Devin Booker

[GMATCallahan]

I am not worried about Booker having to create a lot of his own offense right now. In the long run, that requirement could help him in a trial-and-error sense. He possesses the skill to create his own shot in many different ways, and now he has to learn the finer points of shot selection. In time, that should come.

[LonZoBallin]

That's why I say trade Bledsoe and Knight. Both are shoot first point guards, which is why Booker gets so few open looks. I may be on my own with this but I believe guys like Bledsoe and Knight do more harm to the team than good. People get lost in the stats but it really kills the flow of the offence when you know the guy dribbling up the court is probably gonna chuck it.

I would suggest that their stats reveal plenty of problems. Start with the fact that Knight is shooting .378 from the field, including an almost comically abysmal .398 on two-point field goal attempts. Then proceed to his 1.24:1.00 assists-to-turnover ratio. Defensively, meanwhile, Knight currently ranks dead-last among NBA points guards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus:

http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/3/sort/DRPM/position/1

Add it all up, and Knight has arguably been the most ineffective, inefficient player in the NBA this season. He can get hot and enjoy a spectacular scoring surge here and there, as he did in Denver a couple of weeks ago, but his overall level of play has been very poor. Actually, according to Real Plus-Minus, Knight currently ranks 424th out of 425 players:

http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/page/11/sort/RPM

At 1.75:1.00, Eric Bledsoe's assists-to-turnover ratio merely suggests what should be clear from visual observation: he is a better playmaker than Brandon Knight, but he is a substandard playmaker.

Yes, the Suns are not going to go anywhere with Bledsoe and Knight; that reality has been clear to me since last season. However, they are (somewhat) talented guards and the Suns cannot just give them away. Instead, Phoenix needs to play them and hold onto them until the Suns find deals that make sense. At this point, there is no rush, although I would certainly like to see Ulis play more.

I think the time was in the summer to trade at least one. I doubt their value goes up any higher from here on out tbh Knights value is going down game by game and as long as he's on the bench, how high will it go up? Before Bledsoe gets injured we need to make a move.

Philly needs a point guard and shooting guard. Considering they have Simmons, Bledsoe or Knight would be perfect for them at the point. The ball is going to be in Simmons hands most of the time. I don't know what we can get but they have plenty of assets and I'm sure could get something of value/could help our future. Take what we can get and tank to the bottom. We haven't had a top 3 pick since 1987!!!! I wasn't even born yet! Can I get one top 3 pick in my life time?!?!?!? The only goal this season should be worst record in the League.

Call me Crazy but I have

Fultz
Booker
Bagley
Bender/chriss
Ayton

Dreams!

Hire Hinke lets get the tank rolling

[GMATCallahan]

I think the time was in the summer to trade at least one. I doubt their value goes up any higher from here on out tbh Knights value is going down game by game and as long as he's on the bench, how high will it go up? Before Bledsoe gets injured we need to make a move.

Philly needs a point guard and shooting guard. Considering they have Simmons, Bledsoe or Knight would be perfect for them at the point. The ball is going to be in Simmons hands most of the time. I don't know what we can get but they have plenty of assets and I'm sure could get something of value/could help our future. Take what we can get and tank to the bottom. We haven't had a top 3 pick since 1987!!!! I wasn't even born yet! Can I get one top 3 pick in my life time?!?!?!? The only goal this season should be worst record in the League.

Call me Crazy but I have

Fultz
Booker
Bagley
Bender/chriss
Ayton

Dreams!

Hire Hinke lets get the tank rolling

The issue with trying to trade at least one of them last summer was that both Knight and Bledsoe were coming off season-ending surgery. That is not to say that a trade would have been impossible, but the situation was not ideal for a deal. Of course, so far this season, Knight's role his diminished and his offensive performance has plummeted, while Bledsoe's defense has dropped off noticeably, both (I would argue) in terms of what one can observe and (verifiably) in Defensive Real Plus-Minus, from last season to this season:

http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/year/2016/sort/DRPM/position/1

http://www.espn.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_/sort/DRPM/position/1

But coming off the surgeries, neither player's situation should be that surprising. Hopefully, by January, they can start to rectify these declines and increase their trade value in anticipation of either the trading deadline in February or the NBA Draft in June. Bledsoe, at least, should still retain significant value, perhaps enough to procure a mid-level lottery pick or a promising young player. Then, however, there is the question of whether you can really build a winning team in today's NBA with a raft of young players unless you obtain a transcendent, historic talent such as Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, or Stephen Curry. Even if Devin Booker becomes an All-Star one day, he is unlikely to be in that class. Top prospects these days tend to enter the NBA with so little collegiate experience and so much fundamental and conceptual work still to go that just scooping them up and throwing them out there together is less likely to work the way that it might have in, say, the 1980s.

[touchvspice]

http://www.nba.com/video/2016/12/06/20161206-beyond-paint-booker-feature

[WeekapaugGroove]

Booker needs to shoot a higher percentage. Im not panicked about it yet but i am getting concerned.

I hate even saying this but im starting to have brandon jennings flashbacks with him. As ive mentioned before i also root for the bucks and when Jennings was a rookie all us bucks fans were stoked about this late lotto steal who was having these streaky good games and was gonna be the star pg of the future. There were always concerns with his shoot % and defense but the belief was he would improve those areas.... well he never did and by the time his rookie contract was up people wanted his shucker ass out of town.

I really hope booker figures it out.

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[lilfishi22]

Booker needs to shoot a higher percentage. Im not panicked about it yet but i am getting concerned.

I hate even saying this but im starting to have brandon jennings flashbacks with him. As ive mentioned before i also root for the bucks and when Jennings was a rookie all us bucks fans were stoked about this late lotto steal who was having these streaky good games and was gonna be the star pg of the future. There were always concerns with his shoot % and defense but the belief was he would improve those areas.... well he never did and by the time his rookie contract was up people wanted his shucker ass out of town.

I really hope booker figures it out.

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I get the sense that he's recognised he's chucking out there and has toned it down. He's shooting less than he was in the 2nd half of this season and early this season. He's trying to get more involved and while we still haven't seen his efficiency jump up, I think it's something he'll slowly figure out. Last season he made quite a name for himself as the young gun of the future and teams are game planning against him now and he needs to figure out how to get find his shots. Unfortunately, having no PG's or much semblance of an offensive scheme doesn't really help his cause either.

[dremill24]

He needs to move better without the ball on a consistent basis, through a combination of both his own desire and execution of the offense put together by Watson. Everything he's putting up is a difficult shot, because everything is ISO off a drive and kick. He's good enough that hes racking up 20ppg off of it, which is saying something, but imagine what he could do if he was getting 6+ legitimately open looks off of set plays, creation by another guard, or his own concerted effort to get himself to a good spot on the floor, instead of catching the ball 25ft from the basket against a set defense.

[kennydorglas]

I dont have an issue with his shot selection.
Actually, he's missing all the easy buckets and then somehow nail a three pointer in triple coverage.

His pullup numbers are more than ok (5.8ppg/41.7%)
It's his catch&shoot numbers that are really bad (4ppg/32.7%)

[garrick]

I saw a young Kobe airball clutch 3 pointers in his first to second season in the league so not need to panic about Booker's shooting just yet.

He is our only real threat to score from the perimeter so imagine how good he would be with a team that was actually any good, Bledsoe and Knight are extremely streaky and PJ has almost no offensive game, Dudley is good from deep but that's pretty much he can do.

[Kyler Murray]

I saw a young Kobe airball clutch 3 pointers in his first to second season in the league so not need to panic about Booker's shooting just yet.

He is our only real threat to score from the perimeter so imagine how good he would be with a team that was actually any good, Bledsoe and Knight are extremely streaky and PJ has almost no offensive game, Dudley is good from deep but that's pretty much he can do.

He continued doing that all his career.

[Weemsickew14]

Why are we worried about Booker's shooting? Yeah the percentages are low but he got 3rd in the 3-pt contest last year and shooting is clearly his strong suit. Give him time and his percentages will be great, he's still only 20

[DaleyBlind]

Why are we worried about Booker's shooting? Yeah the percentages are low but he got 3rd in the 3-pt contest last year and shooting is clearly his strong suit. Give him time and his percentages will be great, he's still only 20

You pretty much answered why some are worried, his %'s are terrible. 34% in his Rookie year, 32% this year. I get that his only 20, but im still concerned.

[jcsunsfan]

Booker is shooting poorly, and he is clearly forcing it. His shot is not broken--obviously. So its either shot selection or his legs (feet). Right now, he is clearly regressing. He needs a break.

[kennydorglas]

I'll take a look at all the Booker misses (https://3ball.io/Devin-Booker) to confirm my theory that he's actually taking great shots but missing them.

vs New Orleans

Q1

11:40 - tough shot, solomon hill was all over him - BAD SHOT
04:35 - tough floater guarded by AD - BAD SHOT

Q2

05:00 - wide open 3 - GOOD
04:43 - another open 3, AD was in better position to defend tho - GOOD
04:32 - open J guarded by Jrue - GOOD

Q3

02:29 - open transition 3 - GOOD
01:23 - another open 3 in the elevator play (great screen by chandler) - GOOD

OT

01:58 - open 3, Holiday was late to contest the shot. - GOOD

vs Los Angeles

Q1

09:43 - transition 3, deng was in good position to defend but he was a little late to contest the shot - GOOD
08:32 - wide open 3, terrible defense by Ingram - GOOD
07:03 - great recovery by Ingram this time... Booker was kinda open but he closed the gap in a hurry - I'd say it was a good shot
04:17 - tough J against double coverage - BAD

Q2

00:30 - open transition 3 - GOOD

Q3

11:20 - bad shot here, Ingram was all over him - BAD
09:36 - open J in PNR - GOOD
08:03 - open 3 - GOOD
03:38 - TOUGH layup - BAD

vs Indiana

Q1

11:46 - created great separation against Turner - GOOD
11:13 - open corner 3 - GOOD

Q2

06:56 - create a little space late in the clock against a smaller defender (Stuckey) - GOOD
05:02 - tough shot against George - BAD
04:35 - missed an open layup = GOOD

Q3

10:17 - favored post up against Ellis, great spin but George closed his lane pretty quickly - GOOD

Q4

05:55 - blows by George and gets an open layup without much help from Big Al - GOOD
02:53 - created a little separation with the stepback... Young was late to contest again - GOOD

vs Utah

Q1

04:55 - tough shot against Gobert - BAD
04:00 - tried to create some space with the stepback, not enough - BAD

Q3

07:02 - wide open 3 - GOOD
02:21 - tough J against Ingles - BAD

vs Golden State

Q1

10:29 - Draymond was all over him - BAD
10:25 - wide open 3 after the OReb - GOOD
09:49 - wide open 3 after a great screen by Chandler - GOOD
06:53 - tough fadeaway against Durant - BAD

Q3

09:22 - tough J against Klay - BAD

Q4

09:38 - you arent going to create any separation against Iggy in ISO - BAD
07:51 - ISO vs West, didnt move very much and West contested enough - BAD

vs Atlanta

Q1

09:39 - not enough space (but its his patented baseline J) - BAD
02:27 - open 3 pointer - GOOD

Q2

04:46 - Bazemore didnt contested much (although he was in great position) - BAD
02:21 - open J after driving - GOOD

Q3

10:46 - open layup - GOOD
04:21 - tough J - BAD
03:11 - great recovery by Bazemore - BAD

[darealjuice]

I'll take a look at all the Booker misses (https://3ball.io/Devin-Booker) to confirm my theory that he's actually taking great shots but missing them.

Wow that website is awesome, never seen that before.

I also don't think his shot selection has been too bad outside of when he's forced to take a tough shot with the shot clock running down in terms of picking his spots. However, I do think he's getting into the habit of making shots more difficult for himself by getting himself off balance unnecessarily at times and overthinking his catch and shoot situations instead of going straight into the open shot, a phenomenon that I have taken to calling "Brandon Knight Syndrome."

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), The only cure for this is to get Knight off our roster, which may not be too outlandish considering his drop in minutes the past few games after a poor start to the season.

[bwgood77]

I'll take a look at all the Booker misses (https://3ball.io/Devin-Booker) to confirm my theory that he's actually taking great shots but missing them.

Wow that website is awesome, never seen that before.

I also don't think his shot selection has been too bad outside of when he's forced to take a tough shot with the shot clock running down in terms of picking his spots. However, I do think he's getting into the habit of making shots more difficult for himself by getting himself off balance unnecessarily at times and overthinking his catch and shoot situations instead of going straight into the open shot, a phenomenon that I have taken to calling "Brandon Knight Syndrome."

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), The only cure for this is to get Knight off our roster, which may not be too outlandish considering his drop in minutes the past few games after a poor start to the season.

I was thinking that last night when people (including me) were talking about his bad shooting. He never seems like he is taking that many bad shots, and is playing the right way (other than not contributing much AT ALL in other ways when his shot isn't falling) but I can't imagine his shot doesn't improve. I think it will when/if we get a little better ball movement but if he isn't hot and Bledsoe is, it's tough to justify Bled not taking on the scoring roll. Lets face it, even though the Bledshow isn't always the most exciting, without it right now we would be absolutely unbearable to watch.

I see some that just box score watch very critical of his game, but he is still exciting in a more Kyrie Irving type of way right now.

[dremill24]

I'll take a look at all the Booker misses (https://3ball.io/Devin-Booker) to confirm my theory that he's actually taking great shots but missing them.

Hes definitely missing a lot of his good looks. But he's also taking a lot of difficult shots.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I'll take a look at all the Booker misses (https://3ball.io/Devin-Booker) to confirm my theory that he's actually taking great shots but missing them.

Hes definitely missing a lot of his good looks. But he's also taking a lot of difficult shots.

I remember when he started out as a rookie, he was always perfectly balanced, consistent in his release, disciplined. The more his star has risen, the less balanced, the less consistent, the less disciplined he's been with his shot. He was a knock down shooter in space at the beginning of last season. For whatever reason, he's been just good at hitting open shots for a while now.

[WeekapaugGroove]

I think work on his strength and conditioning will help his shot. Shooting is more in the legs than people realize.

But bottom line he needs to start hitting shots if hes gonna be a good player.

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[bwgood77]

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