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5 Roster Moves The Phoenix Suns Need To Make

By Matthew Hallett

Sep 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns players (from left) Archie Goodwin , Brandon Knight , Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker pose for a portrait during media day at Talking Stick Resort Arena. All four players previous played basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns players (from left) Archie Goodwin , Brandon Knight , Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker pose for a portrait during media day at Talking Stick Resort Arena. All four players previous played basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League speaks to AFP jounrnalists after a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016. (Photo Credit: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)
Dragan Bender, a professional Croatian basketball player currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Basketball Super League speaks to AFP jounrnalists after a training session at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv on March 16, 2016. (Photo Credit: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images) /

5. Draft Well

Phoenix has three first-round draft picks in this year’s draft, the fourth, 13th and 28th overall selections. This is a fantastic position for a rebuilding team to be in.

Pick No. 4: Who would have thought that a 7-foot European player who can shoot might go No. 4 two years in a row. You have all heard of Kristaps Porzingis right?

Unfortunately Dragan Bender is not the same NBA-ready prospect that Porzingis was last year. At just 18, Bender has been playing professional basketball for two years. He has all the basketball fundamentals, he just needs time to develop them. He also needs to get his body NBA ready

With that being said. if Boston does not take the risk on him, then Phoenix will probably pick him up.

Pick No. 13: With the apparent shallowness of the 2016 draft, most picks between 10 and 20 will be developmental players.

If Skal Labissiere is still available, Phoenix will probably take the power forward as another grab and stash prospect.

His upside is tremendous, his agility and length are impressive but his skills are not quite up to NBA standards. Labissiere probably would have been better served playing one more season of college.

It would be nice if Jacob Poeltl was still available at this time for Phoenix. He would get good minutes at center behind Len if that is how Phoenix go next year.

Pick No. 28: With Phoenix struggling at power forward, I can imagine them using all their draft picks on this position. If Phoenix wanted another project and he was available, then the could select Thon Maker, the upside of that man is incredible.

However, my instincts tell me that if Phoenix does take another power forward, it would be a player like Ben Bentil, who is ready to be a third-string power forward now.

If Phoenix cannot address the power forward issue any other way, Bentil will get good minutes playing behind Jon Leuer.

Bentil has great explosiveness as well as a nice outside stroke. Bentil has taken a back seat to his highly touted teammate Kris Dunn but he is a talent.

With these roster moves, Phoenix will certainly improve next year. Having the three first round picks is a great help.

More hoops habit: Every NBA Franchise's Mount Rushmore

I have enjoyed watching the Phoenix Suns since Tom Chambers played and I hope that they can pull themselves away from the lottery and into the playoffs next year.

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