Last week, we looked at how the Phoenix Suns could trade up or down in the 2024 NBA Draft. This week, it's time to look at actual players they could target if they trade up or if the move down.

-Gerald Bourguet

Draft prospects to target if Suns trade up or down in 2024 NBA Draft

The Phoenix Suns could go in a number of directions on draft night. They currently hold the No. 22 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and there are plenty of guard, wing and center options to consider.

James Jones could also use the pick to move up or down, either packaging No. 22 with a player and/or the Suns' 2031 first-rounder to move up, or trading it to move back while adding an additional pick.

In the event the Suns trade No. 22, it's worth looking at a few draft prospects that could be worth moving up for, and a few more that should be on their radar if they trade down.

Trade-up candidate: Devin Carter, Providence

There is not a better point guard option the Suns could reasonably hope for if they trade up. Carter is arguably the best defensive point guard in the entire draft class, and at 22 years old, he's the perfect marriage of NBA-readiness while still possessing plenty of athleticism and upside.

Carter is only 6-foot-2, but he has an immense wingspan just shy of 6-foot-9, which helped him as one of the most tenacious backcourt defenders in all of college hoops. He's the type of aggressive point-of-attack defender Phoenix desperately needs, but he's extremely well-rounded, sporting an elite block rate and steal rate (both at 3.0 percent).

His incredible performance against Creighton, where he guarded the 6-foot-7 Baylor Scheierman and contested their 7-foot center at the rim multiple times, served as one of many examples of his elite motor, how easily he can switch onto bigger players, and how he loves harassing whoever he's guarding. No Ceilings compared him to an NBA Troy Polamalu for good reason.

In the shot clock era (1985-86 onward), there have only been 88 instances where a men's college basketball guard averaged at least 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, per Stathead. Carter accounts for two of them, and among that group are well-known stalwarts like Josh Okogie, Matisse Thybulle and De'Anthony Melton.

Carter may have more offensive upside than those guys as well. In his junior year at Providence, he put up an impressive 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, shooting 47.3 overall and 37.7 percent from beyond the arc.

That was quite a leap from the 26.7 percent and 29.9 percent he shot from deep over his first two years, but for those worried it was a fluke, Carter also drastically increased his volume, leaping from 3.5 attempts a game as a sophomore to nearly twice that at 6.8 attempts a night. His low and slow release could use some fine-tuning, but as long as he holds up as a spot-up shooter, Phoenix could live with that.

Carter took almost half his shot attempts from long range, and although his form is pretty unorthodox, it's hard to argue with the results. He also got to the rim quite a bit, with 39.3 percent of his shot attempts coming around the basket, per Hoop-Math. Carter was an effective finisher, using his strength and length to convert 64.8 percent of his looks at the rim. Most of them were below-the-rim finishes, but he created for himself as a downhill presence, with only 23.7 percent of his rim makes being assisted.

At the draft combine, the son of former NBA point guard Anthony Carter blew scouts away with his measurements and results in the max vertical jump, 3/4 court sprint time and pro lane agility drill. He's one of the best rebounding guards in the draft, and although he's more of a connector than a "true point guard" on offense, he's skilled in the pick-and-roll and doesn't need the ball to be effective -- a valuable trait next to the Suns' Big 3.

The Suns could use a backup point guard, but they don't need a floor general in the draft; they need someone who can play on or off the ball, knock down 3s, handle the rock occasionally, and tackle primary defensive assignments in the backcourt. Carter checks all of those boxes, even if he'll need to show more poise against double-teams.

The question is how far up the Suns would have to trade to get him. The Ringer recently reported Carter has received a promise in the lottery, and most mock drafts over the last month have him in the 8-14 range. According to Bleacher Report, the San Antonio Spurs are high on Carter at No. 8, while ESPN's latest mock draft mentioned there's buzz that "multiple teams" outside the lottery have interest in trading up for him.

Targeting the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7 or the Spurs at No. 8 -- two teams with multiple first-round and second-round selections -- would probably be the way to go if Phoenix wants in on the Devin Carter sweepstakes. But if San Antonio wants him, the Suns will have to find a way to climb even higher than No. 8.

Trade-up candidate: Cody Williams, Colorado

Cody Williams, the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder wing Jalen Williams, is the exact type of wing Phoenix would love to have, not only for the upcoming season but the long-term. The 6-foot-7 Colorado product can do a little of everything, projecting as a two-way wing who can put pressure on the rim, knock down 3s and potentially defend multiple positions thanks to his 7-foot-1 wingspan.

He'll need to get a lot stronger for that last outcome to take shape, especially since he's not an explosive athlete or leaper. But at 19 years old, Williams has a ton of upside. For the Buffs, he occasionally functioned as a point forward, though you wouldn't be able to tell from his 1.6 assists per game. He's got a solid handle for a player his size, is deadly in the open court, and even if his jumper is slower to develop, he can serve as a slasher, secondary playmaker and slithery driver in the meantime.

In his lone season at Colorado, Williams put up 11.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 28.1 minutes a night. He shot an extremely tidy 55.2 percent overall and 41.5 percent from 3, though the latter came on only 1.7 attempts per game. His ability to finish with either hand stood out, as he took 46.4 percent of his shots at the rim and made a staggering 73.3 percent of them, per Hoop-Math.

For Williams to reach his ceiling, he'll need to prove his rudimentary shot mechanics can translate into those of a shooter with legitimate NBA range. He doesn't have a pull-up or midrange game to speak of, and his self-creation needs some work.

Defensively, he'll have to add some bulk to his lanky frame in order to defend multiple positions at the next level, but the flashes are clearly there as an alert, smothering defender:

As a late bloomer, Williams is still raw at this point, which doesn’t exactly make him the ideal target for the Suns to sacrifices assets and trade up for. But there’s a reason he’s projected to go somewhere in the top-10 picks, and adding a two-way wing with potential as a multi-positional defender, auxiliary playmaker and consistent rim threat certainly wouldn’t hurt.

The problem is the Suns would probably need to trade up relatively high, since recent mock drafts have Williams going as high as No. 5, No. 7 or No. 8.

Trade-up candidate: Ron Holland, G League Ignite

This is another wing prospect that may take some time to develop, but Ron Holland is oozing with upside thanks to his motor, two-way potential and electrifying athleticism in the open court.

At 18 years old, this 6-foot-7 wing averaged 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game in his 14 regular season appearances for the G League Ignite, shooting 44.5 percent overall and 24 percent from 3. During their 15 G League showcase games, he put up 18.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per game on .474/.239/.682 shooting splits.

As one can tell from his shooting percentages, Holland needs work in the efficiency department. In a half-court setting, he struggled with his decision-making, committing more turnovers than assists and struggling to spread the floor as a perimeter shooter. He’ll have to improve as a spot-up threat, and his low free-throw percentage indicates that will take time.

However, there’s something to be said of an ultra-high motor with breathtaking athleticism, and Holland feels like the closest thing the NBA has to a special teams kick returner with the way he attacks in transition. He’s a coast-to-coast demon with a penchant for high-flying dunks that serve as basketball theater:

Holland's ability to finish at the rim through and over contact is noteworthy, though he can still improve in terms of choosing when to launch. He often leaves his feet too soon, leading to more difficult shots when rim protectors are in place to contest. Holland also needs to work on finishing with his left hand more frequently.

With that being said, his ability to create the vast majority of his opportunities was impressive, and as he continues to develop his off hand and evolve in his decision-making, that supreme leaping ability could make him one of the more frightening players in the league to challenge at the rack.

Holland's nonstop motor applies to the defensive end as well, where he uses his near 6-foot-11 wingspan and exceptional mobility to smother ball-handlers, shoot passing lanes and rack up chase-down blocks. He's quick enough to handle switching situations against smaller matchups, hinting at his capabilities of guarding multiple positions. If his offense catches up to his defensive ceiling, look out.

On both ends of the court, he's a little overeager, which means his constant motor can lead to mistakes on offense and over-aggression on defense. But having a kid who never stops hustling gives any team a solid foundation to build on.

Holland’s draft range seems to fall somewhere between 8-16 on most mock drafts, so unlike the first two prospects, there’s a chance Phoenix wouldn’t have to trade up as far to get him. He doesn’t address their more pressing issues for a bigger wing who’s ready to tackle primary defensive matchups from day one, but that’s to be expected from one of the youngest players in the draft class.

At the next level, Holland needs to prove he can function in the half-court, outside of transition opportunities, cuts and straight-line drives to the rim. But he’s got excellent size, length and hustle, with the foundational skills of an elite finisher, stifling defender and fledgling playmaker. All of that, combined with his immense potential, are intangibles that simply can’t be taught.

Trade-down candidate: Bobi Klintman, Cairns Taipans

Most mock drafts seem to have Klintman in the mid-20s to mid-30s, so if the Suns find a way to acquire an extra pick somewhere early in the second round, he could be a sensible target.

A 6-foot-9 forward from Sweden, Klintman brings positional size, shooting, transition prowess and defensive versatility to the table. The 21-year-old has a high floor for those reasons, even as he still needs to bulk up and improve his lateral quickness in order to boost his stock as a potential small-ball 5.

Even if he’s not the most switchable wing/small-ball big, Klintman’s length allows him to contest shots even when he’s beat off the bounce. His 6-foot-11 wingspan certainly helps there, though he’ll need to prove he contain the ball on switches against NBA-level competition. It’s one area where he occasionally struggled in the National Basketball League of Australia and New Zealand.

In 23 appearances for Cairns Taipans, Klintman averaged 9.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game, shooting 44.3 percent overall and 35.7 percent from deep on 3.7 nightly attempts. If his percentages follow suit with his free-throw numbers (79.5 percent), he’ll have plenty of value as a smooth spot-up shooter who just so happens to possess good vision and passing dexterity in the half-court, not to mention defensive versatility on the other end.

Klintman picked up basketball later in his life than most NBA Draft prospects, so his feel for the game is still developing. His 36 turnovers to only 17 assists were a good example of this. But at his best, he's got a robust handle and promising playmaking skills, with Klintman looking perfectly comfortable grabbing a rebound, jumpstarting the break himself and making great reads to teammates in the open floor.

Adding a plus-sized wing with range and small-ball potential wouldn't be the worst thing to target in the second round, especially since his mechanics and footwork on his spot-up attempts are sound. But this type of target would be a reach at No. 22 and really only makes sense if Phoenix trades down.

Trade-down candidate: Jalen Bridges, Baylor

The Suns need more 3-and-D wings. How about one of the more reliable second-round prospects in that archetype?

Jalen Bridges' 12.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game at Baylor hardly leap off the page, but this 6-foot-7 wing with a 6-foot-10 wingspan is switchable, fights through screens and moves his feet well enough to keep up with primary shot creators. Phoenix needs more switchable wings, and although Bridges is already 23 years old, he clearly fits that mold.

On the offensive end, Bridges only took 24 percent of his shots at the rim, but converted them at a 68 percent clip, per Hoop-Math. The majority of his attempts (57.3 percent) came from beyond the arc, and he knocked down 41.2 percent of his 5.1 long-range attempts per game.

He'll never be a lead creator, but Bridges has hinted at some foundational skills he could build on, such as his in-and-out dribble, step-back 3s and spin moves on drives. Even if he fails to make a leap in those areas, he's more than capable of flying off screens for spot-up 3s or knocking down triples off the bounce:

Bridges is a smart player, relocating off the ball for easier spot-up opportunities and jumping passing lanes on the defensive end. He knows how to leverage his gravity by attacking hasty closeouts and making smart passes when those opportunities present themselves.

Most mocks have him going somewhere in the late 40s or even 50s, so if the Suns finagle their way back into the second round, Bridges is the exact type of NBA-ready, 3-and-D wing they should consider.

Trade-down candidate: Ajay Mitchell, UC Santa Barbara

Based on where he's projected to go in the second round, Ajay Mitchell feels like one of the more underrated prospects of the draft...and potentially one of its biggest steals. Outside of The Athletic's Sam Vecenie slotting him at No. 36 on his latest mock, everyone else has him in the mid-40s or late 50s.

Regardless, this junior guard out of UC Santa Barbara put up some impressive numbers, averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He was extremely efficient too, shooting 50.4 percent from the floor, 39.3 percent from 3 and 85.8 percent from the foul line.

Watching him go to work, it's hard not to wonder whether Mitchell is clairvoyant. He moves like he can see invisible driving and passing lanes before they open up, almost willing them into existence as he bends the defense to his will. There are not many guards in the country with such elite control of the ball and how a play develops:

ESPN's Bobby Marks mentioned Mitchell as an underrated prospect who wasn't getting enough hype, and it's easy to see why. He's got an excellent basketball IQ, and he uses his superb deceleration, lateral shiftiness and sublime body control to create lanes to the basket, where he converted 62 percent of his looks, per Hoop-Math. He's got good size (6-foot-3 without shoes) and length (6-foot-6 wingspan) for his position, and his floater game is strong too.

Mitchell needs to prove the 3-point efficiency wasn't a one-year fluke. He shot 32.7 percent and 26.7 percent from deep over his first two years in college, and this year's jump in efficiency still came on lower volume (2.9 attempts per game). He'll also have a harder time creating separation on his drives at the next level due to his lack of burst, which could limit him to being more of a secondary creator in the pros rather than a primary one.

But Mitchell will also have NBA screeners that can create better advantages for him -- especially those openings where he can probe the defense in the lane as one of his specialties. His playmaking shouldn't be downplayed, since he combined his crafty handle and deceptive movements with quick-trigger reads and the ability to manipulate defenses with his eyes. He's a cerebral, calculating player who processes the game at a high level.

Defensively, he struggled to stick with ball-handlers, but part of that may have been the vast offensive burden he carried for the Gauchos. With less on his plate at the next level, Mitchell has the lateral quickness to at least be passable on that end. If that's the case, his offensive upside will shine through as a second-round steal.

Trade-down candidate: Ryan Dunn, Virginia

There's a reason multiple draft experts have referred to Ryan Dunn as one of the best defensive players they've ever evaluated. If he can just be passable on offense, he could have multiple All-Defensive selections in his future.

At 6-foot-8 and sporting a 7-foot-1 wingspan, Dunn is a basketball pterodactyl, swooping in on unsuspecting prey on the perimeter, at the rim, and in passing lanes for his 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. Not only is he switchable, but he's a swarming on-ball presence, an exceptional help defender and even a capable rim protector and post defender. Dunn is the ultimate disruptor who can singlehandedly blow up an opponent's play from any area on the court.

It's pretty easy to understand why a team like the Suns -- who badly need defensive wings -- might be interested if they trade back a few picks in the first round. However, the offensive side of the coin comes with plenty of concerns, and we've seen many a defensive stalwart struggle to find minutes in the NBA because they're unplayable on the other end.

Dunn's 8.1 points per game on 54.8 percent shooting sound functional enough, but he shot just 20 percent from 3. In fact, he shot 22 percent on all jumpers last year, with his offense largely being limited to transition opportunities and cuts. That doesn't project to improve anytime soon for guy who shot 53.2 percent from the foul line.

In fairness, Dunn did convert at a 68.5 percent clip at the rim, per Hoop-Math, which was where a whopping 62.5 percent of his shot attempts came from. If he can learn to function as a screener, roller, straight-line driver, cutter and finisher in the dunker spot, a lineup with enough shooting around him could theoretically mask his offensive shortcomings enough to capitalize on his elite defense.

If he's drafted to the right system, Dunn could thrive at the next level...but it's difficult to envision the Suns being that spot. He's the type of prospect where team fit will matter quite a bit, and although Dunn would obviously be a huge asset to Phoenix's offense, Mike Budenholzer would have to work hard to find ways to incorporate him on the other end without his poor shooting and ball-handling becoming a liability.

Virtually every recent mock draft has Dunn either going No. 24 to the New York Knicks, No. 25 to the New York Knicks, or...No. 38, also to the New York Knicks. So if the Suns want Ryan Dunn, they'll either need to take him earlier than expected at No. 22, trade down to one of those Knicks picks, or trade back even further and hope that Tom Thibodeau doesn't burst through the wall like the Kool-Aid Man to force the Knicks front office into drafting him.