Pre Draft Discussion

[darealjuice]

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I definitely know what he means when he talks about the doubt in the pit of your stomach with Ayton. There were a lot of times where it felt like he didn't know where he needed to be or what he should be doing on offense and defense. I don't really consider it a knock because he shot so well and it makes me more comfortable in thinking his shot will translate, but he settled for his mid-range shot way more than you'd like for a massive center, considering he had 108 attempts between 13 feet and the 3 point line (compared to 21 for Bagley, 18 for Bamba, 9 for JJJ, and 24 for WCJ). He also plays a bit more upright than I'd like, and that freak athleticism and strength isn't as functional when you're not low in an athletic stance.

I'm sure some of that indecisiveness and high mid-range volume came from having a lumbering 7 foot center clogging the paint, but there's definitely reason to be worried about him at the next level (like every prospect in every draft of course). The upside is clear though, freakishly athletic and massive centers with projectable jump shots that produce like Ayton don't grow on trees.

edit: 3000th post lol

[WeekapaugGroove]

This might sound weird but I think there are teams who don't have ayton 1 on their theoretical big board but if they actually had the 1st pick they would take him anyway. Its easy in theory to take someone else but ultimately the fear of passing on him wins out when you're actually on the clock. The simple fact of the NBA is the real superstars win so while their are real concerns aytons physical profile puts him in that group that if he hit his highest ceiling he could be that guy.

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[bwgood77]

I wouldn't be shocked if the SGA promise was Orlando at 6. Their GM hammond had a history of loving length when he was with the bucks and its not out of the question that they would rank him as the best pg in the draft.

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Yeah, I've been curious about Orlando. Everyone assumes Trae but I always love how their GM loves length having drafted Giannis, Thon, etc.

[bwgood77]

I wouldn't be shocked if the SGA promise was Orlando at 6. Their GM hammond had a history of loving length when he was with the bucks and its not out of the question that they would rank him as the best pg in the draft.

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Usually, promises are not quite that high above their projected spot. Actually, the promise could be from the Suns.

But it is also true that promises are rarely below where players are projected, and I haven't seen a single mock that had Shai falling to #16.

Tankathon's current mock has him falling to us at 16. Seems like it's had it that way for awhile.

[NTB]

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lol

[darealjuice]

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Lol that 250K must be running low

[mabundo_nagumbe]

Real won in 3rd game of final series 83-78
Lukas statline: 20pts, 2pts: 2/4, 3pt: 2/5, ft: 10-11, reb: 9 ast: 3, +12, pir: 29

[Midnight_Suns]

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lol

That's honestly a dick move.

[Revived]

Interesting that most non Suns fans who participated in a poll of "Who would you take #1 overall in the draft" actually would take Doncic (55%) over Ayton (22%).

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1714357

Prior to the lottery, I had browsed few of top lotto teams' forums like Grizz/Kings/Mavs etc and it certainly felt like most of their fans actually wanted Doncic if their teams had won the lottery as well.

It worked out extremely well for Ayton that his hometown team got the #1 overall pick with him having huge local fan support in Phoenix. Just a guess but I think there's strong chance that he loses out on #1 overall money and goes #2 or later had another team won the lottery.

I'm not sure I agree with this. I believe he would be a consensus #1 for more teams than not. He's just too talented and has too much potential. Especially since Doncic appears to be falling so other teams can take big men.
If we had the #2 pick, I would expect us to take Doncic, even if other teams wouldn't. But teams like the Kings, who you hear may take Bagley with their pick, would most def take Ayton.

Doncic isn’t actually falling, it’s all BS rumors by teams hoping he falls. There’s very little chance that he drops past Sacramento at #2. He’s a lock to be taken by the Kings.

[WeekapaugGroove]

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So he's more scottie pippen than jordan... red flag

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[Villalobos]

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Real won in 3rd game of final series 83-78
Lukas statline: 20pts, 2pts: 2/4, 3pt: 2/5, ft: 10-11, reb: 9 ast: 3, +12, pir: 29

the choice is clear

[WeekapaugGroove]

I wouldn't be shocked if the SGA promise was Orlando at 6. Their GM hammond had a history of loving length when he was with the bucks and its not out of the question that they would rank him as the best pg in the draft.

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Yeah, I've been curious about Orlando. Everyone assumes Trae but I always love how their GM loves length having drafted Giannis, Thon, etc.

Yeah young doesn't seem like a hammond kind of pick. If they don't want him that 6 spot gets super interesting. Porter seems like a bad fit with isaac and gordon but is kind of a hammond type player. They are also a candidate to trade back a few spots to get an extra asset and then grab a pg late lotto. They could also be a kemba destination with Clifford as their coach.

I think young goes 8 to Cleveland. He's the perfect kind of hedge pick that give bron a shooter if he stays and a guy to sell tickets if he leaves.

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[TheLogician]

I doubt Luka tips at all. It's not customary in Spain or Europe in general. Also, Ayton is Bahamian and does not have an NBA contract yet. The ESPN story about $100K was fake news. Funny that has now become $250K.

Very professional to take to twitter over $20.

[SlovenianDragon]

Euro league is super overrated.

People that cant make the NBA or even D-league go to Europe for the pay checks. Because its a much weaker league.

Lets look at the players from the USA playing for real Madrid for example (Doncics team):

Chasson Randle averaged 20/3/3 at standford couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Anthony Randolph averaged 16/9/1 at LSU couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Jaycee carroll averaged 22/6/2 at Utah state couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Trey Thompkins averaged 16/8/2 at Georgia couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Point is Euro League is filled with sheet. Its got Americas garbage and old flabby men.

Its so overrated that a young kid like doncic can win MVP. Jokes. Jokes....and more jokes.

[bwgood77]

Interesting that most non Suns fans who participated in a poll of "Who would you take #1 overall in the draft" actually would take Doncic (55%) over Ayton (22%).

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1714357

Prior to the lottery, I had browsed few of top lotto teams' forums like Grizz/Kings/Mavs etc and it certainly felt like most of their fans actually wanted Doncic if their teams had won the lottery as well.

It worked out extremely well for Ayton that his hometown team got the #1 overall pick with him having huge local fan support in Phoenix. Just a guess but I think there's strong chance that he loses out on #1 overall money and goes #2 or later had another team won the lottery.

I'm not sure I agree with this. I believe he would be a consensus #1 for more teams than not. He's just too talented and has too much potential. Especially since Doncic appears to be falling so other teams can take big men.
If we had the #2 pick, I would expect us to take Doncic, even if other teams wouldn't. But teams like the Kings, who you hear may take Bagley with their pick, would most def take Ayton.

The draft board also has more international fans, particularly from Slovenia, and more analytics people. There is a poll on the GB as well that Ayton leads.

[bwgood77]

Interesting that most non Suns fans who participated in a poll of "Who would you take #1 overall in the draft" actually would take Doncic (55%) over Ayton (22%).

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1714357

Prior to the lottery, I had browsed few of top lotto teams' forums like Grizz/Kings/Mavs etc and it certainly felt like most of their fans actually wanted Doncic if their teams had won the lottery as well.

It worked out extremely well for Ayton that his hometown team got the #1 overall pick with him having huge local fan support in Phoenix. Just a guess but I think there's strong chance that he loses out on #1 overall money and goes #2 or later had another team won the lottery.

I'm not sure I agree with this. I believe he would be a consensus #1 for more teams than not. He's just too talented and has too much potential. Especially since Doncic appears to be falling so other teams can take big men.
If we had the #2 pick, I would expect us to take Doncic, even if other teams wouldn't. But teams like the Kings, who you hear may take Bagley with their pick, would most def take Ayton.

Before the lottery, everyone wanted Ayton. People use one game because they want him to fall. Best talent in the draft. I dare anyone to name someone better as a whole. Skill, check. Size, check. Athleticism, check. Stats, check. Bagley would be next in line.

I don't know...we had polls throughout the season and it was split...Doncic actually won more often than not...this was pre lottery. People have more so shifted towards Ayton post lottery.

[bwgood77]

This might sound weird but I think there are teams who don't have ayton 1 on their theoretical big board but if they actually had the 1st pick they would take him anyway. Its easy in theory to take someone else but ultimately the fear of passing on him wins out when you're actually on the clock. The simple fact of the NBA is the real superstars win so while their are real concerns aytons physical profile puts him in that group that if he hit his highest ceiling he could be that guy.

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I kind of feel the same which is why I had said I'd almost feel more comfortable at #2. Even though I had Doncic slightly ahead I would still have a very hard time passing up Ayton. In some ways it's a relief knowing we almost for sure take him.

[bwgood77]

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So he's more scottie pippen than jordan... red flag

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What did the tweet say?

[Archx]

Euro league is super overrated.

People that cant make the NBA or even D-league go to Europe for the pay checks. Because its a much weaker league.

Lets look at the players from the USA playing for real Madrid for example (Doncics team):

Chasson Randle averaged 20/3/3 at standford couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Anthony Randolph averaged 16/9/1 at LSU couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Jaycee carroll averaged 22/6/2 at Utah state couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Trey Thompkins averaged 16/8/2 at Georgia couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Point is Euro League is filled with sheet. Its got Americas garbage and old flabby men.

Its so overrated that a young kid like doncic can win MVP. Jokes. Jokes....and more jokes.

Randle doesn't even dress up for Madrid, Randolph played 7 total minutes in 3 games in the finals. Carrol is doing only 1 thing good and that's shooting 3pts (like Kyle Korver, nothing else) and plays like max 15 mins per game. Thompkins started to play a bit more in playoffs and had some nice games, otherwise he was more or less a rotational player, nothing significant.

I mean point is, tons of people coming from the NBA couldn't make it but some obviously did. The game is much more different, so people doubting how Luka will adapt to the NBA have every right to do that. But saying Euroleague is bad or whatever is simply ignorant and childish.

Obviously Luka needs 2-3 years of proper gym training and you can call him a bust in that time or whatever you want but that doesn't mean league is worse than NCAA or D-league. Because if it was so bad as you say, then D-league by your logic wouldn't even exist and everyone would come here for paychecks.

[bwgood77]

Euro league is super overrated.

People that cant make the NBA or even D-league go to Europe for the pay checks. Because its a much weaker league.

Lets look at the players from the USA playing for real Madrid for example (Doncics team):

Chasson Randle averaged 20/3/3 at standford couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Anthony Randolph averaged 16/9/1 at LSU couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Jaycee carroll averaged 22/6/2 at Utah state couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Trey Thompkins averaged 16/8/2 at Georgia couldn't make the NBA took a pay check in Europe.

Point is Euro League is filled with sheet. Its got Americas garbage and old flabby men.

Its so overrated that a young kid like doncic can win MVP. Jokes. Jokes....and more jokes.

I'm not sure what you think it's more overrated than. These guys were all guys who were great in the NCAA as you pointed out and have now been playing pro ball in a lesser league than the NBA. But they'd still right now wipe the floor with an NCAA team and Doncic is their MVP.