Rookie and Sophmore Watch

[In2ition]

Bender's going to be fine. It's just an adjustment period for him. At no point while watching him have a I thought he doesn't belong on the court.

Tell that to the so called "experts" and "prognosticators" writing the previews for the Suns. They think he's lost out there, but I don't trust that they have even watched what the Suns have done or paid attention to what's going on here at all.

[O_Gardino]

Bender's going to be fine. It's just an adjustment period for him. At no point while watching him have a I thought he doesn't belong on the court.

Tell that to the so called "experts" and "prognosticators" writing the previews for the Suns. They think he's lost out there, but I don't trust that they have even watched what the Suns have done or paid attention to what's going on here at all.

He doesn't look lost, but he does look young. I don't expect Bender to win too many for us this season. That's OK with me.

[Superbone]

Bender is showing signs of developing too. I love his D.

Agreed. His defensive awareness is tremendous.

[Cap]

"Tremendous"! Take a drink!

Oh, I think I'm in the wrong thread.

[Superbone]

"Tremendous"! Take a drink!

Oh, I think I'm in the wrong thread.

Ha ha! The other thread is probably why I used the word!

[JCSunsfan]

Bender is showing signs of developing too. I love his D.

Agreed. His defensive awareness is tremendous.

Thats why Bender is low-risk right now. A 7-1 player with great mobility and the ability and will to defend on the perimeter will have a long and effective career. He already has that. He also has the ability to shoot the 3. We can see that. So. A 7-1 3 and D player. Thats rare.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Thats why Bender is low-risk right now. A 7-1 player with great mobility and the ability and will to defend on the perimeter will have a long and effective career. He already has that. He also has the ability to shoot the 3. We can see that. So. A 7-1 3 and D player. Thats rare.

Not what I would like to get from my 4th pick, since I'm already making peace with my former 5th pick evolving into a fringe starter, most likely first big from the bench. Not that he cares, but McD would lose my faith if Bender tops as a 3&D player. It would be striking out on 2 out of 2 almost consecutive top five picks. I voted Bender all the way and would have been as wrong as him, but I don't make a living out of judging NBA talent. So I think Bender is actually the highest risky issue currently on McD's hands, beyond Len, beyond keeping our logjam at guard, beyond Watson.

[Cap]

Not what I would like to get from my 4th pick,

Not really fair, because this was a weak draft. Having the #4 pick in this draft isn't like having the #4 pick in an average draft. Is there somebody else you would rather have drafted in his place?

[JCSunsfan]

Thats why Bender is low-risk right now. A 7-1 player with great mobility and the ability and will to defend on the perimeter will have a long and effective career. He already has that. He also has the ability to shoot the 3. We can see that. So. A 7-1 3 and D player. Thats rare.

Not what I would like to get from my 4th pick, since I'm already making peace with my former 5th pick evolving into a fringe starter, most likely first big from the bench. Not that he cares, but McD would lose my faith if Bender tops as a 3&D player. It would be striking out on 2 out of 2 almost consecutive top five picks. I voted Bender all the way and would have been as wrong as him, but I don't make a living out of judging NBA talent. So I think Bender is actually the highest risky issue currently on McD's hands, beyond Len, beyond keeping our logjam at guard, beyond Watson.

If that's his floor it's a win. A 7-1 3 and D player is a big time contributor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Superbone]

Yeah, you're assuming that's all he's going to be, Aztec. He has the potential to be much more.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I want more than a 3&D player. I'm assuming as a matter of fact that Bender can be at least a Lamar Odom with a straight head. If this was a weak draft on the eyes of our Front Office, then why trade up to get TWO weak picks?

That's my point about McD, either take only one player or trade down or out if the talent if the level is so low. He wanted two players in the top ten of a weak draft, and comitted assets for two low ceiling players?

[Superbone]

Have you watched these guys, Aztec? Chriss especially has really surprised. He might turn out to be a steal. It's possible we got two real gems whether the draft was weak or not.

[Cap]

I want more than a 3&D player. I'm assuming as a matter of fact that Bender can be at least a Lamar Odom with a straight head. If this was a weak draft on the eyes of our Front Office, then why trade up to get TWO weak picks?

The cost of trading up was the 28th pick, a future second-rounder, and Bogdanovic. Not exactly breaking the bank.

[Shabazz]

I want more than a 3&D player. I'm assuming as a matter of fact that Bender can be at least a Lamar Odom with a straight head. If this was a weak draft on the eyes of our Front Office, then why trade up to get TWO weak picks?

The cost of trading up was the 28th pick, a future second-rounder, and Bogdanovic. Not exactly breaking the bank.

..and the 13th.

[SDC]

I want more than a 3&D player. I'm assuming as a matter of fact that Bender can be at least a Lamar Odom with a straight head. If this was a weak draft on the eyes of our Front Office, then why trade up to get TWO weak picks?

The cost of trading up was the 28th pick, a future second-rounder, and Bogdanovic. Not exactly breaking the bank.

but we all know bogdanovic was the main piece divac wanted.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

So, this supossedly weak draft has suddenly produced two gems? Make up your mind people! You can not cry weakness or gems as the argument turns around!!!

Back to serious, perhaps I can not translate my point properly. I had watched them play, and I'm really excited for our 3 rookies, but I can not cut any slack on McD this year and be satisfied for another average player out of a lottery pick, no matter how weak the year was considered, he is getting paid to nail it. You know I have never been on asking for his head or pile on him, but neither can consider a success or a low risk move to walk away with a 3&D guy out of a 4th pick, sorry I can't. That has been my point all along.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I want more than a 3&D player. I'm assuming as a matter of fact that Bender can be at least a Lamar Odom with a straight head. If this was a weak draft on the eyes of our Front Office, then why trade up to get TWO weak picks?

The cost of trading up was the 28th pick, a future second-rounder, and Bogdanovic. Not exactly breaking the bank.

Plus the 13th. Back then, many people around here considered it a costly pick, specially to be used for Chriss. I said "two weak picks", not in current time, but as a way to say that in a supossedly weak draft, suddenly our FO decided to double up their picks, therefore we could said that they decided to take not one, but two players out of a low ceiling year.

Hindsight allow us to be happy about it SO FAR, but at the time many were legitimately concern about it, a few cautiously optimistic and some other calling for McD's head or making those classic "I'm done with the team" proclamations, There are still some people unable to show his face around, given how bad they judged our draft day decisions. At the time I was for swinging for the fences in Bender and going safe with Sabonis. That double "all or nothing" in Bender and Chriss could be the best decision ever made for McD if one of them becomes an AllStar caliber player and the other a legit building block, so far I'm thrilled to be wrong about Chriss and waiting for Bender to pick up the pace.

[Cap]

I want more than a 3&D player. I'm assuming as a matter of fact that Bender can be at least a Lamar Odom with a straight head. If this was a weak draft on the eyes of our Front Office, then why trade up to get TWO weak picks?

The cost of trading up was the 28th pick, a future second-rounder, and Bogdanovic. Not exactly breaking the bank.

Plus the 13th. Back then, many people around here considered it a costly pick, specially to be used for Chriss. I said "two weak picks", not in current time, but as a way to say that in a supossedly weak draft, suddenly our FO decided to double up their picks, therefore we could said that they decided to take not one, but two players out of a low ceiling year.

We came into the draft with two lottery picks, so we didn't "double up." They saw value in moving up from 13 to 8. The cost of doing that was Bogdan and basically two second-rounders. That's not much. I'm not convinced Bogdan has much trade value, he wasn't in the team's plans, and two second-round picks is what we gave up for two months of Brandan Wright. Yeah, it's a four-for-one trade, but three of the four assets were negligible.

[Superbone]

http://www.nba.com/suns/blog/marquese-c ... r-rankings

Chriss’ early performances have now started to pick up national attention. Fox Sports recently published its preseason power rankings for NBA rookies, and the Suns forward earned the No. 2 spot on the list.

Chriss also earned attention from NBA general managers, who voted him fifth on the list of biggest steals at where rookies were drafted. Chriss received votes for predicting the 2016-17 Rookie of the Year as well.

[Superbone]

You know I have never been on asking for his head or pile on him, but neither can consider a success or a low risk move to walk away with a 3&D guy out of a 4th pick, sorry I can't. That has been my point all along.

And you've already made up your mind that that's what he's going to be before he's played a single regular season NBA game?