Pre Draft Discussion

[darealjuice]

Oh so he shoots 31% from 3 because he only makes the clutch ones, got it

edit: Just poking fun btw. It was a great shot, just not exactly one you want to see him shooting a lot.

You’re acting as if that was a designed play for him to take that shot. Or as if he took that shot with like 10 seconds remaining on the shot clock.

You realize the clock was running down and he received the ball at the last second and made something out of nothing right?

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At this points the Doncic haters are just grasping for straws, don't mind them. Doncic is a bust with all these flaws, while Ayton is the perfect being.

Not even a "Doncic Hater" lmao I have him #1 on my big board, I'm just not a member of the "ignore all flaws and denigrate Ayton at every chance" fan club like so many of you

[bwgood77]

Spoiler:

I'm not sure I agree with this. I believe he would be a consensus #1 for more teams than not. He's just too talented and has too much potential. Especially since Doncic appears to be falling so other teams can take big men.
If we had the #2 pick, I would expect us to take Doncic, even if other teams wouldn't. But teams like the Kings, who you hear may take Bagley with their pick, would most def take Ayton.

The draft board also has more international fans, particularly from Slovenia, and more analytics people. There is a poll on the GB as well that Ayton leads.

The recent poll on the GB asking who the best player in the draft is has Doncic #1 by far. Doncic has nearly double the amount of votes that Ayton has. And I think the GB is mostly American fans yet an overwhelming majority still prefer the European prospect which is somewhat surprising.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1715901

I was on the Kings official forum and someone asked what to do if the Suns actually take Doncic and a lot of them actually preferred Bagley over Ayton.

It does make you wonder, how would Ayton be perceived in the top of the lottery if he went to a school away from Arizona or if the only NBA team from Arizona hadn’t won the lottery.

Yeah, I saw that one last night. Who knows? I do know that if the Kings and Hawks pass on Doncic a lot of their fans are going to be livid, especially sitting there with Bagley and JJJr.

[starbosa10]

This better not be true

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I'd take Doncic over that trade.

This can't be true because he is a FA after this season. And if he prefers LA, no way he stays in PHX. It's fake news. I believe he has a no-trade clause so he can block trades he doesn't like aswell.

PHX are rebuilding from ground up, makes no sense going after Kawhi who wants to probably win now. But then again, stranger things did happen...

I dont think its true either but kawhi doesnt have a NTC

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

He just hit this shot to secure lead and help Real win ACB championship.

He's gonna be a fun player to watch.

[DirtyDez]

Duffy is too experienced to not let Ayton workout for other teams without assurance that he’s going #1 IMO.

[sunsbum]

I am so sick of hearing about Doncic still. I never want the #1 pick again.

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

#13 huh?

[BobbieL]

Been saying that last paragraph for a while.

for me, Ayton going to Arizona means nothing

its because - well he is 7 feet tall, weighs 250 pounds, has about 6% body fat and only really started working out physically last year

he has a 44 inch vertical jump

he rebounded well in college - which does translate to the Pro's more so than Bambas potential defense

he has a nice touch from 15 feet
makes a decent percentage of free throws for his size and age

He is a legitimate number 1 prospect. I get Doncic - I really do. But I get why Ayton is the top pick and I get why he should be the top pick

Guy is legitmate. His ceiling is what you are drafting for

I have no doubt today, Luka Doncic is a better pure basketball player than Ayton. Maybe tomorrow - but in 3 to five years, I am not so sure Doncic can get to where Ayton is

Don't get me wrong hes an amazing prospect and I dont think he'll bust. Just saying for a lot of people I think it affects the narrative. If Ayton went to Oklahoma and Doncic played at Maryland I think the convo would be different

I get what you are saying but for me its like saying "the Suns need to keep Ulis to keep Booker happy" or "Kokoskov wants Doncic over Ayton because he coached him."

My guess - Booker will understand if Ulis is let go IF they a much better player and the team has a chance to make the playoffs

Igor Kokoskov probably wants to win in the NBA - he will not play favorites if Ayton is that much better prospect over the guy he coached last summer

The fact that Sarver went to the U of A should have ZERO to do with this. Its easy who is the best prospect on the board. Period. Pick that guy

For me - today, I think Ayton has the higher ceiling - he is the guy to take. Now if they take Doncic -- part of me will like as from what I have seen, heckuva player, But U of A connection, selling tickets, blah blah blah. Win some bleeping games!

[BobbieL]

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He just hit this shot to secure lead and help Real win ACB championship.

He's gonna be a fun player to watch.

He certainly is and if he is the pick - which I doubt he is - but if he is the pick - I will be very good with it

I will be very good with Ayton too. I just think McD takes Ayton for reasons I have said before but also - he makes a LOT of sense.

[bwgood77]

That Doncic shot is one that people freak out over when he makes it, but use as an example for why his percentages should be higher when he misses lol

luckily for him tho, he makes all the clutch ones

Oh so he shoots 31% from 3 because he only makes the clutch ones, got it

edit: Just poking fun btw. It was a great shot, just not exactly one you want to see him shooting a lot.

Well heck, he got a pass with like 1.5 seconds left on the shot clock and a defender on him that he had to shake and try to get a shot up. I can't blame him for much there, even if he misses. Even though that was end of the shot clock, the heaves they talk about are the end of qtr ones like close to half court or longer.

[BobbieL]

Scott Bordow final NBA mock draft:

16. Suns (21-61) via Heat: PG Aaron Holiday, 6-1, 185, UCLA

Phoenix likely will try to move back up in the lottery to acquire a point guard, or it could trade back in a deal that will net it a veteran role player. If the Suns stick at No. 16, we’re returning to the educated guess that Holiday will be the pick. He was the only player to work out for the Suns twice, he can shoot and defend. Some scouts see him as a backup, but he could be an ideal complementary point guard in a lineup that features Devin Booker, Ayton and Josh Jackson.

If this is the pick - I want a veteran

I liked Shamet or Okobo (sp) - I would not be happy with TylerKendall Ennis Marshall point guard pick

[LukasBMW]

Read on Twitter

#13 huh?

YES!

[bwgood77]

If you guys planning to start Ayton vs Doncic war ask yourself this: Do you realize how awkward would it be around here when Suns later trade for Doncic at nr4?

I bet it would be something like this

The chances of that happening are close to nil. Nice for some to talk about it but not too likely.

[starbosa10]

for me, Ayton going to Arizona means nothing

its because - well he is 7 feet tall, weighs 250 pounds, has about 6% body fat and only really started working out physically last year

he has a 44 inch vertical jump

he rebounded well in college - which does translate to the Pro's more so than Bambas potential defense

he has a nice touch from 15 feet
makes a decent percentage of free throws for his size and age

He is a legitimate number 1 prospect. I get Doncic - I really do. But I get why Ayton is the top pick and I get why he should be the top pick

Guy is legitmate. His ceiling is what you are drafting for

I have no doubt today, Luka Doncic is a better pure basketball player than Ayton. Maybe tomorrow - but in 3 to five years, I am not so sure Doncic can get to where Ayton is

Don't get me wrong hes an amazing prospect and I dont think he'll bust. Just saying for a lot of people I think it affects the narrative. If Ayton went to Oklahoma and Doncic played at Maryland I think the convo would be different

I get what you are saying but for me its like saying "the Suns need to keep Ulis to keep Booker happy" or "Kokoskov wants Doncic over Ayton because he coached him."

My guess - Booker will understand if Ulis is let go IF they a much better player and the team has a chance to make the playoffs

Igor Kokoskov probably wants to win in the NBA - he will not play favorites if Ayton is that much better prospect over the guy he coached last summer

The fact that Sarver went to the U of A should have ZERO to do with this. Its easy who is the best prospect on the board. Period. Pick that guy

For me - today, I think Ayton has the higher ceiling - he is the guy to take. Now if they take Doncic -- part of me will like as from what I have seen, heckuva player, But U of A connection, selling tickets, blah blah blah. Win some bleeping games!

My whole point was from fans perspective. I dont think McD is picking him because hes from Arizona, just seems like a bigger gap between Ayton and doncic in alot of local suns fans than the general public. I'm happy with either, in the lottery thread I had said all i wanted was top 2 so we got one of them

[Moochthemonkey]

If you guys planning to start Ayton vs Doncic war ask yourself this: Do you realize how awkward would it be around here when Suns later trade for Doncic at nr4?

I bet it would be something like this

doubt it. there would still be arguing here, perhaps about how we should have drafted Bamba, and how the Suns are doomed as long as Sarver runs the team, and complaining about how much minutes P.J. Tucker gets on the Rockets

[NTB]

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[NTB]

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[Revived]

Aaron Holliday feels like a Tyler Ennis type pick all over again. Iirc Ennis was selected at #16 as well.

McD loves his mediocre PGs at #16.

[Fo-Real]

This better not be true

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NO, we went through this bull **** yesterday.

[Revived]

A lot of Zhaire Smith experts here. A recent article of top 3&D prospects ranks him 6th out of the 10 players listed. It lists grades out of 10 for each of defense and 3 pt shooting.

He ranked 8th in defense behind Jackson, Jr, Mikal Bridges, Khyri Thomas, Josh Okogie, Chandler Hutchison, Jacob Evans and Melvin Frazier. Ahead of Huerter and Miles Bridges though.

He ranked tied for 4th (with a couple others) in 3 pt shooting behind Mikal Bridges, Khyri Thomas and Kevin Huerter (yet tied with Jackson Jr and Okogie) but slightly ahead of Evans, Miles Bridges, Hutchison and Frazier.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2018-nba-draft-ranking-the-10-best-3-and-d-prospects-of-this-years-class/

That article is actually a really good read, thanks for posting.

Not a big fan of Frazier either as he, similar to Smith, only made a handful of 3s in college and was very low volume. Had like 30 made 3s last season iirc.