Cutter wrote:I recently saw a thread going around about which teams have the best "core". Some had the Suns ranked as the 2nd best core, others had Suns as low as the #4 core. I don't have the Suns core ranked at all as I don't believe the Suns even have a core. The Suns have a collection of very young players, of which hardly any project to be more than serviceable rotation players and more than likely bench contributors.
The term core implies you have group of young players who, if properly developed, can lead your team to the playoffs and eventually a conference championship appearance or finals appearance.Outside of Booker we do not have a single young player who has yet to show he can be a #1,#2 or #3 contributor on a top 5 team in the NBA. And I'm not yet convinced that Booker has the talent to be a top player on a championship team.
I say the statements above as a Suns homer. I always hope for the best from front office decisions, and always root for our young players to develop into all stars. However at the end of this recent few years of tanking I am not seeing much to give me hope that we are going to be relevant in the next 5 years.
Maybe Devin Booker and Josh Jackson develop into those top players that every top 5 team needs. Rant over, let me slip my Suns homer glasses back on, they fit me very well.
CUTTER HATES THE SUNS!!!!!!!
Well, I guess you have to determine what "if properly developed" means. Does it mean hit their ceilings? Be closer to their ceilings than their floors? Be more consistent versions of their current selves? Whatever definition it is you want to use, I think if Booker, Jackson, Bender, Chriss, TJ, Ulis and even DJJr, Davon Reed, Alan Williams,
Archie Goodwin (
) all "properly develop" they can take the Suns to the playoffs, make a conference finals appearance and possibly a finals appearance (of course, this is contingent on the state of the league in 3-5 years time).
Let's just say there are 5 tiers (1 Hall of Famer, 2 Multiple All Star, 3 Starter, 4 Role Player, 5 Bench Warmer) for our core six (Booker, Jackson, TJ, Bender, Chriss, Ulis) to slate into. I think realistically, we can get two 2s, and three 3s and a 4. Now, is that enough to hit the playoffs? Maybe. But you also have to factor in, is that an attractive group to want to join? I'd say it's an easy yes. Since free agency has played a huge role on championship teams of late, I'd say that having a good group of players that are inviting to whoever emerges as a superstar is just as qualifying for a "core" as "a group of players get to the playoffs/conference finals/finals by themselves in X years time"
