Phoenix Suns quietly signal draft intentions through prospect workouts.
One week. That’s all that remains until the 2025 NBA Draft arrives, and with it, the potential to reshape the direction of the Phoenix Suns.
As of today, with no picks exchanged in a Kevin Durant trade, the Suns hold the 29th and 52nd selections. The expectation, of course, is that a Durant deal could materialize before draft night, potentially moving Phoenix up the board and giving them a stronger hand in a pivotal offseason.
But if you look at the list of prospects the Suns have brought in for workouts so far, there’s little indication they expect to climb the draft ladder.
In years past, Suns pre-draft workouts were events unto themselves, filled with media access, post-workout interviews, and glimpses into how each player might fit into the team’s vision. You could sense the organization’s interest, feel the momentum behind a pick forming.
Roll that grainy Devin Booker footage…
Some teams are more transparent when it comes to pre-draft workouts, regularly inviting media to attend and interview prospects. The Suns, however, tend to play things closer to the vest. Access isn’t what it once was, making it harder to get a clear read on their plans.
As a result, we often have to rely on prospects sharing updates on their own social platforms. My preferred method of tracking? The HoopsHype Draft Workout Tracker.
Based on the latest updates from HoopsHype, using their aggregated mock draft ranking, here’s a list of prospects who have worked out with the Phoenix Suns so far:
What jumps off the board is this: not a single lottery prospect has worked out for the Phoenix Suns, despite earlier reports suggesting otherwise.
If the front office were truly locked in on landing a lottery pick in a trade, wouldn’t they be doing their homework? Wouldn’t there be interviews, evaluations, and on-court workouts? Something to give them clarity on who might be available and worth targeting in that range?
Instead, all signs point to a different focus.
At pick 29, the Suns are clearly zoning in on size. Power forwards. Centers. The message is loud. Maybe not shouted from the rooftops, but there if you’re listening. Ryan Kalkbrenner and Maxime Raynaud are the targets that have recently been reported. And this list showcases tat’s the direction Phoenix would like to go.
And at 52? That’s where the wings come in. And the point guards. Both will need to be addressed this offseason as the Suns look to fill the voids left by departing free agents. Time to cue up the film. Ryan Nembhard and Mark Sears just moved to the top of the watchlist.
They’re also casting a wider net, working out a number of players not projected to be drafted. Some, like Labaron Philon, had once flirted with this draft class before choosing to return to school. Others are longer shots — Summer League hopefuls, perhaps — but the intent is the same: build the pipeline. Know what’s out there. Be ready for anything.
This is due diligence in motion. And in the coming days, the workout list should expand. We’ll keep tracking it, and we’ll keep you in the loop.
Listen to the latest episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. To stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, or Castbox.
Please subscribe, rate, and review.