NBA Draft 2016: 5 teams in desperate need of a good draft

#5 Phoenix Suns (Requirement: Power Forward)

Will the Suns trust the high-flying Marquese Chriss

The history of the NBA drafts tells us that Phoenix Suns have often been prudent with their picks – be it Steve Nash (15th) in 1994, Amar’e Stoudemire (9th) in 2002 and as recently as last year when they picked Devin Booker (13th). They will be hoping to continue their affair with good draft picks, in their quest for a power forward to partner Alex Len.

Being fourth in line, they enter the draft in a pretty good shape to bolster their young squad, hoping to make it to the playoffs this time around, having missed out in the 2015-16 season. Suns might turn their attention to 18-year old Marquese Chriss from Sacremento, California.

Widely regarded as one of the biggest gambles of the drafts this year, Chriss offers a mix of skepticism and hope. Labeled as a late bloomer, the 6-foot-10, 235 pound American presents an intriguing solution to the Suns’ hunt. His great athleticism and enviable wingspan over 7-foot make up for his lack of experience and maturity. He came up looking the best in this season’s NCAA game against San Diego State, a team packed with elite athletes selected based on their agility and athleticism.

However, in spite of his promising abilities, many analysts and pundits feel he isn’t ready for the big stage yet. He lacks the maturity, physicality whilst trying to make up for it with enthusiasm and pace on the court. The real question here being, is he ready for the NBA? Chriss is eventually going to be snapped up at some point by a team willing to gamble on its picks and polish the youngster but, the important question here is, will the Suns dare to be that team?

Thursday night will throw up some of the most exciting talents in the NBA circuit and you can catch all the action in the early morning hours (5 AM) on Friday in India.