2019 Draft Discussion - Suns with 6th pick!

[bwgood77]

I guess my question was more general to the PG position and not necessarily specific to Ja. My view is that we're at the stage where we need someone experienced who can just do the job at the PG spot so i agree that we need a veteran guy to start. That's why as exciting as Ja, as exciting as Markelle, DSJ and I suppose Frank *could* be, no one really fits the description of someone that is ready to play and ready to play the right way. We're in desperate need of leadership as much as production/impact at the PG position and I just don't think any of these young PG's are ready for that role.

Unlike a team with many veterans who you could put an inexperienced PG out there to learn on the job and play the right way alongside vets, we don't have that luxury and throwing another inexperienced PG out there would just seem to prolong the issues we've had since Bledsoe left. I feel like we have good and talented pieces in place in enough spots to be competitive but our guys are still young, still inexperienced and just doesn't have a leader out there. Booker is doing his best to be a leader out there but some people just aren't suited for that role even if they are technically proficient at their job. If we can move some assets to bring in Conley or some other veteran PG who is just ready to play now and draft Ja, that would be ideal.

Guards usually dont take much time at all to develop, Bigs are the ones that take forever. I think with guards it happens somewhere from day one to maybe a year. If it doesnt happen by then (Being a solid PG) then it never happens. With Fox he was pretty bad his rookie season, but after the 1st year he became a stud. You have Tre Young in Atlanta who has been a stud since day 1.

Now after saying that i do also feel like the team and system plays a factor into that. Morant would be set up perfectly with us due to the young team around him and because of our team situation. We have a new coach and a new system, so its not like a young inexperienced PG coming in and having to learn how to play in a system that has been being used for like forever and all the players know it and their role. It allows Igor to in a way mold the system to him. All our guys are young, so its not like having a bunch of battle ridden vets taking issue with having to listen to a young stud coming in and trying to establish himself as the team leader or running the show. I think that is one of the reasons why Fox worked out so well in Sacramento or Young in Atlanta or even Simmons in Philly (Ball and Russell too), while other top PG prospects have looked less than stellar (SGA/Sexton/Ntilikina/DSJ/Dunn/Rozier).

I did read the article on Morant that The Stepien wrote....and honestly i dont know what to say. They go to list list why he is a great PG and player, all of which i agree, but when it comes to the negatives on him i really disagree. I mean he has elite speed, they even said themselves that his "handle is among the best in the country and, combined with his elite ability to change speeds, allows him to get wherever he wants on the floor" yet they go one to say this:

Almost every point guard drafted highly in recent years has disappointed early in their career relative to their draft spot. Players like Ben Simmons and De’Aaron Fox who possess true outlier physical tools (Simmons has size, Fox has speed) can speed up their curve by simply being more athletic than their opposition.

So somehow Fox's speed sped up his curve, but that wont work for Morant who i believe is just as fast (And they themselves mention his elite speed)?

Look, the kid is going to be a star player. at 19 he is 6"3 (And growing), has elite speed, is the NCAA's best passer (#1 in assists), is a real team leader (Took his team from a 132nd preseason ranking to being #45), can not only create for others but create for himself (Just 28.7 percent of his makes being assisted with 64% True Shooting) while having a Nash like ability to know when to switch games from being a facilitator to scoring for himself. His defense isnt anywhere close to being as bad as they try to make it out to be, with a 93.5 Defensive rating being way way better than SGA who was known for his defense and had a 101 defensive rating.

The kid is the real deal. He ticks all the boxes. Really he only has 2 issues and both are very minor. He shoots 33% from 3, but his True Shooting and his FT shooting show he is a much better shooter and shouldnt have an issue being a better 3 point shooter. His other issue is his turnovers. 5 a game is high, but he still maintains a 2-1 assist to turnover ratio which is solid. He tends to try to force passes to teammates to try to get them involved, and to be honest Murray State doesnt have to greatest players around him. Its something that can be easily fixed.

One thing comparing him to one and done college players who were really good as a freshman. Morant wasn't even on any radars as a freshman. He blossomed into this as a sophomore against very weak competition.

It's really hard to know with a guy like this. It could go either way.

He's obviously talented. But I do wonder why no big schools wanted him coming out of high school and he ended up going to Murray St and then why he couldn't dominate that weaker competition last year...actually he wasn't bad...like 14/7 and 30% from 3.

But if you are arguing that he develops quickly instead of takes longer, he didn't develop fast enough to get on major schools radars to get any big conference school scholarships, and then he couldn't dominate the weak competition as a freshman.

His jump to the NBA will be a monumental step up in talent relative to a lot of these other guys.

[AtheJ415]

Plenty of PGs came from smaller schools with weak competition and thrived in the NBA. I think Morant is very clearly the top PG in this draft. Is he some future superstar or some guaranteed success in the NBA? No, but short of Zion I don't see anybody else in this class who is.

[NBA Fan 1234]

I don't think Ja coming from a smaller school is as big of an issue as his jumper is (including form and its projectability going forward). The recent guys who have been successful out of smaller schools have all been great shooters (and have all had harder schedules - Curry, Dame, CJ).

[TheLogician]

We should draft a rim protector. Jaxson Hayes looks good. Ayton can play PF, probably more natural for him anyway.

[bwgood77]

We should draft a rim protector. Jaxson Hayes looks good. Ayton can play PF, probably more natural for him anyway.

You like him better than Brandon Clarke? He is supposed to be a great defender. They are about the same in blocks, but Clarke almost triple the steals and a great overall defender. Probably far more NBA ready to contribute immediately too.

[TheLogician]

We should draft a rim protector. Jaxson Hayes looks good. Ayton can play PF, probably more natural for him anyway.

You like him better than Brandon Clarke? He is supposed to be a great defender. They are about the same in blocks, but Clarke almost triple the steals and a great overall defender. Probably far more NBA ready to contribute immediately too.

I like them both as trade down targets. Great value for guys who probably won't go top 10.

[Ghost of Kleine]

We should draft a rim protector. Jaxson Hayes looks good. Ayton can play PF, probably more natural for him anyway.

I've been saying this about Ayton for a while now, as at least to me, his game resembles big point forwards such as La marcus Aldridge, a more athletic Channing Frye( as he plays soft too sometimes), Or sadly......a less dominant and less aggressive Amare stoudamire. (Based on similar athleticism, but lacking in ferocity).

Either way, he's a mobile perimeter oriented scoring big man in a point forward mold. And I agree that I think he'd find a more natural style of play at the power forward.....Similar to Pau Gasol, Or LaMarcus Aldridge.

I really wish/hope that the suns management and Sarver would actually invest in Ayton being mentored by the greats such as Olajuwon, Garnett, Even Duncan IF he was willing during the summer.

I think that this would advance his game immensely. The way he moves in the paint just reminds me of Pau Gasol , or possibly a mix of Olajuwon, and Duncan fundamentally.......


Does anybody disagree?

[GoodBehavior]

Fox's athleticism was much better than Morant's is. Much better. Being an SEC guy, I didn't miss many Kentucky games (nor have I missed many of Morant's games, or clips I downloaded from Synergy). Morant is a great athlete (although pretty heavily a two-footed jumper), but Fox is an elite one. His finishing ability, touch, and projectable shooting were also far better than Morant's is - even with the higher FT%, Morant's ability to rise quickly off the bounce is essentially non-existent at this point. His form is actually similar to Schroder who has NOT been able to become a consistent outside shooter. FT% is not always indicative of future shooting potential - had a convo with a scout actually about this at SL. He's a damn good passer, but his AST% (or APG) is not indicative of his actual passing ability. Some of the passes he makes are absurd (one handed 40 foot cross-court pass he made in his last game, his left handed push passes, really nice drop-offs, etc), but it's pretty much because he is Murray State's offense and when he's not involved, he stands around doing absolutely nothing. His turnovers are pretty mind-boggling, too.

Also, his defense IS that bad. He'll get his steals, but he cares about off ball defense and positioning as much as D-Russ did in college - meaning, essentially not at all. He's rarely in a stance, doesn't anticipate where the ball is going (I've seen him make laughably bad reads - going high to defend the 3 when there is a rim runner going to the basket is something I remember off the top of my head).

It sounds like I'm being harsh on him...because I am. I don't think he's better than Maledon, Anthony, Hayes, or Edwards in next year's class NOR do I think he's as good as Garland in this one (I also don't think his floor OR ceiling is as high). Will he be an all star? Possibly. Do I think his impact will be all star level? No.

A little harsh, in my opinion. Fox and Westbrook are elite, possibly generational talent. Morant is a step below those guys, athletically and talent-wise. That's not necessary a bad thing, i.e. he's not an elite prospect but a very good one. He has all the usual question marks you would expect from any non-elite PG draftee. Rarely, do you see a well-put together package at the collegiate level. It's unusual that you a get PG prospect that doesn't have some concerns over shooting (this goes for any positional player not just PG) or play making or both.

Free throw % is not a guarantee indicator but it's one of the more reliable one. Kid got speed, handle, and finishing abilities... all grades out well. Him slacking off on defense isn't unusual given his workload on the other end. I wouldn't put too much stock on his defense or lack thereof. Some players slack off on defense in college and turn up to be positive contributors (Simmons, Tatum). His physical tools suggest he should be an above average defender.

His floor is Schroder. A trio of Morant ("Schroder")/Melton/Okobo could be an interesting option for the Suns. You definitely don't want to use a high lottery pick for a sixth man-ish PG. But if that's a floor, that's not a bad tradeoff in this years' draft. I would argue that other draftee outside the number 1 pick have way, way more issues than Ja. Little, Reddish, Barrett..

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

We should draft a rim protector. Jaxson Hayes looks good. Ayton can play PF, probably more natural for him anyway.

You like him better than Brandon Clarke? He is supposed to be a great defender. They are about the same in blocks, but Clarke almost triple the steals and a great overall defender. Probably far more NBA ready to contribute immediately too.

I like them both as trade down targets. Great value for guys who probably won't go top 10.

Seems to me that this board has been more successful at identifying solid players in the late lotto and even late first and second round than at the top of the draft. Seems solid bigs slide every year. Let's get one. We need one.

[bwgood77]

Seems to me that this board has been more successful at identifying solid players in the late lotto and even late first and second round than at the top of the draft. Seems solid bigs slide every year. Let's get one. We need one.

Well the board had Doncic #1 for much of last year until we got the #1 pick and then a number of people flipped to Ayton...maybe it was the Gambo effect. But this board ended up getting who the majority wanted at the time of the draft.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Seems to me that this board has been more successful at identifying solid players in the late lotto and even late first and second round than at the top of the draft. Seems solid bigs slide every year. Let's get one. We need one.

Well the board had Doncic #1 for much of last year until we got the #1 pick and then a number of people flipped to Ayton...maybe it was the Gambo effect. But this board ended up getting who the majority wanted at the time of the draft.

I was part of that flip-floppy group, against my better judgement. I was distracted by the daydream of dunks and dominance.

[Damkac]

I wanted Doncic but when Suns got 1st everybody was like drafting Ayton is a done deal so I stoped thinking about Luka and started cheering for Ayton.

[NBA Fan 1234]

Fox's athleticism was much better than Morant's is. Much better. Being an SEC guy, I didn't miss many Kentucky games (nor have I missed many of Morant's games, or clips I downloaded from Synergy). Morant is a great athlete (although pretty heavily a two-footed jumper), but Fox is an elite one. His finishing ability, touch, and projectable shooting were also far better than Morant's is - even with the higher FT%, Morant's ability to rise quickly off the bounce is essentially non-existent at this point. His form is actually similar to Schroder who has NOT been able to become a consistent outside shooter. FT% is not always indicative of future shooting potential - had a convo with a scout actually about this at SL. He's a damn good passer, but his AST% (or APG) is not indicative of his actual passing ability. Some of the passes he makes are absurd (one handed 40 foot cross-court pass he made in his last game, his left handed push passes, really nice drop-offs, etc), but it's pretty much because he is Murray State's offense and when he's not involved, he stands around doing absolutely nothing. His turnovers are pretty mind-boggling, too.

Also, his defense IS that bad. He'll get his steals, but he cares about off ball defense and positioning as much as D-Russ did in college - meaning, essentially not at all. He's rarely in a stance, doesn't anticipate where the ball is going (I've seen him make laughably bad reads - going high to defend the 3 when there is a rim runner going to the basket is something I remember off the top of my head).

It sounds like I'm being harsh on him...because I am. I don't think he's better than Maledon, Anthony, Hayes, or Edwards in next year's class NOR do I think he's as good as Garland in this one (I also don't think his floor OR ceiling is as high). Will he be an all star? Possibly. Do I think his impact will be all star level? No.

A little harsh, in my opinion. Fox and Westbrook are elite, possibly generational talent. Morant is a step below those guys, athletically and talent-wise. That's not necessary a bad thing, i.e. he's not an elite prospect but a very good one. He has all the usual question marks you would expect from any non-elite PG draftee. Rarely, do you see a well-put together package at the collegiate level. It's unusual that you a get PG prospect that doesn't have some concerns over shooting (this goes for any positional player not just PG) or play making or both.

Free throw % is not a guarantee indicator but it's one of the more reliable one. Kid got speed, handle, and finishing abilities... all grades out well. Him slacking off on defense isn't unusual given his workload on the other end. I wouldn't put too much stock on his defense or lack thereof. Some players slack off on defense in college and turn up to be positive contributors (Simmons, Tatum). His physical tools suggest he should be an above average defender.

His floor is Schroder. A trio of Morant ("Schroder")/Melton/Okobo could be an interesting option for the Suns. You definitely don't want to use a high lottery pick for a sixth man-ish PG. But if that's a floor, that's not a bad tradeoff in this years' draft. I would argue that other draftee outside the number 1 pick have way, way more issues than Ja. Little, Reddish, Barrett..

His finishing hasn't been great, though. It never has been. He's in the 50th percentile with paint finishes. His FT shooting is good, but the form doesn't lead well to outside shooting - that's why I bring up Schroder. They have similar elbow flares and releases and DS, while a good-very good FT shooter, has never been a consistent shooter from deep OR a consistent one off the bounce.

On the defensive point - you make a point with Simmons. His defense was bad in college and, like Morant, he played like he didn't care at all. Tatum, however, was not a bad defender. Melton's quickness suggests he'll be an above average defender, but just because Simmons turned the switch doesn't mean Morant will. I have pretty much never seen anyone more disinterested in off ball defense than Morant. His on ball defense also isn't good, either. Better than off, yeah, but it's so hit or miss on ball that it's not even fair to classify it as "good."

If you want a PG, Garland should be the guy IMO. Hunter would fit in seamlessly as well (trade down opportunity, potentially). If not, a trade down / out could be an option.

(Good post, though. We may disagree, but I'd take a well thought out post that goes against my POV than a poor one that agrees any day. Also makes me think a bit.)

[bwgood77]

Fox's athleticism was much better than Morant's is. Much better. Being an SEC guy, I didn't miss many Kentucky games (nor have I missed many of Morant's games, or clips I downloaded from Synergy). Morant is a great athlete (although pretty heavily a two-footed jumper), but Fox is an elite one. His finishing ability, touch, and projectable shooting were also far better than Morant's is - even with the higher FT%, Morant's ability to rise quickly off the bounce is essentially non-existent at this point. His form is actually similar to Schroder who has NOT been able to become a consistent outside shooter. FT% is not always indicative of future shooting potential - had a convo with a scout actually about this at SL. He's a damn good passer, but his AST% (or APG) is not indicative of his actual passing ability. Some of the passes he makes are absurd (one handed 40 foot cross-court pass he made in his last game, his left handed push passes, really nice drop-offs, etc), but it's pretty much because he is Murray State's offense and when he's not involved, he stands around doing absolutely nothing. His turnovers are pretty mind-boggling, too.

Also, his defense IS that bad. He'll get his steals, but he cares about off ball defense and positioning as much as D-Russ did in college - meaning, essentially not at all. He's rarely in a stance, doesn't anticipate where the ball is going (I've seen him make laughably bad reads - going high to defend the 3 when there is a rim runner going to the basket is something I remember off the top of my head).

It sounds like I'm being harsh on him...because I am. I don't think he's better than Maledon, Anthony, Hayes, or Edwards in next year's class NOR do I think he's as good as Garland in this one (I also don't think his floor OR ceiling is as high). Will he be an all star? Possibly. Do I think his impact will be all star level? No.

A little harsh, in my opinion. Fox and Westbrook are elite, possibly generational talent. Morant is a step below those guys, athletically and talent-wise. That's not necessary a bad thing, i.e. he's not an elite prospect but a very good one. He has all the usual question marks you would expect from any non-elite PG draftee. Rarely, do you see a well-put together package at the collegiate level. It's unusual that you a get PG prospect that doesn't have some concerns over shooting (this goes for any positional player not just PG) or play making or both.

Free throw % is not a guarantee indicator but it's one of the more reliable one. Kid got speed, handle, and finishing abilities... all grades out well. Him slacking off on defense isn't unusual given his workload on the other end. I wouldn't put too much stock on his defense or lack thereof. Some players slack off on defense in college and turn up to be positive contributors (Simmons, Tatum). His physical tools suggest he should be an above average defender.

His floor is Schroder. A trio of Morant ("Schroder")/Melton/Okobo could be an interesting option for the Suns. You definitely don't want to use a high lottery pick for a sixth man-ish PG. But if that's a floor, that's not a bad tradeoff in this years' draft. I would argue that other draftee outside the number 1 pick have way, way more issues than Ja. Little, Reddish, Barrett..

His finishing hasn't been great, though. It never has been. He's in the 50th percentile with paint finishes. His FT shooting is good, but the form doesn't lead well to outside shooting - that's why I bring up Schroder. They have similar elbow flares and releases and DS, while a good-very good FT shooter, has never been a consistent shooter from deep OR a consistent one off the bounce.

On the defensive point - you make a point with Simmons. His defense was bad in college and, like Morant, he played like he didn't care at all. Tatum, however, was not a bad defender. Melton's quickness suggests he'll be an above average defender, but just because Simmons turned the switch doesn't mean Morant will. I have pretty much never seen anyone more disinterested in off ball defense than Morant. His on ball defense also isn't good, either. Better than off, yeah, but it's so hit or miss on ball that it's not even fair to classify it as "good."

If you want a PG, Garland should be the guy IMO. Hunter would fit in seamlessly as well (trade down opportunity, potentially). If not, a trade down / out could be an option.

(Good post, though. We may disagree, but I'd take a well thought out post that goes against my POV than a poor one that agrees any day. Also makes me think a bit.)

We really need someone who is a good passer. A guy who can set people up. Of course he needs to be able to shoot too, and Garland can do that, but he is an awful passer. 2.6 apg to 3 topg? Appears to be bad defensively too along with low steal rate and bad wingspan.

I'd rather stick with Melton and Okobo than him.

I imagine we will sign a PG in FA and continue to develop the rookies. Now if we get the 2nd pick, Morant might be the guy, but he'd unlikely start. We really could use a more ready guy like Brandon Clarke in the draft but I don't know what the highest is someone should consider him. We could use an elite defender at the 4 and I like Ben Rubin's write up on his shooting tough and possibility to improve there.

[NBA Fan 1234]

A little harsh, in my opinion. Fox and Westbrook are elite, possibly generational talent. Morant is a step below those guys, athletically and talent-wise. That's not necessary a bad thing, i.e. he's not an elite prospect but a very good one. He has all the usual question marks you would expect from any non-elite PG draftee. Rarely, do you see a well-put together package at the collegiate level. It's unusual that you a get PG prospect that doesn't have some concerns over shooting (this goes for any positional player not just PG) or play making or both.

Free throw % is not a guarantee indicator but it's one of the more reliable one. Kid got speed, handle, and finishing abilities... all grades out well. Him slacking off on defense isn't unusual given his workload on the other end. I wouldn't put too much stock on his defense or lack thereof. Some players slack off on defense in college and turn up to be positive contributors (Simmons, Tatum). His physical tools suggest he should be an above average defender.

His floor is Schroder. A trio of Morant ("Schroder")/Melton/Okobo could be an interesting option for the Suns. You definitely don't want to use a high lottery pick for a sixth man-ish PG. But if that's a floor, that's not a bad tradeoff in this years' draft. I would argue that other draftee outside the number 1 pick have way, way more issues than Ja. Little, Reddish, Barrett..

His finishing hasn't been great, though. It never has been. He's in the 50th percentile with paint finishes. His FT shooting is good, but the form doesn't lead well to outside shooting - that's why I bring up Schroder. They have similar elbow flares and releases and DS, while a good-very good FT shooter, has never been a consistent shooter from deep OR a consistent one off the bounce.

On the defensive point - you make a point with Simmons. His defense was bad in college and, like Morant, he played like he didn't care at all. Tatum, however, was not a bad defender. Melton's quickness suggests he'll be an above average defender, but just because Simmons turned the switch doesn't mean Morant will. I have pretty much never seen anyone more disinterested in off ball defense than Morant. His on ball defense also isn't good, either. Better than off, yeah, but it's so hit or miss on ball that it's not even fair to classify it as "good."

If you want a PG, Garland should be the guy IMO. Hunter would fit in seamlessly as well (trade down opportunity, potentially). If not, a trade down / out could be an option.

(Good post, though. We may disagree, but I'd take a well thought out post that goes against my POV than a poor one that agrees any day. Also makes me think a bit.)

We really need someone who is a good passer. A guy who can set people up. Of course he needs to be able to shoot too, and Garland can do that, but he is an awful passer. 2.6 apg to 3 topg? Appears to be bad defensively too along with low steal rate and bad wingspan.

I'd rather stick with Melton and Okobo than him.

I imagine we will sign a PG in FA and continue to develop the rookies. Now if we get the 2nd pick, Morant might be the guy, but he'd unlikely start. We really could use a more ready guy like Brandon Clarke in the draft but I don't know what the highest is someone should consider him. We could use an elite defender at the 4 and I like Ben Rubin's write up on his shooting tough and possibility to improve there.

Oh, I agree sticking with Melton/Okobo is the better idea; I'm just saying, if the FO REALLY wants a PG, Garland should be the guy. Garland is a good passer - Vandy missed a bunch of shots (especially in PnR) where he set up guys PERFECTLY. He was also sharing the playmaking job with Saben who, while not a PG, was still given a bigger responsibility than he should have had. Basically, Garland's true APG was probably closer to 5-6 on missed shots that should have been made alone...and that's with him sharing responsibility. His film in HS backs up his actual ability.

As for his defense, the steals aren't indicative. He was VERY smart positionally and almost never caught out of position. He did a nice job sticking with quick guys too and being a pretty soli pest. His issue is the wingspan and size. The 4 game (and 2 minute) sample size isn't a large one, but I actually liked what I saw, low steal % be damned.

[bwgood77]

Oh, I agree sticking with Melton/Okobo is the better idea; I'm just saying, if the FO REALLY wants a PG, Garland should be the guy. Garland is a good passer - Vandy missed a bunch of shots (especially in PnR) where he set up guys PERFECTLY. He was also sharing the playmaking job with Saben who, while not a PG, was still given a bigger responsibility than he should have had. Basically, Garland's true APG was probably closer to 5-6 on missed shots that should have been made alone...and that's with him sharing responsibility. His film in HS backs up his actual ability.

As for his defense, the steals aren't indicative. He was VERY smart positionally and almost never caught out of position. He did a nice job sticking with quick guys too and being a pretty soli pest. His issue is the wingspan and size. The 4 game (and 2 minute) sample size isn't a large one, but I actually liked what I saw, low steal % be damned.

I forgot he didn't play much, but that also doesn't give you too much to evaluate on. How serious was his injury?

[NBA Fan 1234]

Oh, I agree sticking with Melton/Okobo is the better idea; I'm just saying, if the FO REALLY wants a PG, Garland should be the guy. Garland is a good passer - Vandy missed a bunch of shots (especially in PnR) where he set up guys PERFECTLY. He was also sharing the playmaking job with Saben who, while not a PG, was still given a bigger responsibility than he should have had. Basically, Garland's true APG was probably closer to 5-6 on missed shots that should have been made alone...and that's with him sharing responsibility. His film in HS backs up his actual ability.

As for his defense, the steals aren't indicative. He was VERY smart positionally and almost never caught out of position. He did a nice job sticking with quick guys too and being a pretty soli pest. His issue is the wingspan and size. The 4 game (and 2 minute) sample size isn't a large one, but I actually liked what I saw, low steal % be damned.

I forgot he didn't play much, but that also doesn't give you too much to evaluate on. How serious was his injury?

Yep, it doesn't. For all we know, the good positioning and IQ we saw on defense could just be a gimmick. But it's probably better to bet on that than betting on someone who cares about defense as much as Kanter does...especially when perimeter defense is pretty damn important, right?

Torn meniscus with no ancillary damage.

FWIW, I don't think Phoenix should draft a PG.

[bwgood77]

Oh, I agree sticking with Melton/Okobo is the better idea; I'm just saying, if the FO REALLY wants a PG, Garland should be the guy. Garland is a good passer - Vandy missed a bunch of shots (especially in PnR) where he set up guys PERFECTLY. He was also sharing the playmaking job with Saben who, while not a PG, was still given a bigger responsibility than he should have had. Basically, Garland's true APG was probably closer to 5-6 on missed shots that should have been made alone...and that's with him sharing responsibility. His film in HS backs up his actual ability.

As for his defense, the steals aren't indicative. He was VERY smart positionally and almost never caught out of position. He did a nice job sticking with quick guys too and being a pretty soli pest. His issue is the wingspan and size. The 4 game (and 2 minute) sample size isn't a large one, but I actually liked what I saw, low steal % be damned.

I forgot he didn't play much, but that also doesn't give you too much to evaluate on. How serious was his injury?

Yep, it doesn't. For all we know, the good positioning and IQ we saw on defense could just be a gimmick. But it's probably better to bet on that than betting on someone who cares about defense as much as Kanter does...especially when perimeter defense is pretty damn important, right?

Torn meniscus with no ancillary damage.

FWIW, I don't think Phoenix should draft a PG.

I doubt they will. They certainly can't really afford to have another guy who doesn't care about team defense.

[TheLogician]

Seems to me that this board has been more successful at identifying solid players in the late lotto and even late first and second round than at the top of the draft. Seems solid bigs slide every year. Let's get one. We need one.

Well the board had Doncic #1 for much of last year until we got the #1 pick and then a number of people flipped to Ayton...maybe it was the Gambo effect. But this board ended up getting who the majority wanted at the time of the draft.

I was part of that flip-floppy group, against my better judgement. I was distracted by the daydream of dunks and dominance.

It will come, Ayton is not a bust. Doncic is head and shoulders above everyone right now but 2018 will be remembered as a really good class. It would be an easier pill to swallow if we weren't so damn bad.

[TheLogician]

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