Suns Training Camp 2017

[Superbone]

After media day on Monday, that evening the Suns will head up to Flagstaff to start training camp Tuesday morning culminating with an open scrimmage on Friday. Here's the place to to talk all things training camp.

[Mori Chu]

Does Booker play with that earring in?

[The Bobster]

No jewelry as per NBA rules.

[Superbone]

No jewelry as per NBA rules.

He does play with that fez on though. Fezzes are cool.

[Superbone]

In case somebody didn't get my reference:

[youtube][/youtube]

[O_Gardino]

OK, as the roster stands right now, here is my depth chart and minutes distribution. Training camp and preseason should provide a lot of opportunities for the end of the bench, since about half of our guys are very beatable.

Code: Select all

PG -   Bledsoe (32)  |  Ulis    (16)  |  James (res)  |  Knight    (inj)
SG -   Booker  (34)  |  Daniels (10)  |  Jackson (4)  |  Jok       (res)  |  Reed (inj)
SF -   Warren  (22)  |  Jackson (26)  |  Jones (res)  |  Millsap   (res)
PF -   Chriss  (22)  |  Bender  (18)  |  Warren  (8)  |  Dudley    (res)
C -   Chandler (22)  |  Len     (22)  |  Chriss  (4)  |  Williams  (inj)

Bledsoe  - 32
Booker   - 34
Warren   - 30
Jackson  - 30
Chriss   - 26
Chandler - 22
Len      - 22
Bender   - 18
Ulis     - 16
Daniels  - 10

res = reserve; a healthy player who is not part of the regular rotation
inj = injured

Guys who could lose their minutes:
Chriss, Bender, Chandler, Len, Daniels

Guys who might earn more minutes:
Everyone but Millsap

[Split T]

I did one earlier, it went something like this:

Bled 35
Booker 35
Warren 28
Jackson 28
Chriss 24
Dudley 18
Chandler 18
Williams (Len) 18
Bender 18
Ulis 18

I'd also consider giving Dudley and Chandler and maybe Len regular days off for "rest" so we could give extended minutes to Bender/chriss

[Superbone]

Split, you don’t think Daniels is going to crack the rotation?

[Indy]

I would be surprised if he doesn't get consistent minutes, even if it is 8 a game. We need shooters.

[Nodack]

I was practicing in the pool all summer. Put me in...

[Split T]

Split, you don’t think Daniels is going to crack the rotation?

He probably will. I came up with those minutes before Len signed and we traded for Daniels. I penciled in Jackson for 8 minutes at SG, but we'll probably see Daniels get those. Williams getting hurt helps our minutes crunch in the front court, but I still think we have one too many guys who want/need minutes at the 4/5. Especially if Warren/Jackson are gonna take any minutes at the 4.

[Split T]

What does everyone want to see this year?

Here's my wish list:

Booker takes a big step(shooting efficiency and playmaking)
Jackson is as advertised(great individual defender who plays with heart and intensity and lights a fire in everyone)
Jackson's ball handling, play-making and court vision are legit.
Warren builds on his post all star play and becomes a reliable corner 3 guy.
Chriss attitude improves(I'm ok with his fire celebrating good plays, he needs to stop the pouting and I absolutely hate when he just stops playing sometimes when things don't go his way)
Lots of things about Chriss can improve, but other than attitude I'll stick with court awareness as the next biggest.
Bender shows something offensively, He needs to flash the ability he showed in the last few summer league games from time to time.
Ulis develops a consistent mid range pull up jumper
Dudley and Chandler are great player-coaches, emphasis on coaches.
Bledsoe takes less responsibility on offense, gets back to being a great defender and improves in his efficiency(play making and shooting)

I'm going to root for player development over anything else and think learning how to win games is a big part of that. I'd love to land another top 5 talent to our roster next year, but I will not root for losses. I think the losses will come naturally as we let booker/Jackson/Chriss and the other young guys play key roles and have the ball in key moments. I guess my point is the 10th pick + good player development > the 1st pick and player stagnation in my mind.

[Superbone]

I'd like to see Chriss improve his rebounding. That and attitude are the two biggest things I'd like to see from him. And maybe a few less fouls. Other than that...

[O_Gardino]

Warren: reliable 3pt shot
Booker: improved defensive awareness
Ulis: improved jumper and steals
Chriss: rebounds, rebounds, rebounds
Bender: assertiveness
Jones: reliable 3pt shot and better defensive awareness of when to help
Williams: get healthy

Reed: get healthy and come back with the same game he showed in summer league
Jackson: be a jedi

Chandler and Dudley: more great coaching and mentoring

Bledsoe: get traded to cavs for the nj pick
Knight: get traded for a future pick in a salary dump to a team that needs the insurance money.

Millsap: get cut before the season to make room on the roster for another veteran leader

[bajanguy008]

I will have to think about it more but my initial reaction was that I would want to see this year is Ulis get a steal and throw down one

[Ring_Wanted]

I guess my point is the 10th pick + good player development > the 1st pick and player stagnation in my mind.

I truly believe we need another top5 prospect. Basically I only count Booker and perhaps Jackson as players with a chance at stardom, and that's just not going to cut it. We must add a real dominating big man and this draft is said to have just that. I'm ready for another 25 win season. Then, if the draft chips fall conveniently, get serious about winning, including a look at head coaches candidates.

[Superbone]

https://sports.yahoo.com/young-suns-loo ... ml?src=rss

Young Suns look for improvement in slow climb to contention

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Phoenix Suns went back to work Monday, not quite as young as they were before but still with a long road ahead before their youthful talent matures into NBA contenders.

The Suns, who won 24 games last season, haven't made the playoffs in six years, the longest drought in the franchise's long history, and prospects aren't good this year either. But the front office and ownership has decided to build from within, developing young talent so at some point they will be able to compete with the powerhouses of the Western Conference.

''Our goal is to try to win a championship,'' McDonough said. ''We have a time frame in mind. I hope it's this year but it's probably not. .... I hope a few years from now people look back and say, 'Boy they might have been young and there might have been some growing pains along the way but they really built something special.'''

''The next step for Devin is rebounding, rebounding and solid defense,'' coach Earl Watson said, ''being accountable at both ends of the court. He's phenomenal offensively, one of the most gifted players I've ever seen at such a young age.''

The Suns also have 24-year-old T.J. Warren, 20-year-old Marquese Chriss, 19-year-old Dragan Bender and 21-year-old Tyler Ulis.

Then there is the newest addition, 20-year-old forward Josh Jackson, the fourth-overall pick in the draft out of Kansas who already has wowed the Suns in summer workouts.

''From what I've seen in our offseason workouts and summer leagues and the pickup games we've had, we got exactly what we thought we were getting, maybe more,'' McDonough said. ''He might even be better than we thought and we thought he'd be pretty darned good coming out of the draft.''

Veteran Tyson Chandler said Jackson reminds him of ''a young Kawhi Leonard.''

''He's a superstar just waiting to happen,'' Watson said.

[Superbone]

I hope we're not putting too much pressure on Jackson too early.

[O_Gardino]

I guess my point is the 10th pick + good player development > the 1st pick and player stagnation in my mind.

I truly believe we need another top5 prospect. Basically I only count Booker and perhaps Jackson as players with a chance at stardom, and that's just not going to cut it. We must add a real dominating big man and this draft is said to have just that. I'm ready for another 25 win season. Then, if the draft chips fall conveniently, get serious about winning, including a look at head coaches candidates.

Or you trade for or recruit a star.

My take is that the best thing for player development is getting the young guys as involved as possible. And that probably has a similar result to tanking. As much as I like our young dudes, they would have to take a couple of enormous steps for us to be good.

[Superbone]

So, Scott Bordow's reign as Suns' beat writer has started.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... 705994001/

Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker, Eric Bledsoe could share point-guard duties while on floor

The Suns, in fact, believe one of the bigger developmental steps Booker can take is as a playmaker. Booker averaged 3.4 assists per game in 2016-17, and Phoenix believes he can increase that number to five or six this season.

“I think you’ll see more of his vision and playmaking come out this year,” General Manager Ryan McDonough said. “He’s wired primarily to score like a lot of young guys are but I think you’ll see the playmaking develop.”

Bledsoe said he's fine playing shooting guard at times and that in workouts this summer he and Booker have learned to play off each other no matter who has the ball.

“Devin can pass the ball as well as he can score it so I try to let him run the point sometimes and I’ll be the two guard,” Bledsoe said. “We just kind of flip that up.”

Backup point guard Tyler Ulis gained 10 pounds of muscle this offseason and now “packs” 160 pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame.

“That’s something I worked on during the summer,” Ulis said. “I was in the weight room trying to get bigger.”

Ulis, who averaged 7.3 points, 3.7 assists and 0.79 steals per game last season, said he never doubted his ability to play in the NBA at his size.

“Most people did but I felt like I proved myself at the end of the season,” he said. “I try not to ever question myself. My mom told me that at an early age.”