Phx-Suns.Net

I don’t recall exactly, but there was a decent amount of support for Ayton and Doncic on the board predraft. If the draft could be redone what would your pick be now?

I was always for Ayton and still am. I just would not have picked Doncic's coach to coach Ayton if I knew I was picking Ayton and not Doncic. Dumbest decision of the offseason. Igor clearly has no clue how to use Ayton.

I was a big Doncic fan last summer, and I still am. But I don't want to spend the next several years groaning over what could have been. I like several things around Ayton, and we can build around him. Thats all that matters.

That’s a good point, we’ve got Ayton and we can’t go back...I’m just trying to come up with ways to stay engaged with this team, even if it’s pointless.

I think I lost by last bit of hope and love when the Suns passed on a one in a million fated opportunity for the perfect player for the classic Suns system (available the first and only time we get a #1) and we didn't even try. I've been disgusted with this team since the second they gave Bledsoe that big contract and gave up completely when they whiffed that pick. Fucking pathetic. Suns deserve what they get at this point.

In the long run I think Ayton will be more impactful so I'm still on board with the pick.

I think besides his being to passive with the ball at time the problem is that Igor has been more committed to a system, rather than adapting his system to his player's strengths.

And defensively, this team is a gigantic clusterfuck. So Ayton (who doesn't have defensive instincts to begin with) is hung out to dry when he goes to help on defense.

Ayton might be to slow for today s NBA. But i still have hope for him. Amare had a very similar Rookie Season if i recall well and he at least became a monster on offense. He won rookie of the year because he didn’t have any challenger for the award. I wanted Doncic but Ayton has surprised me positively. Ayton needs time to develop and he needs a better help around him.

gosuns wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 2:50 pm

Ayton might be to slow for today s NBA. But i still have hope for him. Amare had a very similar Rookie Season if i recall well and he at least became a monster on offense. He won rookie of the year because he didn’t have any challenger for the award. I wanted Doncic but Ayton has surprised me positively. Ayton needs time to develop and he needs a better help around him.

Amare was aggressive from day 1. Not even just aggressive but super aggressive. Huge difference there.

Yeah. Ayton has been more productive statistically, but Amare flashed superstardom from day one. He had "it." He made an impact. In those aspects, he was light years ahead of Ayton.

Of course Amare was surrounded by guys like Marion, Marbury, Hardaway, Gugliotta, J.Johnson, and Bo Outlaw. He was a young guy (along with Johnson) among veterans.

Ayton doesn't have that luxury.

Phoenix219 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 1:48 pm

I think I lost by last bit of hope and love when the Suns passed on a one in a million fated opportunity for the perfect player for the classic Suns system (available the first and only time we get a #1) and we didn't even try. I've been disgusted with this team since the second they gave Bledsoe that big contract and gave up completely when they whiffed that pick. f*** pathetic. Suns deserve what they get at this point.

Good to see you, P219. I think I feel similarly to you that we should have picked Doncic. He was a clear best player in the draft IMO. You can't pass on a guy like that just because some pretty-good big man is also available. Ayton is a solid center so far, but I still think Doncic was the right choice and that we blew it. I don't have a time machine so I have to support the guys we have. But I can't help but think we lost a chance to change the direction of our franchise.

We are in that rarified realm of dumb decisions, standing next to great draft choices like Sam Bowie and Greg Oden.

We should have drafted Doncic and signed Dragic.

Phoenix219 wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 8:50 pm

We are in that rarified realm of dumb decisions, standing next to great draft choices like Sam Bowie and Greg Oden.

We should have drafted Doncic and signed Dragic.

Welcome back 219!

The Bobster wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 4:00 pm

Of course Amare was surrounded by guys like Marion, Marbury, Hardaway, Gugliotta, J.Johnson, and Bo Outlaw. He was a young guy (along with Johnson) among veterans.

Ayton doesn't have that luxury.

Gugliotta and Hardaway were done. Joe Johnson was playing on the same level Josh Jackson is playing now; he was a young player then. Marion and Marbury were established players, so you have a point there. And certainly Marbury was better than anything we are running at point right now. But I don't think any of that impacted who Amare was. He just had a different mindset; he had a different aggression and a different drive/thirst for greatness.

gosuns wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 2:50 pm

Ayton might be to slow for today s NBA. But i still have hope for him. Amare had a very similar Rookie Season if i recall well and he at least became a monster on offense. He won rookie of the year because he didn’t have any challenger for the award. I wanted Doncic but Ayton has surprised me positively. Ayton needs time to develop and he needs a better help around him.

Can you imagine Ayton with Amares aggression? Dreamings free.

INFORMER wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:04 pm

The Bobster wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 4:00 pm

Of course Amare was surrounded by guys like Marion, Marbury, Hardaway, Gugliotta, J.Johnson, and Bo Outlaw. He was a young guy (along with Johnson) among veterans.

Ayton doesn't have that luxury.

Gugliotta and Hardaway were done. Joe Johnson was playing on the same level Josh Jackson is playing now; he was a young player then. Marion and Marbury were established players, so you have a point there. And certainly Marbury was better than anything we are running at point right now. But I don't think any of that impacted who Amare was. He just had a different mindset; he had a different aggression and a different drive/thirst for greatness.

That's exactly the metaphor I have been looking for with regards to Josh Jackson.

iLLmatic wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 10:06 pm

gosuns wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 2:50 pm

Ayton might be to slow for today s NBA. But i still have hope for him. Amare had a very similar Rookie Season if i recall well and he at least became a monster on offense. He won rookie of the year because he didn’t have any challenger for the award. I wanted Doncic but Ayton has surprised me positively. Ayton needs time to develop and he needs a better help around him.

Can you imagine Ayton with Amares aggression? Dreamings free.

Not Amare but perhaps David Robinson is a reasonable comparison.

Regarding the question that was asked -- I was all about BOTH Ayton and Doncic. Pick up Ayton and do whatever necessary to pick up the #2 or the #3, including sending out future picks, MIL, MIA, etc. And it retrospect, it was totally doable.

INFORMER wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 23, 2019 3:42 pm

Yeah. Ayton has been more productive statistically, but Amare flashed superstardom from day one. He had "it." He made an impact. In those aspects, he was light years ahead of Ayton.

That's pretty much how I explained it to a friend I was visiting last weekend. I put it in the context of Amare wanting to kill people out there. Before he had developed his offensive skills, all Amare wanted to do was embarrass his defender with his superior physical abilities. Ayton has all of those same gifts, but 10% of the killer instinct of Amare.