2016 NBA Redraft: Too soon for conclusions and answers

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 23: The full draft board of the first 30 pics of the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft is seen at the Barclays Center on June 23, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

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NBA (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

#8 Pick: Domantas Sabonis (Originally: Marquese Chriss)

Before making this pick it needs to be acknowledged that the Suns wanted Marquese Chriss to pair with Dragan Bender (even though they were both extremely raw prospects that played the same position) so badly that they traded the 13^th pick, the 28^th pick, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft and the draft rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic. As a team that used to trade out of the first round consistently in the Steve Nash era, it turns out they also should not be trading up.

However, with a new pick earlier in Jaylen Brown this trade up can actually work out in the Suns’ favor. They clearly wanted a big man and Domantas Sabonis is the All-Star big man of their dreams for this redone roster. Sabonis has been on the steady ascension since being traded to Indiana, peaking this season with 18.5 points 12.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists.

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He is a modern-day big man (without the outside shot) and consistently makes his teammates better. He has never missed more than eight games in a season and is a pillar of consistency. The core of Sabonis, Brown and Booker would have the Suns on a significantly better track than they are even now. They never had a chance at Brown. But even after that trade up they missed big on Sabonis.

With the ninth pick in the 2016 NBA Redraft the Toronto Raptors select…