Phoenix Suns: 2019 NBA Draft grades
Overall
After the T.J. Warren salary dump, the Phoenix Suns entered the draft with the No. 6 pick and $21 million in cap space. They could’ve taken just Jarrett Culver at No. 6, and then they could’ve just taken Brandon Clarke at No. 11. Instead, they made one of the most baffling overreaches of the entire draft, simply because of the prior connection between Bower and Johnson.
The Suns then traded back into the draft, dealing away the 2020 Bucks pick for Ty Jerome at No. 24 and Aron Baynes, which not only closes the door on Holmes’ time with the team, but also puts either De’Anthony Melton or Elie Okobo on the chopping block next.
The final picture is ugly.
The Suns still have work to do to free up max cap space for someone like D’Angelo Russell — namely by dumping Josh Jackson and stretching and waiving Tyler Johnson. Those moves aren’t impossible, but as the Warren trade showed, Phoenix might have to attach another asset to get the contract of a potential draft bust off its books.
With Dario Saric (35.8 percent for his career), Cameron Johnson, Ty Jerome and even Aron Baynes (34.4 percent last year) joining the fray, it’s clear the Suns are prioritizing putting 3-point shooting around Devin Booker to help spread the floor.
It’s not a bad strategy, but it’s sorely lacking in other key areas, like defense and athleticism. Jarrett Culver or Brandon Clarke would’ve helped in those areas, and Mikal Bridges is going to have to turn into Kawhi Leonard for the Suns to be able to stop anybody next year.
Suns definitely seem to be prioritizing putting more shooting around Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, a worthy goal. But Saric, Booker, and Ayton, that is a rough group defensively. And if they grab D'Angelo Russell with their newly opened cap space, that won't help matters.
— Nate Duncan (@NateDuncanNBA) June 21, 2019
Phoenix’s cap space shrunk from around $21 million to $14 million with the trade that brought Baynes on board. The team passed on one of the best prospects in the draft in Culver, and then did so again at No. 11 with Clarke.
Cameron Johnson is not a bad addition, but he’s a definite overreach considering where he was taken. All the cap space from the T.J. Warren salary dump essentially went out the window with two decent, but not overwhelmingly good vets.
James Jones plugged up the frontcourt, but this team still needs a point guard, it still needs to trade Josh Jackson and it still needs drastic talent upgrades. All in all, the Phoenix Suns had perhaps the most confusing draft night in the NBA.
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Final Grade: D