NBA Draft 2016: Grades for every team

Phoenix Suns

Picks: No. 4 Dragan Bender, No. 8 Marquese Chriss, No. 34 Tyler Ulis

A prevailing narrative coming into the 2016 NBA Draft was the fact that there were a handful of teams that had a bevy of draft picks and that they might try to make big moves to try and turn those picks into something better or more substantial. However, the only team to really do that was ultimately the Phoenix Suns and I absolutely love how they went about doing so.

Taking Dragan Bender at No. 4 was really the only logical move for the Suns at that point. Their backcourt is already quite loaded and really couldn’t stand another lottery-selected player crowding the rotation. However, there’s a definite need for unique and versatile talent in the frontcourt as opposed to a slew of one dimensional role players and Bender brings that. What’s better, though, is that the Suns were then able to trade for the No. 8 pick and bring in many people’s favorite overall prospect in Marquese Chriss out of Washington.

By bringing in these two big guys, the Suns can take the time necessary to develop them both and develop them together as they’re both super young and still kind of raw in terms of talent coming into the NBA. Only making their night better was the Ulis pick, which adds an interesting dynamic to the backcourt if he’s healthy (and another Kentucky guard, also). All in all, though, the Suns made a tremendous splash and it’s one that left them smelling like roses coming out of the draft.

Final Grade: A

Next: Kings