ESPN Grades Phoenix Suns' NBA Draft Haul

The dust has settled on the Phoenix Suns' 2025 NBA Draft, and rave reviews are pouring in.

The Suns, after dealing Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, acquired the No. 10 pick in the first round and ultimately took Duke center Khaman Maluach, a rim-protecting big who has room to grow before becoming a finished product.

Phoenix moved up to the top pick in the second round to draft Saint Joseph forward Rasheer Fleming, an energetic wing who should fit well next to Ryan Dunn. Their second pick, at No. 41, was Kentucky guard Koby Brea, who was one of the top three-point shooters in college basketball.

Overall, ESPN gave Phoenix a "B" grade:

"A Duke center fell to the frontcourt-needy Suns, who also strangely traded to acquire former Duke center Mark Williams in a deal graded separately," wrote Kevin Pelton.

"It's worth wondering, particularly in that context, whether Phoenix could have gotten the valuable trades down that teams just behind them made. But as Maluach was the top prospect on the board, standing pat made more sense for the Suns.

"Phoenix used future picks to move up to the top pick in the second round and No. 41. Teams were competing to take Saint Joseph's forward Rasheer Fleming, 12th in my stats-only projections. Fleming gives the Suns another quality shot blocker, this time with more range. Though Brea is another shooting guard on a team overloaded with them, Phoenix could use his shooting -- he has the highest skill projection as a shooter of any player in my database -- particularly if Grayson Allen is traded."

There were some serious question marks surrounding the Durant trade, though Phoenix did well in maximizing their return.

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