Suns general manager and president of basketball operations James Jones says he has no plans of trading Devin Booker, Kevin Durant or Bradley Beal.

Jones joined Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Friday shortly after the introductory press conference for new Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer. The Suns GM made it clear that the Big Three is here to stay.

“Those guys aren’t going anywhere, those guys are part of the solution, they’re part of the answer,” Jones said. “We acquired Kevin and Brad to play with Devin for a reason. Knowing who they are, Olympic athletes, team guys, that if we put those three competitive guys together … we’d be able to compete for championships.”

However, Jones knows that there’s work to be done when it comes to building around the core of the Suns.

“Like all teams, you can’t win with three players,” Jones said. “It’s the rest of our team, our guys four through 15. They are going to be the ones that move the needle for us, because we know what Devin and Kevin and Brad can do by themselves. What can we do collectively with them and the rest of the team? That’s what we’re searching for right now.”

Jones also knows that if Booker, Durant and Beal are indeed destined to stay in Phoenix, then he doesn’t have a whole lot to work with in terms of other assets and draft capital.

He also mentioned how in years past, the Suns have been deep, while most recently, the team was super top heavy. He feels that the key to success is striking a balance between star power and depth.

“We have to strike a balance. But I’m open to adapt,” Jones said. “We have to be, because the NBA is forever changing. But I do know having Devin, Kevin and Brad gives us and affords us a lot of flexibility to be patient with the guys on the back end of the roster.”

Jones emphasized the importance of developing those guys on the back end, especially when possibilities are limited to bring in proven talent.

The Suns GM said the team needs to “allow them the appropriate time to grow, build confidence and prove to themselves and everyone else that they are more than capable of sharing their load and helping us compete for a championship.”

IM BACK 🐻⬇️ pic.twitter.com/820YXIxw6F

— kj lewis (@thekjlewis) May 17, 2024

Lewis decided to give the 2024 NBA Draft process a shot in April while maintaining his college eligibility. Although he was not invited to the NBA combine, he did receive an invite to the G League Elite Camp, along with fellow Wildcat Caleb Love.

However, Lewis declined that invite.

The freshman appeared in all 36 games last season for Arizona. He averaged 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. His 38 steals tied for the ninth best by a freshman in school history, helping him earn a Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention.

Lewis was a four-star Top 100 recruit coming out of high school.

Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson are two former Wildcats who participated in the NBA combine. Larson will forgo his remaining college eligibility. Johnson has none left.

While Love competed in the G League Elite Camp, he did not receive an invite to move onto the combine. Like Lewis, Love maintained his eligibility and has the option to return to college.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound receiver has logged 39 receptions for 466 yards and six touchdowns in his three-year collegiate career.

Before joining the Nittany Lions in 2023, McClain spent his first two seasons playing for the Seminoles. ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham served as FSU’s offensive coordinator during McClain’s freshman year in 2021.

Dillingham feels that adding McClain is the final piece of the puzzle for the 2024 roster.

Great way to end Mother’s Day!!! 2024 team is complete!! #ActivateTheValley #SunDevil4LIFE pic.twitter.com/dgni4coUWj

— Coach Dillingham (@KennyDillingham) May 13, 2024

The senior transfer has one year of eligibility remaining, and he will fill ASU’s final scholarship slot.

McClain was the No. 283 overall prospect and No. 42 wide receiver in the 2021 class according to 247 Sports. He was a four-star recruit after attending IMG Academy for his senior year of high school.

With the departure of WR Elijhah Badger, Dillingham made it a priority to add another receiver to an already-talented room that features Troy Omeire (also 6-foot-4), Xavier Guillory, Jordyn Tyson and Melquan Stovall.

At 6-foot-4, McClain joins Omeire as the two tallest receiving threats on the team.

Arizona’s Love faced off against Bal and House in a scrimmage, where the players were able to showcase their skills in front of NBA and NBA G League scouts, coaches and front-office executives.

Bal transferred from Arizona to Santa Clara in 2023, and House transferred from Arizona State to New Mexico in 2021. House also attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix.

In his first game of the weekend, Love contributed nine points, four assists and three rebounds off the bench. The 2023-24 Pac-12 Player of the Year also threw down one of the biggest dunks of the day on a clean fast break.

Caleb Love with some AUTHORITY! 💥

The All-American and @ArizonaMBB standout shows off the athleticism with the sweet throwdown.#GLeagueEliteCamp pic.twitter.com/uVgQglzfDs

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) May 11, 2024

Bal and House joined forces on the opposing team, who won the game 103-98. Bal started for his team, putting up 11 points and 8 rebounds. House came off the bench, dropping 12 points, four assists and three rebounds.

On Sunday, the four teams in the event swapped opponents and competed in another scrimmage. Love got into the starting five on his team and dropped eight points, two assists and a team-high three steals.

House showed out in his second game, leading the team with 17 points. Bal had a quieter day with five points, three rebounds and two assists.

Jaelen House was SUPERB once again! 💪

This time he had 17 PTS along with 3 AST as the @UNMLoboMBB star continued to show out at #GLeagueEliteCamp. pic.twitter.com/ToPEzIWnQN

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) May 12, 2024

The three draft prospects were invited to the event to participate in the scrimmages, along with some strength and agility drills. Now that the event is over, at least six players will earn an invite to the NBA Draft Combine.

The NBA festivities will continue in Chicago as the combine gets going from May 13-19. Invited draft prospects will take official measurements, participate in drills and compete in scrimmages throughout the week.

ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg spoke anonymously with head coaches and assistants from every power conference, hearing distinct perspectives and opinions about players looking to make an impact at the next level.

One SEC coordinator was happy to see Robinson’s strong Senior Bowl performance.

“I’m glad he showed out at the Senior Bowl because I saw it in person,” the coordinator told Rittenberg. “He’s strong, he’s violent, he’s twitchy. He’s what you look for in an NFL D-tackle.”

Another SEC coordinator praised Robinson’s versatility.

“He’s an all-around player: Pass-rusher but heavy-handed, can play the run, do a lot of different things, more athletic than you think, great size, good player,” the coordinator said.

However, that same coach pointed out that Robinson plays the 4-technique much better than the 3-technique. In 4-technique, defenders line up face-to-face with the offensive tackle, while in 3-technique, defenders line up on the guard’s outside shoulder, between the guard and the tackle.

The defensive lineman was First-Team All-SEC for the Missouri in 2023 with 43 total tackles, 8.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss.

Rittenberg noted how Robinson dealt with injuries for chunks of his career, but the 6-foot-5, 285-pound defensive lineman appeared in 25 games in his final two seasons, which included 22 starts.

Robinson isn’t the only newcomer to the Cardinals defensive line. He will join up with NFL veterans like Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga, who were all signed this offseason. L.J. Collier and Dante Stills are other defensive lineman who will compete with Robinson. As a first-round selection, Robinson has a solid chance at starting.

Ossenfort made an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday to talk about everything leading up to being on the clock.

“We had done a ton of work on Marvin, and at that point, it was really a no-brainer for us,” Ossenfort told Eisen.

💻 Monti Ossenfort

The @AZCardinals GM told us if it was always going to be Marvin Harrison Jr. at 4th overall? Was there any thought of trading down or making any moves with the pick?#NFL #NFLDraft #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/OHTxhv3yMY

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) May 6, 2024

Ossenfort said that Arizona began scouting Harrison over a year ago, based off of his 2022 film. The Cardinals also watched the star wide receiver work out with quarterback C.J. Stroud at Ohio State’s Pro Day in 2023, before Stroud was drafted to the Houston Texans.

This year, Harrison did not participate in the Buckeyes Pro Day. He also did not work out at the NFL Combine. However, Ossenfort was confident with everything they had already seen from the Ohio State legend.

“We felt we had plenty of information, plenty of tools and plenty of tape to evaluate Marvin on,” the Cardinals GM said. “Once we got a chance to meet Marvin at our (top-30) visit, and also at the Combine, we really felt comfortable with who Marvin was as a player and who Marvin was as a person.”

While it was common knowledge for a long time that Arizona was locked in on taking Harrison with its first pick, anything can happen when it comes to trades, and the team did take phone calls.

“Once we got on the clock and leading up to that, those offers just didn’t come close to getting us to move off of the pick,” Ossenfort said.

Many players and fans alike are glad that the Cardinals didn’t move out of the No. 4 pick — including quarterback Kyler Murray.

LETS WORK. pic.twitter.com/8DzJ6ZmVQA

— Kyler Murray (@K1) April 26, 2024

Both players declared for the 2024 NBA Draft while maintaining eligibility to potentially go back to Arizona.

The G League Elite Camp will host athletes to participate separately in five-on-five games and strength and agility drills. The camp will take place from May 11-12 in Chicago.

Although the two Wildcats were not invited to the NBA Draft Combine, Love will have the chance to work out in front of scouts, coaches and front-office executives at the camp.

Out of the 44 invited players, at least six will move on to the NBA Draft Combine, according to Givony.

G League Elite Camp participant list. 44 players will scrimmage for two days in Chicago starting May 11. At least a half dozen will move on to the NBA Draft Combine. pic.twitter.com/izC0h0GuHW

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 4, 2024

Love led the Wildcats in scoring for the 2023-24 season, averaging 18 points per game. He also averaged 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. The Pac-12 Player of the Year won the honor in his first season with Arizona after transferring from UNC in 2023.

Lewis, who declined his invite, appeared in all 36 games as a freshman last season. He averaged 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. His 38 steals tied for ninth-best by a freshman in school history, helping him earn a Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention.

He was a four-star Top 100 recruit coming out of high school.

Love will work to earn his combine spot alongside fellow Wildcats Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson, who were invited to the combine on Friday.

The 2024 NBA Combine will take place from May 12-19 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago.

The 2024 NBA Draft tips off June 26 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

On Saturday, Slade Cecconi notched his own career-high of eight strikeouts in a 3-1 loss.

Arizona finished the road trip with a 4-6 record. Starting pitchers had a 3.15 ERA on the trip after Pfaadt’s outing.

On the offensive side, the Diamondbacks struggled to put up runs early against the Mariners on Sunday, but the bats came alive late to propel Arizona to a victory.

The Diamondbacks trailed the Mariners 1-2 in the top of the seventh inning, but a pair of doubles from Joc Pederson and Eugenio Suarez tied the game up at 2-2.

In the next inning, Jake McCarthy put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Kevin Newman to second base. Ketel Marte ripped an RBI double to the right field wall to score Newman and give the D-backs the 3-2 lead.

Ryan Thompson came in to pitch for the D-backs in the eighth inning. He recorded three quick outs, including a season-high two strikeouts.

Kevin Ginkel continued the pitching momentum in the ninth inning by striking out Jorge Polanco in the first at-bat. Two more quick outs from the defense sealed the win for Arizona as the Diamondbacks avoided being swept by Seattle.

The Diamondbacks will be back home to take on the Dodgers on Monday to kick off a three-game series. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m., and you can hear the game on ArizonaSports.com, the Arizona Sports app and 98.7.

In his second start of the season, Cecconi gave up one run on three hits in six innings. He was aggressive and accurate on the mound, throwing a career-high eight strikeouts with 14 first-pitch strikes to 22 batters.

Mariners pitcher George Kirby also had a career high in strikeouts with 12, keeping the Diamondbacks scoreless over his seven innings.

Cecconi was relieved by Bryce Jarvis in the seventh inning, with the Mariners leading 1-0.

Jarvis quickly gave up a two-run home run to Ty France, and was promptly replaced by Joe Mantiply.

On April 21, Cecconi got his first start of the season against the San Francisco Giants. He earned a win with a six-inning day, giving up two runs on two hits. He had three strikeouts and no walks.

With the unsettling amount of injuries to the Arizona pitching staff, Cecconi’s gems have been welcome sights.

Zac Gallen was removed from Friday’s start against the Mariners due to spasms in his right hamstring. The Diamondbacks starting rotation is already decimated with Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez and Ryne Nelson all on the injured list.

Before the game on Saturday, GM Mike Hazen announced that Paul Sewald’s rehab is going to be slowed due to soreness.

Per @Dbacks GM Mike Hazen, closer Paul Sewald's rehab is going to be slowed down a little bit after he was sore following his rehab appearance. MRI taken of the oblique shows good healing but team isn't going to take any chances and will take it a little slower with him right now

— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) April 28, 2024

Miguel Castro and Kyle Nelson are also members of the Arizona bullpen on the injured list.

The D-backs look to salvage the series tomorrow against the Mariners at 1:10 p.m. You can hear the game on ArizonaSports.com, the Arizona Sports app and 98.7.

However, one Cardinal in particular has seen this coming for an entire year.

“Right when I got drafted, I literally went to Marvin and I was like ‘dude, you know you’re a Cardinal, right?'” Cardinals offensive tackle, and former Ohio State teammate of Harrison, Paris Johnson Jr. told Arizona Sports’ Cardinals Corner in March.

“He said he wanted to be a Cardinal,” Johnson reflected.

Johnson and Harrison played two seasons together in Columbus, helping the Buckeyes go 11-2 in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

After hearing his name called at the draft on Thursday, Harrison reminisced on the conversation he had with Johnson just a year ago.

“I just really loved the Cardinals,” Harrison told Arizona Sports. “Watching them growing up … Larry Fitzgerald being one of the best receivers in the league for a long period of time … The Cardinals always caught my eye.”

Harrison is excited to have the chance to suit up with Johnson once again.

“It’s crazy how it’s all come full circle,” he said.

Back in March, Johnson reflected on his time at Ohio State and how he was always surrounded with NFL-caliber receivers. For example, Jets’ Garrett Wilson, Saints’ Chris Olave, and Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba are some recent Buckeye receivers to thrive at the next level.

However, Johnson had some high praise for the Cardinal’s newest rookie.

“I truly think he’s the best receiver that I’ve seen at Ohio State with my own two eyes,” Johnson said. From his point of view as a teammate, it’s the time that Harrison puts in outside of practice that make him one-of-a-kind.

“It’s the work you don’t see,” Johnson said. “He works and he works. That’s why I respect him so much.”

What will Harrison’s impact look like in Arizona? To Johnson, it’s pretty simple.

“I think he’s going to be the one X receiver,” Johnson said. “Just throw it up, he’s down there somewhere. That’s his impact.”

Now that the Ohio State duo is reunited in Arizona, Johnson and Harrison will put in the work throughout the offseason so they can take the field together in August.

Even Johnson’s mom, Monica Daniels, is excited for the former Buckeyes’ reunion.

Congratulations to you, @MarvHarrisonJr , and your family! It'll be like old times. See you all in the Desert 🏜️. Buckeyes ➡️ Cardinals Great Day to be a Cardinal! #GoBucks #BirdGang @ParisJohnsonJr @Mike_CoachD pic.twitter.com/Bm1nYjn3FK

— Monica Daniels 💕💚 (@MonicaCLDaniels) April 26, 2024

On Tuesday, Team USA managing director Grant Hill greeted Booker and Durant in Minneapolis to give the duo their official USA jerseys.

The Suns will be out in Paris.

Welcome back to the Olympic stage @KDTrey5 & @DevinBook.

🇺🇸 #USABMNT pic.twitter.com/xKlRF783Sp

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) April 17, 2024

“I love my USAB family,” Durant said in the video from USA Basketball. “Every experience that I’ve had with them has been lifechanging, and I want to do it again.”

This will be Durant’s fourth time competing in the Olympics, where he will be seeking his fourth gold medal. Carmelo Anthony is the only other USA men’s basketball player with three gold medals, so Durant has an opportunity to separate himself as the only four-time gold medalist.

“I’m looking forward to continuing our reign as Olympic champions, and I know we’re going to have a great group coming this time,” Durant said.

This year, Durant will be joined by Booker, who will be competing in his second Olympics. At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Booker helped Team USA win its 16th gold medal. The Suns superstar averaged 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in Tokyo. His 1.5 steals per game was the second-highest average on the team.

Durant is USA’s all-time scoring leader, averaging 19.3 points per game with a record 74 three pointers throughout his Olympic career. The 35-year-old will look to continue his dominance in what could be his last time competing in the Olympics.

“My days are getting cut short, so I’m taking advantage of every opportunity,” Durant said.

The news came before Tuesday’s practice, and there, Suns head coach Frank Vogel made it clear that Young will continue to be with Phoenix through the playoffs.

“We’re thrilled that he’s going to be with us through the duration,” Vogel told reporters after practice on Tuesday. “He’s going to help us compete for this championship. He’s in the fight, he’s committed to that.”

Young has been in the mix for other head-coaching jobs in basketball, including being a finalist for the Brooklyn Nets’ vacancy, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

As the highest-paid assistant coach in the NBA, Young’s experience and resume made him a prime head-coaching candidate. Suns general manager James Jones is excited for Young’s opportunity at BYU.

“It’s an opportunity for him to show the world how great of a coach he is,” Jones said after Tuesday’s practice. “They are extremely fortunate to have him.”

Young has been on Phoenix’s staff for four years. Vogel kept Young as an assistant when he took over as the head coach of the Suns, and has nothing but high praise for the new BYU head coach.

“He was great for me — has been great for me throughout the course of this year,” Vogel said. “I think the Suns fans have to appreciate his contributions to obviously beyond this year. … He’s had a big factor in this franchise’s success.”

Jones echoed that Young was a key part of the Suns returning to NBA relevancy.

“He’s been instrumental in what we’ve built here in Phoenix,” Jones said. “We’re so excited for him, but it’s bittersweet. We spent a lot of time together.”

However, the Suns will have to put the goodbyes aside for now as the team prepares for the playoffs. Phoenix will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, and Jones knows how important it is to conclude Young’s time in Phoenix on a high note.

“We have unfinished business. We’ll close it out the right way,” the GM said.

The latest NFL draft predictions from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates are here. Kiper leads off the list, alternating insight with Yates as the duo runs though their first 100 picks.

Of the Arizona Cardinals’ 11 total picks, six are within the top 100.

Here’s what Kiper and Yates have in mind for Arizona’s first six picks.

First round (No. 4 overall): Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

This is no surprise, as the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker has Harrison going at No. 4 in 141 of the 208 mocks gathered as of Tuesday.

The Cardinals wide receiver room is in great need of some star power, and Harrison offers explosiveness and consistency. He led the FBS with 28 receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons.

“I gave the Cards the most pro-ready prospect in the class,” Yates wrote in the latest mock.

First round (No. 27 overall, via HOU): Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Wiggins was a key piece of the Tigers defense last season, leading the team with 9 pass breakups. In 10 games, he recorded 25 tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions, including a pick-six.

The Arizona secondary is another glaring area of the team that can use an NFL-ready rookie.

Kiper says that “Arizona would be thrilled to land a starting corner this late in Round 1. Wiggins has length, outstanding speed and smooth hips in coverage.”

Second round (No. 35 overall): Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington

Linemen with experience providing protection for a high-powered offense like Washington are far and few between. Rosengarten played right tackle opposite of fellow Husky Troy Fautanu, who is the top OL prospect in the draft.

Together, Rosengarten and Fautanu helped Washington win the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s top OL. Rosengarten was an All-Pac-12 honorable mention.

Kiper calls Rosengarten “one of my favorite prospects in the entire class,” and commends his consistency.

Consistent protection for quarterback Kyler Murray is key to a balanced offense.

Third round (No. 66 overall): Christian Haynes, G, UConn

Why not beef up the offensive line with another promising prospect? Haynes brings experience to the table with 37 starts at right tackle under his belt.

According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Haynes ranks second in his production score and seventh in his athleticism score among all guard prospects, making him a potentially valuable pick in the middle of the draft.

Yates describes Haynes as “mobile and nasty.”

Third round (No. 71 overall, via TEN): Mohamed Kamara, OLB, Colorado State

The Cardinals’ 33 sacks last season was good for the team’s lowest total in an entire decade.

With big gaps to fill on the defense, Kamara offers five seasons of experience, and has demonstrated that he can get to the quarterback effectively.

The MWC Defensive Player of the Year was tied for third in the FBS with 13 sacks last season.

Third round (No. 90 overall, via HOU): DeWayne Carter, DT, Duke

For Arizona’s final pick within the top 100, Yates likes the Cardinals checking off needs with another defensive pick.

Not only is Carter a physical force to be reckoned with, but he’s an experienced leader as a 3-year captain at Duke. He also won the ACC Jim Tatum Award as the conference’s top scholar-athlete.

Yates notes how “his impact extended way beyond the box score last season, as the versatile and relentless pass-rusher was a handful to block no matter where he lined up.”

The 2024 NFL Draft will take place in Detroit, Michigan, starting on April 25.

Grant-Foster improved his draft stock after a pair of stellar performances in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The 24-year-old tallied 51 total points, 15 total rebounds and five total blocks in two games of March Madness this year.

He led GCU to a 75-66 victory over Saint Mary’s in the Round of 64. However, GCU fell to Alabama 72-61 in the following round.

This season, Grant-Foster averaged 20.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game, helping GCU to a WAC title and a 30-5 record – the best in the history of the program.

Now, he has the chance to continue defying the odds by competing in the NBA.

In 2021, Grant-Foster played for DePaul. In a season opener, Grant-Foster collapsed on his way to the locker room during halftime. He was resuscitated, spent 10 days in the hospital and received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

Shortly after, he attempted to play in a pickup game, where he collapsed again. He was sent to the hospital where he received a second heart surgery in the spring of 2022.

Grant-Foster spent 16 months recovering before doctors cleared him to play in March 2023. He signed with GCU the following month and became a staple of the team throughout the 2023-24 season. Now, he’ll look for his next opportunity at the professional level.

He is widely regarded as one of the best edge defenders on the board.

With the fourth overall pick in the draft, many analysts expect the Cardinals to draft Marvin Harrison Jr., who is one of the top wide receivers available. Turner ranks several spots behind the Ohio State prospect on most mock draft boards, which may imply that Turner is a potential target for Arizona if the Cardinals decide to trade back.

Turner joins the list of players like OT JC Latham, edge Laiatu Latu and OLB Chop Robinson, who all have met with the Cardinals. All of these players are projected to go several picks after Harrison Jr. on most mock draft boards.

Turner, standing at 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award in his final season with the Crimson Tide. He started all 14 games in 2023, notching 53 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He also forced two fumbles.

While fans and experts alike expect Arizona to take Harrison Jr. with its first pick, the Cardinals could trade back to take a different wide receiver or a defensive player like Turner that would help a struggling pass-rush unit. The Cardinals defense recorded 33 team sacks in 2023, the third-lowest in the NFL and Arizona’s lowest total in a decade.

Turner on the Arizona Sports Mock Draft Tracker has gone to the Cardinals in four of the 182 mocks gathered as of Monday.