Phoenix Suns: 5 options for pick No. 6 in 2019 NBA Draft

1. Brandon Clarke

People are sleeping on Brandon Clarke, and while it’s unlikely the Phoenix Suns would take him this high in the draft, he might actually be their best option should they use the pick.

For those who similarly slept on Gonzaga basketball, seeing Clarke higher than Rui Hachimura on most mock drafts might come as a surprise. And yet, the less heralded Zag averaged an impressive 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Clarke’s defensive metrics — basic and advanced alike — were elite last year. He shot an insane 68.7 percent from the field, played hard every night, rejected everything in sight and flashed glimpses of an expanding perimeter game.

He’s the type of versatile, multi-positional defender the Suns need more of, and with the progress he showed on his post touches, hook shots and mid-range looks, there’s a chance he could eventually expand his game out to 3-point range.

However, there’s no guarantee the projections for his offense ever get there, and if they don’t, the Suns would basically be using their sixth overall pick on a backup small-ball center since he wouldn’t provide the floor-spacing to play the 4. He shot just 26.7 percent from 3 on 0.4 attempts per game last season, and that was with a new release that still looked stiff.

That’s the big question with Clarke: What position will he play at the next level? At 6’8″, with very little 3-point touch to this point but a developing offensive game, could he provide the shooting to be a 4? Or would he only function as a small-ball 5, relying on his leaping ability and high motor to get by against bigger centers?

If his offensive skill-set continues to expand and his shooting eventually extends to 3-point range, he’d be a tremendous fit alongside Deandre Ayton and would be able to cover for him on the defensive end. If Jarrett Culver is already off the board, this might be as good as it gets.

Brandon Clarke wouldn’t be a flashy pick, but he’d be a very sound one and would bolster Phoenix’s miserable defense whether he managed to fit alongside Ayton at the 4 or back him up at the 5. He’s much older at 22 years old, but that certainly isn’t the worst thing for such a young group that needs to grow up soon.