Because the NBA Draft is based on regular-season record, we now know where the Phoenix Suns will be drafting in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Suns will be drafting No. 22 overall. This year’s NBA Draft will take place on June 26 (first round) and June 27 (second round).
NBA Draft tiebreaker results:
No. 21 pick: Milwaukee Bucks (pick will be conveyed to New Orleans)
No. 22 pick: Phoenix Suns
No. 23 pick: New Orleans Pelicans (pick will be conveyed to Milwaukee)
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 22, 2024
The Suns finished with the same record of 49-33 with both the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans and were awarded the middle pick between the three teams after tiebreaker results determined by a random drawing.
Despite a lot of misconceptions, the Suns actually do own first-round draft picks for this draft, in 2026, 2028 and 2030, just not their own, rather pick swaps.
In this case, the Washington Wizards could have swapped picks with the Suns (Bradley Beal trade), and then the Memphis Grizzlies could have swapped for the less favorable of the Phoenix pick and the Washington pick if conveyable (Isaiah Todd trade). The Wizards (15-67) finished with the second-worst record in the league, so they will obviously not swap with Phoenix and all three teams will remain where they currently are.
The Suns cannot trade their first-round pick until the day of draft.
Here are the full draft positions pre-NBA Draft lottery (the Suns have no second-round pick), per ESPN:
First Round
(Lottery)
1. Detroit Pistons
2. Washington Wizards
3. Charlotte Hornets
4. Portland Trail Blazers
5. San Antonio Spurs
6. Toronto Raptors
7. Memphis Grizzlies
8. Utah Jazz
9. Houston Rockets (via BKN)
10. Atlanta Hawks
11. Chicago Bulls
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via HOU)
13. Sacramento Kings
14. Portland Trail Blazers (via GS)
(Non-lottery teams)
15. Miami Heat
16. Philadelphia 76ers
17. New Orleans Pelicans (via LAL, can defer to 2025)*
18. Orlando Magic
19. Toronto Raptors (via IND)
20. Cleveland Cavaliers
21. Milwaukee Bucks
22. Phoenix Suns
23. New Orleans Pelicans
24. New York Knicks (via DAL)
25. New York Knicks
26. Washington Wizards (via LAC)
27. Minnesota Timberwolves
28. Denver Nuggets
29. Utah Jazz (via OKC)
30. Boston Celtics
Second Round
31. Toronto Raptors (via DET)
32. Utah Jazz (via WSH)
33/34. Portland Trail Blazers (via CHA)
33/34. Milwaukee Bucks (via POR)
35. San Antonio Spurs
36. Indiana Pacers (via TOR)
37. Minnesota Timberwolves (via MEM)
38. New York Knicks (via UTAH)
39. Memphis Grizzlies (via BKN)
40. Portland Trail Blazers (via ATL)
41. Philadelphia 76ers (via CHI)
42. Charlotte Hornets (via HOU)
43. Miami Heat
44/45. Sacramento Kings
44/45. Houston Rockets (via GS)
46. LA Clippers (via IND)
47. Orlando Magic
48. San Antonio Spurs (via LAL)
49. Indiana Pacers (via CLE)
50. Indiana Pacers (via NO)
51. Washington Wizards (via PHX)
52. Golden State Warriors (via MIL)
53. Detroit Pistons (via NY)
54. Boston Celtics (via DAL)
55. Los Angeles Lakers (via LAC)
56. Denver Nuggets (via MIN)
57. Memphis Grizzlies (via OKC)
58. Dallas Mavericks (via BOS)
*The Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns were forced to forfeit second-round picks for violating rules governing the timing of free agency discussions.
The Suns had to forfeit their second-round pick after being found guilty of tampering to sign Drew Eubanks in free agency.
Looking ahead to the draft, the Suns have their entire starting 5 (Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkić), Nassir Little and David Roddy under contract for next season with some additional players having a player option.
For that reason, it is hard to tell the team’s draft needs until after the playoffs, but based on what we have seen from playoff teams in the past, it would not hurt the Suns to be in the market for an experienced, defensive-minded wing that could slide right into their rotation.
According to ESPN’s current NBA Draft rankings, the No. 22 prospect is exactly that: Kevin McCullar of Kansas, a 6-foot-7, fifth-year senior regarded as one of the best defenders in college.
We will see what NBA mock drafts look like now that the order (outside the lottery) is set.
Right now, the Suns are focused on the playoffs with Game 2 of their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. MST. Phoenix will look to rebound from Saturday’s 120-95 Game 1 loss.
Devin Booker compares Game 1 loss to Timberwolves to last year’s first-round series vs. Clippers
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
