What's Devin Booker's ceiling?

NBA Fan 1234 · Post #81 » by **NBA Fan 1234** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:47 am

I wouldn't say he's a surefire HOF, but he's definitely looked promising in spurts offensively. I've seen some of their games and I don't see the playmaking skills Roy had, who was essentially an oversized PG the way he ran a team. On top of that, Booker doesn't have the post game Roy had and defensive ability Roy had; but he is a better shooter.

I still see (a potentially better) Allan Houston in him, but hey, maybe I'm wrong and he becomes Ray Allen.

mowcrowbar · Post #82 » by **mowcrowbar** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:52 am

"Prime Reggie Miller, or Ray Allen" Are you kidding me?

MrBaynes · Post #83 » by **MrBaynes** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:03 am

Me and Phil Jackson both say the kid reminds us of Chris Jackson.

hazy_01 · Post #84 » by **hazy_01** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:26 am

If Suns lock in at 3rd pick and draft Bender that's a nice starting 5- Len/Bender/Warren/Booker/Bledsoe. Suns future looking good

oddity · Post #85 » by **oddity** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:04 am

Where the hell are the Gordon Hayward comps?! Kid plays just like him. Kinda seems like a mix between Hayward and Klay, but I like the Brandon Roy comparisons, if only because he's one of my favorite SGs to play in a long time.

I think Booker's shot can separate him from those other guys though. He's so good from outside so early in his career, and he's shown an (albeit limited) ability to hit from much further than just the 23 feet needed to make a 3pter. I can see him being the next of guys to hit Curry-esque shots from 26+ feet out, which would allow him to space the floor for the rest of his game.

A lot of his game is going to be dependent on how his pull-up jumper and ball-handling improve. Right now Booker is pretty deadly off the pick and roll, but the ability to split the defense when they double high on him would put him on another level. Couple that with a more consistent jumper and the ability to finish in the paint, and you have a near-unstoppable force. It's no guarantee he develops these skills, but his increasingly ball-dominant role will see his experience and skill rise. Perhaps this is the perfect incubation chamber for Booker, as he's groomed to be a shoot-first, long range 1st option, on and off the ball.

At his peak the kid's a possible scoring title contender, and if all things go right an at least average defender. At this point a more modest and realistic comparison would be a Klay Thompson, but that's probably a bit low; Booker screams that he's going to be better.

Post #86 » by **Qwigglez** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:33 am

tredigs wrote:
mowcrowbar wrote:"Prime Reggie Miller, or Ray Allen" Are you kidding me?

On a team with 5 wins in the last 3 months of action where he's averaging <43% FG and <34% 3pt in that span. Classic.

Durant shot 43% FG and under 30% 3pt his rookie year. Classic.

ClubLakers KB8 · Post #87 » by **ClubLakers KB8** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:36 am

He's basically going to be what OJ Mayo should have been.

gothehornets · Post #88 » by **gothehornets** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 8:43 am

i never watched him but is michael redd a realistic projection?

Prokorov · Post #89 » by **Prokorov** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 1:45 pm

id say his ceiling is peak devin booker

JMac1 · Post #90 » by **JMac1** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:27 pm

hazy_01 wrote:If Suns lock in at 3rd pick and draft Bender that's a nice starting 5- Len/Bender/Warren/Booker/Bledsoe. Suns future looking good

No, if we lock in the 1st pick.....Nice try though :lol:

NBAfan3024 · Post #91 » by **NBAfan3024** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 2:52 pm

Looking forward to watching him tonight

oddity · Post #92 » by **oddity** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:20 pm

tredigs wrote:
Qwigglez wrote:
tredigs wrote:On a team with 5 wins in the last 3 months of action where he's averaging <43% FG and <34% 3pt in that span. Classic.

Durant shot 43% FG and under 30% 3pt his rookie year. Classic.

Yikes you Suns homers are BAD right now. "Well KD ALSO sucked that bad % wise soo.... KD comparison?". LOL man c'mon. Should I roll out the list of hundreds upon hundreds of Dion Waiters' of the world who have also pulled off this anti-feat?

Listen, can we come to an agreement that a kid is showing potential without writing the HOF induction speech for a highly inconsistent rookie averaging 12/2/2 with weak D on a team with 5 wins in three months?

C'mon. How many Dion Waiters do you know who pulled out multiple 30 point games in their rookie season? How many Dion Waiters do you know who were the first option on their team in their rookie year. There's a huge difference between shooting those numbers in general and doing it while scoring at a high clip. No one is saying Booker is going to be Durant because they averaged similar shooting stats. The point is merely to say that other high scoring rookies don't shoot with the same efficiency as later in their careers. Booker is most definitely a high-scoring rookie, although the season stats skew it downwards (he was barely playing at the beginning of the season). He is 1 of 4 players to have scored 3 or more 30+ games as a teenager, and is leading all rookies with 4 of those. The point is that at this stage in a player's career, scoring 30 is impressive regardless of efficiency (except in extreme circumstances). Sure, you love to see the efficiency there, but Booker shooting 43/34/83 is most likely going to improve in time and isn't much of a knock on him.

And saying that this is all nullified because he's on a bad team is a fallacious argument. Sure, being the #1 option on a bad team is easier, but you also have defenses helping and double teaming you because they can afford to be an extra step away from their assignments. Truth is, it's extremely hard to quantify the effects being on a bad team have on personal success.

Blame Rasho · Post #93 » by **Blame Rasho** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 3:30 pm

I think I was part of the set of people who scoffed at what he was doing this season until the Spurs played the Suns. Mind you... this is a game where the Suns didn't have any Point Guards or Power Forwards playing. It wasn't a fair game, but he was the main ball handler and did a good as you would expect a 19 year old to do under those circumstances. It was relatively a tight game despite the difference in aggregate talent and skill and that was basiscally due to him really playing his heart out. He is a good player, and has all star potential.He doesn't play stupid which is something most rookies do. He is a very solid get for the 13 pick... he might be talked about the same way that people talk about Kawhi Leonard within a few years.

senel · Post #94 » by **senel** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:40 pm

Jeff Hornacek in this era and more athletic.

oddity · Post #95 » by **oddity** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:29 pm

tredigs wrote:Not many 19 yr old rookie have been in a position to take massive shots for their team. His per-36 numbers are very average, he sucks defensively, and the team gets blown out every night. Apologies for not joining the ticker tape parade for the NBA's next coming just yet.

Why haven't they, though? Most 19 year old rookies aren't talented or developed enough to claim the #1 option on a team. Granted, the Suns are horribly undermanned, and Bledsoe would be the first option then, but still. Not only has Booker proven to command the title of #1 scoring option (at least until Bledsoe returns), but he's striving in that role. Are you saying that if you put just any rookie in that role than they'd put up the points Booker has? Because if you are I have to genuinely question your sanity.

zronv7 · Post #96 » by **zronv7** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:20 pm

call me crazy but he kinda reminds me of Steph Curry when he was first drafted, of course they play different positions and different in size but I wouldn't be shocked to see him become a 30ppg god like 3pt shooter and offensive threat

Revived · Post #97 » by **Revived** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 6:33 pm

tredigs wrote:
Qwigglez wrote:
tredigs wrote:On a team with 5 wins in the last 3 months of action where he's averaging <43% FG and <34% 3pt in that span. Classic.

Durant shot 43% FG and under 30% 3pt his rookie year. Classic.

Yikes you Suns homers are BAD right now. "Well KD ALSO sucked that bad % wise soo.... KD comparison?". LOL man c'mon. Should I roll out the list of hundreds upon hundreds of Dion Waiters' of the world who have also pulled off this anti-feat?

Listen, can we come to an agreement that a kid is showing potential without writing the HOF induction speech for a highly inconsistent rookie averaging 12/2/2 with weak D on a team with 5 wins in three months?

Lol dude why are you so salty about Booker? Is it because many people think he can be better than Klay?

saintEscaton · Post #98 » by **saintEscaton** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:03 pm

Prime Doron Lamb. Next

Post #99 » by **bwgood77** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 7:53 pm

tredigs wrote:
Qwigglez wrote:
tredigs wrote:On a team with 5 wins in the last 3 months of action where he's averaging <43% FG and <34% 3pt in that span. Classic.

Durant shot 43% FG and under 30% 3pt his rookie year. Classic.

Yikes you Suns homers are BAD right now. "Well KD ALSO sucked that bad % wise soo.... KD comparison?". LOL man c'mon. Should I roll out the list of hundreds upon hundreds of Dion Waiters' of the world who have also pulled off this anti-feat?

Listen, can we come to an agreement that a kid is showing potential without writing the HOF induction speech for a highly inconsistent rookie averaging 12/2/2 with weak D on a team with 5 wins in three months?

A nice rebuttal to your fg% argument where a young rook is playing major minutes while defenses key on them and you best response is name calling someone a homer? Weak rebuttal on your part.

Blackification · Post #100 » by **Blackification** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 8:42 pm

Its kind of funny how these things go, either you are overrated because you are the go to on a bad team or you are overrated because steph curry or another star makes it easy for you.

Its also funny that most of the people making the counter arguments about bookers potential havent even watched him play and admitted as much