Phoenix Suns: Ranking the last 10 first-round picks

6: Marquese Chriss (2016)

Marquese Chriss would struggle to find his footing consistently in Phoenix and was unable to leave his mark, even though he would put up semi-decent numbers.

Chriss was traded to the Suns after being selected eighth overall by Sacramento. Chriss was deserved of a post-lottery spot, yet the Suns decided to take a deep swing and select him the eighth pick, passing on fellow big-man Domantas Sabonis.

Chriss had a decent freshman season in Washington, which was enough for the forward to gain some attention from scouts. Chriss was scouted as a fantastic offensive producer, with the ability to score at will, but he was known for his lack of rebounding ability, which hurt his stock. If he had developed his rebounding earlier, Chriss could’ve been drafted earlier in the top 10.

Chriss spent two seasons in Phoenix, where he averaged 8.5 points with 4.8 rebounds a night. Chriss played some decent minutes and was trusted with a starting spot in his rookie and sophomore seasons. Chriss was able to produce to an extent, even though he took some time to develop as a rebounder and a defender.

Chriss made a decent impact in his short stint in Phoenix but didn’t live up to the potential. Chriss would get traded to the Houston Rockets before getting dealt once again to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’d then sign a deal to join the Warriors, where he’s been able to reclaim some of his potential in his eventful 2019-20 season stint as part of their lackluster team.