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Phoenix Suns: 5 Players To Draft With No. 4 Pick

By Gerald Bourguet

Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League attends a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016.Bender's name is not yet well known beyond hardcore basketball fans, but that may soon change. Bender is expected to be highly sought after by US professional basketball teams in the coming months. / AFP / JACK GUEZ (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League attends a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016.Bender's name is not yet well known beyond hardcore basketball fans, but that may soon change. Bender is expected to be highly sought after by US professional basketball teams in the coming months. / AFP / JACK GUEZ (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League poses for a photo after a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016.(JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images) /

1. Dragan Bender

Goran Dragic, a.k.a. “The Dragon,” is long gone, but if a certain seven-foot mystery product from overseas is still available at No. 4, it might be time for the reign of a new Dragan in Phoenix.

An 18-year-old stretch-big from Croatia, Dragan Bender has often been referred to as this year’s Kristaps Porzingis — a tantalizing, lanky foreign prospect who could either be a home run pick or a raw talent in need of years of crafting.

Bender doesn’t have as much hype surrounding him as Porzingis did entering the draft, but there aren’t many 7’1″ draft prospects running around that could potentially play the 3, the 4 or the 5. He’s a smart player, a terrific ball handler for his size and if the Celtics don’t take him at No. 3, it’d be awfully hard for the Suns to pass him up.

Phoenix needs a stretch-4 of some sort, and even if they plan on re-signing Mirza Teletovic and/or Jon Leuer in free agency this summer, Bender is a shot in the dark that could pay off in a big way for a franchise that’s still years away from restoring its prominence.

Bender has a 9’3″ standing reach, is extremely quick for a player his size and he likes to run the floor. He really could be the total package with the right development and weight training regimen.

Plus, his name is freaking Dragan Bender.

Though he’s young and inexperienced, Bender could very easily wind up being a versatile shot-blocker, passer, scorer and long range shooter.

His game is suited for the perimeter, he’s been playing against professionals with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv for years and his defensive versatility could make him a huge asset down the road when he builds up his strength.

More hoops habit: 25 Best Players to Play for the Phoenix Suns

If the Suns don’t wind up trading this pick, using it on Dragan Bender seems like the best possible outcome — provided the Celtics don’t take him off the board at No. 3 first.

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