How would a Booker/Culver tandem work?

[bwgood77]

HS rankings don't really mean much to me and it's not something I follow so that doesn't really matter in this conversation, and I'm well aware of how much of a ridiculous athlete Brandon Clarke is I'm the one that pointed that out earlier in the beginning of the year when Gonzaga played Tennessee...

as for Garland, he has the makings of everything you need a star PG, from the playmaking to the quick-twitch athleticism to the handle to the ability to get his shot off from anywhere on the court and at any point in time.

he projects to be an ELITE offensive PG and is exactly what a guy like Ayton needs in the backcourt which is why I'd take him over Clarke for the Suns.

also it's not the biggest deal in the world but there's the whole age thing with Clarke vs. freshmen like Garland and Coby.

Based on what though? I mean it can only be based on HS play. Most highly ranked HS prospects "have the makings" to be really good. I just don't know what you are basing this on. Is it a video? Something you read? I think a lot of people probably are able to get off their shot anywhere on the court in high school at any point in time, which is why they are highly recruited, but when they haven't shown it at the college level consistently because they only played a few games, we don't know that they could have even done it at that level, much less at the NBA level. And that's before coming off injury.

I'm confident in the sample size we saw earlier in the year...a lot of that skill easily translated to college and will continue to translate to the NBA.

like someone else said, Garland has been out of sight out of mind for a while, but once work outs kick in, I feel like the hype will start ramping back up.

I think if his injury doesn't hurt him much, he is likely to be a really good scorer and shooter, and when attracting defenders, he can be a smart facilitator.

Preseason he was top 10 and I think he's still though of right around there so I don't know that he's out of mind, particularly in a draft class like this.

As I mentioned in the big board thread, I still have him somewhere in the latter half of the top 10 on my overall big board and somewhere between 5-8 on my Suns specific one.

Had he played and done well, he'd probably be higher. I'm just obviously extremely high on Clarke as being more of an impact player.

[baldur]

if morant is not on the board, would the phoenix pick garland? or would they go with a pf like brandon clarke or hachimura?

Who knows? May depend on where their pick is.

They may try and do a pick swap with the Lakers, Grizzlies or Pelicans and send out a players and get back Lonzo, Conley or Jrue and then take Clarke or someone like Grant Williams there to fill in the PF spot and get some defense up front to help Ayton.

Edit: 5/18 - of course those potential pick swaps off the table now.....of course those are the 3 teams that jump after I typed this.

Welcome Garland in advance

[bwgood77]

if morant is not on the board, would the phoenix pick garland? or would they go with a pf like brandon clarke or hachimura?

Who knows? May depend on where their pick is.

They may try and do a pick swap with the Lakers, Grizzlies or Pelicans and send out a players and get back Lonzo, Conley or Jrue and then take Clarke or someone like Grant Williams there to fill in the PF spot and get some defense up front to help Ayton.

Edit: 5/18 - of course those potential pick swaps off the table now.....of course those are the 3 teams that jump after I typed this.

Welcome Garland in advance

Strange you replied to this thread since it was several pages back. I had just linked to it from the Suns board because people were discussing it and was re-reading so made that edit to that post while re-reading and you responded not long after.

Were you on the Suns board and bumped into the link or were you randomly reading old threads?

Edit: actually now I recall that since I edited a post you were quoted in, when I re-submitted, you get another notification. I always forget about this.

[Coeur]

Just take BPA honestly. I would not build around Booker at all.

BPA is the answer when there is defunded talent differences like 90% of drafts top group.


I’m convinced this years draft is way different and from 4-14 is way more team need and fit importance this year

I like Clarke and see the fit. Still hoping he falls a bit and the Nugs somehow trade in for him

[PhilBlackson]

Don't love it.

I think PHX needs a faciliatator but PHX is still in BPA mode.

[thamadkant]

Just take BPA honestly. I would not build around Booker at all.

I'm a Suns fan and still a sceptic of Booker.

He's amazing in regards to getting his shot up... Absolutely star in that regard. But he is detrimental to successful ball movement or usage of team mates. Driving and dishing to an open shooter is not a sign of good PG skills... It's good awareness but just a tiny fraction of what a proper PG or playmaker should be capable of. His usage or lack of usage of Ayton was a frustrating reality during the season. And the team played more engaged and energetic in both ends when he sat out... Sure results weren't different but the team looked more committed and willing when he was way.

With that said I would love Booker as second banana to a player like Lebron James or prime Grant Hill... Someone who set the team up and needed an elite scorer next to him.


But the way Suns used Booker as Harden v2 with abysmal results is not the way to go.

I would trade him for the right package for sure...

I would no doubt trade him for D'Angelo Russell... Purely because Russell is the better play maker and Suns lack that player with play making instincts at the helm.

I would trade him for Pick 1 or Pick 2 (plus future pick or player) in this year's draft... Mainly because I don't want that 158 Million contract on Booker... Unless he can convince other stars to join the Suns... Otherwise that 158 Million for a player who is going to be leading the Suns to 30 win seasons is not too motivating

[Fat]

i mean it could work. He isnt that explosive though and finished the season only shooting 30 percent from the arch.

Garland/Booker/Ayton

i like that better tbh but i wouldnt be mad at a culver pick if im the suns either

[916fan]

Just take BPA honestly. I would not build around Booker at all.

I'm a Suns fan and still a sceptic of Booker.

He's amazing in regards to getting his shot up... Absolutely star in that regard. But he is detrimental to successful ball movement or usage of team mates. Driving and dishing to an open shooter is not a sign of good PG skills... It's good awareness but just a tiny fraction of what a proper PG or playmaker should be capable of. His usage or lack of usage of Ayton was a frustrating reality during the season. And the team played more engaged and energetic in both ends when he sat out... Sure results weren't different but the team looked more committed and willing when he was way.

With that said I would love Booker as second banana to a player like Lebron James or prime Grant Hill... Someone who set the team up and needed an elite scorer next to him.


But the way Suns used Booker as Harden v2 with abysmal results is not the way to go.

I would trade him for the right package for sure...

I would no doubt trade him for D'Angelo Russell... Purely because Russell is the better play maker and Suns lack that player with play making instincts at the helm.

I would trade him for Pick 1 or Pick 2 (plus future pick or player) in this year's draft... Mainly because I don't want that 158 Million contract on Booker... Unless he can convince other stars to join the Suns... Otherwise that 158 Million for a player who is going to be leading the Suns to 30 win seasons is not too motivating

Booker is a very interesting player. He's obviously insanely talented and very young, but the empty stats argument will be beaten to death. I do think Booker's stats are highly inflated by the Suns losing and tanking. On a terrible team, someone needs to put up shots, and that responsibility has been handed to Booker. I am by no means comparing them, but an example of players putting up big numbers due to having the opportunity to do so is Dennis Schroder. With the Hawks last year, he averaged 19.4ppg 6.2apg as their primary scorer and ball handler. Not to say Schroder was a bad player, but he was able to increase his stats because he played on a bad team. Booker has the master key to his team.

With Booker the real question is, "can he be your best player on a contending team?" Not a simple yes or no, but that gets hard. You have to consider his playing style. I think he's baby Harden without the success. However, team success plays a huge part in individual success. You get to the argument of, if he's really as good as people say he is, then why hasn't he brought his teams beyond 25 wins? I think that's a very valid argument. At the same time, you do have responses of his youth and tanking, but I don't think they're very good arguments.

As you said, making Booker Harden v2 hasn't worked out that well. I would argue that it's worked out for Booker... look at his monster stats this year as a 22 yearold. However, I would agree with you in that it hasn't worked out for the Suns. I wonder how he would react having his key taken away? I think the Suns desperately need someone who can legitimately run an offense.

If I were the Suns, I'd hang onto him as long as I could before I'd have to trade him. At the end of the day, their lack of playoff success will come down to the incompetence of the Suns for not being able to provide him with better pieces to make a playoff run. Poor drafting will come back to bite them. Booker is only 22 years old. I mean jeez, your 10th overall pick last year was older than Booker.

To answer the original question, I would not be a fan of the pick. As I said, I want a traditional PG next to Booker. That's not Culver.