Phoenix Suns: 5 options for pick No. 32 in 2019 NBA Draft
5. Carsen Edwards
If the Suns are unable to turn the No. 6 pick into a point guard — either through the draft or the trade market — it wouldn’t be the end of the world to take a flier on a high-octane scorer like Carsen Edwards in the second round.
Rookie point guards typically struggle, so adding another one in the second round to a roster that’s already trying to develop De’Anthony Melton and Elie Okobo is less than ideal. Assuming the Suns fix that glaring hole in free agency and aren’t relying on yet another rookie floor general as the answer, however, Edwards could be worth a look.
It's going to be so fun when in a few years we will look back at this draft, and Shamorie Ponds and/or Carsen Edwards ended up being better than the PG the Suns are going to reach for at 6
— Alessandro Cozzi (@AleCozz1) June 13, 2019
His red-hot shooting during Purdue’s run to the Elite Eight was a lightning rod for March Madness viewers, but Edwards had proven his mettle as a draft prospect before he was averaging 34.8 points and 7.0 made 3-pointers per game in the NCAA Tournament.
For his junior season, the 21-year-old averaged 24.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while making 35.5 percent of his whopping 10.6 long range attempts per game.
He caught fire at the perfect time, yes, but also displayed excellent range and a propensity for getting his shot off the dribble all season. It’s not a huge shock he broke the single-tournament record for made 3s with 28 total.
Edwards projects as more of a backup point guard or microwave bench scorer at the NBA level. He’s undersized at 6’0″, he’s not a great finisher around the basket, he’s not an explosive athlete and he’s not the facilitator Phoenix needs. This would be a depth piece that’s worth a look in the second round if the Suns are already losing faith in Melton and/or Okobo, but little more.