2018 NBA Mock Draft: March is finally here

I’m drastically higher on Melton than most, but he has handled his career at USC brilliantly to ascend from mid-level recruit out of high school to first-round prospect.

Melton, who did not play this season thanks to questions of eligibility stemming from the NCAA’s investigation into fraud at the nation’s top college basketball programs, is a unique player. He is a mishmash of several skills teams look for in guards today, taking shooting off the catch from one book, driving from another, and on-ball defense from a third. It all equates to a very talented prospect, one who would look mighty nice next to Devin Booker.

The Suns need someone opposite their star who can facilitate the offense, creating open looks but rarely finishing possessions in the half court. And they badly need someone to defend point guards and prevent penetration. Currently, they just station Josh Jackson wherever the best opposing scorer resides, from Victor Oladipo to Marc Gasol just this month.

Melton will have question marks surrounding his conditioning and fitness after an entire season off the court, but his talent should make him a top-20 prospect. The Suns need him badly, so perhaps there is a fit.