2017-2018 Draft Prospects watch.

[DevonCardsFan]

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This in particular, really stumps me with the Doncic Love Train guys. I just get flat out denial, when I ask, about how bad he is at slashing and seperation. How will he be able to translate, successfully to the NBA with such horrible ability at driving and creating separation. I see a great passer, a guy who plays his ass off, runs the Pick and roll great. But then when I see vids were he can't cut to the basket, lacks speed and can't create separation and bad shot selection. I see some major red flags. I am sure nobody will even watch the above video. But when I see stuff like this, when we aren't just watching youtube highlight reels. I mean when he comes to the NBA the defense will only get much tougher, vids like above scare the crap out of me about Doncic.

 

[Mainstreet]

I watched the video @DevonCardsFan.

My thoughts are if Doncic can run a team using his basketball IQ, passing and craftiness, he should make it in the NBA. Plus he can shoot which should keep defenses honest. His value is as a PG. If the Suns view him as something else, I would not draft him.

I know comparisons can be misleading but I couldn't help but think of Steve Nash when I watch his video. Trae Young makes be feel much the same way. However, I think Doncic is better equipped for the NBA with his weight and height than Young. Nash was not much of a slasher per se but he learned to weave his way to and around the basket with his dribbling skills. I think the same can be expected of Doncic and Young.

 

[Hoop Head]

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This in particular, really stumps me with the Doncic Love Train guys. I just get flat out denial, when I ask, about how bad he is at slashing and seperation. How will he be able to translate, successfully to the NBA with such horrible ability at driving and creating separation. I see a great passer, a guy who plays his ass off, runs the Pick and roll great. But then when I see vids were he can't cut to the basket, lacks speed and can't create separation and bad shot selection. I see some major red flags. I am sure nobody will even watch the above video. But when I see stuff like this, when we aren't just watching youtube highlight reels. I mean when he comes to the NBA the defense will only get much tougher, vids like above scare the crap out of me about Doncic.

Especially if he's a PG like some claim. The competition will only be quicker. He'll be stronger than them but that won't be enough if he doesn't have the foot speed to get inside.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Especially if he's a PG like some claim. The competition will only be quicker. He'll be stronger than them but that won't be enough if he doesn't have the foot speed to get inside.

Is he even the PG on his own team? Seen reports from people here who have watched and others say he’s not even the primary ballhandler on his team in Europe.

 

[Hoop Head]

Is he even the PG on his own team? Seen reports from people here who have watched and others say he’s not even the primary ballhandler on his team in Europe.

I don't think he is. That is why I don't understand why some people are so sure that he'll be a PG in the NBA, not just if the Suns draft him. On the Suns it would make sense they'd play him at PG because our wing positions are filled but I don't think Doncic would be much better than Booker at PG. We'd still need a true PG to fill out our roster so I can't see the upside in taking him ahead of Bagley and am not sold on him at 3 or 4 but at that point I'm not sold on any 1 prospect.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I see some major red flags.

I think most of us do. That doesn't mean he's not going to be a great player, I just need more before I can buy in. I don't think there's much chance he'll bust but I'm not at all convinced he'll be any better than Bogdan, a guy we gave away for the right to overdraft Chriss.

 

[Hoop Head]

If Jackson hadn't looked so good over the last 2 months I'd be more in favor of drafting Doncic because then if he can't play PG we could use him on the wing with Booker. Does anyone that is sold on Doncic think he'll be a better player than Jackson in a couple of years? I don't know if he'd be better than Jackson next season but it's not entirely fair to compare a rookie to a sophomore in the NBA, that year of experience can be huge.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

He is not the primary PG on Real Madrid because the 2nd best player on the team is a pure PG and because Doncic is capable of playing off the ball.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I think most of us do. That doesn't mean he's not going to be a great player, I just need more before I can buy in. I don't think there's much chance he'll bust but I'm not at all convinced he'll be any better than Bogdan, a guy we gave away for the right to overdraft Chriss.

If he doesn’t improve at all from 19 to 25 years old than he won’t be much better than Bogdan, but I imagine he will improve quite a bit over that time.

 

[Mainstreet]

He is not the primary PG on Real Madrid because the 2nd best player on the team is a pure PG and because Doncic is capable of playing off the ball.

Doncic sounds like the guard the Suns were looking for to play with Dragic when he was here.

 

[Cheesebeef]

He is not the primary PG on Real Madrid because the 2nd best player on the team is a pure PG and because Doncic is capable of playing off the ball.

so, has he ever actually run a team before? Doesn't look like it based on his stats/minutes in his last two years. If not, it feels to me to be a pretty big leap to say he'll run point, in a much tougher. You say he's capable of playing off the ball, but there doesn't seem to be evidence yet that he's capable of running a team.

There's a big difference between being a play-making 2 guard and a pure PG, which is what this team seems to desperately need... while already have a play-making 2 guard.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Doncic sounds like the guard the Suns were looking for to play with Dragic when he was here.

That certainly would have been a good pairing at the time, but the fact that Booker has been developing into a good facilitator makes Doncic even more appealing to me. That would give us that ability to have two guards on the floor that can both run the offense. That is precisely what they wanted with the two PG lineup.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

so, has he ever actually run a team before? Doesn't look like it based on his stats/minutes in his last two years. If not, it feels to me to be a pretty big leap to say he'll run point, in a much tougher. You say he's capable of playing off the ball, but there doesn't seem to be evidence yet that he's capable of running a team.

There's a big difference between being a play-making 2 guard and a pure PG, which is what this team seems to desperately need... while already have a play-making 2 guard.

He spends a good amount of time running the offense. He just isn’t the full time PG right now and that has a lot to do with the build of the roster. He is one of the better catch and shoot guys on the team and thus plays well off the ball and thus he spends some time off the ball.

 

[Cheesebeef]

He spends a good amount of time running the offense. He just isn’t the full time PG right now and that has a lot to do with the build of the roster. He is one of the better catch and shoot guys on the team and thus plays well off the ball and thus he spends some time off the ball.

He's one of the better catch and shoot guys, but he's shooting 31% from three. there's just a lot of things that don't quite line up for me with this kid.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

He's one of the better catch and shoot guys, but he's shooting 31% from three. there's just a lot of things that don't quite line up for me with this kid.

He shoots around 40% on catch and shoot threes. Where he struggles is with threes off the dribble and a big part of that has been shot selection. A lot of step back and heavily contested shots and is something he will certainly have to improve on.

 

[Cheesebeef]

He shoots around 40% on catch and shoot threes. Where he struggles is with threes off the dribble and a big part of that has been shot selection. A lot of step back and heavily contested shots and is something he will certainly have to improve on.

gotcha.

you do see where people could be skeptical here though, right?

 

[Cheesebeef]

gotcha.

you do see where people could be skeptical here though, right?

for me, I'm always leery of jack of all trades, master of none kinda guys, especially if they don't have next level athleticism. makes me fearful of drafting a tweener, at a position where we've already got swing-guys.

 

[Mainstreet]

That certainly would have been a good pairing at the time, but the fact that Booker has been developing into a good facilitator makes Doncic even more appealing to me. That would give us that ability to have two guards on the floor that can both run the offense. That is precisely what they wanted with the two PG lineup.

I can see it working but I think Booker's primary position should be SG. Of course Booker can run the team as the situation dictates.

The question I have, is Doncic the better pure PG than his teammate running the team beside him in Europe.

It's alright for Doncic to make accommodations for the second best player to be on the court with him, but I would like to know if Doncic is the superior PG. If not, the Suns do not need a tweener IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is a list of prospects who have declared for the draft or they are testing the water.

See link below.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23048470/2018-nba-draft-testing

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Bender is another supporter for drafting Doncic.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...a-draft-dragan-benders-luka-doncic/491679002/

The other interesting thing imho from this article is how casually Bordow states that Ayton and Doncic are the top 2 on everyone's board. That's coming from the guy who Bagley references in a rap.

 

[leclerc]

Gosh. I read Bruce Bowen declares for the draft. That sent shivers down to my toes. Curse you Bruce, and the Sterns!

 

[GatorAZ]

Does Slin post on another site? I want to see how much he hates Doncic...

 

[pokerface]

for me, I'm always leery of jack of all trades, master of none kinda guys, especially if they don't have next level athleticism. makes me fearful of drafting a tweener, at a position where we've already got swing-guys.

If you are referring to Doncic...I think the tweener tag is somewhat accurate but also somewhat slanderous. Yeah he might not be a pure pg but it doesn't mean with his court vision and passing abilities (plus good height at 6-7) he couldn't hold down the position adequetly. Plus we could still pick up a "pure pg" if we absolutely needed one...Doncic could be rested by one or slide over to SG or SF. Plus isn't the trend towards positionless basketball? With positionless Bball are they all tweeners?

As far as athletism, a player can make up for a lot of that if they play smart and hustle. Also, being clutch has some value.

I'm high on Ayton but he has his weaknesses. Does he take games off? Does he have a good basketball IQ? I'd still take him #1 but I'm hoping he's a winner. Plus too, is the center position as prized as it once was? The hottest teams don't seem to have dominating centers.

 

[Hoop Head]

Does Slin post on another site? I want to see how much he hates Doncic...

He posts on Reddit, he really hates him. It's nothing compared to how much he's bashed Bender this year though.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

A potential interesting name if he falls to 31: Trevon Duval.

https://www.theringer.com/2018/4/9/17213792/trevon-duval-duke-one-and-done

He was pretty bad at Duke last year, and his shot needs a LOT of work, but there is a lot of upside there and he could be an interesting buy-low candidate. Duke was not the ideal situation for him, and he was generally seen as the top high school guard last year (along with Sexton).