Draft Discussion Part 3

[Mjee]

The Kevin Durant comparison is absolutely rediculous

[bwgood77]

He saw him in Sac

Yeah, but I dont this is enough or even McD modus operandi with possible draftees.
I know we had a secret workout with Warren in 2014 and that's it.

IDK, just sounds like a lame answer to me. Fultz and Ball also didnt work out for us, but im sure of they were still on the board, we wouldnt hesitate to grab them. Word was that we LOVE Ball. I mean with the logic that we never worked him out, it would be weird that we would love him, right?

Just because guys didnt go through OUR draft workout, doesnt mean that we dont like them or wouldnt draft them.

Ball didn't work out for anyone other than the Lakers. Neither did Fultz outside of Boston, until lately when he did with the Lakers, and didn't even work out for Philly until the trade was pending. Jackson worked out for Sac and we went to see it and that's it. Isaac shut down workouts after ours. My guy tells me we take Isaac if he is there, and we brought in Tatum twice as a fall back in case Boston or someone else takes Isaac....just for a second option. If Ball fell, maybe though since he didn't work out for anyone. Jackson is possible, but it seems like we would have brought him in for our tests, which seems to be a large part in their decision making process, considering they always talk about putting them through a brutal workout to see who takes it seriously.

[TOO]

How so?

Because drafting a skinny guy with a questionable shot, no position, and an underwhelming feel doesn't excite anyone.

NBA Comparison: Rashard Lewis/Kevin Durant
Strengths: A "tantalizing" prospect, Isaac has a rare combination of size, length, and fluidity for wing player, in many ways similar to Kevin Durant at the same age from a physical and skill standpoint; at 6’10.5” with a 9’0.5” standing reach ... He has the size to play the four (and possibly even 5) when necessary and be a presence inside once his frame fills out, but he also runs the floor like a natural wing player ... Isaac has long strides, is light on his feet, and can get up and down the floor in a hurry ... He has uncommon quickness for a player his size, which he utilizes very well when cutting off the ball to lose his man and create easy looks ... Isaac is a quick jumper and shows good vertical explosion, particularly off of two feet when he has momentum to the basket ... His length and athleticism also point towards potential as a rebounder ... He showed flashes on the glass regularly at Florida State, averaging 9.6 rebounds per 40 minutes, and should develop into an even more potent rebounder as he matures ... On the perimeter, he can be a mismatch, as his size and length give him the ability to get his shot off over just about any wing defender ... Isaac's jumper looks promising and should become even more dangerous with time and repetition ... He is not going to be a 40-plus percent shooter from three-point land right away, but he has clearly established himself as a threat from outside (1.7 made threes per 40 minutes) with the ability to make tough pull-ups and fadeaways ... Isaac is also a sound ball-handler and despite not having carte blanche at Florida State, he has shown the ability to create his own shot with a variety of moves ... His ability to pull up off the dribble is extremely intriguing ... He utilizes hesitations, crossovers and step backs with crisp footwork to blow by or separate into a jump shot ... These flashes of shot creation at his size fuel his scoring potential and drive his potential through the roof ... He does not have the most advanced feel for the game yet, but he also shows flashes as a facilitator ... As a shooter he is a bit streaky but shows good shot preparation and balance with a high release ... He has excellent slashing ability as well and does a great job attacking closeouts with long strides ... Isaac also has a quick first step and a strong rip through move that gives him good momentum when driving to the basket ... However, he is more than just a straight-line driver; he does a great job of changing speeds and directions with a variety of dribble moves, and he has excellent hip mobility ... He can also shoot over the top of smaller defenders while posting up with his size and length ... His size also helps him as a passer, as he can see over the top of most defenders; and has good vision ... The potential for Isaac as a defensive stopper is also very intriguing ... He has the tools to eventually become a player that can lock down multiple positions ... He moves laterally quite well and should become a valuable switchman off the pick and roll ... He has the agility and foot speed to contain smaller players on the perimeter but also has the size and reach to give bigger players a hard time down low ... He is not ready to play down low regularly, but he is long and agile enough to provide glimpses of rim protection when needed to play the 4 ... He is a late bloomer that was a 6’3” guard in high school and is just scratching the surface of his abilities ... Players with his combination of size, length, fluidity, and skill are extremely rare, and he will be a great fit in today’s NBA ... If he can put it all together, he will be a star ... Isaac’s overall upside is off the charts and may be higher than any player in this draft, and in the right situation he may ultimately end up the best player ...

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jonathan-isaac

I've read the reports, watched all the video I could find, and I just dont see it. I see a skinny kid who never took over a game against supposedly lesser talented players. Never in a million years will he be Durant (nbadraft.net is usually awful with their comparisons) He'll be lucky to ever shoot it like Rashard Lewis for that matter. I will be mega bummed if we draft this kid.

[bwgood77]

how many workouts have been leaked to those that McD actually drafted the last 3 years.


Most if not all were hush hush and not in the mainstream media's attention.

I know for sure that Warren had a secret workout with us.

I don't remember hearing much about Bender or Chriss' workouts here last year outside of those spy pictures by random people lol. Everyone thought we wanted Chriss pre-draft though.

True, but no one mentioned Chriss until a few days before, and Woj mentioned Isaac today. I somewhat trust him with stuff.

[darealjuice]

True, but no one mentioned Chriss until a few days before, and Woj mentioned Isaac today. I somewhat trust him with stuff.

Yeah, but I believe the quote was something along the lines of "Isaac if no one drops" right? Like I said before, I can understand Isaac at 4 if it's between him and Tatum, but I'd be a bit annoyed if we passed on JJ for him.

[bwgood77]

True, but no one mentioned Chriss until a few days before, and Woj mentioned Isaac today. I somewhat trust him with stuff.

Yeah, but I believe the quote was something along the lines of "Isaac if no one drops" right? Like I said before, I can understand Isaac at 4 if it's between him and Tatum, but I'd be a bit annoyed if we passed on JJ for him.

Ultimately I'd be happy with Jackson or Isaac. I'm just talking about my gut feeling. I actually think there might be a better chance we'd take Tatum over Isaac since we worked out Tatum twice as well, but it was rumored that they thought Tatum would be a nice scoring option next to Booker. Maybe either a smokescreen or getting the public ready in case somehow Isaac wasn't there. Boston simply could use a scoring wing more than us. We need a defensive wing, but of course Jackson provides that too. Just still wonder why we didn't bring him to Phx.

[WeekapaugGroove]

After the crap season we had with "strategically resting our veterans" aka tanking, to just come away with Isaac at #4 is a complete failure (especially if JJ or Tatum are available)

How so?

Because drafting a skinny guy with a questionable shot, no position, and an underwhelming feel doesn't excite anyone.

First off I think plenty of us would be excited about isaac at 4.

Questionable shooter? Then you mention jackson and tatum, thats confusing.

Jackson shot around the same % from 3 but worse from midrange and his ft% and weird form make his future shooting very questionable.

Tatum on the other hand does have a nice stroke and is a great ft shooter so does profile as a guy who could shoot well but isaac did shoot a better % midrange and was a much better finisher so its no guarantee tatum shoots better than him in the pros.

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[Christine-In-AZ]

How is Isaac redundant when he's a defensive force and Bender is not?

We must have been watching different Benders last season.

this

[darealjuice]

Ultimately I'd be happy with Jackson or Isaac. I'm just talking about my gut feeling. I actually think there might be a better chance we'd take Tatum over Isaac since we worked out Tatum twice as well, but it was rumored that they thought Tatum would be a nice scoring option next to Booker. Maybe either a smokescreen or getting the public ready in case somehow Isaac wasn't there. Boston simply could use a scoring wing more than us. We need a defensive wing, but of course Jackson provides that too. Just still wonder why we didn't bring him to Phx.

I typically think more about what we're quiet about than what we hear a bunch of when it comes to Suns rumors. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this Isaac noise is real, but it doesn't seem McDonough-like to have everyone know who we're targeting, who we've met with, and when they've visited us. Plus we still have 3 days to get JJ in Phoenix for a visit if we want and can get him, tomorrow is supposed to be our last workout but they never said anything about top prospects visiting.

[charley barkles]

I think everyone should disregard the whole "didn't bring him in for a workout" stuff. McD loves to be stealthy and keep things quiet. Btw - has anyone heard anything from him since right after the lottery? All the workout videos have interviewed the assistant GM.

McD could very well be traveling around meeting/watching any of the top guys. Obviously, that happened with JJ in Sacramento. Could have happened with Ball, Fox, etc.

[bwgood77]

Ultimately I'd be happy with Jackson or Isaac. I'm just talking about my gut feeling. I actually think there might be a better chance we'd take Tatum over Isaac since we worked out Tatum twice as well, but it was rumored that they thought Tatum would be a nice scoring option next to Booker. Maybe either a smokescreen or getting the public ready in case somehow Isaac wasn't there. Boston simply could use a scoring wing more than us. We need a defensive wing, but of course Jackson provides that too. Just still wonder why we didn't bring him to Phx.

I typically think more about what we're quiet about than what we hear a bunch of when it comes to Suns rumors. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this Isaac noise is real, but it doesn't seem McDonough-like to have everyone know who we're targeting, who we've met with, and when they've visited us. Plus we still have 3 days to get JJ in Phoenix for a visit if we want and can get him, tomorrow is supposed to be our last workout but they never said anything about top prospects visiting.

Oh yeah, I've been meaning to mention if JJ comes tomorrow or before the draft then I expect it to be a total toss up. Though I still think Isaac not working out for teams past 4 is the only tangible thing that seems clear to me as he could drop further than he should if we pass on him without workouts with other teams. If he suddenly decides to do a couple more workouts then I would definitely think Jackson would be the guy, or maybe Tatum.

I wouldn't be surprised if our last workouts are 2nd round guys, though I also wouldn't be surprised if it is Jackson and/or Ball.

[bwgood77]

I think everyone should disregard the whole "didn't bring him in for a workout" stuff. McD loves to be stealthy and keep things quiet. Btw - has anyone heard anything from him since right after the lottery? All the workout videos have interviewed the assistant GM.

McD could very well be traveling around meeting/watching any of the top guys. Obviously, that happened with JJ in Sacramento. Could have happened with Ball, Fox, etc.

Definitely could have, but if one person knew about it, it would be on twitter and out there. It would be extremely difficult to keep secret. Even if Phx pulled JJ aside to give him his own tests or whatever, it seems like it would be reported.

But we'll see.

[DaleyBlind]

Im fine with Jackson, Issac, Tatum or Smith Jr.

Pissed off if we draft Monk, Fox

[thamadkant]

If Isaac can be a modern day Robert Horry I would be happy... Because thats what many teams need.

[sunsbum]

Gross, Isaac is so underwhelming.

That's kind of how I feel about Tatum. I even watched his season highlights today hoping to get me pumped but he is boring. He has a good feel for the game and will be good but he's just not exciting.

I watched Isaac too...much more exciting. Isaac obviously is more raw, but the highlights are still more impressive imo.

Watch on YouTube

This is the first video I've seen where I'm like ok... I can see now. But when I watch full games I see a floater.

[lilfishi22]

Honestly, when I watch Tatum, he reminds me so much of Booker. Maybe it's just me but those in and out dribbles, drive and pull ups, open floor lay ups, step back jumpers all remind me of Book. His game isn't flashy but he does have a great feel for it, just like Booker.

[TOO]

Honestly, when I watch Tatum, he reminds me so much of Booker. Maybe it's just me but those in and out dribbles, drive and pull ups, open floor lay ups, step back jumpers all remind me of Book. His game isn't flashy but he does have a great feel for it, just like Booker.

You get it.

[SlovenianDragon]

Honestly, when I watch Tatum, he reminds me so much of Booker. Maybe it's just me but those in and out dribbles, drive and pull ups, open floor lay ups, step back jumpers all remind me of Book. His game isn't flashy but he does have a great feel for it, just like Booker.

I agree his footwork and feel for the game is amazing.

I don't get the whole thing where people are like yeah Tatum looks good and is NBA ready but player x has so much potential.

Man Tatum has potential too. He can also improve from where hes at.

Give me NBA ready with potential over player x who has potential he just needs to work on this and that.

Ya know?