We all need to thank the Phoenix Suns.

[EvilGenius]

I understand hindsight is 20/20, but hear me out..

At #5 how in the hell did the Suns pass up on Nerlens?? With a clean bill of health Nerlens goes first overall we all know that, so you cant blame a team to not risk their first or second overall pick on offensive project with a torn acl.

Cody Zeller gets taken by MJ at #4 (lol). Nerlens is staring the suns right in the face at #5. No one with any actual understanding of the NBA would blame them for taking a chance on a defensive savant with the players left on the board.

It is a well known fact that the Suns have by far the best training staff in the NBA. Sounds like a great spot for Nerlens to rehab...

Going into last season no one dreamed of the Suns winning 23 more games than the previous year, so it was not like there was an absolute win now mentality. The suns had the flexibility of letting Nerlens sit out the entire season and get back to full strength exactly as he did in Philly.

I know Len is coming around as of late, but imagine if the Suns had Nerlens going forward.. I believe he's the piece that they are missing to go from being a nice squad to being a perennial title contender.

Phoenix has no problem scoring the ball from the 1-4 positions, so getting 8-12pt a night provided the impact Nerlens has and will continue to make going forward on the defensive end, is no big deal. Also nerlens ability to make a play on D to start the break and run the floor with their guards would be a lethal combo. I really could go on and on, but you get the point.

If the Suns made the no brainer pick and took Nerlens. WTF would have Hinkie done? Held on to Jrue and wait for another opportunity to move him?? Keep Jrue and not blow the whole thing up?? Moving Jrue and fleecing the pelicans for Nerlens and a first was absolutely paramount in Hinkies rebuild.

I cannot imagine what our roster would look like had that trade never happened. It potentially could have forced Hinkie to take on the rebuild at a completely different angle and the rebuild could have taken significantly longer(2-3 years maybe?) We never take MCW with Jrue still on the roster.. Who would we have drafted? Was Giannis on Hinkies radar?

I could keep going with this butterfly effect stuff. I guess what I'm really trying to say is... THANK YOU PHOENIX, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOUUUU!!!!

[tsmith]

I understand hindsight is 20/20, but hear me out..

At #5 how in the hell did the Suns pass up on Nerlens?? With a clean bill of health Nerlens goes first overall we all know that, so you cant blame a team to not risk their first or second overall pick on offensive project with a torn acl.

Cody Zeller gets taken by MJ at #4 (lol). Nerlens is staring the suns right in the face at #5. No one with any actual understanding of the NBA would blame them for taking a chance on a defensive savant with the players left on the board.

It is a well known fact that the Suns have by far the best training staff in the NBA. Sounds like a great spot for Nerlens to rehab...

Going into last season no one dreamed of the Suns winning 23 more games than the previous year, so it was not like there was an absolute win now mentality. The suns had the flexibility of letting Nerlens sit out the entire season and get back to full strength exactly as he did in Philly.

I know Len is coming around as of late, but imagine if the Suns had Nerlens going forward.. I believe he's the piece that they are missing to go from being a nice squad to being a perennial title contender.

Phoenix has no problem scoring the ball from the 1-4 positions, so getting 8-12pt a night provided the impact Nerlens has and will continue to make going forward on the defensive end, is no big deal. Also nerlens ability to make a play on D to start the break and run the floor with their guards would be a lethal combo. I really could go on and on, but you get the point.

If the Suns made the no brainer pick and took Nerlens. WTF would have Hinkie done? Held on to Jrue and wait for another opportunity to move him?? Keep Jrue and not blow the whole thing up?? Moving Jrue and fleecing the pelicans for Nerlens and a first was absolutely paramount in Hinkies rebuild.

I cannot imagine what our roster would look like had that trade never happened. It potentially could have forced Hinkie to take on the rebuild at a completely different angle and the rebuild could have taken significantly longer(2-3 years maybe?) We never take MCW with Jrue still on the roster.. Who would we have drafted? Was Giannis on Hinkies radar?

I could keep going with this butterfly effect stuff. I guess what I'm really trying to say is... THANK YOU PHOENIX, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOUUUU!!!!

Hinkie would have probably have just traded jrue to the suns

[marcush]

I will probably be in the minority here but I think Len has looked good most times I have seen him. Not sure that was the wrong call by them at all.

[Mik317]

Len has been pretty tho

[Sixerscan]

Len has looked good this year. Looks much less ridiculous than it did before the season started.

[EvilGenius]

Len could very well be a quality NBA player, but please don't try and tell me Nerlens ceiling isn't 20 floors higher than Len's is. I just imagine Nerls in his place and i see the Suns being a MUCH scarier team in the years going forward in the west gauntlet.

[Eyeamok]

I'll save my thanks for Cleveland. It's like that movie Draft Day. You pass on the #1 guy then all of a sudden everyone after you is scrambling and wondering what is wrong with him. Noel in the year he did not play put up better numbers than Bennett! . Yes hindsight is 20/20 but the Cavs would have been in the same position in the 2014 draft, #1, with Noel sitting out, as they were with Bennett playing. But there is no way they knew that...Hinkie lucked out? Or did he....perhaps he had Noel and Len on his radar as the #6 pick. I mean he got a nice haul for Holiday 2 #1's. What's to say he did not plan on taking more than 1 player at that position. Noel was his first and Len might have been his second.

[WorldBeFree]

I understand hindsight is 20/20, but hear me out..

At #5 how in the hell did the Suns pass up on Nerlens?? With a clean bill of health Nerlens goes first overall we all know that, so you cant blame a team to not risk their first or second overall pick on offensive project with a torn acl.

Cody Zeller gets taken by MJ at #4 (lol). Nerlens is staring the suns right in the face at #5. No one with any actual understanding of the NBA would blame them for taking a chance on a defensive savant with the players left on the board.

It is a well known fact that the Suns have by far the best training staff in the NBA. Sounds like a great spot for Nerlens to rehab...

Going into last season no one dreamed of the Suns winning 23 more games than the previous year, so it was not like there was an absolute win now mentality. The suns had the flexibility of letting Nerlens sit out the entire season and get back to full strength exactly as he did in Philly.

I know Len is coming around as of late, but imagine if the Suns had Nerlens going forward.. I believe he's the piece that they are missing to go from being a nice squad to being a perennial title contender.

Phoenix has no problem scoring the ball from the 1-4 positions, so getting 8-12pt a night provided the impact Nerlens has and will continue to make going forward on the defensive end, is no big deal. Also nerlens ability to make a play on D to start the break and run the floor with their guards would be a lethal combo. I really could go on and on, but you get the point.

If the Suns made the no brainer pick and took Nerlens. WTF would have Hinkie done? Held on to Jrue and wait for another opportunity to move him?? Keep Jrue and not blow the whole thing up?? Moving Jrue and fleecing the pelicans for Nerlens and a first was absolutely paramount in Hinkies rebuild.

I cannot imagine what our roster would look like had that trade never happened. It potentially could have forced Hinkie to take on the rebuild at a completely different angle and the rebuild could have taken significantly longer(2-3 years maybe?) We never take MCW with Jrue still on the roster.. Who would we have drafted? Was Giannis on Hinkies radar?

I could keep going with this butterfly effect stuff. I guess what I'm really trying to say is... THANK YOU PHOENIX, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOUUUU!!!!

Hinkie would have probably have just traded jrue to the suns

This one.

Sent from my D2303 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[Mik317]

Hinkie allegedly was going to trade up for Oladipo or Bennett too..Noel happened to be the last one left ironcially.

Regardless, Len seems to be coming into his own and has been a damn good shot blocker...I think the Suns are fine with that selection

[bedjawII]

Len could very well be a quality NBA player, but please don't try and tell me Nerlens ceiling isn't 20 floors higher than Len's is. I just imagine Nerls in his place and i see the Suns being a MUCH scarier team in the years going forward in the west gauntlet.

You are way way way overvaluing Noel. You are projecting what you want him to be verse what his real potential is. Right now nobody is laughing at anyone for passing on him.

[bedjawII]

Hinkie allegedly was going to trade up for Oladipo or Bennett too..Noel happened to be the last one left ironcially.

Regardless, Len seems to be coming into his own and has been a damn good shot blocker...I think the Suns are fine with that selection

I think it was Porter and not Bennett.

[OleSchool]

Hinkie allegedly was going to trade up for Oladipo or Bennett too..Noel happened to be the last one left ironcially.

Regardless, Len seems to be coming into his own and has been a damn good shot blocker...I think the Suns are fine with that selection

This, I also thought McLemore was also on Hinkies radar? If I can remember correctly the "rumor" was like 3 or 4 guys Hinkie had is eye on.

Either way the trade was going down

[Ericb5]

Remember that the deal was made before the draft even started. The Pelicans were picking for us at 6 regardless of who was there.

It was obviously very fortuitous for us that Noel slipped, but that was just luck.

[MRxBLACK]

Len has been playing better than last year but I always questioned that selection. Len was a lesser prospect than Noel AND had his own injury history to worry about.

[roma258]

Yeah, I think it's a toss-up between Len and Noel at this point. Len ain't exactly chopped liver- a legit 7-footer who protects the rim and can do some things on offense. Noel might project higher, but the NBA is trending towards guy who can shoot and Len has a pretty smooth stroke.

[snoopdogg88]

i'm like 99% sure i remember the rumor being Hinkie would have accepted Bennett or Oladipo or Noel
Nerlens just happened to be the one left.

[Agnostifarian]

Hinkie needs to extract some players from the PHO roster. Goodwin, Ennis, ...

[KKell2507]

Len has been very good this year in stretches. I mean he's the starting center for a playoff team in the West at the current moment. Hes producing as he's getting more minutes.

In January:
24.8min, 7.8pts, 8.7reb, 0.8asts, 2.9blks, 0.7stls. 58%FG and 87%FT.

By comparison Noel in January:
30.0min, 8.8pts, 7.5reb, 1.3asts, 2.2blks, 1.3stls. 45%FG and 56%FT.

Len has been far more efficient than Noel in recent weeks and put up similar stats in less minutes. And he's only a year older so not like he has experience on his side.

Noel is the better overall prospect because of his raw athleticism and ability to defend all over the court. But don't sleep on Lens rim protection and rebounding prowess either. Len is also much more advanced in his offense than Noel at this stage. Where that side of the ball goes for either of them is far from determined yet.

[phillthy13]

Len's finally healthy and beat Plumlee out for the starting role, after Plumlee had a pretty solid season last year. I'd say Phoenix is happy with their decision, given their current status and Len's. I'd agree more if you said we should be thanking Charlotte/MJ.

[KKell2507]

I think the far bigger interest in terms of domino effects came this past draft instead of 2013. Just think how many players and teams the Joel Embiid stress fracture affected.

If Joel Embiid doesnt get the stress fracture:
He goes #1 to Cleveland. Wiggins is a Sixer at #3.
Is Cleveland willing to trade a healthy Embiid and Bennett to Minnesota for Kevin Love? Im not so sure. Does Minnesota want that package if Wiggins isnt involved? If Kevin Love doesnt go to Cleveland, the other destination back then was Golden State for David Lee and Harrison Barnes and whatever else. If GS makes that deal are they still the best team in the league at this point? If Kevin Love is there, Draymond Green doesnt get unleashed.

And what the heck does Minnesota look like without Wiggins? If they had gotten David Lee they wouldnt have gotten Thaddeus Young. So is Thaddeus Young still a Sixer? We certainly wouldnt have the Miami pick at this point or Mbah a Moute as the Embiid mentor because we wouldnt have Embiid.We would be atleast 1 2nd rd pick shorter because we would have never gotten Shved. And would we have ever unleashed or even signed Robert Covington if we had Wiggins to take ALL of the minutes he would have gotten on the wing? And do we take KJ in the 2nd round if we had already taken Wiggins?

And does Embiids twitter court of Lebron James actually work because hes now in Cleveland? Cleveland wouldnt have had to trade 2 picks for Mozgov if Embiid is there. And do they trade Dion Waiters since theyd have had a better mix of offensive to defensive players without Love and having Embiid?

The domino effects of Embiids injury could have taken so many different turns and affected so many different teams. How does our future look with a MCW, Wiggins, insert wing player, Noel, Okafor/Towns as compared to what we are facing now? Hmmm the interesting what ifs...