The 2018 NBA Draft isn’t too far away and the Phoenix Suns are on the clock. As of now, there only seems to be two realistic options for the Suns to take at number one (Luka Doncic and DeAndre Ayton). The early reports have been that Ayton is a huge favorite to get selected first overall. However, esteemed Vendetta colleague, Jacob McCormick, has Doncic as the first overall pick. According to Ayton, he already knows that he’s going to be the first overall pick.
“I know I’m going No. 1,” he told reporters.
“Nobody told me,” he said. “That’s just me. I think I deserve that. I’ve worked hard.”
It’s very possible that Ayton is 100 percent correct. Devin Booker and Josh Jackson were both on hand to see Ayton’s private workout. The Suns owner, Robert Sarver, is also a big fan of the University of Arizona fan. Now on the flip side, the Suns did hire Doncic’s European coach Igor Kokoskov. With Ayton ending his workouts entirely, it may be fair to assume that he is going first overall.
Ayton has high expectations for himself and really likes the fact that he will get to pair with Devin Booker.
“Shaq and Kobe 2.0.”
“We could really make something happen in Phoenix,” Ayton said. “We could really have a spark and start a winning legacy.”
As a prospect, Ayton has been regarded as a really athletic center who can really score the ball. His defensive prowess is questioned to a large degree and just may never be a great rim protector. How valuable can a center be if he can’t protect the rim? This is a question that causes some concern if I were making the pick. Would the Suns be better if they took Doncic and signed Clint Capela in free agency?
