Phoenix Suns: 5 options for pick No. 31 in 2018 NBA Draft

With their third pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns have options at No. 31. If they keep the selection, here are five prospects they could take.

Figuring out what the Phoenix Suns are going to do on the night of the 2018 NBA Draft is a lot like reaching the first fork in a maze: There are a plethora of winding avenues general manager Ryan McDonough could take to finally get this team back to contention, but narrowing it down to one correct path seems pretty impossible at this point.

With the first overall pick, the Suns have a chance to draft a game-changer like Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic, Mohamed Bamba, Jaren Jackson Jr. or Marvin Bagley III. They could try to trade the pick if an established superstar like Karl-Anthony Towns or Kawhi Leonard actually becomes available. They could even trade down for one of those aforementioned stud rookies in the top five, much like Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics did with Jayson Tatum last year.

If the Suns go the conventional route and simply use the first overall pick, there are still dozens of crossroads to navigate. With picks at No. 16, No. 31, quite a few young players and a future unprotected first-rounder from the Miami Heat in tow, McDonough could try to trade up into the top 10 for another player if the Suns have their eye on someone.

They could also package those picks with the No. 1 pick for an established star, or leave the first overall selection out of it and package their other assets to snag a quality point guard like Kemba Walker. And all of this is without even mentioning the No. 59 pick or free agency just a few weeks later.

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Figuring out what the hell the Suns are going to do is a dizzying prospect. There are dozens of tantalizing options at every turn, but the quickest path to the center of the maze remains hidden. Phoenix is the NBA’s Westworld, operating on its own Timeline with hundreds of possibilities laid out in front of its fans, but no clear answers in sight.

Bearing all this in mind, it feels highly unlikely the Suns use two of their picks in this draft, let alone three or all four of them. The roster is young enough as it is, and since the talent disparity from the late teens through the late 30s isn’t particularly wide, adequate talent could be found at either No. 16 or No. 31.

In the event the Suns wind up keeping the 31st pick, they will most likely still need help at the point guard position or on the wing. Here are a five options they could consider, starting with a couple of honorable mentions:

• Kevin Huerter — Finding a dangerous spot-up shooter and evolving playmaker in this range would normally be a great pickup, but the Suns already have Devin Booker, Troy Daniels, Josh Jackson, T.J. Warren, Davon Reed and probably their No. 16 pick on the wing. Do they really need another?
• Melvin Frazier — Like Huerter, Melvin Frazier would be a great pickup if he falls to No. 31, but even with his 7’2″ wingspan, defensive versatility and 3-and-D potential, the Suns might prefer to take a backup point guard here if they actually keep the pick.
• Josh Okogie — Okogie is another versatile wing defender, and you can never have too many of those. However, he could be gone by the time the second round rolls around, and his handle, passing and shot release all need some work for his game to translate to the next level.
• Khyri Thomas — The Suns finally got Khyri! Well, probably not. He’d be an ideal pick if he were somehow available at No. 31 thanks to his lockdown defense and efficient 3-point shooting, but it’s unlikely such an impressive guard prospect drops this far.
• Rawle Alkins — We’ll give a shoutout to another Arizona product, but in all seriousness, there are more pressing needs here at 31 and the Suns are probably already going to take Ayton No. 1 overall. What more could you want, Wildcats fans?
• Jarred Vanderbilt — He’s been compared to everyone from Jordan Bell to Dennis Rodman, but this feels like it might be a bit of a reach, even for a team that needs to start valuing defensive versatility.
• Aaron Holiday — The younger brother of Jrue Holiday and Justin Holiday seems to be moving up draft boards and was brought in for a second workout with the Suns, but he may be scooped up before No. 31 and there might be better value to be had with this pick anyway, given his lack of height, burst and measurables. Still, he’s a great shooter who’s clearly on Phoenix’s radar, so he could be worth a look if he falls to the second round.