Suns draft Josh Jackson at #4

[O_Gardino]

Excuse my optimism. Clearly we drafted a flawed player that can only provide highlight reel dunks. Carry on...

We aren't pessimists. It's just that everything that isn't perfect is awful.

[AmareIsGod]

Ugh, Jackson shot 55% FT? That seems like a problem. If he can't raise that significantly, he will be a guy you can't leave on the floor at the end of a game. Still really concerned about his shooting.

Let's give the one year in college player a chance to work on and improve his FT shooting. It's hard to find a player that grades a 10 in every aspect of his game. We wouldn't have snagged him at #4 if he was top notch in every aspect of his game.

When multiple experts deem him the best player in an extremely talented draft class, I'll aim for optimism over negativity.

[O_Gardino]

I actually want to bring Price back, because I think it's important to have old pros who have been around that know they aren't going to play.

That's Knight's job. And for $14M a year, he'd better be damn good at it.

If we are relying on Knight for mentoring... just oh my god. You hurt me with that one. 8/10 I almost died.

[Cap]

I actually want to bring Price back, because I think it's important to have old pros who have been around that know they aren't going to play.

That's Knight's job. And for $14M a year, he'd better be damn good at it.

If we are relying on Knight for mentoring... just oh my god. You hurt me with that one. 8/10 I almost died.

Those who can't do, teach. And those who can't teach, teach gym.

[ShelC]

I think we targeted Jackson early on and gave him the promise, so we probably didn't want or feel the need to work out for the Cs. Plus, with their depth he'd be fighting for minutes or included in a potential trade. Hopefully wanting to play in Phoenix was part of the reason he declined Boston.

Seems like McD basically confirmed this:

http://arizonasports.com/story/1156153/ ... unanimous/

McDonough was careful in his answer on the story before not turning down the notion that his team was possibly connected to Jackon’s reasoning.

“Let me see how I can answer this politically or diplomatically without offending anybody,” McDonough said.

“I’m not saying we did have anything to do with it but there’s a chance that maybe Josh’s decision not to work out for the Celtics or to go visit Boston or be as involved or engaged with the Celtics as he could have been had something to do with us and the Phoenix Suns. "Not saying it did but not saying it didn’t.”

[n4th4n]

Jackson's free throw shooting is a major, major concern. It's his biggest and brightest red flag. There is a history of players who have succumb to their poor free throw shooting, and a history of players who have overcome it. Andre Iguoadala is a player who constantly comes to mind when I think about Jackson. Iguadala has shot in the 60s/50s from the free throw line 6-years throughout his career. Something to keep in mind.

[Split T]

I actually want to bring Price back, because I think it's important to have old pros who have been around that know they aren't going to play.

That's Knight's job. And for $14M a year, he'd better be damn good at it.

I didn't see anything in that highlight reel that wasn't a dunk. Kid can't shoot, and that severely limits his utility to us, given hardly anyone else on the team can either.

I think it's funny how much this "kid can't shoot" narrative has taken hold. Isaac and Tatum both often get shooting listed as a strength, they both shot 35% from 3. Jackson shot 38% from 3. It doesn't look pretty but it went in. I'm not naive to think that he doesn't have issues, the 55% ft shooting is concerning, but he's not broken. He's not MKG who shot 25% from 3.

I checked BR for guards and wings who came into the league shooting less than 60% from the line: http://bkref.com/tiny/M4Gxq

Aside from Pooh Richardson and Scottie Pippen, it's a pretty discouraging group.

I guess we'll have to be ok with just Scottie Pippen

[Superbone]

I think we targeted Jackson early on and gave him the promise, so we probably didn't want or feel the need to work out for the Cs. Plus, with their depth he'd be fighting for minutes or included in a potential trade. Hopefully wanting to play in Phoenix was part of the reason he declined Boston.

I liked that the Celtics found out mid-flight that they wouldn't have access to Jackson and had to turn around as soon as they got to Sacramento and fly back home.

[Superbone]

I'd also like to add that I'm curious to see what happens with TJ Warren. For all of Jackson's versatility, he's a wing who will get most of his minutes at the 3.

A Bledsoe-Booker-Warren-Jackson-Chriss lineup is interesting, but I have tremendous doubts about their defensive ability.

Q. Josh, through this process, it seemed like the Suns had locked in on you and you guys had locked in on the Suns. What was it about the Suns' situation that made you comfortable to maybe not work out with some other teams?
JOSH JACKSON: Well, the only team I didn't work out for at the top of the draft was the Celtics, and that was due to scheduling. I was excited to be on any team at the top of the draft to be honest, whether it was Philly, Boston, LA. I felt like the type of player that I am, I could fit anywhere. But when I look at Phoenix and I see that they are so young and kind of need a 3, somebody to come in and play that 3 spot, and I feel like that's my favorite position to play. That's where I'm the most comfortable. I automatically just get excited when I see stuff like that.

Everyone is discounting Warren. I hope he comes in with a chip on at least one shoulder and scores and rebounds a ton this year.

[Split T]

Warren might see some time as a small ball 4. Might be a good spot for him. If he can just be an average floor spreader, his cutting and rebounding would be good from the 4 spot. Might fare better there defensively too. He's got decent size at 6'8 225.

[Superbone]

I didn't see anyone in that highlight reel that wasn't a dunk. Kid can't shoot, and that severely limits his utility to us, given hardly anyone else on the team can either.

Well, ya, it is a highlight reel, of course, it is going to be full of dunks. If you want a better idea about what he is capable of, you should watch a scouting tape.

The DX clip is good and shows his whole game.

[TOO]

Warren might see some time as a small ball 4. Might be a good spot for him. If he can just be an average floor spreader, his cutting and rebounding would be good from the 4 spot. Might fare better there defensively too. He's got decent size at 6'8 225.

100% agree with this, I think this should have always been his spot. We just need a C to cover his back on defense. Len should've been that guy, but ya know, he's not.

[Cap]

I actually want to bring Price back, because I think it's important to have old pros who have been around that know they aren't going to play.

That's Knight's job. And for $14M a year, he'd better be damn good at it.

I didn't see anything in that highlight reel that wasn't a dunk. Kid can't shoot, and that severely limits his utility to us, given hardly anyone else on the team can either.

I think it's funny how much this "kid can't shoot" narrative has taken hold. Isaac and Tatum both often get shooting listed as a strength, they both shot 35% from 3. Jackson shot 38% from 3. It doesn't look pretty but it went in. I'm not naive to think that he doesn't have issues, the 55% ft shooting is concerning, but he's not broken. He's not MKG who shot 25% from 3.

I checked BR for guards and wings who came into the league shooting less than 60% from the line: http://bkref.com/tiny/M4Gxq

Aside from Pooh Richardson and Scottie Pippen, it's a pretty discouraging group.

I guess we'll have to be ok with just Scottie Pippen

If he turns out to be Pippen, I can live with it.

That search was for players who shot poorly from the line as rookies. Looking for guys who shot poorly from the line in college, the list includes Baron Davis, Rajon Rondo, Ron Artest, and the incomparable Elijah Millsap.

[Superbone]

Excuse my optimism. Clearly we drafted a flawed player that can only provide highlight reel dunks. Carry on...

Don't let a couple posters get you down, AIG.

[Superbone]

Shooting 55% from the line as a perimeter player is never a good sign. Even getting it up to 70ish is still barely average. And FT% is usually an indicator of a guy's ability to shoot it overall.

Not a good sign, but not a death sentence. Here's a list of players who shot under 60% from the FT line in college and still turned out ok as shooters

Chris Webber (never became a good ft shooter or 3pt shooter, but decent mid range)
Blake Griffin
Chandler Parsons
Baron Davis
Antwan Jamison
Aaron Gordon (not a great example, but he's not terrible)
TJ Warren (again, not a great example)
Avery Bradley
Ron Artest

I'm honestly not that worried about his shooting. If he's as much the gym rat as I hear, I think he'll improve immensely over his pro career.

[Superbone]

Ugh, Jackson shot 55% FT? That seems like a problem. If he can't raise that significantly, he will be a guy you can't leave on the floor at the end of a game. Still really concerned about his shooting.

Let's give the one year in college player a chance to work on and improve his FT shooting. It's hard to find a player that grades a 10 in every aspect of his game. We wouldn't have snagged him at #4 if he was top notch in every aspect of his game.

When multiple experts deem him the best player in an extremely talented draft class, I'll aim for optimism over negativity.

Good on ya.

[TOO]

Shooting 55% from the line as a perimeter player is never a good sign. Even getting it up to 70ish is still barely average. And FT% is usually an indicator of a guy's ability to shoot it overall.

Not a good sign, but not a death sentence. Here's a list of players who shot under 60% from the FT line in college and still turned out ok as shooters

Chris Webber (never became a good ft shooter or 3pt shooter, but decent mid range)
Blake Griffin
Chandler Parsons
Baron Davis
Antwan Jamison
Aaron Gordon (not a great example, but he's not terrible)
TJ Warren (again, not a great example)
Avery Bradley
Ron Artest

I'm honestly not that worried about his shooting. If he's as much the gym rat as I hear, I think he'll improve immensely over his pro career.

Get outta here with that optimism. He's gonna be a terrible human who will be out of the league within 3 years because he's just a murderer in NBA clothing.

[Superbone]

Jackson's free throw shooting is a major, major concern. It's his biggest and brightest red flag. There is a history of players who have succumb to their poor free throw shooting, and a history of players who have overcome it. Andre Iguoadala is a player who constantly comes to mind when I think about Jackson. Iguadala has shot in the 60s/50s from the free throw line 6-years throughout his career. Something to keep in mind.

And yet he hit big threes as recently as the last NBA Finals.

[Split T]

Iggy is interesting because he never figured out how to shoot free throws, but became at least average as a 3pt shooter.

[TOO]

Iggy is interesting because he never figured out how to shoot free throws, but became at least average as a 3pt shooter.

I think Jackson will be fine, he might not ever be a great shooter, but he will defend, pass, and score in transition. Thats good enough for me.