2011 Draft Thread

[Griffin]

I watched some of the BYO/Florida game and late in the game and OT Fredette looked just awful. He scored 32 in the game, but couldn't hit a shot when his team needed it the most. Completely disappeared at crunch time in the biggest game of the season. Took some horrible shots and turned the ball over. Finished the game shooting 11-29.

tank the rest of the season, let God FINALLY smile on us, win the lotto, draft Derrick Williams and set up your front court of Williams-Frye-Gortat for the future. that could be a dominant front line in three years time.

Even if the Suns were to lose most of their remaining games, the probability of winning the lottery would be likely less than 1%. Those are pretty long odds.

 

[JCSunsfan]

'Interesting comments about Fredette regarding BYU's loss to Florida in overtime today and his potential in the draft.

They seem to consider him to be a one-dimensional scorer coming off the bench in the NBA -- a tweener.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110325/ap_on_sp_co_ga_su/bkc_ncaa_byu_florida

An Eddie House type

 

[JCSunsfan]

Naw I mean this will be the weakest draft ever because someone said so a few months ago and people keep repeating it just because there has not been a clear cut #1 pick from the beginning of the season since Harrison Barnes was used as a role player at UNC beginning the year.

Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker are putting up monster performances in the NCAA Tournament, also Fredette and other players like Barnes and Knight have stepped up.

Derrick Williams would be a perfect front court match with Channing Frye and Gortat. Too bad its just not going to be possible to get him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I watched some of the BYO/Florida game and late in the game and OT Fredette looked just awful. He scored 32 in the game, but couldn't hit a shot when his team needed it the most. Completely disappeared at crunch time in the biggest game of the season. Took some horrible shots and turned the ball over. Finished the game shooting 11-29.

Even if the Suns were to lose most of their remaining games, the probability of winning the lottery would be likely less than 1%. Those are pretty long odds.

He's made those "horrible shots" throughout his career. I really think that band-aid on his chin threw him off. As lame as that sounds, I'm actually being serious. I use to hate trying to shoot with anything extra on my face, it always threw me off. And BYU, playing without their second best player, couldn't afford to let Fredette not play his normal style. He either had to make those shots or they were going home.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

I watched some of the BYO/Florida game and late in the game and OT Fredette looked just awful. He scored 32 in the game, but couldn't hit a shot when his team needed it the most. Completely disappeared at crunch time in the biggest game of the season. Took some horrible shots and turned the ball over. Finished the game shooting 11-29.

Even if the Suns were to lose most of their remaining games, the probability of winning the lottery would be likely less than 1%. Those are pretty long odds.

thus the reason God needs to smile on us.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Have either of these guys declared for the draft yet or have I missed something?

There is still a very good chance that some of these players WILL NOT enter the NBA draft due to the likely upcoming lockout. Most players enter the draft for their payday but if there are no games, there is no payday.

Its not like players have skipped out due to CBA uncertainty. I mean I can't wait to see what Andrew Luck does with the Carolina Panthers. Oh wait ...

a) Luck was the exception to the rule

b) you see the exception to the rule MUCH more in the NFL than you do in the NBA.

just because ONE guy didn't come out in the NFL will have little bearing on what happens in the NBA. It didn't stop guys from coming out in waves during the 1999 lock-out. it won't stop 'em now. maybe it happens to one of those guys, but the overwhelming majority of them will come out regardless imo.

 

[slinslin]

Fredette does not play defense, I am not sure he can even move his feet laterally.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Fredette does not play defense, I am not sure he can even move his feet laterally.

Yeah, he's about as bad as they come on defense.

Steve

 

[FArting]

Sullinger is not going pro. He is going to stay another year.

 

[slinslin]

Says who?

Even if not if we had tanked we would probably sit at #7 or #8 right now with a good chance to get one of Derrick Williams, Perry Jones, Harrison Barnes, Kyrie Irving or Enes Kanter to name just a few...

Now we sit at #12-14 maybe we can hope that Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker at least falls to us or Terrence Jones.

Plus we lost the Orlando pick which could have been Tristan Thompson, CJ Leslie or whoever drops out of the lottery and for what? For the right to re-sign Aaron Brooks to a bigger contract.

Thank you Lon Babby.

 

[Chaplin]

Says who?

Even if not if we had tanked we would probably sit at #7 or #8 right now with a good chance to get one of Derrick Williams, Perry Jones, Harrison Barnes, Kyrie Irving or Enes Kanter to name just a few...

Now we sit at #12-14 maybe we can hope that Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker at least falls to us or Terrence Jones.

Plus we lost the Orlando pick which could have been Tristan Thompson, CJ Leslie or whoever drops out of the lottery and for what? For the right to re-sign Aaron Brooks to a bigger contract.

Thank you Lon Babby.

This makes no sense, as usual. How is Aaron Brooks NOT better than the crapshoot we could have at pick #23-#25?

 

[slinslin]

Because he is a midget PG that shoots in the 30% range and will want a new contract?

And the PG class is really good once again.

 

[Mainstreet]

Although I believe the Suns are out of second round picks for awhile, I think the Suns philosophy under Sarver should now be to trade later first round picks for proven young talent and add as many second round picks as possible to try to find a gem in the rough. I do not have faith in the Suns scouting anymore. Drafting Tucker, Lopez and Clark in the first round just solidifies this approach.

 

[sunsfan88]

Says who?

"I'm going to be an Ohio State Buckeye next year," he said. "This isn't why I came here, to come in here and see my seniors in here crying. I came here to win a national championship."

Plenty of people make pledges in the rubble of an emotional loss only to change their mind later, when the sting and suddenness of the season fades and the promise of the NBA looms.

Sullinger, who had 21 points and 16 rebounds in his final game of the season, insists that won't happen.

"I'm a man of my word," Sullinger said. "I don't change my word and no one changes it for me. This is what I want."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=6260339

 

[Chaplin]

Because he is a midget PG that shoots in the 30% range and will want a new contract?

And the PG class is really good once again.

All the great PGs will be gone by pick #23 and you know it. At least, all the PGs that have the potential to be as good as Brooks.

And why do you keep using the word "midget"? It's totally insulting, just to let you know since English isn't your first language. Sure, he's small, but that didn't stop him the last few games, did it?

 

[sunsfan88]

If Cleveland offered JJ Hickson for our 1st rd pick & Lopez, would you guys do it? He's a 6'9, 245 lb PF at 23 years of age. Averagin 13 pts & 8 boards but he has had to play center for most of this season due to Varejoy's injury or else he would probably be puttin up better numbers.

Their tryin to stock pile picks because, obviously, they need more than just 2 picks to revive that franchise. But then again Hickson is young and has been playin well so it would be tricky on their part.

 

[Chaplin]

If Cleveland offered JJ Hickson for our 1st rd pick & Lopez, would you guys do it? He's a 6'9, 245 lb PF at 23 years of age. Averagin 13 pts & 8 boards but he has had to play center for most of this season due to Varejoy's injury or else he would probably be puttin up better numbers.

Their tryin to stock pile picks because, obviously, they need more than just 2 picks to revive that franchise. But then again Hickson is young and has been playin well so it would be tricky on their part.

I don't think Cleveland would do it, but I'd definitely consider it. Hickson might be better than anything we can get in the late lottery and Lopez is just dead weight with almost negative value.

We would still need to figure something out about the C position because Warrick sure can't play it and Frye is too good now to make him the backup C. He's earned the starting PF spot.

 

[slinslin]

All the great PGs will be gone by pick #23 and you know it. At least, all the PGs that have the potential to be as good as Brooks.

And why do you keep using the word "midget"? It's totally insulting, just to let you know since English isn't your first language. Sure, he's small, but that didn't stop him the last few games, did it?

Kyrie Irving
Brandon Knight
Kemba Walker
Jimmer Fredette
Nolan Smith

You think all 5 will go before #23? I don't and I would rather have any of those guys on a rookie contract than Brooks for probably 7M$ per season.

Not to mention that players like Tristan Thompson, CJ Leslie, Zeller and other players could be available at #23.

Maybe this draft has no clear cut #1 pick but it is not shallow.

 

[BC867]

You think all 6 will go before #23? I don't and I would rather have any of those guys on a rookie contract than Brooks for probably 7M$ per season.

As a developing 3rd string PG or even as backup PG from the start of the season, perhaps.

But the Suns situation is that either Nash won't be here next season or will be with further deteriorating health during the season and will need a starting PG to step into the lineup.

With our draft pick spots, that will be a near impossibility.

It's not just who is available. It's who can fill our specific needs.

 

[slinslin]

As a developing 3rd string PG or even as backup PG from the start of the season, perhaps.

But the Suns situation is that either Nash won't be here next season or will be with further deteriorating health during the season and will need a starting PG to step into the lineup.

With our draft pick spots, that will be a near impossibility.

It's not just who is available. It's who can fill our specific needs.

We have no needs, if Nash won't be here next season we are going to stink and we have to.

We can afford to have young players starting then.

We don't need Aaron Brooks holding the PG spot just to win maybe 25 games instead of 20.

Besides I am sure that at least half of those guys would instantly be better than Brooks besides the point that none of those guys will make even half of what Brooks will ask for.

 

[BC867]

We have no needs, if Nash won't be here next season we are going to stink and we have to.

We can afford to have young players starting then.

We don't need Aaron Brooks holding the PG spot just to win maybe 25 games instead of 20.

Besides I am sure that at least half of those guys would instantly be better than Brooks besides the point that none of those guys will make even half of what Brooks will ask for.

Do you really believe that? I'm not saying we're going to be one of the top four teams in the league next season, but I believe we'll be a solid middle tier team in the playoffs, with some fairly inexpensive tinkering.

The Suns have never been an elite team and I've been frustrated by that for over forty years of rooting for them. I guess I can accept it again. But I can't accept your pessimism.

I don't want to and, despite our banker/owner, I don't believe we are going to "stink".

It has been said in the past that Sarver does spend money, he just doesn't spend it wisely. We've seen that changing recently.

 

[Mainstreet]

We have no needs, if Nash won't be here next season we are going to stink and we have to.

We can afford to have young players starting then.

We don't need Aaron Brooks holding the PG spot just to win maybe 25 games instead of 20.

Besides I am sure that at least half of those guys would instantly be better than Brooks besides the point that none of those guys will make even half of what Brooks will ask for.

Houston was 42-40 during the 2009-10 season with Brooks as the starting PG.

 

[slinslin]

Yeah and that was that season and other players around Brooks plus Rick Adelman and they were overachieving.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah and that was that season and other players around Brooks plus Rick Adelman and they were overachieving.

So he's the kind of player that can help his team overachieve? That DOES sound bad.

Steve

 

[BC867]

So he's the kind of player that can help his team overachieve? That DOES sound bad.

Steve

Good thought. I'm on record as saying that, ideally, a PG with a shoot-first mentality is not best for a team . . . going for a championship.

With any hope of a full season of effectiveness from Steve Nash a thing of the past (whether he stays or goes), we need to have Plan B.

Aaron Brooks represents Plan B. I'd love to see him finish this season in our starting lineup (along with Gortat and Dudley) and have Steve either shut it down so his groin injury can recuperate or play twelve minutes coming off the bench at the beginning of the 2nd and 4th quarters.

Gentry caught on about Gortat and Dudley. Maybe he'll do the same with Brooks. The best time would be now.