The Phoenix Suns have added three gamers to handle their weak frontcourt within the final two days, they usually managed to upset the Boston Celtics whereas doing it.
The Phoenix Suns entered the 2025 NBA offseason with solely the twenty ninth and 52nd picks within the draft, however after buying and selling Kevin Durant and future property, they managed to choose tenth general, choosing Duke standout Khaman Maluach, and buying and selling the twenty ninth decide for Mark Williams.
The Suns, round Devin Booker, clearly wanted to handle dimension, they usually despatched three second-round picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves, together with the forty sixth decide on this yr’s draft, so as to add the thirty first decide.
With that choice, they added Rasheer Fleming, the consensus greatest participant nonetheless on the board heading into night time two of the draft. Nevertheless, they weren’t the one workforce with their eye on Fleming.
Based on ESPN’s Shams Charania, it was lengthy identified that the Wolves had curiosity in buying and selling the thirty first decide. The Boston Celtics, who held decide 32, wished Fleming, though so did loads of different groups, and the Suns ended up profitable the bidding warfare.
“I’m instructed the Celtics have been going to take Rasheer Fleming from St. Joseph at quantity 32,” reported Charania through the second spherical broadcast.
“So now the Suns have jumped to 31, and now they are going to be actually contemplating Rasheer Fleming at that choice. And that’s on the heels of, as you simply talked about, drafting Khaman Maluach final night time. After which, inside minutes, buying Mark Williams in a commerce. We all know the Suns had main points at middle final season. That they had points with their dimension. They’ve executed a very good job right here of getting two excessive upside huge males.”
Fleming initiatives to be a gritty, high-energy position participant for the Suns, they usually desperately need assistance with protection and capturing.
Whereas his outdoors shot just isn’t a assure, he was strong in school, and he performs with a excessive motor, which is required in Phoenix after a season of Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic.
Whereas Fleming possible would have landed in a greater developmental scenario had the Celtics picked him, he’ll play a big position for the Suns, and Boston ended up with a high quality participant of their very own.
Noah Penda, like Fleming, was one of many consensus greatest gamers nonetheless left on draft boards.
He shot solely 30.4% from deep within the French League, however he’s a high-level passer for a wing and can make shooters like Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and even Baylor Sheierman higher.
If he can add a shot of his personal, Boston followers will shortly overlook about Fleming and what might have been. For now, Penda definitely excels extra on protection than offense, however in France, he averaged a well-rounded 10.2 factors, 5.1 rebounds, and a pair of.6 assists.
Whereas he possible desires to play level guard, he doesn’t have the deal with for that, however he might be a do-all participant on the finish of the bench in Boston, which is the kind of participant each Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla are inclined to gravitate to.
