Phx-Suns.Net

virtual9mm wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:49 am

3rdside wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:39 pm

Nice work on settling down - without fail every expat I meet who used to live in HK wishes they were still there; the funnest place ever and the only city an introvert can turn up to and within a year have 20 new best friends.

All my friends wish they were back there also but can't get their head around it financially - I could if I wanted to (work in finance) but my respiratory system hates pollution so instead am working on a plan to do business up there while based here in Sydney.

I think it is a great city for extroverts, kind of a shitty place for introverts and dreamers. I used to hate it. But now I have a nice place in a village house in Clear Water Bay and seldom go into Central. It is fine and I don't have to worry about COVID at least.

Ironically, it works fantastic financially. The tax rates here plus the US expat deductions make the effective tax rate low enough to get by.

How is Sydney treating you? I spent a month there last summer/winter there. Love the ice cream.

Incorrect use of introvert - more like quieter types with a propensity for extroversion that get brought out of their shells upon arrival; it is slightly soulless so agree with you about introverts / dreamers.

But that's the social life for you (which almost certainly explains why HK'ers have the highest life expectancy in the world as it's polluted, hectic, expensive, the food isn't the cleanest and they work some of the longest hours).


If you can land a job it's great - the HK friends I mention aren't all professionals and once you throw kids into the equation, the start up costs and smaller flat sizes with no outside space become problematic. I'm still single at 43.

And Sydney is surreal - it's hard to believe the quality of this place; the food, the coffee, beaches, weather etc, so no surprise it's high on the world's most liveable cities lists .. it's just not as fast paced as HK or London which I will miss.

And great choice on Clear Water Bay - one of my oldest and best bud's lives there .. Steve Loman?

You might know him as he's a part time snake catcher, along with William Sargent, of all random things .. their Facebook group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/hongkongsnakes/

Split T wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:20 pm

Listened to the game theory podcast and they did a mock draft, taking turns making picks. Sam Vecenie picked for the Suns and took Obi Toppin. I’m not sure there is a realistic scenario where he drops that far, but I would buy in.

I'm not saying no if Toppin is somehow available, though I'd prefer one of the guards I think.

Considering where we're picking, any of Hayes, Haliburton or Toppin I'd be stoked with.

I feel like this front office wouldn't draft Hayes, even if he's the best prospect available. He's probably "too raw" (projecting the logic they'd use) and I don't have confidence we have the scouting infrastructure in place anymore to draft a guy who played in Europe.

3rdside wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 6:10 pm

Split T wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:20 pm

Listened to the game theory podcast and they did a mock draft, taking turns making picks. Sam Vecenie picked for the Suns and took Obi Toppin. I’m not sure there is a realistic scenario where he drops that far, but I would buy in.

I'm not saying no if Toppin is somehow available, though I'd prefer one of the guards I think.

Considering where we're picking, any of Hayes, Haliburton or Toppin I'd be stoked with.

That's really what it come dow to.

Ya I agree, I think Hayes probably goes before our pick, but I don’t think we take him if he falls. Halliburton is the one guy I’m pretty sure we’d take if he falls. I could see Toppin too.

Haye's TO's worry me a little, as does his Euro experience (Ratiopharm, a mid-table German club, is not Real Madrid - where Doncic played - a top of the table Spanish club), so in many ways - and assuming the mock drafts are correct putting Hayes as a top 5 pick - I'd prefer to get Haliburton for a small price (or nothing at all) rather than break the bank for Hayes.

Agreed that we're ill-equipped to draft him.

Think Hayes might have the highest ceiling after the “top” 3. Admittedly I have no clue if he gets there. But he can play on ball, he has good vision, he’s got size, his step back looks very smooth. Percentages need to go up, but the shot looks good.

Split T wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:17 pm

Think Hayes might have the highest ceiling after the “top” 3. Admittedly I have no clue if he gets there. But he can play on ball, he has good vision, he’s got size, his step back looks very smooth. Percentages need to go up, but the shot looks good.

He's full of potential, Haliburton a lower ceiling probably but probably also less of a bust-risk.

Haliburton is my guy. I just think he’s gonna be great. Maybe never an all-star guy, but I think he’s gonna be a 40%+ shooter from 3, he’ll make the right pass, he’s a really good passer. He’s got size at 6’5 and supposedly has put on 18 lbs since the season ended. Smart defender. Think he just fits anywhere and will be a guy that will make a difference on title teams.

I think something like Iggy on those Warriors teams. Not to say he’ll play like Iggy, he’ll never be the defender Iggy is, but a much better shooter. I just think his impact will be similar.

Split T wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:27 pm

Haliburton is my guy. I just think he’s gonna be great. Maybe never an all-star guy, but I think he’s gonna be a 40%+ shooter from 3, he’ll make the right pass, he’s a really good passer. He’s got size at 6’5 and supposedly has put on 18 lbs since the season ended. Smart defender. Think he just fits anywhere and will be a guy that will make a difference on title teams.

I think something like Iggy on those Warriors teams. Not to say he’ll play like Iggy, he’ll never be the defender Iggy is, but a much better shooter. I just think his impact will be similar.

Thinking through this, if we have to compete next year - which we do to showcase ourselves for a free agent and to keep Booker interested - then we might be better suited to a higher floor / lower ceiling / less of a project / more of a contribute-straight-away guy, in which case I can absolutely get behind Haliburton.

Hayes is a real creator and the best potential as a stand out point guard..wtf are we going to be stupid and do this to ourselves? We need a creator, not another combo guard/SF...we have those. Get a damn PG or a PF...fill the need!

Haliburton is easily a PG though? And we won't need to break the bank to get him, unlike Hayes (if you believe the mock drafts..).

3rdside wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:24 pm

Split T wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 8:27 pm

Haliburton is my guy. I just think he’s gonna be great. Maybe never an all-star guy, but I think he’s gonna be a 40%+ shooter from 3, he’ll make the right pass, he’s a really good passer. He’s got size at 6’5 and supposedly has put on 18 lbs since the season ended. Smart defender. Think he just fits anywhere and will be a guy that will make a difference on title teams.

I think something like Iggy on those Warriors teams. Not to say he’ll play like Iggy, he’ll never be the defender Iggy is, but a much better shooter. I just think his impact will be similar.

Thinking through this, if we have to compete next year - which we do to showcase ourselves for a free agent and to keep Booker interested - then we might be better suited to a higher floor / lower ceiling / less of a project / more of a contribute-straight-away guy, in which case I can absolutely get behind Haliburton.

Ya, fits what we’ve seen from James Jones in the draft as well. I think we have a good enough 7 guys, plus free agency, that we won’t need our rookie to be a big contributor. I could get behind taking a swing on someone who could be a big piece down the road. To me that’s Hayes, Hampton, or even getting crazy with Pokusevski. Maybe Tyrell Terry.

Pokusevski - a skinny, white, euro 7fter .. what could possibly go wrong.

He's intriguing - certainly more natural on the ball than guys like Bender and Vesely - but he reminds me a bit of Thon Maker; flashy skills for a tall guy which might not mean anything in the NBA, especially if he's weak and can't defend - which I suspect he is - or nail the 3 which his stats say he can't.

3rdside wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:57 pm

Pokusevski - a skinny, white, euro 7fter .. what could possibly go wrong.

He's intriguing - certainly more natural on the ball than guys like Bender and Vesely - but he reminds me a bit of Thon Maker; flashy skills for a tall guy which might not mean anything in the NBA, especially if he's weak and can't defend - which I suspect he is - or nail the 3 which his stats say he can't.

He did have similar defensive numbers in blocks, rebounds, and steals as Paul Reed. And his passing and court vision sets him far apart from Thon. But who knows? Maybe he never gets the strength required.

I've just watched a lot more tape on Pokusevki - I sold him very short by comparing him to Maker.

Maker was a mixtape player, nowhere near the guy his clips made him out to be - I thought he'd find a place in the NBA with his 'killer crossover' and height to shoot over anyone .. total rubbish.

Pokusevski can definitely play.

This guy's high on him and I think his take it s right (a risk for a higher lottery pick, but perfect for a team who have multiple first rounders and don't need him to contribute straight away e.g. Boston):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrkxeGxl0yA

I don’t think it’s worth spending any time thinking about Poku. There’s no chance the Suns take him.

Hasn't stopped people from talking about signing FVV for two weeks.

The Euro experience he's gotten is a big plus for me with Hayes. I think it lends itself to a mental and physical maturity, moreso than most college freshmen. Not sure the FO sees it that way and I'm not sure he's there at 10, but if he is and we pass on him I'd be pretty disappointed.