NBA Draft Lottery Didn't Do Suns Any Favors

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns, like the rest of us, were at home watching the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, where the Washington Wizards secured the No. 1 overall pick.

Still, their road through the Western Conference next season just got tougher as Arizona Sports' Kellan Olson highlighted:

"This outcome makes the West that much more competitive next season, as if it needed that. Jazz will add Peterson or Dybantsa to a strong core that should compete for a top-6 spot. Clippers win the coin flip to get No. 5 and will add a dynamic guard or Wilson," he said.

This outcome makes the West that much more competitive next season, as if it needed that.

Jazz will add Peterson or Dybantsa to a strong core that should compete for a top-6 spot.

Clippers win the coin flip to get No. 5 and will add a dynamic guard or Wilson.
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) May 10, 2026

Behind the Wizards are the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Clippers to round out the top five.

All of AJ Dybansta, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Darius Acuff Jr. are projected to be top picks — all of whom could contribute immediately to a team in the West and make things more complicated for the Suns.

The Suns do not have a first-round pick and are slated to have the No. 47 pick in the second round, which initially belongs to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Memphis Grizzlies own Phoenix's first-round pick this year, which is No. 16 in the order.

It's a major offseason for the Suns after a surprising playoff run, one that will challenge Phoenix's front office to make improvements and elevate the roster to actually make some noise in the postseason.

"Can we win more games? Can we win a playoff series? Can we continue to build in the direction of a championship program? That's what we're going to focus on," Suns owner Mat Ishbia told reporters at the end of the regular season.

"And so do we take calls about opportunistic trades and ideas? Of course we do. However, our massive, massive lean is: I like this team. I like where we're going. I like the direction of the organization. I like the culture that we've built. I like the identity that we have, and we're not going to do anything silly to mess that up. We're going to continue to lean in on that, and I think the fans will be proud of that, and we're going to continue to get better.

"We're going to build something special for years to come here in Phoenix, and I think this was the foundational first year."

While that's the goal, the road just got a bit tougher based off today's lottery results.

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