2018-19 Season | Point Guard Discussion

[ColdPickleNachos]

Warren, Bender, Okobo and the Milwaukee pick?

I would do that in a heartbeat. Bridges, Jackson, or an unprotected pick would have to enter the picture for me to even blink.

Warren is a really good but ultimately flawed player at a position we're crowded at. I've given up on Bender. The Milwaukee pick is likely not that valuable and even if it turns out to be surprisingly good, we have enough young projects. I hate to lose Okobo, but we'd be getting our point guard in the trade.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Warren, Bender, Okobo and the Milwaukee pick?

Kemba, Melton, Canaan, Shaq
Booker, Daniels
JJ, Bridges, King
Ariza, Anderson
Ayton, Chandler, Holmes

You would have to be pretty sure of signing Kemba long term. But if you can't you free up an additional $18 million for free agency next summer.

Honestly, that's the kind of trade I would do even if Walker were not fully committed to, but was open to, re-signing.

 

[1Sun]

The longer we wait, and the more games we play with our current group of point guards, the more obvious it's going to be to everyone else how desperately we need to trade for one. That is why I thought we needed to make a trade ASAP after jettisoning Knight and why I think the trade needs to be made sooner rather than later. The price might be steep now, but it's only going to go up...

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'm not expressing alarm. All I'm saying this a significant setback for Bridges because he needs all the playing time he can get as a rookie entering the season.

My previous post was clear enough.

A “significant setback” for a player who hasn’t played a pro game and the season hasn’t started yet. Hummmmmm . . .

 

[sunsfan88]

A “significant setback” for a player who hasn’t played a pro game and the season hasn’t started yet. Hummmmmm . . .

It’s an injury that could bother him some during the season (not bother him enough to where he can’t play but still).

 

[Carolinacacti]

Also, if the Hornets were looking at Jackson, that was the wrong game for them to scout!

I believe the Hornets want picks. They will take junk to make the money work. Hornets have M. Bridges at SF and MKG who I thought Jackson would turn out to be like but now I have my doubts if he can be that good.
Suns have two number one picks next year that are worth something. I would sit tight and late the year play out.

 

[Finito]

Warren, Bender, Okobo and the Milwaukee pick?

Kemba, Melton, Canaan, Shaq
Booker, Daniels
JJ, Bridges, King
Ariza, Anderson
Ayton, Chandler, Holmes

You would have to be pretty sure of signing Kemba long term. But if you can't you free up an additional $18 million for free agency.

In a heart beat I do that deal.

 

[Hoop Head]

Also, I know it's weird to be willing to trade Jackson for Lillard when I wasn't willing to trade him for Kyrie, but that's the situation more than anything. Ayton plus a top backcourt has championship potential. Getting Kyrie last year would have severely limited our ability to get an Ayton.

Would you trade Jackson for Kyrie now? Not saying he's available, chances are he's not and Jackson wouldn't on Boston's radar. They would probably begin and end all inquiries with Ayton since he's the only player on our roster with upside that fits there. I'm sure they would like to have Jackson and Booker but not at market value.

 

[sunsfan88]

Also, if the Hornets were looking at Jackson, that was the wrong game for them to scout!

The Hornets are a weird team that I think would be more interested in Bender actually.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

The Hornets are a weird team that I think would be more interested in Bender actually.

If they're interested in Bender, then great!

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Would you trade Jackson for Kyrie now? Not saying he's available, chances are he's not and Jackson wouldn't on Boston's radar. They would probably begin and end all inquiries with Ayton since he's the only player on our roster with upside that fits there. I'm sure they would like to have Jackson and Booker but not at market value.

Yeah, I'd trade him for Kyrie now...if Kyrie has any interest in being a Sun. That was a big part of the issue then, and it would be my only big issue now. He seems happy as a Celtic (announced he plans to resign there), so it's a nonstarter. My thing then was Booker and Kyrie was not enough to compete down the line. Booker, Kyrie, and Ayton is another story entirely.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Would you trade Jackson for Kyrie now? Not saying he's available, chances are he's not and Jackson wouldn't on Boston's radar. They would probably begin and end all inquiries with Ayton since he's the only player on our roster with upside that fits there. I'm sure they would like to have Jackson and Booker but not at market value.

I wouldn't. Big money, big injury risk, so no thanks. The acquisition cost means little in his case, it's his salary going forward combined with his missed games that would turn me off.

 

[1Sun]

Would you trade Jackson for Kyrie now? Not saying he's available, chances are he's not and Jackson wouldn't on Boston's radar. They would probably begin and end all inquiries with Ayton since he's the only player on our roster with upside that fits there. I'm sure they would like to have Jackson and Booker but not at market value.

No (only because Kyrie is signing with the Celtics or Knicks next summer), but I would trade him for Lillard or an extended Kemba Walker.

 

[Hoop Head]

I wouldn't. Big money, big injury risk, so no thanks. The acquisition cost means little in his case, it's his salary going forward combined with his missed games that would turn me off.

Combined with the injuries I worry about players like him who get a title early in their career as the 2nd or 3rd option. I know he wants to be the 1st option somewhere and that's fine but with a PG, it's a little concerning next to a 1st option SG. However since he has a title, I wonder how hard he'll push himself to earn another. I don't think he cares if he wins another. If he did, he would have stayed in Cleveland one more year. He wants to be the man more than win, IMO, and that's not the sort of player I'd like to see the Suns go after.

 

[Yuma]

I am not worried before the season starts. My point is if we are going to trade for a PG, go big! Let's not just dabble for a lower level PG and make due. My point is make a trade that is playoff worthy. Not just some trade that gets us from 30 to 35 games. Snore!

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am not worried before the season starts. My point is if we are going to trade for a PG, go big! Let's not just dabble for a lower level PG and make due. My point is make a trade that is playoff worthy. Not just some trade that gets us from 30 to 35 games. Snore!

I agree but I'm not sure that there is a single PG out there that could take us to the playoffs this season. We have far too much youth to succeed to that degree IMO. As long as we have a strong PG in place by the time Booker and Ayton both hit their mid 20's, I'll be content. Getting a good PG in today would improve our record and make for far more entertaining basketball but we're still suiting up kids for a man's game.

 

[1Sun]

I agree but I'm not sure that there is a single PG out there that could take us to the playoffs this season. We have far too much youth to succeed to that degree IMO. As long as we have a strong PG in place by the time Booker and Ayton both hit their mid 20's, I'll be content. Getting a good PG in today would improve our record and make for far more entertaining basketball but we're still suiting up kids for a man's game.

They won't grow properly without at least a competent point guard...

(We're already seeing Josh Jackson pick up and reinforce some very bad habits. He wasn't like this in college.)

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

They won't grow properly without at least a competent point guard...

(We're already seeing Josh Jackson pick up and reinforce some very bad habits. He wasn't like this in college.)

Jackson will look quite a bit better when Booker gets back because he won't have the ball in his hands as much and will be able to cut more off the ball. Here is an article with quotes from coach and some of the players talking about Booker's impact.

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-different-when-booker-gets-back-phoenix-suns

 

[1Sun]

Jackson will look quite a bit better when Booker gets back because he won't have the ball in his hands as much and will be able to cut more off the ball. Here is an article with quotes from coach and some of the players talking about Booker's impact.

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...-different-when-booker-gets-back-phoenix-suns

I particularly took to heart the "Booker needs help" line. Outside of Ayton, he doesn't have it.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I particularly took to heart the "Booker needs help" line. Outside of Ayton, he doesn't have it.

Booker has help. Obviously he has Ayton down low. He will likely have both Ariza and Anderson stretching the floor and he will have either JJ or Warren as cutters to the basket. Ayton, JJ, Anderson and Ariza are all decent passers and will find Booker if he is open off the ball as well. Obviously getting another play-maker will help, but the team isn't hopeless without one.

 

[1Sun]

Booker has help. Obviously he has Ayton down low. He will likely have both Ariza and Anderson stretching the floor and he will have either JJ or Warren as cutters to the basket. Ayton, JJ, Anderson and Ariza are all decent passers and will find Booker if he is open off the ball as well. Obviously getting another play-maker will help, but the team isn't hopeless without one.

I am more talking in terms of facilitators, as I think the article was referencing as well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am more talking in terms of facilitators, as I think the article was referencing as well.

You might want to read it again as it appears you've fully missed the point of the article. And when it talked about facilitators it was to say that we need all 5 players functioning as facilitators for his offense to succeed.

 

[Hoop Head]

They won't grow properly without at least a competent point guard...

(We're already seeing Josh Jackson pick up and reinforce some very bad habits. He wasn't like this in college.)

Are you joking? What bad habits has Jackson picked up since he's been in the league compared to college? He plays recklessly, that's not new, but when he has players on the floor who can score and play he is willing to hand off the ball to them. He's not a ball hog, he's a good defender, he plays fast and that needs to be reigned in some but not that much. Once he starts seeing the floor better and knows what right moves to make, he can play at the same speed all game and no one will complain because he'll be making the right read more often than not.

He didn't enter the league a finished product by any means but has shown improvement at just about everything. In college he was actually handling the ball more than he is now but in the NBA he's playing against much better competition so he's not as effective as a playmaker but he's shown the ability to learn while being in the league and looks a lot better than he did in his first 3 games under Watson last year or the first 2 months under Triano.

 

[Mainstreet]

It’s an injury that could bother him some during the season (not bother him enough to where he can’t play but still).

This of course is a possibility. Hopefully this is not the case.

However, my primary concern was a loss of practice time. Once the season begins, practice time becomes much more limited.

 

[Mainstreet]

I found this comment by Kokoskov interesting concerning the point guard. It shows the value he puts on the position.

See excerpt below:


“I never talk to the whole team during the game,” Kokoskov said. “I talk to the point guard and his job is to relay the calls and the messages to the other guys. That’s how communication goes. If somebody doesn’t know the play on the court, that’s your job as the point guard to deliver the message. That’s his job. That’s what my expectations are for the point guard. To be my voice or the voice on the court.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...elieves-point-guards-need-improve/1560913002/