Phoenix Suns: The pros and cons of drafting Deandre Ayton No. 1 overall

Pro: Addressing a position of need

No matter your opinion on the center position in the modern NBA, there’s no question it’s one the Suns need to address this summer. Point guard is too, but with the number of talented 1s in the association, it’d probably be easier to find a new floor general in the draft or free agency than it would be to target a gifted big man.

"“I think he fits in potentially very well,” McDonough said. “The strength of our team right now is our young perimeter players led by Devin Booker and Josh Jackson and T.J. Warren. We’ve been looking for a center to kind of anchor our team offensively and defensively. We think Deandre has that kind of potential.”"

Ayton fits the Suns’ most pressing need, and though the “Shaq and Kobe 2.0” talk is premature, those two would form a pretty tantalizing foundation alongside Jackson.

After all, Tyson Chandler will turn 36 before the season starts, Alex Len is an unrestricted free agent who’s unlikely to return after looking more suited as a backup and Alan Williams, for all the local love as a fan favorite, is coming off an injury that cost him most of his 2017-18 season, is playing on a non-guaranteed deal and probably tops out as an energy guy off the bench anyway.

Meanwhile, at the 1, Brandon Knight and Tyler Ulis aren’t the sexiest options, but they’d be passable until a better long-term solution can be found. Even if the Suns drafted Luka Doncic at No. 1, he’s not a pure point guard, nor could he defend that spot in the NBA.

Even in a small-ball league, center is the Suns’ most dire position of need. Phoenix needs someone who can hold down the boards, block shots and spread the floor as a stretch-big to take some pressure off Booker. Doncic playing alongside Booker would be gorgeous offense, and concerns over what position Wonder Boy would play are overdone, but plugging Ayton into Phoenix’s starting five would be much easier than figuring out how a Booker-Doncic-Jackson lineup is supposed to guard anyone.

Con: Is this the best path?

The Suns really need a center, and Ayton learning from a veteran like Tyson Chandler would be delightful. However, no team with the No. 1 overall pick should be drafting just for fit, and even if that were the case, there are other options that could wind up being better fits. After all, as Ayton reiterated on the day of his Suns pre-draft workout, he sees himself as a player, not a particular position.

Bamba is not only one of the smartest draft prospects we’ve seen in years, but his 7’10” wingspan could make him an absolute terror as a rim protector. With Booker being so flawed on that end, Bamba is the kind of anchor Phoenix really needs, especially if you’re buying into his offensive potential as a rim-running big with more range and a revamped jump shot (think Capela or Rudy Gobert, but with the ability to spread the floor to at least the mid-range).

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There’s also Jaren Jackson Jr., who feels kind of like an Al Horford successor because of his defensive versatility, ability to spread the floor and the fact that he’s been thoroughly underrated in this whole process. He also represents a better long-term fit if the goal is finding a defensive anchor who can switch onto the perimeter when necessary.

Free agency could be another avenue to find a center if the Suns took Doncic No. 1. The Rockets are likely to match any offer for restricted free agent Clint Capela, but it’s hard not to think about how perfectly he’d fit the Timeline if Houston tried to sign LeBron James and cap space suddenly got tight.

Throwing a max contract at a guy who averaged only 13.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game seems dicey on paper, but could you imagine an Igor Kokoskov offense having Doncic and Booker run pick-and-rolls with Capela while flanked by shooters? It’s not on par with Mike D’Antoni, James Harden and Chris Paul, but it’s not far off. They’d have the potential to grow together for years and the Suns have to use their cap space somehow.

In any case, while center is the Suns’ most pressing need, it shouldn’t pigeonhole them into drafting Deandre Ayton. If they think he’s the best prospect, that’s perfectly fine. To be fair, I think Ayton is going to be a perennial 20 and 10 guy in this league.

Next: Phoenix Suns - 5 options at pick No. 1 in 2018 NBA Draft

The question is, can be good enough defensively to help lead the Suns back to prominence with that production? Or will the numbers come up empty when his main flaw mirrors Devin Booker’s and the Suns are trapped in a prism of championship mirages that never come into focus?