Suns News: Week 10 2/22-2/28

[carey]

Extra, extra read all about it. Book pooped on again by the West's coaches!

Suns are read hot right now. 12-2 over their last 14. Four games this week with games against Portland (that we've already won - sorry for the late thread), Charlotte, Chicago and Minnesota. All are winnable games!

Last Week's Games

vs. Orlando WIN! 109-90
vs. Brooklyn Loss 128-124
@ New Orleans WIN! 132-114
@ Memphis WIN! 128-97

This Week's Games

Monday, February 22nd vs. Portland (WIN 132-100)
Wednesday, February 24th vs. Charlotte 9:00 PM EST
Friday, February 26th @ Chicago 8:00 PM EST
Sunday, February 28th @ Minnesota 9:00 PM EST

Suns Stories

All-Star: Paul in, Booker snubbed as coaches make their reserve selections - https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2021 ... selections

Suns waive big man Damian Jones, roster spot opens up - https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2021 ... t-opens-up

Suns' Booker doesn't receive NBA All-Star nod - https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ ... 560054001/

[virtual9mm]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

[Superbone]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

Good article thanks. However, we don’t need Ayton shooting threes. But he does need to get more aggressive in the paint and start forcing some contact. He insisted on being the number one pick in the draft but he doesn’t choose to play like one. That has to change. He’s young and he has time but he doesn’t have that alpha dog in him. He’s going to have to learn to go against his nature.

[virtual9mm]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

Good article thanks. However, we don’t need Ayton shooting threes. But he does need to get more aggressive in the paint and start forcing some contact. He insisted on being the number one pick in the draft but he doesn’t choose to play like one. That has to change. He’s young and he has time but he doesn’t have that alpha dog in him. He’s going to have to learn to go against his nature.

I am still patient but starting to get disappointed. Still, a defensive anchor and rebounder who is average at offense is nothing to sneeze at. And a good fit with the other players on the team. Just not the obvious max player we were hoping for.

[Superbone]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

Good article thanks. However, we don’t need Ayton shooting threes. But he does need to get more aggressive in the paint and start forcing some contact. He insisted on being the number one pick in the draft but he doesn’t choose to play like one. That has to change. He’s young and he has time but he doesn’t have that alpha dog in him. He’s going to have to learn to go against his nature.

I am still patient but starting to get disappointed. Still, a defensive anchor and rebounder who is average at offense is nothing to sneeze at. And a good fit with the other players on the team. Just not the obvious max player we were hoping for.

It’s just disappointing as we had so many great players to choose from.

[virtual9mm]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

Good article thanks. However, we don’t need Ayton shooting threes. But he does need to get more aggressive in the paint and start forcing some contact. He insisted on being the number one pick in the draft but he doesn’t choose to play like one. That has to change. He’s young and he has time but he doesn’t have that alpha dog in him. He’s going to have to learn to go against his nature.

I am still patient but starting to get disappointed. Still, a defensive anchor and rebounder who is average at offense is nothing to sneeze at. And a good fit with the other players on the team. Just not the obvious max player we were hoping for.

It’s just disappointing as we had so many great players to choose from.

Besides Doncic, I don't think I'd rather have any other player than Ayton, who's a rare defensive anchor that's kind of a cross between a Mutumbo and a Garnett. Trae? Flashy but I'd rather have a defensive anchor (who would command a lower price). SGA? Perhaps but I'm not convinced. JJJ? Hyped but what kind of impact does he really have? Bridges? We got him anyway You could make an argument that we could have traded the pick and picked up a few players but I really do think Ayton will end up the second best player in the class even if he ends up averaging 18 and 14 with elite defense throughout his career. And he won't command a max.

I'd love to see him become a 25-14 player instead, though. He really should be a peak Ewing.

[Shabazz]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

Good article thanks. However, we don’t need Ayton shooting threes. But he does need to get more aggressive in the paint and start forcing some contact. He insisted on being the number one pick in the draft but he doesn’t choose to play like one. That has to change. He’s young and he has time but he doesn’t have that alpha dog in him. He’s going to have to learn to go against his nature.

I am still patient but starting to get disappointed. Still, a defensive anchor and rebounder who is average at offense is nothing to sneeze at. And a good fit with the other players on the team. Just not the obvious max player we were hoping for.

It’s just disappointing as we had so many great players to choose from.

Besides Doncic, I don't think I'd rather have any other player than Ayton, who's a rare defensive anchor that's kind of a cross between a Mutumbo and a Garnett.

Yeah. Let's take it down a few notches.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Olajuwon and Russell?

[Charlie Smithy!]

Has this been posted yet? Good, balanced view of Ayton

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/2/16 ... oenix-suns

Good article thanks. However, we don’t need Ayton shooting threes. But he does need to get more aggressive in the paint and start forcing some contact. He insisted on being the number one pick in the draft but he doesn’t choose to play like one. That has to change. He’s young and he has time but he doesn’t have that alpha dog in him. He’s going to have to learn to go against his nature.

I am still patient but starting to get disappointed. Still, a defensive anchor and rebounder who is average at offense is nothing to sneeze at. And a good fit with the other players on the team. Just not the obvious max player we were hoping for.

Unless said anchor was covered in pollen!

[virtual9mm]

Sure, the guy has mental lapses. But he's an amazing rebounder who defends well from the three-point line deep into the paint and also defends the rim. I might have been exaggerating a bit when I said Garnett and Mutumbo but he really is getting there.

[specialsauce]

Sure, the guy has mental lapses. But he's an amazing rebounder who defends well from the three-point line deep into the paint and also defends the rim. I might have been exaggerating a bit when I said Garnett and Mutumbo but he really is getting there.

You have an interesting definition of “getting there.”

Getting there: to be not even close to “there.” For example: When one is on Earth and aiming for Mars.


That’s different from my definition.

[specialsauce]

Ayton is not rare, nor is he extraordinary. He is a typical big man who can grab rebounds in his sleep and chooses when he wants to focus and show up. Basketball is his job not his passion and it shows on the court. He has horrendous hands, horrible offensive awareness, and he completely goes into a shell against anyone remotely physical.

He is a decent defender (extremely overrated by Suns fans).

He’s Jahlil Okafor. Andre Drummond. On his good days he’s Deandre Jordan. Slightly better defensively, way more timid offensively. How many of these have we seen through the years.

I wouldn’t hesitate to send him packing if we could get a big with a higher motor in return. I wanted to see what he did out there to start the year. I was really hoping to see a different mentality this year. It’s not going to change. He’s got Dragan Bender balls.

Jarrett Allen and Larry Nance would be a fantastic return.

[Indy]

He's closer to Ben Wallace than Dikembe or Garnett.

[Split T]

Drummond is the best comparison for Ayton to me right now. They’re not the same player, but if we sign him to a max deal like Drummond got, I see it going similarly. Drummond got dumped by Detroit and now Cleveland is trying to dump him. I can almost guarantee Ayton won’t last in Phoenix on a max deal...unless he becomes so unmovable that we’re stuck with him.

[Superbone]

DO NOT GIVE AYTON A MAX DEAL!

[Bucktastic365]

Wow, the hAyton is strong today

I'm the first person to say that he needs to have his balls finally drop, but y'all are killing the KID

[Superbone]

You don't reward his level of play with a max contract. That's all I'm saying. He is what he is. He's never going to be an alpha player. He'll continue to shoot fadeaways away from contact and always lay the ball into the hoop gently. He'll still get rebounds in his sleep and play some decent defense. Hopefully his defensive awareness continues to improve. He deserves a middle of the road contract. He'll be an NBA journeyman. He's not a star.

[Bucktastic365]

You don't reward his level of play with a max contract. That's all I'm saying. He is what he is. He's never going to be an alpha player. He'll continue to shoot fadeaways away from contact and always lay the ball into the hoop gently. He'll still get rebounds in his sleep and play some decent defense. Hopefully his defensive awareness continues to improve. He deserves a middle of the road contract. He'll be an NBA journeyman. He's not a star.

sad, but probably true. Very accurate assessment. I don't know his childhood, but I would venture a guess that he grew up with an easy life.

I still hold out hope that as he matures his aggression will blossom; just don't think it will come for a few years; 26-27 is my guess

[Superbone]

You don't reward his level of play with a max contract. That's all I'm saying. He is what he is. He's never going to be an alpha player. He'll continue to shoot fadeaways away from contact and always lay the ball into the hoop gently. He'll still get rebounds in his sleep and play some decent defense. Hopefully his defensive awareness continues to improve. He deserves a middle of the road contract. He'll be an NBA journeyman. He's not a star.

sad, but probably true. Very accurate assessment. I don't know his childhood, but I would venture a guess that he grew up with an easy life.

I still hold out hope that as he matures his aggression will blossom; just don't think it will come for a few years; 26-27 is my guess

I hope you're right on the aggression part. I just can't think of too many (any?) players that started out timid and then later became aggressive.

[3rdside]

I’m 43 and I’ve only just got a grip on life - I see the same late development happening with Ayton for whatever reason .. whether it’s with us or someone else is another matter altogether.