My fear is that eventually we'll be back in the position of having two offensive stars (Ayton and Booker) who don't make a contribution on the defensive end, and where will we find our Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion to make this team a championship contender? I don't see anyone else on this team that makes me think "He's going to be a championship quality player at some point."Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
- The Bobster
- Posts: 6735
- Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:04 pm
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Author of The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts
Available from Scarecrow Press at - https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780810890695
Available from Scarecrow Press at - https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780810890695
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
I think he's 100% worth it. I don't think you could really swap any NBA player into Booker's position and suddenly have this exact team and coaching staff turn into a winning team. Booker isn't the best player in the NBA, but he's an outstanding scorer and offensive player, and he keeps getting better, such as working on his ballhandling and playmaking this season. He's a bad defender, but many elite players have trouble on that end, such as James Harden. We're lucky to have him, and given the way the NBA works today, he's definitely worth the max.Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
There are at least 100 forwards who have played at least 20 games and have a usage % less than 23 who have higher assist ratios than TJ Warren and Kelly Oubre.
Trendon Watford. Please and thank you.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
I know it is *really* early, but I think Bridges can be that Shawn Marion kind of guy, but for the 1-2-3, not the 3-4. He will never rebound like Shawn, but I can see him developing into that kind of defender.The Bobster wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 8:53 amMy fear is that eventually we'll be back in the position of having two offensive stars (Ayton and Booker) who don't make a contribution on the defensive end, and where will we find our Joe Johnson and Shawn Marion to make this team a championship contender? I don't see anyone else on this team that makes me think "He's going to be a championship quality player at some point."Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
TJ may be the worst passer I have seen in a long time. It seems that twice a week he throws an inbounds pass after a made basket that gets picked off, and another 1-2 a game that are lazy cross-court passes that are so telegraphed my old slow fat ass could pick them off.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Not to mention never passing to a wide open Ayton under the basket.Indy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 pmTJ may be the worst passer I have seen in a long time. It seems that twice a week he throws an inbounds pass after a made basket that gets picked off, and another 1-2 a game that are lazy cross-court passes that are so telegraphed my old slow fat ass could pick them off.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
"Be Legendary."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
"Be Legendary."
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Yeah, I guess I am saying maybe he shouldn't be passing to him considering how bad he is at it.Superbone wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:44 pmNot to mention never passing to a wide open Ayton under the basket.Indy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 pmTJ may be the worst passer I have seen in a long time. It seems that twice a week he throws an inbounds pass after a made basket that gets picked off, and another 1-2 a game that are lazy cross-court passes that are so telegraphed my old slow fat ass could pick them off.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
I think if you swapped Booker with Harden we would be a winning team. Same with LeBron and probably some others too.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:15 pmI think he's 100% worth it. I don't think you could really swap any NBA player into Booker's position and suddenly have this exact team and coaching staff turn into a winning team. Booker isn't the best player in the NBA, but he's an outstanding scorer and offensive player, and he keeps getting better, such as working on his ballhandling and playmaking this season. He's a bad defender, but many elite players have trouble on that end, such as James Harden. We're lucky to have him, and given the way the NBA works today, he's definitely worth the max.Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Harden is winning without anybody right now.
"I'm a Deandre Ayton guy."--Al McCoy, September 21, 2022.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
That really isn't true. Austin Rivers has been giving them significant contributions. Eric Gordon is back and drop 20 points in multiple games. And Houston is built on the 3-point shot. They have 5 or 6 guys hitting multiple 3s every night.
Trendon Watford. Please and thank you.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
I mean, ya. Swapping Booker for an MVP would definitely make us better.JeremyG wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:32 pmI think if you swapped Booker with Harden we would be a winning team. Same with LeBron and probably some others too.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:15 pmI think he's 100% worth it. I don't think you could really swap any NBA player into Booker's position and suddenly have this exact team and coaching staff turn into a winning team. Booker isn't the best player in the NBA, but he's an outstanding scorer and offensive player, and he keeps getting better, such as working on his ballhandling and playmaking this season. He's a bad defender, but many elite players have trouble on that end, such as James Harden. We're lucky to have him, and given the way the NBA works today, he's definitely worth the max.Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Harden is winning without anybody right now.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
He didn't say make us better. he said winning team. That means we would have won over twice as many games as we have already. I don't think a lot of people here, going into this season, would have said that swapping out Harden for Booker would give us an extra +25-30 wins on the season.n4th4n wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 4:30 pmI mean, ya. Swapping Booker for an MVP would definitely make us better.JeremyG wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:32 pmI think if you swapped Booker with Harden we would be a winning team. Same with LeBron and probably some others too.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:15 pmI think he's 100% worth it. I don't think you could really swap any NBA player into Booker's position and suddenly have this exact team and coaching staff turn into a winning team. Booker isn't the best player in the NBA, but he's an outstanding scorer and offensive player, and he keeps getting better, such as working on his ballhandling and playmaking this season. He's a bad defender, but many elite players have trouble on that end, such as James Harden. We're lucky to have him, and given the way the NBA works today, he's definitely worth the max.Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Harden is winning without anybody right now.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
I know it's pointless to debate a hypothetical. But I think even with Harden, this would be a losing team. We don't have the 3-point shooting on our roster nor the offensive system to maximize the value of Harden's game like Houston has.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
It is not pointless.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:54 pmI know it's pointless to debate a hypothetical. But I think even with Harden, this would be a losing team. We don't have the 3-point shooting on our roster nor the offensive system to maximize the value of Harden's game like Houston has.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Yes it is.Indy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 8:21 pmIt is not pointless.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 7:54 pmI know it's pointless to debate a hypothetical. But I think even with Harden, this would be a losing team. We don't have the 3-point shooting on our roster nor the offensive system to maximize the value of Harden's game like Houston has.
No it isn’t.
Yes it is.
/MontyPythonArgumentSketch
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Houston also won games without Gordon. Where they started House, Tucker and Rivers, with Green (and some Chriss and Knight) coming of the bench. The win over Memphis was pretty much Harden and a bunch of players even the Suns didn't want.
Booker has a long way to go and our teambuilding sucks.
- Democritus
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Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Just as we speak this issue, the solar panel podcast ask the questionhttps://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2019 ... lo-anthony
"We shall leave this world as foolish and as wicked as we found it on our arrival"-Voltaire
- azsportsfan
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Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Could you swap Booker with 4th year Harden and have a winning team? In return would Houston have a winning team?JeremyG wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:32 pmI think if you swapped Booker with Harden we would be a winning team. Same with LeBron and probably some others too.Marty [Mori Chu] wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:15 pmI think he's 100% worth it. I don't think you could really swap any NBA player into Booker's position and suddenly have this exact team and coaching staff turn into a winning team. Booker isn't the best player in the NBA, but he's an outstanding scorer and offensive player, and he keeps getting better, such as working on his ballhandling and playmaking this season. He's a bad defender, but many elite players have trouble on that end, such as James Harden. We're lucky to have him, and given the way the NBA works today, he's definitely worth the max.Democritus wrote: ↑Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:33 amThere is a question I ask myself. I like Booker to death, he is really good. But did he deserve the max contract?
Isn't the max contract for players who win games for their teams? To be honest I'm a little bit disappointed with him this season so far. Seems like he has a burden which he isn't able to carry with success yet.
Harden is winning without anybody right now.
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ ... 634876002/
With Ayton and Holmes both out, Bender had his first start and real action of the season and had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
With Ayton and Holmes both out, Bender had his first start and real action of the season and had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“It was definitely fun being out there but it’s been a long time since I out there so it was definitely tough,” said Bender who played a season-high 29 minutes against the Timberwolves. “First couple of moments, but after that, once you get rolling, it was fun to be out there playing basketball.”
He went 0-for-5 from 3, though, with three misses coming in the fourth.
One of those could have helped close the game out, but the Suns talk all the time about taking the open shot.
“It’s different shooting after practice than the actual game after sitting the whole season,” he said with a smile. “I’m not really worried about that. I definitely felt sorry about the loss.”
Before playing 29 minutes Sunday, Bender played a total of 30 minutes in Phoenix’s previous 22 games. He only played in five of those 22 games.
Taking that into account, those misses are understandable, but Bender showed a competitiveness that could lead to more minutes down the road.
Karl-Anthony Towns dropped 28 of his 30 points in the first half with Bender on the receiving end on the bulk of those points, but the Croatian made him work and didn’t back down from the challenge.
“Oh man, Dragan was phenomenal,” Warren said. “To come in there and bang like that and capitalize on good plays, he was amazing. I’m happy for him.”
Phoenix doubled Towns in the second half to help Bender and Quincy Acy. The Suns typically don’t do that, but should consider it moving forward.
Towns settled for 3s, too, but Bender, the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft, showed up.
“Dragan Bender did a phenomenal job,” Kokoskov said. “Showed presence. For a guy who didn’t play a lot of games, to be a starter and to give us those minutes and be a double-double guy. He was great.”
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
"Be Legendary."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
"Be Legendary."
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
#FreeTheDragan
Re: Suns News: Week 14 1/14-1/20
Don't worry, they'll let him go soon enough.