2024-2025 Around the NBA Thread

[Mainstreet]

Westbrook really doesn't fit anywhere. He can't shoot and has lost his bread and butter which was his athleticism. Denver losing guys after the new CBA and seem desperate here.

A backup point guard is better than none, as the Suns found out in the playoffs last season.

Btw, I like Monte Morris a lot. He was a good acquisition.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not locked on Westbrook. What I am locked onto is depth. Of course, players have to accept their roles.

Tyus Jones is unlikely to come here, but if I were the Suns front office I would have pursued the possibility.

The same with another backup center.

I think our biggest problem is and has been the fact we wasted so many draft picks. And most of them were complete wastes. Usually, when you miss on a first round pick, especially if it's a lottery pick, you can still get used car value out of it when you trade it. We didn't even get that with many of our picks, they were just big fat zeroes or at best, an Ayton type trade where we got pennies on the dollar for a top pick.

We'd been a laughingstock for several years and decided to jumpstart our move toward contention. But because of all the failed draft picks we didn't have the foundation we needed when we went all in with CP3 and then KD. So we're picking from the castoffs but the castoffs get to pick too and we don't look that appetizing to many of them.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think our biggest problem is and has been the fact we wasted so many draft picks. And most of them were complete wastes. Usually, when you miss on a first round pick, especially if it's a lottery pick, you can still get used car value out of it when you trade it. We didn't even get that with many of our picks, they were just big fat zeroes or at best, an Ayton type trade where we got pennies on the dollar for a top pick.

We'd been a laughingstock for several years and decided to jumpstart our move toward contention. But because of all the failed draft picks we didn't have the foundation we needed when we went all in with CP3 and then KD. So we're picking from the castoffs but the castoffs get to pick too and we don't look that appetizing to many of them.

The Suns draft Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jalen Smith... then poof they are gone.

James Jones may not like swinging for skeletons (stars), but he better be glad McDonough drafted Devin Booker.

 

[Fumats20]

The Suns draft Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jalen Smith... then poof they are gone.

James Jones may not like swinging for skeletons (stars), but he better be glad McDonough drafted Devin Booker.

Cuz James literally said if it was him drafting for Booker's class he would not have picked Booker. I don't know how fans can't see this thought process is the problem. Not even Booker...wow!!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Cuz James literally said if it was him drafting for Booker's class he would not have picked Booker. I don't know how fans can't see this thought process is the problem. Not even Booker...wow!!

It takes a great deal of hubris for Jones to actually admit this, especially considering how terrible his draft record’s been.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Cuz James literally said if it was him drafting for Booker's class he would not have picked Booker. I don't know how fans can't see this thought process is the problem. Not even Booker...wow!!

I always thought he was just acknowledging the obvious drawback to his approach, that it likely would have kept us away from someone like Devin Booker. Anyway, I don't like his approach to drafting and team building. I like it better than McD's approach but somewhere in the middle makes more sense to me.

 

[Covert Rain]

Cuz James literally said if it was him drafting for Booker's class he would not have picked Booker. I don't know how fans can't see this thought process is the problem. Not even Booker...wow!!

Do you have a source for this? I am not saying you are incorrect but I don't recall this.

 

[Mainstreet]

Do you have a source for this? I am not saying you are incorrect but I don't recall this.

Here is a link to the article below.

Of course, Jones proved it by passing on Haliburton.


By Donnie Druin Jun 22, 2022 2:44 PM EDT, Sports Illustrated:

"Jones readily admits that if another unformed Antetokounmpo is toiling in obscurity in southeastern Europe, the Suns wouldn't give him much of a look," said the article.

--------------------------------------------------------

"He even confesses that, had he been at the helm in 2015, he probably would have passed on Booker," said Arnovitz.

"It all depends on what your goal is," Jones says. "Devin is great, but there are 50 skeletons tied to that swing for the star.

Suns GM James Jones Admits He 'Probably' Would Have Passed on Devin Booker

Jones recently did an interview with ESPN about Phoenix's approach to the NBA Draft.

www.si.com

 

[95pro]

I always thought he was just acknowledging the obvious drawback to his approach, that it likely would have kept us away from someone like Devin Booker. Anyway, I don't like his approach to drafting and team building. I like it better than McD's approach but somewhere in the middle makes more sense to me.

Last year it was "mid-prime" guys versus veterans with some life left in them this year. I will say this years FA list is much better than last years.

 

[Mainstreet]

I always thought he was just acknowledging the obvious drawback to his approach, that it likely would have kept us away from someone like Devin Booker. Anyway, I don't like his approach to drafting and team building. I like it better than McD's approach but somewhere in the middle makes more sense to me.

Somewhere in the middle does make more sense but if the Suns had kept McDonough, the Suns would have drafted Booker and likely traded for the draft rights Shai.

From what I can make of it, Sarver may have had the say in trading for Mikal Bridges in the 2018 draft. It's hard to complain about either choice.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It takes a great deal of hubris for Jones to actually admit this, especially considering how terrible his draft record’s been.

Given that Booker might be the best pick in that draft, I think its more humility than hubris to admit this.

 

[Covert Rain]

Here is a link to the article below.

Of course, Jones proved it by passing on Haliburton.


By Donnie Druin Jun 22, 2022 2:44 PM EDT, Sports Illustrated:

"Jones readily admits that if another unformed Antetokounmpo is toiling in obscurity in southeastern Europe, the Suns wouldn't give him much of a look," said the article.

--------------------------------------------------------

"He even confesses that, had he been at the helm in 2015, he probably would have passed on Booker," said Arnovitz.

"It all depends on what your goal is," Jones says. "Devin is great, but there are 50 skeletons tied to that swing for the star.

Suns GM James Jones Admits He 'Probably' Would Have Passed on Devin Booker

Jones recently did an interview with ESPN about Phoenix's approach to the NBA Draft.

www.si.com

Yikes! I remember the scenario but not that specific quote.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Somewhere in the middle does make more sense but if the Suns had kept McDonough, the Suns would have drafted Booker and likely traded for the draft rights Shai.

From what I can make of it, Sarver may have had the say in trading for Mikal Bridges in the 2018 draft. It's hard to complain about either choice.

McD was an asset guy. James Jones is a team building guy. When you a rebuilding, you need an asset guy. Although I will readily admit that outside of Booker, McD was not very good at stockpiling quality talent. When you start to contend, you need a team-building guy. James Jones has done Ok at this to begin with, but then has faltered as CP3 aged etc.

The sentiment certainly has turned regarding Jones. He was regarded much higher here a couple of years ago.

 

[Mainstreet]

McD was an asset guy. James Jones is a team building guy. When you a rebuilding, you need an asset guy. Although I will readily admit that outside of Booker, McD was not very good at stockpiling quality talent. When you start to contend, you need a team-building guy. James Jones has done Ok at this to begin with, but then has faltered as CP3 aged etc.

The sentiment certainly has turned regarding Jones. He was regarded much higher here a couple of years ago.

I haven't felt the same about James Jones since he passed on Haliburton and traded the farm for Durant.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yikes! I remember the scenario but not that specific quote.

Yeah, the quote is even in my signature.

 

[Covert Rain]

Yeah, the quote is even in my signature.

Shows how much I pay attention to signatures. OOF!

 

[CarnoBC]

Here is a link to the article below.

Of course, Jones proved it by passing on Haliburton.


By Donnie Druin Jun 22, 2022 2:44 PM EDT, Sports Illustrated:

"Jones readily admits that if another unformed Antetokounmpo is toiling in obscurity in southeastern Europe, the Suns wouldn't give him much of a look," said the article.

--------------------------------------------------------

"He even confesses that, had he been at the helm in 2015, he probably would have passed on Booker," said Arnovitz.

"It all depends on what your goal is," Jones says. "Devin is great, but there are 50 skeletons tied to that swing for the star.

Suns GM James Jones Admits He 'Probably' Would Have Passed on Devin Booker

Jones recently did an interview with ESPN about Phoenix's approach to the NBA Draft.

www.si.com

The source article is actually here:

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...x-suns-plan-nail-nba-draft-mostly-ignoring-it

The SI article is correct that in the ESPN+ source article, the author, Arnovitz, said that Jones made that statement, but nowhere is there a quote from Jones where he says that. Why Arnovitz states Jones made that statement without the quote, I do not understand. We are only left with the authors interpretation of some unknown Jones comment, which is suspect. We are also not provided a rationale for why Jones would have passed on Booker.

Even if Jones did make such a statement, I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not like Booker was an obvious can't miss pick.

 

[Mainstreet]

The source article is actually here:

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/st...x-suns-plan-nail-nba-draft-mostly-ignoring-it

The SI article is correct that in the ESPN+ source article, the author, Arnovitz, said that Jones made that statement, but nowhere is there a quote from Jones where he says that. Why Arnovitz states Jones made that statement without the quote, I do not understand. We are only left with the authors interpretation of some unknown Jones comment, which is suspect. We are also not provided a rationale for why Jones would have passed on Booker.

Even if Jones did make such a statement, I don't see anything wrong with it. It's not like Booker was an obvious can't miss pick.

The article is behind a paywall. Perhaps you can provide some exact quotes from the ESPN+ article.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I like what Portland is doing. With consistency, they should be able to compete with anyone.

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Can’t play williams and clingan together.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Do you have a source for this? I am not saying you are incorrect but I don't recall this.

I remember reading it

 

[CarnoBC]

The article is behind a paywall. Perhaps you can provide some exact quotes from the ESPN+ article.

The relevant content is what you already quoted from the SI article. There is nothing more.

He even confesses that, had he been at the helm in 2015, he probably would have passed on Booker.

"It all depends on what your goal is," Jones says. "Devin is great, but there are 50 skeletons tied to that swing for the star."

The remainder of the Suns content is not relevant to Booker. There is no quote where Jones says he would not have taken Booker.

 

[Yuma]

The Suns draft Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jalen Smith... then poof they are gone.

James Jones may not like swinging for skeletons (stars), but he better be glad McDonough drafted Devin Booker.

Too many buckets, too!

 

[Russ Smith]

Biggest surprise of the draft to me so far is Reed Shepard. I know 3rd pick how can you be surprised. I saw him play 3 times in college I thought he's good but he's more of an undersized 2 than a 1.

Forget all that, the kid can play. The comparisons to Curry bugged me pre draft, he's not Curry of course but I can see the comparisons now, elite shooter, and he's a much better playmaker than I realized.

Houston has a pretty good group of young talent on that roster.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Biggest surprise of the draft to me so far is Reed Shepard. I know 3rd pick how can you be surprised. I saw him play 3 times in college I thought he's good but he's more of an undersized 2 than a 1.

Forget all that, the kid can play. The comparisons to Curry bugged me pre draft, he's not Curry of course but I can see the comparisons now, elite shooter, and he's a much better playmaker than I realized.

Houston has a pretty good group of young talent on that roster.

Best player in the draft IMO

 

[Mainstreet]

Lebron will carry the U.S. flag in the Olympics opening ceremony.

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