NBA Draft 2018 Rumors: More Signs Are Pointing to DeAndre Ayton Being the Player the Phoenix Suns Take With the First Pick
The moment the Phoenix Suns won the first overall pick in the lottery, their fans immediately started trying to find an answer to one pertinent question, with that being "Ayton or Doncic?"
For those who may not have been keeping up with the latest draft news, in recent weeks and even months, two prospects, in particular, have emerged as the clear frontrunners to be taken first overall.
One of those prospects is DeAndre Ayton, a supremely talented big man who spent the past college basketball season playing for the Arizona Wildcats.
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The other prospect in question is Real Madrid's Luka Doncic, a dynamic guard who has been racking up numerous awards while playing overseas.
Both players are good enough that the Suns can't really go wrong by taking either one, but obviously, the franchise and its fans want the better of the two.
It will likely take years before one of those two prospects establishes himself as the better NBA player, but the Suns can't wait around that long as they need to make the pick on June 21.
The Suns still aren't saying who they will select, but recent rumblings are hinting that one prospect has claimed the inside track for being the number one overall pick.
AZCentral recently took note of who many draftniks had going number one overall in their mock drafts, and many of them went with Ayton. This is not a new development, but it means more now that the draft getting closer and closer.
That's not the only sign that the Suns may go with Ayton.
Over on Twitter, Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler was asked about who he's been hearing as the probable number one overall selection in the draft. In response, Kyler mentioned the aforementioned Ayton.
The Suns picking Ayton number one overall makes sense not just because he is a talented player, but also because his skills are seemingly tailor-made for succeeding in the modern NBA.
Similar to many other athletic big men, Ayton can dominate down low, but what sets him apart from the typical center or power forward prospect is that he can remain effective even when he's asked to work outside of the paint.
His jump shot is fundamentally sound and can be improved further with continued coaching and he's also able to make the right passes when defenses collapse on him.
The only things that have prevented Ayton from being the clear-cut choice to be the number one pick are concerns about his defensive intensity and possession-to-possession engagement, but those are things that can be addressed.
It doesn't hurt Ayton's case to go first overall that the Suns currently don't have a franchise big on the roster, so even from a team composition standpoint, the young center is a sensible addition for the team.
The Suns will most likely hold off on deciding who they will take with the number one pick right until the moment they need to make that selection, but at this point, it would be surprising if they do not draft Ayton.
