Suns News: Week 23 (3/23-3/29)

[Superbone]

The Dunn/Fleming pairing is a good one.

[Split T]

Dunn up to 34% from 3…Fleming at 37%

[O_Gardino]

Fleming is still at like 48% since Brooks got hurt. Maybe 20 games now? He's a legit threat from 3. On the other hand, he's shooting awfully from the ft line.

[Bucktastic365]

The Dunn/Fleming pairing is a good one.

They were always my future 3 and 4 on this team.

[ShelC]

Perfect pair with Giannis at the 5

[Bucktastic365]

Based on the price of his cards on Ebay Fleming is BLOWING UP.
I was smart enough to get a couple of the 1st wave that came out, but i can't afford the good ones anymore.
The world is catching on

[ShadowHawke]

I'd go with Uncle Cliffy. He held it down for us at the 4/5, was durable, a great defender and 3pt shooting big when they weren't in vogue. Stepped up when our other marquee signings like Longley and Googs didn't work out.

Who thought L** L****** was a marquee signing?

[Superbone]

[Split T]

Great guys for Rasheer to be watching

[Cap]

Underrated players? I wonder if the hate for DA has gotten so strong that people forget what he did for us in 2021. He was, however briefly, one hell of a contributor. We very nearly won a championship and he was a huge part of it.

[Split T]

Did Cap come back as Jeremy?

All kidding aside, I think Ayton is properly rated. I think everyone was very happy with his playoff performance in 2021. It’s that he never seemed interested in being that player again.

[Kryptonic]

Underrated players? I wonder if the hate for DA has gotten so strong that people forget what he did for us in 2021. He was, however briefly, one hell of a contributor. We very nearly won a championship and he was a huge part of it.

Key word…. “Was”. Like split said, no one complained about him when he was doing good, it’s when he decided to check out mentally from games. Anyhow…. It’s all well litigated on the other thread

[Furlanfufi]

Did Cap come back as Jeremy?

I LOLed

[ShelC]

Ayton will go down as the Suns' Most Underachieving Player.

[The Bobster]

Ayton will go down as the Suns' Most Underachieving Player.

If you go by what he showed his talent level to be when he was at his best, I'd agree he has been the most underachieving player the Suns have picked. But they've had plenty of high #1 picks who have flopped. Ayton has been disappointing, but not necessarily terrible (which may be why we were all so frustrated with him). To me the two most disappointing Suns will forever be Richard Dumas and Oliver Miller -

Highest Career WAR picked 1-10
(Some great, some solid)
Shawn Marion (9) - 124.9
Amar'e Stoudemire (9) - 92.5
Walter Davis (6) - 76.9
Luol Deng (7) - 74.9
Alvan Adams (4) - 73.5
Armon Gilliam (2) - 58.1
DeAndre Ayton (1) - 42.9 (still active)

Lowest career WAR picked 1-10
(these are the guys who were truly terrible)
Josh Jackson (4) - -1.7
Jarrett Culver (6) - -0.1
Dragan Bender (4) - 0.5
Stretch Howard (4) - 0.6
William Bedford (6) - 0.9

Highest career WAR pick 11 to end of first round
(the list really drops off after Booker)
Steve Nash (13) - 129.7
Larry Nance (20) - 109.6
Michael Finley (21) - 85.2
Dan Majerle (14) - 78.5
Rajon Rondo (21) - 61.8
Devin Booker (17) - 56.7
Robin Lopez (15) - 49.6
Jay Humphries (13) - 45.0

Best Picks (taking pick position into account) - Nash, Nance, Stoudemire, Marion, Davis, Adams, Finley
Worst Picks (taking draft position into account) - Jackson, Bender, Culver (traded during draft), Bedford, Howard (Special mention to Marquese Chriss, the #8 pick acquired after being drafted)

Disappointing veteran players acquired by the Suns - Bradley Beal, Penny Hardaway, Charlie Scott, Xavier McDaniel, Truck Robinson, Kevin Durant (great talent, not-so-great for team chemistry), Hot Rod Williams
Best acquisitions by Suns (excluding 1st round picks) - Steve Nash (2nd tour), Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, Paul Westphal, Tom Chambers, Chris Paul, Jeff Hornacek (best second round pick), Paul Silas, Jason Kidd, Mikal Bridges, Cedric Ceballos

PS - insomnia sucks!

[Superbone]

Did Cap come back as Jeremy?

All kidding aside, I think Ayton is properly rated. I think everyone was very happy with his playoff performance in 2021. It’s that he never seemed interested in being that player again.

Even that version of him had to be prodded.