In the previous editions of Suns Sliding Doors, injuries have been a focal point for good reason. Often, the difference between a championship run and a disappointing season can be traced back to pivotal moments when injuries derailed a team’s aspirations.
However, today I’m taking a different perspective on the challenges faced by the Phoenix Suns. The scenario I’ll discuss may not have directly determined championship outcomes, but it significantly shaped the current form of the Suns team, for better or worse.
As it’s NBA draft week, let’s revisit some painful memories of past drafts gone awry.
2017 NBA Draft
Let’s rewind to the 2017 NBA Draft, where the Suns passed up on selecting a much-needed point guard, opting instead to address a duplicate roster need. Cast your mind back to the summer of 2017, which feels like ages ago though it’s merely seven years in the rearview.
The 2016-17 Phoenix Suns, under second-year coach Earl Watson, endured a challenging season. Despite drafting Dragan Bender, Marquese Chriss, and Tyler Ulis the previous year, the team only marginally improved from their 23-59 record in 2015-16, finishing 24-58, last in the Western Conference and second-worst overall.
Despite their record, that season was oddly exhilarating. The youthful team showed promise but lacked experience in securing wins. Devin Booker’s 70-point game, fielding the NBA’s youngest starting five, and pulling off four buzzer-beater victories among their 24 wins were highlights in an otherwise tough season.
The upcoming draft class looked promising, and with the Suns holding the second-worst record in the league, they were in prime position to draft talents like Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson, or De’Aaron Fox. The debate raged on regarding which positional need the Suns should prioritize, as is customary in such scenarios.
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I vividly remember watching the NBA Draft Lottery show at Buffalo Wild Wings in Chandler Mall, the same venue where I witnessed Booker’s historic 70-point game. Magic Johnson’s Lakers jumped ahead of the Suns to claim the second draft spot, leaving Phoenix to pick fourth overall.
As the draft analysis began, opinions divided among fans. Some advocated for selecting the best available player or athlete, while others argued vehemently for acquiring a point guard, indicating dissatisfaction with Eric Bledsoe’s fit within the team’s timeline. Bledsoe, then 27 years old, had averaged 21.1 points and 6.3 assists in the 2016-17 season, alongside 3.4 turnovers per game. With a draft heavy in point guard talent looming, trade talks involving Bledsoe were rampant.
Fans expressed a strong preference for Markelle Fultz, as evidenced by a Bright Side poll from 2017, with Josh Jackson ranking a close second in popularity.
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And with the fourth pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Josh Jackson, forward from Kansas.
Jackson was hailed as an outstanding prospect with dual-threat potential and exceptional athleticism. He received high marks across the board, with NBADraft.net awarding him a perfect score of 100. Most analysts graded the Suns’ pick favorably, buoying hopes among the fanbase that Phoenix had secured the draft’s premier athlete.
However, what followed became another disheartening chapter in Suns history.
Personally, I found myself frustrated and perplexed at the selection of Jackson. The Suns already boasted a starting lineup featuring Devin Booker and an Eric Bledsoe whose future with the team seemed uncertain. With TJ Warren occupying the small forward position and Jackson clearly a small forward by trade, the rationale behind drafting another player destined for the bench was baffling.
At that time, and increasingly so over the ensuing seven years, the decision to draft Josh Jackson seemed less logical. What the Suns truly needed was youthful talent at the point guard position. With Fultz and Ball off the board by the fourth pick, De’Aaron Fox emerged as the ideal candidate to complement Booker.
Yet, the post-draft saga unfolded unexpectedly for the Suns, leading to a chain of events they could not have foreseen and underscoring how selecting a point guard might have mitigated their challenges.
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Entering the 2017-18 season without a clear starting point guard after Eric Bledsoe’s departure, the Suns struggled to fill the void. The season became known for “Point Book,” as the team cycled through players like Mike James, Elfrid Payton, Tyler Ulis, and Isaiah Canaan in search of a solution. Ultimately, they finished with a dismal 21-61 record.
Had the Suns adhered to their stated philosophy of building within their timeline, the outcome might have been different.
Josh Jackson, while athletically gifted, did not fulfill expectations on the court and faced personal challenges off it, cementing his status as one of the Suns’ top draft disappointments.
As Evan Sidery reflected at the time of Jackson’s departure:
“During his tenure with the Suns, Jackson failed to live up to lofty pre-draft praise. Former Suns GM Ryan McDonough touted Jackson as the perfect complement to Devin Booker, a defensive-minded Swiss Army knife. However, Jackson showcased limited defensive versatility and struggled with inefficient scoring, quickly losing ground to Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mikal Bridges. When the Suns selected Cameron Johnson at No. 11 overall, Jackson’s eventual trade became inevitable.”
He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Jevon Carter, Kyle Korver, and a conditional second-round pick that failed to materialize.
The Sliding Door
If only the Suns had opted for De’Aaron Fox instead. Jackson was a serviceable role player, but Fox, drafted just one spot later at fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings, has since become an All-Star and All-NBA Team selection.
This isn’t to say everything would have seamlessly fallen into place. Numerous variables make it impossible to definitively predict outcomes. However, therein lies the essence of the sliding door—a moment where an alternative decision could have altered the course of history.
Choosing De’Aaron Fox could have set the Suns on a path towards sustained success. We saw the impact of pairing Devin Booker with a quality point guard when Ricky Rubio arrived in Phoenix. A similar synergy might have been cultivated with Fox. Immediate success wasn’t guaranteed, but the potential synergy between two former Kentucky backcourt stars could have sparked something special.
Alas, we will never know. The Suns opted for athleticism over necessity, showcasing a flawed approach to the NBA Draft under Ryan McDonough. This theme will continue as we explore Suns Sliding Doors and reflect on missed opportunities to address critical team needs in both the short and long term.
