Suns News: Week 12 1/1-1/7

[O_Gardino]

If it wasn't for Chriss' recent breakoutish and Canaan's play, I would have jumped on that trade. Are the Suns trying to win this year and legitimately make the playoffs? If so, Randle and Clarkson are better than Chriss and Canaan.

I hope that Chriss has turned a corner and starts to really show growth through the rest of the year, but I would still take Bagley over him if I had to make a decision.

Chriss and Warren might be playing themselves into valuable NBA trade pieces. Maybe Chriss + Warren + #8 will be enough to pick up a disgruntled star this offseason.

[Shabazz]

I've gone back and forth and posted before about a Monroe for Clarkson deal (no Randle, though). I like Clarkson and think he'd be a good fit next to Booker in the starting lineup for now and would be a very solid 3rd guard if we draft Doncic or Young. His contract is not that bad relative to his production at $11M per.

[TOO]

I've gone back and forth and posted before about a Monroe for Clarkson deal (no Randle, though). I like Clarkson and think he'd be a good fit next to Booker in the starting lineup for now and would be a very solid 3rd guard if we draft Doncic or Young. His contract is not that bad relative to his production at $11M per.

He's a 2, Booker is a 2. Redundancy. Meh.

[Mori Chu]

I've gone back and forth and posted before about a Monroe for Clarkson deal (no Randle, though). I like Clarkson and think he'd be a good fit next to Booker in the starting lineup for now and would be a very solid 3rd guard if we draft Doncic or Young. His contract is not that bad relative to his production at $11M per.

Clarkson is averaging the following this year:

14.4 ppg (45.5 FG%, 34.6 3pt%, 75.6 FT%)
3.2 ast
2.9 reb
0.7 stl
1.8 TO

I haven't studied him much, but those numbers aren't blowing me away. Seems pretty profoundly mediocre to me. Can't Brandon Knight put up those numbers or better next year if we really wanted him to?

[TOO]

I've gone back and forth and posted before about a Monroe for Clarkson deal (no Randle, though). I like Clarkson and think he'd be a good fit next to Booker in the starting lineup for now and would be a very solid 3rd guard if we draft Doncic or Young. His contract is not that bad relative to his production at $11M per.

Clarkson is averaging the following this year:

14.4 ppg (45.5 FG%, 34.6 3pt%, 75.6 FT%)
3.2 ast
2.9 reb
0.7 stl
1.8 TO

I haven't studied him much, but those numbers aren't blowing me away. Seems pretty profoundly mediocre to me. Can't Brandon Knight put up those numbers or better next year if we really wanted him to?

Yup.

[specialsauce]

Let our world continue without Jordan Clarkson

[Danimal]

Time for a random story:

I am back In Australia currently and watched a game featuring former Suns greats Josh Childress and Bryce Cotton going against each other.

Childress still can't shoot but played within himself and basically had a Marion type role. Bryce Cotton was on fire in the 2nd half and it seemed hit 4 threes in a row at one point.

[carey]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

[O_Gardino]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

[carey]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

The whole section needs editing.

Kosta Koufos exists, while Georgios Papagiannis plays in the G League. It has to be frustrating for Kings fans. But it’s not a bad thing to have Fox (and Frank Mason III) developing within a multi-ball handler offense alongside Hill, or for Labissiere to get eased in rather than possibly ruining the raw big’s confidence by tossing him in before he’s ready”?. There’s truly no one right way to develop players. Both teams are doing it; they’re just doing it differently.

There's so much wrong there. The Koufos sentence. Starting the next one with "But." The quotation, question mark, period thing at the end of that sentence. The odd choice of a semicolon in the last one. This guy gets paid to write.

[Cap]

"They've drawn interest from free agents"? What is he talking about?

[carey]

"They've drawn interest from free agents"? What is he talking about?

Maybe that we were "in the running" for LMA & had a meeting scheduled for Blake?

[n4th4n]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

Doesn't he kind of make the exact opposite claim? He says Booker is already a better version of Klay with his passing, shot creation, and handles. To me that doesn't scream "could be as good as McCullum"....

[n4th4n]

"They've drawn interest from free agents"? What is he talking about?

We have. Maybe not serious interest, but we have scheduled meetings and talks with a number of free agents.

[O_Gardino]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

Doesn't he kind of make the exact opposite claim? He says Booker is already a better version of Klay with his passing, shot creation, and handles. To me that doesn't scream "could be as good as McCullum"....

Yeah, that's what I mean. He thinks this year is the year when Booker is becoming more. But Suns fans have seen it since the rookie campaign.

[O_Gardino]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

The whole section needs editing.

Kosta Koufos exists, while Georgios Papagiannis plays in the G League. It has to be frustrating for Kings fans. But it’s not a bad thing to have Fox (and Frank Mason III) developing within a multi-ball handler offense alongside Hill, or for Labissiere to get eased in rather than possibly ruining the raw big’s confidence by tossing him in before he’s ready”?. There’s truly no one right way to develop players. Both teams are doing it; they’re just doing it differently.

There's so much wrong there. The Koufos sentence. Starting the next one with "But." The quotation, question mark, period thing at the end of that sentence. The odd choice of a semicolon in the last one. This guy gets paid to write.

But who got paid to edit?

Here comes a Syfi channel movie about Koufos blinking out of existence any time Papagiannis gets called up from the G-League.

[n4th4n]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

The whole section needs editing.

Kosta Koufos exists, while Georgios Papagiannis plays in the G League. It has to be frustrating for Kings fans. But it’s not a bad thing to have Fox (and Frank Mason III) developing within a multi-ball handler offense alongside Hill, or for Labissiere to get eased in rather than possibly ruining the raw big’s confidence by tossing him in before he’s ready”?. There’s truly no one right way to develop players. Both teams are doing it; they’re just doing it differently.

There's so much wrong there. The Koufos sentence. Starting the next one with "But." The quotation, question mark, period thing at the end of that sentence. The odd choice of a semicolon in the last one. This guy gets paid to write.

I too get paid to write. So I will take a moment to offer my assessment of this section. First, you are all misreading this Kosta Koufos bit. Clearly, it is not meant to be a profound statement. Rather, it is a cheeky jab showing how pointless (and meaningless) it is to give Koufos minutes over younger Kings such as Skal. The quotation/question mark/period thing is a copy editing error. But, "but" is properly used as a contradictory transitional word. However, it should be accompanied by a comma. Finally, the use of a semicolon in the final sentence is appropriate. This is a stylistic choice likely established in The Ringer's copy editing guidelines. Obviously, you could just swap the semicolon out for a period. I personally prefer the use of a semicolon in this instance as the next sentence begins with the pronoun "they". This sentence structure helps to clarify the exact individuals (teams) the pronoun is referencing.

All that being said... I work as a content creator. I am most certainly NOT an editor!

[Superbone]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

The whole section needs editing.

Kosta Koufos exists, while Georgios Papagiannis plays in the G League. It has to be frustrating for Kings fans. But it’s not a bad thing to have Fox (and Frank Mason III) developing within a multi-ball handler offense alongside Hill, or for Labissiere to get eased in rather than possibly ruining the raw big’s confidence by tossing him in before he’s ready”?. There’s truly no one right way to develop players. Both teams are doing it; they’re just doing it differently.

There's so much wrong there. The Koufos sentence. Starting the next one with "But." The quotation, question mark, period thing at the end of that sentence. The odd choice of a semicolon in the last one. This guy gets paid to write.

I too get paid to write. So I will take a moment to offer my assessment of this section. First, you are all misreading this Kosta Koufos bit. Clearly, it is not meant to be a profound statement. Rather, it is a cheeky jab showing how pointless (and meaningless) it is to give Koufos minutes over younger Kings such as Skal. The quotation/question mark/period thing is a copy editing error. But, "but" is properly used as a contradictory transitional word. However, it should be accompanied by a comma. Finally, the use of a semicolon in the final sentence is appropriate. This is a stylistic choice likely established in The Ringer's copy editing guidelines. Obviously, you could just swap the semicolon out for a period. I personally prefer the use of a semicolon in this instance as the next sentence begins with the pronoun "they". This sentence structure helps to clarify exactly individuals (teams) the pronoun is referencing.

All that being said... I work as a content creator. I am most certainly NOT an editor!

Finally... a professional writing critique on this site! What we've all been pining for. (One shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition.)

[O_Gardino]

Well, Kevin O'Connor, this is what happens when you compliment the best player the Suns have drafted since Amare.

To his point, the knocks on Booker last season were that he wouldn't be a true Star until he:
- Shoots more efficiently
- Gets more assists
- Rebounds better
- At least plays a little defense

Well, Booker improved a lot in all of those areas this year. He's a really remarkable kid.

[n4th4n]

Kevin O'Connor over at the Ringer wrote about Booker's remarkable season: https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/5/ ... oenix-suns

This guy has some insights.

Kosta Koufos exists

But seriously, folks. This is an article written by someone who hasn't really watched Booker since Kentucky. To me, it's representative of all the "could be as god as McCullum" writers just now realizing the Booker is a complete and generational scorer.

The whole section needs editing.

Kosta Koufos exists, while Georgios Papagiannis plays in the G League. It has to be frustrating for Kings fans. But it’s not a bad thing to have Fox (and Frank Mason III) developing within a multi-ball handler offense alongside Hill, or for Labissiere to get eased in rather than possibly ruining the raw big’s confidence by tossing him in before he’s ready”?. There’s truly no one right way to develop players. Both teams are doing it; they’re just doing it differently.

There's so much wrong there. The Koufos sentence. Starting the next one with "But." The quotation, question mark, period thing at the end of that sentence. The odd choice of a semicolon in the last one. This guy gets paid to write.

I too get paid to write. So I will take a moment to offer my assessment of this section. First, you are all misreading this Kosta Koufos bit. Clearly, it is not meant to be a profound statement. Rather, it is a cheeky jab showing how pointless (and meaningless) it is to give Koufos minutes over younger Kings such as Skal. The quotation/question mark/period thing is a copy editing error. But, "but" is properly used as a contradictory transitional word. However, it should be accompanied by a comma. Finally, the use of a semicolon in the final sentence is appropriate. This is a stylistic choice likely established in The Ringer's copy editing guidelines. Obviously, you could just swap the semicolon out for a period. I personally prefer the use of a semicolon in this instance as the next sentence begins with the pronoun "they". This sentence structure helps to clarify exactly individuals (teams) the pronoun is referencing.

All that being said... I work as a content creator. I am most certainly NOT an editor!

Finally... a professional writing critique on this site! What we've all been pining for. (One shouldn't end a sentence with a preposition.)

I probably should not have outed myself here. In fact, there is almost no way this goes well if my regular posts fall under additional grammatic scrutiny...

Now, I should probably get back to work because I am on deadline today to the tune of about 4k words : (