Phoenix Suns open to trading number one pick

The Suns won the NBA Draft lottery this week, but Phoenix have not ruled out trading the number one overall pick.

Phoenix finished 2017-18 with a 21-61 record and missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season.

Suns general manager Ryan McDonough told ESPN he would consider including the draft’s top selection in the right deal.

“We’re certainly open to [a trade],” McDonough said.

“I think if you look around the NBA, as far as the veteran players, there are probably a few players we’d consider trading the pick for … So it’ll be a busy month for us.”

The Suns are expected to select either Arizona big man Deandre Ayton or Slovenian guard Luka Doncic if they do keep the pick. Ayton averaged 20.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game last season while Doncic was a star in Europe for Real Madrid.

McDonough, however, said the team are still evaluating all of their potential draft options.

“I think people are jumping to conclusions, as far as there’s only one or two guys in the mix for us,” McDonough said. “There are more than that.”

The Suns fired Earl Watson in late October after the team opened the season 0-3 and assistant Jay Triano finished the year as the interim coach.

He was replaced by former Jazz assistant Igor Kokoskov in early May. Kokoskov coached Doncic in the European Championship in 2017.