2014 Draft morphing

[JCSunsfan]

I'm not a Smart fan,
Steve

Reminds me of Forrest Gump.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Reminds me of Forrest Gump.

Life is like a box of basketballs.

Steve Gump (Steve Forrest was already taken)

 

[slinslin]

Here is my pick for #14



perfect fit for our system, does not hurt that he is a decent shooter too. If he is off the board James Young.




Pretty sure that Embiid will go #1 if healthy. That is just too much upside to pass up. Not sure when I saw a center at that age and that size move so well.

#18 + #27 + Lakers 2015 for Aaron Gordon
#14 Zach Lavine G
#50 Jahii Carson PG

 

[SirStefan32]

#18 + #27 + Lakers 2015 for Aaron Gordon
#14 Zach Lavine G
#50 Jahii Carson PG

That's a joke, right?

 

[Mainstreet]

That's a joke, right?

I had the same thought. The Lakers pick could be a lottery pick.

I'm sure the Suns could get better for those picks.

 

[AzStevenCal]

That's a joke, right?

Couldn't be. Jokes are supposed to make you laugh or at least smile. My guess, it was offered up as an emetic.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Couldn't be. Jokes are supposed to make you laugh or at least smile. My guess, it was offered up as an emetic.

Steve

After looking up the definition, Dr. Steve . . .

 

[Superbone]

After looking up the definition, Dr. Steve . . .

Same here. I had a chuckle.

 

[BC867]

Same here. I had a chuckle.

Then, again, could an emetic be a (misspelled) online Doctor . . .

instead of a person who induces vomiting (for those of you who didn't look it up)?

 

[Joe Mama]

I had the same thought. The Lakers pick could be a lottery pick.

I'm sure the Suns could get better for those picks.

and if they can't they should just hold on to them. My God if we gave up that much to get Aaron Gordon I'd be pretty upset to say the least.

This may be a silly question, but is it possible to add a second layer of protection to a pick coming from another team? For example let's say the Lakers pick is top five protective next year. Could we trade that pick and make it top 10 protected so if it was 6-10 we still got it? I understand this would remove a lot of its value, but I'm just curious.

Joe

 

[Mainstreet]

and if they can't they should just hold on to them. My God if we gave up that much to get Aaron Gordon I'd be pretty upset to say the least.

This may be a silly question, but is it possible to add a second layer of protection to a pick coming from another team? For example let's say the Lakers pick is top five protective next year. Could we trade that pick and make it top 10 protected so if it was 6-10 we still got it? I understand this would remove a lot of its value, but I'm just curious.

Joe

Interesting. However, I've never seen it done so I'm doubtful.

 

[slinslin]

and if they can't they should just hold on to them. My God if we gave up that much to get Aaron Gordon I'd be pretty upset to say the least.

This may be a silly question, but is it possible to add a second layer of protection to a pick coming from another team? For example let's say the Lakers pick is top five protective next year. Could we trade that pick and make it top 10 protected so if it was 6-10 we still got it? I understand this would remove a lot of its value, but I'm just curious.

Joe

That much?

I believe the Lakers will suck next year but I doubt they will be between #6-8 again and if they are top 5 which could easily happen either naturally or by moving up in the lottery than we get nothing in 2015 and in 2016 they might be decent again.

More likely the Lakers will end up with a #10-12 pick next year so I don't think that we give up that much for a #6-8 pick this year.

 

[Joe Mama]

That much?

I believe the Lakers will suck next year but I doubt they will be between #6-8 again and if they are top 5 which could easily happen either naturally or by moving up in the lottery than we get nothing in 2015 and in 2016 they might be decent again.

More likely the Lakers will end up with a #10-12 pick next year so I don't think that we give up that much for a #6-8 pick this year.

I guess it really depends on what they do this off-season. I don't think there's any way they make the playoffs next year in this Western Conference. But also, Part of my problem with your trade is that I'm not as excited about Gordon as you are.

Joe

 

[AzStevenCal]

I guess it really depends on what they do this off-season. I don't think there's any way they make the playoffs next year in this Western Conference. But also, Part of my problem with your trade is that I'm not as excited about Gordon as you are.

Joe

I have mixed feelings on Gordon. I like the kid, you really can't say anything bad about his attitude or his effort. Most people picture him as a four but as a four I think his ceiling is energy off the bench. In this draft, that type of player should be available maybe even into the second round. I don't understand why he's drawing top 7 interest unless someone really believes he can be a Dennis Rodman type player. But Rodman had great feet and I don't think you teach that. If you think he can learn to shoot and become a three he has star potential but most college kids that are bad shooters stay bad shooters in the NBA. Because of his intangibles, not the least of which is a solid work ethic, I'd gamble on him in the teens but I certainly wouldn't pay a premium to get him.

Steve

 

[Joe Mama]

I have mixed feelings on Gordon. I like the kid, you really can't say anything bad about his attitude or his effort. Most people picture him as a four but as a four I think his ceiling is energy off the bench. In this draft, that type of player should be available maybe even into the second round. I don't understand why he's drawing top 7 interest unless someone really believes he can be a Dennis Rodman type player. But Rodman had great feet and I don't think you teach that. If you think he can learn to shoot and become a three he has star potential but most college kids that are bad shooters stay bad shooters in the NBA. Because of his intangibles, not the least of which is a solid work ethic, I'd gamble on him in the teens but I certainly wouldn't pay a premium to get him.

Steve

That's about how I feel about him as well. However I have to admit that I only really watched him some in the conference tournament and NCAA. If I start seeing rumors about the Phoenix Suns being really interested in him I might go watch some more of his video.

Joe

 

[slinslin]

Gordon is so young, he is younger than Amare when he got into the league. Think about that.

I was afraid of Gordon because of the Beasley, Williams kind of tweener comparisons but the fact is that Gordon has great work ethic, great athletic ability and is already a tenacious defender and rebounder.

We have shown in the past that our Power Forwards do not need to be tradtional back to the basket post scorers.
Gordon will score for us off of broken plays, 2nd chance points and outrunning other forwards.

Plus his shot does not look unfixable especially given his age.

Athletes do well in Phoenix -> Green, Plumlee

I wish we had Mason Plumlee instead of Alex Len right now. Hopefully Len proves me wrong, I didn't like Mason Plumlee before the draft but that was mostly due to underrating his athletic ability.

I think Gordon will succeed in the NBA. If it is enough to be a star who knows, but I don't see why he would not have a career comparable to Shawn Marion at least. I also think Gordon has a good frame to get stronger. Plus it is about time we draft someone from UofA after passing on Iguodala.

 

[Superbone]

Plus it is about time we draft someone from UofA after passing on Iguodala.

I'm not too worried about that last part. You must be a UofA grad.

 

[Russ Smith]

I have mixed feelings on Gordon. I like the kid, you really can't say anything bad about his attitude or his effort. Most people picture him as a four but as a four I think his ceiling is energy off the bench. In this draft, that type of player should be available maybe even into the second round. I don't understand why he's drawing top 7 interest unless someone really believes he can be a Dennis Rodman type player. But Rodman had great feet and I don't think you teach that. If you think he can learn to shoot and become a three he has star potential but most college kids that are bad shooters stay bad shooters in the NBA. Because of his intangibles, not the least of which is a solid work ethic, I'd gamble on him in the teens but I certainly wouldn't pay a premium to get him.

Steve

The thing I like about Gordon is he's a contradiction. He's an EXTREMELY cocky kid, I say that not just from watching him play but because he grew up where I live and I've heard stories since 7th grade about how cocky the kid is.

Yet when the game starts, he plays harder than anybody else on the floor, if Zach LaVine played half as hard as AG, he'd be unguardable, Zach is incredibly lazy right now, Gordon is the exact opposite when the going gets tough, he just tries harder. It doesn't always work because of his inability to shoot, but you will never come away from a game thinking he short changed you on effort.

I watched the last 30 minutes of teh pac 12 tourney title game again today, perfect illustration of Gordon and Zach. Gordon couldn't make a FT, UCLA was sagging off him the whole game, but he played great defense and passed the ball exceptionally well. Zach was invisible, jogged back on D gave up a lob dunk, jacked up some bad shots, just completely out of it. The difference in basketball talent between Zach and Norman Powell is obvious, but Powell is a much better player because he actually cares about the outcome of games and plays his butt off.

I hope Zach succeeds but for him to do so, he needs a come to Jesus moment about playing hard. Gordon it's really all on how well does his offense come along, he can do everything else, but right now he's a tweener because he can't shoot.

 

[slinslin]

 

[sunsfan88]

Better defender at this stage and less likely to just settle for a shot which was one of Leonard's biggest college weaknesses IIRC. I like him a lot and think there is a decent chance he falls to our spot. But I'm not a huge Leonard fan so if that's his NBA duplicate I might think of passing on him.

Steve

Whoa, Kawhi Leonard is supposed to be the next biggest thing in the NBA. Elite defender, elite athleticism, elite rebounder, good shooter and a rapidly improving all around offensive game.

Kawhi Leonard looks like he will be the next prime Shawn Marion.

You would pass on that with our #14 pick in this draft?

 

[JCSunsfan]

Interesting. He has a little hitch in his jump shot right at the top. Lots of players do this. There was a video earlier this year of Horny trying to get Archie to correct it. That little hesitation at the top of the jump makes for an inconsistent release and inconsistent scoring. Gordon also does not get much elevation on his jumper. That usually comes from lack of confidence. Players start to shorten all their motions, including the jump, in order to maintain some sort of control.

These things can be fixed if he buys into the solution. Its odd how some players never make changes. This is usually because it is working OK the way it is. So they refuse to make the changes that could make them great.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Whoa, Kawhi Leonard is supposed to be the next biggest thing in the NBA. Elite defender, elite athleticism, elite rebounder, good shooter and a rapidly improving all around offensive game.

Kawhi Leonard looks like he will be the next prime Shawn Marion.

You would pass on that with our #14 pick in this draft?

I don't know. Maybe. Probably not. I should have put my comments in perspective. He's a good player but I keep hearing and reading things about him becoming the next great player and I don't buy it. I was a Leonard fan long before he went to college, I watched him play pick up and high school ball (at MLK in Riverside) a few miles from where I live. He is a physical specimen like the game has rarely seen (his hands remind me of Connie Hawkins) but I don't think even Pop will be able to turn him into a consistent weapon on offense. He's probably worth drafting around the 10th spot even in this deep draft on the basis of his defense alone but I'd just as soon stay with Tucker if we're not going to find a dominant wing scorer.

Steve

 

[Russ Smith]

Interesting. He has a little hitch in his jump shot right at the top. Lots of players do this. There was a video earlier this year of Horny trying to get Archie to correct it. That little hesitation at the top of the jump makes for an inconsistent release and inconsistent scoring. Gordon also does not get much elevation on his jumper. That usually comes from lack of confidence. Players start to shorten all their motions, including the jump, in order to maintain some sort of control.

These things can be fixed if he buys into the solution. Its odd how some players never make changes. This is usually because it is working OK the way it is. So they refuse to make the changes that could make them great.

Amazing how good a shooter looks in videos where they edit out all the misses. If you'd never seen Gordon play and saw that video you'd think he was a very good shooter.

If he can shoot half that well he'll have a long NBA career with multiple All Star game appearances.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Amazing how good a shooter looks in videos where they edit out all the misses. If you'd never seen Gordon play and saw that video you'd think he was a very good shooter.

If he can shoot half that well he'll have a long NBA career with multiple All Star game appearances.

Well, he did say that he'd fixed his shooting problems. Like you, I'll believe it when I see it but if he has and he's convinced a team or two about it, he might go top 5.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

The following players are being worked out for the Suns second round pick or free agency per Paul Coro.

Paul Coro ‏@paulcoro 7h

Today's #Suns workout: MSU G K. Appling, UWGB C A. Brown, Nevada G D. Burton, Russia C A. Klimenko, SJU F J. Sampson, Marquette F J. Wilson.

https://twitter.com/paulcoro