With the FIRST pick in the 2018 NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns select...

[O_Gardino]

I'm Team Doncic, but I also constantly wonder if we're overthinking Ayton. Look at what the guy did in the Pac 12 tourney. He was ridiculous. It's kind of like the Simmons/Ingram debate, where people overlooked Simmons' ridiculous production and picked apart his flaws and effort, but used a production x potential formula when evaluating Ingram. Sometimes if you just look at the stats you end up drafting M****** B******, but sometimes you can take a dominant performance at face value.

Valid.

[Indy]

I'm just happy he's said he wants the Suns to pick him.

That is a really good point.

[Indy]

it's okay. LMA, AD, and towns said they all dont want to play center either.

and Duncan. Spurs started a heap of average centres to start Duncan at PF.

But Duncan played down low, boxed out, and rebounded. He liked to do the dirty work, but didn't want to bang against +250 pound centers every night. I would be totally fine with Ayton saying he wanted to dominate on both ends, and he thinks he can do that at the 4 spot. But it seems to be more about offense by dominating over smaller guys, then trying to let someone else worry about defense. (I know I am probably reading too much into it. That is what happens when you only have one shot in 50 years to make the right choice without having to wait on the rest of the league to limit your options for you.)

I get that- really I do- and I think the concerns about ayton’s d are somewhat valid. My point was meant to be that great players who do all the things you’d associate with a Center can still have a thing about being called a Center. A bit like durant’s thing about not wanting to be called a 7 footer.
It would really be nice if having got a number one pick there was one stand out player. Still it’s A good problem to have.

agreed on that last part, and don't disagree completely on the first.

[Cap]

I'm just happy he's said he wants the Suns to pick him.

That is a really good point.

They both have, and duh. We have the #1 pick, we’re local for Ayton, and we have the coach that just helped Doncic win a Euroleague championship and MVP. There’d have to be a real big problem for them not to be interested in going to Phoenix with the #1 pick.

[Indy]

But there are plenty of instances of top prospects saying they don't want to play for who has the #1 pick. At least we aren't there yet.

[Cap]

But there are plenty of instances of top prospects saying they don't want to play for who has the #1 pick. At least we aren't there yet.

Yeah, but we’re a good fit for either of them for reasons other than being the #1 pick. Combine those advantages with the fact that we have the first pick, and there’d have to be something seriously wrong for them not to be interested.

[Superbone]

Order of the NBA Mock Draft Special on ESPN2 this evening -

1 - PHO - D. Ayton
2 - SAC - L. Doncic
3 - ATL - J. Jackson
4 - MEM - M. Bagley
5 - DAL - M. Bomba
...

Hmm. Does ESPN2 know something we don't about "Bomba". That's a pretty scathing typo.

[O_Gardino]

For Suns fans, it's a good day when three's nothing seriously wrong.

[wpmiller42]

New ESPN mock draft on insider today -

1 - PHO - Ayton
2 - SAC - Bagley
3 - ATL - Jackson
4 - MEM - Doncic
5 - DAL - Bomba
6 - ORL - Young
7 - CHI - Carter
8 - CLE - Porter
9 - NYK - Sexton
10 - PHI - Mik. Bridges
11 - CHA - Mil. Bridges
12 - LAL - Gilgeous-Alexander
13 - LAL - Walker
14 - DEN - Williams
15 - WAS - Knox
16 - PHO - Z. Smith

31 - PHO - J. Brunson
59 - PHO - I. Sanon (Ukraine)

If this is how the draft plays out, I think you have to at least call Memphis and try to get Doncic in exchange for taking Parsons and not giving up Ayton or Booker. I love Jackson, but I might even throw him in there to make the trade work. But I don't think there's any realistic way that Doncic falls to Memphis....

[francosy]

New ESPN mock draft on insider today -

1 - PHO - Ayton
2 - SAC - Bagley
3 - ATL - Jackson
4 - MEM - Doncic
5 - DAL - Bomba
6 - ORL - Young
7 - CHI - Carter
8 - CLE - Porter
9 - NYK - Sexton
10 - PHI - Mik. Bridges
11 - CHA - Mil. Bridges
12 - LAL - Gilgeous-Alexander
13 - LAL - Walker
14 - DEN - Williams
15 - WAS - Knox
16 - PHO - Z. Smith

31 - PHO - J. Brunson
59 - PHO - I. Sanon (Ukraine)

I know Sanon very well. He plays for my favorite team, Olimpija. But no, he is not a NBA prospect, not at this moment.. This is probably false, I don't believe that Suns will pick him.

Some things that come out the most out of his game:
PROs: athleticism, defense, plays with a lot of energy
CONs: poor shooting, ball handling, low basketball IQ, inconsistent in attack and defense

[Cap]

Order of the NBA Mock Draft Special on ESPN2 this evening -

1 - PHO - D. Ayton
2 - SAC - L. Doncic
3 - ATL - J. Jackson
4 - MEM - M. Bagley
5 - DAL - M. Bomba
...

Hmm. Does ESPN2 know something we don't about "Bomba". That's a pretty scathing typo.

I saw “Luca Doncic” in a mock yesterday. Wish I could remember where.

ETA: Found it. https://www.landof10.com/big-ten/2018-n ... der-may-31

[Superbone]

Order of the NBA Mock Draft Special on ESPN2 this evening -

1 - PHO - D. Ayton
2 - SAC - L. Doncic
3 - ATL - J. Jackson
4 - MEM - M. Bagley
5 - DAL - M. Bomba
...

Hmm. Does ESPN2 know something we don't about "Bomba". That's a pretty scathing typo.

I saw “Luca Doncic” in a mock yesterday. Wish I could remember where.

ETA: Found it. https://www.landof10.com/big-ten/2018-n ... der-may-31

Not quite so scathing. Unless luca means something special in Slovenian.

[Split T]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... ru2c7zbcZ2


Good article on Ayton. It's Friday the college season, so not super current but has some good stuff.

I think this is where the I don't want to be a center comes from.

"I'd been in the weight room before, but I never touched nothing," he said. "If I look at it, I'm like, 'Dwight Howard can't shoot.' I didn't want to be stiff like him."

"When I started playing basketball, they always would have me at the block, and I'm like, 'Yo, I don't want to play down here,'" he said. "I want to do something else. This is not entertaining to me, and whatever the guards do, I wanted to do. In practice, I'm not doing post work. I want to dribble the ball. I want to shoot, too."

[Indy]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... ru2c7zbcZ2


Good article on Ayton. It's Friday the college season, so not super current but has some good stuff.

I think this is where the I don't want to be a center comes from.

"I'd been in the weight room before, but I never touched nothing," he said. "If I look at it, I'm like, 'Dwight Howard can't shoot.' I didn't want to be stiff like him."

"When I started playing basketball, they always would have me at the block, and I'm like, 'Yo, I don't want to play down here,'" he said. "I want to do something else. This is not entertaining to me, and whatever the guards do, I wanted to do. In practice, I'm not doing post work. I want to dribble the ball. I want to shoot, too."

I don't think it comes from there. I read that part of the negotiation in Miller's recruiting of him to UofA included making sure he was a forward, and they had a center for him to play next to.

[Split T]

Ya I know he made another comment about it, I couldn't find it, mostly meant why Ayton doesn't want to be a center. His desire to be called a pf comes from the stereotypical reputation centers have. He doesn't want to be Dwight. He wants to be KG or Ad

[Cap]

Order of the NBA Mock Draft Special on ESPN2 this evening -

1 - PHO - D. Ayton
2 - SAC - L. Doncic
3 - ATL - J. Jackson
4 - MEM - M. Bagley
5 - DAL - M. Bomba
...

Hmm. Does ESPN2 know something we don't about "Bomba". That's a pretty scathing typo.

I saw “Luca Doncic” in a mock yesterday. Wish I could remember where.

ETA: Found it. https://www.landof10.com/big-ten/2018-n ... der-may-31

Not quite so scathing. Unless luca means something special in Slovenian.

Yeah, guess it’s not quite as scathing as suggesting that Mohammed is the Bomba.

2
Bomba
anything that is good, great, amazing
Drinking during the day is bomba
#bomb #good #sweet #oh yeah #great
by Evyn March 07, 2006
107 56

[Superbone]

Order of the NBA Mock Draft Special on ESPN2 this evening -

1 - PHO - D. Ayton
2 - SAC - L. Doncic
3 - ATL - J. Jackson
4 - MEM - M. Bagley
5 - DAL - M. Bomba
...

Hmm. Does ESPN2 know something we don't about "Bomba". That's a pretty scathing typo.

I saw “Luca Doncic” in a mock yesterday. Wish I could remember where.

ETA: Found it. https://www.landof10.com/big-ten/2018-n ... der-may-31

Not quite so scathing. Unless luca means something special in Slovenian.

Yeah, guess it’s not quite as scathing as suggesting that Mohammed is the Bomba.

2
Bomba
anything that is good, great, amazing
Drinking during the day is bomba
#bomb #good #sweet #oh yeah #great
by Evyn March 07, 2006
107 56

Yeah, I was going more:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bomb+de ... e&ie=UTF-8

2.
informal
(of a movie, play, or other event) fail miserably.
"a big-budget movie that bombed at the box office"
synonyms: fail, flop, fall flat, founder
"the show bombed at the box office"

[AmareIsGod]

Hmm. Does ESPN2 know something we don't about "Bomba". That's a pretty scathing typo.

I saw “Luca Doncic” in a mock yesterday. Wish I could remember where.

ETA: Found it. https://www.landof10.com/big-ten/2018-n ... der-may-31

Not quite so scathing. Unless luca means something special in Slovenian.

Yeah, guess it’s not quite as scathing as suggesting that Mohammed is the Bomba.

2
Bomba
anything that is good, great, amazing
Drinking during the day is bomba
#bomb #good #sweet #oh yeah #great
by Evyn March 07, 2006
107 56

Yeah, I was going more:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bomb+de ... e&ie=UTF-8

2.
informal
(of a movie, play, or other event) fail miserably.
"a big-budget movie that bombed at the box office"
synonyms: fail, flop, fall flat, founder
"the show bombed at the box office"

If Bomba ever lands on the Lakers or Clippers, do they play Ritchie Valens on the loudspeaker during games?

[Split T]

If we keep our picks, here's my top picks right now

1. Ayton - I know I shouldn't use this as a reason, but it's easier to fill our other team needs if we fill our C need at #1. I don't like the non-top 10 center prospects in this draft and I don't like the FA options. I'm a little afraid we'd blow a bunch of money on DeAndre Jordan if Doncic is the pick here. If we draft Doncic, I think we need to try and move up for Wendell Carter.

Based on just the players, without concern for team need, I'm pretty split, but it's easier for me to see Ayton's path to superstardom than it is Doncic's. It's probably the athleticism as I'm often a sucker for elite athletes.

For the record, I would not be upset with Doncic. I would actually only be slightly dissapointed if we went Bagley/Bamba/JJJ/Porter and only because we picked them 1 and didn't trade down and acquire additional assets.

16. Elie Okobo - I change my mind a lot here and while I think Khyri Thomas is the best player in this range, I understand it will be hard to take him because he's not a PG. He will develop more as a ball handler and passer, but you're taking a risk banking on him developing enough. I'd love SGA, but I don't think he makes it to 16, so my pick is Okobo. He's a little less known playing in France, but he looks really good on tape, is a great shot maker, good athlete, can play the point and defend the point. Has a higher ceiling as a starting PG than the others around this range.

Still would love to get my hands on Khyri as I think he'll be a really good NBA player.

31 - Kieta Bates-Diop 6'8, long, can play D, switch, small ball 4. He protects the rim, rebounds, can stretch the floor. Think he is just going to be a solid bench guy that can defend multiple positions and do a lot of different things on the court.

I'd also look at Divencenzo, Heurter, Milton if they drop to 31. I'd consider Justin Jackson too.

[The Bobster]

I'm just happy he's said he wants the Suns to pick him.

That is a really good point.

They both have, and duh. We have the #1 pick, we’re local for Ayton, and we have the coach that just helped Doncic win a Euroleague championship and MVP. There’d have to be a real big problem for them not to be interested in going to Phoenix with the #1 pick.

Duh?

As you certainly know there have been plenty of players who have been drafted and tried to pressure the team picking them into trading them somewhere else. I'm not about to assume that anyone wants to play here for this organization right now.