Phoenix Suns
Draft Picks: Dragan Bender No. 4, Marquese Chriss No. 8, Tyler Ulis No. 34
The Suns were able to nail this draft by grabbing the two high potential power forwards in the draft (thanks to the hot mess we all love that is the Sacramento Kings).
Sure Bender, the raw 18-year-old from Croatia, will get the Kristaps Porzingis comparisons but that’s not fair. Bender might not that be the scorer that Porzingis is, but he has a knack for ball distribution and the potential development of the offensive game.
Chriss is the boom-or-bust player of the draft. He’s an atheletic freak that plays above the rim and will find ways to score. Still, he turns the ball over too much and needs to work on his post defense, but there is a reason he rose so much on draft boards. Teams loved his potential.
Ulis, the gritty 5-foot-9 spark plug, provides toughness and a will to compete despite his lack of size. He has all the makings of a great backup point guard.
With these three picks, the future looks bright for Earl Watson and his Phoenix squad.
Grade: A
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