We all need to thank the Phoenix Suns.

[EvilGenius]

Yeah, I think it's a toss-up between Len and Noel at this point. Len ain't exactly chopped liver- a legit 7-footer who protects the rim and can do some things on offense. Noel might project higher, but the NBA is trending towards guy who can shoot and Len has a pretty smooth stroke.

Coming from a MD fan

[EvilGenius]

The domino effects of Embiids injury could have taken so many different turns and affected so many different teams. How does our future look with a MCW, Wiggins, insert wing player, Noel, Okafor/Towns as compared to what we are facing now? Hmmm the interesting what ifs...

If Embiid does not work out for whatever reason and Okafor/Towns is a superstar, we will all wonder what could have been with: MCW, Wiggins, Nerlens and Okafor/Towns as our big 4.

[roma258]

Yeah, I think it's a toss-up between Len and Noel at this point. Len ain't exactly chopped liver- a legit 7-footer who protects the rim and can do some things on offense. Noel might project higher, but the NBA is trending towards guy who can shoot and Len has a pretty smooth stroke.

Coming from a MD fan

That would a MD grad actually, and a Sixers fan all my life. My loyalties are pretty balanced. But yeah I've probably had more exposure to Len then most on this board. So I actually know a thing or two about his game.

[EvilGenius]

Slightly OT, but what do you think Gerald Green will command this offseason in FA? I would love to snag him for 3yr 15-16mm. I think thats fairly realistic and a low risk high reward proposition. He's just an absolute freak athlete, and can shoot the 3 ball as well. If BB can get him to keep a cool head and put more effort on the defensive end, he would be a nice piece of the bench for 25min/pg.

[Mogul]

What the hell has Noel done to warrant us professing our unconditional gratitude to the Suns?

[wickedwrister]

I think this is a bit of a ridiculous thread since Noel looks about the same as Len so far this year.

I think Oladipo looks like the right pick at 2 and the jury is out on Zeller. Porter has looked better this season as well. I think the thanks really go to Cleveland for taking Bennett. If they took Noel at 1 I think 2-5 go the same way and maybe Hinkie trades Jrue for Bennett.....

[roma258]

I think this is a bit of a ridiculous thread since Noel looks about the same as Len so far this year.

I think Oladipo looks like the right pick at 2 and the jury is out on Zeller. Porter has looked better this season as well. I think the thanks really go to Cleveland for taking Bennett. If they took Noel at 1 I think 2-5 go the same way and maybe Hinkie trades Jrue for Bennett.....

I think that whole draft is generally better than people give it credit for.

[EvilGenius]

I think this is a bit of a ridiculous thread since Noel looks about the same as Len so far this year.

I think Oladipo looks like the right pick at 2 and the jury is out on Zeller. Porter has looked better this season as well. I think the thanks really go to Cleveland for taking Bennett. If they took Noel at 1 I think 2-5 go the same way and maybe Hinkie trades Jrue for Bennett.....

Teams are not willing to take a risk with the first or second overall pick on a blown ACL and the ridicule that is sure to come with it. The Suns would not have caught a ton of heat for taking Nerlens at 5 and it not working out.

I'm not buying the report that claims we would have been happy with Nerls, Dipo or Bennett. That we will never know for sure.

Do people understand that Nerlens is coming off a devastating knee injury? Do they understand how raw Nerlens is and we are just beginning to see the infancy stages of his other worldly defensive athleticism? This is just chapter one, and Nerlens book has potential to be one of the best ever defensively. Len's ceiling is not in the same building, not even close.

[wickedwrister]

I think this is a bit of a ridiculous thread since Noel looks about the same as Len so far this year.

I think Oladipo looks like the right pick at 2 and the jury is out on Zeller. Porter has looked better this season as well. I think the thanks really go to Cleveland for taking Bennett. If they took Noel at 1 I think 2-5 go the same way and maybe Hinkie trades Jrue for Bennett.....

Teams are not willing to take a risk with the first or second overall pick on a blown ACL and the ridicule that is sure to come with it. The Suns would not have caught a ton of heat for taking Nerlens at 5 and it not working out.

I'm not buying the report that claims we would have been happy with Nerls, Dipo or Bennett. That we will never know for sure.

Do people understand that Nerlens is coming off a devastating knee injury? Do they understand how raw Nerlens is and we are just beginning to see the infancy stages of his other worldly defensive athleticism? This is just chapter one, and Nerlens book has potential to be one of the best ever defensively. Len's ceiling is not in the same building, not even close.

I agree that I'd rather have Noel than Len and I think in the long run this may be a topic that we will all be agreeing on. Its just way way too early to be calling it as a big victory worth gloating about.

[EvilGenius]

I think this is a bit of a ridiculous thread since Noel looks about the same as Len so far this year.

I think Oladipo looks like the right pick at 2 and the jury is out on Zeller. Porter has looked better this season as well. I think the thanks really go to Cleveland for taking Bennett. If they took Noel at 1 I think 2-5 go the same way and maybe Hinkie trades Jrue for Bennett.....

Teams are not willing to take a risk with the first or second overall pick on a blown ACL and the ridicule that is sure to come with it. The Suns would not have caught a ton of heat for taking Nerlens at 5 and it not working out.

I'm not buying the report that claims we would have been happy with Nerls, Dipo or Bennett. That we will never know for sure.

Do people understand that Nerlens is coming off a devastating knee injury? Do they understand how raw Nerlens is and we are just beginning to see the infancy stages of his other worldly defensive athleticism? This is just chapter one, and Nerlens book has potential to be one of the best ever defensively. Len's ceiling is not in the same building, not even close.

I agree that I'd rather have Noel than Len and I think in the long run this may be a topic that we will all be agreeing on. Its just way way too early to be calling it as a big victory worth gloating about.

Nerlens knee could give out tomm (knock on wood) and never play again. I was just rejoicing to the fact that the Suns (among other teams) enabled us to select an injured defensive savant, get our tank rollin' in the right direction. That is all

[wickedwrister]

Teams are not willing to take a risk with the first or second overall pick on a blown ACL and the ridicule that is sure to come with it. The Suns would not have caught a ton of heat for taking Nerlens at 5 and it not working out.

I'm not buying the report that claims we would have been happy with Nerls, Dipo or Bennett. That we will never know for sure.

Do people understand that Nerlens is coming off a devastating knee injury? Do they understand how raw Nerlens is and we are just beginning to see the infancy stages of his other worldly defensive athleticism? This is just chapter one, and Nerlens book has potential to be one of the best ever defensively. Len's ceiling is not in the same building, not even close.

I agree that I'd rather have Noel than Len and I think in the long run this may be a topic that we will all be agreeing on. Its just way way too early to be calling it as a big victory worth gloating about.

Nerlens knee could give out tomm (knock on wood) and never play again. I was just rejoicing to the fact that the Suns (among other teams) enabled us to select an injured defensive savant, get our tank rollin' in the right direction. That is all

I get it and god knows we don't have a ton to be excited about at this point. Don't want to be raining on your parade or anything. Just not sure Len is the one I would have targeted as the guys taken before Noel as saying "boy we got lucky there."

[Att]

Are you kidding? I like Noel as a player and all and I'm sure he'll grow as a player and be one of the best in his class, but Len is the better player right now and the better prospect. I don't think it's even close. It's more to Len's credit than to Noel's fault.

[Unbreakable99]

I like Noel but I don't think Len is worse. They are about the same. Phoenix is doing just fine. I don't see the need for this thread.

[CoreyGallagher]

Len is further along offensively, that's pretty evident, however Noel is further along defensively.

Len blocks more shots than Noel, 3.5 to 2.7 per 100 possessions, although he fouls at a ridiculous rate, 8.2 fouls per 100 possessions, comparatively to 4.3 for Noel. I'd imagine that throwing caution to the wind like that is partially why he's able to block so many shots. Noel also averages 2.6 steals per 100 possessions, it's pretty astounding that Noel does what he does without accruing too many fouls.

[roma258]

I've seen Len develop since he came to Maryland as a well regarded, but relatively unheralded freshman. He wasn't really that polished in his freshman year, and he's developed quite a bit since then. Ironically, his national coming out was when he outplated Noel during his sophomore year, when Noel was the numbers 1 recruit in the nation. The thing people need to realize is that Len is actually very athletic for his size, and has good dexterity from coming up as a gymnast. So I think Noel and Len will always be linked, since they play a similar position, and got picked one after the other, both have had promising but injury marred careers so far.

To me, Len's ceiling is a more athletic Vucevic who can protect the rim. Noel's upside is KG without the jumper, or maybe a more athletic Noah. It'll be interesting to see these two develop and who ends up as the better player. I just don't think we have any idea right now.

[James40]

So who do we thank for Rudy Gobert falling to 27th?

[76ciology]

Len gives suns a post player, aside from a good rim protector and rebounder. I do think a post player is vital to be a play-off team in the west. And Len outplayed Noel when they faced off in college, so there's that.

The team that we should thank for is the Cavs, for two straight years. We got the projected no.1 pick for two straight seasons because of them. Them having a no.1 pick seems to increase the lotto pick for eveyone.

[dbodner]

I honestly thought this thread was going to be about how the Suns unexpected turnaround last year gave the Wolves hope that they could do the same this year, thus contributing to their willingness to do the Thaddeus Young trade.

[roma258]

I honestly thought this thread was going to be about how the Suns unexpected turnaround last year gave the Wolves hope that they could do the same this year, thus contributing to their willingness to do the Thaddeus Young trade.

Lol, 3-dimensional chess y'all!

[bwgood77]

I will probably be in the minority here but I think Len has looked good most times I have seen him. Not sure that was the wrong call by them at all.

As a Suns fan I'd much rather have Len.