NBA Draft and NCAA Basketball

[darealjuice]

What makes you guys think we'd completely pass up on Bagley completely given the opportunity?

[bwgood77]

Jaren Jackson Jr is looking like an interesting one. He could probably play some center with his strength and shot blocking, and he measured at 6'10" with a 7'4" wingspan and 9'1" standing reach last time measured in April according to DX. He'll only be 18 on draft day, and currently has the 3rd best BPM for a freshman since 2010/2011 outside of AD and KAT. Probably not our first choice considering he could be a project and might be more of a stretch 4 like Bender/Quese in the NBA, but I'll probably keep a closer eye on him for the rest of the year.

He is probably still growing. Wingspan usually increases after 18 even if height does not. He is mobile and aggressive and very young. He seems to be able to shoot. Could be a Draymond Green type of player. Guys like this are playing C all over the NBA right now.
Choosing between JJJr and Bamba would be a tough one. I might put both of them above Bagley. If Bagley had a more developed outside game to counter his shorter wingspan, I might be more interested.

I just can't stop seeing Amare when I look at Bagley. I expect JJr will be a competent roll man. I haven't seen enough of Bamba to know. But like Amare, if Bagley gets the ball on the move, he'll get to the rim. Our offense so badly lacks a roll man right now that I can't help but be tempted.

I thought Amare after you mentioned it. I think it comes down to a few factors with him...they think he can play the 5 and think he can protect the rim/defend it (or don't care) or they completely don't view Bender or Chriss as either being starter quality and think Bagley is the clear BPA, and particularly if he shows shooting range.

What makes you guys think we'd completely pass up on Bagley completely given the opportunity?

I don't necessarily think so and have no idea (though I'm sure you're more directing the question to the two posters above yours)...I think it largely depends on what his tiers look like.

Cole Zwicker has him ranked lower on his site, but he also told Kellan Olson in a podcast that NBA people love him and he will go top 3.

[bwgood77]

This my guess as to what McDonough's BB is:

1. Doncic
2. Young
3. Ayton
4. Jackson
---
Trade Pick

I think its

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Doncic
4. Bamba
5. Jackson
6. Porter (health permitting)

trade out

Porter is the interesting one. He was widely considered the best of this bunch and still might be. He is a Kevin Durant type of player only a big bigger and stronger. But that back injury is scaring. Its a huge risk.

You guys think McD wouldn't draft Sexton (this years DSJ) at 7? I think he'd do it in a heartbeat and be happy about it.
Yeah, you can argue that he is a lot like Bledsoe - but he is young, hungry, has no injury problems, and can be trained, plus we have our alpha in the backcourt in Booker, so the PG's duties/roles will be a bit diminished. Perfect, talented (and cheap) player for that. Am I missing something that bad? Serious question

And, as darealjuice asked, would trade out or not take Bagley? I mean he might not appear to fit a positional need (though we are far from surely set at the 4, even if he can't play 5 all the time).

Cole Zwicker mentioned in a podcast that NBA people love Bagley and thought he would surely go top 3 (even though he isn't ranked that high on the stepien board).

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

He is probably still growing. Wingspan usually increases after 18 even if height does not. He is mobile and aggressive and very young. He seems to be able to shoot. Could be a Draymond Green type of player. Guys like this are playing C all over the NBA right now.
Choosing between JJJr and Bamba would be a tough one. I might put both of them above Bagley. If Bagley had a more developed outside game to counter his shorter wingspan, I might be more interested.

I just can't stop seeing Amare when I look at Bagley. I expect JJr will be a competent roll man. I haven't seen enough of Bamba to know. But like Amare, if Bagley gets the ball on the move, he'll get to the rim. Our offense so badly lacks a roll man right now that I can't help but be tempted.

I thought Amare after you mentioned it. I think it comes down to a few factors with him...they think he can play the 5 and think he can protect the rim/defend it (or don't care) or they completely don't view Bender or Chriss as either being starter quality and think Bagley is the clear BPA, and particularly if he shows shooting range.

I'm not sure how important it's going to be for Bagley to be able to defend the rim at an elite level, given the style of play that prevails in the NBA these days. My thought is that since Bender has shown competence as a weak side shot blocker, and Chriss as a shot blocker in general, the FO might be inclined to roll with those three as our primary front court players, given how effective they could be together on offense. I'm certainly open to it.

[bwgood77]

I just can't stop seeing Amare when I look at Bagley. I expect JJr will be a competent roll man. I haven't seen enough of Bamba to know. But like Amare, if Bagley gets the ball on the move, he'll get to the rim. Our offense so badly lacks a roll man right now that I can't help but be tempted.

I thought Amare after you mentioned it. I think it comes down to a few factors with him...they think he can play the 5 and think he can protect the rim/defend it (or don't care) or they completely don't view Bender or Chriss as either being starter quality and think Bagley is the clear BPA, and particularly if he shows shooting range.

I'm not sure how important it's going to be for Bagley to be able to defend the rim at an elite level, given the style of play that prevails in the NBA these days. My thought is that since Bender has shown competence as a weak side shot blocker, and Chriss as a shot blocker in general, the FO might be inclined to roll with those three as our primary front court players, given how effective they could be together on offense. I'm certainly open to it.

I'd be pretty worried about interior defense, particularly given our guard defense...and ability to opposing guards getting to the rim. I think he's a good enough rebounder to work in that respect, given Chriss' and especially Bender's poor rebounding.

I think given our overall defense though we need to at least have someone to really be a premier defender/shot blocker in the middle. I don't know if Bender can be that guy.

We could potentially get a defensive anchor/rim protector with a later first, as Mitchell Robinson apparently has that ability, if we didn't feel a guard was worth taking at a later spot, even if we take a guy like Bagley earlier. If we don't get a top guard we may figure it's best to address in FA or via trade since that is a spot you may want more of a savvy vet at.

[jcsunsfan]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

[ATTL]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

I think Trae. We have such a glaring hole at point guard and need shooting so badly.

[bwgood77]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

I think Trae. We have such a glaring hole at point guard and need shooting so badly.

I somewhat agree. Trae or Doncic. I include Doncic because he has been playing in a pro league against grown men for quite a while, so the even though the rules might be a little different, I don't think the level of talent he is suddenly going against will be as much of an adjustment.

Also, you never know with Trae because if look at all the point guards that came out last year and it was considered an elite class, and they have all struggled a great deal and none have provided impact.

Spoiler:

Though none were near the shooters Trae is when you consider difficulty of shot, volume of 3s, etc, while also carrying a team on his back from bad (11-20 the previous year) to one of the best in the country.

I mean #1 pick Fultz joined a team who the previous year was 19-15 and led them to 9-22, and 2-16 in conference play (losing their last 14). Though they did lose superstuds Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray from the previous year squad.

As for the bigs, I don't know...we have such a bad frontcourt rotation that there could be an immediate upgrade, especially with Ayton and maybe Bagley but some of the other guys seem too raw to have much immediate impact.

And Porter after a year off could be rusty.

So likely one of Young, Doncic or Ayton, and possibly Bagley.

[Blonde]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

What's great about being in the top 5 of this draft is that every prospect fills a huge need. Ayton or Bagley to be our future 5. Young or Doncic would complete our future backcourt. And Porter provides scoring, shooting, and an overall offensive package at the 4 position which we currently lack.

It's hard to say which out of any of them would make the biggest impact, but I don't think we'll get the full effect out of Ayton/Bagley until we have a good point guard. And we won't get the full effect from Young without great defense. Personally I say Porter because we need an elite shooter at the 4 to make up for our complete lack of shooting at the 3. If we add him to our current roster we still have huge gaps at C and PG, but I feel those are easier to fill in with role players and veterans.

Booker/Reed at SG
Warren/Jackson at SF
Porter/Bender at PF

I feel like this core would be versatile with shooting, size, defense, and interchangeability.

Adding Young would not solve any defenvie issues, and any of the centers would not solve our spacing issues. I'm not saying I'd take Porter ahead of these guys, but I think they're all in a similar tier with Bagley maybe being my least favorite among them. I think all these top 5 guys are great fits and will make huge impacts. Of course there is the potential that Porter still has back issues and provides zero impact...

[Walt_Uoob]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

Love this question.

I think Doncic because of his pro experience and versatile game. He and Booker together could be really special, even moreso than Trae and Booker IMO.

And after Doncic it might actually be more of a glue guy like Mikal Bridges. The roster just kind of clicks into place when I imagine him on the team. Booker as the clear leader and primary handler/scorer, Bridges as the 3&D guard who can take over initiating the offense too, Warren/Jackson bringing either scoring punch or defensive intensity depending on need and development, Bender/Chriss stretching the floor a bit and providing defense/athleticism, and Chandler/Williams at C.

I think there will be growing pains with Trae; hopefully he's great in the NBA but these super-high-usage college phenoms often have a tough time adjusting. Buddy Hield was supposed to be an NBA-ready shooter too, remember, and that's after four years of college seasoning; he's doing fine but didn't light the league up right away. And there's always the Jimmer Fredette / Adam Morrison possibility too.

Blonde makes a good case for Porter. Hadn't thought about it like that. But the positional fit is still an issue with the rest of our roster, so it's hard to see him alone making a huge difference if we still have those holes at the 1 and 5.

[jcsunsfan]

The thing that sets Trae apart from Hield and Fredette is his pg skills. He is a fantastic ball handler, shooter, and sees the floor exceptionally well as a passer. When you can shoot but not pass, it is easy to shut your game down. Same with passing but not shooting.

Interesting that you brought up Mikal. I have not done much research on him.

I am glad to see these doubts about Trae. Maybe he will slip a little.

[Walt_Uoob]

The thing that sets Trae apart from Hield and Fredette is his pg skills. He is a fantastic ball handler, shooter, and sees the floor exceptionally well as a passer. When you can shoot but not pass, it is easy to shut your game down. Same with passing but not shooting.

Interesting that you brought up Mikal. I have not done much research on him.

I am glad to see these doubts about Trae. Maybe he will slip a little.

That's good to hear about Trae. I don't really follow college ball, so my opinion isn't very well informed.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and De'Anthony Melton sound like they could fit well next to Booker too and could be had with a later pick.

[jcsunsfan]

BTW, I really like tankathon.com's evaluation model. It lists strengths and weaknesses but then also shows how much of an impact each of those might have. Basically rates levels of risk and reward. Kinda cool. That site gets better all the time. Here is an example.

http://www.tankathon.com/players/trae-young

[MrMiyagi]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

I think DeAndre Ayton and Trae Young would - and I think both could conceivably be #1.

[ATTL]

Is everyone assuming doncic will be playing and defending point guards for us?

[jcsunsfan]

This my guess as to what McDonough's BB is:

1. Doncic
2. Young
3. Ayton
4. Jackson
---
Trade Pick

I think its

1. Ayton
2. Young
3. Doncic
4. Bamba
5. Jackson
6. Porter (health permitting)

trade out

Porter is the interesting one. He was widely considered the best of this bunch and still might be. He is a Kevin Durant type of player only a big bigger and stronger. But that back injury is scaring. Its a huge risk.

You guys think McD wouldn't draft Sexton (this years DSJ) at 7? I think he'd do it in a heartbeat and be happy about it.
Yeah, you can argue that he is a lot like Bledsoe - but he is young, hungry, has no injury problems, and can be trained, plus we have our alpha in the backcourt in Booker, so the PG's duties/roles will be a bit diminished. Perfect, talented (and cheap) player for that. Am I missing something that bad? Serious question

I am not a Collin Sexton fan. I think there are huge holes in his game that his intensity and competitiveness cannot overcome. I think he will be an NBA bust. Honestly, I think Shake Milton, Shai, and Landry Shamet are better pg choices. All three of those are bigger, more well-rounded pg's Plus they can all shoot.

[Blonde]

The thing that sets Trae apart from Hield and Fredette is his pg skills. He is a fantastic ball handler, shooter, and sees the floor exceptionally well as a passer. When you can shoot but not pass, it is easy to shut your game down. Same with passing but not shooting.

Interesting that you brought up Mikal. I have not done much research on him.

I am glad to see these doubts about Trae. Maybe he will slip a little.

That's good to hear about Trae. I don't really follow college ball, so my opinion isn't very well informed.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and De'Anthony Melton sound like they could fit well next to Booker too and could be had with a later pick.

Shai and Shake Milton would be awesome guards to spend our Miami/Milwaukee pick on. Both shoot the 3 and defend well and project to be capable on or off the ball. I question De'Anthony Melton because he hasn't been a good 3pt shooter yet, and he has less size than the other two. But if he's on the board in the second round and we haven't taken a point guard yet then I'd be all over it.

[lilfishi22]

Got a question for you all. Which player in this draft will make the most immediate impact on the Suns? I am not talking about who should go #1 necessarily.

Seems that the Suns would be more interested in immediate impact now.

Immediate impact, I'd say Trae. Trae because he fills a need, immediately. I think even if his defense suck, he's still a vastly better scorer and passer than what we currently have.

I thought about Ayton but I don't really view him as a dominant versatile big man scorer right away.

[bwgood77]

Interesting that you brought up Mikal. I have not done much research on him.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1661738

[sunsbum]

I think Donnic would be a better fit next to Booker than Trae. He can play the one or the two depending on the situation. Also, Someone somewhere said McD was out scouting the 6'7 PG troy brown from Oregon the otherday. Watched some of his highlights. I really like his rebounding and length. I'd say his biggest downfall is hes a little slow footed and isnt a great 3pt shooter at this point at about 31%. But for one of our late first rounders I like his potential.