Qwigglez wrote:NavLDO wrote:Qwigglez wrote:Wolves and Thunder are definitely worse than us. Can’t wait for the season to start to show all the doubters how much of an improved team we are.
2015: X and X are definitely worse than us. Can’t wait for the season to start to show all the doubters how much of an improved team we are.
2016: X and X are definitely worse than us. Can’t wait for the season to start to show all the doubters how much of an improved team we are.
2017: X and X are definitely worse than us. Can’t wait for the season to start to show all the doubters how much of an improved team we are.
2018: X and X are definitely worse than us. Can’t wait for the season to start to show all the doubters how much of an improved team we are.
Not attributing this to you or anyone in particular...just seems the same sentiment ever year about this time...but in all honesty, I do agree, if nothing else, because we have a real PG for the first time in 2 years...
This is the year. Last year who was even our starting PG? Canaan? He’s not even in the league anymore. We don’t have two rookies starting, we don’t have a broken down Ryan Anderson not a washed Tyson Chandler. We actually have players in their prime. We don’t have a 2nd round pick rookie starting either.
Who’s our oldest player this year? Baynes? He’s not even that old and doesn’t have that much NBA mileage on him.
This is the first year we actually tried surrounding Booker with talented players, whether they mesh well is a different story. If we suck this year and show no progress then all hope is lost and we should probably just give up
So, taking a look at some of the other teams in the West a little closer, I agree with the Wolves and Thunder, but I also feel, taking into consideration more than just raw talent, but also, positional distribution, versatility, and age/experience, they are potentially better than Portland, Sacramento, New Orleans, and even Dallas. Feel free to skip to the Conclusion--another infamous Nav-novel for you all...
OTHER TEAMS' WEAKNESSES:The
Blazers almost remind me a little of us last year--no true PF. They have about 6-7 guys who most naturally play the 2 or 3, and another 3-4 who play the 5.
For the
Kings, it's almost the opposite. Barnes is fine...but Ariza?? Fox is good, but then...and Bagley is still young, but not much behind him either...basically, the Depth doesn't impress me, and I actually like our depth at EVERY position...the Suns are jsut simply more well balanced, overall.
The
Pelicans is almost a mix of what I listed above, between the Blazers and Kings. They are deep, deep, deep at the 2 and 3, but PG, and the Center position are very thin, IMO.
And finally, the
Mavs...Of course Doncic = Great, but KP?? How aggressive/assertive will he play this season...how long before he 'forgets' about it, and plays 100% physically...ACL is 2nd only to Achilles, I think, in regards to potential for long term problems. Just my opinion, of course, but after that, they have some decent players, but nothing that screams to me--Playoffs.
I'm not asserting that I feel the Suns are definitely the 9th best team in the West, by any stretch...I just think that it wouldn't surprise me, for them to finish ahead of those 6 teams...and it wouldn't surprise me if they only bested 1 out of 6 of those teams, either. I'm just saying I think that is their 'range', presuming 100% health for all teams involved...of course, a devastating injury to a key player on any of those teams would swing in our favor...
POSITION DEPTH/STARTER-LEVEL TALENT:But look at our team, as a whole--position by position. The Suns do not have a 'weakness' at any one position. Sure, some positions are stronger than others, but as has been stated ad nauseum...we don't have glaring holes at the 1 and 4 anymore. And I'd argue, we have at least 2 players that could start at each position, and not completely 'embarrass' themselves...
Rubio / Carter / Jerome / Okobo
Booker / T. Johnson
Oubre / Bridges / C. Johnson
Saric / Kaminsky / Cheick Diallo
Ayton / Baynes
POSITION VERSATILITY/FLEXIBILITY:Not only that, but we have guys that are truly, position versatile. I don't mean "hey, X player is the right size, so he
could conceivably play Y position, too...
No, I mean guys that have 'proven' through actual play, to be able to play multiple positions...
Booker - 1/2
T. Johnson - 1/2
Bridges - 2/3
Oubre - 3/4
Kaminsky - 4/5
...and
then, we can bring up 'potentially able to play' players, like Diallo is athletic enough to play the 3, if he had too. Saric
could play some small-ball 5...and Cam Johnson
could play some small-ball 4, or Stretch 4, in a dire pinch.
I just like the way our roster looks on a whole; if pressed, I would say we are likely the 13th/14th most talented team in the West, but I would also say the Suns are a top 6/7 most 'balanced' and 'positional versatile' team in the West, too, so IMHO, that puts us somewhere around 10th best team in the West, all things considered.
AGE/EXPERIENCE:And finally, our 'well distributed' age/experience. Not too old, and not too 'young', either. 2 x Rookies, 4 x 2nd yr (all of whom had at least 575 minutes played, 2 x 3rd yr, 3 x 4th yr, and a 5th, a 7th, and an 8th yr player, with our oldest guy being 32. Compare our 1 player, this season, against that of 4, last year, having been born in the 80s (not counting Fredette). Of course that could change, but when our 2nd oldest player, starting the season, is 28, and he is at the 'less-concerning' old-age/body-wear-related position of PG, that makes us young, yet fairly experienced team.
CONCLUSION:Factoring in each of these aspects, we are simply, a decently talented, fairly-young, yet experienced team with solid position-versatility. And IMHO, the Suns are starting the season in a heck of a lot better 'place' than in years past.