Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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Split T
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

Post by Split T »

I think Booker is great playing pg…I’d just split the minutes so Tyus runs the offense when Book is out…maybe we could switch something up, but Book has gotten much better when we put him back on ball.

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TOO
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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Split T wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 7:35 pm
I think Booker is great playing pg…I’d just split the minutes so Tyus runs the offense when Book is out…maybe we could switch something up, but Book has gotten much better when we put him back on ball.
As long as he doesn't get full court pressed or trapped/blitzed he's more than fine, he just tends to crumble when pressed.
Love, Hurts.

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INFORMER
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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Split T wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 7:35 pm
I think Booker is great playing pg
I don't see how anyone could think that. He can put up numbers no matter what you ask him to do on the court, but running him as a full-time point guard is not a championship strategy. It is a great strategy to get bounced out of the first round though.

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Split T
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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INFORMER wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 7:59 pm
Split T wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 7:35 pm
I think Booker is great playing pg
I don't see how anyone could think that. He can put up numbers no matter what you ask him to do on the court, but running him as a full-time point guard is not a championship strategy. It is a great strategy to get bounced out of the first round though.
Well I think that. He was not good earlier in the year playing off ball. He’s been much better since moving on ball.

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INFORMER
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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Booker became a star off the ball. He wasn't playing point guard in the Bubble where he got everyone's attention, he wasn't playing point guard with USA basketball when he impressed Durant, and he wasn't playing point guard when he went to the NBA finals.

And as other have commented, being more on the ball isn't the only change that has occurred. He is balancing his offense with his strength, the mid-range game. That doesn't require him playing point guard.

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Mori Chu
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

Post by Mori Chu »

Point Book may be better than Point Tyus who is completely ignored as PG and doesn't actually run the offense. But that's not saying much.

I'm worried that our "solution" to our recent team woes is to loosen the leash and let our stars do what they want. That is, Book and KD are now taking more mid-range 2s and fewer 3s, and Book is initiating the offense more. That means we are basically reverting to last season's Vogel offense. While Book and KD are great at shooting midrange jumpers, the Book/KD midrange assassin offense didn't work last year and it won't work this year either. And it marginalizes our starting PG and forces us to trade 2-for-3 against other teams that shoot a lot of 3s. IMO this is loser ball and has a low ceiling.

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INFORMER
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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Shel mentioned this earlier: the key is balance. And this group seems incapable of it. Either they are passing up open 3s to take difficult midrange shots, or they are mindlessly chucking threes.

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Split T
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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INFORMER wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:42 pm
Booker became a star off the ball. He wasn't playing point guard in the Bubble where he got everyone's attention, he wasn't playing point guard with USA basketball when he impressed Durant, and he wasn't playing point guard when he went to the NBA finals.

And as other have commented, being more on the ball isn't the only change that has occurred. He is balancing his offense with his strength, the mid-range game. That doesn't require him playing point guard.
He was playing with an elite pg in those situations. I know Booker has played elite off ball, but he hasn’t this year. We’ve just been better this year with Book on ball. Tyus doesn’t draw enough attention on ball. It’s part of why I’d like Jimmy…he can play some point and allow Booker to cook off ball. It’s not happening with Tyus at PG though.

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INFORMER
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

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Split T wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 9:42 pm
INFORMER wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:42 pm
Booker became a star off the ball. He wasn't playing point guard in the Bubble where he got everyone's attention, he wasn't playing point guard with USA basketball when he impressed Durant, and he wasn't playing point guard when he went to the NBA finals.

And as other have commented, being more on the ball isn't the only change that has occurred. He is balancing his offense with his strength, the mid-range game. That doesn't require him playing point guard.
He was playing with an elite pg in those situations.
Nothing elite about Cam Payne and Ricky Rubio. We've seen Booker play just fine without an elite point guard.

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Split T
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Re: Suns Land Nick Richards in Trade

Post by Split T »

INFORMER wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 10:25 pm
Split T wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 9:42 pm
INFORMER wrote:
Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:42 pm
Booker became a star off the ball. He wasn't playing point guard in the Bubble where he got everyone's attention, he wasn't playing point guard with USA basketball when he impressed Durant, and he wasn't playing point guard when he went to the NBA finals.

And as other have commented, being more on the ball isn't the only change that has occurred. He is balancing his offense with his strength, the mid-range game. That doesn't require him playing point guard.
He was playing with an elite pg in those situations.
Nothing elite about Cam Payne and Ricky Rubio. We've seen Booker play just fine without an elite point guard.
You’re right, the bubble was Rubio…Booker still played a ton on ball in the bubble. I’m less concerned about the past though…he hasn’t played well this year off the ball and he’s played better on ball…the team has also played better with him on ball…some of it might have been how we were using him, but I just don’t think Tyus is good enough to justify it. Booker off ball may be the way in a best case scenario, but I need someone better on ball then.

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