NBA Draft Prospects Discussion

[carey]

I anybody else starting to think that Murray might be the best prospect over the long term while Hield will make the bigger impact right away?

I think that could be accurate.

The latest draftexpress mock has us taking Chriss at #4 passing up Hield, Murray, Bender and Brown

I can't see Dunn going 3, but I guess it's possible. I still don't think we pass on Bender if he's there.

BSotS has the final list of prospects coming in for a workout this weekend (Luwawu, Bender, and Murray.) So far, Brown is the only DX top 6 prospect we've had in for a workout. Chriss and Hield had a pro day at CAA. Hernangomez was seen at IMG probably.

Players who have visited the Suns in Phoenix

Dragan Bender (ranked 3rd overall, on the DraftExpress Top 100) *reported to be visiting Saturday
Jaylen Brown (5)
Jamal Murray (6) *reported to be visiting today or this weekend
Jakob Poeltl (8)
Skal Labissiere (9)
Henry Ellenson (13)
Timothe Luwawu (14) *reported to be visiting today or this weekend
Wade Baldwin (15)
Demetrius Jackson (16)
Domantas Sabonis (17) **only worked out for four teams, including Suns
Taurean Prince (18)
Tyler Ulis (19)
Damian Jones (22)
Cheick Diallo (25)
Petr Cornelie (27)
Zhou Qi (28) **only worked out for four teams, including Suns
DeAndre Bembry (29)
Brice Johnson (30)
Dejounte Murray (32)
Diamond Stone (33)
Malachi Richardson (37)
Thon Maker (40)
Malcolm Brogdon (41)

[Ring_Wanted]

It seems they are trying for Sabas to fall. Who else did he play for?

Also, no Chriss.

[Mori Chu]

From what I'm reading here and elsewhere about Chriss, doesn't sound like my kind of player. If he's a PF/C who doesn't shoot from the outside, he has to be a better rebounder than that. Seems like athleticism is his main skill, and I've seen enough of players like that.

I just really want us to take a big guy at #4. Hoping Bender is still available.

[The Bobster]

Chriss made 21 of 60 3's (35%) last season, so he has at least a mid-range jumper. My main concern would be his defense - he's foul prone, having fouled out of 14 games last year which limited him to 25 minutes a game.

[Big Jake Little Jake]

Buddy Hield definitely seems like a guy who's going to be super competitive and play hard, which is always useful and is probably not something that is teachable (see Anthony Bennett...). I like guys who can actually shoot, but can he do much else? Can he facilitate at all? Can he (or will he) at least make the right, simple pass? Something about him makes me feel like he'll be a notable player in the league for awhile.

Besides the fact we already have a bunch of SGs on the roster, why shouldn't we draft this guy? Is it because he wasn't very good early on in his early college career? Could the same have been said about Damian Lillard?? Is it because there is a perceived lack of a high ceiling because he's older then some of the other guys? I don't entirely buy that - he's not 27, he's 22. He will still improve, theoretically.

Talk me out of Buddy.

[Cap]

Talk me out of Buddy.

Here's an exerpt from the DX discussion of his weaknesses:

Hield also doesn't offer much as a passer or facilitator, sporting the second lowest pure point rating and assist to turnover ratio among the shooting guards in our Top-100 prospect rankings. He'll pull off the occasionally drive and dish play, but for the most part he's looking for his own offense whenever he's on the floor, and does not possess an exceptionally high basketball IQ.

The other pressing question surrounding Hield is his defense. While that was considered a clear weakness in the past, he's improved his effort level and fundamentals, and eliminated enough of the bad habits he had in this area that it's not as big a weakness as it may have been in the past. Still, he is undoubtedly undersized for a shooting guard at 6'4 ½ in shoes, which limits his versatility at the NBA level. While he played mostly the small forward position in college, his lack of size will make it difficult for him to cover many of the bigger wings he'll encounter, and he does not appear to possess great lateral quickness to stay in front of ultra-athletic guards. With that said, he has a reasonably strong frame, to go along with a long wingspan (measured at 6'8 ½) for a shooting guard, so even if he's strictly a one-position defender, there's no reason he can't at least be adequate there as he figures out that he absolutely has to in order to survive.

Not a great creator/facilitator, not a high IQ player, something of a black hole, defensively limited. Basically a shooter/scorer who plays the same position as Booker. Not what I think we need in the long run.

[Ring_Wanted]

Buddy Hield definitely seems like a guy who's going to be super competitive and play hard, which is always useful and is probably not something that is teachable (see Anthony Bennett...). I like guys who can actually shoot, but can he do much else? Can he facilitate at all? Can he (or will he) at least make the right, simple pass? Something about him makes me feel like he'll be a notable player in the league for awhile.

Besides the fact we already have a bunch of SGs on the roster, why shouldn't we draft this guy? Is it because he wasn't very good early on in his early college career? Could the same have been said about Damian Lillard?? Is it because there is a perceived lack of a high ceiling because he's older then some of the other guys? I don't entirely buy that - he's not 27, he's 22. He will still improve, theoretically.

Talk me out of Buddy.

The why not Murray?

[carey]

I can't talk you out of Buddy Hield. There's a lot to like and he's my choice if Bender is gone. It's just that log-jam of guards is a problem.

[Big Jake Little Jake]

Not a great creator/facilitator, not a high IQ player, something of a black hole, defensively limited. Basically a shooter/scorer who plays the same position as Booker. Not what I think we need in the long run.

Yeah this might just do it. That does scare me a bit. So maybe he ends up being Ben Gordon-ish? Kind of undersized guard who can score in bunches, but maybe doesn't help you win games? Hey, don't we already have a guy like that...

Murray is interesting, but again, can't seem to pass the ball. From DX: "A major question NBA teams will have is whether Murray can develop into a combo, or even a point guard as time moves on. He averaged more turnovers than assists this season, and the track record of players who did so in college is decidedly mixed in terms of making that transition, with Gilbert Arenas, Eric Bledsoe and possibly Isaiah Canaan the only ones we can find with a similar or worse ratio in college that found success."

I don't think this team can handle more guys that turn the ball over and can't make the right pass. Sounds like Dunn has the same problems.

I guess for me it goes Bender then a toss up between Hield and trading it for some combo of a young player(s) (preferably a PF) and/or future picks. Unfortunately it seems we pick the wrong years to suck.

[TOO]

Buddy isnt undersized and doesn't lack BBIQ and isn't a black hole. He's 6'5" in shoes with a 6'9" wingspan per the combine. He only turned it over 3x per game on a team where he was the main defensive focus of the opposition. He shot 16 times per game at a 50% clip, thats hardly black hole or low IQ material in my book. Is he what the Suns need position wise? Probably not, but the Suns need good players regardless, and in a league shifted towards perimeter play, he's got a chance to be very good.

[Split T]

I see Hield being a top 5 shooter in the NBA. I think he could be in the Thompson-Reddick group as a shooter, he's very special.

[TOO]

Hield/Murray are my top choices at 4, its just too bad we're so log jammed at G with mediocrity that we'll probably pass on them.

[Big Jake Little Jake]

Thanks for the input on Hield. There is something about his demeanor that makes him stand out more than the other 3-9 guys for sure. I wouldn't be disappointed if we picked him at all.

I think you take the guy you think is most likely to be a really good player, position be damned. All it takes is one injury anyway and suddenly a rookie might find himself playing 30 minutes a game. I mean, let's not forget this is a team that was forced to start Goodwin at PG and played guys straight from the d-league when Bled, Knight, and Price were all hurt. Plus you can always make trades down the road. I don't like the idea of just drafting to fill a hole.

[Cap]

I agree that a team in our situation doesn't ordinarily draft for position. However, we have one prospect to be really excited about right now, and that's Booker. (Jury's still out on Warren and Len.) I'm hoping to get such another exciting prospect at #4, but it's going to be a problem if SG is the only position he can play.

Forget the logjam with Bledsoe and Knight and Bogdanovic. They can be moved. But I sure don't want to move Booker. If we only have two really good prospects for the long-term future of the franchise, I want them to be able to play in the same lineup.

[Superbone]

I'm hoping to get such another exciting prospect at #4, but it's going to be a problem if SG is the only position he can play.

We've gotta take a 4 at #4.

[Superbone]

https://twitter.com/stevefoote12/status/743915954036367360

https://twitter.com/paulcoro/status/743921879258390528

[Cap]

I don't know who this guy is but...

https://twitter.com/tt_sports/status/743924910196563968

Also FWIW,

https://twitter.com/statisticsnba/status/743529181993041921

[Split T]

That's a great trade for the Celtics. I love Jimmy Butler, if we were closer to contention I'd offer knight + #4. Actually, I'd still make that trade. Not sure it tops 3 + Bradley though.

[Split T]

Thanks for the input on Hield. There is something about his demeanor that makes him stand out more than the other 3-9 guys for sure. I wouldn't be disappointed if we picked him at all.

I think you take the guy you think is most likely to be a really good player, position be damned. All it takes is one injury anyway and suddenly a rookie might find himself playing 30 minutes a game. I mean, let's not forget this is a team that was forced to start Goodwin at PG and played guys straight from the d-league when Bled, Knight, and Price were all hurt. Plus you can always make trades down the road. I don't like the idea of just drafting to fill a hole.

Buddy seems to have that killer instinct as well. He won't back down from a challenge and he'll step up and make big plays when it counts. I see some bigtime clutch moments in his future.

[carey]

I think that is Chriss in the top tweet.