👋 GOOD MORNING

Happy Thursday! We’re just a day away from a long weekend!

I’ll get to the Suns‘ draft below, but first, it’s not too early to start thinking about this fall, because we have a New Orleans takeover on the calendar this September! NOLA is a special place, and you should definitely consider joining us — we’re offering packages for both three and four nights, and they include hotel accommodations, a lower level game ticket for Cardinals/Saints, and a whole lot more.

On to the show!

Mock Draft 2.0 — How Have Things Changed Since the NBA Combine Completed?

I knew it was too good to be true.

Just a week ago, before the completion of the NBA Combine in Chicago, multiple national analysts actually landed on the same player that the Suns should target with the 29th overall pick at the draft.

That picture has shifted, though, since the NBA’s top prospects completed their combine activities in The Windy City, and the majority of the national pundits have updated their rankings accordingly.

Suns’ Projections Change Significantly

There won’t be anywhere near a consensus since the Suns pick so late in the first round, so the scattered results below should come as no surprise. Here’s how the current projections stack up, and if it has changed since last week, and where they rank on the ALLCITY Diehard Draft Guide (pro tip — if accessing the guide, it’s best viewed on a laptop or tablet):

• Will Gottlieb, ALLCITY: F Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB
  • No change
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 28
• Jeremy Woo, ESPN: PG Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
  • Changed from F Yaxel Lendeborg
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 33
• Kevin O’Connor, Yahoo Sports: G Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm
  • Changed from G Walter Clayton Jr.
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 22
• Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: PG Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn
  • Changed from C Maxime Raynaud
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 41
• Kyle Boone, CBS Sports: C Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
  • Changed from F Yaxel Lendeborg
  • Diehard Draft Guide ranking: 24

Of the projections listed above, point guard Ben Saraf ranks the highest on the Diehard Draft Guide’s big board. The 6-foot-6 19-year-old is known for his playmaking, ball handling and ability to finish at the rim.

Kevin O’Connor’s Take: Saraf is a crafty, lefty playmaker who relies on guile, footwork and body control. Limited shooting and athleticism could cap his upside, but his positional size and skill could be hard to pass up at this point of the first round, especially for a playmaking-needy team like the Suns.

Take a Deeper Dive: David has been working hard to highlight mock drafts from around the NBA landscape, so bookmark this page and stay up-to-date with the latest projections!

Musings From Around (and Sometimes Beyond) The Valley

That’s a Bummer: The D-backs dropped the rubber match to the Dodgers last night, falling 3-1 in the final game against 13 straight NL West opponents. Arizona finished 7-6 against their divisional opponents during the stretch, essentially treading water while falling to five games behind the first-place Dodgers.

If there’s any consolation, starter Corbin Burnes pitched well, allowing three runs on four hits over seven innings while striking out eight. Ketel Marte’s fourth-inning homer provided the only offense for Arizona, which was 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

The Diamondbacks now travel to St. Louis for a three-game series beginning tomorrow before returning home for six straight, three against both the Pirates (May 26-28) and Nationals (May 30-June 1)

Check out our PHNX Diamondbacks postgame show!

Dur-aint Leaving: Kevin Durant trade rumors have been swirling for quite some time, but recent reports have indicated the Suns may not be in as big of a rush to move the superstar as first thought. Erik broke it all down on the PHNX Suns podcast yesterday, so make sure to give it a watch!

Stunning Loss: The ASU baseball team is one-and-done from the Big 12 Tournament after falling 2-0 to 12th-seeded BYU in their first round matchup yesterday. The Sun Devils appeared to be a lock for the NCAA Tournament just a few weeks ago, however, four straight losses have suddenly put that status in doubt.

Arizona State has not made the tourney since 2021, and if they miss out again, some have questioned whether manager Willie Bloomquist will return for a fifth season. I would like to call out, though, the team did finish fifth overall in the Big 12 regular season standings, so here’s hoping the Sun Devils are able to sneak in.

It’s Showtime: The Wildcats would be wise to take a lesson from that ASU game, as they face BYU in the Big 12 quarterfinals this morning at 7 am AZ time (ESPN+). If Arizona is able to defeat the Cougars for the third time this season, they’ll take on either No. 8 seed Texas Tech or top overall seed West Virginia.

It’s not likely that the Wildcats’ tourney hopes rest on the game, but a win sure would go a long ways to securing a spot in the dance.

Keep it Going: The Mercury improved to 2-0 on the season with an 89-87 win over the L.A. Sparks (1-2) yesterday, led by Satou Sabally’s 25 points, while Alyssa Thomas chipped in 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Phoenix is back in action on Friday at Seattle, where tipoff is scheduled for 7 pm AZ Time (ION TV).

Stacking Up: Where exactly does Kyler Murray rank among his NFL quarterback peers heading into the 2025 season? Our PHNX Cardinals crew highlights this in their latest episode, but while you come for the banter, stick around for the incredible interviews with James Conner and Michael Wilson!

🧢 Tip of the Hat by Branded Bills

Absolutely love Stephen’s analysis here.