2017-2018 Draft Prospects watch.

3rdside

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Watching film on him he looks plenty athletic for a 6'8" 230 lb guy. Sure he is no Josh Jackson when it comes to athleticism, but he is plenty athletic to be very effective in the NBA. Combine that with his skill, BBIQ and size and he is going to be a legitimately good player in year one IMO.

He’s a lock.

Only problem is we can’t accommodate him in current format so I’ve been thinking up all sorts of trades that include warren, who’s a very strong trading chip with his output / contract ratio, along with our other assets.

Call me crazy but I don’t love ayton and I can’t see the other bigs as definitely being better picks that Doncic.


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CardsSunsDbacks

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He’s a lock.

Only problem is we can’t accommodate him in current format so I’ve been thinking up all sorts of trades that include warren, who’s a very strong trading chip with his output / contract ratio, along with our other assets.

Call me crazy but I don’t love ayton and I can’t see the other bigs as definitely being better picks that Doncic.


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The scenario I would like to see is draft Ayton and keep Payton as that req's little to no movement of the current pieces on the roster and just addition of some free agents to help fill things out. However, I would be very happy with drafting Doncic and working out a trade that sends Warren and maybe Chriss to a team in exchange for a solid big man. That would give us 3 legitimate playmakers on the team and would leave plenty of playing time for the likes of JJ, Booker and Doncic with the SG and SF minutes and Doncic playing some PG as well.
 

3rdside

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The scenario I would like to see is draft Ayton and keep Payton as that req's little to no movement of the current pieces on the roster and just addition of some free agents to help fill things out. However, I would be very happy with drafting Doncic and working out a trade that sends Warren and maybe Chriss to a team in exchange for a solid big man. That would give us 3 legitimate playmakers on the team and would leave plenty of playing time for the likes of JJ, Booker and Doncic with the SG and SF minutes and Doncic playing some PG as well.

There’s a third option - trade all our picks and players for an instant team (‘swing a Boston’) which I don’t think I’m opposed to either but its effectiveness depends on who’s actually available this summer and I don’t think many quality free agents are.

So assuming it’s a choice between ayton and Payton and Doncic and a trade for a big....the former may actually be easier and just as effective.


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SirStefan32

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Watching film on him he looks plenty athletic for a 6'8" 230 lb guy. Sure he is no Josh Jackson when it comes to athleticism, but he is plenty athletic to be very effective in the NBA. Combine that with his skill, BBIQ and size and he is going to be a legitimately good player in year one IMO.


Yeah, his lack of athleticism is overstated. He is not explosive, but in my opinion, that is not the same thing.
 

Cheesebeef

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Those things are not separate. Though I agree that Doncic isn't the athlete that Simmons is, but I don't think he is far off minus leaping ability. Either way neither one would be guarding PGs and if Doncic gets any bigger he could possibly play at the 4 in the NBA. He is already similar in size to many small ball 4s right now at 6'8" and 230 lbs.

Therein lies more of the problem. If he plays at the 4, at 6'8 and not very athletic, he'll playing against other small 4s, defensively he'll be at a disadvantage because most of the stretch 4s are athletic enough to play the position. And on O, he'll be going up against the same athletes who will make it difficult for him to create if he doesn't have the speed to get around them.

And have you watched Simmons? Simmons is FAST and BIG and EXPLOSIVE. Doncic is literally none of those. He's not even close to the same athlete as Simmons. There's literally no comparison between the two.

What I see in those highlights of Doncic and looking at his athleticism? I see Mike Miller in college... who everyone thought was going to be a star. 6'8. Could shoot... had "excellent basketball IQ", natural passer... was the point forward for the Gators team that went to the NCAA Championship Game. He went FIFTH in the lottery. Ended up being a solid player... but that's it. That's what Doncic's game reminds me of when I watch his highlights.

That being said I would hope to get Ayton because he fits perfectly with team needs and is almost certainly the best prospect in this draft. Though if we are drafting with Ayton off the board I take Doncic and figure out how to fit it all together.

I will vomit if we decide to take a tweener, who's not athletic, not a great shooter... but has "excellent basketball IQ". A core of Booker/Jackson/Mike Miller 2 is atrocious. And it's just what I expect McD's ******* to do.
 

Cheesebeef

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Watching film on him he looks plenty athletic for a 6'8" 230 lb guy. Sure he is no Josh Jackson when it comes to athleticism, but he is plenty athletic to be very effective in the NBA. Combine that with his skill, BBIQ and size and he is going to be a legitimately good player in year one IMO.

he absolutely doesn't look athletic for a 6'8 230 guy. He looks like Mike Miller when he played for Florida, then Orlando.

And the same crap was said about Len, that "he looked athletic for a 7 footer".

forget it... we're going to draft a Euro-tweener, continue to suck and then y'all will continue to bash me for being mad about it. Carry on.
 

Cheesebeef

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18 years old and already being talked about as the best player in the world's second strongest league, 6'8", can shoot and distribute... oh yeah, he's overrated.

People seem to focus on his slow foot speed like that's the be all and end all while ignoring things like speed of thought, which is what makes slow foot speed players like Luka Modric and Andreas Iniesta of Real Madrid FC and FC Barcelona respectively so devastating to play against, or closer to home, Steve Nash and John Stockton.

You're talking about the two exceptions to the rule... and two guys who never won a title.
 

Cheesebeef

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That being said I would hope to get Ayton because he fits perfectly with team needs and is almost certainly the best prospect in this draft. Though if we are drafting with Ayton off the board I take Doncic and figure out how to fit it all together.

great. that plan worked out dandy for the three-headed PG monster. Just keep doubling up at the same positions! Can't go wrong.
 

Carolinacacti

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Suns could go so many ways this summer its unreal. these last 25 games will give us some clues as to what they will do. Trading the first pick or moving up is all up in the air.
 

elindholm

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What I see in those highlights of Doncic and looking at his athleticism? I see Mike Miller in college... who everyone thought was going to be a star. 6'8. Could shoot... had "excellent basketball IQ", natural passer... was the point forward for the Gators team that went to the NCAA Championship Game. He went FIFTH in the lottery. Ended up being a solid player... but that's it. That's what Doncic's game reminds me of when I watch his highlights.

Or Mike Dunleavy, who went third in the Yao/Stoudemire year.
 

Cheesebeef

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Or Mike Dunleavy, who went third in the Yao/Stoudemire year.

Dunleavy was actually a better athlete too.

But yes... that it what he looks like. A Dunleavy/Mike Miller. Even thinking about drafting that over Ayton, Bagley, JJJ or even Young screams insanity to me.
 

3rdside

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Or Mike Dunleavy, who went third in the Yao/Stoudemire year.


You’re comparing dunleavy and Miller to Doncic? I hated when slinslin did it but .... lol.

Most recent non-professional year final year stats:

Dunleavy - 17, 6 and 2 with 2pt %.596 and 3pt -% of .378%

Miller - 14, 6 and 2.5 with 2pt % of .559 offsetting 3pt % of .338%.

Doncic - 16, 5 and 4.5 with 2pt % of .603 offsetting 3pt % of .323%

It’s the assists that are most appealing, add 1 or two more of them for being Europe, and it’s pro league .. Euro pro teams would destroy college teams and he’s 18 years old...dunleavy and Miller lol.




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3rdside

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You're talking about the two exceptions to the rule... and two guys who never won a title.


Athleticism never won any sportsman anything, (although unnatural physical attributes did - see usain bolt, shaquille o’neal, Michael Phelps) as ultimately it comes down to a battle of wills.

(Except, of course, in the Suns’ case when it came down to GD officials who decided stoudemire and Diaw should be banned for barely leaving the bench for a horry low freaking blow on Nash, forgetting that the spurs left the freaking bench even worse than they did earlier in the same GD game...omg that still burns).




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elindholm

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Most recent non-professional year final year stats:

Dunleavy - 17, 6 and 2 with 2pt %.596 and 3pt -% of .378%

Doncic - 16, 5 and 4.5 with 2pt % of .603 offsetting 3pt % of .323%

Wow, you're right, that's a veritable chasm. Just, uh, help me out by clarifying which player has the obvious advantage?
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Suns could go so many ways this summer its unreal. these last 25 games will give us some clues as to what they will do. Trading the first pick or moving up is all up in the air.
Trading this year’s pick would make me vomit unless it’s for Anthony Davis and doesn’t include Booker or jj.
 

Cheesebeef

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Suns could go so many ways this summer its unreal. these last 25 games will give us some clues as to what they will do. Trading the first pick or moving up is all up in the air.

unless KD, Anthony Davis or Giannis was offered to us (NONE of which will be), the idea that we'd even THINK about trading the first pick in the air is laughable.
 

Cheesebeef

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Athleticism never won any sportsman anything, (although unnatural physical attributes did - see usain bolt, shaquille o’neal, Michael Phelps) as ultimately it comes down to a battle of wills.

(Except, of course, in the Suns’ case when it came down to GD officials who decided stoudemire and Diaw should be banned for barely leaving the bench for a horry low ******* blow on Nash, forgetting that the spurs left the ******* bench even worse than they did earlier in the same GD game...omg that still burns).




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what? No. Athleticism ALONE never won anything, but you can bet your... ah forget it.

Yes. Let's draft the white euro with okay athleticism, tweener size, who's not a great shooter, but has GREAT basketball IQ... especially when he's going to be a swing player... which are the ONLY positions on the team we ACTUALLY have talent on! We'll figure it out later... like we did with the three headed point guard!
 

Cheesebeef

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You’re comparing dunleavy and Miller to Doncic? I hated when slinslin did it but .... lol.

Most recent non-professional year final year stats:

Dunleavy - 17, 6 and 2 with 2pt %.596 and 3pt -% of .378%

Miller - 14, 6 and 2.5 with 2pt % of .559 offsetting 3pt % of .338%.

Doncic - 16, 5 and 4.5 with 2pt % of .603 offsetting 3pt % of .323%

It’s the assists that are most appealing, add 1 or two more of them for being Europe, and it’s pro league .. Euro pro teams would destroy college teams and he’s 18 years old...dunleavy and Miller lol.




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You just posted stats to prove us wrong... LOL'ing at us... when most of the stats are almost identical. Thank you for proving our point.

And you're just... adding one or two more assists... for ish and giggles? And spare me it's "the pro league!" If all Euro pro teams would destroy college teams, there would be a HELL OF A LOT more euros over here, taken high in the lotto.
 

3rdside

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Wow, you're right, that's a veritable chasm. Just, uh, help me out by clarifying which player has the obvious advantage?

Every now and then, the urban legend of a destined-to-be-great footballer rises through the ranks - it happened with Messi, Giggs, Lampard and Iniesta... I really get the same feeling about this guy.


And the stats back it up - 6’8” / 18yo / best in the league already / assists .....oh man the assists; there’s your chasm right there.


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Cheesebeef

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Every now and then, the urban legend of a destined-to-be-great footballer rises through the ranks - it happened with Messi, Giggs, Lampard and Iniesta... I really get the same feeling about this guy.


And the stats back it up - 6’8” / 18yo / best in the league already / assists .....oh man the assists; there’s your chasm right there.


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lol... 2.5 assists is the chasm? How about Dunleavy's 37.8% 3pt shooting versus Doncic's 32.3%. CHASM!!!!
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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You just posted stats to prove us wrong... LOL'ing at us... when most of the stats are almost identical. Thank you for proving our point.

And you're just... adding one or two more assists... for ish and giggles? And spare me it's "the pro league!" If all Euro pro teams would destroy college teams, there would be a HELL OF A LOT more euros over here, taken high in the lotto.
You must be missing the point. Those stats were Miller's 2nd year in college and Dunleavy's 3rd year in college. However the stats for Doncic are at 18 years old and in the 2nd toughest pro league in the world. Those numbers are worlds apart when you actually consider those factors.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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he absolutely doesn't look athletic for a 6'8 230 guy. He looks like Mike Miller when he played for Florida, then Orlando.

And the same crap was said about Len, that "he looked athletic for a 7 footer".

forget it... we're going to draft a Euro-tweener, continue to suck and then y'all will continue to bash me for being mad about it. Carry on.
Strongly disagree with the idea that he is a poor NBA athlete. Just watch film of him and you will notice that he has multiple gears. Most of the time he paces himself and plays at a very controlled pace. However, when he sees an opening and decides to push himself he is a decent athlete (this is especially evident when he gets into the open court).
 

Cheesebeef

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Strongly disagree with the idea that he is a poor NBA athlete. Just watch film of him and you will notice that he has multiple gears. Most of the time he paces himself and plays at a very controlled pace. However, when he sees an opening and decides to push himself he is a decent athlete (this is especially evident when he gets into the open court).

Man... I’m just not seeing it.
 

Carolinacacti

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Trading this year’s pick would make me vomit unless it’s for Anthony Davis and doesn’t include Booker or jj.
How about Embiid or Towns? Cousins and Porzingis coming off injuries too. Suns could really put a lot of assets in front of these teams.
 
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