Experts Rave on Suns' First-Round Draft Choice

The Phoenix Suns did well with Ryan Dunn according to multiple outlets.

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Ryan Dunn reacts after being selected in the first round by the Denver Nuggets in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns got their guy.

Sitting at No. 22 in the 2024 NBA Draft and plenty of options available, Suns general manager James Jones was able to move down a few picks with the Denver Nuggets for pick No. 28 and three second-round selections.

Enter: Ryan Dunn, a wing from Virginia who is highly regarded as one of the best defenders in the draft.

Jones says the Suns accomplished what they wanted:

"I thought tonight was a good night for us. We came into the draft with a couple of objectives. We wanted to get more athletic. Defensively on the perimeter we wanted to add some size. I thought that we were able to do two things tonight: get the player that we wanted, moving back and pick up other assets and capital for the future to continue to allow us to have more resources to build the team for the long-term," Jones told reporters.

Of course the general manager will love their draft - but what's everybody else think?

All but one outlet (looking at you, The Athletic) gave report card grades for each team - here's how Phoenix fared:

Yahoo!: B+

Analysis: "Dunn was the best perimeter defender in college basketball this season with his length at 6-8, averaging 2.3 blocks and just under two steals per game during his sophomore season at Virginia. The biggest hole in his game is his 3-point shooting where he made only 20% of his attempts from deep this past season."

NBC Sports: A

Analysis: "Phoenix has enough offense, so they got some defense. It’s a good thing that they don’t need help on offense, because Dunn isn’t ready to provide much on that end. However, he’s arguably the best defender in the draft, and it showed in the box score as he came away with a ton of steals and blocks last season.

"He should play a significant reserve role for the Suns this season and make a big impact on the defensive end. If Mike Budenholzer can find ways to utilize him enough on the offensive end, he has the makings of an elite fantasy player. Dunn is one of my favorite players in the draft, and he should bring smiles to fantasy managers everywhere with his stocks in year one."

CBS Sports: B

Analysis: "One of the best defensive players in college basketball, he is an explosive athlete who didn't get to show it much because of Virginia's pace. He's also a great cutter who can show it with the Suns' spacing. If he can get to the point where defenses have to show him even a little respect as a shooter, he will be a long-term NBA player. But he's not there at all as a shooter yet."

The Athletic

Analysis: "Phoenix opts to select the best-educated player in the draft in Ryan Dunn, a Virginia product who profiles as a defensive specialist (Editor’s note: Hollinger is a Virginia grad). He lost all confidence in his shooting this past season, and his jumper is a down-to-the-studs teardown that would give Chip and Joanna Gaines pause, but he is a defensive terror who can guard all five positions."

Sports Illustrated: A-

Analysis: "Dunn is an outlier as a prospect, with ridiculous defensive tools paired with being largely a zero on the offensive end. If there was a perfect situation for him to end up in, it’s probably Phoenix, given the Suns will likely ask little to nothing of him offensively while allowing him to cover up mistakes from what was a middling defensive unit a year ago."

The Ringer: A-

Analysis: "The Suns are certainly at a crossroads with this strange three-star build that hinges on the structural integrity of both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Should they stick with their main guys, Phoenix needs stoppers more than anything. That’s what Dunn is.

"At some point, the prophecy of an anti-positional defensive wrecker upheld by the likes of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Andre Roberson, and Dominic McGuire will shine. Dunn might be the one to hold the torch. A hyper-athlete with explosive leaping ability, elite recovery speed for his size, and superior instincts, Dunn is the most impactful defender in the class. Just don’t make me talk about the other end. That’s not where his bread is buttered."