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After the Phoenix Suns dropped in the lottery to the 4th overall pick, likely taking the top two point guards off their board (Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball project to go 1-2 overall), the Suns are left to figure out their best plan.
Do you still draft a point guard to eventually replace Eric Bledsoe as the lead guard? Would any of the remaining available point guards lower than Ball or Fultz be worth the effort of developing, only to find out they cannot even match Bledsoe’s 20 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds per game on top of a history of strong defensive success?
Or, do you focus on the small forward or swing forward position, and stick with a Bledsoe/Ulis points guard duo for the time being?
On the board for the Suns, likely to be available at #4 overall, will be point guards De’Aaron Fox (projected to go anywhere from 3-8), Dennis Smith Jr. (5-10) and Frenchman Frank Ntilikina (5-13).
Also available should be one of Josh Jackson (projected to go 1-4) or Jayson Tatum (1-6), plus almost certainly Jonathan Isaac (4-10) or Lauri Markkanen (6-12).
The only Top-10 guy who should be off the Suns’ board is shooting guard Malik Monk (projected 3-10).
Bright Side has profiled several of these players already:
- Markelle Fultz
- Lonzo Ball
- Josh Jackson
- De’Aaron Fox
- Jayson Tatum
- Jonathan Isaac
- Small Forwards Overview (Jackson, Tatum and Isaac)
- Point Guards Overview, Part 2 (De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith, Jr.)
There is a strong chance that we’ve already previewed the Suns’ pick at #4 within the links above, but to cover all the bases we have to at least add Dennis Smith, Jr. who could eventually pull himself into contention to get taken ahead of De’Aaron Fox and maybe even Lonzo Ball.
In the coming days, we will profile Dennis Smith, Jr. and for good measure we will include Frank Ntilikina, Lauri Markannen and Malik Monk.
In June, we will being to analyze the prospects at the #32 overall pick, based on who the Suns bring in for visits to the valley in group predraft workouts.
Poll
Outside of Ball, Jackson, Fox, Tatum and Isaac, who is most likely a #4 target for Suns
This poll is closed
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48%
Dennis Smith Jr.
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26%
Frank Ntilikina
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14%
Lauri Markannen
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10%
Malik Monk