The 2023 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday, June 22, as both rounds are wrapped up in one night. As it approaches, TGH will be taking a quick look some teams’ draft strategies, and shedding some light on what direction they will go with their picks.. Here is the Phoenix Suns NBA Draft profile for 2023.
The Suns doubled down on their championship window by grabbing Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade. They finished fourth in the Western Conference with a record of 45-37, but lost in the second round which led to the firing of head coach Monty Williams. Next year, the Suns will be coached by Frank Vogel, who won a championship with the Lakers.
The Suns have one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Second Round (one pick):
Pick #52: Emoni Bates, F, Eastern Michigan
Bates is a player with some obvious weaknesses right off of the bat. He’s going to get pushed around a lot at the next level if he doesn’t add some weight to his lean frame, and there’s some issues with his maturity that the reader can look into if so inclined.
But, if there was any player to match up with a tall, skinny wing with a propensity to score, it would be Kevin Durant. Reportedly, the two even have a relationship with each other already. He shot over 40 percent on three-pointers while in school, and he has great handles for a tall wing.
If Bates takes the leadership of Durant (and maybe Paul) to heart, then this is a great fit for him. Regardless, the team that takes him should have a strong core to iron out some of his more hot-headed and ball-hog tendencies.
Stay tuned for more breaking NBA content, including offseason moves, contract updates and more news from every team.
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