Game 40: Phoenix Suns (16-23) @ Atlanta Hawks (8-32)

[lilfishi22]

It's the other questions like, is he a winner? Can he be a winner? Those questions remain unanswered and at 24, it's probably not insane that there isn't a concrete answer yet. I'm not saying he couldn't do more to be a better player as an individual and for the team but I feel like some people think he's the root cause of why we suck when we lose games and that's just not the case. If Booker is the best player on this team, even with all the flaws in his game, isn't that more of a reflection on the team building aspect of this front office?

He's actually only 23 years old. He won't be 24 until next season.

Right now Booker is going to be known for being the best player to never have made the playoffs. Maybe in NBA history.

TJ Warren will experience the playoffs this year as will probably De'Anthony Melton. Book's great friends Russell and Townes have been there too.

I think it's far too early to put that on him. The guy is 23 (thanks for the correction), is supremely skilled offensively and this squad is probably the best he's ever played in his young career which says a lot about the roster he's played with. If he was 28, 29 and still haven't seen playoff success then you could probably put him in that best player to never make playoff conversation but until then I think it's unfair.

KAT made playoffs one time and the Wolves had to take a huge gamble in bringing in Jimmy who dragged that Wolves team into playoff contention. The biggest gamble the Suns have made in that same time period was the decision to suck for a few years in the hope that we would eventually draft a superstar. Dlo made the playoffs as the best player on that roster and on a team where there were actual brains in that front office. TJ probably will make playoffs because he's on a team that's built for higher aspiration than just making playoffs. Melton on the Grizzlies isn't too far off too.

The fact is that making the playoffs is hard and it's not always the natural progression of things just because we expect it to be. Making playoff isn't a one-man crusade, it's an organisational effort and when we haven't had a team built to win games, let alone for playoffs basically until now. It's hard to expect one man to carry them to the playoffs.

[lilfishi22]

Okobo is really to blame for this game. Trae is the absolute worse defending point guard in the world, maybe in history. Okobo's job was to put pressure on Trae's defensively, which is what 99% of the rest of the NBA teams do. ZERO point with a measly 3 assists in 22 minutes. Just awful.

I think the expectations from the team that we'd develop Okobo into a playmaker has always been misguided. Okobo has never had those natural playmaking instincts. From the moment I started doing research on him, I knew right away that he's more of a scoring guard than a playmaking PG. I just feel like we're wasting our time with trying to turn him into something he's not.

[alamin330]

Okobo is fine. Let’s not get it twisted. This team will continue to lost until Saric, Baynes and Tyler Johnson are off the team or don’t play. Those 3 are the absolute reason for the suns problems this year. Monty Williams is a little naive to continue playing them especially together.