Early projections for Suns' 1st round include Nik Stauskas, Doug McDermott
Barring a dream scenario unfolding, the Suns will be in position to draft in this year's first round at No. 14, No. 17 or 18 and No. 27.
Missing the Western Conference playoffs by one win would take on a different tone if the Suns' 1.8 percent draft lottery chance of moving into the top three came to fruition. It would not only be a golden ticket for a prime prospect but it would also drop Minnesota from No. 13 to 14 and make the Timberwolves turn over their top-13-protected pick from the July 2012 Robin Lopez/Wes Johnson three-team trade.
The Suns will have five chances out of 1,000 in the May 20 draft lottery, making it much more likely that the Suns stay at No. 14 for their pick.
The Suns also will receive a No. 17 or 18 pick from Washington (depending on a drawing to break ties next month) for October's Marcin Gortat trade, and a No. 27 pick from Indiana for July's Luis Scola trade.
The draft is June 26.
Early mock drafts on nbadraft.net and draftexpress.com have the Suns taking Michigan sophomore shooting guard Nik Stauskas at 14. Three cbssports.com mock drafts had the Suns taking North Carolina State small forward T.J. Warren, Kentucky center Willie Cauley-Stein and Creighton power forward Doug McDermott. Nbadraftinsider.com had the Suns with Michigan State senior power forward Adreian Payne.
Their later picks were tied to UCLA guard Zach LaVine, UCLA small forward Kyle Anderson, Kentucky point guard Andrew Harrison, Arizona guard Nick Johnson, Oklahoma State guard Markel Brown, Wichita State small forward Cleanthony Early, Croatian guard Mario Hezonja and Swiss power forward Clint Capela.
Len to summer in Phoenix
Quite a few of the Suns talked about being an NBA anomaly and spending their summers in Phoenix. It is not more important for anyone than rookie Alex Len, who lost his summer last season to ankle surgeries and crutches.
"It's going to be a huge summer, just getting healthy, getting stronger and getting better," Len said. "I'm going to try to stay here the whole summer and get better.
"I need to play as many pickup games as I can. Missing last summer hurt me a lot. I just need to try to play as much as I can because the game was too fast for me this year. It is going to slow down with getting playing time."
Len said he will not return to Ukraine, his home country that is torn with civil unrest, because he can get the best coaching here. Len, the No. 5 pick in June, made 42 appearances this season and averaged 8.6 minutes, 2.0 points and 2.4 rebounds.
Free throws
The Suns had lost their title as the NBA's leading fastbreak scoring team entering the final night of the season Wednesday but took it back from the Los Angeles Clippers by finishing one-tenth of a point ahead at 18.7 fast-break points per game.
• The Suns moved from 25th last season to 14th this season in opponent shooting percentage, dropping the clip from 47.0 last season to 45.6 this season.
• Suns forward P.J. Tucker said he will play in the NBA Summer League again if his contract situation as a restricted free agent is resolved.
• Suns guard Goran Dragic on his ankle sprain: "I'm sad that we finished the season but I need a break. My body, I was falling apart the last couple of games. I had a lot of ankle problems this season."