Happy Tuesday! I hope your week is off to a good start.

I’ll get to the Suns below, but first, who are you pulling for in both the NHL and NBA Finals? Do you want to see Edmonton bring a Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993, or Florida win its second consecutive title? Are you pulling for Oklahoma City to win its first championship since its Seattle days (1979), or for Indiana to pull off the upset?

As an Iowa State alum, it’s hard for me to not pull for Tyrese Haliburton, but as a former Bulls fan (I grew up in Chicago, cut me some slack), it’s a strange feeling to get behind the Pacers.

Either way, I hope you’re enjoying both leagues, because this is the absolute best of both worlds.

On to the show!

Suns Mock Draft 3.0: How Have Things Changed?

We’re just weeks away from the NBA Draft, and the board has shifted yet again.

General manager Brian Gregory has his coach — now he’ll look to add to the team’s talent pool in a somewhat precarious position — drafting 29th overall despite missing the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2020.

There have been multiple mock draft iterations from various NBA talking heads, and if one thing is clear, it’s that the end of the first round is, well, very unclear.

Suns’ Focus Unclear As Durant Trade Rumors Swirl

The KD trade speculation is real, and it could have an impact on where the Suns are picking in the upcoming draft.

Theoretical deals have popped up all over the place: Durant could be on his way to San Antonio, and the Spurs own the 14th overall selection. What about a four-team mega-deal to the Knicks, in which the Suns would land a king’s ransom of future picks?

In fact, the PHNX Suns podcast recently discussed how KD is the top prize in the offseason trade market, and given how the 37-year-old superstar performed last season, it’s not hard to understand why.

If Gregory is able to strike a deal before the draft, that could alter the Suns’ first-round strategy (and rest assured, the team’s scouting staff is preparing for all scenarios).

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For the sake of argument, though, here the most recent mock draft updates, along with their current ranking in the Diehard Draft Guide (which you should definitely check out!)

• Will Gottlieb, ALLCITY: C Joan Beringer, KK Cedevita Olimpija
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 25
  • Previous projection: F Yaxel Lendeborg
• Jeremy Woo, ESPN: PG Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 28 (up from 33)
  • Previous projection: F Yaxel Lendeborg
• Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports: F Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 34
  • Previous projections: G Walter Clayton Jr; G Ben Saraf
• Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: G Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 32
  • Previous projections: C Maxime Raynaud; PG Tahaad Pettiford
• Kyle Boone, CBS Sports: C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 27
  • Previous projections: F Yaxel Lendeborg; C Thomas Sorber

Will Gottlieb’s Take: The Suns are still in flux as they determine the best path forward with regards to Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and perhaps even Devin Booker. Still, Mat Ishbia seems completely unwilling to do anything but go full steam ahead, so Beringer, a bouncy, rim-rolling big, should be able to carve out a role and provide immediate production that solves some of the Suns’ problems at the five.

Take a Deeper Dive: Make sure to check out the NBA Diehard Draft Guide — Led by ALLCITY draft analysts Derek Bodner of PHLY and Will Gottlieb of CHGO, this guide is your one-stop-shop as teams across the league gear up to reshape their rosters!

Note the Diehard draft guide is best viewed on desktop or tablet!

Nayled It: Josh Naylor’s 11th inning grand slam salvaged what would have been a horrendous loss, as the Diamondbacks beat the Mariners 8-4 despite blowing a four-run lead with two outs in the ninth. The wheels fell off after closer Justin Martinez left with an apparent injury, leaving the door open for a late-game Mariners rally.

Merrill Kelly was brilliant, scattering four hits over six innings while striking out seven, and Naylor finished the day 3-for-5 with five RBI, two runs scored and one walk. Arizona continues its three-game set at Chase Field against the Mariners tomorrow, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 pm (Dbacks.tv).

Satou Says: Mercury star Satou Sabally had some, shall we say, constructive criticism for WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert following Saturday’s loss to the Storm, lamenting the league’s schedule, which has increased by eight games over the last four seasons. Sabally implied this could be a factor in the next round of CBA negotiations, and since the WNBPA opted out last October, those discussions will happen sooner, rather than later.

On the court, the Mercury are back in action tomorrow night, continuing their Commissioner’s Cup slate against the 1-9 Dallas Wings (7 pm, Arizona’s Family / 3TV).

Omaha Stakes: The Wildcats baseball team (44-19) is set for its College World Series rematch against Coastal Carolina (53-11), as their four-team double-elimination bracket kicks off on Friday at 11 am AZ Time (ESPN). The bracket also features Oregon State (47-14-1) and Louisville (40-22), with the winner facing the victor from the other four-team bracket: UCLA, Murray State, Arkansas or LSU.

Go get ‘em, Wildcats!

Setting Up Next Season: The Big 12 champion Sun Devils women’s volleyball team released its non-conference schedule for next season, which kicks off on Aug. 29. Opponents include Northern Iowa, Penn State (State Farm Volleyball Showcase), Pitt (State Farm Volleyball showcase), Texas, Pepperdine and GCU, among others.

Is it next season yet?!

Tip Of The Hat By Branded Bills

Speaking of trade rumors…