2018-19 Season | Point Guard Discussion

[SirStefan32]

I think Harrison and Canaan are affecting performance of all posters on this board.

 

[1Sun]

Keep in mind that over the past 2 years we had Earl Watson and Dead Man Walking Jay Triano as coaches.

Watson, I get, and I think he was a huge problem and had no business coaching. As I mentioned before, with Triano, while I don't think he is great, I maintain he looked a lot worse than his ability due to bad point guard play.

This is another reason I want a capable point guard. I don't want Igor Kokoskov set up to fail the way Triano was.

 

[elindholm]

I predict that this board's defenders of the Suns' PG rotation are going to be singing a much different tune by Thanksgiving.

 

[Yuma]

I predict that this board's defenders of the Suns' PG rotation are going to be singing a much different tune by Thanksgiving.

Could be. But some of us are assuming things may change by then, too. Maybe there's better options for us by then.

 

[elindholm]

Could be. But some of us are assuming things may change by then, too. Maybe there's better options for us by then.

That's what we always say.

 

[Hoop Head]

I predict that this board's defenders of the Suns' PG rotation are going to be singing a much different tune by Thanksgiving.

Is anyone defending the PG rotation? I don't think so. I think everyone is unhappy with our PG rotation and hopes we add someone to upgrade the position. Some are little more doom and gloom about it but everyone seems to be on the same page about not giving up anything of value for a PG rental of sorts so it's really pointless to be arguing over it still. If no one wants to part with anything of value we won't be able to upgrade the PG position and we'll be stuck with what we have. Some will go crazy watching that unfold and others will enjoy poking at the ones going crazy. It seems pretty straight forward to me.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I predict that this board's defenders of the Suns' PG rotation are going to be singing a much different tune by Thanksgiving.

Is there anyone here that is happy with how the pg guard situation presently looks? The chatter is about whether the other options available are a reasonable solution. I would even be ok with Beverly if he comes cheap enough.

 

[Phrazbit]

I predict that this board's defenders of the Suns' PG rotation are going to be singing a much different tune by Thanksgiving.

My opposition of Beverly is not an endorsement of our rotation.

I think we've probably got the the worst crop of point guards in the league... probably only the Kings can compare. If we trade for Beverly I think we'd probably have the worst crop of point guards in the league... probably only the Kings could compare.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think we've probably got the the worst crop of point guards in the league... probably only the Kings can compare. If we trade for Beverly I think we'd probably have the worst crop of point guards in the league... probably only the Kings could compare.

I would take the Kings PG's over ours any day and twice on Sunday. De'Aaron Fox alone is better than anyone the Suns have at PG. They also have Yogi Ferrell and Frank Mason III as their backups. Ferrell wasn't terrible in Dallas before going to Sacramento. Mason III is about the Canaan or Harrison level, probably in between those 2 if there's a gap to squeeze in. I think they're still envisioning Buddy Hield as a combo guard of sorts as well, who I would prefer to our rotation also. The Suns have the worst crop of PG's in the league, easily.

I thought Orlando might be close, I remember they wanted a PG in the draft but they still have DJ Augustine who is better than anyone on the Suns and they traded for Jerian Grant from Chicago.

 

[Errntknght]

Is anyone defending the PG rotation? I don't think so. I think everyone is unhappy with our PG rotation and hopes we add someone to upgrade the position. Some are little more doom and gloom about it but everyone seems to be on the same page about not giving up anything of value for a PG rental of sorts so it's really pointless to be arguing over it still. If no one wants to part with anything of value we won't be able to upgrade the PG position and we'll be stuck with what we have. Some will go crazy watching that unfold and others will enjoy poking at the ones going crazy. It seems pretty straight forward to me.

I'm more or less defending our PG rotation - at least to the degree that if Igor is happy with it then I am. I might disagree with him if he wanted to give up a bunch to get Dragic, which might well appeal to him. I also might disagree with him if he wants to start Harrison - as more than a stopgap measure. I think Harrison's defense is too valuable to risk starting him - few guys can play starters minutes and still maintain the defensive intensity he shows. Perhaps he's one of the few but it's unlikely. He can be a game changer especially it you team him up with Reed and Bridges. With those two with him the backcourt they'd get us lots of stops and on the offensive side with Reed and Bridges bombing away, it would be fine for Harrison to be attacking the rim - which he does much better than shooting 3's.

I don't think it's unlikely that coach Koko would rather have young PGs he can mold to his offense than more established PGs who have their own style. I suspect he wanted nothing to do with Brandon Knight and argued against keeping him. We'll see. Of course, BK is a lousy example of an established PG - but you have to admit he has established that he's a disaster as a Sun.

 

[Phrazbit]

I would take the Kings PG's over ours any day and twice on Sunday. De'Aaron Fox alone is better than anyone the Suns have at PG. They also have Yogi Ferrell and Frank Mason III as their backups. Ferrell wasn't terrible in Dallas before going to Sacramento. Mason III is about the Canaan or Harrison level, probably in between those 2 if there's a gap to squeeze in. I think they're still envisioning Buddy Hield as a combo guard of sorts as well, who I would prefer to our rotation also. The Suns have the worst crop of PG's in the league, easily.

I thought Orlando might be close, I remember they wanted a PG in the draft but they still have DJ Augustine who is better than anyone on the Suns and they traded for Jerian Grant from Chicago.

I forgot about Yogi, that is an obvious upgrade. And while I agree that the other options have more long term potential, De'Aaron Fox was as bad as anyone who handled point for us last year. He might stop sucking, but he really really sucked.

 

[slinslin]

I'd rather have Booker run the point than most of the scrub PGs that are talked about.

Might as well put Bridges or Jackson at the 2.

 

[1Sun]

I'd rather have Booker run the point than most of the scrub PGs that are talked about.

Might as well put Bridges or Jackson at the 2.

Do you recall what happened to Booker last season when he was called upon to run the point?

 

[Yuma]

Do you recall what happened to Booker last season when he was called upon to run the point?

I am with you on this. Booker is not my first option. JJ actually did OK bringing the ball up, and getting the offense started. We have options. That's why I am saying we don't have to rush out and overpay for an average PG. I'd rather wait and get someone really good.

 

[95pro]

But isn't our entire roster upgraded? I mean look who we have now and who we got rid of. Wouldn't Booker be able to excel now with an upgraded roster and new(better) coaching?

I was really against Booker running the show, but now that we have some quality players around; Ayton, Anderson and Ariza, maybe Booker running the show isn't a bad thing at this point.

Like others stated, our current pg's aren't starter material.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I predict that this board's defenders of the Suns' PG rotation are going to be singing a much different tune by Thanksgiving.

Are there really any “defenders” of the pg position? I think there are some who are trying to figure out what this suns will do with the pieces they have at present. There are others, like me, that know we need an upgrade but each option’s relative cost needs be weighed (in other words don’t upgrade to just upgrade at any cost).

 

[Chaplin]

But isn't our entire roster upgraded? I mean look who we have now and who we got rid of. Wouldn't Booker be able to excel now with an upgraded roster and new(better) coaching?

I was really against Booker running the show, but now that we have some quality players around; Ayton, Anderson and Ariza, maybe Booker running the show isn't a bad thing at this point.

Like others stated, our current pg's aren't starter material.

I’m hesitant, but if I recall correctly, Booker as PG last season was a mid-season change that frankly nobody was prepared for. Give him an opportunity during training camp to settle into the role and who knows? Not saying it will work, but the circumstances ARE different.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Do you recall what happened to Booker last season when he was called upon to run the point?

Yes I do. He was double and triple teamed every time he got the ball and no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find a Booker to pass to. I don't want him to be the full time point guard but he improved as a distributor as the season went on and there's no reason to expect that won't continue. And while he had a lot of turnovers, it was the extra defensive attention and stone hands Len that caused most of them.

 

[elindholm]

Are there really any “defenders” of the pg position? I think there are some who are trying to figure out what this suns will do with the pieces they have at present. There are others, like me, that know we need an upgrade but each option’s relative cost needs be weighed (in other words don’t upgrade to just upgrade at any cost).

Yeah, "defenders" was the wrong word, but I couldn't come up with a better one. I mean something like, "Those who do not believe that the PG situation is a crippling, unacceptable crisis." Some of us are panicked about the PG situation and others are more patient. I predict that the patience will run out quickly and that we'll be in near-unanimous panic within two months.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yeah, "defenders" was the wrong word, but I couldn't come up with a better one. I mean something like, "Those who do not believe that the PG situation is a crippling, unacceptable crisis." Some of us are panicked about the PG situation and others are more patient. I predict that the patience will run out quickly and that we'll be in near-unanimous panic within two months.

Okay I can understand that. I don’t know why we would panic when we haven’t panicked in the preceding years though.

 

[Raindog]

So it looks like we will essentially be at least starting the year with three-fifths of our starting lineup being Anderson/Ariza/Harrison (or Canaan)... and no Booker possibly for at least a bit. That my friends, is a train wreck, no matter how you slice it.

Ayton will pretty much have to come out of the gate looking like the second coming of Kareem, or we will be well on our way to at least starting another season as the dogs of the league.

I agree with elindholm that, barring an unexpected development, there is going to be a lot of frustration and unrest among the fanbase very quickly.

 

[Hoop Head]

I’m hesitant, but if I recall correctly, Booker as PG last season was a mid-season change that frankly nobody was prepared for. Give him an opportunity during training camp to settle into the role and who knows? Not saying it will work, but the circumstances ARE different.

With Booker not being able to fully participate in training camp because of the surgery on his hand, I don't think a training camp will improve his PG play that much.

I would rather see Jackson tried at PG than Booker.

One thing to consider is Booker will not be the same player at PG as he is/was at SG. Since we're loaded with wings we should be able fill the hole at SG that would be made by moving Booker over but how good will our new starting SG be? He won't be as good as Booker in that role. That's a given. So how much Booker improves our PG play needs to weighed against how much it will lower our SG play.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Okay I can understand that. I don’t know why we would panic when we haven’t panicked in the preceding years though.

I think we desperately need to improve the PG position but I'm more likely to panic if we give up picks and or players for a negligible improvement. If they can get someone like Kemba Walker for TJ, Bender and the Milwaukee pick, great. But if we have to give up Jackson or a first round pick for someone that might not even beat out our current scrubs, that's panic time IMO.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I agree with elindholm that, barring an unexpected development, there is going to be a lot of frustration and unrest among the fanbase very quickly.

I think it's a safe bet that the fans that are expecting big things from this team are going to be disappointed before November goes away. We were arguably the worst team in the league even without tanking and we needed to improve all 5 starter positions not to mention the bench. Expecting a decent role player and a couple of rookies to drastically change our fortunes is a recipe for frustration and unrest.

 

[elindholm]

Okay I can understand that. I don’t know why we would panic when we haven’t panicked in the preceding years though.

Because (a) it was understood that the goal in the preceding years was to suck, (b) we weren't yet getting signals about Booker's impatience with the direction of the franchise, and (c) we didn't have a #1 overall pick to develop.