Suns' Nick Richards Rises in NBA Re-Draft

The Phoenix Suns made a bold move in the middle of last season acquiring big man Nick Richards from the Charlotte Hornets.

The Suns sent veteran forward Josh Okogie and three future second-round picks to the Hornets for Richards and a future second-round selection.

Richards began his career as the No. 42 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but HoopsHype believes he should have been selected higher. Richards was taken with the No. 25 overall pick by HoopsHype in their re-draft exercise.

"A bouncy big man near the basket with very good finishing ability near the rim, Nick Richards is an athletic 7-footer who can throw it down with ease, making him an excellent lob threat out of the pick-and-roll," HoopsHype wrote.

"Richards even got a chance as the Phoenix Suns’ starting center for the second half of this past season, though that wound up not going great for Phoenix, as the team missed the playoffs. Richards did all right as a starter, averaging 9.5 points and 8.6 rebounds on 60-plus percent shooting over 36 games."

The very next pick in the re-draft was No. 2 overall selection James Wiseman, so it's a sign that Richards has proven himself so far throughout his career.

Richards was thrown into the fire in his first season with the Suns, joining the team halfway through trying to pick up the pace and fit in amidst all of the chaos the team was dealing with throughout the year.

Ultimately, Richards proved that he could be the answer for the Suns in the long run, but that doesn't mean he will. Based on what moves the Suns make in the offseason, Richards could have a chance at being the team's starting center again for the 2025-26 campaign. If not, he should still play a key role off the bench.