contenders for the No. 1 pick appear to be Arizona’s Deandre Ayton and Real Madrid’s Luka Doncic.

Ayton is the favorite to go No. 1, but the center isn’t a lock to be the top pick, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). The Suns have been scouting Doncic all season and they like what they see.

New Phoenix head coach Igor Kokoskov previously coached Doncic on the Slovenian national team and he knows the 19-year-old wing very well.

“We call him wunderkind,” Kokoskov said (via Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic). “He’s an upcoming, rising star. Luka is a very talented player. His ability to pass, that’s the hardest part of the game, the most difficult part to teach. To be a good passer you have to understand the game. It’s basketball IQ. He’s really unique and special at that age to understand the game well and to be a team player. He’s not necessarily playing point guard but he’s a playmaker who makes everybody else better on the court.”

Ayton is a “lock” to go to the Kings if he’s there at No. 2, per Givony (Twitter link). The scribe adds that GM Vlade Divac “won’t have any issue” recommending Doncic as the pick if the Suns pick Ayton.

The Hawks moved up one spot in the lottery and they are thrilled to be in the top three. “If somebody wants to make us a great (trade) offer, we will listen. Right now we are happy to pick (third) and we know we are going to get a good player,” GM Travis Schlenk said tonight, as Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution relays (on Twitter).

Atlanta figures to get one of the Doncic, Ayton, and Marvin Bagley trio and Givony tweets that the team will gladly settle for whichever player is left out of that group. Givony adds that the Hawks would have had strong interest in Trae Young had they landed outside the top three.

[RELATED: Full 2018 NBA Draft Order]

In addition to the No. 1 selection, the Suns also own the No. 16 overall pick (via the Goran Dragic deal), plus the Nos. 31 and 59 selections in the second round. The Kings’ only other pick is their own second-rounder (No. 37).

The Hawks have a pair of extra first-rounders — one from the Wolves (No. 19 via the Adreian Payne trade) and one originally from the Rockets (No. 30, via a three-way trade with the Clippers). They also own their second-round pick (No. 34).

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Community Shootaround: Draft Lottery Scenarios

May 15th, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2018 NBA draft lottery will take place on Tuesday night, as we noted in our lottery primer earlier today. While the odds favor the Suns, there are 14 NBA teams that could ultimately end up with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, creating some fascinating drama.

In a piece for The Ringer on Monday, Paolo Uggetti broke down some of the most interesting potential scenarios for the draft lottery. As Uggetti observes, the two teams still alive in the Eastern Conference Finals have a chance to get some great news before they take the court on Tuesday, since the Cavaliers own the Nets’ first-round pick, while the Celtics will own the Lakers’ first-rounder if it lands at No. 2 or No. 3 overall. The possibility of one or both of those teams landing a top-three pick at the same time they’re looking to advance to the NBA Finals isn’t good news for the rest of the league.

Of course, the Sixers would keep that Lakers pick if it moves all the way up to No. 1. It’s currently 10th in the lottery standings, so the odds of it becoming a top-three pick are slim, but it would create some terrific drama if it lands in the top three, since the balance of power in the Eastern Conference could shift significantly depending on whether the pick ends up at No. 1 (Sixers) or Nos. 2 or 3 (Celtics).

Uggetti’s other intriguing scenarios include big-market teams like the Knicks and Clippers getting a top pick — L.A. could theoretically move into the top three while keeping a second lottery selection, courtesy of the Pistons. Uggetti points to the Magic or Kings getting the No. 1 pick as interesting scenarios too, since neither of those clubs has had much lottery luck in the last few years — despite several appearances near the top of the draft.

Outside of the teams we’ve already mentioned, the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Hawks, Bulls, Hornets, Pistons, and Nuggets all have a chance to land a top pick.

What do you think? What would be the most interesting draft lottery scenario? Which team deserves some good luck the most (or least)? Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

Draft Notes: Ayton, Pinson, Spalding, Amius, Eubanks

May 14th, 2018 at 10:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

DeAndre Ayton is the top pick in ESPN Jonathan Givony’s latest mock draft heading into the draft lottery on Tuesday. Givony has the Arizona center going to the Suns, Euro guard Luka Doncic being snapped up by the Grizzlies at No. 2 and Duke big man Marvin Bagley III heading to the Mavericks at No. 3. Naturally, the deck could be shuffled after Tuesday’s results. Michigan State big man Jaren Jackson Jr. (Hawks) and Texas center Mohamed Bamba (Magic) round out the Top 5.

In other draft-related developments:

North Carolina combo guard Theo Pinson will participate in the draft combine in Chicago, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. Pinson is ranked the No. 89 prospect on Givony’s latest Top 100. Louisville’s power forward Ray Spalding has also been invited, Charania reports in a separate tweet. Spalding is currently ranked No. 58 by Givony.
Western Carolina junior forward Mike Amius has hired an agent and will remain in the draft, Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweets. He averaged 12.7 PPG and 5.6 RPG last season. He is not among Givony’s Top 100 prospects.
Oregon State forward Drew Eubanks has signed with agent James Dunleavy and ISE Worldwide, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal tweets. The junior averaged 13.2 PPG and 6.8 RPG for the Beavers last season.
The Suns will send Josh Jackson and the Kings will be represented by De’Aaron Fox at the draft lottery on Tuesday, Tyler Conway of Bleacher Report relays. The Nuggets’ Jamal Murray and the Pistons’ Luke Kennard are the other current players who will represent their teams in Chicago. The full list of representatives can be found in Conway’s story.

Kokoskov Doesn't Want Youthful Excuses

May 14th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns may have one of the youngest rosters in the league but new coach Igor Kokoskov insists that shouldn’t lower expectations, Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic relays. Kokoskov, the NBA’s first European-born coach, made the comment during his introductory press conference. “This is not a development league. This is the NBA,” Kokoskov said. “We won’t ever hide it or use it as an excuse.”

Plenty Of Options If Suns Miss Out On Top Pick

May 13th, 2018 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns will enter Tuesday night’s lottery with the best chance of winning the top pick, but they’ll have plenty of good options if that doesn’t happen, notes Luke Lapinski of Arizona Sports 98.7. Phoenix has a history of disappointment in the lottery, but Lapinski sees DeAndre Ayton, Luka Doncic and Marvin Bagley III as high-level talents at the top three spots.

Abudushalamu Abudurexiti Worked Out For Suns

May 10th, 2018 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Chinese forward Abudushalamu Abudurexiti has already worked out for eight NBA teams this spring, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic, who identifies the Nets, Mavericks, Lakers, Bucks, Suns, and Jazz as clubs that have taken a look at the youngster. Scotto’s piece is worth checking out in full for a closer look at the under-the-radar prospect.

Suns Planning Offer For Clint Capela

May 10th, 2018 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns are planning a max or near-max offer for Rockets center Clint Capela this summer, according to Kelly Iko of Rockets Wire.

Phoenix is reportedly “enamored” with the fourth-year big man, who is in the midst of his best NBA season. He averaged 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game during the regular season and has raised those numbers to 14.4/12.2/2.8 in the playoffs.

The 23-year-old will be a restricted free agent, so the Rockets can match any offer he receives. Capela made a little more than $2.3MM this season in the final year of his rookie contract. Owner Tilman Fertita has indicated that he is willing to pay the luxury tax to keep his team together, which will undoubtedly come into play with Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, Luc Mbah a Moute and Gerald Green also becoming free agents.

The Suns project to have more than $30MM in cap room and need help at center, with only 35-year-old Tyson Chandler signed for next season. Alex Len will be a free agent, and Alan Williams has a $5.52MM non-guaranteed deal.

However, the Suns have other needs and their plans could change depending on the results of next week’s lottery. Phoenix owns the league’s worst record and has a 25% chance to get the top pick in the draft, which could be Arizona center DeAndre Ayton. If that happens, the organization may target another position with its free agent money.

Kokoskov Breaks More Barriers; McDonough Talks Draft Plans

May 6th, 2018 at 6:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

Igor Kokoskov is set to become the Suns‘ next head coach and it is just the latest chapter in his legacy which has been defined by breaking barriers, NBA.com’s Cody Cunningham writes.

Since then, Kokoskov enjoyed a successful run under his mentor Alvin Gentry — the former Suns coach and current Pelicans coach — during his first stint in Phoenix. Kokoskov went on to enjoy international coaching success, most prominently leading Slovenia to a first-place finish at FIBA EuroBasket 2017. He will be the first non-American head coach in NBA history and it’s something Gentry feels he’s ready for.

While the hiring of Kokoskov has led to speculation that the Suns are eyeing Slovenian prospect Luka Doncic with their lottery pick, GM Ryan McDonough dismissed the idea that Phoenix is locked in on Doncic. “It’s an easy assumption to make, but we’re going to draft whoever we think the best player is,” McDonough said, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. “If we do get the No. 1 pick, Doncic will certainly be in that mix. But [Deandre] Ayton and a few other guys will, as well.”