2020 Preseason Speculation - Lineup battles underway

[NTB]

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[Walt_Uoob]

One other thing that's encouraging me right now is remembering how terrible we looked in the exhibition games in the bubble. Those were basically preseason games and Monty was putting out some totally absurd lineups, but once the real games started the scrubs stayed on the bench and the team locked in fairly quickly. Hopefully these preseason games are a similar deal where the team is learning even though the product on the floor doesn't look great overall.

[bwgood77]

One other thing that's encouraging me right now is remembering how terrible we looked in the exhibition games in the bubble. Those were basically preseason games and Monty was putting out some totally absurd lineups, but once the real games started the scrubs stayed on the bench and the team locked in fairly quickly. Hopefully these preseason games are a similar deal where the team is learning even though the product on the floor doesn't look great overall.

I don't think preseason should be taken seriously at all. I think it's only us diehards paying attention. They mean little. Our best players are barely playing and a couple rotation players are out, and up to 3 were out before...like 3 of our top 7.

So we are running weird lineups and 5 players out there when not even 2 of them have ever played together and one is a rookie with no real PG. And people are talking about cutting a guy we just signed based on limited minutes and weird lineups in the preseason with players playing out of position.

[NTB]

https://www.nba.com/news/2020-21-gmsurvey

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[matt131]

https://www.nba.com/news/2020-21-gmsurvey

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The best players at each position is kind of funny seeing as multiple players could be voted on for multiple positions. But having CP3 and Booker show up in best PG and best SG is great!

Also, other GMs sure approve of James Jones' off-season as they ranked us with the second best off-season behind LA and the best acquisition in CP3

[matt131]

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I kinda think we should be looking to add another PG to this roster....

[NTB]

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[bwgood77]

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I kinda think we should be looking to add another PG to this roster....

Damn,I had mentioned him as a possibility and was thinking he could have been one of best options. They already have Wanamaker too.

[Flying Colors]

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I kinda think we should be looking to add another PG to this roster....

Damn,I had mentioned him as a possibility and was thinking he could have been one of best options. They already have Wanamaker too.

Good news, there is still hope

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[DroughtsOverPHX]

Spoiler:

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I kinda think we should be looking to add another PG to this roster....

Damn,I had mentioned him as a possibility and was thinking he could have been one of best options. They already have Wanamaker too.

Good news, there is still hope

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I believe Shams was not educated on the situation at hand and he spoke.

[Saberestar]

I know that is preseason, games mean nothing and blah blah blah but putting together the stats from all four games we can draw some early conclusions....

Booker is in mid-season form:
21.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists in 26 mpg. Shooting 53% FG, 40% 3P, and 88%, FT.

After him our best scorer surprisingly was Langston Galloway. Nice addition, he is one of the fastest shooters that I have ever seen.
12.5 points, 52% 3P in 21 mpg.

Jevon Carter played the most minutes with 30mpg. He averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 assists and 1.8 steals.
He is gonna force his way into the court. His aggressive defense in the perimeter is big for us.


To watch full preseason stats:
https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Phoenix-Suns/23/stats/2021/Averages/All/points/All/desc/1/Preseason

[nevetsov]

Paul, Payne
Booker, Carter
Bridges, Galloway
Crowder, Johnson
Ayton, Saric

With Smith getting spot minutes and the bench guys moving down a position.

[sunsbg]

Paul, Payne
Booker, Carter
Bridges, Galloway
Crowder, Johnson
Ayton, Saric

With Smith getting spot minutes and the bench guys moving down a position.

The starters opened the games vs Lakers very well both times. Payne, Carter, Saric build some chemistry in the bubble. Johnson, Galloway and Smith should be great as spot-up shooters. There is a place for optimism. Only concern are the injuries at this point.

[alamin330]

Jalen Smith needs to get in the weight room and work on those legs. I’m not calling him Stix until he earns it.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Paul, Payne
Booker, Carter
Bridges, Galloway
Crowder, Johnson
Ayton, Saric

With Smith getting spot minutes and the bench guys moving down a position.

Damian Jones is probably the 11th man, Moore the 12th. Jalen is probably a year away from being worthy of meaningful minutes.

[bwgood77]

Paul, Payne
Booker, Carter
Bridges, Galloway
Crowder, Johnson
Ayton, Saric

With Smith getting spot minutes and the bench guys moving down a position.

Damian Jones is probably the 11th man, Moore the 12th. Jalen is probably a year away from being worthy of meaningful minutes.

I think Jalen will make the rotation sooner. He has great energy. To get 8 rebounds in 16 minutes is impressive. He is making mistakes, but that's a good thing for now, especially since he will likely mostly play in garbage time...if you don't make mistakes when you are a rookie, or even a rookie contract guy, you are not giving a lot of effort. If someone plays perfectly, they probably are playing it to safe and being too passive. He may pick up some silly fouls or turn it over when he tries to put it on the floor, but I'd prefer that to learn what he may need to improve on rather then be tentative guarding people and not putting it on the ground. Bender, for example, played it way too safe. As long as he doesn't make the same mistakes repeatedly, like Jackson taking it to the rim against 3 defenders and/or laying it way too hard against the backboard, or always fouling 3 pt shooters, which a lot of our guys do and don't seem to learn, I'd prefer he try to do more, at least in garbage time.

[bwgood77]

Jalen Smith needs to get in the weight room and work on those legs. I’m not calling him Stix until he earns it.

Interesting, because he has that nickname because of being skinny.

He provided the origin story. “I got the nickname from my first AAU team. The coach was giving nicknames to everybody based off how he perceives them, and I was the skinniest person, so he gave me Stix,” he said.

With your rationale, if he gets in the weight room and beefs up his legs he would earn a new nickname.

[SlovenianDragon]

Jalen Smith needs to get in the weight room and work on those legs. I’m not calling him Stix until he earns it.

Interesting, because he has that nickname because of being skinny.

He provided the origin story. “I got the nickname from my first AAU team. The coach was giving nicknames to everybody based off how he perceives them, and I was the skinniest person, so he gave me Stix,” he said.

With your rationale, if he gets in the weight room and beefs up his legs he would earn a new nickname.

Beef Stix

[matt131]

I mean, at this point, I think another backup big might be okay. Honestly kind of sad to see him released.

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[matt131]

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