The 2015 Draft Thread (MERGED)

[Qwigglez]

I think Embiid tweeted that before their pick right after Russell was taken by LA. But he knew the Sixers were gonna take Okafor.

[Qwigglez]

I'd offer Bledsoe, the Morris Twins, and a future first to Philly for Okafor. I think he's the real deal.

Then we rebuild through our youth movement and cap space.

Knight
Booker/Archie
TJ/PJ
Okafor
Len

Our backcourt has potential to be deadly from the outside. Our frontline is solid as Len can protect the rim and make up for Okafor's defensive drawbacks. But on offense, Okafor can draw the double team and kick out to our shooters or dump off to Len who is money from 15 feet and in.

Youth movement! Let's do it.

Don't know if the Sixers are willing to move Okafor. Pretty sure they'd rather move Embiid at this point.
I still think the front office is on the fence. They want to first test out free agency and see if they can land a homerun with Love/Aldridge. Once those guys say no then we'll probably end up trading Bledsoe/MoBros in/before December to do a complete rebuild.

[TeamTragic]

Hold on...

1. We still employ both Morris twins CHECK
3. We still employ PJ Tucker CHECK
3. We couldn't make any of the rumored/hoped-for moves to get Porzingis, Kaminsky, Looney or Harrell? CHECK

WHAT THE F*** HAPPENED!?

You are correct. Nothing exciting really happened during the draft. FA will probably be the same. Apparently we are going for that coveted 10 seed

Someone tell me about Booker's D.

Nice and girthy.

Fixed for proper word usage

The reporting leading up to this draft was awful. Wojnarowski saying the Kings were trading Cousins and doing the framework of a deal to the Lakers. Every outlet saying the Knicks would trade their pick. Woj claiming the Hornets had multiple trade partners for their pick. So many stories and not one thing of relevance happened. These reporters sucked so bad. I feel like twitter has turned the media into one big bucket of garbage. None of this stuff should have been reported. There were so many twists and turns involving the Kings. Cousins posts a picture of a snake and the entire NBA fanbase loses its mind calling for Karl to be fired, saying Divac is a liar. Today's technology is taking things that mean absolutely nothing and acting like they are important when they have nothing to do with anything.

Like that stupid tweet the other day when someone posted Lebron will not re-recruit Kevin Love. He feels Love already knows he can be part of something special. I mean duh. Why the hell would he try to re-recruit Love in the first place? Why is that news? What is Lebron supposed to do? Have a meeting with him and say look man, this is what we can do together, let me explain it. I think Love already knows what the deal is and tweeting that Lebron not wanting to re-recruit him as a news story is pathetic. The reporting keeps getting worse and worse.

There is so much ownage in your post. I'm still laughing about Twitter turning the media into a big bucket of garbage. Then Woj literally predicts every single draft pick before it is even announced. I mean....is he a wizard?

[Ryu]

I must say Booker wasn`t my prefered choice yesterday before the draft (I wanted a PF/C) but given that all of them were picked before our slot Devin Booker was the best player available, indeed. Watching his workout vids now I have really warmed up on this kid, he does have some Klay Thompson in his game, pure shooter with underrated athleticism it seems.

Welcome to the Suns, Devin!

[Matt1979]

I think the FO are satisfied with what we have in that we lost a massive 18 games by 5 points or less so with slightly improved shooting and ANY spacing who knows what the record would have been.

That's only two three pointers which Booker MAY be able to give to the team this coming season.

I can't say I agree with that logic but if we manage to pick up a PF in free agency who kicks Kieff to the bench it may have been a successful offseason.

[carey]

As for our lack of a real starting PF, i think we might be looking towards FA for a more vetren one.

I mean look at all the FA PF's!

Aldridge
Love
Milsap
West
JSmooth
TThompson
Thad Young
Stoudemire
Boozer
Bass
Jordan Hill
Ed Davis
Amir Johnson
Thomas Robinson

Did Ed Davis opt out or was his 2nd year a team option? I like what he did last year. Also, I have coveted Millsap for a long time. He'd be great here imho. Any idea what we'd pay him? I'd say maybe in the $15M range. Only thing is... we could have had him before he went to the Hawks but showed no interest.

[carey]

Per Gambo, in addition to offering Patric Young a spot on our summer league roster, we will also be extending invites to Neon Boudeaux and Butch McRae.

Summer league should be entertaining.

Shaq and Penny? Nice.

"Don't step on the children, Neon."

[NavLDO]

I see an entirely reasonable chance that we end up with the 2nd or 3rd worst record in the West next season.

Nah

Knight
Bledsoe
Len
Warren
Morri
Tucker

are not playoff bound, but 2nd worse?.....Minny, Lakers, Portland, Utah, the entire 8 teams in the East that don't make the playoffs.

If Len and Warren get better and Bledsoe shows growth and he and Knight can complement each other like Bled and Drag did two years ago and Booker off of the bench knocking down shots......we are not playoff bound, but not horrible either. Plus if Dallas doesn't get Aldridge.....they are toast.

So, what I'm reading here, JMac, is that we are on track for yet a 3rd straight season with us drafting the 13th/14th 1st Rd pick, right? Yep, totally agree, we've maintained our mediocrity for yet another season. I'm starting to swing in the direction of SF88's beliefs about this team, and no, that's not necessarily a good thing.

Additionally, after sleeping on it and not being 'emotionally' charged, I still believe that McD did not play this draft night out as well as he could have. That said:

- IMO, he did draft he BPA at 13, and am glad they chose Booker over Payne, Oubre, Grant, or Portis.
- I'm glad we didn't trade away an asset to move up, and understand at this point in time, I don't view either Morri as a positive asset. It would cost us to move them.
- But where I think McD failed was in that we currently own three future picks and a Euro-stash player, and feel any combination of those could have netted us a later 1st Rd pick to grab a promising PF that would be ready to provide meaningful minutes in his rookie season in Harrell, Portis, Christmas, or Richaun Holmes. The draft is the only point at which we hold all the cards to grab a worthwhile 'big', and we failed to obtain one.

Sure, FA might net us a PF, but right now, we have zilch at the position. Honestly, if Kieff goes to prison, we do not have a starter at PF. Sure, that's the gloom and doom scenario, but it's not as if that it is not a very real possibility, so now, we are in a position of 'reaction' rather than being 'proactive', which will assuredly lead to McD getting fleeced at some point because we will either overpay for a FA, or make a lopsided trade in the other team's GM's favor.

[blacksun]

Honestly, if Kieff goes to prison, we do not have a starter at PF.

Cracks me up everytime

[JohnVancouver]

Tim Hardaway Jr. just netted the 19th pick.

Knicks' big 3 broken up. :/

One of my favorite comments form the draft. Nicely done

[JohnVancouver]

RGM did it's annual lock-up on me halfway through the first round, so I couldn't hang with you guys and enjoy the hilarity and vein-opening. My thoughts -

Suns finally draft the better twin ...... and trade him before he can get his promo hat on for the picture.

Sad to see McD's grand design in flaming tatters ... he started off so well

Leuer looks worth a flyer to me. Affordable, too

Very weird to watch a Suns draft without drinking heavily

Does Los Soles really work for the Suns now? That woudl be so great

[SkinnyOMiller]

I think the FO are satisfied with what we have in that we lost a massive 18 games by 5 points or less

If Eric Bledsoe is your franchise player, at best you are getting knocked out of the first round of the playoffs. All of this "well if they just fill in the gaps a little, they'll be fine" stuff doesn't make sense to me. No, they won't be fine unless your definition of fine is aiming for a 6th, 7th or 8th seed and being satisfied with getting bounced out of the playoffs in short order.

It all comes down to, are you satisfied with this team simply making the playoffs or do you expect something greater. If you expect something greater than you aren't getting there by signing some average free agents and counting on Bledsoe to take you there.

This roster, as currently constructed, is not even slightly close to contending for a championship. They have some nice pieces but they don't have a real franchise cornerstone to bring it all together and until they do, hoping, wishing and praying for a playoff spot is about as good as it gets. I'd rather just see them trade Bledsoe and Tucker for picks, blow it up and start all over again.

[SkinnyOMiller]

we are not playoff bound, but not horrible either. Plus if Dallas doesn't get Aldridge.....they are toast.

And that is the problem with this team right now. Not bad, not good, just stuck in the middle....or "not horrible" as you put it. I'd rather be horrible and have a light at the end of the tunnel with some potential franchise players, as constructed this team seems set for endless mediocrity.

[jcsunsfan]

we are not playoff bound, but not horrible either. Plus if Dallas doesn't get Aldridge.....they are toast.

And that is the problem with this team right now. Not bad, not good, just stuck in the middle....or "not horrible" as you put it. I'd rather be horrible and have a light at the end of the tunnel with some potential franchise players,

Being horrible doesnt work that well either. Look at Philly. If we have a down year due to injuries, it would be excused. But if you just have bad players, you can't get free agents and the draft is a crap shoot.

The Suns best course of action is to collect assets, DEVELOP ASSETS, and then jump on the big opportunity when it comes. Developing assets means getting Bledsoe back to 20, 6, and 6. Getting Warren to the place where someone in the league notices. Developing Len. Creating a locker room that is helpful for developing young players. So, the team needs to be made up of young potential and veteran mentors. If a player does not fit that profile, he needs to go. In that case, we need to trade the Morris twins as soon as it makes sense. Not just sell low. Gerald Green needs to go. Tucker needs to go. Tucker plays hard, but I do not think he is a big influence in the locker room. Brandan Wright should stay. He is young enough to have some upside and he is a mentor type on and off the court.

I would mind them going for a veteran free agent to come off the bench that is a Grant Hill type of personality.

[Qwigglez]

Found this hilarious article/video. Dude pretends to get drafted and parties.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2507508-guy-pretends-he-was-drafted-in-the-2015-nba-draft-goes-out-and-parties-in-nyc?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

[NavLDO]

Honestly, if Kieff goes to prison, we do not have a starter at PF.

Cracks me up everytime

What does? The fact that Kieff was charged with felony aggravated assault? Have you heard that the Morri have been cleared of their charges and face zero punishment? Because if you have, please, do share.

[JMac1]

I see an entirely reasonable chance that we end up with the 2nd or 3rd worst record in the West next season.

Nah

Knight
Bledsoe
Len
Warren
Morri
Tucker

are not playoff bound, but 2nd worse?.....Minny, Lakers, Portland, Utah, the entire 8 teams in the East that don't make the playoffs.

If Len and Warren get better and Bledsoe shows growth and he and Knight can complement each other like Bled and Drag did two years ago and Booker off of the bench knocking down shots......we are not playoff bound, but not horrible either. Plus if Dallas doesn't get Aldridge.....they are toast.

So, what I'm reading here, JMac, is that we are on track for yet a 3rd straight season with us drafting the 13th/14th 1st Rd pick, right? Yep, totally agree, we've maintained our mediocrity for yet another season. I'm starting to swing in the direction of SF88's beliefs about this team, and no, that's not necessarily a good thing.

Yep, but the thing is, is you have to look at it as a rebuilding team getting better and better, no? That is the only way you can look at it. Len becomes and allstar and Warren becomes an allstar and Bledsoe becomes an allstar; Knight and Booker solid contributors.

[RaisingArizona]

Honestly, if Kieff goes to prison, we do not have a starter at PF.

Cracks me up everytime

You all are naïve as hell if you think that's even a remote possibility.

[SkinnyOMiller]

Ben Swanson ‏@CardboardGerald 1h1 hour ago

I'm really just astounded. Celtics reportedly offered 6 picks (four potential 1sts) to move up to 9 with Hornets.


Sounds like trading up was never an option.

[RaisingArizona]

Ben Swanson ‏@CardboardGerald 1h1 hour ago

I'm really just astounded. Celtics reportedly offered 6 picks (four potential 1sts) to move up to 9 with Hornets.


Sounds like trading up was never an option.

Dayum. Kaminsky better be really good now.