Bob Young of the Arizona Republic gives us a rundown of the Phoenix Sun?s draft strategy: choose a big man with the #9 pick and hope Kareem Rush is still available at #22.

The Suns brought in a group of prospects on Friday, including Rush. "He shoots it very easily out to three-point range," Suns coach Frank Johnson said. "He has a nice stroke. You don't see a lot of motion in his shot."  The knock on Rush is that he doesn't appear willing to drive into traffic. "Hell, when you can shoot like that, why go in there and get abused?" Johnson said.

If Rush isn?t available at #22, the Suns may have a chance at players such as guard William "Smush" Parker, swingman John Salmons or Croatian center Mario Kasun. Those three also worked out Friday. Parker is a big point guard who caught Johnson's eye by being willing to sacrifice his body taking an offensive charge during a drill. Kasun is an agile 7-footer who hasn't played much the past two seasons. But Salmons may be the most intriguing.

At 6 feet 7, 215 pounds, Salmons played every position but center during his four years at Miami (Fla.). He had more than 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists and 150 steals in his career. He often was a defensive stopper as well. "He can play whatever position he wants," Johnson said. "Defensively, he knows what to do. He's not flashy. He just pretty much makes basketball plays. "I saw him in Chicago and he just makes a lot of simple basketball plays. He just keeps showing up."

The Suns are banking on the assumption that they will have at least one good big man to choose with the #9 pick. Maryland's Chris Wilcox, high school star Amare Stoudemire, Italian League forward Nickoloz Tskitishvili, Brazilian forward Maybyner "Nene" Hilario or Indiana's Jared Jeffries should be available.