Suns News: Week 9 2/15-2/21

[Shabazz]

Yeah, well, DeAndre Ayton is still only 22 years old. He has lots of time to learn and improve. He's already improved several aspects of his game this season. I also don't think DA "needs" to learn to shoot 3s or get fouled a lot to be effective. It'd be nice if he worked on either of those things, but would his being a 3-point guy strictly improve his game? I like him close to the basket.

The article you're quoting suffers from a bit of a lack of imagination. I think DA is neither an interior bruiser nor a 3-point shooting center. He's something else. Let's call it a finesse interior player. He plays inside, with shots and moves close to the basket along with screen/rolls, oops, and putbacks. But he does it in a cautious way, going for comfortable / rhythm shots rather than trying to bash his way through the defender. He has a sharp eye for reading the defense and passing out if he feels like his own shot or path to the basket is too heavily contested. Sometimes this means he passes up shots we want him to take, or lays up / fades away when he should dunk. But it also means his FG% is sky-high and that he rarely hurts us by chucking up bad shots.

I'm often amazed to look at the box score and see that he's shot 8/11 or something gaudy like that. On a team with scorers like Booker, Paul, and all our 3-point-bombing wings, he complements the other guys really well. I don't know if it'd be better for him to scream for the ball and want to take 30 shots a game and bash through people on his way to the hoop. That'd be an exciting player, maybe more individually valuable and talented. But would that player help this team more? I'm not so sure.

I'm not settling for mediocrity from DA, nor am I trying to be overly defensive about him. I want him to work on his game, too, and he has a ways to go yet. But I just want to appreciate the many things he does well and the subtle aspects of his game that help the team where most other players would hurt us. I actually think he's really good and really want to keep him here.

It would absolutely help the team if DA drew more fouls. Look at how rarely we get opposing bigs into foul trouble and how often we're hurt by DA picking up 2 quick ones.

[Indy]

Yeah, well, DeAndre Ayton is still only 22 years old. He has lots of time to learn and improve. He's already improved several aspects of his game this season. I also don't think DA "needs" to learn to shoot 3s or get fouled a lot to be effective. It'd be nice if he worked on either of those things, but would his being a 3-point guy strictly improve his game? I like him close to the basket.

The article you're quoting suffers from a bit of a lack of imagination. I think DA is neither an interior bruiser nor a 3-point shooting center. He's something else. Let's call it a finesse interior player. He plays inside, with shots and moves close to the basket along with screen/rolls, oops, and putbacks. But he does it in a cautious way, going for comfortable / rhythm shots rather than trying to bash his way through the defender. He has a sharp eye for reading the defense and passing out if he feels like his own shot or path to the basket is too heavily contested. Sometimes this means he passes up shots we want him to take, or lays up / fades away when he should dunk. But it also means his FG% is sky-high and that he rarely hurts us by chucking up bad shots.

I'm often amazed to look at the box score and see that he's shot 8/11 or something gaudy like that. On a team with scorers like Booker, Paul, and all our 3-point-bombing wings, he complements the other guys really well. I don't know if it'd be better for him to scream for the ball and want to take 30 shots a game and bash through people on his way to the hoop. That'd be an exciting player, maybe more individually valuable and talented. But would that player help this team more? I'm not so sure.

I'm not settling for mediocrity from DA, nor am I trying to be overly defensive about him. I want him to work on his game, too, and he has a ways to go yet. But I just want to appreciate the many things he does well and the subtle aspects of his game that help the team where most other players would hurt us. I actually think he's really good and really want to keep him here.

It would absolutely help the team if DA drew more fouls. Look at how rarely we get opposing bigs into foul trouble and how often we're hurt by DA picking up 2 quick ones.

He averages twice as many fouls as made FTs.

[Mori Chu]

These are all good comments. You folks are right that it would be helpful if he were more assertive on the offensive end. I guess what I was trying to say is that he doesn't need to fundamentally change the way he scores. He doesn't have to become a bull in a china shop like Barkley. He just needs to use his head and learn when he can draw contact from his defender and get to the line, and then do that more often.

[ShelC]

[bajanguy008]

Well hey obviously the guy thought he might have something against Jalen off the dribble
Little did he know Jalen practices/plays 1v1 against Frank so he needed to come better than that

[INFORMER]

I'm rooting for Smith, but it's hard to spin this Smith news as anything but a failure.

Way too early for that conclusion. I think it is another Ayton-Doncic situation, except less dramatic. Haliburton is better and probably should have been the pick, but that doesn't mean Smith is doomed to be terrible. He can still turn into a good player.

[Superbone]

I'm rooting for Smith, but it's hard to spin this Smith news as anything but a failure.

Way too early for that conclusion. I think it is another Ayton-Doncic situation, except less dramatic. Haliburton is better and probably should have been the pick, but that doesn't mean Smith is doomed to be terrible. He can still turn into a good player.

Thank you.

[O_Gardino]

Didn't Nick Nurse coach Siakam and VanFleet in the G league? It can be a useful development league. There's no need to think of it as a dumping ground for failed talent.

[ShelC]

It's perfect for Stix right now in terms of playing time and reps. My only concern would be the coaching he's getting and how it fits with what we're doing. Monty mentioned picking up our terminology so not sure if that's something he can grasp playing down there. But he's a worker by all accounts, so hopefully he's making the most of it.

[ShelC]

Stix highlights...now this is DOMINAYTON

[Indy]

I know the competition is very different, but imagine if DA dribble-drove that much in a week, much less 1 game.

[ShelC]

I think he's a 5. Call him undersized or whatever, he's a 5.

[Shabazz]

Stix highlights...now this is DOMINAYTON

Encouraging!

[Nodack]

He looks good. It might not be the Suns but, he’s getting playing time.

[pickle]

Not to change the subject or anything, but is the team looking to fill out the backup 4/5 situation at all? Why aren't we linked to guys like Bjelica and McGee at all...

[O_Gardino]

McGee is not a Jones/Monty guy at all.

[Superbone]

One of the power ranking articles mentioned Mason Plumlee. That works for me.

[Danimal]

One of the power ranking articles mentioned Mason Plumlee. That works for me.

His salary seems too high to trade for though. I don’t think we can just trade him for spare parts and he’s on a 2 year deal so pistons likely wouldn’t jump dump him

[pickle]

I saw the Plumlee news, and I like him fine, but he's a bit more expensive and might require several rotational players. Not sure I feel so comfortable with that. And I certainly don't want to put up and draft assets to get him if we end up moving guys like Galloway and Moore.

[pickle]

One of the power ranking articles mentioned Mason Plumlee. That works for me.

His salary seems too high to trade for though. I don’t think we can just trade him for spare parts and he’s on a 2 year deal so pistons likely wouldn’t jump dump him

I think he got a 3 year 25 mil deal? Not sure if there's a partial guarantee on the third though.