A few final notes before the draft:
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With only 2 days to the NBA draft, the Suns have been playing things incredibly close to the vest, with rumors they might want to move up into the first round, and Gambo saying they’re more likely just to move up into the 30s.
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Pavle Backo, whom I covered in my last article as a dark-horse candidate at 47, withdrew from the draft and will return to Europe.
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Kellan Olsen of the Arizona Republic mentioned two more names I hadn’t covered as possibilities: Braden Smith and Nick Martinelli, who both make some sort of sense. They’re covered here.
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I’ve continually been updating my mock draft tracker, and we’re up to 17 mock drafts included in the data set.
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There are X players in the Suns range that I like for the team, and have some reasonable possibility of being at 47 right now: Jaden Bradley (6.5%), Trevon Brazile (10%), Ugonna Unyenso (26%), Braden Smith (21%), Izaiyah Nelson (44%), Nick Martinelli (49%), Bruce Thornton (56.4%). I expect the Suns will take one of them if they keep the 47th pick, unless someone else falls precipitously and unexpectedly (Baba Miller, Karaban Jefferson are possibilities)
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I’ll be putting out a final article before the draft that you can use while watching it to see the results of the draft tracker, and see what players are likely to be available at higher draft positions if the Suns trade up.
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My final draft articles will be after the draft to scout the players selected, and mathematically determine which mock drafts were the most accurate.
Nick Martinelli (Northwestern, Senior, SF/PF)
Nick Martinelli is a highly productive, polished, and physical 6’6.5″, 225-pound forward who emerged as a standout scorer and Big Ten standout at Northwestern. Projected as an early-to-mid second-round pick, he is highly regarded for his high basketball IQ, interior craftiness, and ability to score through contact without relying on elite athleticism.
Key Statistics
35.6 MPG, 23.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.2 stocks, 51.0 FG%, 41.7 3PT%, 80.9 FT%
Strengths
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Elite Scoring Touch: Martinelli is a craft left-handed scorer who thrives in the mid-post and short corners. He uses fluid footwork, fakes, and a reliable floater to score efficiently inside the arc, making him a major mismatch for slower defenders.
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Physicality & Contact: Built with a strong, broad frame, he actively seeks contact and excels at drawing fouls, getting to the free-throw line nearly seven times a game.
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Rebounding Gravity: He boasts a strong offensive rebounding percentage for a perimeter player, utilizing his motor and instincts to punish opponents on the interior.
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Improved Shooting: He significantly improved his three-point shot throughout his college career, culminating in a highly efficient 41.7% from deep on respectable volume as a senior.
Weaknesses
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Athletic Ceiling: He lacks an elite first step or explosive vertical pop, relying instead on a deliberate, “herky-jerky” pace. Translating this style to the NBA will require him to speed up his shot release and decision-making against longer, quicker defenders.
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Defensive Versatility: There are questions about his ability to defend true wings or quicker guards on the perimeter, as well as how his frame will hold up against true NBA power forwards.
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Offensive Creation: Lacks a highly creative handle and struggles to generate his own offense in isolation, relying mostly on set plays or put-backs.
Draft Range
Between 40 and undrafted, with a mean of 46.8 and a median of 45. He only went undrafted in one mock (CBS). There is currently a 49% chance he will be available at 47.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Martinelli knows how to score in multiple ways and has a high motor. His three-point shooting is likely to translate to the pros, and I think there’s a high probability he can latch on somewhere. Unfortunately, he doesn’t give the Suns the things the team desperately needs: size, rebounding, and defense at the 4. He’s a tweener forward who doesn’t rebound particularly well overall and is a slow-footed defender. Too slow to guard small forwards, too small to guard power forwards.
He’s basically Royce O’Neale. However, he’d be Royce O’Neale at one-tenth the cost. If the Suns want to dump O’Neale and want a much cheaper replacement, Martinelli fits that description. Overall, Martinelli seems like a high-floor, low-ceiling sort of player that will carve out a niche somewhere.
NBA Comparison
Georges Niang. Jaime Vasquez Jr. Royce O’Neale.
Braden Smith (Purdue, Senior, PG)
Braden Smith enters the 2026 NBA Draft as a highly polished, historic collegiate floor general after finishing his four-year career at Purdue as the NCAA men’s basketball all-time career assist leader with 1,103 assists. Standing at 5’10.25″ barefoot and weighing 166.6 pounds with a 6’3.25″ wingspan, he is a consensus second-round projection valued heavily for his elite playmaking, pick-and-roll IQ, and winning intangibles.
Key Statistics
34.5 MPG, 14.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 8.8 APG, 1.7 steals, 44.0 FG%, 36.2 3PT%, 82.5 FT%
Strengths
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Elite Playmaking & Floor Generalship: Smith is an exceptional manipulator out of the pick-and-roll. He possesses masterful vision, consistently orchestrating modern half-court offenses and maximizing his teammates’ efficiency with an excellent 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
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Dangerous Pull-Up Scorer: Defenses cannot simply drop against him; Smith is a lethal mid-range operator who converted 51.7% of his 147 pull-up two-point attempts in college. He features a quick, high-pacing release that helps offset his size.
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Defensive Anticipation: Despite major physical limitations, he functions like a “cornerback” off the ball. He reads passing lanes cleanly, boasting a high 3.5% steal rate to generate vital extra possessions.
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Intangibles & Polish: A two-time First Team All-American and Big Ten Tournament MVP, he brings a mature, mistake-free approach, superb leadership, and a competitive edge to second units.
Weaknesses
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Severe Size Outlier: Barely scratching 5’10”, Smith faces a significant physical uphill battle in today’s NBA. He lacks the ideal size, vertical explosion, and length typical for modern guards, making him an automatic defensive target for isolation and switching schemes.
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Lack of Rim Pressure: Smith struggles heavily to penetrate the teeth of elite defenses. He lacks the burst to consistently get downhill, recording zero career dunks and only 90 field-goal attempts at the rim across more than 1,300 minutes in his final collegiate season.
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Below-Average Finishing: When he does attack inside, his lack of height and length creates high variance; his floater and touch around the basket took a noticeable efficiency step backward as senior-year length contested him.
Draft Range
Between 37 and 52, with an average of 42.8 and a median of 40. There is a 21% he will still be on the board at 47.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Smith has a lot of the intangibles the Suns are looking for: winning pedigree, toughness, motor, team-minded, and high IQ. He’s also got one elite-level skill that translates to the NBA: in this case, passing, ball handling, and decision-making. Smith’s a decent three-point shooter, which will keep defenses somewhat honest if he plays off the ball. He’s a pick-and-roll general and has the stop-and-pop mid-range game to make defenses pay if they use drop coverage. Despite his lack of size, at the collegiate level, he was at least an average, if not willing, defender.
It’s an open question if someone of his size still has a place in the game. However, Jose Alvarado played a key role in the Knicks’ championship run, standing only 5’11” in socks. If anyone has the savvy, basketball IQ, and work ethic to make it as a 5’10 PG in the NBA, it’s Smith. If he’s still at 47, he’s worth the risk. At the very least, he seems like a viable second or third-string PG who can give you 12 minutes of hustle and smart plays per night, which is a very Jordan Ott kind of player.
NBA Comparisons
Tyler Kolek. TJ McConnell. Tyus Jones. Chris Paul’s feel for the game
And that’s where we stand with only a few days remaining until draft night. Whether it’s a polished floor general like Braden Smith, a productive scorer like Nick Martinelli, or one of the other names still hovering around Phoenix’s range, there are viable options on the board. The bigger question may not be who the Suns like at No. 47, but whether they’re still picking there when the clock starts. Recent history tells us Brian Gregory is rarely content sitting still, and that uncertainty is what makes this draft so fascinating heading into next week.
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