Tommy Lloyd: Suns targeted Koa Peat long before No. 30 pick

PHOENIX — When the Phoenix Suns engineered a trade on draft night to vault into the first round, they had a specific target in mind.

The Suns packaged the No. 47 pick and future draft capital to strike a deal in a four-team trade, securing the No. 30 overall selection to draft Arizona forward Koa Peat. It was an aggressive move for a player who, despite a decorated career at Gilbert Perry High School and the University of Arizona, slid to the end of the first round mainly due to concerns over his shooting mechanics.

But to Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, the number next to Peat’s name matters far less than the aggressive pursuit by the franchise that traded up to get him.

“Koa is somebody who, to me, his value is a lot higher than actually the number he got picked at,” Lloyd said. “But that happened for whatever reason. Sometimes that happens to guys in the draft, but for Koa to end up in a situation with a team that really, really wanted him… it’s more important about the situation you end up than the actual number you got picked at.”

According to Lloyd, the Suns were working the phones to acquire the 6-foot-8 forward long before Commissioner Adam Silver announced the last pick of the first round.

“I know they started to try to work trades for Koa a lot earlier than the 30th pick,” Lloyd said, “but for them to finally get it done at the 30th pick, and they really wanted him.”

Peat joins a Suns franchise that is continuing its re-tooling phase under owner Mat Ishbia and general manager Brian Gregory. It’s an environment Lloyd believes suits Peat’s physical, blue-collar identity.

“The Suns are rebuilding and it looks like they’re rebuilding fast,” Lloyd said. “They want to do it with tough, hardworking, blue-collar kind of guys, and Koa fits that billing. For him to be able to stay in Arizona and play in front of his family, it’s a special opportunity.”

“They want to do it with tough, hardworking, blue collar kind of guys, and Koa fits that billing.”

Tommy Lloyd opens up about what the Suns are getting in Koa Peat and how Phoenix tried moving higher up in the draft to land the forward. pic.twitter.com/Ffew2Quydg

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The primary catalyst for Peat’s slide down draft boards centered on questions surrounding his perimeter shooting. Earlier in the draft cycle, Peat struggled with his jump shot at the NBA Draft Combine and footage of his adjusted jump shot form from Klutch Sports’ pro day drew even more scrutiny.

Lloyd acknowledged that the pre-draft process often forces prospects to overcorrect for their weaknesses rather than leaning into what made them elite in the first place.

“Obviously, I think the shooting was something that was questioned,” Lloyd said. “I’ve talked to a lot of people about that, and Koa had made big progress on that this year. Sometimes you get in this draft process and maybe you feel like you have to show things that aren’t your strength and prove to people you can do certain things. Maybe that’s not the case.”

To Lloyd, evaluating Peat strictly by his perimeter shooting ignores his primary strength: winning. In addition to four gold medals he won while representing USA Basketball at the junior level, Peat led Gilbert Perry High School to four state championships in four seasons. He then guided Arizona to Big 12 regular season and conference tournament titles before helping the Wildcats reach the Final Four for the first time in 25 years.

“If you’re doing this draft on impacting winning — and that’s where I like to start — Koa, to me, is a guy that’s a top-10 type pick. Definitely lottery-type impact for sure. I’m glad the Suns saw those things in him.

“The shooting is something that I’ve seen Koa work really hard at,” Lloyd added. “This might be a two-year process, and no one could be afraid of that. But during that two-year process where Koa is working on his shooting, he does so many other things well. If you’re that good of a player, why would you just focus on your weakness? Why wouldn’t you focus on all the good things you bring to the game?”

Beyond the winning mentality, Peat brings a unique mechanical toolkit to Phoenix. His size and lateral mobility give him the coveted defensive versatility required in modern NBA switching schemes.

“When you put somebody with Koa’s size and power that has the ability to move their feet the way he does — he’s so mobile — it’s a really unique combination,” Lloyd said. “He can guard bigger guys, he can guard smaller guys, he can give you different looks in ball-screen coverages. He can switch, he can get through ball screens, which you don’t see too many guys his size be able to do.”

Offensively, Lloyd points to Peat’s high-level passing and court vision as traits that are frequently undervalued when analysts fixate purely on his shot-making.

“Koa’s got incredible versatility, and he’s incredibly skilled,” Lloyd said. “A lot of times people attach shooting to skill in too heavy of a manner, because there’s so many other things to the game that skill players do. Koa’s ability to handle the ball and pass for his size and the force he plays with are really unique.”

While Peat spends his first days with the Suns handling an introductory media availability on Friday, his college coach is intentionally giving him space to breathe. Lloyd noted he has only exchanged text messages with his former star over the last few days, preferring to let the young forward step into his professional career without interference.

“I try not to micromanage,” Lloyd said. “I shoot little messages here and there, just checking in on them and sending little notes of encouragement. But these guys are men now, and they’re ready to attack this journey on their own. If they ever need anything here from me, I’m here for them.”

For a Suns locker room looking to anchor itself with reliable depth, Lloyd is certain they are getting a foundational piece of culture.

“The Suns are getting a first-class individual,” Lloyd said. “From the way he treats people, the way he treats his teammates, the way he reacts to coaching, the way he reacts to adverse situations — he always approaches everything with class. Koa is really invested in other people being successful. He’s going to take a mindset to the Suns, once he gets in that locker room, of ‘let’s win and let’s win together.'”

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