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Suns Trade Into First Round of 2026 NBA Draft To Select Arizona’s Koa Peat
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- Suns Trade Into First Round of 2026 NBA Draft To Select Arizona’s Koa Peat
(© Eakin Howard-Imagn Images)
The Phoenix Suns have once again made a trade on draft day.
This time, the Suns made a move for the No. 30 pick in the first-round of the 2026 NBA Draft to select Arizona Wildcats forward Koa Peat. ESPN's Shams Charania revealed Phoenix is giving up three second-round picks to do so. The selections traded are No. 47 in Wednesday's second round along with 2029 and 2033 picks.
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"Sources: New York traded No. 25 pick Sergio De Larrea to the Dallas Mavericks for No. 30 Koa Peat and two second-round picks. And then the Knicks traded Peat to the Phoenix Suns for three-rounders and cash. So Knicks move out of the first round -- pick up 3 seconds and cash," Charania posted to X .
This trade is likely a result of Peat sliding down the draft board further than expected. In the vast majority of mock drafts leading up to Tuesday, he was projected to go in the teens or early 20s.
In Peat's freshman season at Arizona, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists on 52.8% shooting in 36 games. What makes him an appealing prospect is his ability to dominate the interior on both ends of the floor.
The 19-year-old is not your usual modern power forward. His jump shot is not developed, and he is not a strong playmaker, but instead, he leans on his physicality and athleticism to contribute.
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Peat joins a youthful frontcourt highlighted by 2025 lottery pick and former Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach . The hope is undoubtedly that Peat and Maluach can be the Suns' big man duo of the future, but the lack of shooting between the duo is concerning.
Still, it was clearly too tempting of an opportunity for Phoenix's front office to pass on.
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