An expert offers insight into the potential targets of the Phoenix Suns in the NBA draft
DraftExpress director of scouting Jon Chepkevich shared his thoughts on the Phoenix Suns entering the 2026 NBA Draft in a recent Q&A with the Arizona Republic.
Q: Looking back at last year’s Suns draft, who else was interested in Rasheer Fleming, and who would he be compared to now in terms of getting more minutes?
Answer: Fleming’s pre-draft workout regimen was kept under wraps, with only his Portland workouts being reported publicly. It was also reported that he discussed with Charlotte in the NBA conference, which makes sense if they pick in the 29th, 33rd, and 34th. It’s safe to say he had wide interest in the first to early second round.
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I think a Trey Lyles-eque trajectory Fleming could look at is a realistic way to carve out a sustainable NBA career.
What distance would you give to the Sun 2025 draft class after a year?
Answer: Maybe a C+/B- for now, but I’m not usually one to grade a draft in just one year, as there is still a lot to play for in the next 2-3 years to better understand who these players will be in the long term.
What kind of player should the Suns be looking for if they end up using that second round pick (47th completely)?
Answer: The Sun is now clear, guiding the strong players, with defensive arrogance and competitive smoke.
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Who are the options/targets in that area?
Answer: At 47 picks, available prospects that fit this mold include Jaden Bradley (Arizona), Maliq Brown (Duke), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State), Dillon Mitchell (St. John’s), Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida) and Kylan Boswell (Illinois).
Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) celebrates at the end of the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at McKale Memorial Center in Tucson on Jan. 14, 2026.
Do you expect that the Sun will be as busy in this draft as it was last year in this year’s draft or not?
Answer: I’m sure they will do their best to test the market if interesting opportunities arise, but I don’t expect them to be nearly as effective as this.
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If the Suns are somehow able to get a first round pick on the roster they could get one.
Answer: That obviously depends on where it might fall, but I would equally expect them to look at opportunities that fit their aforementioned ownership, some of which could include (Michigan senior) Morez Johnson (center No. 1) or (St.
Michigan Wolverines forward Will Tschetter (left) and forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) celebrate after playing against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half of the semifinals of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026.
Did you expect more from Khaman Maluach this rookie year?
Answer: I probably expected more, but I wouldn’t sound the alarm bells. The team was much better than expected, and the power of the Mark Williams/Oso Ighodaro team (4-5 years old) pushed the very young Maluach into a developing rookie season. He is always a good bet to appear in the most promising episode given his physical profile, defense and invisibility.
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What do you think about the 1-2-3 Lottery and could this be a long term answer to the tank?
Answer: I like to see how it plays. It looks like it will at least be an effective short-term patch to prevent the worst drag under the hood, but I don’t have much hope that this is the long-term answer.
Have an opinion about the current state of the Sun? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly on Twitter, on @DuaneRankin.
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This article first appeared in the Arizona Republic: Expert offers list of potential Phoenix Suns draft prospects
