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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Doug Haller discuss the NBA lottery and the ASU football quarterback situation.
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azcentral sports’ Doug Haller and Dan Bickley discuss Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery, in which the Suns fell to the No. 4 overall pick, at Talking Stick Resort Arena. David Kadlubowski/azcentral sports
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Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough discusses the Suns earning the No. 4 overall selection in next month’s draft at the team’s NBA draft lottery party at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Tuesday. David Kadlubowski/azcentral sports
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley talk NBA lottery picks and a team that might be eyeing the Diamondbacks’ Zack Greinke.
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With a top-five pick and five players with star potential, the Suns are in a good place. But how has each selection shown success?
Wochit
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Suns star guard Devin Booker went to Navarrete Elementary School to surprise student Noah Smith with a trip to the NBA draft lottery in New York City on Friday. Patrick Breen/azcentral sports
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LaVar Ball won’t affect whether the Lakers select his son Lonzo in the upcoming NBA draft, Lakers president Magic Johnson told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman.
Time_Sports
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Lonzo Ball’s signature shoes garnered a lot of attention when they were first released. But the sales numbers suggest the sneakers aren’t selling as well as the Big Baller Brand would like.
USA TODAY Sports
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As the Suns look to rebuild through the NBA draft, they are looking to Golden State and Oklahoma City as examples of how to do it right.
Wochit
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Doug Haller discuss how Boston Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas has become one of the best players in the NBA and who the Suns want in the NBA draft.
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley talk about the possibility of the NBA draft lottery is rigged and an updated on Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington on Friday. Diana Payan/azcentral
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley discuss the Rockets’ explosion against the Spurs and a possible pitching implosion for the Diamondbacks.
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The Suns are guaranteed to have a Top 5 NBA draft pick. Here are some players they could take.
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley discuss Kevin Durant and the Warriors as well as Zack Greinke’s start against the Padres.
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Several former Phoenix Suns players are in the NBA playoffs.
Wochit
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Take a look at the Suns players that have guaranteed contracts for next season.
Wochit
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Suns coach Earl Watson takes questions from the press at an end-of-season gathering at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Suns guard Devin Booker discusses the 2016-17 season and how his team can improve throughout the offseason on Wednesday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Video by Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Doug Haller sums up interviews with Phoenix Suns management and players at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. || Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Breaking down the top five moments in Suns guard Devin Booker’s season.
Wochit
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Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley disagree on the NBA MVP and share their thoughts on the D-Backs’ hot start.
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Suns guard Devin Booker discusses his 70-point game against the Boston Celtics.
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Shot Clock: Lottery therapy; ASU’s starting QB?
Doug Haller and Dan Bickley recap Suns’ misfortune in NBA draft lottery
Suns GM McDonough: ‘A little bit of disappointment’ but odds favored No. 4
Shot Clock: Suns fight AZ’s bad lottery luck
What can Suns expect with top-five pick?
Devin Booker surprises young fan with trip to NBA draft lottery
Lakers say LaVar Ball won’t influence decision on Lonzo
LaVar Ball’s shoe line has poor first week of sales
Suns look to emulate Warriors, Thunder in rebuild
Shot Clock: Ex-Suns player Isaiah Thomas shines
Shot Clock: Is the NBA draft lottery rigged?
Shot Clock: Rockets sizzle, D-Backs fizzle?
NBA mock drafts: Popular picks for Phoenix Suns
Shot Clock: Kevin Durant closer to a ring
Familiar faces: Notable former Suns in NBA playoffs
Notable Suns player salaries for 2017-18
Suns coach Watson wraps up season at press conference
Devin Booker: ‘I want to be a winner’
Doug Haller wraps up Suns’ 2016-17 season
Top 5 Devin Booker moments of 2016-17 season
Shot Clock: NBA MVP and surprising D-Backs
Devin Booker on his 70-point night
The Suns have the fourth pick in the June 22 NBA Draft. Their selection could alter the franchise or add to a youthful core already in place.
Azcentral sports has highlighted eight players within the Suns’ range. This is the fourth profile in that series:
LAURI MARKKANEN
Position: Power forward.
School: Arizona.
Year: Freshman.
Size: 7-0/225 pounds.
Age: 20.
NBA MOCK DRAFTS: Where will Lauri Markkanen go?
Last season: In his first college season, Markkanen averaged 15.6 points and a team-high 7.2 rebounds. He was among the Pac-12’s most efficient players, shooting 54.5 percent from inside the arc, 42.3 from outside and 83.5 from the foul line. In addition to earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors, Markkanen was a third-team AP All-American.
Why he makes sense for the Suns: The Suns need shooters — they ranked 27th this season in 3-point shooting — and Markkanen is among the best in the draft. He shot over 50 percent from 3-point range for most of his freshman season. Throw in his size, and he’s an attractive option for all NBA Lottery teams.
Why he doesn’t: Although Markkanen could play forward or center, this is not exactly a position of need. The Suns last year took Dragan Bender with the fourth overall pick and Marquese Chriss with the eighth. Both have yet to turn 20, and both are considered organizational building blocks.
Concerns: Like most young players, it comes on defense. “I don’t like his ability to defend away from the basket much, or inside, for that matter, against a bigger, stronger player,’’ Pac-12 Networks analyst and former NBA coach Mike Montgomery said.
Best comparison: Dirk Nowitzki and Kristaps Porzingis are popular answers, but that might be a bit lofty. Houston’s Ryan Anderson? At 6-10, Anderson has thrived as a stretch four in coach Mike D’Antoni’s system this season, averaging 13.6 points and shooting 40.3 from 3-point range. “Some people say Porzingis, some people say Nowitzki,” ESPN college analyst Seth Greenberg said. “Look, any of of those 6-10, 6-11, skilled frontcourt players he’s going to potentially develop into in time. But his skill level is so ridiculous and the maturity in which he carries himself is certainly unique. He’s going to be a really good NBA player.”
Bust factor: Depends on your expectations. At minimum, Markannen should be a solid role player with the potential to develop into an effective long-term starter. “When you can shoot the basketball,” one Western Conference scout said, “you’ll always have some sort of job, especially at that size.”
Quote: “A lot of guys when they go to the NBA Combine their physical measurements shrink. It’s like, ‘I thought he was supposed to be 6-10, but he’s 6-8.’ With Lauri, I think you’ll see it go the opposite way. He’s really physically big and gifted. He’s a true 7-footer. He really is. And then with his size, just how easy he moves. He moves like a 6-8 forward. To me, that separates him from a lot of others. And then his skill level, when he gets into the testing part (of NBA workouts), the shooting and all that, he’s really like a guard.”– Arizona coach Sean Miller.
More Wildcats: Ayton next in line as Arizona looks to replace Markkanen
More Wildcats: Will Kobi Simmons get picked?
More WIldcats: Arizona’s rich history in the NBA draft
Contact Doug Haller at 602-444-4949 or at doug.haller@arizonarepublic. Follow him at Twitter.com/DougHaller.
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