Suns News: Week 23 3/27-4/2

[Split T]

BTW. Quick, off the top of your head, guess who has the second highest PER on our team. Bledsoe has the highest.

Chandler or Williams I'd guess

[In2ition]

BTW. Quick, off the top of your head, guess who has the second highest PER on our team. Bledsoe has the highest.

Bender?

[The Bobster]

Brooklyn wins again, they're now 19-59 and the Suns are 22-56. If the Suns finish 0-4, they can catch the Nets if they finish 3-1. Brooklyn's remaining schedule is at Orlando, home against Chicago and at Boston and Chicago. Not very likely, but we can dream, right? Boston has a some big incentive to win their game though.

[Wally_West]

BTW. Quick, off the top of your head, guess who has the second highest PER on our team. Bledsoe has the highest.

Knight, clearly.

[O_Gardino]

I guessed Ulis, then looked it up.

Spoiler: show/hide

A. Williams is the people's choice.

But, you know what? Alex Len has a higher PER than Booker. Ask me how much I care about PER.

[The Bobster]

I guessed Ulis, then looked it up.

Spoiler: show/hide

A. Williams is the people's choice.

But, you know what? Alex Len has a higher PER than Booker. Ask me how much I care about PER.

Tha's because he's a good rebounder and shot blocker, and shoots a good percentage. Being inefficient isn't his problem this year, it's a matter of consistency and aggressiveness.

[Split T]

BTW. Quick, off the top of your head, guess who has the second highest PER on our team. Bledsoe has the highest.

Bender?

Pretty sure bender is last, his stats have not looked great

[Mori Chu]

PER is mostly a worthless "stat."

[Ring_Wanted]

Honestly since we are talking about a rebuilding (and tanking) team, I don't really care about Booker's %s. The efficiency will come in due time, and even if it never gets elite, let's remember Kobe, Carter, TMac, among other dominant players, did pretty well averaging around than 45%FG and not outstading 3pt%. Times may have changed, but taking over is taking over, and the kid is showing to be able to do it.

[TOO]

You can shoot 45% FG and 35% from 3 if you get to the line 9-10x a game and shoot 85%. See James Harden.

[pickle]

Booker is an elite prospect. He has weaknesses that he needs to improve upon, but he's still an elite prospect. Hopefully with his work ethic he can fix all the offensive efficiency issues (though I am curious whether the lower % is a function of his shot selection or of his own shooting ability or something else). I worry more about him picking up his defense personally. I don't need him to be Tony Allen but at least hold his own and not be a massive net negative on that end. I'd be ecstatic with a JJ Redick/Kyle Korver type defensive effort/effect.

[Ring_Wanted]

Booker is an elite prospect. He has weaknesses that he needs to improve upon, but he's still an elite prospect. Hopefully with his work ethic he can fix all the offensive efficiency issues (though I am curious whether the lower % is a function of his shot selection or of his own shooting ability or something else). I worry more about him picking up his defense personally. I don't need him to be Tony Allen but at least hold his own and not be a massive net negative on that end. I'd be ecstatic with a JJ Redick/Kyle Korver type defensive effort/effect.

I think the low %s are a due to a mix of being almost alone on offense and the poor shot selection that inevitable comes with it. These 7-20 FG games don't happen nearly as often if you can defer possessions and if defenses need to worry about others, which at this point is not an option. At the same time, this pressure will make him learn how to look for his spots better and deal with good defenders' attention. Kevin Durant averaged 43%FG and sub 30% 3pt as a rookie at 19. This season is exactly what Booker needs if he is to become a superstar. As for his defense, time will tell if he becomes average, but even if he doesn't, with the right combination of role players around him you can take the hit. Starting this draft and offseason, everything from the FO needs to be done with the goal of enabling Booker to become as productive as possible.

[Split T]

Chad Ford says we lean heavily towards ball if we get the first pick.

Phoenix Suns


Odds of winning the lottery: 19.1 percent

No. 1 pick: Lonzo Ball

The Suns have two point guards on their roster who have been starters -- Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight -- but I don't think that will affect their draft plans.

Both players were available at the trade deadline. The Suns have gone all-in on a youth movement and plan to build around Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender. Adding a young point guard is an attractive option for them.

The Suns lean Ball, in part because they feel they need a facilitator who can get everyone else on the team involved. While some teams are really split on the Ball vs. Fultz question, the early indications I get out of Phoenix are that the Suns lean pretty heavily toward Ball.

Full article for those with insider

http://insider.espn.com/nba/insider/sto ... -nba-draft

[ShelC]

I agree. Ball will elevate others and make the game easier for everyone. I love Fultz' offensive game, but we need Ball.

[Split T]

http://www.espn.com/nba/lottery2017/mockdraft

Lottery mock draft simulator is back.

I clicked it 25-30 times. We ended up with Ball, Jackson, or Tatum every time. It looks like Ford has our board

1. Ball
2. Jackson(Ford has us taking him with Fultz on the board)
3. Fultz(Can't verify this because we never picked with Fultz available and only Jackson and ball off the board)
4. Tatum(Possible Ford has him ahead of Fultz)

[TOO]

Fultz/Booker can both play on and off the ball and with Ulis, I think thats a better guard trio than Ball/Booker and Ulis. Ball's halfcourt game is still a massive question mark to me, Fultz can do whatever he wants offensively and still got others involved on a terrible Washington team.

[ShelC]

I like Tatum more than Jackson.

[TOO]

I like Tatum more than Jackson.

I like them exactly the same. Would be happy with either. I think Tatum has Carmelo esque socring ability in the half court in his future.

[Split T]

I like Tatum more than Jackson.

I like them exactly the same. Would be happy with either. I think Tatum has Carmelo esque socring ability in the half court in his future.

Hmm, I think Tatum will be a very good offensive player, I just don't think we need another mostly offense wing right now. Booker and Warren are good offensive players and poor defenders. It would be nice to have a wing that plays defense. And Jackson is no slouch on offense. He's more athletic than Tatum, a better ball handler, and a better passer.

[In2ition]

I did the simulator 5 times, and the Suns got #4 pick the first 4 times and picked Tatum. On the 5th chance, they won and took Ball.