Suns GM Ryan McDonough: 5th pick affects our later picks
Jun 25, 2013, 5:58 PM | Updated: 5:58 pm
New Suns GM Ryan McDonough has offered very few hints in the past six weeks leading up to Thursday’s NBA Draft.
“My general draft philosophy is to draft the best available player regardless of position,” he said the night of the draft lottery when it was learned the Suns would select fifth overall.
McDonough hasn’t changed his tune since then.
Sure, there are players he favors over others.
Which ones? Good question.
McDonough chose his words carefully when speaking to reporters after each pre-draft workout, of which there were 12 held over the past month on the practice court at US Airways Center.
He did, however, present this bit of information.
“What we do at 30 and 57 will probably depend on what we do at five,” he said. “I think it can be difficult to bring in multiple guys at the same position or similar position as rookies. Sometimes I think they stunt each other’s growth, so depending on what we do at five that could affect what we do at 30.”
Wait, did McDonough just tip his hand?
Hardly. It’s just common sense, really.
“We ran into this one year in Boston,” he said. “I’m not going to mention the guys’ names, but other team’s have as well where they draft guys who are pretty similar and then really neither one of them get a chance, in my opinion. Some guy will play a few minutes here. Some guy will play a few minutes there. It’s hard to develop both of them if they can only play the same position. Now, if they’re versatile, can play a primary position, secondary position, then you might be able to develop both of them.
“That’s what I’m trying to avoid is drafting two guys,” McDonough continued, “even if you like both of them and they’re the best player at that range, then it’s hard to develop both of them at the same time.”
The Suns’ needs are many.
No position is off limits, including point guard where Goran Dragic is signed long term and Kendall Marshall was drafted a year ago.
“You guys know our team. You know our roster,” McDonough said. “We need some help on the wing, the 2 and the 3.”
