In the latest mock draft provided by NBADraft.Net, the Phoenix Suns are projected to take Chase Budinger from the University of Arizona with the 14th pick in the draft. Budinger is 6′7″ 206 lbs and is slated to be an NBA shooting guard. At the latest NBA Draft combine in Chicago, Budinger  performed admirably in shooting drills (as expected) displaying a smooth high release on his jumper. Chase Budinger’s height came in as expected, but he has a serious case of gator arms with extremely short standing reach (8′5″) and a small wingspan for his height (6′7″).  To put this in perspective James Harden of Arizona State is 6′5″ in shoes and has a wingspan of 6′11″ and a standing reach of 8′7″. Budinger’s wingspan is similar to that of Jason Kapono, Matt Carroll, Travis Hansen and Luke Jackson, which again may help explain his deficiencies on the defensive end.

I fully understand the desire of the Suns to draft Chase Budinger. Budinger runs well in transition and has plenty of range for the 3-point happy Phoenix Suns. However, living in Arizona I had the benefit of watching Budinger on numerous occasions. Budinger is clearly blessed physically; he has displayed a 40 inch vertical while finishing in transition. However, in the half-court Budinger is one of the most passive players I have ever watched with a skill-level that rivals his. At 6′7″, one would expect he would have the ability to create his own shot. However, when forced to take a defender off the dribble Budinger will simply pass or shoot at a much lower accuracy when simply catching and shooting. His game reminds me almost identically to journeyman Brent Barry. Barry was extremely athletic when he came out of college from a Pac-10 school Oregon State just like Chase Budinger. Barry was so athletic he won the 1996 Slam Dunk Contest by dunking from the free-throw line. Brent Barry was/is a great 3-point shooter like Budinger and has a high basketball IQ just like Budinger as well. The parallels between these players don’t end there either: Barry is 6′7″ and 210 lbs and was drafted 15th in the 1st round (Budinger is 6′7″ 206lbs and projected to go 14th). The issue is that Barry lacked the killer instinct or competitive nature to really succeed at an NBA level and that is likely why he has only average 9.3 ppg, 3.2 apg and 3.1 rpg with all the talent in the world.

The Suns should learn from history and stay away from a good-shooting, passive, and bad defending shooting guard and look for some toughness in this draft. The Suns can ill-afford to draft a Brent Barry type player in this draft with the window quickly closing on the Suns chance to make one-more playoff run with this core of players.