The Phoenix Suns are slowly going back to becoming a winning team. They’re below .500 right now, but James Jones has done a great job to improve their roster in every position, and once Deandre Ayton comes back, they may have something good in their hands.
This team has struggled for almost a decade now and several insiders think they have one of the worst front offices and ownerships around the league. Thus, it’s not strange to see them trade some players that end up flourishing elsewhere.
But, how would this team fare if they had kept all the good players they Drafted? would they be a playoff team in the wild wild West? Let’s break it down by taking a look at the starting five they could’ve had today, and you be the judge:
Guard – Rajon Rondo
We can all agree that Rajon Rondo has to be one of the biggest steals in the history of the Draft. He was taken with the 21st overall pick out of Kentucky by the Suns and then immediately traded to the Boston Celtics, one of their biggest mistakes of the decade.
While Rondo is no longer the lockdown defender and prolific playmaker he once was, he had quite a successful NBA career early on. They were looking for a starting point guard for 2 or 3 seasons, and they could’ve had one of the best of the decade.
Guard – Devin Booker
Talking about steals, Devin Booker must be the biggest of his class. Also out of Kentucky, the Suns took him 13th overall after he barely played at college, but needless to say; his scoring abilities translated perfectly to the NBA.
Booker has the talent to be one of the league’s leading scorers a couple of years from now. Moreover, he’s not just a volume scorer, but he’s also very efficient. He’s unselfish, an underrated playmaker, and an improving defender. He’ll be an All-Star.
Guard – Bogdan Bogdanovic
The Phoenix Suns were entitled to Bogdan Bogdanovic’s Draft rights after taking him with the 27th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, but they traded him a couple of years later to the Sacramento Kings, where he’d make his NBA debut in 2017.
It took him a while to showcase his skills, but he’s now one of the frontrunners to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. Bogdanovic is smart, versatile, and can do a little bit of everything. He’s a great shooter, and they must regret letting him go for Marquese Chriss and a future 2nd round pick.
Forward – TJ Warren
TJ Warren is a hardworking player. He’s improved on every single season he’s been in the league, and is now a consistent scorer from all three levels that’s playing a huge part in the Indiana Pacers’ recent success. Still, he was drafted by the Suns with the 14th overall pick in 2014.
Warren has made great strides as a defender as well after struggling during his first couple of seasons. He may not become a superstar, but he’s got the upside to become something like Tobias Harris and contribute on a good playoff team.
Forward – Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton must be the most underrated young player in the league right now. He was a consensus 1st overall pick last year and averaging a double-double as a rookie, yet no one seems to be talking about him as we’re all caught up in the Luka Doncic – Trae Young hype.
Still, Ayton has all the tools to be one of the best scoring big men we’ve ever seen. He’s a physical force that can dominate both sides of the glass and a score efficiently and at a high clip. He’s also expanding his range in practice, but his defense is the lone area that he should really put a lot of work in.
