NBA Draft 2020

[specialsauce]

wow. that guy is connected!

Well, I guess between that and FLEX, I pick FLEX.

Aaaand flex is brought back down to earth, chump

your irrational hatred for folks is really consistent. never change sauce!

Lmao. It’s what it is.

[Shabazz]

Am I wrong to be worried that we're a little slow?

[Indy]

Am I wrong to be worried that we're a little slow?

I think we need some athleticism.

[Ring_Wanted]

Am I wrong to be worried that we're a little slow?

Paul is methodic PG. I am ok if the identity is serious defense, rebounding and smart half court offense with balance from a number of attack points from Paul-Booker-Ayton sided by a bunch of snipers.

[ShelC]

We'll pick our spots. Cam is deceptive on the break, Paul knows how and when to push and Smith can get out and dunk and catch lobs.

[Ring_Wanted]

We'll pick our spots. Cam is deceptive on the break, Paul knows how and when to push and Smith can get out and dunk and catch lobs.

And Booker is a monster in transition. I wouldn't be against adding Grant, though.

[Shabazz]

I'm more worried about transition D. Hopefully we take good care of the ball, so that's not a huge issue.

[Shabazz]

The Athletic skewers us:

Pick: 10| Team: Suns | Player: Jalen Smith | 6-10 forward/center | 225 | 20, sophomore | Maryland

Vecenie’s scouting report: Smith is the first player drafted that I had a second-round grade on. He’s a good shooter with terrific shot-blocking instincts. He is a pogo stick leaper who made All-Big Ten. Unfortunately, he’s also just very stiff and struggles to move laterally. The Suns will need to do some significant work with his flexibility in order for him to defend in space, which is a worry for a pick used in the top-10 on a big man.

Ranking: No. 32

Hollinger’s team fit: Any time you can use a lottery pick to get a backup-caliber player at the league’s least valuable position, you have to go ahead and do it. Smith can shoot and has some shot-blocking capability, but I had him 31st on my board. This is a head-scratching pick with so much perimeter talent available.

I would have picked…
Vecenie: Devin Vassell | Hollinger: Devin Vassell

[ShelC]

Any time you can use a lottery pick to get a backup-caliber player at the league’s least valuable position, you have to go ahead and do it.

Did they copy and paste from last year's recap?

I get the criticism and I wanted a perimeter flamethrower too but any 2/3 would've been a backup just the same and we would've most likely been forced to play smaller with little to no depth upfront. We get a cheap, rim protecting big now and can still go smaller if/when we need to. I also think we'll find 2/3 depth thru FA easier than we would bigs.

And FWIW, Isaiah Stewart went 16th to Portland and he was usually mocked late 1st or early 2nd round.

[Split T]

Ya give me smith over Stewart for sure

[Wormwood]

I actually get the Suns' logic this year...

I had Smith and Bane as the two players they could move back and draft. Suns didn't find a deal they liked to move back a few slots, so they took the best guy for the biggest hole on the team: namely a back up PF / C who can:

* Hit the three
* Rebound
* Play better than average defense

All of these skills translate well to the NBA from college.

Yeah, he doesn't create his own offense and he's not a great passer. But hat's not what you need him for. You need someone to back up Ayton and / or Saric. You need a true PF to play alongside Ayton sometimes, and I think Smith will be a better defender than Saric in the long run.

I hated the Cam Johnson pick last year for going too early for no reason. Same thing happening here, but I don't hate it per se. Smith has some elite skills (rebounding, shot blocking), some very good ones (3 point shooting, interior rotations are good, runs the floor well, willing defender), and his weaknesses are either fixable (gets the yips on close outs), or not things that will keep him off the floor entirely (he can't guard small, speedy SFs and PFs on the perimeter,). Some are fixable (needs more strength and mass, his frame is too skinny). He's only 20, he's likely to get better as a shooter and in terms of strength.

He's not going to be an all star. But he can play a role like a Myles Turner, Raef LaFrentz, or Channing Frye: perfect stretch 4/5 on a good team that makes everyone else around him better with help defense on the inside, and spacing on offence. People forget that when he was in Phoenix, every year he played with Nash, Frye was #1 or #2 in net +/- per 48 on the team.

[Wally_West]

Frye is awesome comp. Don’t know if he will be that good but a big that can play defense and hit the open 3 is s always welcomed.

[Split T]

Frye is awesome comp. Don’t know if he will be that good but a big that can play defense and hit the open 3 is s always welcomed.

Better vertical athlete than Frye

[Superbone]

He's also in the James Jones mold of a smart player and solid teammate and person from what I read.

[Wormwood]

He's also in the James Jones mold of a smart player and solid teammate and person from what I read.

Yeah, almost goes without saying. Jones is big on the "no knuckleheads" rule.

Smith strikes me as low risk, outside of injury. Too many translatable skills.

[carey]

I’m excited about the Smith pick. I hope I’m not alone but judging by the responses here and Twitter I might be.

[Flagrant Fowl]

There isn't a guy in the draft that would've truly had me excited, which is the reason why I said trading up in this draft was a terrible idea months ago.

I'm optimistic because he fills a need and he's not an idiot. It shows that the front office has a plan and character standards. I'll be shocked if Smith doesn't make it to a second contract.

[INFORMER]

Frye is awesome comp.

I disagree. Smith should be a lot better than Frye. Better rebounder, better finisher, better shotblocker.

[Superbone]

Frye is awesome comp.

I disagree. Smith should be a lot better than Frye. Better rebounder, better finisher, better shotblocker.

You forgot "yet mediocre overall."

[Indy]

Frye is awesome comp.

I disagree. Smith should be a lot better than Frye. Better rebounder, better finisher, better shotblocker.

You forgot "yet mediocre overall."

You expect him to be an above average NBA player? it isn't a negative comment on the guy. there are about 200 mediocre players in the league, 100 good ones, and a 100 'bad' ones.