ShelC wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2026 3:28 am
Ayton will go down as the Suns' Most Underachieving Player.
If you go by what he showed his talent level to be when he was at his best, I'd agree he has been the most underachieving player the Suns have picked. But they've had plenty of high #1 picks who have flopped. Ayton has been disappointing, but not necessarily terrible (which may be why we were all so frustrated with him). To me the two most disappointing Suns will forever be Richard Dumas and Oliver Miller -
Highest Career WAR picked 1-10
(Some great, some solid)
Shawn Marion (9) - 124.9
Amar'e Stoudemire (9) - 92.5
Walter Davis (6) - 76.9
Luol Deng (7) - 74.9
Alvan Adams (4) - 73.5
Armon Gilliam (2) - 58.1
DeAndre Ayton (1) - 42.9 (still active)
Lowest career WAR picked 1-10
(these are the guys who were truly terrible)
Josh Jackson (4) - -1.7
Jarrett Culver (6) - -0.1
Dragan Bender (4) - 0.5
Stretch Howard (4) - 0.6
William Bedford (6) - 0.9
Highest career WAR pick 11 to end of first round
(the list really drops off after Booker)
Steve Nash (13) - 129.7
Larry Nance (20) - 109.6
Michael Finley (21) - 85.2
Dan Majerle (14) - 78.5
Rajon Rondo (21) - 61.8
Devin Booker (17) - 56.7
Robin Lopez (15) - 49.6
Jay Humphries (13) - 45.0
Best Picks (taking pick position into account) - Nash, Nance, Stoudemire, Marion, Davis, Adams, Finley
Worst Picks (taking draft position into account) - Jackson, Bender, Culver (traded during draft), Bedford, Howard (Special mention to Marquese Chriss, the #8 pick acquired after being drafted)
Disappointing veteran players acquired by the Suns - Bradley Beal, Penny Hardaway, Charlie Scott, Xavier McDaniel, Truck Robinson, Kevin Durant (great talent, not-so-great for team chemistry), Hot Rod Williams
Best acquisitions by Suns (excluding 1st round picks) - Steve Nash (2nd tour), Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Paul Westphal, Tom Chambers, Chris Paul, Jeff Hornacek (best second round pick), Paul Silas, Jason Kidd, Mikal Bridges, Cedric Ceballos
PS - insomnia sucks!