2016 NBA Draft: Phoenix Suns Draft Review

Current 2016-17 Roster

PG: Eric Bledsoe/Brandon Knight/Tyler Ulis

SG: Devin Booker/Archie Goodwin/John Jenkins

SF: P.J. Tucker/T.J. Warren

PF: Jared Dudley/Dragan Bender/Marquese Chriss

C: Alex Len/Tyson Chandler/Alan Williams

Free Agents

PF Jon Leuer

SF Chase Budinger

PG Ronnie Price

PF Mirza Teletovic

Who They Acquired

04. Dragan Bender, F/C Maccabi Tel Aviv

Despite their proclivity to search for quick fixes, Robert Sarver's Suns made the correct decision and drafted the best prospect available, despite the fact that he won't be able to step in from day one and be a starting level contributor. Bender is a wonderful prospect for the modern NBA and the exact type of player the high usage, guard heavy Suns need.

09. Marquese Chriss, PF Washington

The Suns traded their latter two of three first round picks and the draft rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic to move up from 13 to 9 and select Chriss, whom was in play starting at three and represented the clear end of a tier. Chriss is loaded with potential but really needs time to develop and learn the game. The physical talent and raw offensive skill are obvious, but the lack of feel and experience are just as well.

34. Tyler Ulis, PG Kentucky

Despite buzz that he would be a first round pick, logic won out and no one drafted a sub-150 pound guard with a first round pick. In the second round, as a clear backup or even third guard, Ulis is much more palatable. Ulis is the third point guard on the Suns roster and believe it or not, the fifth Kentucky guard on Phoenix's roster.

How They Fit

Bender is exactly the type of player the Suns need, a low-usage player that is completely content to do the little things, spacing the floor, passing, and defending on the perimeter while players like Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Devin Booker, and TJ Warren soak up offensive possessions. Bender is an ideal modern NBA big man who can play in a switching defense, space the floor, and be a ball-mover offensively. His rookie year, Bender should probably just play 15-20 minutes a game as he develops his body and adjusts to the NBA game. Once he is able to play starters minutes, there is a ton you can do with Bender, including playing both sides of the pick and roll as either ball-handler or screener, where he can pop or roll. Defensively, Bender will likely need a strong rim protector next to him, because his strengths defensively lie more in his ability to guard on the perimeter and switch. Perhaps it will change as his body develops, but currently Bender is just average on the glass, so a center and wings/guards that can rebound would be a benefit. Alex Len has shown flashes of that level of rebounding and defense but the jury is still out regarding whether or not he can become that guy.

Chriss shares some of the same weaknesses as Bender, namely his troubles on the glass, so pairing him with players who are good rebounders like Warren, PJ Tucker, and Bledsoe would be advantageous. Chriss is so good getting up and down the floor that he would be a real threat in a uptempo offense where he can get out and run. Chriss needs to develop his feel, instincts, and polish but the flashes he gives show a forward that can attack off the dribble and shoot from the outside. He could be a devastating pick-and-roll player due to his smooth athleticism and explosiveness as a roll-man or popping for a jumper, once his jumper get consistent. Further away yet is an ability to score in isolation, the tools are definitely there but serious refinement is needed going forward as he learns actual moves and builds his experience. All of this might be a few years away, but the reward of patient development could lead to a devastating offensive player with serious switchability on defense. Chriss might spend most of his time in the D-League, as he probably won't be ready for the big team quite yet, especially considering his very high foul rate. The question of long-term fit with Bender and Chriss comes down to whether or not Bender can play center eventually, which will likely be determined by how his body fills out. Still, as more and more teams turn to small-ball lineups, it's hard to see Bender being punished too severely but a lack of strength, especially since if you have Bender and Chriss, you are probably switching everything anyways so that would mitigate many of those issues.

Ulis is a player tailor made for backup or third point guard because he is too physically small (not just short, small) to be effective against starters, but his ability to run pick-and-roll means that when he is on the floor you are going to have an effective offense, even if he really struggled to defend anyone with size. If Knight isn't traded and Ronnie Price is brought back, I would keep Ulis in the D-League for much of the season so he can build chemistry with Chriss. Defensively, Ulis defintely gives tremendous effort but 5-10, 150 he is little better than a traffic cone in the NBA, though he is good picking up steals. You'd want to play a big guard with Ulis to cover up but his utter lack of size and strength would hurt your ability to switch. The question with Ulis is how his intangibles, his leadership and work ethic, can have an affect, if any.

What They Need Going Forward

First and foremost, the Suns need to solve their logjam at center and guard, Alex Len and Tyson Chandler are completely redundant and cannot be played together. Whether by trade, buyout, or stretch it is time for Chandler to move on, presumably to the contender he desires. If Chandler is moved, Alan Williams should be given his shot as the backup, but the Suns should still look for depth, particularly an athletic big that can move and defend the rim. At guard, the Suns have four players that are best with the ball in the hands and a fifth, Devin Booker, that will need plenty of possessions himself. Whether it's Goodwin, Knight, or even Bledsoe, the Suns need to find balance to their roster and get some lower usage wings to compliment their ball-dominant players. At small forward, the Suns have two guys who are probably better at power forward and might not be starter quality, while at power forward there is only Chriss and Bender, neither of whom are ready to play starters minutes. So either the Suns need to move Tucker and Warren to power forward and acquire a small forward or they need to find a power forward. Even with Warren and Tucker there, depth will be needed at both spots. Phoenix signed Jared Dudley to a reasonable deal that will likely have him playing power forward, but they could use another combo forward, perhaps Maurice Harkless. To maximize their current roster and help their young players the most, Phoenix should look for shooters at the forward spots that can create space for Len posting up and their ball-dominant guards.

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How Good Will Kentucky Be in 2014-15?

After winning the National Championship in 2012 with one of the most dominant teams in NCAA history, the last two Kentucky teams have fallen short of the expectations created by John Calipari's super recruiting classes. In 2013 they were ranked in the top 5 pre-season, yet fizzled out in the NIT first round. Last year, they started at number one amid talk of 40-0 yet struggled throughout the season, needing a late SEC Tournament run to even lock in a NCAA bid. Once in the tournament they finally put it together and fulfilled pre-season predictions by making it to the championship game, though most weren't expecting 9 regular season losses. This year, expectations may be even higher, with pre-season pundits tripling-down on pre-season Kentucky hype and once again ranking the Wildcats at number 1, despite their falls from the top the last two years to the tune of 23 losses. Looking at the roster, it is hard to disagree:

Backcourt

Last season's starting backcourt returns as the Harrison twins, point guard Andrew and shooting guard Aaron, wisely avoided potential NBA draft night embarrassment to return for their Sophomore season. Before they turned things around last season, the twins were the main source of criticism and justifiably so, they failed to deliver on the hype surrounding them (not their fault) while looking immature, more concerned about complaining to the refs than getting back on defense and displaying very poor body language (their fault). Andrew in particular was abysmal, particularly running the offense and the 37% shooting mark certainly fails to inspire. Aaron scored better, but disappeared often and was very inconsistent from game to game. Their improvement is crucial to the success of the Wildcats, all the big man talent in the world is nice, but if the guys with the ball in their hands struggle, it will be hard for them to be effective. However, even if the struggles of Andrew Harrison continue, all hope is not lost because they have an alternative at the point guard position: Freshman Tyler Ulis. Though he stands but 5-9, Ulis is, unlike Harrison, a true point guard who's primary function is to make his teammates better, which Harrison frequently failed to do last season. Though it might take a lot for Calipari to bench Harrison for Ulis, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened by seasons end. Rounding out the backcourt rotation will likely be Freshman shooting guard Devin Booker, who's calling card is his jumpshot, something the big-man heavy Wildcats will definitely be in need of. He is likely to get plenty of minutes on the wing as well, because Kentucky lack any traditional "small forwards." After those four, however, there isn't much, and backcourt depth could be a significant chink in Kentucky's armor if any of those four go down or don't play well.

Frontcourt

Depth may be an issue in the backcourt, but they have no such issues up front. Returning Junior Alex Poythress will be the favorite to start at power forward, with Sophomore Marcus Lee and Freshman 5-Star Trey Lyles battling for backup minutes. Poythress has been up and down his two years at Kentucky, looking like a nigh-unstoppable force sometimes, but all to often completely disappearing. He is as strong and athletic as the come, but unlike Michael Kidd-Gilchrist before him, he doesn't have the consistent motor yet to have anywhere near that type of impact. Lee is a similar top level athlete, but he has limited experience and isn't particularly skilled. Lyles offers something different, he isn't going to blow anyone away with his physical gifts, but at 6-10, 250 he can score the ball inside and out. Perhaps the pressure behind Poythress will ignite a fire that will get some more consistency out of him. However, if Calipari prefers to keep him in the same role as last year, short bursts off the bench, both Lee and Lyles offer differing skill-sets that can be mixed and matched accordingly. At center, things are just as log-jammed with Junior Willie Cauley-Stein returning as a starter, with Sophomore Darkari Johnson and top 5 incoming recruit Karl-Anthony Towns also in the mix. Cauley-Stein is a tremendous athlete who at 7-1 can radically alter an opposing game plan, however like Poythress he is maddeningly inconsistent. If he falters, Calipari can insert Johnson into the starting lineup (which he did at times last year) who is much more offensively skilled, but struggles defensively. Towns is of course who everyone will want to see, he isn't a defensive force, but is one of the most skilled big men to come along in recent years, featuring a post game, 3-point range, and ball-handling ability. The hope is competition will bring the cream to the top amongst the frontcourt players, but it can also breed discontentment and transfers if things go wrong. 

How to Make it Work On the Court

Kentucky's best offense will likely be screen-heavy, with Towns setting the pick and either rolling or popping, if Poythress can regain his spot-up shooting form, he can set up in the corner, with Booker and Aaron Harrison also spreading the floor. Ulis is better suited than Andrew Harrison to run this kind of offense and it shouldn't come as any surprise if he is the starter eventually, or at least on the court in critical offensive situations. The Wildcats can also play uptempo lineups with Cauley-Stein, Lee, and Poythress, or try to dominate inside using a big, twin towers approach with Towns, Johnson, or Lyles pairing up. Defensively, Kentucky needs their Junior forwards to grow as technical players, and not just rely on their athleticism. Too often Cauley-Stein, Poythress, and Lee as well would fail to box out, rotate correctly, of hedge screens. All three have the ability to dominate defensively, but they can't just outjump opponents every time, they have to play smarter and with a greater grasp of fundamentals. Ulis is the best guard Kentucky has at pressuring the ball, but his height will be an issue against bigger guards, which is where the Harrison's will have to step up their effort. Neither Towns nor Lyles or Johnson have a reputation as top defenders, but if they can use their size and long arms to clog the lane and make opponents shoot over them, Kentucky should break even on that end.

The X Factor

This team is undoubtedly the most talented since 2012 with remarkable frontcourt depth, returning Sophomores and Juniors, and a pretty soft SEC to run through. However, talent isn't enough, and though Calipari is an excellent coach, the pieces have to fit and the players need to buy in. That is what made the 2012 national title winning team so special, they didn't just have talent, their two best players were commited to defense and team first, night and night out and the rest of the team fell in line behind them. So while the Wildcats may have the more NBA talent than the 76ers, they either need upperclassmen (who haven't shown much leadership in the past) to become leaders and tone setters, or else they will have to rely on one of the incoming freshman to take that role, certainly not a given.

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