Suns Big Board
Killian Hayes
6'5 French PG, 3 level scorer, excellent passer especially out of the PnR, positional size w/ a great frame, solid handle, composed in the open court, very good team defender, active at POA, projectable shooting, left hand dominant, lacks burst. Excellent long term fit next to Booker with his ability to play on/off ball and plus defensive projection, as well as possessing a developed lob game to help maximise Ayton. Does lack elite scoring upside, however his all-round game and growth curve suggest a player that can impact the game on a number of levels
Devin Vassell
6'6 legitimate 3 and D wing w/ scoring upside, high IQ - great off-ball defender/opportunistic cutter/relocates well off-ball, intangibles galore, improving but limited passing game, some questions on how legitimate the shot is. Fills significant gaps in our defence, especially as a team defender, whilst complimenting Mikal on that end well. Unlocks point Book lineups with upside to take on secondary handling duties w/ his developing pull-up game and passing flashes out of the PnR - maximising Ayton further with his spacing ability. Not the highest upside or sexiest pick, but a winning player
Tier 1
Tyrese Maxey
6'2 combo guard, projectable shot w/ great touch, strong finisher, brings effort and activity on D especially at POA, good team defender, nice burst but not overly functional given handle, sub-par playmaker. Ultimately a great defensive fit next to Booker, as well as possessing a nice on/off ball mix on O, however his lack of creation for others may hurt guys like Mikal and Ayton with a more stagnant offense
Tier 2
Isaac Okoro
6'6 wing, elite on ball defender, good off ball defender, switchable 1 through 4, skilled passer - lacks scoring gravity to unlock it, great slasher, good burst with tight crossover, not an outside threat. Would be a much needed defensive force, with the size to play the 4 next to Ayton. Shooting is a huge issue given 4 out seems to be the best way to maximise Ayton - will need to bank on improvement
Anthony Edwards
6'5 shooting guard, genuine athlete, 2-way potential if he becomes more disciplined, powerful/strong, good scorer but not overly efficient, confident, questionable decision making/shot selection. Would mean shifting Booker to a full time 1, as well as putting a lot of faith in Edwards realising his defensive and playmaking potential. High upside play but not without risk, whilst probably hurting us year 1
LaMelo Ball
6'7 lead initiator w/ a legitimately special handle and court vision, great touch, huge positional size advantage, good finisher but shies from contact, shot IQ and mechanics need work. Real concerns with how tenable a Booker/LaMelo backcourt would be defensively, but the offence would almost certainly be elite. Additional bonus of being able to run everything through him whilst Booker is off
Tyrese Haliburton
6'5 linking player, great passer w/ live dribble package, effective on C&S, positional size, good feel/IQ, great in transition, ugly shot mechanics hurt his OTD shooting, slight frame, poor handle. Meets the defensive requirements needed to play next to Book, as well as being an accomplished playmaker/linking player that will get others involved. Lack of scoring potential generates ceiling concerns
Tier 3
Kira Lewis
6'3 PG, extremely quick, solid OTD shooter, plays hard, off-ball equity, excellent in transition, good handle and decent passer, average frame which hurts his finishing, not great at creating separation, defensive limitations. A Kira/Booker backcourt would certainly be fun and he'd really get our transition game going, ceiling questions however given defensive issues
Cole Anthony
6'3 combo guard, 3 level scorer - knows how to get his own shot, uses size well, strong frame, solid defensively but poor at POA, poor decision maker/playmaker for a guard, picks up his dribble a lot. Solid complimentary piece that will help fill our scoring void as well as being a long term fit next to Booker given defensive upside. Not the most sexy/ceiling oriented pick
Patrick Williams
6'7 PF, smart, plays hard, intangibles, excellent interior defender, poor lateral defender, lacks an offensive game (some passing and pull up flashes), questionable shot despite FT/HS numbers. Impact defender that could help form one of the best interior duos in the league. Concerns with teams overall O w/ carrying both he and Mikal - would be banking on 1 developing into a bigger threat
Grant Riller
6'3 combo guard, excellent shooter/scorer, great OTD, nice finisher, quick w/ a tight handle, creates space with ease, undersized - but solid build, limited creator, needs work defensively, scalability questions. Engine bench player that would help fill a huge need next season especially. Issues with upside & fit w/ Booker, but as a bench piece an excellent option - very strong trade back option
Tier 4
6'8 SF/PF, high IQ, great cutter, strong in the PnR, capable tertiary creator, pumped up guy, lacks speed/strength, early defensive concerns but projectable to become an impact defender, shot needs work - poor FT% is perplexing. Definition of a jack of all trades, master of none - could fill a variety of roles and would slot in nicely at the 4, but without an elite skill, his 'purpose' for us becomes an issue
RJ Hampton
6'5 combo guard, good frame, catch and shoot ability, versatile skillset, plus defender once he adds strength, nice mentality, good burst and creates advantages, poor touch, left dominant, lacks and elite skill and a path to one - limiting upside. Would slot in nicely in a more off-ball role, w/ Booker playing more on-ball. Can attack off the catch and shoot when DA/Booker draw the defense
Aleksej Pokusevski
7'0 PF, ridiculously skilled for a big, plus spacer with creation ability off the dribble, good weak side defender, excellent passer, slight frame - won't defend 5s, very raw, not mobile enough to consistently defend on the perimeter. Plug and play big that compliments Ayton and really the whole team, whilst bringing genuine upside as a unicorn prospect. One of the riskier moves we could make.
Deni Avdija
Naji Marshall
6'7 SG/SF, versatile offensive and defensive player, plus facilitator, good finisher, quality on-ball defender that can defend 1 through 3, major shot concerns despite FT numbers, turnover prone, weak handle. Offers plus defense and playmaking to a 2nd unit in need of a lift. Would work well with Dario spacing the floor for him, as well as making up for the limited creation of guys like Jevon. Likely available in the mid 2nd round.
2nd Rounders To Trade In For
Killian Tillie
6'10 PF/C, well rounded game for a big, excellent passer, can space the floor, great finisher, nice team defender, can generate his own shot, quick feet on the perimeter, poor rebounder and lacks vertical pop, significant injury history. Versatile impact big that could play the 4 next to Ayton as well as backup 5 minutes w/ Ayton off. Very risky play given injury history, however in the early-mid 2nd round where he might be available, its worth it
Ty-Shon Alexander
6'4 SG, good shooter including off movement despite questionable mechanics, nice frame, makes the 'right' passes but isn't a playmaker, excellent defender with active feet/hands, not overly athletic. Great defensive fit next to Booker with a versatile offensive and defensive game as well as helping with our bench scoring needs. Limited playmaker so would need a playmaker next to him in bench lineups. Likely available in the mid 2nd round
Nate Hinton
6'5 SG, nice shooter w/ smooth mechanics, OTD capabilities, active defender w/ great lateral speed, good feel, excellent rebounder for size, aggressive, limited self creator, lacks burst. Ultimate role player that does all the little things. Good defensive fit, can space the floor with Ayton, and holds some self creation ability so that he isn't a complete non-factor on O. Likely available in the late 2nd round or potentially undrafted