The Phoenix Suns will be picking sixth in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Phoenix finished with a 19-63 record during the regular season, tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second-worst win-loss tally in the league. The team had a 14 percent chance of earning the No. 1 overall pick, tied with the Cavaliers and league-worst New York Knicks for the highest odds among teams with lottery selections.
The Suns had a 40.2 percent chance of landing a top-three pick, and 73.5 percent chance of landing in the top-five. They were guaranteed a selection among the draft's first 10 picks.
There have been multiple reports in recent weeks that Phoenix is considering passing on Zion Williamson — the draft's consensus top prospect and broadly considered a generational talent — at No. 1 due to the team's roster construction. Considering those rumors, missing out on the No. 1 overall pick is actually a blessing in disguise of sorts for rookie general manager James Jones and company.
Using the draft's top pick on any player other than Williamson is the type of decision that could have come back to haunt the Suns for years, and would have cast serious doubt on the team's decision-making process as it tries to rise from the ashes of years of rebuilding.
Murray State point guard Ja Morant is the player Phoenix supposedly wanted to draft ahead of Williamson, mostly based on team need. Indeed, the Suns were constantly beset by a lack of reliable play at point guard last season, and Morant would be a perfect fit in the backcourt next to Devin Booker while also further weaponizing the offensive game of last year's No. 1 overall pick, DeAndre Ayton. He's a no-brainer for Phoenix if he's still on the board at No.6.
If Morant is unavailable, expect Phoenix to scour the trade market while also evaluating Duke wing R.J. Barrett and Vanderbilt point guard Darius Garland.
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