College basketball and 2017 draft - One more poll after last game

[blee732]

Nope. Scratch Lonzo off the list. I wouldn't take him in the first round.

http://www.espn.com/sportsnation/story/_/id/19095643/sportsnation-lonzo-ball-rather-laker-no-1-pick

You heard him saying it's cause he would be close to his family, right? I see no problem in that. Phoenix is close enough for him to be happy here.

Yeah I think you can look at it positively or negatively depending on where you're coming from. Fans/media like to hear players wanting to be picked first for reasons of pride, but the reality is that it's all about the $s for most.

So from that standpoint I don't look at this statement negatively. It's not like he said it's b/c he was a Lakers fan or anything like that.

[sunsbum]

He is a Lakers fan tho.

[ATTL]

On Tankathon and Lottery Mock Draft Generator, the 6'ers keep making out like bandits. As it stands right now, the Lakers have less than a 50% chance of keeping their pick. This draft would be so ridiculously exciting if we still had the Laker's pick. Dead horse, I know........narrrgggg.........sigh.

I'm going to get so drunk the night of the lottery if the Lakers lose their pick.

[King4Day]

Who they expect each team to take with the number 1 pick

Phoenix Suns

Odds of winning the lottery: 19.1 percent

No. 1 pick: Lonzo Ball

The Suns have two point guards on their roster who have been starters -- Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight -- but I don't think that will affect their draft plans.

Both players were available at the trade deadline. The Suns have gone all-in on a youth movement and plan to build around Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Adding a young point guard is an attractive option for them.

The Suns lean Ball, in part because they feel they need a facilitator who can get everyone else on the team involved. While some teams are really split on the Ball vs. Fultz question, the early indications I get out of Phoenix are that the Suns lean pretty heavily toward Ball.

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/19088887/will-markelle-fultz-lonzo-ball-no-1-pick-2017-nba-draft

[blee732]

He is a Lakers fan tho.

Whether or not he's a Lakers fan wasn't really my point, it's that his rationale when put on the spot was focused on family which I think is fine and wouldn't scare me away from drafting him. To MathiasPW's point, I would think (hope) Phoenix is close enough.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Who they expect each team to take with the number 1 pick

Phoenix Suns

Odds of winning the lottery: 19.1 percent

No. 1 pick: Lonzo Ball

The Suns have two point guards on their roster who have been starters -- Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight -- but I don't think that will affect their draft plans.

Both players were available at the trade deadline. The Suns have gone all-in on a youth movement and plan to build around Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Adding a young point guard is an attractive option for them.

The Suns lean Ball, in part because they feel they need a facilitator who can get everyone else on the team involved. While some teams are really split on the Ball vs. Fultz question, the early indications I get out of Phoenix are that the Suns lean pretty heavily toward Ball.

http://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/19088887/will-markelle-fultz-lonzo-ball-no-1-pick-2017-nba-draft

Man I'm not sure how I'd feel if the suns won the lotto and took ball over fultz. I get putting a distributor with this team but man that seems like a gamble.

If suns are sitting 1 and lakers 2 or 3 it could get real interesting if ball throws a fit and refuses to work out for the suns and tries to force his way to L.A.

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[Frank Lee]

Chad Ford says what? Haha.... just him saying 'he's hearing' from the Phnx camp we are leaning towards Ball says Fultz is our guy.
The guy can hardly call two nickels a dime.

[DaleyBlind]

If the Lakers really want Ball and we end up picking in that 2nd slot with them being in the 3rd slot. I wonder if their is a trade to be made their.

[gaspar]

Read on Twitter

[Zelaznyrules]

Read on Twitter

Ball don't lie. One thing we can all be sure of, Lonzo will never fail on his own, it will always be someone else's fault. I still think the kid is special and I still want nothing to do with him.

[MrMiyagi]

Read on Twitter

Ball don't lie. One thing we can all be sure of, Lonzo will never fail on his own, it will always be someone else's fault. I still think the kid is special and I still want nothing to do with him.

That kid is going to have to break ties with his dad eventually... Right?

[Zelaznyrules]

Read on Twitter

Ball don't lie. One thing we can all be sure of, Lonzo will never fail on his own, it will always be someone else's fault. I still think the kid is special and I still want nothing to do with him.

That kid is going to have to break ties with his dad eventually... Right?

I have no idea. Normally, I'd say yes but nothing about this screams normal. Maybe Poppa Ball is a great man and is just using the system and his strengths to build the best future he can for himself, his wife and his children. And there is a very good chance that this is exactly what's going on. But, OTOH, maybe instead of being another Ward Cleaver he's really the basketball dad version of Charles Manson, I just don't know. I do know I wouldn't take the risk if it were up to me.

[Christine-In-AZ]

Chad Ford says what? Haha.... just him saying 'he's hearing' from the Phnx camp we are leaning towards Ball says Fultz is our guy.
The guy can hardly call two nickels a dime.

Nailed it.

...because of course it would make sooo much sense to broadcast who you truly prefer, especially before the draft order is even set

It is comforting to know some people like Ford take the bait. Maybe McD's early propaganda could help sway say? Vlade into taking Ball over Jackson at #2...Can't hurt to try.

And what could possibly be the point of leaking your true leaning anyway?

[SunZel]

I decided im all in for jackson with highest pick.

[King4Day]

Maybe McD is "leaking this" in order to get a reaction out of Ball to help determine if it pays to try investing in drafting his kid.
Ball might be saying the things he's saying to deter teams, outside of LA, from drafting him to give the Lakers the best shot. And if LA doesn't get him, he'll just cool it and move on.

[Frank Lee]

Wait and see the reaction IF LA gets squeezed out of the draft all together. Will LaVar take his Ball and go play in France as LA tanks yet another year? Does he go back to UCLA and demand some fast non white guys? Or does LA succumb and trade us Russell for the BigBawller ?

I kind rate Fultz and Russell as very similar players. If I may fantasize... getting Russell could be a coup d'etat to sign KAT down the road, albeit a very long street.

Its going to be a drama/guess filled draft scene. Perhaps one of the best as far as entertainment with wildass predictions.

[kennydorglas]

Read on Twitter

Ball don't lie. One thing we can all be sure of, Lonzo will never fail on his own, it will always be someone else's fault. I still think the kid is special and I still want nothing to do with him.

That kid is going to have to break ties with his dad eventually... Right?

I guess this wont happen. He just signed with a no-name agent who works for the "Ball Sports Group"

"Lonzo Ball has signed with Harrison Gaines to be his agent.

Ball will be Gaines' first NBA client. Gaines will be responsible for Ball’s future NBA contracts and team negotiations as a member of the Ball Sports Group."

[sunsbum]

Yea, I don't believe for a second Ball is first on our list. I think the Suns have had too much "Family Matters" in the past few years to want anything to do with this crazy ****. Also the more I see Melo's attitude the less I like him. That kid is so brainwashed he doesn't even see what kind of doo doo his dad is dipping him in. It sucks because I do believe his style of play would be perfect for our current squad, maybe more than any other team in the NBA in fact.

Also, why is Zach Collins getting slept on so hard? I don't care what school he's from, the guy is a pretty athletic and fluid C with ridiculous rebounding and shot blocking numbers. On top of that hes shooting like 65% from the field and 40% from 3pt range.

Watch on YouTube

[darealjuice]

Also, why is Zach Collins getting slept on so hard? I don't care what school he's from, the guy is a pretty athletic and fluid C with ridiculous rebounding and shot blocking numbers. On top of that hes shooting like 65% from the field and 40% from 3pt range.

Watch on YouTube

I'm a fan of Zach's. He's got a nice looking stroke, very mobile, and has a good feel for the game on offense and defense. Wouldn't buy too much into the 47.5 3PT% much though since he only shot 21 of them on the season, although it is encouraging that he showed he can at least make them in a game. I'd think that NBA teams and scouts are well aware of him, and DX has him ranked #15 of NCAA Freshmen this year, but coming off the bench for Karnowski and only playing 17 minutes per game probably put him under a lot of radars.

I don't think he's declared for the draft yet, but I'd be surprised if he didn't at least take a look into his draft stock and see how he compares with the other extremely long, more raw center prospects in the draft like Jarrett Allen, Justin Patton, and Ike Anigbogu. I'm sure he'll be lottery pick if he declares, probably toward the end though.

[jcsunsfan]

Yea, I don't believe for a second Ball is first on our list. I think the Suns have had too much "Family Matters" in the past few years to want anything to do with this crazy ****. Also the more I see Melo's attitude the less I like him. That kid is so brainwashed he doesn't even see what kind of doo doo his dad is dipping him in. It sucks because I do believe his style of play would be perfect for our current squad, maybe more than any other team in the NBA in fact.

Also, why is Zach Collins getting slept on so hard? I don't care what school he's from, the guy is a pretty athletic and fluid C with ridiculous rebounding and shot blocking numbers. On top of that hes shooting like 65% from the field and 40% from 3pt range.

Watch on YouTube

Probably because he is a white guy with slow footspeed. After all, we all know white guys are slow.