What's Devin Booker's ceiling?

[bwgood77]

I think Booker is going to be a real baller. At the same time, people saying he can be better than Ray may not remember just how good Ray was at his peak.

I watched a lot of Ray, and he was phenomenal, and I remember just how good he was. Particularly in those Seattle days which is what I was remembering. I'm not saying he will, or that he should have a ceiling at all, but he reminds me of that kind of player right now, or a player that can become that. But a ceiling would be the absolute best they COULD be. There is really no reason to say he CAN'T become that caliber of player. Perhaps not a career 40% 3 pt guy or 90% FT guy, but maybe better in other areas, or maybe he does shoot that well.

But personally I think there is no reason to put a ceiling on anyone, especially someone who is playing about as good as anyone ever has at that age in the nba.

Sure, he can be that caliber of a player, he has a real high ceiling and his career has yet to play out. I think he has the potential to be the best shooting guard in the league in 5 years. Ray to me just gets shorted on this board by a lot of people because they remember Ray past his prime. In Milwaukee and Seattle, Ray was the complete package offensively from the shooting guard position; and before Steph came along Ray was the best shooter ever. Booker has a great stroke, so maybe he becomes an all time great shooter, but that is far from a given. Personally I liked the Brandon Roy with a better 3 comparison more, which is still a scary player.

Brandon Roy seems like a good comp. I specifically thought of Ray in Seattle on those teams early to mid 2000s and he played a little bit more of a play making role than in Boston, so that's what I was thinking of. They are not the same. Ray may be the best shooter ever after Curry, so Booker may not become that (obviously maybe no one ever does, or the list will be short if anyone does) but he will be that type of player and may have some different strengths and weaknesses relatively speaking, but somewhat of a similar player. I loved Brandon Roy though. I would be happy to have that guy on my team.

[Roy The Natural]

I actually like the Roy comp, with a better shot but less one on one quickness.

Not really, Roy may have had the best handles of any 2 guard in the league when he played. He also was a REALLY good finisher. I don't really see much Roy in him at all tbh.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRI7RuaT7Vs[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bey0x7WiC6w[/youtube]

Booker plays nothing like Roy in my opinion. Roy was one of the most efficient ISO players out there. Also Roy's handling was hand tailored to break down the defender. Roy was all paint and midrange, he could hit the three pretty well, but his game was built around getting to the paint at will and using that ability to set up his midrange.

Booker is about the same athletically as Roy, and probably going to end up a better shooter. But Roy basically could score from anywhere, using a crazy assortment of moves. Booker may even end up being better at his peak than Roy, but I just don't see their games as being similar at all, personally. I like the Ray Allen comps more, probably more of a Rip Hamilton to me though.

[janmagn]

I'll throw a name that I haven't seen: JJ Redick. Devin is bigger, and maybe more athletic, but both can handle the ball.

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[dc]

Somewhere in between Eric Piatkowski, Trajan Langdon, Rodney Monroe, Todd Day, Shawn Respert, Mark Macon and Scotty Thurman.

[Aphex]

He's the best prospect that the Suns have had since Amare. Seriously, I don't think any of us have been as excited about a young player since 2002.

Really? Always felt Len was the prospect the fans were most excited about

[BScoreez]

Isn't Klay Thompson the obvious choice?

Nah, Klay was a a freshman in college at the same age averaging 12 a game with two more college years to go. He also largely benefits from playing with Curry.

Booker may never be as good defensively, but offensively he is likely going to be way more versatile. Klay had similar #s as a rookie, but was 3 years older.

I wouldn't really put a ceiling on what Booker can do offensively. If I did it would be Miller/Allen, though I also think he can be a better passer and playmaker than those guys possibly, so perhaps a little of them crossed with Harden if I had to put a ceiling, which I'd rather not put a ceiling on a guy that can become as good as his hard work allows him to be.

To be fair Booker also only averaged 10 pts/game his Freshman year in college. Klay jumped up to 20 pts/game his sophomore year while being heavily guarded all over the court. Maybe he would have also been able to produce in the NBA had he left after his Freshman year.

Rookie year Klay looked very similar to Booker too. Both were behind two smaller guards (Curry/Monta and Bledsoe/Knight), both were asked to lead the perimeter offense once those guards were out due to injury or in Monta's case trade, both were on terrible teams, both could score from everywhere. Yes Klay was older, but again based on his play in his sophomore year of college he very well could have produced at a younger age. Also, while Klay may not be elite at creating offense, he is quite good at it and gets underrated in that aspect due to playing with Curry (since Curry is elite at that and it gives Klay less opportunity since it would be better to have Curry in that role). Klay would score 20+ regardless of who he played with and would probably actually score more (although on lower efficiency).

[BJGOAT3]

His shot is too good to not pan out as a special player. However, sometimes I think he has issues with body control-balance. I think he can be a very very good, contending team-second option type of player. Again, my doubt is regarding his shot creating and playmaking abilities off the dribble consistently due to his sometimes out-of control moves. He is the type of SG that could do extremely good next a ball dominant PG as well, such versatility for a scorer is extremely valuable.

[Roy The Natural]

His shot is too good to not pan out as a special player. However, sometimes I think he has issues with body control-balance. I think he can be a very very good, contending team-second option type of player. Again, my doubt is regarding his shot creating and playmaking abilities off the dribble consistently due to his sometimes out-of control moves. He is the type of SG that could do extremely good next a ball dominant PG as well, such versatility for a scorer is extremely valuable.

Rip Hamilton

[BJGOAT3]

His shot is too good to not pan out as a special player. However, sometimes I think he has issues with body control-balance. I think he can be a very very good, contending team-second option type of player. Again, my doubt is regarding his shot creating and playmaking abilities off the dribble consistently due to his sometimes out-of control moves. He is the type of SG that could do extremely good next a ball dominant PG as well, such versatility for a scorer is extremely valuable.

Rip Hamilton

Good comparison, weirdly I didn't think of him while writing my post but he fits the bill perfectly. Rip was a consistent 20 ppg scorer in a very all-around team which is a great scenario for Booker and Suns imo.

Edit: Booker will be a better and more 3 point shooting version though.

[Roy The Natural]

His shot is too good to not pan out as a special player. However, sometimes I think he has issues with body control-balance. I think he can be a very very good, contending team-second option type of player. Again, my doubt is regarding his shot creating and playmaking abilities off the dribble consistently due to his sometimes out-of control moves. He is the type of SG that could do extremely good next a ball dominant PG as well, such versatility for a scorer is extremely valuable.

Rip Hamilton

Good comparison, weirdly I didn't think of him while writing my post but he fits the bill perfectly. Rip was a consistent 20 ppg scorer in a very all-around team which is a great scenario for Booker and Suns imo.

Edit: Booker will be a better and more 3 point shooting version though.

Yea, everything from body build to ballhandling and shooting stroke reminds me of RIP when I think about it. RIP probably could have extended his range earlier in his career, but the game was all about midrange at the time... 3pters were just a bonus. I think he'll be a better Hamilton in some ways, though I'm not sure he'll ever match Hamilton's relentless off ball movement.

[Doddage]

I'll throw a name that I haven't seen: JJ Redick. Devin is bigger, and maybe more athletic, but both can handle the ball.

Booker projects to be a much more prolific scoring threat than Redick ever was.

[JMac1]

You can really tell who has watched him play and who hasn't.

[skones]

Somewhere between Michael Redd and Brandon Roy.

[JMac1]

I admit that I avoid Suns game this year at any and all costs, so as a result have limited Booker games under my belt. That said, his numbers are terrible. Even post ASB since he's "turned it up": 18.8/2.5/3.5 on 39/32/87 with essentially no blocks/steals in 35 mpg. Season PER of 12. -2.8 BPM. Negative VORP.

He had a nice week of games (against largely weak competition; Magic/Knicks/Nuggets among the 5), now I see comparisons to young Ray Allen/Reggie/Curry, etc. Jesus. This kid must have one hell of an amazing "eye test" if the games I don't watch. Because it's not showing up on paper or the games I've seen, that is for sure.

You watched no games, but look at his numbers and state he is terrible, atypical, and you got an And 1, even more typical. If you watched, you'd have known he was the 2nd highest scoring rookie since January 1st until teams started doubling him and it took him about two weeks to adjust and now he is back to doing what he has been doing since January 1st, but whatever makes you feel better.

I might have to sig the bolded, classic.

[heatwillbeback]

Isn't he The youngest player in the league? I know he was the youngest in the draft last year.

He is so young and already has an elite skill. Good all around game. He is going to be special.

[JMac1]

Add note, that is why I don't do the stat thing......... Don't believe your lying eyes. Guy goes 5-15, but misses 3 layups, so he sucks or several no calls on shot attempts or two half court heaves before the end of the period or some desperation threes late in the game or he missed several shots at the end of the game when he was gassed, etc.... Just look at the stat line, that says it all.

[Qwigglez]

I admit that I avoid Suns game this year at any and all costs, so as a result have limited Booker games under my belt. That said, his numbers are terrible. Even post ASB since he's "turned it up": 18.8/2.5/3.5 on 39/32/87 with essentially no blocks/steals in 35 mpg. Season PER of 12. -2.8 BPM. Negative VORP.

He had a nice week of games (against largely weak competition; Magic/Knicks/Nuggets among the 5), now I see comparisons to young Ray Allen/Reggie/Curry, etc. Jesus. This kid must have one hell of an amazing "eye test" if the games I don't watch. Because it's not showing up on paper or the games I've seen, that is for sure.

In those five games he's getting 28.4/5/3 on 49/36/89. Scored 34 points on D-Wade, 15 points in the 4th quarter.
Yeah low competition in the Magic/Knicks but that's 67 points on a back to back set. He was in a slump after the all-star game, mostly because teams started zoning in on him because who else do they have to focus on against the Suns?

[JMac1]

Isn't he The youngest player in the league? I know he was the youngest in the draft last year.

He is so young and already has an elite skill. Good all around game. He is going to be special.

You better tell Wade not to believe his lying eyes and look at the stat line, because he thinks the same way as you, but what does Wade know?

[TKainZero]

3rd best SG of all-time ceiling

He is just a kid still, wait til his body fills out.
From that lucky 13th draft pick spot...

[JMac1]

I admit that I avoid Suns game this year at any and all costs, so as a result have limited Booker games under my belt. That said, his numbers are terrible. Even post ASB since he's "turned it up": 18.8/2.5/3.5 on 39/32/87 with essentially no blocks/steals in 35 mpg. Season PER of 12. -2.8 BPM. Negative VORP.

He had a nice week of games (against largely weak competition; Magic/Knicks/Nuggets among the 5), now I see comparisons to young Ray Allen/Reggie/Curry, etc. Jesus. This kid must have one hell of an amazing "eye test" if the games I don't watch. Because it's not showing up on paper or the games I've seen, that is for sure.

You watched no games, but look at his numbers and state he is terrible, atypical, and you got an And 1, even more typical. If you watched, you'd have known he was the 2nd highest scoring rookie since January 1st until teams started doubling him and it took him about two weeks to adjust and now he is back to doing what he has been doing since January 1st, but whatever makes you feel better.

I might have to sig the bolded, classic.

And a homer from the team believes him to in fact be right in line as the next Hall-Of-Fame wing/top 10 shooter in history (as many here who no doubt have seen him as much or less than I have are proclaiming). That, my friend, is the true shocker here.

I don't care about what he's doing on terrible percentages in ultra high minutes for what has been essentially the worst team in basketball over the last 2 months. His scoring numbers mean nothing to me if they are not A) efficient and B) proving to help his team win ball games.

One good week good games against crappy teams does not change the trend he has shown all year for me. Sorry to be the Debbie Downer. Back to your regularly scheduled, "Next Ray Allen!" programming.

Why are you calling Wade a homer?