The contentious draft-night trade between the Suns and the Philadelphia 76ers continues to favor the Suns.
After a preseason injury to Zhaire Smith, the Sixers’ guy at 16 after acquiring the pick from Phoenix, the future first-rounder given up by the Suns just became less valuable.
Not only were pessimists about the deal concerned that from Phoenix’s perspective, the 2021 Miami Heat first-rounder was too valuable to move up six slots in the draft, but that the pick could get even more valuable over time. This was June, when it looked as if the league could move to abolish the one-and-done rule for college players in time for the 2021 draft.