How does the Chris Paul acquisition affect the Suns Draft Board?

Pinch yourself.

This is the state of Phoenix Suns basketball: A sense of relevance is back for the first time in nearly a decade. Pinch you again. This is not a dream. You are not trapped in a lucid state after being locked in your house for 8 months and counting. This is real.

The deal that was speculated for days was finalized on Monday morning.

By doing so, the Phoenix Suns qualified for the 2021 postseason. A lot needs to happen between now and then, of course. The Suns need to fill out their roster with complementary players. Training camp must start safely. Chris Paul needs to stay healthy.

The first step toward the playoffs is the 2020 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.

James Jones was smart in his dealings with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Sam Presti. Based on conversations with Flex From Jersey, it seemed OKC wanted more. Was it Cam Johnson? Was he the 10th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft? We may never know. What we do know is that James Jones held onto both assets, allowing the Suns to participate in the festivities Wednesday night.

With the loss of Kelly Oubre (wing), Ricky Rubio (base), Ty Jerome (base) and Jalen Lecque (base), the question now is: How did this trade affect the way the Suns will approach the Draft? of the NBA?

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The case of a guard

James Jones won a 10-time All-Star, an NBA point guard and an All-Defensive team player. It’s not every day that you make a transaction that brings such a highly decorated player into your organization, even if he’s 35 years old. What Jones sacrificed to achieve this was depth at guard position.

Now I listen to you, Bright Side. I know Ty Jerome is not what you would consider “depth.” I know that while his G League highlights are YouTube gold, most likely Jalen Lecque wasn’t the future of the Suns’ backcourt. Their loss has not left us searching for our tissues for two reasons:

• We are not crying.
• We don’t have tissues. This is not 1955, see?

Jerome was a promising player when he was selected for his experience (4-year-old college player), championship pedigree (2019 NCAA National Champion with the University of Virginia), and ground vision. We hoped it was another Steve Nash archetype; a player who lacked the athleticism of his prototypical point guard but who possessed the ability to play, passing and vision on the floor. He played in 31 games for the Suns and seemed lost on the offensive end.

When we look at the potential backcourt for the 2020-21 season (depending on what happens when free agency starts on Friday), it looks like Chris Paul will get a breather from Cameron Payne and Jevon Carter. Oh, and Elie Okobo is still around.

My point? There is some depth. Is it depth in the long term? Not necessarily.

Given the Suns’ position in the draft, there may be an opportunity to try and select the “point guard of the future.” That individual will have the opportunity to learn under the “God Point”, Chris Paul. They’ll get a chance to absorb your playmaking skills, see how a true leader performs in that position, and hopefully make the leap to starting PG position when the sun sets on CP3 time in Phoenix.

If Tyrese Haliburton or Killian Hayes are available at No. 10, this decision becomes a mate. Giving Kira Lewis, Jr. or Tyrell Terry a chance will require more patience, as these prospects will take longer to develop. They could all become that future point guard for the franchise.

Whoever the Suns pick will be given the time to develop, as the Cam Payne / Javon Cater / Elie Okobo trio will soak up PG / SG’s reserve minutes. Reduced the need for that player to enter and provide an instant hit. The move would be smart in the long run.

When was the last time the Suns picked a point guard with a lottery pick? 2012, when our North Carolina Kendall Marshall was voted 13th.

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The case of a wing

The beginning of this case is pretty simple: You can never have too many wings in the NBA. The loss of Kelly Oubre (okay, now we cry … and now we know why people wore bandanas!) Leaves a gap on the list. The addition of another wing must be filled.

Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson have shown their skills to be effective at wing position in the NBA, and more. Due to its development, it made Oubre expendable. However, outside of those two players, what else do the Suns have? Newly acquired Abdel Nader is classified as a small forward, but his 6’5 ”body doesn’t seem to meet the need. Free agency should address this issue (and once the draft is complete, we’ll know who the Suns will chase in free agency).

Let’s say the Suns plan to bring in Player X through free agency. Let’s say player X is a wing, a player who can play forward and / or power forward. The Suns will continue to struggle with their depth in this scenario. If Player X is a starting caliber player, Cam Johnson goes to the bench. If player X is a role player, Cam begins. Regardless of who the signing is, you will have three players to fill two spots on the pitch.

But what if one of them gets injured?

Now he’s fiddling with his lineup, running little ball lineups on the court to make up for the shortcoming on the roster. Every victory matters, especially playing in the Western Conference in a short season. Giving up games due to poor roster construction is unacceptable and frankly avoidable.

This draft is full of quality wing RPGs. If the Suns do choose to draft a wing, they choose to focus on the 2020-21 season rather than hoping to find the player to help them in 2022-23.

The difference between choosing a wing and a guard is the expectation of providing a relatively quick impact. They will receive minutes because, simply, those minutes will be available. James Jones will have to choose wisely.

If Devin Vassell, Patrick Williams, Aaron Nesmith or Saddiq Bey are available, the decision to choose the right one becomes paramount. All have the ability to provide the desired result. On the contrary, there is uncertainty about whether or not his skills will translate to the NBA. This is the enigma of the NBA Draft.

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The case of a great

Nothing has been finalized, but Aron Baynes is supposed to go ahead. The big red-bearded man served the Suns well and provided depth in all five. He is another player who the fans reluctantly dismiss.

Baynes leaves a chasm in the back center. According to Dave King’s most recent look at the list, Dario Saric (if he returns) could be Deandre Ayton’s endorsement. Prepare to see many teams attack the crystal if this is the case.

Much like the wings argument, depth is the main reason the Suns could go for a big one in the draft. However, the big ones usually take longer to develop (see Dandre Ayton). Take a big prize at No. 10 is high risk and is in between the short / long term argument. It would be a short-term necessity, as they would surely gain minutes. In the long term, they would have to be developed to be truly effective.

If Obi Toppin could somehow drop to # 10, it would be an absolute steal. Although he is a defensive risk, his offensive exit would help the second team unit a lot. Dayton’s National Player of the Year can stretch the floor, shoot all three and dominates the offensive paint. If it goes past 5, I would be surprised.

Jalen Smith is another prospect who can meet the needs of the Suns in the fifth. He can handle the ball, has a high engine and would make an ideal bench player. Taking it to rank 10, however, is over the top.

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I have made the comparison between “short term greed and long term greed” in regards to this draft. The short term focuses on how to be successful this season. In the long run, it’s about giving a chance to a player who will require development but will pay dividends in a season or two.

The main challenge facing anyone taking the Suns cap and putting it on their head (virtually) on Wednesday night is time. Training camp begins in two weeks, the NBA season in a month.

Your life will be in whirlwind mode every second of every day after your dream comes true. The process of acclimatization to the professional game will affect each player differently and is the true x-factor that goes into this year’s draft. James Jones’ affinity for recruiting mature players may unlock how he will approach this draft.

I believe that the acquisition of CP3 allows the Suns to meet their needs in the short term. The goal is to win now. Hope they take a wing or get down. And take a wing.

What you think?