Phx-Suns.Net

Time: 7:30 pm AZ (7:30 pm PT/10:30 pm ET)
Place: Thomas & Mack, Las Vegas, NV
TV: ESPN2

Starting this early since I'll be on my way to Vegas Friday morning to watch our first 3 NBA Summer League games.

Kings are stacked. Some of their notables:
De'Aaron Fox
Harry Giles
Buddy Hield
Justin Jackson
Skal Labissiere
Frank Mason
George Papagiannis
Malachi Richardson

Our projected (by me) starting lineup:
Mike James (PG)
Derrick Jones, Jr. (SG)
Josh Jackson (SF)
Dragon Bender (PF)
Marquese Chriss (C)
Davon Reed (6th man)

Go Suns!!!

Dis • cuss

Can't wait. Hopefully Chriss, Bender, Reed and Jackson play a ton. Also, I'm a little frustrated that with center being kind of a need we didn't pick up any real size to take a look at.

Christian Wood at 6'11" is playing pretty well for the Mavericks SL team in Orlando:

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/dallas ... league-win

Why is Bender the PF and Chriss the C? I think of them the other way around, with Bender being slightly slower of foot but better on defense and protecting the paint. Why wouldn't Bender be the natural center?

Bender's best attribute coming out of the draft was his footspeed and ability to defend the perimeter. I don't love the idea of him at the 3, which is where he got a lot of run last year in SL (and looked good defensively) but he should be groomed as a 4. Chriss is a bit too small to be a full time NBA 5 IMO and Bender can hopefully grow into that role down the line. Ideally, they grow together and can switch adequately.

Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:Why is Bender the PF and Chriss the C? I think of them the other way around, with Bender being slightly slower of foot but better on defense and protecting the paint. Why wouldn't Bender be the natural center?

Chriss looks quicker on offense because he is more decisive. Bender is such a good perimeter defender, it seems like a waste to put him on most centers.

O_Gardino wrote:Bender is such a good perimeter defender, it seems like a waste to put him on most centers.

I know, right?

Guess what .....

It's GAME DAY !!

I'm excited to see how they do. Boy, I hope that Dragan breaks out big time and the rest of the players we are counting on look incredibly improved on both ends.

In2ition wrote:Boy, I hope that Dragan breaks out big time

What a horrible thing to wish on a teenager just when he's going to be on national TV.

Cap wrote:

In2ition wrote:Boy, I hope that Dragan breaks out big time

What a horrible thing to wish on a teenager just when he's going to be on national TV.

8/10

Cap wrote:

In2ition wrote:Boy, I hope that Dragan breaks out big time

What a horrible thing to wish on a teenager just when he's going to be on national TV.

Haha, 9/10

Heading out to Vegas now. I'll report live from courtside.

Superbone wrote:Heading out to Vegas now. I'll report live from courtside.

Yay! Have a safe trip and a great time!

Cap wrote:

In2ition wrote:Boy, I hope that Dragan breaks out big time

What a horrible thing to wish on a teenager just when he's going to be on national TV.

I hear he has been working on his pick-and-(pimple)-pop.

In2ition wrote:

Superbone wrote:Heading out to Vegas now. I'll report live from courtside.

Yay! Have a safe trip and a great time!

Thanks, man. I'm currently in a town called Hesperia on the way.

Superbone wrote:

In2ition wrote:

Superbone wrote:Heading out to Vegas now. I'll report live from courtside.

Yay! Have a safe trip and a great time!

Thanks, man. I'm currently in a town called Hesperia on the way.

Never heard of it. It sounds like the Greek goddess of pestilence.

https://mobile.twitter.com/SunsNationNBA/status/883455510489567233

Wally_West wrote:https://mobile.twitter.com/SunsNationNBA/status/883455510489567233

That doesnt look like TJ Warren to me.

JCSunsfan wrote:

Wally_West wrote:https://mobile.twitter.com/SunsNationNBA/status/883455510489567233

That doesnt look like TJ Warren to me.

I think that's him in the far back lol