2023-24 Suns Training Camp - Starting Oct 3rd

[SunsRIt]

He needs to be in the gym shooting 3 after 3 all summer

[Drewsprocket]

Yep, I don't think we know for a fact that his shot left him only because it was the postseason and due to pressure. Maybe though. Definitely keeping an eye on that. Like Split said, he shot it pretty well during the end of the reg season.

I’m assuming so, post season is a different game. There are guys who perform better or worse in postseason. He missed from outside and was dared to shoot it. He was scared off the three ball and it hurt. I don’t see any other way around unless it was an injury. Anyway, I’m just glad we have an actual bench. I think Suns had a good offseason.

[Mori Chu]

My guess would be that Vogel will play guys who play hard and play well on defense. So I bet Okogie will get minutes even though his shooting is mediocre. I wonder about guys like Grayson Allen who don't play great D, whether a guy like that would fall out of the rotation. Or a guy like Yuta who is mostly seen as a shooter off the bench.

[JeremyG]

[ShelC]

Honestly have no idea who the 5th starter will be. I think Okogie could start for a few reasons. There was the story of Vogel telling him he loves his defense and style of play a few years back, we know Vogel wants to set the tone defensively. Also, with Okogie being such a good on-ball defender but maybe the weakest offensive player of the roleplayers, it might make sense to put him with Beal, Book and KD who can carry the offensive load. If he's with other non-scoring roleplayers as part of a bench unit, it makes them that much easier to defend. But going by that logic, you could also make the case for someone like KBD or Little, who are a bit better offensively, have more size and provide defense too, tho not at the level of Okogie and probably can't guard 1s and 2s like JO can.

Allen may provide a little bit of the best of both worlds but we'd be on the smaller side. But if he can stick PGs and switch around with Beal and Book while providing the shooting and scoring, we'd be really tough to defend all around. Just not sure he can guard PGs or that he and Book can handle opposing SFs at times.

We just need to find the right combo so that we're not seeing guys like JO, KBD and Little out there with just one of Book, Beal and EG on the perimeter. We have too much offense for that to happen.

I very much want to see some lineup of Beal/EG/Book, Yuta, KD and Nurk/Eubanks. If Yuta can be our Cam Johnson sniper, there'd be no way to defend us.

[Cap]

Pole Bol.

[Wally_West]

There are about 5 guys that I'm still in the recognition phase of even knowing who they are when I see them. Let's see. In that group for me:

Little
K Johnson
Goodwin (saw him only briefly in summer league)
KBD (I probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup at the moment)
Metu
Azubuike

Ditto

Ditto

I don’t blame you guys for not recognizing Ditto, that’s a tricky one, unless it was in its true form but it could be anyone of those guys…

[Wally_West]

The 5th starter will probably be Allen to start the season, he’s just the most proven right now. You need a solid defender and good shooter for that 5th spot and he checks the boxes.

I love Okogie but he’s just not a reliable shooter.

[TOO]

There are about 5 guys that I'm still in the recognition phase of even knowing who they are when I see them. Let's see. In that group for me:

Little
K Johnson
Goodwin (saw him only briefly in summer league)
KBD (I probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup at the moment)
Metu
Azubuike

Ditto

Ditto

Always felt ditto was redundant.

[Wally_West]

My preference would be KBD tho, I just like potential nightmare of that lineup. Everyone is big, tall, lengthy and, most importantly, can fucking shoot that shit. I think it would be solid defensively but just a nightmare to defend.


On paper, Little is perfect 5th starter - Young, long, athletic, good defender(from what people are saying), decent shooter. We just don’t know how reliable he truly is tho. I do like that he’s locked up for the next 4 years, so if he turns out to be Mikal Bridges light then the Ayton trade would be a damn home run.

[Split T]

I just prefer someone that keeps Book and Beal from having to chase little guards around screens all season. If Book wants to pick up that role in the playoffs as we start KBD for size, I’m more ok with that. I’d prefer to keep those guys fresher during the season though. Let Allen, Okogie, or Little do that.

[Shabazz]

Allen makes sense as a starter if your other starters include Jrue, Giannis and Brook. He'd be miscast as the primary POA defender here. We need a better defender in that spot. My preference would be KBD because of the size he gives us, but I think Little or JO have a strong shot. I also like the idea of a rotating 5th starter based on matchup, but I think players and coaches prefer defined roles.

Kellan Olson has a whole series about this at AZSports.

I'm sure everyone will get opportunity at some point, but there are going to be some players deserving of PT on the bench to start the season.

[Split T]

You think KBD can defend POA? I haven’t watched him enough, but I got the impression he was more of a wing defender who can defend up.

Little and Okogie are definitely better defensive options than Grayson…I just think his shooting is gonna be worth it. Now if Little/Okogie is gonna shoot 37-38% from 3..put them in.

[Shabazz]

You think KBD can defend POA? I haven’t watched him enough, but I got the impression he was more of a wing defender who can defend up.

Little and Okogie are definitely better defensive options than Grayson…I just think his shooting is gonna be worth it. Now if Little/Okogie is gonna shoot 37-38% from 3..put them in.

I think if Nurk's spacing is for real, then the need for a 5th high-level 3 point shooter isn't as high. Part of the issue last season was that we also had Ayton cramping the spacing as a total zero from 3. If Nurk can play in the Dario spot on the floor, all of a sudden the lane is wide open for a slasher/cutter like JO or Little.

As for KBD, he's not perfect at the POA, but I think if you put him and KD out there together, the entire floor shrinks for the opponents. I also love his fit as a connector on offense. He doesn't have many exploitable weaknesses.

[Drewsprocket]

It’s hard not get excited by Nasir Little.
He just seems to be the sort of player who is ready but needs a more stable team to grow. Allen might be more proven sure but I’d argue that he doesn’t have the ceiling offensively or defensively that Little does.

[Drewsprocket]

You think KBD can defend POA? I haven’t watched him enough, but I got the impression he was more of a wing defender who can defend up.

Little and Okogie are definitely better defensive options than Grayson…I just think his shooting is gonna be worth it. Now if Little/Okogie is gonna shoot 37-38% from 3..put them in.

I think if Nurk's spacing is for real, then the need for a 5th high-level 3 point shooter isn't as high. Part of the issue last season was that we also had Ayton cramping the spacing as a total zero from 3. If Nurk can play in the Dario spot on the floor, all of a sudden the lane is wide open for a slasher/cutter like JO or Little.

As for KBD, he's not perfect at the POA, but I think if you put him and KD out there together, the entire floor shrinks for the opponents. I also love his fit as a connector on offense. He doesn't have many exploitable weaknesses.

And I love that he grew under Coach Pop. If you can be a starter for Pop, you’re a legit player.

[Superbone]

Let's see a game already! Come on Sunday! Get here early, would you?!

[ShelC]

[JeremyG]

You think KBD can defend POA? I haven’t watched him enough, but I got the impression he was more of a wing defender who can defend up.

Little and Okogie are definitely better defensive options than Grayson…I just think his shooting is gonna be worth it. Now if Little/Okogie is gonna shoot 37-38% from 3..put them in.

I think if Nurk's spacing is for real, then the need for a 5th high-level 3 point shooter isn't as high. Part of the issue last season was that we also had Ayton cramping the spacing as a total zero from 3. If Nurk can play in the Dario spot on the floor, all of a sudden the lane is wide open for a slasher/cutter like JO or Little.

As for KBD, he's not perfect at the POA, but I think if you put him and KD out there together, the entire floor shrinks for the opponents. I also love his fit as a connector on offense. He doesn't have many exploitable weaknesses.

And I love that he grew under Coach Pop. If you can be a starter for Pop, you’re a legit player.

Yep, put me in the "start KBD" camp. He also has the length to play the 4 and keep KD more at the 3, where he has traditionally played.

[Drewsprocket]

You think KBD can defend POA? I haven’t watched him enough, but I got the impression he was more of a wing defender who can defend up.

Little and Okogie are definitely better defensive options than Grayson…I just think his shooting is gonna be worth it. Now if Little/Okogie is gonna shoot 37-38% from 3..put them in.

I think if Nurk's spacing is for real, then the need for a 5th high-level 3 point shooter isn't as high. Part of the issue last season was that we also had Ayton cramping the spacing as a total zero from 3. If Nurk can play in the Dario spot on the floor, all of a sudden the lane is wide open for a slasher/cutter like JO or Little.

As for KBD, he's not perfect at the POA, but I think if you put him and KD out there together, the entire floor shrinks for the opponents. I also love his fit as a connector on offense. He doesn't have many exploitable weaknesses.

And I love that he grew under Coach Pop. If you can be a starter for Pop, you’re a legit player.

Yep, put me in the "start KBD" camp. He also has the length to play the 4 and keep KD more at the 3, where he has traditionally played.

KD at the 4 just sounds like too much wear and tear.