Suns Get Peat
Suns trade for 30th pick Koa Peat, keeping Arizona Final Four star in-state
Key Points
Koa Peat made an immediate impact in his college debut for Arizona, scoring 30 points with seven rebounds and five assists against Florida.
In five NCAA Tournament games, Peat averaged 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds as Arizona advanced to the Final Four.
Peat started all 36 games for Arizona, averaging 27.8 minutes per game while shooting 52.8% from the field and 62.3% from the foul line.
Before the Combine, Peat hired shooting coach Chris Johnson and altered his jump-shot mechanics; he struggled in shooting drills at the Combine and Klutch Sports’ pro day.
The No. 30 pick was acquired in a three-team deal, with Phoenix moving up to select Peat from Dallas (which had the Knicks’ prior pick), and New York receiving three future second-round picks.
The Phoenix Suns traded back into the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to land Arizona star Koa Peat, selected 30th overall in a late three-team deal with the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks azcentral.com. The move keeps the Gilbert, Arizona native at home, where he figures to compete for backup minutes behind Kevin Durant in Phoenix's frontcourt.
Peat, a 6-foot-8, 245-pound freshman, averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists for Arizona this season kgun9.com. He helped the Wildcats reach the Final Four for the first time in 25 years — and then slid to the very last pick of the first round due to serious questions about his shot.
A Three-Team Deal Brings Peat Back to Phoenix
The Suns worked fast on draft night. The New York Knicks first traded the No. 25 pick to Dallas for the No. 30 pick and two future second-rounders ca.headtopics.com. Phoenix then swooped in, sending the No. 47 pick, two more future second-rounders, and cash to move up and grab Peat from the Mavericks.
NBA insider Shams Charania reported the deal just before midnight on June 23. Commissioner Adam Silver made it official at 12:15 AM ET on June 24 azfamily.com. The Knicks walked away with three future second-round picks in total. The Suns got their guy.
Peat Carried Arizona to Its First Final Four in 25 Years
Peat's freshman season was historic from game one. He scored 30 points with seven rebounds and five assists in his college debut against Florida azcentral.com. He started all 36 games, shot 52.8% from the field, and logged 27.8 minutes per game. In five NCAA Tournament games, he averaged 17.2 points and 7.6 rebounds as Arizona reached the Final Four.
His Arizona teammate Brayden Burries was taken 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks earlier in the night kgun9.com. It marked the first time two Wildcats went in the first round after a Final Four run. For head coach Tommy Lloyd, it was a massive statement about Arizona's standing as an NBA pipeline program.
Shooting Concerns Dropped Peat From Lottery to Pick 30
Before the Combine, Peat hired shooting coach Chris Johnson to rework his mechanics — lowering his release point and adding more arc azcentral.com. It backfired. At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, he hit just 6 of 25 attempts (24%) in the three-point challenge. He struggled again at Klutch Sports' pro day. What looked like a lottery pick quickly slipped to the final spot of the first round.
Scouts are split on what Peat can become. His paint-heavy game and elite body — a 6-foot-11.25-inch wingspan and 34.5-inch vertical — give him a high floor ca.headtopics.com. But some analysts worry he is a "tweener": not quick enough to guard the perimeter, not long enough to protect the rim at the NBA level. He attempted just 20 three-pointers all season at Arizona.
A Football Family Bets on an NBA Future
Peat comes from one of the most athletic families in Arizona history. His father, Todd Peat Sr., played six NFL seasons for the Cardinals and Raiders. His older brother, Andrus Peat, is a three-time NFL Pro Bowler azfamily.com. The family produced seven Division I athletes across multiple sports.
Koa left Arizona despite an estimated $6–7 million in NIL money on the table to enter the draft. As the 30th pick, his four-year rookie deal is projected at $15.5 million, with roughly $3 million guaranteed in Year 1 kgun9.com. The Suns get four years of team control on a young, physical forward — a cost-effective bet on a prospect who still has plenty to prove.
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