What's Devin Booker's ceiling?

[lambchop]

Shame he didn't drop one more spot to OKC. He could have possibly been Harden 2.0 for them, production-wise.

I dont think so. With westbrook and durant as primary ball handlers and the pressure to win games/ contend, booker would have had much much less freedom. He probably would have been limited to being a shooter.

Even with bledsoe and knight around booker wasnt doing much damage. Now he really got his opportunity to blossom. He's basically playing pg for phoenix right now, has freedom to do whatever he wants and a good mentor in chandler, who has been around the league for a while and also around quality players in cp3, dirk, kidd etc.

[Nolan]

The Allen and Thompson comparisons are inevitable because of Booker's shooting touch but for me the best case scenario for is a better shooting Brandon Roy. He has the same physical limitations that Roy had (Booker might be a bit quicker) and he has that same crafty off the dribble game.

[NBAfan3024]

Think Ray Allen is a good comparison

Could be even better

[BigLurch92]

To think that the kid is only 19 is insane. He and Myles Turner are proving that sometimes you can find gold in the back end of the lotto (10-14).

I would say top-2 SG in the league for sure if it continues to work out.

[Big Aristotle]

“Ay yo, Rook, come over here a second,” Tyson says.
Devin shoots the ball and runs over to the opposite end of the court. Tyson stands tall, surrounded by an aura of sorts, a mysticism to his disposition.
“Yes, sir?” Devin asks.
“Did you get the doughnuts for shootaround tomorrow?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All the right flavors? You check the list?”
“Yes, sir.” Devin nods each time he says it.
“Alright, we’re good.” Tyson examines Devin. “Why are you so timid? Always ‘yes, sir this, yes, sir that.’ Where’s the fire?”
“The fire?” Devin asks.
“F*** yeah, the fire. Are you always like this? This quiet?”
Devin shrugs his shoulders. “I guess. It’s just my nature.”
“Nah, f*** that,” Tyson says, slamming the ball against the court. It bounces again and again and again before rolling to an idle stop. “You’ve gotta go in. You’ve gotta be a killer. You’ve gotta put in work, son.”
“Man, I am putting in work. I’m doing the best I can do.”
“See, that right there. You’ve gotta change the attitude. I mean, yeah, you working hard, but there’s always more. You’ve gotta see the guy next to you, size him up, get in his skin, and outwork him. And the next guy. And the next. And the next …”
His speech is interrupted by the sound of Coach Watson bringing the group together. Devin stands for a moment, in wonder, entranced by those words.

The next morning, his eyes awake to the sun settled in his bedroom window, the light descending and filling the room. Rolling himself out of bed, he walks to the bathroom. Splashing cold water onto his face, he inspects himself in the mirror. Something is different, he thinks. There is a flame that has been lit inside the young man. A flame that burns brighter than the young man has ever felt before. An insatiable desire for knowledge, for skill, for experience. A hunger and a drive, both unmistakable and truly palpable. He screams into the mirror, roused by the elation and fear the cry brings him.

“The usual, Devin?” the barber asks.
Devin looks up into the mirror, just as he did earlier that morning. “F*** that,” he says. “Let’s put a line in there.”
The bravado surprises the barber. Timidly, he asks, “a line on the side, here?”
“F*** it,” Devin says assertively. “Make it two, m*****f*****.”
“Yes, sir,” the barber replies. He flips the switch on the clippers. The humming sound of the vibrating blades unnerves him more. He feels the weight within the pit of his stomach, afraid of what is seated in front of him. But amid the anxiety, there is hope. Maybe this guy could be it, he thinks to himself. Maybe he’s our savior.

He begins cutting the hair.

[DeLong2]

“Ay yo, Rook, come over here a second,” Tyson says.
Devin shoots the ball and runs over to the opposite end of the court. Tyson stands tall, surrounded by an aura of sorts, a mysticism to his disposition.
“Yes, sir?” Devin asks.
“Did you get the doughnuts for shootaround tomorrow?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All the right flavors? You check the list?”
“Yes, sir.” Devin nods each time he says it.
“Alright, we’re good.” Tyson examines Devin. “Why are you so timid? Always ‘yes, sir this, yes, sir that.’ Where’s the fire?”
“The fire?” Devin asks.
“F*** yeah, the fire. Are you always like this? This quiet?”
Devin shrugs his shoulders. “I guess. It’s just my nature.”
“Nah, f*** that,” Tyson says, slamming the ball against the court. It bounces again and again and again before rolling to an idle stop. “You’ve gotta go in. You’ve gotta be a killer. You’ve gotta put in work, son.”
“Man, I am putting in work. I’m doing the best I can do.”
“See, that right there. You’ve gotta change the attitude. I mean, yeah, you working hard, but there’s always more. You’ve gotta see the guy next to you, size him up, get in his skin, and outwork him. And the next guy. And the next. And the next …”
His speech is interrupted by the sound of Coach Watson bringing the group together. Devin stands for a moment, in wonder, entranced by those words.

The next morning, his eyes awake to the sun settled in his bedroom window, the light descending and filling the room. Rolling himself out of bed, he walks to the bathroom. Splashing cold water onto his face, he inspects himself in the mirror. Something is different, he thinks. There is a flame that has been lit inside the young man. A flame that burns brighter than the young man has ever felt before. An insatiable desire for knowledge, for skill, for experience. A hunger and a drive, both unmistakable and truly palpable. He screams into the mirror, roused by the elation and fear the cry brings him.

“The usual, Devin?” the barber asks.
Devin looks up into the mirror, just as he did earlier that morning. “F*** that,” he says. “Let’s put a line in there.”
The bravado surprises the barber. Timidly, he asks, “a line on the side, here?”
“F*** it,” Devin says assertively. “Make it two, m*****f*****.”
“Yes, sir,” the barber replies. He flips the switch on the clippers. The humming sound of the vibrating blades unnerves him more. He feels the weight within the pit of his stomach, afraid of what is seated in front of him. But amid the anxiety, there is hope. Maybe this guy could be it, he thinks to himself. Maybe he’s our savior.

He begins cutting the hair.

Did this actually happen? It sounds so real...

[Dilly]

Future superstar without question it's a shooting league now. He prime gonna be crazy will lead lg in 3'sss

[Throwback24]

Poor man's terrence ross imo

[Dilly]

“Ay yo, Rook, come over here a second,” Tyson says.
Devin shoots the ball and runs over to the opposite end of the court. Tyson stands tall, surrounded by an aura of sorts, a mysticism to his disposition.
“Yes, sir?” Devin asks.
“Did you get the doughnuts for shootaround tomorrow?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All the right flavors? You check the list?”
“Yes, sir.” Devin nods each time he says it.
“Alright, we’re good.” Tyson examines Devin. “Why are you so timid? Always ‘yes, sir this, yes, sir that.’ Where’s the fire?”
“The fire?” Devin asks.
“F*** yeah, the fire. Are you always like this? This quiet?”
Devin shrugs his shoulders. “I guess. It’s just my nature.”
“Nah, f*** that,” Tyson says, slamming the ball against the court. It bounces again and again and again before rolling to an idle stop. “You’ve gotta go in. You’ve gotta be a killer. You’ve gotta put in work, son.”
“Man, I am putting in work. I’m doing the best I can do.”
“See, that right there. You’ve gotta change the attitude. I mean, yeah, you working hard, but there’s always more. You’ve gotta see the guy next to you, size him up, get in his skin, and outwork him. And the next guy. And the next. And the next …”
His speech is interrupted by the sound of Coach Watson bringing the group together. Devin stands for a moment, in wonder, entranced by those words.

The next morning, his eyes awake to the sun settled in his bedroom window, the light descending and filling the room. Rolling himself out of bed, he walks to the bathroom. Splashing cold water onto his face, he inspects himself in the mirror. Something is different, he thinks. There is a flame that has been lit inside the young man. A flame that burns brighter than the young man has ever felt before. An insatiable desire for knowledge, for skill, for experience. A hunger and a drive, both unmistakable and truly palpable. He screams into the mirror, roused by the elation and fear the cry brings him.

“The usual, Devin?” the barber asks.
Devin looks up into the mirror, just as he did earlier that morning. “F*** that,” he says. “Let’s put a line in there.”
The bravado surprises the barber. Timidly, he asks, “a line on the side, here?”
“F*** it,” Devin says assertively. “Make it two, m*****f*****.”
“Yes, sir,” the barber replies. He flips the switch on the clippers. The humming sound of the vibrating blades unnerves him more. He feels the weight within the pit of his stomach, afraid of what is seated in front of him. But amid the anxiety, there is hope. Maybe this guy could be it, he thinks to himself. Maybe he’s our savior.

He begins cutting the hair.

Unbelievable this real? Got me fired up

[EvanZ]

Poor man's terrence ross imo

Damn lack of green font.

[bwgood77]

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.

[bwgood77]

“Ay yo, Rook, come over here a second,” Tyson says.
Devin shoots the ball and runs over to the opposite end of the court. Tyson stands tall, surrounded by an aura of sorts, a mysticism to his disposition.
“Yes, sir?” Devin asks.
“Did you get the doughnuts for shootaround tomorrow?”
“Yes, sir.”
“All the right flavors? You check the list?”
“Yes, sir.” Devin nods each time he says it.
“Alright, we’re good.” Tyson examines Devin. “Why are you so timid? Always ‘yes, sir this, yes, sir that.’ Where’s the fire?”
“The fire?” Devin asks.
“F*** yeah, the fire. Are you always like this? This quiet?”
Devin shrugs his shoulders. “I guess. It’s just my nature.”
“Nah, f*** that,” Tyson says, slamming the ball against the court. It bounces again and again and again before rolling to an idle stop. “You’ve gotta go in. You’ve gotta be a killer. You’ve gotta put in work, son.”
“Man, I am putting in work. I’m doing the best I can do.”
“See, that right there. You’ve gotta change the attitude. I mean, yeah, you working hard, but there’s always more. You’ve gotta see the guy next to you, size him up, get in his skin, and outwork him. And the next guy. And the next. And the next …”
His speech is interrupted by the sound of Coach Watson bringing the group together. Devin stands for a moment, in wonder, entranced by those words.

The next morning, his eyes awake to the sun settled in his bedroom window, the light descending and filling the room. Rolling himself out of bed, he walks to the bathroom. Splashing cold water onto his face, he inspects himself in the mirror. Something is different, he thinks. There is a flame that has been lit inside the young man. A flame that burns brighter than the young man has ever felt before. An insatiable desire for knowledge, for skill, for experience. A hunger and a drive, both unmistakable and truly palpable. He screams into the mirror, roused by the elation and fear the cry brings him.

“The usual, Devin?” the barber asks.
Devin looks up into the mirror, just as he did earlier that morning. “F*** that,” he says. “Let’s put a line in there.”
The bravado surprises the barber. Timidly, he asks, “a line on the side, here?”
“F*** it,” Devin says assertively. “Make it two, m*****f*****.”
“Yes, sir,” the barber replies. He flips the switch on the clippers. The humming sound of the vibrating blades unnerves him more. He feels the weight within the pit of his stomach, afraid of what is seated in front of him. But amid the anxiety, there is hope. Maybe this guy could be it, he thinks to himself. Maybe he’s our savior.

He begins cutting the hair.

Unbelievable this real? Got me fired up

Did this actually happen? It sounds so real...

About as real as this gem posted after Knight had a huge triple double early in the season...

In moments of peril, many men attempt to recapture their self from long ago when they return home after a long absence. They may visit their childhood home, marveling how the grass in the front yard is no longer as green as it had been. They may arrive at the storied delicatessen, hoping the taste of a cold cut harkens back to a past time, a past memory, although it rarely does. Or they may visit their elementary school gymnasium, listening to the sweet sound of a basketball smacking the sooty wood, as they pine for a simpler time. These pilgrimages seldom end in elation.

Brandon Knight. BK. "Mr. Whopper Jr." the employees at the local Burger King mutter under their breath as he orders the sandwich every Friday. Alone in his car, he unwraps the package, closing his eyes and thinking of his high school days in Florida, and takes a bite. "What happened to that guy ... that PHENOM?!" he bellows, looking at his reflection in the rear-view mirror, his mouth full of meat. "Will I ever find my place in the world?" he asks aloud.

A man who has achieved a fair amount of success and failure, he feels different now in his fifth year. Waking in a sweat one night in July, he had an epiphany. Unable to explain what came over him, he purchased a plane ticket for Fort Lauderdale and packed a small suitcase. "I won't need much," he said as he turned off the lights and locked his home. At the arrivals gate, he headed straight for a chauffeur. "Where are you going," the well-dressed man asked.

"The place where boys become MEN," Knight responded. "Pine Crest Gym."

It's been years, but he remarks how familiar it feels entering the empty gym again. He dribbles around the court, his body moving freely, like a man who has recently rid himself of the firm grip of a pair of shackles. Coming to a halt, he picks up his dribble and shoots, a smile appearing from ear to ear ...

"Will it be the usual today, Mr. Knight?" the Burger King employee asks him Friday evening.

"Yeah, just the Whopper Jr. with fries and ... wait," Knight pauses. He closes his eyes, quelling the tears before they fall from his eyes. "You know what," he says to the employee, his voice full of bliss, "I'll have a Whopper."

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

I think he can reach Brandon Roy's level of skill at SG, but he reminds me a lot of Allan Houston.

[CoreyVillains]

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.

[EvanZ]

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.

I think Booker can be an elite offensive player. But defense is half the game, especially for a wing. My hope is he can at least not be a negative on defense.

[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.

[Patsfan1081]

Yeah, I would say Thompson. Miller and Allen were more well rounded players coming in, both were better defenders and Allen was a good rebounder for his size. Somone said it earlier and I have to agree these kids coming in are playing some crazy minutes. Parker playing 50 minutes the other night was crazy for a regulation game,maybe it's just surprising for me because my team plays all their guys a lot less.

[CoreyVillains]

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.

[Hoopz Afrik]

Books looks a lot more adept at creating for himself off the dribble than Klay does. I think he can be a high end no. 2 on a great team or even possibly a no. 1. He's only trending upward.

[bwgood77]

Yeah, I would say Thompson. Miller and Allen were more well rounded players coming in, both were better defenders and Allen was a good rebounder for his size. Somone said it earlier and I have to agree these kids coming in are playing some crazy minutes. Parker playing 50 minutes the other night was crazy for a regulation game,maybe it's just surprising for me because my team plays all their guys a lot less.

Parker and Booker didn't play much earlier in the year, so they likely have much fresher legs than most regular rotation guys at this point in the season. That being said, Booker on the 2nd night of a b2b in Denver, was obviously winded at the end and was out of breath for the last few minutes. Otherwise may have gone for 40.