https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024/4/22/24137691/phoenix-suns-to-pick-22nd-in-2024-nba-draft-after-losing-tiebreaker-drawing-to-milwaukee-bucksPhoenix Suns to pick 22nd in 2024 NBA Draft after losing tiebreaker drawing to Milwaukee Bucks Anyone still have PTSD over the Lew Alcindor draft?
By Damon Allred
@iamdamonallred
Apr 22, 2024, 4:10pm MST Did anyone get a whiff of that sweet, sweet 1969 air?
If you did, it’s likely it came from NBA president of league operations, Byron Spruell, who Monday drew for NBA draft tiebreakers and awarded the Phoenix Suns the 22nd pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, which takes place July 27-28.
Back in 1969, if you don’t remember, the Suns and Bucks tied for the league’s worst record, and thus a coin flip would be called to decide which team would win the Lew Alcindor (later becoming known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) sweepstakes.
In 2024, the stakes were much lower. Phoenix came into tiebreaker day tied with the Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans for No. 21. Ironically, New Orleans held swap rights over the Bucks thanks to the Jrue Holiday trade, so it was protected from the worst outcome either way.
Phoenix finished between the two teams, landing at No. 22.
Here are five players I’m hoping are available when the Suns pick, along with where they sit in the latest ESPN NBA mock draft.
Devin Carter, point guard, Providence (No. 17)
Tristan da Silva, forward, Colorado (No. 19)
Bobi Klintman, forward, Cairns Taipans in the Australian NBL (No. 23)
Johnny Furphy, wing, Kansas (No. 27)
Tyler Kolek, point guard, Marquette (No. 28)
I believe that Sabrestar first shared this, and was correct that the suns will indeed pick at #22 in the upcoming draft. The real question becomes who should we pick as this pick will have huge ramnifications for us going forward! The one thing that we cannot do is something grotesquely stupid like trading our pick for some low level, mediocre inconsistent aging vet thinking that it will save us from ourselves and turn our trajectory around.
Out of this short list which is lacking in accurate representation for available prospects in our range (picking at #22), I'd most likely easily take Kolek as the others names on the list above are mediocre at best and will offer minimal to maybe somewhat average impact/production. The more accurate high value targets forgotten from this list likely still in this range of the early 20s' that we should strongly pursue/consider are:
Zach Edey,
Tyler Smith, Da"Ron Holmes, Ulriche Comche,
RYAN DUNN, Jalen Tyson.
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Zach Edey would be the most dominant from the jump, offering immediate impact.
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Tyler Smith would be more of a developmental investment with a very high ( high level starter/fringe star) ceiling somewhere in between an ultimate outcome of a slightly bigger but less defensive Paul George ceiling and a bigger, more fluid, much more offensively versatile Bobby Portis.
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Da"Ron Holmes would also offer immediate moderate impact but with a lower ceiling and high floor in the mold of a mix of rich mans' PJ Brown, Or a slightly smaller, less fluid but better offensive power forward small ball 5 version of Nik Claxton?
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Ulriche Comche is another young high upside, very high ceiling development investment. He wouldn't likely offer significant immediate impact, But his ceiling is very high somewhere in the mold of a Al Horford (offensive)/ Serge Ibaka (defensive versatility) ceiling.
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Ryan Dunn Would easily offer the greatest significant impact in the form of a very athletic, high motor, physical relentless game changing lockdown defender with good size. Now he wouldn't offer any legit offensive threat, but his defense would be absolutely ELITE (likely 1st team all defensive potential) with a bigger Matisse Thybulle/Herb Jones ceiling and a 6'8 more athletic high motor Okogie as his floor.
Jalen Tyson is another very solid versatile immediate moderate impact wing with a decent moderate floor but not high level ceiling. Tysons' ceiling and reasonable outcome is somewhere between Jaime Jaquez of the (Miami Heat) and a slightly stronger,quicker, more athletic version of Kyle Anderson (Timberwolves) as a versatile utility playmaking wing/forward.
Overall, The three best
Immediate impact prospects in our range are zach Edey, Tyler Kolek, and Ryan Dunn. With Kolek being the clear best tablesetting playmaker, Dunn clearly being the best lockdown versatile/generational defender, and Edey as the clearly most dominant frontcourt center option/ Nurkic Insurance.