2011 Draft Thread

[sunsfan88]

Phoenix Suns Interested In Mexico's Gustavo Ayon
Apr 13 3:10p by Scott Schroeder


The Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs this season, but are apparently already making plans to make sure that isn’t the case next season by ramping up their overseas — and South of the border — scouting.

Most notably, the Suns have reportedly shown interest in Gustavo Ayon, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Veracruz, Mexico, that is currently playing in Spain.

“There are confirmed offers,” Ayon told Mexico’s El Diario. “The most interested at this point, who have formalized everything, are San Antonio and the Phoenix Suns. Those are the two teams who have shown a bit more interest and we hope to do well and make everything right in order to be at camp.”

Ayon, a 26-year-old Mexican National Team member, is averaging 10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks this season while playing for Fuenlabrada in Spain’s ACB — largely recognized as one of the best basketball league’s outside of the NBA.

Though the Suns and Spurs are the only two teams Ayon mentioned in the interview, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak was in attendance watching as Ayon scored a season-high 24 points to go along with eight rebounds on March 6 again Regal Barca.

In that game, Ayon was matched up against a host of former NBA big men including Boniface Ndong, Terence Morris and Kosta Perovic as well as Fran Vasquez, the Orlando Magic’s 11th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.

If the Suns like what they see during the to be determined tryout, Ayon may have to buy out of a three-year deal that he signed with his Spanish team in 2009.

“I have a contract in force here, but in such case (of possibilities in NBA), that will be discussed at the end of the season,” Ayon said.

If he’s able to do as well in the NBA as he’s done in Spain, Ayon might just be the type of gamble that’s worth taking a chance on -judging by these highlights— especially if the Spurs are interested as well.

The highlights...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rl1a2Dx5mw&feature=player_embedded#at=20

 

[slinslin]

It's close, I'd go something like

Perkins
Bynum
Camby
Chandler
Gortat
Marc Gasol

But... Camby is ancient and Chandler is always hurt, so Gortat likely gets the nod over those 2 as well.

Kaman, Okafor, Nene and DeAndre Jordan are on the same level as Gortat.

Greg Oden and Yao Ming are injured but better.

Duncan regardless of what he says himself plays like a center and is better.

 

[slinslin]

I hope that we can either get Brandon Knight or Alec Burks at #13. I wish we could get both of them. Wish we still had Orlando's pick to take a chance with Josh Selby.
I am absolutely locked in on Knight and Burks at this point. Not so crazy about Walker.

I think Knight will be a stud PG in this league. He has the fundamentals to really expand his game in all areas. He has good size, good quickness, good athleticism, good shot.. He has to work on everything but he is 19 and I don't think there is one part of his game that is absolutely lacking. Playing in the NBA might be actually easier for him then playing in the NCAA.

Also Knight is a top student.
http://www.nj.com/college-basketbal...s_to_excel_on_the_court_in_the_classroom.html


Josh Selby had a disapointing season, he is better than what he was able to show at Kansas. He will be a steal at the end of the first round or with eh first 5 picks in the second round, he was Rivals #1 ranked highschool player in the country. He is a combo guard but who knows since Russell Westbrook made the transition to PG...

Jeremy Tyler would be another guy to take with one of the last picks in the first round or first in second round. He was the #1 ranked highschool junior of his class before he went to Israel as a 17 year old, he has struggled and bounced around already and played the current season in Japan. He was starting to really play well before the earthquake. He will be a potential high reward player in the 2nd round or with the last couple of picks in the first.

2012 Andre Drummond
2011 Austin Rivers
2010 Josh Selby
2009 John Wall
2008 BJ Mullens
2007 Michael Beasley
2006 Greg Oden
2005 Gerald Green
2004 Dwight Howard
2003 Lebron James

Aside from Mullens and Green that is pretty good company. If you could get him late in the first round somehow or if all the other options are not there at #13 even.. Definitely would rather have Selby than some of the other names that are rated between #12-20.

 

[Covert Rain]

I am sure Slin will come up with a list of 10, including Oden.

And...without stats backing his argument or ignoring the ones that counter that stance.

 

[leclerc]

Knight or Burks sound good to me.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Kaman, Okafor, Nene and DeAndre Jordan are on the same level as Gortat.

Greg Oden and Yao Ming are injured but better.

Duncan regardless of what he says himself plays like a center and is better.

Just keep saying it over and over again. That will make it true.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

Kaman, Okafor, Nene and DeAndre Jordan are on the same level as Gortat.

Greg Oden and Yao Ming are injured but better.

Duncan regardless of what he says himself plays like a center and is better.

Kaman, no
Okafor, close
Jordan, no but might get there
Oden and Ming, are you kidding me? Don't you have to be able to actually suit up to be compared? These guys might never play again. Its almost like saying Kareem is better.

 

[Mainstreet]

Kaman, no
Okafor, close
Jordan, no but might get there
Oden and Ming, are you kidding me? Don't you have to be able to actually suit up to be compared? These guys might never play again. Its almost like saying Kareem is better.

+1

I'm not sure how Oden and Ming get thrown in there, especially Oden who has played only like 13 games over two years. At least Ming has had a career.

 

[Errntknght]

slinslin, where do you find the up to date adjusted +/-... all I found were ones from other years 07, 08. I expected to find them on 82games.com but I didn't see 'em there.

 

[dziki]

Anybody here know if Marcus Jordan (the son of Michael) has a chance to play in NBA?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Anybody here know if Marcus Jordan (the son of Michael) has a chance to play in NBA?

I don't think so, not even if Michael Jordan owned his own team. However, I wouldn't be shocked to see us draft him. Our "bring in the lesser talented brother" approach hasn't worked, maybe we need to branch out.

Steve

 

[Mulli]

I don't think so, not even if Michael Jordan owned his own team. However, I wouldn't be shocked to see us draft him. Our "bring in the lesser talented brother" approach hasn't worked, maybe we need to branch out.

Steve

http://www.nba.com/bobcats/jordan_owner_100317.html

Marcus is in!

 

[SweetD]

Well with Perry Jones going back to school I would have to see if Bismack Biyambo would fall to us. I would rather see a PF project then pick a PG project this year.

 

[slinslin]

Biyombo will go top 7, no chance.

Just get the best player available but I would hope we don't take someone whose ceiling is role player and floor is out of the league in 3 years. (Fredette best case Mo Williams imo, Marcus Morris best case Rodney Rogers imo)

 

[PhxGametime]

I believe one of the Chad Ford articles with potential #1 choices for all the Lottery Teams - had the Suns Drafting Jordan Hamilton if the Suns stay at #13. He'd be a nice SG with size, athleticism, range on shot, etc. - he can fill it up!


Terrence Jones, Alec Burks, Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker, Jordan Hamilton, etc. - with as many PF's in Draft as there is, one (or more) of these Prospects could drop. Kawhi Leonard, Tyler Honeycutt, Jimmer Fredette, Travis Leslie, Jeff Taylor, Reggie Jackson*, Darius Morris, Jereme Richmond, Josh Selby, Demetri McCamey, Nolan Smith, etc. - would be my 2nd tier at the 1-3 positions.


Deep PF Draft though.

 

[slinslin]

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Can we please get lucky?

 

[JCSunsfan]

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Can we please get lucky?

After that Atlanta (top 3 protected) pick in which Atlanta semi-won the lottery, took our pick, and drafted Horford, I have no hope whatsover.

I am expecting the teams that are below us to win it, and move us from 13th to the 15th pick.

 

[slinslin]

After that Atlanta (top 3 protected) pick in which Atlanta semi-won the lottery, took our pick, and drafted Horford, I have no hope whatsover.

I am expecting the teams that are below us to win it, and move us from 13th to the 15th pick.

15 is not in the lottery.

 

[Mainstreet]

15 is not in the lottery.

See. That is the Suns luck.

 

[elindholm]

After that Atlanta (top 3 protected) pick in which Atlanta semi-won the lottery, took our pick, and drafted Horford, I have no hope whatsover.

Although that was disappointing, it's worth remembering that the Suns wouldn't have gotten Horford anyway. Horford was the consensus #3 overall pick by draft day, and the Suns could not have drafted higher than #4. So they were looking at Conley, Green, or Yi. (Noah was in that draft too, but it didn't seem that he was on the Suns' radar.) Knowing the Suns, they probably would have taken Yi, so in that sense, it's hardly a great loss.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Although that was disappointing, it's worth remembering that the Suns wouldn't have gotten Horford anyway. Horford was the consensus #3 overall pick by draft day, and the Suns could not have drafted higher than #4. So they were looking at Conley, Green, or Yi. (Noah was in that draft too, but it didn't seem that he was on the Suns' radar.) Knowing the Suns, they probably would have taken Yi, so in that sense, it's hardly a great loss.

really? i thought Noah was high on the list. but ultimately, you're probably right. they would have found some way to screw that up... ugh... this is how I talk about the Cardinals... and now I do it with the Suns. that sucks.

 

[Folster]

really? i thought Noah was high on the list. but ultimately, you're probably right. they would have found some way to screw that up... ugh... this is how I talk about the Cardinals... and now I do it with the Suns. that sucks.

I agree. I recall Noah being high on the Suns radar. They liked all of the Florida boys... including Brewer. IIRC we had a bunch of them in for a workout even after we lost the lottery, because we almost had a deal in place with a team in the top 10 that fell through. I think it was Charlotte, but they ended up making a trade with GS for J Rich.

 

[elindholm]

I agree. I recall Noah being high on the Suns radar.

Hmm, I could be wrong. I remembered that this board (including me) was high on Noah and discouraged that the Suns didn't seem to be interested, but maybe that's wrong. Maybe we felt that no one would take Noah as high as #4 or #5, which is where the Suns hoped to be drafting.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Although that was disappointing, it's worth remembering that the Suns wouldn't have gotten Horford anyway. Horford was the consensus #3 overall pick by draft day, and the Suns could not have drafted higher than #4. So they were looking at Conley, Green, or Yi. (Noah was in that draft too, but it didn't seem that he was on the Suns' radar.) Knowing the Suns, they probably would have taken Yi, so in that sense, it's hardly a great loss.

As I remember, Noah was the intended target for the Suns that day.

 

[Superbone]

i've never understood this. you make it seem like legit 7 footers grow on trees and JC just never tried to get one, as if he purposefully lost the coin flip for David Robinson because he really wanted Armon Gilliam. The guy tried to trade for Dikembe (league nixed the deal), he drafted John Barry Carrol because he was a 7 footer, he tried trading for Alonzo, etc. etc.

the idea that Jerry just wanted to "put on a good show and make a playoff appearance" is lunacy to me. The guy lives to win... EVERYTHING. He lost a couple of the most monumental coin flips in history, for the overwhelming portion of his career had a small market team and made them incredibly successful as best he could.

For the record, there was no coin flip in the 1987 (Robinson) draft. The seven bottom teams had an equal chance at the number one pick via a lottery. Seven cards were picked out of a drum in reverse order (picks 4-7 in order of record). The Suns actually had the best record of the seven teams but were lucky enough to get the second pick (but not lucky enough to get the first). The Clippers had the worst record by far but got screwed of course and received the 4th pick in the draft.