May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Peyton Siva is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA Draft combine is currently happening today and Friday in Chicago where the recruits show off their skills and get poked and prodded.

This year 61 prospects were invited, but it is mostly for those in the lower two-thirds of the first round to move up as many spots as possible with a good showing. The “elite” players forego the workouts so their draft stock doesn’t fall if they have a bad shooting day or so they do not get injured. However, those players still get checked out and go through interviews.

In terms of what is done at the combine in the measurement area and skills, the players get their weight, height, body fat, wingspan, standing reach, handsize, and vertical leap measured. Additionally, they go through fastbreak, shooting, and timed drills.

According to the Arizona Republic’s Paul Coro the group that the Suns are sending to Chicago includes:

“McDonough (the new general manager), President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby, director of player personnel John Treloar, Vice President of Player Programs Mark West, head pro scout Bubba Burrage, college scout John Shumate, director of basketball administration Trevor Bukstein, team physician Thomas Carter and the athletic training staff of Aaron Nelson, Mike Elliott, Tom Maystadt and Tyler Wallace.”

They are trying to do all of this while figuring out who they should hire as the head coach to pilot this rebuilding ship.

These workouts don’t really affect the Suns’ first pick in the first round, but the final pick that Phoenix acquired from Miami through the Los Angeles Lakers.

The prospects at the end of the first round for the Suns will be discussed tomorrow.

Mar 22, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Georgetown Hoyas forward Otto Porter Jr. (22) shoots a jump shot during the first half against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

While my article a couple days ago is more a big picture view on how overall, this year’s lottery for the 2013 draft doesn’t really mean anything to the Suns, everybody will still tune in for the rare Phoenix appearance.

Phoenix has only missed the playoffs sixteen times during their 45 years in the league and a lot of those seasons; they were not anywhere near the worst team in the NBA, resulting in the fourth-best would win percentage in the history of the NBA.

The NBA draft lottery determines, with the help of the final standings from the previous year, the order of the teams that missed the playoffs, but usually affects only the worst seven teams.

The lottery is on May 21^st (Tuesday) where each team that missed the playoffs sends a representative to watch the proceedings. Each team has a certain number of ping-pong balls that results in a certain pick if their ball comes up.

At Sun-N-Gun, we will discuss our picks of who we want the Suns to select after the lottery, but until then, we are predicting (guessing) where our pick will end up.

Predictions

Eric: I think we will end up with the third-pick overall, making that win in the penultimate game of the season against Houston not haunt us forever. I think Charlotte will win the number one pick with Orlando directly behind. After Phoenix would be Cleveland then New Orleans.

Matt: I predict Suns get the second pick with Charlotte winning, and Orlando, New Orleans and Sacramento round out the top five.

Daniel: I think Phoenix gets the fourth pick in the draft with Charlotte, Orlando and Cleveland in front of them and New Orleans right behind.