May 31, 2012
With the NBA draft lottery completed Tuesday night and the Suns locked in (sigh) at No. 13, as expected, it's high season for NBA mock draft prognosticators.
Experts seem to believe it's a relatively deep draft, so the Suns shouldn't be without some potentially attractive options at No. 13. And if you're looking for positive omens ... No. 13 has been a very, very good number for the Suns for lo these many years.
What's intriguing about their situation, of course, is there's so much uncertainty about the makeup of their roster -- starting with No. 13 himself. Suffice to say that this is a team needing long-term help at every position on the floor, meaning that there's no point in looking for any sort of consensus among the experts about what or who they're looking for.
Our good friends at FOXsports.com and NBAdraft.net have them going for Steve Nash's replacement (though we can't say whether it's "eventual" replacement or "immediate" replacement) in North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall, who is widely regarded as the best distributor available (and it's not even close):
"Marshall would be an excellent addition to an aging backcourt in Phoenix. Marshall's ability to create shots for others gives him a great deal of potential. He's the best passer the college game has seen in years."
Marshall got one other vote from our informal survey, coming from nba.com's Scott Howard-Cooper:
"Maybe Steve Nash leaves this summer, maybe he leaves in a couple years.
Either way, Marshall is a great distributor and defensive liability.
Sound like anyone you know?"
Here's a sampling of other predictions from around the worldwide web.
Sam Amick, SI.com:
Washington small forward Terrence Ross. There are rumblings that Ross is moving up the shooting guard ranks, and he could eventually be dynamic enough to qualify as the Suns' star for the post-Steve Nash era (whether that starts this summer or not). Ross, who averaged 16.4 points and shot 45.7 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range last season, is very athletic and more than capable of becoming a good NBA defender.
Sean Deveney: Sportingnews.com:
Duke shooting guard Austin Rivers. He is a leader and a fearless scorer, though sometimes that means ill-advised shots coaches would prefer him not to take. He will have to rein in his game in the NBA, but he can be a very effective combo guard, and is a potential star in Phoenix.
Jeff Goodman, CBSsports.com:
Rivers. Doc's kid can really score the ball -- and he's also got the swagger that's needed to be successful in the NBA.
Matt Moore, CBSsports.com:
Baylor power forward Perry Jones III. No need to play defense, paired with Marcin Gortat in the post, can run the pick and roll with Nash or whoever is running the offense. The Suns are uniquely set to develop Jones in a warm and supportive environment.
Jonathan Givony, DraftExpress.com:
Rivers. The Suns are in a serious transition phase, with many key roster pieces entering free agency, making it difficult to pinpoint just one area of need. Regardless of whether Steve Nash and Aaron Brooks return, their backcourt and wing rotation could use a serious upgrade, which could make a prolific scoring shot-creating guard like Austin Rivers very attractive here.
Steve Kyler, Hoopsworld.com:
Syracuse combo guard Dion Waiters. Solid combo-guard with good athleticism. Can play without the ball but is an instinctive scorer. Above average shooter with NBA range.
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--Dave Lumia
