Do the Suns Have a Shot at the First Overall Pick?

facebooktwitterreddit

The Phoenix Suns enter Tuesday’s NBA Lottery with a 0.6 percent chance at landing the first overall draft pick. There’s a 0.7 percent chance that they grab the second spot and a 0.9 percent chance that they receive the third overall pick.

The Suns’ most likely landing spot would be the 13th spot, 96.0 percent. They also have a 1.8 percent chance to swap spots with the Oklahoma City Thunder and fall to the 14th overall pick.

More from Heat Waved

The Suns have not moved up in the lottery since the 1987 offseason when the Suns moved from the seventh best odds up to the number two overall pick. Since 1987 Phoenix has been in the lottery nine times. Out of those nine opportunities the Suns dropped down on the draft board three times and held their position six times.

It is the fifth consecutive year that the Suns will have a lottery pick. The previous four lottery picks have gone as follows…

2011: PF Markieff Morris, Kansas (13th overall)

2012: PG Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (13th overall)

2013: C Alex Len, Maryland (5th overall)

2014: SF T.J. Warren, North Carolina State (14th overall)

With three of the four previous lottery picks still on the Suns, Phoenix is sitting pretty with holding a lottery selection this year in what is shaping up to be one of the deeper drafts in recent history.

Although there aren’t many glaring holes on the Suns roster as of now, they must improve their paint presence (but, what else is new?), add a complement wing for P.J. Tucker, and continue to gain veteran leadership.

While the Suns management can’t do the last point in the draft, the Suns can definitely address the first two needs in the draft. USA Today Sports has the Suns selecting small forward Sam Dekker from Wisconsin with the 13th overall pick.

Who knows, maybe the Suns can strike it rich tonight and land the first overall pick?

Here is where you can watch the NBA lottery:

When: Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Where: New York

Time: 5:30 p.m. MST

TV: ESPN

Online: WatchESPN

Next: Fantasy Football: Tight Ends 20-11