2016 Draft Thread Part 4

[Kerrsed]

Marquese Chriss, 6'10 (long neck), 233 pounds, 7'0 wingspan, 8'9 standing reach (short for a PF)
Hakim Warrick, 6'9, 215 pounds, 7'2 wingspan, 9'0 standing reach
Stromile Swift, 6'9, 220 pounds, 7'3 wingspan, 9'2 standing reach
Tyrus Thomas, 6'9, 217 pounds, 7'3 wingspan, 9'0 standing reach

I've mentioned this a few times, Chriss's more of a SF type reach.... similar to Markieff Morris..
I think Chriss could turn out to be a more athletic, above the rim version of Markieff without the back to the basket game.

His measurements displays that his true height isn't 6'10..that's a long neck.

Side by side, you can't really tell the difference.

[Krush32]

How the hell can you compare him to Amare? Amare was relentless getting to the hoop and could finish around the hoop in traffic. Chriss looks more like a small forward and he even compared to Rudy Gay I believe. Put him in an empty gym with a basketball and he looks great but in a real game he looks lost.

[JoRain]

Last time we had a top 5 pick, not one mock had us taking Len. Most had him going later.

You sure? That is the Anthony Bennet draft & Len was talked about as a potential #1 pick for a while on some sites and networks.

Edit: I see some folks have responded with the same thing already.

Something earlier I saw said that. I found something else that said 21 out of 263 mocks had us taking Len, but that included all mocks early on and later revisions of them, but it's hard to find the final mocks from the major sites now.

This is the best thing I could find and you can see it had various versions. If you look at accuracy of Aran Smith, DX, and Chad Ford, their mocks on 6/27, Aran's (nbadraft.net) did the best. But if you click on the old links to those drafts, they were updated to the correct picks. DX (Givony) only got 3 picks in the entire draft right. Ford also got 3, and Smith got 5.

https://weaksideawareness.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/grading-nba-mock-drafts-2013-from-best-to-worst/

actually it's not difficult to find old mock's at all - just use wayback machine. - DX had Len going Nr.4 to Bobcats (then) and had as taking Oladipo at 5, while nbadraft.net - had us taking Anthony Bennet and Len went Nr.1 in their mock .

[thamadkant]

Still hoping for a star trade or Okafor!!

[SunsFanSSOL]

Listening to Woj's podcast with Givony that just dropped. He said the Suns/Celtics do not want to draft a player at #3/#4, both want a guy like Hayward or Butler but they're not available for #3 or #4, maybe Utah/Chicago would trade them for #1 or #2, but the #3 pick and so on is basically useless. Both Givony and Woj agreed it is unlikely an all-star is traded tomorrow, but expect a lot of deals.

He said there is pressure in Phoenix to get back into the playoffs due to Sarver's impatience, he said McD will be aggressive in bringing back a guy to FIGHT FOR THE 8TH SEED (WTF!). He said we'll be chasing veterans the whole way up to our pick.

Givony said a lot of GM's (didn't say McD specifically) are thinking in the back of their heads "will I be there in 2-3 years" to see guys like Bender or Chriss pan out and that might influence their decisions.

Said both Minnesota and Philly love Dunn, but he doesn't think Minnesota will trade up with the Suns or Celtics.

Givony said some perceived draft and stash guys want to go to the NBA immediately and will give an ultimatum of "give me a contract or cut me." I know Gambo mentioned that the Suns would consider a draft and stash guy in the 20's.

Said Brown and Bender are dropping due to lack of experience (but why is Chriss rising?).

Said Skal was very impressive in workouts.

Givony said 3-8 is the same tier of players, after 9 there is a big drop off.

https://art19.com/shows/vertical

[Cactus Jack]

He said there is pressure in Phoenix to get back into the playoffs due to Sarver's impatience, he said McD will be aggressive in bringing back a guy to FIGHT FOR THE 8TH SEED (WTF!). He said we'll be chasing veterans the whole way up to our pick.

[NTB]

Sarver...

[letsgosuns]

If the Suns had the first or second pick, I would not trade it for Butler. When Kevin Love got traded for Wiggins, he was coming off a season where he averaged 26 pts, 13 rbs, and 4 ast a game. Those are Charles Barkley in his prime numbers. As good as Butler is, his numbers as a shooting guard compared to other top shooting guards are not comparable to what Love was putting up as a power forward compared to other power forwards. I know Butler is a two way player but so what. In order for a team to trade the number one pick in the draft, they would need a return of like James Harden, who averaged 29 pts, 8 ast, and 6 rbs. That is not Butler. So if the Bulls are demanding the first or second pick in the draft for Butler, then I doubt he gets traded.

Btw, Sarver has no one to blame but himself for the Suns not being in the playoffs. He is the one that ultimately hired Blanks and Babby. He is the one that fired assistant coaches instead of the head coach as if the assistant coaches were the actual problem. He is the one that has driven the organization into the ground. He was gift wrapped the Nash, Amare, Marion Suns team along with JJ and Q and he let it go. How many former Suns players, coaches, and front office personal have won championships with other organizations? A lot.

[Kerrsed]

I know Butler is a two way player but so what. In order for a team to trade the number one pick in the draft, they would need a return of like James Harden, who averaged 29 pts, 8 ast, and 6 rbs. That is not Butler. So if the Bulls are demanding the first or second pick in the draft for Butler, then I doubt he gets traded.

[Cactus Jack]

Btw, Sarver has no one to blame but himself for the Suns not being in the playoffs. He is the one that ultimately hired Blanks and Babby. He is the one that fired assistant coaches instead of the head coach as if the assistant coaches were the actual problem. He is the one that has driven the organization into the ground. He was gift wrapped the Nash, Amare, Marion Suns team along with JJ and Q and he let it go. How many former Suns players, coaches, and front office personal have won championships with other organizations? A lot.

Sadly, I see a lot of parallels between Sarver & Howard Schultz (previous Sonic's owner). Schultz was a cheap*** & ran the team into the ground as well. Was never truly dedicated to a proper rebuild. Poor draft choices, etc. Stuck in mediocrity. Until he eventually sold the team to OKC.

[batsmasher]

Woj just repeating the same old Sarver rhetoric that I have heard a gazillion times in the last couple of years. Don't put any weight into it.

Of course we freakin wanna make playoffs. So do 29 other teams.

[thamadkant]

2015 draft was fantastic... I dont think 2016 will be as good... So I can understand team GMs not wanting really inexerience guys.. Because they need to show something within the next 2 years or they dont get an extension on their GM tenures.


If Suns really want a star they need to package a player or two with those picks.

To me... If a player like Durant says he'd sign with the Suns if they get a player like Butler or George.... And the only way to get those players is to package Booker... You have tp think about it.

Have 3 to 4 prime stars NOW and contend for the next half a decade... Or wait and hope your young players become stars.

Celtics 2007 come to mind... They traded youth and picks for prime stars... And got a ring. But they also had prime Pierce... Bledsoe is no way near prime Pierce..

And again... McD have to be thinking about his future contract too.... His boss wants to put Suns back to relevance...
He's in a tight spot... Suns wasted 2 years really... That 48 win season really changed expectations for McD...

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

It sure would be ice if all this talk about us wanting to trade the pick is really to convince other teams that we're not interested in a particular player who fits an obvious need (PF). All of these rumors depend on the idea that Sarver is an idiot - because I'm confident that McD, left to his own devices, would not trade so much for a guy with 1 year left on his deal.

Imagine the worst case scenario. We trade all this for Hayward, and we suffer another injury-riddled season. We don't win, Hayward leaves, Bledsoe demands to be traded, and we're back where we were, only it's a year later, we have fewer assets, and our young players are one year closer to their extensions, with less talent around them than we could have if we JUST MAKE THE DAMN PICKS.

[gaspar]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Lockedonsports/status/745599059356942336[/tweet]

[Mulhollanddrive]

From 2000 to 2010 the odds of Pick 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 being an All-Star is about 30%.

[darealjuice]

I'm just going to reserve judgement and wait until we do or don't make these draft picks before I start whining about Sarver wanting to win now. That's the narrative every single year, so hopefully he starts to realize rushing it isn't the way to go and will just put us back at the bottom of the totem pole.

[JMac1]

How the hell can you compare him to Amare? Amare was relentless getting to the hoop and could finish around the hoop in traffic. Chriss looks more like a small forward and he even compared to Rudy Gay I believe. Put him in an empty gym with a basketball and he looks great but in a real game he looks lost.

A lost basketball player on defense with extreme athleticism and ferocious dunks and a smooth J, maybe?

Oh, I guess you mean he doesn't look like or doesn't have a clone build like Amare.

[NavLDO]

Yeah, but if Brown goes #3 we have one of those four players at #8 for sure. It seems a simple trade and Dunn would be a perfect fit for the Kings.

Sure if he has those all exactly equal. I'm guessing he doesn't and he will take who he wants. It's not like his job is THAT secure or he'd have an extension.

If Bogdan comes over here, We are trading for Okafor.

Sorry. I missed several pgs--is that sourced, or your 'gut' feeling-type of statement...

[JMac1]

It sure would be ice if all this talk about us wanting to trade the pick is really to convince other teams that we're not interested in a particular player who fits an obvious need (PF). All of these rumors depend on the idea that Sarver is an idiot - because I'm confident that McD, left to his own devices, would not trade so much for a guy with 1 year left on his deal.

Imagine the worst case scenario. We trade all this for Hayward, and we suffer another injury-riddled season. We don't win, Hayward leaves, Bledsoe demands to be traded, and we're back where we were, only it's a year later, we have fewer assets, and our young players are one year closer to their extensions, with less talent around them than we could have if we JUST MAKE THE DAMN PICKS.

If we want to compete for the playoffs, we'd trade for Okfafor and sign Barnes or Howard We are not that stupid. Pile on the Suns and Sarver is a tired tune that has been played to death since JJ.

Consistent conjecture with the guys, but it gets readers to take a look and listeners to listen and they make MONEY!

[JMac1]

Sure if he has those all exactly equal. I'm guessing he doesn't and he will take who he wants. It's not like his job is THAT secure or he'd have an extension.

If Bogdan comes over here, We are trading for Okafor.

Sorry. I missed several pgs--is that sourced, or your 'gut' feeling-type of statement...

No no no. Just reading the tea leaves. Sorry, I am not an insider. If I were, I wouldn't tell.