2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Discussion of the league and of our favorite team.
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Shabazz
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Shabazz »

carey wrote:I guess I don't understand why Bender can't play the 3. He can defend the 3 just fine. Once he starts hitting his outside shots consistently he can be a player you can put anywhere from 3 to 5. Now if you want to argue it's more advantageous to put him at the 4 and use his quickness to beat bigger guys I can buy that. Or if you want to say he's not ready to use his size to punish smaller 3's yet I can buy that too. I can't get behind the idea that we couldn't run him as a SF if we chose to do so. He runs the floor, he passes, he defends. What exactly can't he do that SFs do in the modern NBA?
I mean, I do want to argue those things.

For me it's more about what's better for the team than an indictment of Bender's game. I think we'd be better off exploiting his skills against opposing 4s and 5s, and dragging them away from the basket/beating them down the floor, than running post-ups for him against smaller 3s (who he can't "blow by" for baskets). It's the way the league has moved.

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Ring_Wanted
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Ring_Wanted »

On the other hand, he'd be one of the weakest players in the league at C/PF. Long term, once he adds muscle, I can buy Bender at PF/C, but at the moment his body is a liability against mature bodies. Right now I would like to see some development at SF, via shooting and putting the ball on the floor a little, before throwing him to the sharks. The agility, length and fundamentals are there, so why play him at the spots where his body (other than height) is an issue instead of an advantage? In due time.

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Flagrant Fowl
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Flagrant Fowl »

Split T wrote:I'm not as informed on bell as you, but I don't think he can play the 3. Defense wouldn't be an issue, but offensively I think he's strictly a 4/5.
ShelC wrote:He can't play the 3.
I think he can play the 3 in time. He's not ready for extended minutes at the position now, but I think his offensive game is underrated because he wasn't asked to score at Oregon. The only hurdle I see for him on the wing is handling the ball, but that's not critical if it's not his role.
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O_Gardino
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by O_Gardino »

If we draft Bell, he will be in a Tyler Ulis situation here. We aren't going to move around our lottery picks from last season to make minutes for a 2nd round guy.


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Mori Chu
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Mori Chu »

Bender is not a small forward. I really don't want us to draft another PF and then have three young guys who all want minutes at the same spot. That would be ridiculous.

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carey
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by carey »

We are loaded with young guys everywhere but C and the best C prospect in the lottery pulled out. We are going to double up somewhere unless we make a big trade on draft night.

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In2ition
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by In2ition »

I would like Bell to play at small ball C, or defensive situational 3 or 4. He can pass the ball and he can play defense. I don't think his skill level is less than DJ jr. at this point and a little better, IMO. I see him as a little bit of Bo Outlaw or even a Ben Wallace type. Except he's a better passer than these guys. I'm not sure if he can put the ball on the ground or shoot it well enough to be a Draymond Green type, but I hope he surprises me if the Suns get lucky enough to draft him.
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Split T
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Split T »

carey wrote:I guess I don't understand why Bender can't play the 3. He can defend the 3 just fine. Once he starts hitting his outside shots consistently he can be a player you can put anywhere from 3 to 5. Now if you want to argue it's more advantageous to put him at the 4 and use his quickness to beat bigger guys I can buy that. Or if you want to say he's not ready to use his size to punish smaller 3's yet I can buy that too. I can't get behind the idea that we couldn't run him as a SF if we chose to do so. He runs the floor, he passes, he defends. What exactly can't he do that SFs do in the modern NBA?
He's OK at defending the 3. Again, in theory he can play the 3 on offense, but we haven't seen him do it at the NBA level. He was essentially a spot up shooter that shot under 30% from 3. Potentially he's got some off the dribble ability, but he's not ready. His future is at the 4/5, I see no reason to play him at the 3.

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JCSunsfan
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by JCSunsfan »

Drafting Bell would not worry me in the least. Both Bender and Chriss can play the 5 eventually and both can play the 4 now. Bell is a 4/5 too (although a small one). The thing is that Len is likely gone, so it opens up space. Bell provides depth, and if he can eventually start, all the better. He provides much better defense than we have right now.

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Flagrant Fowl
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Flagrant Fowl »

De'Aaron Fox, please.
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Superbone
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Superbone »

Well this discussion is narrowed down now for us. We don't have to worry about Lonzo Ball any more.
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ShelC
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by ShelC »

I love him but I don't know that i'd go thru the trouble of drafting him and then having to move Bleds and Knight. Fultz and Ball I'd take and then figure it out.

Philly most likely takes Fox, we get Tatum or Jackson, probably Jackson. It's cool but still a letdown after you almost get the #2.

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Flagrant Fowl
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Flagrant Fowl »

Assuming Fultz and Ball go 1-2, my preference for the remaining top prospects are De'Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, Malik Monk, Jason Tatum.
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bajanguy008
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by bajanguy008 »

I am seeing this scenario put out there in immediate post lottery reaction that Sixers take Fox so we still get Jackson . Where does TJ fit into all this , seems like a forgotten guy already
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Shabazz
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Shabazz »

bajanguy008 wrote:I am seeing this scenario put out there in immediate post lottery reaction that Sixers take Fox so we still get Jackson . Where does TJ fit into all this , seems like a forgotten guy already
Defensively, I think they can play together. Offensively, the spacing will be a little yucky.

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Superbone
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Superbone »

Flagrant Fowl wrote:Assuming Fultz and Ball go 1-2, my preference for the remaining top prospects are De'Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, Malik Monk, Jason Tatum.
In that order?
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ShelC
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by ShelC »

I'm not attached to TJ, never really have been. He can stay and play off the bench with Ulis, but if we get Jackson or Tatum, they're getting 30+ minutes a night at the 3.

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Flagrant Fowl
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Flagrant Fowl »

Superbone wrote:
Flagrant Fowl wrote:Assuming Fultz and Ball go 1-2, my preference for the remaining top prospects are De'Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, Malik Monk, Jason Tatum.
In that order?
Yes, as of now. Could change depending on individual workouts and interviews.

I see Ball and Fox as basically even prospects. They do different things well, but both have elite level potential. So there's a significant drop after to the other guys I mentioned after Fox.
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Mori Chu
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by Mori Chu »

AZCentral talks about the Suns' draft options at #4.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... 329049001/

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carey
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Re: 2017 NBA Draft Prospect Discussion

Post by carey »

In2ition wrote:
Tue Nov 29, 2016 10:07 pm
I'd trade Bledsoe and Knight for Malik Monk and De'Aaron Fox right now.
Same.
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