Heading into the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery, here’s a look at what to expect for the Phoenix Suns, who finished with the second-worst record in the league this season.
After seven straight seasons of missing the playoffs, the Phoenix Suns would sure like to know where Lady Luck has ran off to. Heading into the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery with the second-best odds at securing the No. 1 pick, there’s never been a better time to check back in with a former flame.
The Suns aren’t quite desperate enough to enter “U up?” texts territory yet, but they’re getting close. Seven years is a franchise-worst postseason drought, and entering their 50th season without a single championship, it might be time for the NBA’s fourth all-time winningest franchise to get lucky and take another step back toward future contention.
Coming off a dismal 24-58 campaign in 2016-17, Phoenix finished with the second-worst record in the association, ahead of only the Brooklyn Nets at 20-62.
Approaching the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery, the Suns have a 19.9 percent chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and a 55.8 percent chance of landing a top-three pick. Here’s a breakdown of their odds for each pick:
- 1st: 19.9%
- 2nd: 18.8%
- 3rd: 17.1%
- 4th: 31.9%
- 5th: 12.3%
As you can see, Phoenix can fall no further than fifth in this year’s draft lottery. Barring a trade, the Suns are guaranteed a top-five pick no matter what, which is great news for a franchise looking to add more young talent to its emerging nucleus.
At 20 years old, Devin Booker already looks like a franchise cornerstone and unstoppable scorer for the future. Rookie Marquese Chriss could develop into an extremely athletic stretch-4, Tyler Ulis looks like a borderline starting point guard for the future and Dragan Bender‘s skill set and defensive versatility for a seven-footer will make him a long-term project worth undertaking.
Valley of the Suns
Though this team is fairly stocked up on point guards between Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and Tyler Ulis, in this year’s guard-heavy draft, a top-two pick — or dare we say, the first ever No. 1 pick in Suns franchise history — may prompt a decision between two franchise point guards in Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball.
Such a selection could also lead to a trade for Bledsoe, while the Suns continue to try and shed Knight’s contract as well.
However, forward Josh Jackson is another terrific option in that discussion for the No. 1 overall pick. Depending on where the Suns wind up, there are worse decisions to make at the top of a draft than Fultz vs. Ball vs. Jackson.
The Suns are one of seven NBA franchises to never earn the No. 1 overall pick in a draft, joining the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz. Only one of those franchises — the Thunder (est. 1967) — has been around longer than the Suns (est. 1968)…and that’s only if you count their time as the Seattle SuperSonics.
Other than 1969, when the Suns had to settle for Neal Walk after losing an infamous coin flip that cost them their chance at drafting Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Phoenix’s highest pick came in 1987, when the team selected Armen Gilliam at No. 2.
Other than that, Phoenix has selected fourth overall four times: Corky Calhoun in 1972, John Shumate in 1974, Alvan Adams in 1975 and Dragan Bender in 2016. The Suns have earned the fifth overall pick twice, taking Walter Davis in 1977 and Alex Len in 2013.
Suffice it to say it’s about time the Suns had a little luck in the NBA Draft Lottery.
Next: NBA Draft - Best player selected in all 60 spots
The 2017 NBA Draft Lottery is on Tuesday, May 16.