The Draft (Postseason Edition): 1/16/31/59 (NEW POLL)

[bwgood77]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018/4/17/17246450/scout-gives-draft-coach-free-agent-recommendations-for-phoenix-suns-young-randle-isaiah-thomas

Yeah, lets get the scout for the Texas Legends (affiliated with Mavericks) to tell us to draft Trae Young and pass on Ayton because he's not a good rebounder. GTFO....no ulterior motive there.

A Trae/Booker backcourt could be DEADLY and would be seriously entertaining.

The potential for Curry/Klay 2.0 is there.

Add in Jackson and then we can solve our front court issues with trades/free agency.

I'm not saying I wouldn't take Young. At 3 probably/maybe, but it doesn't mean the article written by a scout from the affiliate of the Mavs who have DSJ and need a C and wing saying the Suns should go after Trae and avoid Ayton because he's not a good rebounder, which is one of his biggest strengths is awful. And of course the mention of IT is awful, and Randle, particularly on our team that lacks shooters and defense doesn't fit either.

[Kerrsed]

Would you guys rather want Ayton + Knight + FAPG or Doncic + Whiteside?

What do you think is more feasible? Just curious on peoples opinions

Thats a difficult question.

PG's are a dime a dozen in the league. And while i have expressed my opinion on getting Whiteside in the past, i think that with how much the league has really changed these past few seasons, he has become exposed. I dont think that we can afford paying Whiteside the next two seasons and expect us to still find other ways to get better and win. He's getting paid about $8M more per season than Knight, so thats a big hit to take.

But whats wrong with taking Doncic and going after another bigman in trade or FA? I dont see why its just limited to Whiteside.

[BobbieL]

Would you guys rather want Ayton + Knight + FAPG or Doncic + Whiteside?

What do you think is more feasible? Just curious on peoples opinions

Thats a difficult question.

PG's are a dime a dozen in the league. And while i have expressed my opinion on getting Whiteside in the past, i think that with how much the league has really changed these past few seasons, he has become exposed. I dont think that we can afford paying Whiteside the next two seasons and expect us to still find other ways to get better and win. He's getting paid about $8M more per season than Knight, so thats a big hit to take.

But whats wrong with taking Doncic and going after another bigman in trade or FA? I dont see why its just limited to Whiteside.

If the Suns get Doncic and Bud is the coach - why not a guy like Dedmon to play Center. The Suns at this point should have about 12m of cap space not getting the Bucks pick (Ulis, Len, Payton and Peters renounced, waived). Would that get Dedmon done. Granted, the Suns can waive Williams and now are up to 17m - so that might be needed

I think I want to stay away from Whiteside - he seems overpaid to me.

[GDFTony]

Would you guys rather want Ayton + Knight + FAPG or Doncic + Whiteside?

What do you think is more feasible? Just curious on peoples opinions

Thats a difficult question.

PG's are a dime a dozen in the league. And while i have expressed my opinion on getting Whiteside in the past, i think that with how much the league has really changed these past few seasons, he has become exposed. I dont think that we can afford paying Whiteside the next two seasons and expect us to still find other ways to get better and win. He's getting paid about $8M more per season than Knight, so thats a big hit to take.

But whats wrong with taking Doncic and going after another bigman in trade or FA? I dont see why its just limited to Whiteside.

Honestly I chose Whiteside because I only know he most likely won't stay in Miami and my lack of knowledge on FA big man this off season. Who would you like to pair with Doncic if that's the route we were to take?

[Kerrsed]

In b4 Sarver starts trying to convince McD to draft Mike James with our 1st pick.

[Kerrsed]

Honestly I chose Whiteside because I only know he most likely won't stay in Miami and my lack of knowledge on FA big man this off season. Who would you like to pair with Doncic if that's the route we were to take?

Well in FA you got Cousins. Who knows what the deal is going to be with him. A ruptured Achilles is a helluva injury, and word is that he will be out of action until at least November. Do the Pelicans try to retain him by matching whatever max contract someone offers (Because no matter what there will be a team out there willing to take a chance on Cousins and give him a max deal). He would be ideal for us, but also could cripple our franchises future if he turns out to be only half the player he once was due to that injury.

Another name in FA that could be interesting is Lopez. Brook Lopez. He had a major down year playing for the Lakers, but i think thats was more due to the team and less about him. They sat him, there were games where he was only getting 10 minutes, they were just really inconsistent with him. But he is a 7 footer that can rebound and block shots but who can also spread the floor and hit the 3.

Okafor could be interesting if we get Coach Bud. I think Bud would open up some possibilities that a lot of people would shum right away, but could end up loving if Bud is able to do what he does best and actually develop some youngsters and maximise their talents. I think we could give Okafor a chance (And for cheap) to at least try it. Also helps that his agent Bill Duffy is also Doncic's agent (And was Nash's agent as well).

Deadmen's also an option. I think enough people have mentioned him.

Jordan is too, but i feel like he will end up staying and finishing his career in LA.

Those are the FA's, there are more that we could net in trade, but that post is going to take a bit longer to formulate.

[GeraldsGreenery]

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[Kerrsed]

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[thamadkant]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018/4/17/17246450/scout-gives-draft-coach-free-agent-recommendations-for-phoenix-suns-young-randle-isaiah-thomas

Yeah, lets get the scout for the Texas Legends (affiliated with Mavericks) to tell us to draft Trae Young and pass on Ayton because he's not a good rebounder. GTFO....no ulterior motive there.

I liked hearing somebody else suggest Randle as opposed to Gordon. IT is an interesting thought I hadn't seriously considered. Should we consider that? Would IT?

I'd be shocked if we drafted Young ahead of Ayton. I'll be surprised if we took Doncic ahead of him. I have them ranked 3-1, but they're all basically tier 1 prospects. JJJr and Bagley are a tier below for me, around where I had Jackson/Tatum last year (IIRC), and Ingram the year prior. From the last two drafts (where we've had top picks), the only other players most observers had in the top tier were Simmons and Fultz - I had Ball up there with them, personally.

This draft has three such players, IMO. I'm just wondering whether the FO would really be so bold as to pass on Bagley for Young. You have to wonder what Booker thinks about that equation, as well.

Handle would be good next to a Gobert, Adams or Jordan... He is a front face PF who doesn't protect the rim not stretch the floor. He is an energetic strong PF... Otis Thorpe type.

[Saberestar]

Then the question is why hasn't any NBA prospect in Europe done similar before age 23?

Different era and context.

Right now every european young player with high potential is in the NBA already. Players like Luwawu are in the NBA.

The NBA have now A LOT of more players in the league. Every team have 17 players, in the past they have only 13.

Sooo, there are around 120 more players in the league, and a lot of them are players that could have been playing in Europe if not for this new era in the NBA.

G-League have talented players too that want to stay close to the NBA because they know that they could have an opportunity because of injuries, changes,....so those players are out of the EuroLeague too. The talent's pool in Europe is worst than ever.

Doncic is really good but he is having such a good season because the level of competition is really low in Europe now and Sergio Llul is out for the season.

I like him and I have him #3 in my big board, but I am not "that" impressed by him.

He is really good, but comparing him with Larry Bird or saying that his floor is Ginobili it is too much IMO. Way too much.

Euroleague has never been more competetive and tougher than it is now.. And yes Calathes has had the best season of his life and has a team that suits him well.

If it wasn't for Doncic, Real would have no chance against Pao. And thats the difference. Stats don't do him justice. When he plays Real is a better team, but when he has a good game he is able to win it all by himself..

Abot mike james, he played 8 games in euroleague if I'm not wrong, so it's still Calathes who has been tue main guy for them if you are looking at the whole season

Not even close.

There are not star players in Europe anymore. In the past, EuroLeague teams had GREAT players in their prime, that is not the case anymore.

For example... Barcelona in 2002-03 had this starting five:

Jasikevicius, Navarro, Bodiroga, Fu^cka and Dueñas.

With Femerling, De la Fuente, Varejao and Rodriguez coming from the bench.

At least five players from that roster would have been in the NBA and not in Europe today. No way Bodiroga is not in the NBA in their prime in 2018.

[Fo-Real]

Ayton is just such a freak of nature, I would not be able to pass on him. I dont see him as a big slow plodding center clone, I see him more in the mold of an Anthony Davis in the NBA. Without being able to be zoned to death, his size is too good for most to defend. His speed is too good for Centers to defend. His ability to shoot both mid range and threes make him a handful when he matures fully and his footwork is STELLER down low.

[Waylay13]

Would you guys rather want Ayton + Knight + FAPG or Doncic + Whiteside?

What do you think is more feasible? Just curious on peoples opinions

Lets be clear on something before we go on to anything else. Knight will be on the Suns roster next year no matter what. He currently doesnt have any trade value and his stats before he got hurt dont justify the salary that he is getting paid right now.

So this really comes down to Doncic vs Aython and the free agent signing that we would look for if we got each one.

Ayton has the possibility to best center to ever put on a Suns Uni that isnt 6'8" named Alvan Adams. He should be able to rebound and score well both inside and out. He is a fair one on one defender should become a better team defender with a good coach. Due to his foot speed and ability to defend on the perimeter and high FT% means that he likely wont be forced to the bench in the late game. areas of concern are poor blocked shots and low rate at drawing fouls but this might be due to his playing away from the basket.

Doncic is the highest BBIQ player in this draft and maybe for many years in the past. Think of Ben Simmons but at 6'8" with an outside shoot. While he may have a hard time guarding the quickest players on the floor, most of them will have a very hard time guarding him. I think talent wise it is hard to argue that he isnt the most talented player in the draft. He has been playing and part of one of the best teams outside of the NBA since he was 15 years old. his 3pt percentage has dropped this year with his increased role on his team but if this is indicative a bad shooter or just taking more shots at the end of the clock is still open to debate.

In the end both players could be a major part of the future of the Suns.

[Kerrsed]

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[lilfishi22]

I don't care if it is too much for Leonard. If you can get him, you just do it, him being medically cleared. That team would be powerful and competitive from day one, with 3 clutch players who can score when it matters and enough offensive and defensive balance and depth.

I think it's a pipe dream, though.

Short cuts will leave you just short of a championship. Or multiple, depending on how JJ turns out.

Just keep JJ and spend the additional $20 million difference in their salaries on another player.

JJ is a SUN. Kawhi is not, even if he does make a pit-stop here mid-way through his pursuit of a great shoe deal.

... FWIW, I don't think Kawhi would approve a trade here in part because we're not a huge market, but in larger part because he would never be a bigger star here than Devin. I'm glad this is a pipe dream.

Or a championship with Kawhi and none with JJ, depending on how JJ turns out.

I'm all for keeping JJ and to keep going down this path of adding to the group rather than turning it over. But if an MVP calibre player is available, you do what you can to get them. JJ will probably never be an MVP candidate and I'm very comfortable saying that even though I'm a huge JJ fan.

I'm a Suns fan first and a player fan second. If Kawhi can get us to the dance, then I'd put my fondness of JJ aside and make that trade.

[lilfishi22]

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Where does our android TJ come into all of this?

[lilfishi22]

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That's one of my favourite quotes by an NBA coach ever.

Also Trae lol

[Sunzgunz]

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If only this mock draft were the real deal, not because of who they have us taking, but because of who we could take:

They have us:

1) Ayton
16) Shai
31) Hutchinson
59) Shake Milton

but,

we according to this draft we could go:

1) Ayton
16) Shai
31) Zhaire Smith or Jontay Porter
59) Shake Milton

Damn, I'd take that 11 out of 10 times! ...too bad!

https://www.draftsite.com/nba/mock-draft/2018/

[kennydorglas]

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Whew, Zhaire at least is going to make some good prospect slip or make the late lottery range super strong.

[LukasBMW]

Lol.

Doncic = A tall Gordon Tragic at best.

And for those of you complaining about us trading 25 year old rookie Bogdon Bogdonovic because he had a few game winners and 20 point games...remember the empty stats that 25 year old rookie Mike James put up for us while he was here.

[Book1Nation]

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Whew, Zhaire at least is going to make some good prospect slip or make the late lottery range super strong.

As a Tech fan, he good.

Not sure he really fits here because we already have Josh Jackson and Davon Reed as 3&D wings, but he’ll make someone happy.

I do think he’ll go in the late lottery. Denver would be a nice fit for him.

Murray
Harris
Zhaire
Millsap
Jokic

Wilson Chandler can screw off lol.