Phoenix Suns land fourth pick in 2017 NBA Draft Lottery

The Phoenix Suns dropped out of the top three at Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery and will now pick fourth in the June 22 draft.

The Suns, who finished with the second-worst record in the NBA this past season, entered the draft with a 19.9 percent chance of landing the first choice and a 55.8 percent chance of a top-three selection.

The Boston Celtics, who own the Brooklyn Nets’ first pick, will draft first, while the Los Angeles Lakers and then the Philadelphia 76ers will make their choices before Phoenix.

Many consider this year’s draft to be very deep, and while the Suns may not get the chance to draft top prospects Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, or Josh Jackson, they will still end up with a talent such as Jayson Tatum from Duke, Dennis Smith Jr. out of North Carolina State or one of Kentucky’s Malik Monk or De’Aaron Fox.

This is the second consecutive year the Suns earned the fourth pick. They selected Dragan Bender in that spot in 2016.

Phoenix will have three picks in June, possessing their own second-round selection at No. 32 overall and Toronto’s 54th overall pick.

Devin Booker represented the Valley’s team at the lottery and was joined by Noah Smith, a special guest he invited on Friday from Navarrete Elementary School in Chandler.

NBA Draft lottery order

1. Boston Celtics
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Phoenix Suns
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Orlando Magic
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
8. New York Knicks
9. Dallas Mavericks
10. Sacramento Kings
11. Charlotte Hornets
12. Detroit Pistons
13. Denver Nuggets
14. Miami Heat

Suns top-5 picks in franchise history

2017: ???
2016: Dragan Bender, Int’l (4)
2013: Alex Len, Maryland (5)
1987: Armen Gilliam, UNLV (2)
1977: Walter Davis, North Carolina (5)
1975: Alvan Adams, Oklahoma (4)
1974: John Shumate, Notre Dame (4)
1972: Corky Calhoun, Pennsylvania (4)
1969: Neal Walk, Florida (2)

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