A lot of pundits believed the Phoenix Suns would select Marquese Chriss with the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft, but they instead went with European prospect Dragan Bender, who has received comparisons to Kristaps Porzingis.
However, the Suns found a way to pick up Chriss as well.
Phoenix has a deal with the Kings for the No. 8 pick, source tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 24, 2016
The Kings are drafting Chriss for the Suns, sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 24, 2016
Bender won't be given up in the process. As Shams Charania of The Vertical reports, Phoenix is trading Bogdan Bogdanovic as well as the number 13 pick for Chriss.
That 13th selection was used on Georgios Papagiannis.
UPDATE: Georgios Papagiannis will be headed to the Sacramento Kings as part of the earlier reported trade with the Phoenix Suns
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 24, 2016
Woj added that Sacramento will also receive the 28th overall selection from the Suns, and Paul Coro confirms that a 2020 second rounder, originally belonging to the Pistons, will be Sacramento's too.
Bogdanovic, who was selected by the Suns back in 2014, has been playing professionally in Turkey and is yet to make an appearance for Phoenix. Yesterday, it was reported that Bogdanovic would remain in Turkey for the 2016-17 season, but after being moved to Sacramento, he could change his mind.
Chriss rose up draft boards rapidly this offseason. As a freshman at Washington, he averaged 13.7 points and 5.4 rebounds as well as 1.6 blocks per game, a freshman record at the university. He has a solid shot for a 6'10” big man to go along with his terrific shot-blocking prowess; the only knock on him is his ability to utilize his frame to be a premier rebounder.
In the end, the Suns have ended up with two of the top seven prospects in the draft, according to NBA.com. Not a bad pull for a team determined to respond from a dreadful 2015-16 season.
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