The NBA Draft can often set the tone for a good season for a basketball team. This time last year, fans of the Phoenix Suns were not too sure how the year has going to pan out. After all, the team suffered the poorest record in the Western Conference for the 2012/13 season and expectations were at a low. However, the team were a massive surprise and they just missed out on the play-offs.
This year, the team has three first round picks in the 2014 NBA Draft and they are looking to make the most of them. At the moment, these picks are sitting at the 14th, 18th and the 27th position but there is no guarantee that the Suns will be making all three selections. This is because there is a strong chance that the Suns will have traded away some of these picks.
General Manager Sean McDonough doesn’t think that he should be looking to bring three rookies to the team’s training camp. You can see why he thinks though because the team can still call on two great youngsters who are currently in the development. If you are looking for success stories from last year’s first round selection of players, you would have to say that Alex Len and Archie Bradley have been a big success. These players helped to freshen up the Suns and were integral to the much improved season.
The Suns are also currently dealing with the fact that Eric Bledsoe and P.J. Tucker are restricted free agents and although the general manager has stated he would do everything he can to keep the former player, the Suns may not fight too hard to retain the services of Tucker. There is also the fact that Channing Frye, who decided against taking the final year of his contract, is an unrestricted free agent and there have to be question marks over whether the Suns will be able to match the lucrative offers that Frye will receive.
The Hornets are looking for a boost in size
Another team with three picks, albeit with a wider spread, are the Charlotte Hornets and there is a need for the team to make some good moves this summer. For the 2014 NBA Draft, the team holds the 9th, 24th and 45th picks and with respect to the free agents who will be up for grabs in July, the team has over $16m dollars at their disposal with their salary cap.
One of the things that the Hornets need to focus on is size and this will likely shape their decisions at the Draft and in the month ahead. The Hornets managed to make it through to the Playoffs in the 2013-14 season but they were dismantled by the Miami Heat. While the Hornet’s two best players are 6’10 Al Jefferson (a center) and 6’ Kemba Walker (a point guard), they are considered to be a small team and even these players are small in comparison to the most highly ranked players in their position.
If you think that there are some obvious picks to be made or you think there could be a surprise choice at number one, be sure to check out the NBA Draft betting guide.
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