Suns News: Week 4 11/6-11/12

[The Bobster]

Jones Jr is another of the many reasons I wish we hadn't drafted Josh Jackson. With a SF rotation of Warren starting and Jones Jr off the bench, I thought we were actually pretty decently set at that position. We really needed a starting PG (to replace Bledsoe, who needed to be traded), or else a big 4/5 man.

When you have the 4th player in a draft like that, you draft the BPA. I believe he clearly was. BTW. If we had drafted a pg, we would have had a glut at that position. Same with 2 guard. Your #4 pick would be destined to be a back up. At the pf position we had two promising players--as promising as TJ seemed to be --in Chriss and Bender. So center would have been the only player we could have drafted for need. And Markannen is a pf.

Jones Jr. is not a good enough player to ever prevent you from drafting someone else at the same position. Maybe you can use Warren as a reason not to, but Jackson was considered to be clearly the best talent available at #4.

[ShelC]

I don't know that Jackson was "clearly" the best talent available. I think we drafted for fit, not talent, which is what you never do in the draft. But hey, McD....

[O_Gardino]

Jackson was the consensus #3 pick on every media site. I don't know what all the GM's thought, but many news sites even played with the idea that he would go #2 to the Lakers. Kenny Smith predicted Jackson to be RoY on draft night. He was definitely held in very high regard outside of this board.

[ShelC]

He was #3 because of fit. The pundits and draft sites knew we were going with a swing, which was either Tatum or Jackson, so those were the projections. We also made it known Jackson was our guy. We weren't going to take Fox, DSJ, Ntikilina because we had Bledsoe, Knight and Ulis and we weren't going to take Isaac because of Chriss and Bender.

[Split T]

I don't know that Jackson was "clearly" the best talent available. I think we drafted for fit, not talent, which is what you never do in the draft. But hey, McD....

You may not want to draft for fit when there is clearly a better talent, but I think it's important that your players fit. We've seen first hand how talent without consideration for fit can be a disaster (IT/Dragic/Bled) and Philly went through it with some very high picks (okafor, Noel, Embiid)

Before the draft, Fultz was the only guy I had as a superior talent. After that, i thought Jackson, Ball, Tatum, Isaac, and Fox were all similar talents. At that point, you take the best fit. I thought Tatum was a less than ideal fit, I may have to eat my words there, but he wasn't available anyways. Ball was also gone.

We were choosing between Jackson, Fox and Isaac. I think all 3 fit well with Booker, but with Bledsoe, it wasn't an ideal situation for Fox. And we had just drafted Bender and Chriss which made Isaac somewhat of a duplicate. I was ok drafting either as I didn't think Bledsoe was a long term solution and I thought Isaac was a superior prospect to either Bender or Chriss, but I also loved Jackson and he was the cleanest fit.

It hasn't worked out so far, but I still think Jackson and Warren will be able to play next to each other as a 3/4 combo. Still not sure why we made Jackson the 4 when Warren is better suited for it at this point. Long term, having someone like Jackson next to Booker will be very nice.

[Split T]

He was #3 because of fit. The pundits and draft sites knew we were going with a swing, which was either Tatum or Jackson, so those were the projections. We also made it known Jackson was our guy. We weren't going to take Fox, DSJ, Ntikilina because we had Bledsoe, Knight and Ulis and we weren't going to take Isaac because of Chriss and Bender.

Except we were #4, they had him 3 when Philly was picking there and he was not a good fit in Philly.

[JCSunsfan]

https://twitter.com/NBAStatsLab/status/929952801593151488

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't know that Jackson was "clearly" the best talent available. I think we drafted for fit, not talent, which is what you never do in the draft. But hey, McD....

You may not want to draft for fit when there is clearly a better talent, but I think it's important that your players fit. We've seen first hand how talent without consideration for fit can be a disaster (IT/Dragic/Bled) and Philly went through it with some very high picks (okafor, Noel, Embiid)

Before the draft, Fultz was the only guy I had as a superior talent. After that, i thought Jackson, Ball, Tatum, Isaac, and Fox were all similar talents. At that point, you take the best fit. I thought Tatum was a less than ideal fit, I may have to eat my words there, but he wasn't available anyways. Ball was also gone.

We were choosing between Jackson, Fox and Isaac. I think all 3 fit well with Booker, but with Bledsoe, it wasn't an ideal situation for Fox. And we had just drafted Bender and Chriss which made Isaac somewhat of a duplicate. I was ok drafting either as I didn't think Bledsoe was a long term solution and I thought Isaac was a superior prospect to either Bender or Chriss, but I also loved Jackson and he was the cleanest fit.

It hasn't worked out so far, but I still think Jackson and Warren will be able to play next to each other as a 3/4 combo. Still not sure why we made Jackson the 4 when Warren is better suited for it at this point. Long term, having someone like Jackson next to Booker will be very nice.

Agreed.

[bajanguy008]

https://twitter.com/NBAStatsLab/status/929952801593151488

Can't say this is a surprise to me, I wish I knew how to find a stat with what he is shooting on the curl play at the FT line. Seems like it has been a layup, a foul or a step back J at a ridiculously efficient rate

[bajanguy008]

I really hope that the Wolves game can be some kinda blueprint to how we play. Obviously not 30+ pt games but Devin/TJ being our 20pt go to scorers with Chriss, Josh n Bender being able to become nightly factors on D and hit their 3pters would obviously be ideal . Chriss saying he likes that Triano puts him in position to make passes maybe the three of them can slowly but surely become more efficient at their interior passing n for Josh his dribble drives n dish game.
I just want us not to screw up things with Devin, kid just seems to get it

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2137 ... oenix-suns

[Superbone]

That's a great stat, JC!

[Split T]

https://twitter.com/NBAStatsLab/status/929952801593151488

I looked up the rest of the stats in the link. Guess who leads the NBA in pull up jumpers? Our very own Devin Booker with 29.

[TOO]

We have 2 good NBA players! Yaaaaaaaaaay

[JCSunsfan]

Its beginning to look like we have two legit players to build around. Jackson could be a third.

In the rebuilding process, you will hit some duds. Everyone loves where Philly is with Embiid, Simmons and Fultz. But Okafor and Noel are clear draft failures.

If all Jackson, Chriss and Bender end up being is quality rotation players, we still probably only have one star to get. We can do that through the draft, trade or free agency. Then you have to have a coach who can put it all together.

[ShelC]

Is Warren a guy you can with with? Between him and JJ not being able to shoot the 3 consistently...that's a problem.

[JCSunsfan]

Is Warren a guy you can with with? Between him and JJ not being able to shoot the 3 consistently...that's a problem.

I don't think its a problem at all when your starting pf is hitting 40% from three.

[O_Gardino]

Is Warren a guy you can with with? Between him and JJ not being able to shoot the 3 consistently...that's a problem.

I really like watching him play, but IMHO, the best play is to build up Warren's value and trade him in a package for a star.

[JCSunsfan]

Is Warren a guy you can with with? Between him and JJ not being able to shoot the 3 consistently...that's a problem.

I really like watching him play, but IMHO, the best play is to build up Warren's value and trade him in a package for a star.

I think that will happen eventually with one of Warren or Jackson.

[n4th4n]

Is Warren a guy you can with with? Between him and JJ not being able to shoot the 3 consistently...that's a problem.

I really like watching him play, but IMHO, the best play is to build up Warren's value and trade him in a package for a star.

I agree with this!

[Superbone]

I just want us not to screw up things with Devin, kid just seems to get it

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2137 ... oenix-suns

Good interview. We had better not mess it up with this kid. He seems to like it here and will hopefully be part of the next great Suns team.