2016 Draft Thread Part 4

[NavLDO]

The Celtics have asked Jaylen Brown back (very publicly) for a second workout. They also did this with Marcus Smart. Danny Ainge tried to trade with Charlotte last year in order to draft Justise Winslow. Why Charlotte did not make that trade or why they drafted Kaminsky, I will never know. Ainge obviously covets that type of player. So, things that would not surprise me.

1. Both Bender and Chriss being available at #4.

The Lakers are doing weird stuff right now with the hype over Buddy Hield. They really, really like him. He worked out with Kobe for 2 hours. I suppose they could be trying to get another pick and take him at 3, 4, or 5. They would not take him at 2 would they? They took Russell instead of Okafor last year. That was a huge surprise, so its not out of the realm. Guards are in demand in the NBA right now.

2. The Lakers trading down to take Hield. So, would the Suns do that? Trade #4 and #13 for #2 maybe? The Lakers could take Hield at #4 and still get a decent SF or C at #13. Suns take Ingram or Simmons.

This could get interesting.

I would do that, but thats not what they Lakers are trying to do.

#4/Knight for Russell/Randle

Ingram is a ball dominant Point-Forward (Like LeBron) and would benefit from having more of a scoring PG next to him. Lakers roll with Knight/Hield/Ingram/Nance Jr./Whiteside(Signed as a FA)

Suns then trade Bledsoe for #8/future 1st.

Russell/Booker/Warren/Randle/Len and draft BPA with #8 & #13

Done. Where do I sign?!?!?

I don't like Russell's potential to create issues in the Locker Room, but for Randle, I'd do it. Plus, maybe Skal or Ellenson at 8??

[NavLDO]

Would you trade 4, 13, 28, 32 for 2?

I would do 4, 13, 28. And since I would do that, why would I let a second rounder stand in the way. Maybe I try to get a second rounder back from the Lakers.

I'd do 4, 13, 28, and the right to swap picks in 2017 for 2 & 32, leaving us with 2, 32, and 34. I like a couple of potential guys in the 2nd.

[NavLDO]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rWCPKshFrk[/youtube]

Did this guy really hit 85/100 3's with the Celtics?

But, but...he's Baller! In all seriousness, is that really him? And one workout does not a prospect, make.

[Saberestar]

17. Memphis Grizzlies
Malachi Richardson | SG | Syracuse
Freshman | 20 | 6-6, 200

Insider info:The Grizzlies are enamored with the Syracuse wing, urging him to shut down his workouts with the promise of selecting him here, sources said. They could really use the perimeter shooting he offers and has some upside.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/version-iv--the-vertical-s-2016-nba-mock-draft-160519135.html

First promise that we know for now.

[sunsbum]

17. Memphis Grizzlies
Malachi Richardson | SG | Syracuse
Freshman | 20 | 6-6, 200

Insider info:The Grizzlies are enamored with the Syracuse wing, urging him to shut down his workouts with the promise of selecting him here, sources said. They could really use the perimeter shooting he offers and has some upside.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/version-iv--the-vertical-s-2016-nba-mock-draft-160519135.html

First promise that we know for now.

He got a green room invite so they arent the only ones hot for him.

[bwgood77]

Chriss had a closed, individual workout with the Suns on Friday while Bender did the same on Saturday.

Chriss and Bender are uniquely skilled for their size, carrying more of the traits of new-generation NBA big men, but have vastly different paths to draft night.

Chriss did not even begin playing organized basketball until 2011 while Bender was making his pro debut at age 15 in 2012.

Bender is from Capljina, Bosnia, but moved to Split, Croatia, at age 12 with his brother (Ivan, a Maryland freshman power forward this year) to join a basketball academy run by Nikola Vujacic, the general manager of the Maccabi Tel Aviv club that he eventually joined.

MORE: Candidates for Suns with No. 4 pick

Bender has a reputation for working hard and studying the game, watching video of Croatian great Toni Kukoc to emulate his mix of playmaking, scoring and versatility.

Bender grew up playing guard as a boy but his height, although slender at about 220 pounds, made him a unique perimeter power forward with footwork, court vision and shooting touch. He drew attention for his performance at the Under-18 European Championship, where he had a 34-point, 14-rebound game against Lithuania, which featured fellow first-round power forward prospect Domantas Sabonis (two points, 11 rebounds).

Bender was loaned to a second-division Israeli club before moving this season to Maccabi, where he had a limited role (5.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game) on an established Euroleague power.

Bender visited Minnesota, which has the fifth pick, on Thursday and also will visit Boston, which picks third, early this week.


Chriss does not have Bender’s basketball acumen yet but he is far more athletic, drawing comparison to former Suns power forwards Amar’e Stoudemire and Antonio McDyess.

Chriss switched from football to basketball upon entering high school and played one season at Washington, where he averaged 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game with 53 percent shooting (35 percent on 3-pointers). He also fouled out in 15 of the Huskies' 34 games.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2016/06/19/suns-work-out-chriss-bender-solos-plus-star-group/86107842/

Figures there is like a consensus 3-8, with the four teams picking 5-8, all in the west trying to work their way to the playoffs. So basically if we are to pass on someone who is a stud, it's going to bite us in the butt even moreso....I'd prefer that at least some of those teams were in the east.

You could say this about any prospect we pass on at 4, but if Bender was still on the board and we took Chriss, and Chriss busted and Bender ended up being the real deal, that would just be awful to see him playing with Minnesota's other young studs, with AD, or being an addition to Denver's already great young frontcourt. At least in Sacramento's case, if they see it as a clear top 8 as well, they almost can't make a mistake..they just take who is left.

[NavLDO]

Full game Sabonis vs Chriss\Murray.

https://youtu.be/ACneIMNi30w

I think Chriss is going to get Murdered in the NBA on defense. His motor is not good, he floats all over the court and doesnt persue rebounds at all. His rebounding issues arent because hes young, its because he doesnt try, stands around and watches the ball. I was actually warming up to drafting him but not after watching this game.

Murray I like, he can get to the basket at will. He needs some polish, his game is a bit wild all around but he definitely has all the tools.

Sabonis, what can you say? Slow and steady wins the race. Hes just so solid in everything he does.

Im going to try to find another washington game to watch Chriss but right now I am super unimpressed.

Again, just keep in mind that he's only been playing for what, 3-4 years? It's 'easy' to coach up 'trying'. He had excellent O-Rebounding numbers this past year, so to me, it's a matter of getting him in the right mindset.

I'm not saying that I'd be thrilled with Chriss, but when I hear from several scouts/media types saying they haven't seen athleticism like Chriss has at his size in over a decade. To me, that's worth exploring. At 4th overall?? IDK, but I'd rather go after a PF, SF, or C with the 4th overall, and think McD could surely find one prospect at one of these positions that he likes better than Dunn or Hield or Murray. I just can't see spending the 4th overall pick on a Guard, UNLESS both Knight and Bledsoe are traded on Draft night for another lotto pick this year.

[Saberestar]

Ben Bentil has a rumored promise in place in late first. Pick # 25 @ Clippers a strong possibility due to ties w God Shammgod.

https://mobile.twitter.com/nbadraftnet/status/744461126243495936

[AtheJ415]

Bender's the guy at 4. Every time I watch video of him he's just exactly what we need. We'd have unusual length and agility from our bigs, allowing us to not have to go small to match quickness of many teams. It's just too big an advantage. Plus we would still have spacing on offense. Him and Len are too perfect of fits next to each other long-term.

[Mulhollanddrive]

I'm ok with going for the biggest boom / bust player in Marquese Chriss.

Every championship team needs a guy capable of getting MVP votes.

[MrMiyagi]

I'm ok with going for the biggest boom / bust player in Marquese Chriss.

Every championship team needs a guy capable of getting MVP votes.

Why is Chriss the biggest boom player?

[Mulhollanddrive]

Boom / Bust.

I have 3 players well ahead of him, but happy to take an educated boom / bust player, much rather him than Sabonis for example.

[sunsbum]

Full game Sabonis vs Chriss\Murray.

https://youtu.be/ACneIMNi30w

I think Chriss is going to get Murdered in the NBA on defense. His motor is not good, he floats all over the court and doesnt persue rebounds at all. His rebounding issues arent because hes young, its because he doesnt try, stands around and watches the ball. I was actually warming up to drafting him but not after watching this game.

Murray I like, he can get to the basket at will. He needs some polish, his game is a bit wild all around but he definitely has all the tools.

Sabonis, what can you say? Slow and steady wins the race. Hes just so solid in everything he does.

Im going to try to find another washington game to watch Chriss but right now I am super unimpressed.

Again, just keep in mind that he's only been playing for what, 3-4 years? It's 'easy' to coach up 'trying'. He had excellent O-Rebounding numbers this past year, so to me, it's a matter of getting him in the right mindset.

I'm not saying that I'd be thrilled with Chriss, but when I hear from several scouts/media types saying they haven't seen athleticism like Chriss has at his size in over a decade. To me, that's worth exploring. At 4th overall?? IDK, but I'd rather go after a PF, SF, or C with the 4th overall, and think McD could surely find one prospect at one of these positions that he likes better than Dunn or Hield or Murray. I just can't see spending the 4th overall pick on a Guard, UNLESS both Knight and Bledsoe are traded on Draft night for another lotto pick this year.

We will just have to disagree with Chriss, I see way more negetives than positives in his game. How anyone compares him to Shawn Marion and Amare is beyond me, like literally blows my mind. I think hes more of a project than Bender is.

[Frank Lee]

I don't think McMully can whiff on #4 (if he keeps it) Chriss has whiff potential, and may take 2-3 yrs before he is ready or not. Crazy # of games he fouled out on. No concept of rebounding. Too many red flags. Bender has yellow ones but such a better understanding of the game. The Croat has been in 'basketball school' since he was twelve. We do not need any more low BBIQ-ers.

any coincidence BuddyH gets a second look-see and that he has same agent as Kobe ?

[sunsbum]

Boom / Bust.

I have 3 players well ahead of him, but happy to take an educated boom / bust player, much rather him than Sabonis for example.

The game I watched Sabonis destroyed him so bad they took him out of the game. Mind you Gonzaga has like 3 seven footers so its not like they couldnt have used his size.

[bwgood77]

I'm ok with going for the biggest boom / bust player in Marquese Chriss.

Every championship team needs a guy capable of getting MVP votes.

Why is Chriss the biggest boom player?

Yeah, it's definitely Dragan right? Who do you think is the biggest boom player in a boom/bust type of scenario? Do you not see any upside even in the bigs you don't like?

[bwgood77]

We will just have to disagree with Chriss, I see way more negetives than positives in his game. How anyone compares him to Shawn Marion and Amare is beyond me, like literally blows my mind. I think hes more of a project than Bender is.

Well no one is taking him based on game tape. They are taking him strictly on perceived potential. I would not be happy if we pass on a chance to take Bender so we can take Chriss. They both are risky picks, but Bender's work ethic, bbiq, how he sees the floor and passes, and how quickly he is with perimeter defense...I mean he is a good defender but might lack a little muscle against older traditional true 4s but how many teams even play those guys today? I guess I went off point here a bit.

[bwgood77]

I don't think McMully can whiff on #4 (if he keeps it) Chriss has whiff potential, and may take 2-3 yrs before he is ready or not. Crazy # of games he fouled out on. No concept of rebounding. Too many red flags. Bender has yellow ones but such a better understanding of the game. The Croat has been in 'basketball school' since he was twelve. We do not need any more low BBIQ-ers.

any coincidence BuddyH gets a second look-see and that he has same agent as Kobe ?

Yeah, I can't understand for the life of me why we would take Chriss over Bender. Rolling the dice over a bunch of guards, more understandable.

[sunsbum]

We will just have to disagree with Chriss, I see way more negetives than positives in his game. How anyone compares him to Shawn Marion and Amare is beyond me, like literally blows my mind. I think hes more of a project than Bender is.

Well no one is taking him based on game tape. They are taking him strictly on perceived potential. I would not be happy if we pass on a chance to take Bender so we can take Chriss. They both are risky picks, but Bender's work ethic, bbiq, how he sees the floor and passes, and how quickly he is with perimeter defense...I mean he is a good defender but might lack a little muscle against older traditional true 4s but how many teams even play those guys today? I guess I went off point here a bit.

I understand why people want him, because idiots like chad ford compare him to amare and marion, sprinkle that with a mixtape of hyper athletic dunks and the next Shawn Stoudemire is born. I wonder how gerald green would do in this draft.

I personally do not want to spend one of the top picks in suns history on a guy with such terrible defensive instincts. Watch the game. Its real bad.

[bwgood77]

We will just have to disagree with Chriss, I see way more negetives than positives in his game. How anyone compares him to Shawn Marion and Amare is beyond me, like literally blows my mind. I think hes more of a project than Bender is.

Well no one is taking him based on game tape. They are taking him strictly on perceived potential. I would not be happy if we pass on a chance to take Bender so we can take Chriss. They both are risky picks, but Bender's work ethic, bbiq, how he sees the floor and passes, and how quickly he is with perimeter defense...I mean he is a good defender but might lack a little muscle against older traditional true 4s but how many teams even play those guys today? I guess I went off point here a bit.

I understand why people want him, because idiots like chad ford compare him to amare and marion, sprinkle that with a mixtape of hyper athletic dunks and the next Shawn Stoudemire is born. I wonder how gerald green would do in this draft.

I personally do not want to spend one of the top picks in suns history on a guy with such terrible defensive instincts. Watch the game. Its real bad.

I know it's bad. I also know he hasn't gotten proper coaching either. Can he become good? If you have the physical traits and the learning ability then it just comes down to motivation and work ethic. Watching an interview with him I think he has that, and from that interview and the fact he wanted to tackle engineering in college, I'm hoping that means he has learning ability.

I'm not enamored with anyone at 4 if Bender is gone so I wouldn't be unhappy if we take Chriss in that scenario. I just hope we don't take him if Bender is still on the board.