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The first name has been unveiled for who will be in consideration for the Suns at No. 6 overall. After meeting with Phoenix during the NBA Draft Combine, Texas Tech wing Jarrett Culver will be working out in front of Suns brass in Lubbock, Texas instead of Talking Stick Resort Arena.
This report via Chris Level of RedRaiderSports.com, part of Rivals Network, puts to light what the pre-draft process could be for general manager James Jones and head coach Monty Williams. The Suns brought in 36 prospects over a three-day period last week, but nothing has been mentioned since of visits with the prospects in consideration for No. 6.
Visiting Culver at Texas Tech could be the start of a trend, albeit an unorthodox one. Could we hear of Jones, Williams and Co. visiting Coby White at North Carolina for example? It will definitely be interesting to see if Culver was a special case or if this trend will continue on with others.
Last season for the Red Raiders, Culver took arguably the biggest jump of any prospect in the 2019 draft class averaging 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists (2.7 turnovers) and 1.5 steals on a 32.2 usage rate. Following Zhaire Smith’s exit, Culver took over as Texas Tech’s do-it-all alpha on both ends. The 6’7” forward also takes pride in his defensive capabilities recently coining himself an elite two-way wing.
Culver scheduled sessions with teams in the 3-7 range. So far, he’s worked out for the Knicks and Lakers with the Cavaliers, Suns, and Bulls still on deck.
From the Suns’ perspective, Culver is the best-case scenario to unfold for them on June 20 with their current positioning. Even though it’s not the prototypical mold, the 20-year-old can hold his own guarding point guards and playmaking out of multiple actions. Culver would allow Booker to function as a true combo guard, knowing he has a smart player who can be his release valve whenever he wants to go wreck havoc off-ball around screens.
The more I watch of Culver, the more I buy completely into the long-term upside of a backcourt featuring he and Booker.
I'm sold on the idea of Devin Booker and Jarrett Culver being a successful backcourt.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 5, 2019
Surrounding Booker with players who possess winning traits and functional length is how you optimize the team's ceiling. Can't think of a better duo than Culver and Bridges to accomplish it. pic.twitter.com/xznB57n0Pv
When trying to build a sustainable contender around Booker and Deandre Ayton, players in Culver’s archetype should be coveted. They already have one on the roster and his name is Mikal Bridges. Pairing Culver and Bridges between Booker and Ayton is an ideal scenario to envision when crafting together a roster that could win for many years.