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

[O_Gardino]

Shouldn’t he be real certain by draft time? Seems dumb to be so wishy washy this close to the draft.

His current team is still in the playoffs and is playing in the Final Four tomorrow. I don't think it's wishy washy for him to verbally reinforce his love for his current team in the middle of the playoff run - I think it shows good focus on the moment. Let's see what he says after the playoffs finish.

This weekend he plays in the Euroleague final 4. After that the ACB playoffs start so it's possible his season ends after the NBA draft. I don't think there's much of a chance he won't come over to the NBA next year but he may use that option to influence who drafts him, as Woj said.

Thanks for the clarification. I didn't realize the ACB playoffs were after the Euroleague finals.

[Cap]

Might be nothing but:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2353 ... ext-season

I don't think he stays overseas, maybe he's sending a message that if we don't take him #1 he doesn't want to go to Sac or ATL?

Duffy has a great relationship with the Suns. This is our opportunity to grab BOTH Ayton and Doncic.

Oh, God. Et tu, v9?

I made this challenge to anyone who thinks it’s possible to draft Ayton #1 and trade for another pick that brings us Doncic: go to a message board for fans of the other team(s) involved in your hypothetical trade and sell it to their fans. If their fans react to your suggestion with universal outrage, the team’s not likely to make the deal.

Admittedly, the system isn’t perfect. If somebody from a Sixers or Bucks message board had come here in 2013 and suggested we trade the Lakers pick for Brandon Knight, we would have tarred him, feathered him, and run him out of town on a rail. Yet that trade still happened.

But if your plan depends on another team making that kind of boneheaded play despite not being managed by McD, I don’t think it’s likely to work.

[Hermen]

Might be nothing but:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2353 ... ext-season

I don't think he stays overseas, maybe he's sending a message that if we don't take him #1 he doesn't want to go to Sac or ATL?

Duffy has a great relationship with the Suns. This is our opportunity to grab BOTH Ayton and Doncic.

Oh, God. Et tu, v9?

I made this challenge to anyone who thinks it’s possible to draft Ayton #1 and trade for another pick that brings us Doncic: go to a message board for fans of the other team(s) involved in your hypothetical trade and sell it to their fans. If their fans react to your suggestion with universal outrage, the team’s not likely to make the deal.

Admittedly, the system isn’t perfect. If somebody from a Sixers or Bucks message board had come here in 2013 and suggested we trade the Lakers pick for Brandon Knight, we would have tarred him, feathered him, and run him out of town on a rail. Yet that trade still happened.

But if your plan depends on another team making that kind of boneheaded play despite not being managed by McD, I don’t think it’s likely to work.

Normally I'd agree. But you can never count out the Kings (of boneheaded plays).

[virtual9mm]

Cap, Herman -- I am not sure why you would feel this way, especially if the Suns are willing to part with the future Miami unprotected, the fiture Bucks pick, and a future unprotected of thrir own in addition to TJ. A team need not be Sac town or crazy to consider it. We have seen superstars traded for much less, and my concern would actually be that the Suns are giving up too much.

[JCSunsfan]

It’s not like this is a two player draft. Any one of eight players or so could end up being the best player. If one of those players is determined to tank his value by saying he will only play for certain teams, he can do it, especially when he already has a multimillion dollar contract and endorsements overseas. And when he has the most saavy agent in the business who has done this kind of thing before.

I would guess Duffy and Doncic have several teams they think are ideal. So the Suns would have a difficult time getting him. I think Dallas would be a preferred destination, for instance.

[Hermen]

Cap, Herman -- I am not sure why you would feel this way, especially if the Suns are willing to part with the future Miami unprotected, the fiture Bucks pick, and a future unprotected of thrir own in addition to TJ. A team need not be Sac town or crazy to consider it. We have seen superstars traded for much less, and my concern would actually be that the Suns are giving up too much.

I think it's hard for teams to trade a top pick for future picks that may not amount to much. Look at Boston trying to trade 4 picks a couple of years ago, but teams rather drafted Stanley Johnson, Frank Kaminsky etc, and they weren't nearly the prospects that are at the top of this draft. If we'd rather have Ayton/Doncic than that, why wouldn't the other rebuilding team? Warren is a wing without a 3, without D and without playmaking. I don't think he's more than a neutral asset on his contract.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Someone spoke of being scared to death about us 'screwing this up.' You might get your wish...

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2354 ... -no-1-pick

[Vladimir_Taltos]

I still wonder if we could pull a Bamba and Trae. I hope they do their homework...think they need to workout Bamba and Ayton for one, to get a comparative. Something about Bamba I find intriguing. I've heard some shade thrown somewhere on the board Trae's way, but Trae's likely to be special. Failing that...I still hope we're smart enough to snag Holiday, so we maybe get a legit PG that has at least an idea of what court vision is...

[Vladimir_Taltos]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I still wonder if we could pull a Bamba and Trae. I hope they do their homework...think they need to workout Bamba and Ayton for one, to get a comparative. Something about Bamba I find intriguing. I've heard some shade thrown somewhere on the board Trae's way, but Trae's likely to be special. Failing that...I still hope we're smart enough to snag Holiday, so we maybe get a legit PG that has at least an idea of what court vision is...

Weren’t you fond of Jimmer Fredette as well? Your words on Trae kind of send me a flashback...

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Nope

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Nope

My bad, I vaguely remember some folks that did. And the Trae Young hype train kind of ring the same bells in my ears.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Well, if you look at the top rated PGs, they're largely unimpressive, outside of Doncic. Aaron seems to have the potential to fill the role, but most of the others outside of Trae strike me as score first PGs...meh. If we could swing Doncic + Bamba, that to me would be an acceptable trade off vs. taking Ayton as an example. But we NEED a GOOD big and a GOOD PG...so what gets us there is the magic question. To me those are the four...Ayton or Bamba and Trae or Doncic...I'd feel ok about Holiday if we get him with the 16th or such as a potential also.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I would love to go Doncic +Bamba over Ayton and Elfrid/Young/Holiday, and not as far fetched as the “Ayton then a slipped Doncic” scenario, he won’t last past Memphis/ Dallas, Grizzlies need a win now prospect and will take him instead of dealing with us, and if Luka threatens to stay overseas, Dallas would love to leave him there and suck for another year or two to get another high pick prospect.

[Superbone]

It's interesting to see that now that we actually have the first pick, the tide has turned toward Ayton from Doncic. However, there are not as many votes (34 vs 58) so that is a factor. I myself switched sides.

[Superbone]

Doncic highlights from his last game:

[youtube][/youtube]

[Superbone]

I know these have been posted (start at 0:31 after the ad) but I just watched a bunch and I see the potential for an even larger Giannis-type player in Ayton. Sure, he probably won't become that skilled but who knows depending on his work ethic. I really don't see how we can pass up this guy at his size.

[youtube][/youtube]

[INFORMER]

What do you mean by a "Giannis-type" player?

[Superbone]

What do you mean by a "Giannis-type" player?

How many Giannises do you know? In those highlights, I saw glimpses of what I've seen Antetokounmpo do on the court. Two large strides to get to the basket for a dunk. Turn around jumpers. Ayton is probably already a better outside shooter. Diving to the floor for loose balls. I don't know, I saw some things that I've seen Antetokounmpo do and they reminded me of him. Ayton is still raw. Who knows what he might become. Let's not pigeonhole him into where he could possibly end up as a basketball player.

[INFORMER]

The comment struck me as odd because Giannis is essentially a guard that hit a huge growth spurt. He can run the point and creates for himself from the perimeter. You're never going to get that from Ayton because that's just not what Ayton is. It isn't a knock, just more an issue of accuracy.