Suns' Worst Enemy Isn't the Spurs, but the Draft

Since 2004 the Phoenix Suns have made some questionable moves regarding the draft. This is a team that has been to the playoffs, but the constant for this team was the lack of defense and the need for a backup point guard in case Nash were to be injured.

The funny thing is the Suns have made some interesting picks and traded them away.

In 2006 the Suns drafted Sergio Rodriguez. What did they end up doing later that day? The Suns traded Rodriguez to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash considerations. Rodriguez would have fit the Suns' style of play and could have given Nash plenty of time to rest on the bench.

In the same draft, just before Rodriguez was drafted, the Suns selected Rajon Rondo. The Suns traded Briant Grant and Rondo to the Celtics for the Cavaliers' first round pick in 2007.

In 2005 the Suns selected Nate Robinsion, another player who would have fit their system perfectly. Instead he was traded to the Knicks along with Quentin Richardson for Kurt Thomas and Dijon Thompson.

The Suns in the 2004 draft took Luol Deng as the No. 7 pick. What did the Suns do with him? Deng went to Chicago for a future first round pick and the rights to the 31st pick in the draft which was Jackson Vroman.

Boy, was that a mistake. Heck, maybe if the Suns had kept Deng around they would have been able to get by the Spurs.

The pick that Suns fans have to be scratching their heads about was Rudy Fernandez, who could play either point guard or shooting guard. He was drafted in 2007 as the 24th pick. Did the Suns keep him? Nope. They went ahead and traded Fernandez and James Jones to the Portland Trail Blazers for cash considerations.

Since 2004 the only draft picks that have played for the Suns have been Alando Tucker, D.J. Strawberry, and Robin Lopez. So, what can be said for the Suns is that their draft day decisions have cost them in the playoffs.

It's ironic that the Suns traded away players that would have kept D'Antoni in Phoenix. What I mean is that these players play defense that the Suns have been lacking, along with the ability to spell their best leader in Nash.

What's even funnier is that Mike D'Antoni was the general manager who traded away Rudy Fernandez. In the end it was D'Antoni and Bryan Colangelo, who was the general manager until he resigned in February of 2006, that have hurt the Suns.

Maybe Steve Kerr will turn it around, but as of right now his grade can only be stated as incomplete. Malik Hairston wasn't even signed by the Suns, and Brook Lopez doesn't play much.