darealjuice wrote:I love TJ, he's one of my favorite Suns players since the Nash era, but he's definitely not an All Star and it's hard to picture him becoming one. He is below league average in TS% and eFG%, doesn't create his own shot consistently, is basically a non-shooter from 3, is not a consistent playmaker, and is just starting to become an average defender. We literally have to run all of our sets for him inside the 3 point line or he's plain ineffective, and it clearly hurts out spacing. Teams don't even pay attention to him off-ball when he's on the 3-point line because they know that he'll pass up the 3 and they can get out to contest the mid-range shot. He's extremely good at what he does, which is scoring on transition, cuts, floaters, and hustle plays, but he's average/below-average in every other facet of the game.
There's nothing wrong with that though. He's definitely got a role in the league as a solid starter/stud sixth man, and could fight to be a top 10 SF if he continues to play well and improve on his opportunities. However, the reality is that unless he adds at least one of elite shot creating, 3-point shooting, lock down defense, and strong playmaking to his game he just isn't going to be an All Star-level player.
Yeah, I love TJ as well...just the smooth scoring, humble attitude, and all that, but
really wish he would develop that 3 ball or play good D, and preferably both. He showed flashes last year, and tonight with being active coming up with steals, and showed some playmaking tonight and has had some games with good rebounding, but it's not real consistent. Currently he is just a great scorer from inside the arc....up there near the top for wings in there and scoring in motion but without much else, he's far away from an all star, and yes, on a good team, that elite scoring is great for 6th man, but right now it's clear he should be starting, and I've always felt he should be starting unless Jackson starts playing well enough to take it from him and became the better fit with Booker.
Neither him or Booker have a positive RPM or net rating yet, though Booker is getting closer on RPM and his BPM is now positive as his + on offense now outweighs his negative on defense by a small margin by that metric.
I wish they both could improve on the defensive end. Booker could potentially make the all star game in the east, but even a guy like Oladipo has overall outplayed him this year (though probably not to end games the way Booker has with his super clutchness as of late)...so who knows?
They both have stepped up and I expect continued improvement and I expect Chriss, Bender and Jackson to continue to improve as well. I think once these guys get more experience and grow as players most, if not all of them could be special players. It won't happen overnight, but it will be nice (at least for me) to see them grow together.
