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Takeaways from Phoenix Suns slipping to No. 4 in NBA Draft Lottery

May 17, 2017, 7:22 AM | Updated: 11:44 am

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)...

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

LISTEN: Empire of the Suns

Despite statistically getting the most likely outcome, Tuesday night was not a good night for the Phoenix Suns and their fans. The Suns slipped two spots in the NBA Draft Lottery to the No. 4 overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft, one of the worst-case scenarios. Phoenix was the only team to drop more than one spot in the lottery.

There are several takeaways from the night, both from looking at the Suns’ roster and the draft board.

The Suns won’t be getting worse next year 

While the Suns presumably won’t be landing potential franchise-changing point guards Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball, they also avoided the problematic situation of being at No. 1 or No. 2 and figuring out what to do with Eric Bledsoe after a career year at 27 years old.

Even with a point guard selection at No. 4, De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith Jr. aren’t the same caliber of prospects and wouldn’t be worth clearing out the position immediately. Unless there’s a differing thought process in Phoenix’s front office or the perfect deal comes across for Bledsoe, he’s here to stay for now, and with that comes the near-guarantee that Phoenix will be better than a 24-win squad next season.

Tuesday night after the lottery, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough addressed the speculation that went on for months of a Fultz or Ball selection and trading Bledsoe.

“This may bring some clarity to that debate or that dilemma,” McDonough said of landing fourth. “That’s not saying we definitely won’t draft a guard, we may, but we’re very happy with Eric.”

T.J. Warren’s future at small forward is more unclear than ever

With that likely Bledsoe conclusion comes the increasing possibility of the Suns taking a small forward.

Kansas’ Josh Jackson is likely going to be a top-3 pick, but with Philadelphia’s roster at No. 3 and the expectation that Fultz and Ball go in the first two picks, it could be a messy fit as noted in our mock draft. Beyond that, many experts feel Jayson Tatum out of Duke is the best forward and player available if Jackson is off the board.

McDonough discussed the talent at small forward.

“Especially in the backcourt and on the wing,” McDonough said of the talent in the draft. “Those are two areas [of] need for us, especially at the wing and I think there are a lot of good wings potentially available at No. 4.”

McDonough mentioned Jackson and Tatum as well as Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac while naming off every other player in top-10 consideration as well.

The fit for the skills of those three forwards aside, it’s no secret where McDonough is talking about playing those players with Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender and Jared Dudley coming back at power forward.

Warren was looking to establish himself across the NBA with a breakout season for two straight years after his rookie season, but foot surgery and a head injury brought that to a halt over the past two seasons.

Next season is his chance to do that, or at least it appears to be on paper. Does that change if the Suns pick Jackson, Tatum or Isaac? The 23-year-old is a fine NBA player and might be a great one down the line, but it’s crunch time for the first-round pick from 2014.

He’s eligible for a contract extension later this summer, and if Warren has to battle with one of those three rookies for big minutes or even his starting position, will he be content with that?

The Suns continue to have bad luck

The Philadelphia 76ers have done a terrific job of positioning themselves the right way for success in the lottery. They will also now be picking in the top-3 for the fourth straight year, something that takes a whole lot of good fortune no matter how you break it down.

Phoenix did their best this past season. They put Chriss in the starting lineup in the second week of November. At points they benched Dudley in favor of Bender. They didn’t play Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight for the final 25 games of the season and sat Bledsoe for the last 15 games of the season, going 2-13 in those games.

Despite positioning themselves very well for a top-3 pick, the Suns didn’t get lucky and in fact, were the only team to drop more than one spot in the lottery.

They haven’t had that luck in a long time. The Suns have not moved up in the draft lottery since 1987 and are still chasing that elusive first No. 1 overall pick. Even in this draft, most would have been fine with even falling one spot and remaining in the top-3.

Now, instead of guaranteeing one of Fultz, Ball or Jackson being available when they pick, they have to wait and see what Philly does at No. 3, and if Jackson is gone, there’s not a clear-cut fit for the roster on the board.

Maybe the Suns go upside and take Smith Jr. or Fox at point guard to run the second unit and be the heir to Eric Bledsoe. Maybe they prioritize the talent of Jackson, Tatum or Isaac over the potential problem it would bring for the playing time of players already on the roster. Maybe they trade back and take Lauri Markkanen for his shooting, Frank Ntilikina for his defensive potential or Zach Collins as the new long-term center.

Either way, the Suns are in a bind in the 2017 NBA Draft and it’s all because they couldn’t get lucky.

Follow Kellan Olson on Twitter

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Takeaways from Phoenix Suns slipping to No. 4 in NBA Draft Lottery