Suns have history with mid-first-round picks
Jun 26, 2014, 7:27 PM | Updated: 9:05 pm
The Phoenix Suns have the 14th pick in the NBA Draft Thursday night — a familiar draft position for the Suns, which have had a pick in the 13 to 15 range in four of the last six years.
Here’s a brief look back at what the Suns have done with these picks and how they panned out in the NBA:
2008: 15th pick – Robin Lopez
• Lopez spent four seasons in Phoenix. He played sparingly in his rookie year backing up Shaquille O’Neal. His second season was his most successful in when he averaged 8.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
Injuries were an issue for Lopez throughout his time in Phoenix. He backed up Marcin Gortat and averaged 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game in his final season with the team. Phoenix traded Lopez to New Orleans and received Wesley Johnson and a future first round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three team deal.
2009: 14th pick – Earl Clark
• Clark never started for the Suns, playing in 51 games for Phoenix before he was sent to the D-league in March 2010. Clark was shipped off to the Orlando Magic with Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu in exchange for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, a 2011 first round pick and $3 million in cash. He averaged 2.7 points and 0.4 assists per game during his time in Phoenix.
2011: 13th pick – Markieff Morris
• Morris has steadily improved in his three seasons with the Suns so far, backing up Channing Frye. Morris started seven games his rookie year, averaging 7.4 points per game. He started 32 games in 2012-13 with 8.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. The former Kansas Jayhawk had his best season for the Suns last season, although he didn’t start a game, he averaged 13.8 points and six rebounds.
2012: 13th pick Kendall Marshall
• Marshall split time between the NBA and the D-league in his one season in Phoenix. He played in 48 games for the Suns, starting in three contests, and averaged three points and three assists per game.
The Suns traded Marshall, Shannon Brown, Malcom Lee and Gortat to the Washington Wizards for Emeka Okafor and a pick that ended up being No. 18 overall in Thursday’s draft.
