McDonough: With four-player 2018 NBA Draft class, Suns addressed needs

PHOENIX – Entering the 2018 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns had needs they wanted to address — namely at center, at point guard and in upgrading their three-point shooting.

With the additions of Arizona center Deandre Ayton (first overall), Villanova forward Mikal Bridges (10th), point guard Elie Okobo of France (31st) and Colorado guard George King (59th), the Suns believe they did just that, while also maintaining roster flexibility.

“If you look at it in totality — all four picks — we have a point guard in Okobo, we have a 2/3 in King, a 3/4 in Bridges and a 5 in Deandre Ayton,” GM Ryan McDonough said Thursday. “We like that as well; just the positional balance and the opportunity for those guys to grow and advance together.”

McDonough explained “there were no surprises” with Ayton, who became the first-ever No. 1 pick in Suns franchise history.

“He was first on our board coming into the workout and then he blew us away in the workout which, I think, you guys probably gathered from my tone. I’m usually pretty stoic, but I was watching the workout and (thinking), like, this incredible,” McDonough said.

The Suns also had the 16th pick, though McDonough mentioned they wanted to move up and had conversations with several teams in an attempt to land a second top-10 pick. Their target was Bridges, who McDonough called “the perfect 3-and-D forward”.

Bridges, however, was taken 10th by the Philadelphia 76ers.

“They drafted Mikal, I think, with the intention of keeping him and then we said, ‘Hey, look, that’s our guy. Let’s keep this conversation going,'” McDonough said. “And then they called us back, I think, when they figured out Zhaire Smith would be there at 16. They called us back and asked if we still had interest and we did, so that’s the way the deal got done.”

So the Suns and Sixers swapped players with the Suns including arguably their best asset as part of the deal, an unprotected 2021 first-round draft pick acquired from Miami.

“Which could be a good pick, it may not be. It’s three years out,” McDonough said, adding Bridges was well worth the high price.

“We’d look at consolidation of assets to move up for a certain player and Mikal Bridges, just with our roster needs, I mean, we need floor spacing and shooting — we thought with Deandre coming in in particular that was even more important — and we need defense and a guy who can play off the ball and be effective.”

Bridges, McDonough said, checks all those boxes.

In the second round, the Suns went after backcourt depth, highlighted by Okobo’s selection at No. 31.

“We had Elie rated a lot higher,” McDonough said. “He’s a guy who recently had 44 points in a French league playoff game. He really impressed us with his size, athleticism, shooting. He’s still developing as a player, but he’s made rapid progress over the last six months or so.”

Now the focus shifts to free agency, where the Suns “will be players” with between $15-$20 million in salary cap space, according to McDonough.

“We do need some veterans to balance out our roster, help teach our young guys how to play and help us win, hopefully help us win; put us in position to win,” he said.

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