Suns Training Camp, October 1st through 4th, 2024

[95pro]

Totally agree.

That team last year was broken in many ways. Since it's 85% the same team I am skeptical it will be much different but hopefully I am wrong.

A bit of an exaggeration. We are upgraded just about everywhere from the guys last year. Losing EG and Eubanks was addition by subtraction.

I hope KD is ready to run. Booker is young and has proven his willingness to play in many different styles so I don't see him holding up the offense. Beal played quick in Washington but I'm not sure how his body will hold up running a lot, again. Durant is the question mark though as he's 36+ years old with a lot of miles on his legs. He's been more of an ISO player than anyone else. Time will tell. I believe Bud will get on his case if he is holding back the system but whether he has support from the front office to do so is another question mark.

I think we can play with more ball movement and not necessarily more player running/exertion.

I already said it once; do not expect Durant to change his play style. I think he will be good at attacking in transition, in the open court, he's always been very good at that, however, when he gets the ball and a defender in on him, he is going to look to slow it down, try to beat the guy one on one and do his usual midrange ISO routine. He said as much today:

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I do think we have potential to be an elite offense, but I also expect we will see a lot of Durant not sticking to the system and similar amount of plays where he passes up easy shots in favor of dribbling his way into a very difficult midrange shot.

He's a great player and it's just who he is.

Also, Bud would be best served to NOT get on Durant's case. He's made it quite clear that he is adverse to criticism.

His style definitely doesn't increase the pace, something we lacked.

I agree, 100%.

I just don't think it will play out that way.

Durant wasn't willing to ditch his slow playing, isolation instincts on the Warriors, even after Draymond tried to fight him over it... he isn't going to do it here.

Hopefully he plays within the offense more often than not, but I have no doubt that we will see several possessions per game where the ball swings to him and he hunches over and tries to break down the defense off the dribble and pulls up for a long, contested, 2 pointer, even if he was open from 3 when he got the ball.

It is who he is.

I chuckled a bit an earlier post, forgot who, about KD and GS where KD loved it. We tried to play with pace but we saw KD bog the offense down. Hopefully he buys in more this year.

I love me some Brednon Kleen. I heard him and Gerald Bourget asking questions on Suns media day.

I listen to his shows to pass time or have noise, he just rambles and rambles, I hardly ever agree with him, some of his takes are just off. I do like his guests tho, they are pretty insightful.

 

[Mainstreet]

Gerald Bourguet at GoPHNX takes a look at Ty Ty Washington today. It's free to read and listen.

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[Yuma]

Seven seconds or less, anyone?

Why so slow?

 

[Yuma]

Interesting. I've been working out consistently for the last 2.5 years, for the first time in my life, while cutting. I'm finally within 8 pounds of my goal which will put my ectomorph body at only 144 pounds. (I weighed over 200 pounds for much of my adult life and as high as 218.) It will be interesting to see if I get similar reactions or not.

When you are at your weight, which I was when I was a teen. Instead of asking "Do I look bigger?" I would instead say, "Guess how much I weigh?" No one ever got within 20 pounds of my actual weight. They would all guess 175, 180. I would tell them 140 and they would call out BS. Of course in the gym, I would step on the scale and they would be shocked.

 

[Chaplin]

Gerald Bourguet at GoPHNX takes a look at Ty Ty Washington today. It's free to read and listen.

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These previews are fantastic. Gerald proving once again that he's the best beat writer in the Valley.

 

[Ronin]

Duane Rankin

@DuaneRankin
·
1m

"Everybody is ready to go. Great energy in there, fresh energy, new energy. And we're having fun with it at the same time. It's been a lot of conditioning, a lot of hard work. A lot of competing and fun at the same time." Devin Booker after Day 3 of training camp. #Suns

 

[Mainstreet]

Bradley Beal enjoys being around the rookies.

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[Ronin]

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[Proximo]

A bit of an exaggeration. We are upgraded just about everywhere from the guys last year. Losing EG and Eubanks was addition by subtraction.

A bit of an exaggeration?

Booker, KD, Beal, Grayson, Royce, Bol, Nurk are 7 of our top 8 players. The one new addition is Tyus Jones who will get significant minutes. Plumlee may also get 10 - 15 minutes.

I am being generous when I say it is only 85% the same in terms of minutes played.

 

[95pro]

A bit of an exaggeration?

Booker, KD, Beal, Grayson, Royce, Bol, Nurk are 7 of our top 8 players. The one new addition is Tyus Jones who will get significant minutes. Plumlee may also get 10 - 15 minutes.

I am being generous when I say it is only 85% the same in terms of minutes played.

Bol on did 10 min a game and now even the entire season, something like 43 games.

Eubanks did 15 minutes, so Plumlee will get about that or more since he seems to be more playable.

EG played 27 per game.

With the bold added your statement makes more sense. I'm curious how we will distribute minutes to the rookies and Morris while continuing to get Bol some more run. Mayne less Nurk?

 

[Hoop Head]

A bit of an exaggeration. We are upgraded just about everywhere from the guys last year. Losing EG and Eubanks was addition by subtraction.

This 180 on Gordon doesn't make sense to me. I know he made some comments about the looks he was getting, or lack there of, that were a bit questionable on their own but given all we've learned about Vogel and last season's mess of a system, I thank Gordon for speaking up. EG was the prized free agent signing last season and viewed as our 6th man. His role was reduced and we don't know what Vogel was asking him to do either. He was much better earlier in the year when he was attacking the basket but that stopped halfway through the year, around when spoke up, and that was also when Nurkic quit shooting from outside of the paint, which we've learned was something Vogel told him to do. It seems like Vogel switched things up around January, after the horrible Christmas day game against the Mavericks, and that seemed to rub some guys the wrong way. To say we're better without him or letting him go is addition by subtraction doesn't make sense to me considering he was a huge part of the Suns staying a float when Beal or Booker missed games. Stats prove that also.

I'll grant you Eubanks because he was undersized and awful more often than not. He had probably 3 positive games all year. I do thank him for speaking up and calling out the vets when the team played like crap during the Wolves series. I believe it was attributed to him at least when word came out a younger player ripped the vets for their "Just hoopin" attitude. Eubanks always played with effort, he just sucked. So I can't fault him more than I fault Vogel for playing him and JJ for only providing him as a backup to Nurk.

 

[Ronin]

Kellan Olson

@KellanOlson
·
1h

The Suns finally have rookies to perform rookie duties.Bradley Beal is especially excited. He has a note on his notes app with the headline ROOKIE DUTIES. It is a lengthy list and he is sending it to his rookies tonight.

 

[Mainstreet]

A bit of an exaggeration?

Booker, KD, Beal, Grayson, Royce, Bol, Nurk are 7 of our top 8 players. The one new addition is Tyus Jones who will get significant minutes. Plumlee may also get 10 - 15 minutes.

I am being generous when I say it is only 85% the same in terms of minutes played.

I suggest the Suns adding quality point guards may provide a multiplier effect on the other players in regard to the quality of shots they get. It's not just adding another player to the roster. The Suns point guards cannot only distribute but score as well.

I'd add, Monte Morris can easily become a rotation player.

 

[GatorAZ]

Interesting. I've been working out consistently for the last 2.5 years, for the first time in my life, while cutting. I'm finally within 8 pounds of my goal which will put my ectomorph body at only 144 pounds. (I weighed over 200 pounds for much of my adult life and as high as 218.) It will be interesting to see if I get similar reactions or not.

You weighed 218 lbs with an ectomorph body type? Are you 6’8”?

 

[Superbone]

You weighed 218 lbs with an ectomorph body type? Are you 6’8”?

Yeah, it's called fat. It's not like I put it on overnight. Just gradually over years and years. Yep, I am the very definition of an ectomorph. Very small boned and lean all over with a thin frame except that last bit around my waist. I used to be 5'10.5". All that extra weight + gravity has knocked me down to 5'9" now. I currently weigh in at 152 pounds. That means I lost over 30% of mostly fat or almost a third of what I weighed at 218 pounds with another 8 pounds to go at which point I will have lost a full third of my heaviest body weight.

 

[Phrazbit]

A bit of an exaggeration?

Booker, KD, Beal, Grayson, Royce, Bol, Nurk are 7 of our top 8 players. The one new addition is Tyus Jones who will get significant minutes. Plumlee may also get 10 - 15 minutes.

I am being generous when I say it is only 85% the same in terms of minutes played.

Bol on did 10 min a game and now even the entire season, something like 43 games.

Eubanks did 15 minutes, so Plumlee will get about that or more since he seems to be more playable.

EG played 27 per game.

With the bold added your statement makes more sense. I'm curious how we will distribute minutes to the rookies and Morris while continuing to get Bol some more run. Mayne less Nurk?

Annual "pump the breaks on Bol" warning. He's entering year 6 of his career and he's yet to show himself to even be a steady role player. To put it in perspective, DeAndre Ayton had more points and rebounds in his rookie season than Bol has had in his career, and it's by a very large margin.

He is wildly inconsistent, he has yet to remotely find his role and he cannot stay healthy.

His splits last year were the first time in his career where he wasn't a hugely detrimental player to his own team, so that is encouraging, but that is a reflection of how situationally he was used and how quick the hook was when he was struggling.

 

[leclerc]

Yeah, I'm not expecting a steady contribution from Bol Bol, but I would be happy to be proven wrong.

If we only had a decent PF. Hope Frank the Tank has something left on the tank, or that Dunn or Oso can earn some minutes.

Curious to see the rotations by Coach Bud. Will he keep Booker and Durant under 35 mpg?

 

[BirdGangThing]

beal lost 20 weight
nurk lost weight
royce lost weight
grayson put on weight

dudes have been putting in some serious dedication during the off season - was this all at bud's request? or does everyone know playing time will go to whoever's playing the best?

 

[Carolinacacti]

I lost my ass betting on the Sun in the playoffs last year. I’m winning it back this year you hater’s.

 

[95pro]

beal lost 20 weight
nurk lost weight
royce lost weight
grayson put on weight

dudes have been putting in some serious dedication during the off season - was this all at bud's request? or does everyone know playing time will go to whoever's playing the best?

Beal and Nurk may be trying counteract age and injuries, in theory less weight means less stress and wear and tear.

I think royce was a little fluffy last year, Grayson is just in that period of manhood LOL

 

[Mainstreet]

Today, Gerald Bourguet at GoPHNX takes a look at Jalen Bridges who I think has a chance to have an NBA career if given the opportunity.

The article is free to read and listen.

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[Mainstreet]

beal lost 20 weight
nurk lost weight
royce lost weight
grayson put on weight

dudes have been putting in some serious dedication during the off season - was this all at bud's request? or does everyone know playing time will go to whoever's playing the best?

I didn't think Royce needed weight to lose, but maybe add some muscle.

Last season, he almost looked like a point guard when he brought the ball up the court at 6'4".

Basketball reference lists his weight at 226 pounds, so if he has lost weight, I'm not sure if that helps.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Beal and Nurk may be trying counteract age and injuries, in theory less weight means less stress and wear and tear.

I think royce was a little fluffy last year, Grayson is just in that period of manhood LOL

i think beal is going to go off this year, old school penetrating plus a lot of 3s

 

[Proximo]

Today, Gerald Bourguet at GoPHNX takes a look at Jalen Bridges who I think has a chance to have an NBA career if given the opportunity.

The article is free to read and listen.

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I really hope this dude gets a chance to play.

Already a 40% 3 point shooter, if he can just rebound and play some D he could be very useful to this team.

If not him, I hope Dunn has miraculously fixed his jumper in the last 3 months.

One or the other somehow desperately needs to fill our need for a 3 and D guy.

 

[Mainstreet]

I really hope this dude gets a chance to play.

Already a 40% 3 point shooter, if he can just rebound and play some D he could be very useful to this team.

If not him, I hope Dunn has miraculously fixed his jumper in the last 3 months.

One or the other somehow desperately needs to fill our need for a 3 and D guy.

Dunn is way more athletic, but I suspect Jalen Bridges is more ready to play since he has a good three point shot.

He had a chance to be drafted in the 2nd round but chose to come to the Suns.

I do like the Suns have more options on the roster than the last two seasons. They could use someone to break out.