jonh wrote:It would be nice if our high draft picks over the last 2 years could shoot though. Also not a fan of the "edge" that Watson likes our players to have.
I don't know why not. All the best players have it.
There is a difference between having an edge/swagger and just trying to act tough or intimidate. Raja Bell played with an Edge. Chris Paul plays with an edge. Booker, most of the time, plays with swagger. I felt Chriss was out there last night just trying to be tough. Kieff, particularly his last year here, just tried to be tough. Even when he got calls he'd roll his eyes, just didn't like the attitude. I like to see him reel it in a bit and cut the flexing and staring crap down after and 1's and esp. stop the "let me look at the official for 5 seconds while the play is still going on" stuff. I don't mind when he came to Jackson's defense during the skirmish stuff".
Book said something interesting during his interview about Chriss "thinking he is a vet out there now because it's his 2nd year" and I felt you could see that. He was expecting to get calls just because he was being guarded by rookies and non-established guys. Work hard and it tkes care of itself.
Well said.
And I think that interview showed the unbelievable maturity of Devin Booker. He's a coach, a talent scout, a leader already. He was with the team working out, giving them instructions even. For those who missed it, he told Chriss before the game not to settle for 3pters. "Sometimes he can settle for the 3, and I know he's able to get a better shot." (paraphrased)
The league needs heroes, villains... and clowns. -- Aztec Sunsfan
ShelC wrote:Jackson will never be Devin Booker on offense. But he can be a rhythm shooter off the dribble with his step back that he uses to create space. So that's encouraging. But he'll never go at his man and just rise up for a jumper because the form isn't there.
Yet.
"Too little, too late, too unbothered."
- Phoenix Suns 2023-2024 season motto.
I don't think you can fix that form. It's one thing if the form is like 90% there or fundamentally sound to begin with and the guy just needs reps or a tweak of his hand placement or something. But when a shot is jacked, it's hard to re-invent that when the kid is 19-20 years old and has been shooting that way since at least 12-13 years old. Even Leandro, who was fine as a spot up shooter, couldn't shoot off the bounce because he shot with two hands.
Ball will be interesting because he's a pass-first playmaker not unlike JKidd. But even in Kidd's prime with us and the Nets, he wasn't a guy people were necessarily paying to watch. He made everyone better and his passing led to big plays, but he wasn't the one scoring or dunking all the time. So while Ball may get double digit assists and triple doubles, if he's not scoring 25-30 pts while he's doing it (as some fans might want to expect), it might lead to disappointment and even some calling him a bust.
I disagree that people didn't pay to see Kidd. Many people paid to watch him play, he was fantastic.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass
I agree that his jumpshot can't be fixed. It's just too far broken and he'd need to change it completely, not just a little tweak.
I disagree that he'll be a bust if he's not scoring 25-30 a night. I think if he stuffs the box score he'll be okay. That, and getting his dad to stfu will help also but I don't think that's happening.
Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:Ball gets a triple-double in his second summer league game. Kid is going to be a big big star.
Yeah and it's going to really annoy his haters and so called "expert talent evaluators" that doubted him, and we know there are a ton of them.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass
ShelC wrote:Jackson will never be Devin Booker on offense. But he can be a rhythm shooter off the dribble with his step back that he uses to create space. So that's encouraging. But he'll never go at his man and just rise up for a jumper because the form isn't there.
I am betting that you are wrong. I just think he has too much drive to be the best he can be. He may not turn out to be the best shooter in the league but more than adequate, he just has too much pride to suck.
This BUD'S for us! - Play fast Play well - Go Suns!
JustWinBaby wrote:I am betting that you are wrong. I just think he has too much drive to be the best he can be.
This is his best trait. Booker has it as well. Those two could make a formidable combo. Obviously not MJ-Pippen, but how about Kobe-Artest.
This is why I am not sad we don't have Tatum or Fox (or Isaac).
Tatum's offense is erotic but makes us even more of a just a your-turn-my-turn iso team and doesn't contribute on the other side of the court. Fox is a demon but removes the ball from Booker (won't get into how complicated he would make things with Bledsoe). Isaac's offense is a work in progress but he could become a terror on D (but he overlaps with Bender and Chriss, although I think he is a better prospect than either).
Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:I am on record as wishing we had gotten either of Tatum or DeAaron Fox (accompanied by Bledsoe trade) rather than Josh Jackson. We'll see how they pan out.
Are you just now saying that? Cause I thought I was the only one saying it at draft time.
I think Shel loved Fox and preferred Tatum to Jackson. I like Jackson better than Fox individually, but I would have been happier getting Fox and moving Bledsoe for more assets.
This is true. I don't dislike Jackson and thought he was the right fit for our team as currently constructed. But I think Tatum will be a problem for NBA defenses and Fox is going to be a dynamite PG and maybe one of the best in the L within 3 years. I still drool at the thought of a Fox-Booker backcourt. I like the idea Ring threw out comparing Booker-Jackson to Kobe-Artest. If they can get 3/4s of the way there, we'll be in a great spot. But man, it's tough watching Tatum and Fox ball out. Tatum's just got a beautiful offensive repertoire.
JustWinBaby wrote:I am betting that you are wrong. I just think he has too much drive to be the best he can be.
This is his best trait. Booker has it as well. Those two could make a formidable combo. Obviously not MJ-Pippen, but how about Kobe-Artest.
This is why I am not sad we don't have Tatum or Fox (or Isaac).
Tatum's offense is erotic but makes us even more of a just a your-turn-my-turn iso team and doesn't contribute on the other side of the court. Fox is a demon but removes the ball from Booker (won't get into how complicated he would make things with Bledsoe). Isaac's offense is a work in progress but he could become a terror on D (but he overlaps with Bender and Chriss, although I think he is a better prospect than either).
Something something Tatum's erotic butt?
The league needs heroes, villains... and clowns. -- Aztec Sunsfan
Someone said he didn't or couldn't and they convinced themselves that it's a fact.
"When we all think alike, nobody is thinking" - Walter Lippmann "Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them." ~ Frederick Douglass