While every team will take the best player available, the definition of "best player available" (BPA) differs from team to team.
For the Phoenix Suns, the BPA is the player with the highest upside, per Suns GM Ryan McDonough today.
Future > Now
"What we don't want to do and will never do," McFreshTake said, "is just draft a guy who is older and maybe more ready over a guy we think is going to have a better career."
Case in point, two of the players who visited today were 23 year old Cleanthony Early and 19 year old Tyler Ennis. You might read into McStunna's quote that he would only take the youngest guys. And last year, he did take two of the draft's youngest players in 18 year old Archie Goodwin and 19 year old Alex Len.
But that's not exactly what he meant. McDonough was using the simplicity of age as a delineating factor for a simple crew (us) to follow.
If McD's team thinks Cleanthony Early (23) or Adreian Payne (23) has a higher ceiling than Tyler Ennis (19), then they will take the older player. The Suns just want the player with the brightest future.
"The draft is the best way to get guys who are going to be starters or stars," he continued. "And get them on a rookie contract, rather than just take the low hanging fruit and sign a guy who we think might help us win a few more games but has a lower ceiling."
