2022 NBA Draft Thread

[ShelC]

Liddell may fit in more as a replacement for Craig (sooner) or Crowder (later). 6-7 240-245, would give us more of a thicker, bulkier 4 who can shoot it and still hold his own in the paint defensively. Physically, we've been a slight/slender team and have been pushed around. Not overly athletic or quick tho, very much an Ohio St type of player.

[Mori Chu]

Seems like a talented player. His shooting form is a little unorthodox, kind of a one-handed flick with a juke of his body along with it.

[Wormwood]

Worth noting that there's been some talk of the Suns netting the 5th or 6th pick if they trade Ayton to Detroit or Indiana. Sort of makes sense, given that those two teams have either pieces, or cap space to absorb his max contract. Either way, Keegan Murray makes a lot of sense as a floor spacing 3/4 who can shoot the lights out and rebound very well at 6-9 225 lbs. Strikes me as a James Jones guy.

Liddell's flat shot scares the heck out of me. He's going to need to re-tool it to stick in the NBA. Reminds me uncomfortably of Alando Tucker.

[ShelC]

Yea Tucker definitely came to mind when I've watched him, which is what I meant when I said Ohio State type of player. And his lack of athleticism is a concern for me. We need some bigger, above the rim wings/bigs and power athletes on the team. We can't keep filling the roster with solid, lowish ceiling college vets.

[Indy]

What if that talk about Sabonis is still going on, and we are looking to swap those two? I think the BYC money for DA matches the current contract (close enough for trades at least) for Sabonis. If it were:

SAC: DA resigned at max + Suns 1st round pick 2023
PHX: Sabonis + #4 this year

Do you do it?

[specialsauce]

What if that talk about Sabonis is still going on, and we are looking to swap those two? I think the BYC money for DA matches the current contract (close enough for trades at least) for Sabonis. If it were:

SAC: DA resigned at max + Suns 1st round pick 2023
PHX: Sabonis + #4 this year

Do you do it?

Yes. Though my preference remains to keep DA and trade CP3.

[Indy]

What if that talk about Sabonis is still going on, and we are looking to swap those two? I think the BYC money for DA matches the current contract (close enough for trades at least) for Sabonis. If it were:

SAC: DA resigned at max + Suns 1st round pick 2023
PHX: Sabonis + #4 this year

Do you do it?

Yes. Though my preference remains to keep DA and trade CP3.

I hear you. I just don't see Jones trading a guy that was All-NBA this year for a guy that has never even made an all-star team but wants a contract that will pay him ~35M over 4 years.

[Wormwood]

My favorite outcome is to somehow land Kevin Durant. Pull him in, and we'll pull in some awesome free agents on 1-2 years deals who want to cash in on the championship run.

[Split T]

I’d trade for Sabonis…probably wouldn’t even need #4 tbh

[Shabazz]

I thought this was cool. Schmitz started out as a Suns blogger:

[Shabazz]

I didn't love that Lidell video that I watched. I'm generally not impressed when they show offensive players dribbling directly into defenders and hitting tough fadeaways. That won't fly in the NBA. You need some blow-by-ability if you're going to be counted on as a creator and I didn't see it.

Another guy who has been linked to the Suns is Tari Eason. His video gave me Marquese Chriss vibes. Athletic tools, decent defensive instincts, totally raw on offense. If we go that route I like Jeremy Sochan a lot better.

[ShelC]

I didn't love that Lidell video that I watched. I'm generally not impressed when they show offensive players dribbling directly into defenders and hitting tough fadeaways. That won't fly in the NBA. You need some blow-by-ability if you're going to be counted on as a creator and I didn't see it.

Another guy who has been linked to the Suns is Tari Eason. His video gave me Marquese Chriss vibes. Athletic tools, decent defensive instincts, totally raw on offense. If we go that route I like Jeremy Sochan a lot better.

Agreed. Those are the kind of garbage buckets Josh Jackson was getting off in college.

[Split T]

I didn't love that Lidell video that I watched. I'm generally not impressed when they show offensive players dribbling directly into defenders and hitting tough fadeaways. That won't fly in the NBA. You need some blow-by-ability if you're going to be counted on as a creator and I didn't see it.

Another guy who has been linked to the Suns is Tari Eason. His video gave me Marquese Chriss vibes. Athletic tools, decent defensive instincts, totally raw on offense. If we go that route I like Jeremy Sochan a lot better.

I would love Sochan…can’t say I’m super informed, but I’ve heard good things and a big versatile playmaking defensive wing sounds great

[Wormwood]

Another name being floated in association with the Suns is Wendell Moore Jr. 6-5, 213 lbs, 7-0.5 wing span. Junior out of Duke

Pros:
* 50.0% from 2
* 41.3% from 3
* 5.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.4 spg
* Improved every year in school
* When he's locked in on defense, he reminds me of Mikal. A LOT. Steals, length, hands, P&R defense in particular
* Great court vision and awareness on the kick and drive
* Assist to TO ratio is great for a wing
* When he's on, he has the .5 mentality

Cons:
* Shooting form is a little stiff (but there's still good arc on the ball, and 41.3% FFS)
* Not all that athletic. Acrobatic, but no vertical and lacks "blow-by speed"
* Follows up some plays with head scratchers.
* Very right hand dominant
* Needs to work on shooting off the side-step, or the in transit 3
* Lack of vertical limits his effectiveness at the rim
* A little shy about shooting

Summary: Scouting report reads like a cross between Desmond Bane and Mikal Bridges. He's got Bridge's body (length) and defensive instincts, with Banes ability to distribute the ball, and lack of athleticism. The big questions are whether he's the kind of player who will work on his game relentlessly? He improved throughout college, so there's hope there. As he is, he's slated to be a late first early second player. If he stays the way he is, he's a 10th-11th man who won't hurt you too bad on defense, and can hit corner spot up threes at a decent rate. At best, if he decides to be a student of the game, he's like Desmond Bane, but with long arms and less upper body strength: which is to say, still very, very good.

All in all, of the names attached to Phoenix right now, I would love to see if the Suns could pick him up. There's some "diamond in the rough" indicators here.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Of the little college basketball I watched this season besides Oregon games, I saw Duke the most. I think they have at least four guys who're locks to be at least rotation players in the NBA, and I think three of them have a chance to be All-Stars or better.

[ShelC]

Jeremy Sochan might be the ideal frontcourt player for us in the draft. 6-9 230 with potential lockdown defensive ability inside and out. Really good on the perimeter at his size and would be a big upgrade guarding the bigger 3/4s we have trouble with, along with smaller 5s.

Offensively, he's the connector we talk about - great passer, high IQ, can move the ball in the halfcourt and in transition. 3pt shot is a little slow and mechanical but looks good. Not a big off the dribble threat/shooter and his offense might regress to where he's *just* a top notch defender/passer unless the team that takes him really develops him in that area. Both parents played basketball at Oklahoma, he's spent time overseas where his parents played (has played for the Polish Natl Team) and he went to Baylor, which seems to be a program we're familiar with and like scouting. Reminds me a lot of a hyper-active Boris but other comps I've seen are Ben Simmons, Kyle Anderson, Batum. He's in that 8-15 range in most mocks so if we were to trade into the 1st round, we'd have to make sure we get in high enough to make sure he's there.

His assist #s don't show what a passer he is and his FTs need work for sure but his form looks good so it might be a matter of reps/confidence.

https://zonahoops.com/2022/02/18/jeremy ... ng-report/

[virtual9mm]

What if that talk about Sabonis is still going on, and we are looking to swap those two? I think the BYC money for DA matches the current contract (close enough for trades at least) for Sabonis. If it were:

SAC: DA resigned at max + Suns 1st round pick 2023
PHX: Sabonis + #4 this year

Do you do it?

Finally a trade idea that isn't a pu pu platter. I could do this for sure.

[Mori Chu]

I like Sabonis a lot, but I think it's really hard to construct an elite starting lineup with him in it. He's not really a rim protector or a great defender, so you don't really want him as your 5. But then if you try to play him at the 4, he doesn't shoot well enough from 3 (around 31%) to really be a modern NBA PF who spaces the floor. And Indiana already tried to pair him with a center (Turner) who defends and spaces the floor by shooting 3s. And it didn't work! I don't think we are going to find a better pairing than that one. I just don't see how you play Sabonis without having a starting lineup that is short of 3-point shooting. If his defense or 3-point shooting were better, I'd be all over him.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

What if that talk about Sabonis is still going on, and we are looking to swap those two? I think the BYC money for DA matches the current contract (close enough for trades at least) for Sabonis. If it were:

SAC: DA resigned at max + Suns 1st round pick 2023
PHX: Sabonis + #4 this year

Do you do it?

You really be want 1-3...

[Split T]

Seen a few things with Tari Eason connected to us



I really don’t know anything about him, but went to the Ringer and saw they compared him to Jerami Grant and we know this team has been looking for that type of player. They’ve got him pegged as a mid 1st…will be curious if we manage to get a pick somehow.