TJ Warren

[DoubleEagle4]

I'll admit, after Warren's first 5 games, I was starting to wonder if he was going to be a good fit or if he was just a volume shooter...

But these past 5 games have proven that he is LEGIT. In the last 5, he is averaging 23.2ppg while shooting 61.7% from the floor (including 46% from 3). I heard from Phoenix fans that he wouldn't play defense, but he has shown a huge improvement in his defensive intensity just 10 games in.

I know health seems to be a factor with him, but if he can find a way to stay healthy, we have a legit 3 that can flat fill it up!!

[Tom White]

His defense is improving as the season unfolds. He seems to be more comfortable recently.

As a side note, I got a good chuckle out of one of his post-game interviews. I think it might have been JJ doing the interview, but in any case he was asked about him having a "lull" during games. He said "I don't know what that means" (meaning the word "lull").

It was like an innocent little kid getting asked a question he didn't know the answer to. He chose to be honest about it instead of trying to fake his way through it. I think he may have thought the interviewer said "lol", but in any case I thought it was funny. Not a big deal, just funny when you saw it.

[Wizop]

It's taken me a while to start to accept that his floater is a good shot, but he does make it even though he seems off balance and not squared up.

Here is a really technical article on his improved defense.

https://www.indycornrows.com/2019/11/9/20956627/t-j-warrens-transformation-on-defense-is-already-dramatic

I suspect it is peer pressure and not just coaching. No one wants to be seen as the only guy not trying to defend.

[Scoot McGroot]

I'll admit, after Warren's first 5 games, I was starting to wonder if he was going to be a good fit or if he was just a volume shooter...

But these past 5 games have proven that he is LEGIT. In the last 5, he is averaging 23.2ppg while shooting 61.7% from the floor (including 46% from 3). I heard from Phoenix fans that he wouldn't play defense, but he has shown a huge improvement in his defensive intensity just 10 games in.

I know health seems to be a factor with him, but if he can find a way to stay healthy, we have a legit 3 that can flat fill it up!!

And his 1st 5 games he put up less than 13ppg, 39.7% FG, and 1/12 shooting from 3. Ignore the Charlotte game for a second and he's shooting 47% from the field and 5/24 from 3. I'm very hopeful, and he is a bucket getter when we've sorely lacked those for awhile. But, my guard is still up, and I'm still very cautious about him. The effort on defense is better, and that was a huge question mark coming into the season. Hoping for the best, but still not ready to anoint him anything yet, personally.

[Wizop]

The effort on defense is better, and that was a huge question mark coming into the season. Hoping for the best, but still not ready to anoint him anything yet, personally.

with Vic, Brogdon, Myles, and Damos, I wouldn't think we need to annoint the 5th starter to all star level. he can get his own shot which is a needed skill. he doesn't look to be a liability on defense nor a black hole on offense. he's not overpaid for a starter.

[DoubleEagle4]

I'll admit, after Warren's first 5 games, I was starting to wonder if he was going to be a good fit or if he was just a volume shooter...

But these past 5 games have proven that he is LEGIT. In the last 5, he is averaging 23.2ppg while shooting 61.7% from the floor (including 46% from 3). I heard from Phoenix fans that he wouldn't play defense, but he has shown a huge improvement in his defensive intensity just 10 games in.

I know health seems to be a factor with him, but if he can find a way to stay healthy, we have a legit 3 that can flat fill it up!!

And his 1st 5 games he put up less than 13ppg, 39.7% FG, and 1/12 shooting from 3. Ignore the Charlotte game for a second and he's shooting 47% from the field and 5/24 from 3. I'm very hopeful, and he is a bucket getter when we've sorely lacked those for awhile. But, my guard is still up, and I'm still very cautious about him. The effort on defense is better, and that was a huge question mark coming into the season. Hoping for the best, but still not ready to anoint him anything yet, personally.

I see what you are saying. He got off to a rough start as he was trying to find his place with the team.. But what I'm saying is that he has shown a ton of improvement already. If he stays committed to defense and continues to shoot well, he is a great piece of the puzzle. He is also making only $10.8m this season, which is a straight up bargain for that kind of output...

[Scoot McGroot]

The effort on defense is better, and that was a huge question mark coming into the season. Hoping for the best, but still not ready to anoint him anything yet, personally.

with Vic, Brogdon, Myles, and Damos, I wouldn't think we need to annoint the 5th starter to all star level. he can get his own shot which is a needed skill. he doesn't look to be a liability on defense nor a black hole on offense. he's not overpaid for a starter.

I'm not asking him to be anointed an all-star level. I'm not even ready to anoint him as the guaranteed long-term 5th starter. And I'm also not ready or willing to ignore his much longer past history of being a liability on defense and a black hole on offense. He's shown that he was that for 5 seasons, and in college, so I'm not trusting in a small sample size, maybe not even until I see a full season of production out of him.

I'll admit, after Warren's first 5 games, I was starting to wonder if he was going to be a good fit or if he was just a volume shooter...

But these past 5 games have proven that he is LEGIT. In the last 5, he is averaging 23.2ppg while shooting 61.7% from the floor (including 46% from 3). I heard from Phoenix fans that he wouldn't play defense, but he has shown a huge improvement in his defensive intensity just 10 games in.

I know health seems to be a factor with him, but if he can find a way to stay healthy, we have a legit 3 that can flat fill it up!!

And his 1st 5 games he put up less than 13ppg, 39.7% FG, and 1/12 shooting from 3. Ignore the Charlotte game for a second and he's shooting 47% from the field and 5/24 from 3. I'm very hopeful, and he is a bucket getter when we've sorely lacked those for awhile. But, my guard is still up, and I'm still very cautious about him. The effort on defense is better, and that was a huge question mark coming into the season. Hoping for the best, but still not ready to anoint him anything yet, personally.

I see what you are saying. He got off to a rough start as he was trying to find his place with the team.. But what I'm saying is that he has shown a ton of improvement already. If he stays committed to defense and continues to shoot well, he is a great piece of the puzzle. He is also making only $10.8m this season, which is a straight up bargain for that kind of output...

Maybe it was a rough start, or maybe this hot streak over the last 5 games is peak play for his season or even career? I think we can trust that the average will fall somewhere in between. The question long-term; to which 5 games will the average fall closest?

[Wizop]

I almost never watch NBA games other than ours so I really don't remember seeing him play for the Suns. off the top of my head, I'd say that he is playing as well for us as Bogie did in his first few games but he's got a way to go to be what Bogie was at the end.

[basketballwacko2]

I remember when he was drafted the word was he was a tweener, not big enough to play PF and not quick enough to guard the 3's. Some said he was a decent defender and everyone said he was a very good scorer.

Some time back about 2017 as I recall I saw a thread in the T&T involving the Suns and I inquired to them about Warren, they said at the time that they liked him and considered him one of their best young players. As we know by summer 2019 they paid a high 2nd to dump him. Seems the team kept drafting guys at the same spot, Josh Jackson, and Bridges then traded for Kelly Oubre. Seems to me the Suns wasted a lot of high #1 picks, Chriss, Bender, and Jackson especially

[pacers70]

I'll admit, after Warren's first 5 games, I was starting to wonder if he was going to be a good fit or if he was just a volume shooter...

But these past 5 games have proven that he is LEGIT. In the last 5, he is averaging 23.2ppg while shooting 61.7% from the floor (including 46% from 3). I heard from Phoenix fans that he wouldn't play defense, but he has shown a huge improvement in his defensive intensity just 10 games in.

I know health seems to be a factor with him, but if he can find a way to stay healthy, we have a legit 3 that can flat fill it up!!

He seems similar to DeMar DeRozan to me. Not as good though, but still a solid starter.

[8305]

He had a six game run starting with the Chicago game where he looked like an all star. Last five games have been pretty brutal from an efficiency standpoint. He's shooting below 30% from 3 on the season. Be interesting to see if getting Brogdan back makes things better for him. After watching the Holiday brothers and McDermott the last few games is Warren still the 5th starter when we are at full strength?

[boomershadow]

He had a six game run starting with the Chicago game where he looked like an all star. Last five games have been pretty brutal from an efficiency standpoint. He's shooting below 30% from 3 on the season. Be interesting to see if getting Brogdan back makes things better for him. After watching the Holiday brothers and McDermott the last few games is Warren still the 5th starter when we are at full strength?

Probably.

Unless Lamb just kills it so convincingly the rest of the season that it sounds absurd to put him on the bench when Oladipo comes back, I'd say it's pretty likely Warren keeps his spot. Nate doesn't like to make big changes like that. And even if Lamb does look that good, he will still probably end up leading the bench rather than starting once the team is fully healthy.

Hopefully Warren does start to look better once the lineup is back to where they were to start the season. It could also be an issue of him just being streaky, and you have to live with the bad as well as the good. That would be unfortunate if so, since we got so used to seeing Bogey be rock solid in that position.

[Wizop]

Hopefully Warren does start to look better once the lineup is back to where they were to start the season. It could also be an issue of him just being streaky, and you have to live with the bad as well as the good. That would be unfortunate if so, since we got so used to seeing Bogey be rock solid in that position.

Warren's defense has gotten a lot better already.

[8305]

Hopefully Warren does start to look better once the lineup is back to where they were to start the season. It could also be an issue of him just being streaky, and you have to live with the bad as well as the good. That would be unfortunate if so, since we got so used to seeing Bogey be rock solid in that position.

Warren's defense has gotten a lot better already.

Agree, all things considered this has been the most encouraging contribution he has made.

[Scoot McGroot]

Hopefully Warren does start to look better once the lineup is back to where they were to start the season. It could also be an issue of him just being streaky, and you have to live with the bad as well as the good. That would be unfortunate if so, since we got so used to seeing Bogey be rock solid in that position.

Warren's defense has gotten a lot better already.

Agree, all things considered this has been the most encouraging contribution he has made.

Thirded. He's certainly more active defensively, and he's more aware defensively. As such, he's been more present and able to swat away some bad passes and the like.

I'm not completely sold on his offensive impact yet, though. He might be a guy that is able to step it back up, efficiency wise, once an Oladipo returns and he's either more of a 4th/5th option in the starting lineup, or a 1st or 2nd option off the bench.

[8305]

Warren's defense has gotten a lot better already.

Agree, all things considered this has been the most encouraging contribution he has made.

Thirded. He's certainly more active defensively, and he's more aware defensively. As such, he's been more present and able to swat away some bad passes and the like.

I'm not completely sold on his offensive impact yet, though. He might be a guy that is able to step it back up, efficiency wise, once an Oladipo returns and he's either more of a 4th/5th option in the starting lineup, or a 1st or 2nd option off the bench.

And, if he is going to be a 4th/5th option he's got to bring defensively. A bad defender in that role really makes no sense.

[Wizop]

To me Warren seems like a guy who has always been able to get by on athletic ability and shooting and so never had to develop good fundamentals. TJM and McD are pretty much the opposite with really good shot mechanics making up for lack of speed. if through coaching or peer pressure Warren were to learn to square up, he could be really good.

[Jake0890]

I think TJ Warren has gotten better and better as the season has gone on.

[BooomBaby]

I think TJ Warren has gotten better and better as the season has gone on.

Seems like every player that comes here elevates their game both on offense and especially defense.

Just goes to show just how great this franchise is at developing and lifting players' potential.

[Pacersike]

David West