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5 Suns draft targets in 2024 NBA Draft - wings edition
With the No. 22 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns have a number of options available to them. Sure, they could package the pick with a player or their 2031 first-rounder to trade for a win-now player. They could potentially move up or down in the draft as well. Or, they could just keep the pick and use it on one of these quality Suns draft targets.
Each Thursday, we’ll be taking a look at five different prospects who could help Phoenix, breaking them down by position group. Last week, we went through Suns draft targets at the center spot, and this week, we’ll be shifting to wings and forwards.
There’s no doubt that finding bigger, defensive-minded wings should be a priority for the Suns this offseason. Adding more 3-point shooting never hurts, and Phoenix definitely needs to increase its 3-point output under coach Mike Budenholzer, but finding two-way wings who can guard multiple positions, knock down open looks, and maybe even help with ball-handling and playmaking should be the goal.
Bearing that in mind, let’s look at our top-five wing prospects who might actually be available by the time the Suns are on the clock at No. 22.
Suns draft targets: 5. Kyshawn George, Miami
At 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Kyshawn George has the size and length to be effective at the next level as one of the better shooters in the draft class. In his lone season with the Hurricanes, the 20-year-old wing from Switzerland drilled 40.8 percent of his 3s, taking 4.2 of them a night.
A whopping 68.4 percent of his shots came from behind the 3-point line, according to Hoop-Math, and George was clearly comfortable launching from deep. He shot 42.7 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s, which ranked in the 92nd percentile of college basketball, but he was just as assured letting it fly off the bounce:
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The confidence and high release point obviously help George as a 3-point shooter and put him in some intriguing company, but he also displayed some playmaking feel. His 7.6 points and 2.2 assists in 23.0 minutes per game don’t leap off the page by any means, but George’s 16.3 percent assist rate is indicative of the type of secondary creator he could become within the flow of an NBA offense.
He’s not the next great point forward, but George grew up playing point guard until he hit a growth spurt, and he clearly has the handles, vision and feel for the game to distribute when called upon, finding his rollers with bounce passes or firing lasers to 3-point shooters in the corners:
George has upside based on his size, undeniable shooting prowess and playmaking ability, but he still has a ways to go before becoming a serviceable rotation player in the pros. He’s not the most explosive athlete, which hinders his ability to finish around the basket. Nearly 91 percent of his shot attempts came from 3-point range or at the rim, which is a great shot profile, but he only shot 57.1 percent at the basket, and he created more than 83 percent of those looks for himself.
George still has a lot to prove at the next level, and it’ll start with getting stronger — on the offensive end, to be a more effective and physical driver, and on the defensive end, to be able to handle bigger, stronger wings. Perhaps his length could be harnessed as more of a backcourt stopper, but he’ll have to improve his lateral quickness in that case.
NBA Draft experts seem to be divided on where he could end up, with some projecting him in the late teens or mid-20s, Yahoo! Sports’ Krysten Peek and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman having him as high as the late lottery, and The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor and The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie putting him in the late first round/early second round. ESPN’s latest mock draft on June 11 has him going to the Suns at No. 22 as the “pick that gets the best value” at that point in the draft.
4. Johnny Furphy, Kansas
Earning Bill Self’s confidence is not easy for a freshman, but Johnny Furphy seemed up to the task in his lone year at Kansas. The 19-year-old wing from Melbourne, Australia, averaged 9.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.9 steals in 24.1 minutes per game while shooting 46.6 percent overall for the Jayhawks.
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From the dozen mock drafts we sampled, Furphy’s draft range was typically in the 20s, with some going as high as No. 18 and his lowest projection coming in at No. 32. He could be gone by the time the Suns are on the clock at No. 22, but if he’s still there, Furphy is worth a look as a movement shooter who possesses great size.
Furphy’s greatest attribute — and one that could help him contribute on the offensive end for a team like Phoenix — is his knack for making himself available off the ball. Whether it was on baseline cuts to the dunker spot or freeing himself up for open 3s, Furphy is constantly moving and locating weak spots in the defense for easy looks.
According to Hoop-Math, Furphy shot an impressive 80 percent at the rim in his one collegiate season, and he took 29.1 percent of his shots from that area of the floor. He was assisted on 75 percent of his made buckets at the rim, but he displayed an ability to finish some nifty, acrobatic layups below the rim. Furphy also showed he could put the ball on the floor with either hand, often taking defenders by surprise with how naturally he drove to his left and before creatively finishing with either hand.
In any case, the Suns don’t need their rookie to create for himself; they need someone who can space the court and probe the defense for openings when opponents focus too much on the Big 3. Furphy can do that as a 3-point shooter who took 60.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Altogether, nearly 90 percent of Furphy’s shot attempts came from either 3-point range or at the rim.
That is the exact type of shot profile the Suns need more of, and although Furphy only made 35.2 percent of his 3.8 long-range attempts per game, his ability to set himself up off movement with sharp footwork for quick releases is an undeniable NBA skill. His form is smooth enough to believe the percentages will follow suit, and at 6-foot-9, he’s got the requisite size to get his shot off cleanly at the next level.
Furphy isn’t a finished product by any means given his age, but it’s easy to see how he projects at the next level due to his positional size, his baseline as an effective movement shooter off screens and handoffs, and his ability to finish around the basket. He hustles in transition for easy jams, he makes quick decisions as a playmaker with crisp passes, and he has a nose for the ball defensively, getting his hands on it to get steals, blocks and deflections you wouldn’t expect.
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The defensive end is where he’ll have to prove he can hold up. Furphy is regularly in stance and engaged, but he often used his size to make up for his relative lack of lateral mobility and length (his wingspan is only 6-foot-8). That was on full display in a March matchup with Baylor, where he was targeted by ball-handlers until Self finally pulled him in the second half.
He’ll have to get stronger to prove he can stay on the floor defensively, and developing a bit of an in-between game between 3s and shots at the rim would help too. Furphy could be a bit of a project, but his ceiling as a shooter and play-finisher with size means he could become a pretty effective NBA rotation player in time.
3. Baylor Scheierman, Creighton
Go ahead and make your jokes about how he’s a classic James Jones pick given that he’s already 23 years old and will turn 24 before his rookie season begins! That’s okay. Because Baylor Scheierman brings the size, shooting, rebounding and connective passing that any team should value near the end of the first round.
Scheierman has been one of the highest risers during the pre-draft process thanks to the way he showed out at the NBA Draft Combine, particularly during the 5-on-5 showcase where his shooting, playmaking and leadership shined. He’s gone from a second-round prospect to a late first-round candidate, which means there’s a good chance he’ll be on the board by the time the Suns’ 22nd overall pick rolls around.
More than likely, Phoenix will have better options to choose from, but Scheierman’s value as one of the best shooters in the draft shouldn’t be overlooked. As a senior at Creighton, the 6-foot-6 wing drilled 38.1 percent of a staggering 8.1 long-range attempts per game. Off the ball, off the dribble, off movement, off handoffs — it didn’t matter. Scheierman was going to get 3s up, and a lot of them were going to fall.
Sure, his shot looks a little unorthodox with the way this southpaw turns his body sideways so his left foot is always leading the way, but the results are undeniable.
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If anything, his unexpected release might even make him more dangerous, since he doesn’t have to be squared up to the basket or have his feet set in order to launch. And this dude has got range.
The sheer volume of attempts from deep impacted his field-goal percentage (44.8 percent), since nearly 60 percent of his attempts came from beyond the arc, but Scheierman was more than just a spot-up shooter from distance. As a scorer, he’s capable of putting the ball on the floor to punish hasty closeouts to the 3-point line, and he’s got a well-rounded pull-up game and a pretty floater he likes to use before getting into the teeth of the defense.
His 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 0.9 steals in 36.8 minutes per game indicate he can do a lot more than just shoot, with the rebounding and passing standing out in particular for a wing his size.
As a playmaker, Scheierman is the type of connective tissue any offense could use. He can make plays in the pick-and-roll, and he makes quick, zippy passes to find open teammates and keep the offense humming.
The biggest drawback is Scheierman’s lack of burst and athleticism, but it’s worth noting that he was still able to convert 63 percent of his shots at the rim despite that hurdle thanks to his 6-foot-8 wingspan. He’s a solid defender who puts in the work on that end, but that defensive mobility will obviously be put to a whole different kind of test at the next level.
If he can just hang defensively, Scheierman is another quality plug-and-play, 3-point shooting option worth a look. He doesn’t address the Suns’ chief concern on the wing — adding bigger defenders — but you can never have too many wings or too much shooting on an NBA roster.
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2. Jaylon Tyson, California
Jaylon Tyson is one of the few players on either of our draft lists who has been confirmed to work out for the Suns so far, and over the last few weeks, he’s risen up a few draft boards from projected second-round pick to a late first-rounder. He’d still feel like a bit of a reach at No. 22, but if Phoenix likes him and can’t find a way to trade down, you take the guy you like and live with the results.
At 6-foot-7, with a 6-foot-8 wingspan, this 21-year-old out of Cal put up 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks in 34.4 minutes per game as a junior. He shot 46.5 percent overall, including 36 percent from 3 on 4.5 attempts per game. Every draft prospect’s highlights are going to look good, but the highs are really high for a hooper of this caliber:
True enough, there have been plenty of cautionary tales about high-volume scorers failing to translate to the NBA level. There’s a chance Tyson lacks the quickness to separate himself as a three-level scorer in the pros, and it’s hard to tell which extreme he leans toward. When he’s cooking, he’s cooking:
- Feb. 24 vs. Oregon: 27 points, 1 assist, 11-23 FG, 1-4 3P, W
- Feb. 17 @ Washington: 28 points, 6 assists, 11-20 FG, 2-6 3P, W
- Feb. 7 vs. USC: 27 points, 3 assists, 10-15 FG, 4-5 3P, W
- Jan. 20 vs. Washington State: 30 points, 5 assists, 10-23 FG, 1-4 3P, W
- Jan. 10 vs. Colorado: 30 points, 2 assists, 10-15 FG, 3-5 3P, W
But when he’s not, he’s capable of some real stinkers, with these serving as just a few examples:
- March 2 @ Utah: 7 points, 3 assists, 2-11 FG, 0-2 3P, L
- Feb. 22 vs. Oregon State: 7 points, 5 assists, 3-15 FG, 1-4 3P, W
- Feb. 1 @ Arizona: 10 points, 4 assists, 5-14 FG, 0-1 3P, L
- Jan. 18 vs. Washington: 17 points, 2 assists, 6-18 FG, 2-5 3P, L
- Nov. 20 vs. UTEP: 15 points, 2 assists, 4-13 FG, 1-5 3P, L
Between his size, impressive handle, individual shot creation and ability to make high-value reads, there’s still a lot to like here.
Watching him play, there’s no doubt about Tyson’s ability to create his own offense. His ball-handling and footwork are both impressive, featuring an array of crossovers, rip-throughs, hesitation moves and step-backs that allow him to create separation on his drives and his jumpers. He’s not overly quick, but he’s sharp in his execution, helping him get to his spots:
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However, that same predilection for predetermining his moves holds him back as playmaker at times. He committed nearly the same number of turnovers (3.1 per game) as assists (3.5 per game) with the Golden Bears, often trying to force the issue by squeezing passes through tight windows.
He’s obviously capable of throwing some jaw-dropping dimes when he doesn’t already have it in his mind what he wants to do, but it wasn’t often enough to feel completely assured about his feel for that area of the game:
Tyson is a smooth operator when his shot is falling, but his streakiness could be an issue. He was asked to do a ton at Cal, so perhaps doing less at the next level will help iron out some of those efficiency problems, but his shooting numbers have to improve across the board.
According to Hoop-Math, Tyson took 44.4 percent of his shots at the rim and was assisted on only 28.7 percent of his made baskets at the rim, indicating his ability to get downhill and create for himself. But he only shot 57.5 percent at the rim, which points to his lack of speed and burst as a driver despite his willingness to embrace contact.
Tyson is similar to the Big 3 with his shot creation and love for the midrange, with 26.4 percent of his shots coming on 2-point jumpers. But unlike the Midrange AssaSuns, he wasn’t very efficient on those looks, hitting them at a 39.7 percent clip.
The good news is he showed some promise in being able to play off the ball too. Only 50 percent of his 3-point makes were assisted, speaking once again to his team’s need for him to self-create, but he also knocked down 38 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s:
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If Tyson can get used to spending more time off the ball, scale down his offense to increase his efficiency and carry over some of the tough shot-making, he stands a good chance of becoming a sleeper pick late in the first round. He’s got the size and defensive skills to guard multiple positions and be an asset on that end. Tyson is switchable on the ball and active off the ball, and he’d be helpful on the glass too.
1. Tristan da Silva, Colorado
There’s a very good chance Tristan da Silva is off the board by the time Phoenix is on the clock. The overwhelming majority of mock drafts over the last month have him going somewhere in the 16-20 range, just a few picks before the Suns at No. 22. ESPN’s latest mock draft from Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo noted that “most every team” in the 12-18 range has shown some level of interest.
However, nothing is set in stone until draft night, and if da Silva somehow slides a few spots, Phoenix should take a good, hard look at this plug-and-play forward out of Colorado.
He may be 23 years old already, but da Silva fits the profile of what the Suns need in terms of a bigger, 3-and-D wing who’s ready to contribute on a playoff contender right away.
Thanks to his 6-foot-9 frame and and 6-foot-10 wingspan, da Silva has the requisite size and positional versatility to bolster Phoenix’s wing rotation, but he also has a well-rounded skill-set that could help in a few key areas.
Like many of the Suns draft targets on our list, da Silva is one of the better shooters in the draft class, shooting 38.6 percent from deep over his four years with the Buffaloes, including a career-high 39.5 percent last season on 4.8 attempts per game. He’s got a fluid, beautiful-looking stroke that feels effortless with the way the ball splashes through the net:
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But da Silva is not just a spot-up shooter, since only 40.5 percent of his shot attempts came from behind the arc, per Hoop-Math. He moves well off the ball as a cutter, scoping out opportunities to seal off defenders for easy finishes and showing some creativity around the rim. da Silva just has an impressive feel for the game, though his 61 percent shooting at the rim could stand to improve a bit.
Unlike some of the other names on our list, da Silva is not limited to shots at the rim or 3s alone: Interestingly enough, a whopping 28.8 percent of his shot attempts came on 2-point jumpers, and he made an impressive 50.4 percent of those looks.
As a passer, da Silva’s 2.4 assists per game won’t leap off the page, but they were a good showcase for how well he processes and thinks the game. Whether it was in the pick-and-roll, in transition or just probing a defense on drives, he knows how to draw in an extra defender before delivering a gorgeous wrap-around pass with either hand to the open man:
Defensively, da Silva displays the same level of basketball IQ and feel for the game, even if he’s not the most spectacular athlete. He has good awareness within the context of the team defense, he’s sufficient on the ball against other players at his position, and he averaged 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game last season.
Da Silva is not without his shortcomings, of course. His efficiency around the rim could be limited by his lack of vertical explosiveness. He’s not the best rebounder or lob threat, all of which could limit his positional versatility when it comes to small-ball lineups. If he’s unable to log occasional minutes as a small-ball 5, he’ll have to definitively prove he can stick with NBA wings and forwards.
All in all, though, da Silva’s 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks in 34.0 minutes per game on 49.3 percent shooting speak to how he can help a team in multiple facets. His age could mean a relatively lower ceiling compared to some of the projects on the board, but da Silva’s higher floor makes him a safe bet to make an immediate two-way impact.
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