Phoenix Suns bring in four point guards for pre-draft workout
Jun 6, 2013, 9:00 PM | Updated: 9:34 pm
A year ago, the Phoenix Suns changed the look of their point guard position.
The team selected North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall with their first-round draft pick, shipped Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal and inked Goran Dragic to a four-year, $34 million contact.
A year later, the Suns may be tinkering with the position again — at least if the list of attendees of Thursday’s pre-draft workout means anything.
Phoenix brought four point guards — Michigan’s Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams of Syracuse, Miami’s Shane Larkin and Iowa State’s Korie Lucious — in for workouts. Combo guard CJ McCollum of Lehigh also participated. Burke, like Kansas guard Ben McLemore on Wednesday, worked out individually.
Suns general manager Ryan McDonough acknowledged that point guard isn’t a huge need moving forward, but he’s keeping an open mind heading into the draft June 27.
“We are comfortable with (Dragic and Marshall), but like I said when I took the job and that continues now, we’re going to take the best player,” he said. “So, with the fifth pick, we’re going to work them all out and if those guys are the best where we’re picking — obviously you factor your roster into it somewhat — but if one of these guys emerges as a clear best player at five, we’ll take him.”
Teams like Denver and Golden State had success in the 2012-13 season with lineups featuring two point guards on the floor. McDonough thinks that’s a trend that could grow around the league.
“I think there will be a lot of that,” he said. “Most teams, us included, feel like you need a secondary ball handler because a lot of defenses now will trap the point guard, whoever the primary ball handler is. When he gives the ball up, you need somebody who can catch it and make a play, otherwise the offense stalls out.”
