2018 Draft Grades

[Phrazbit]

Exum doesn't do anything well. Bad shooter from all distances, especially bad from 3, not much of a facilitator, a mediocre defender.

No way I'd go after a backup point guard in free agency, you always have to overpay to pray an RFA loose and the league is flooded with backup point guards. It's unfortunate that we used so many backup quality point guards as starters last season, but Exum is cut from the same cloth, just a slightly different pattern.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Honestly. Knight might be our best option as far as a bridge guy. If he actually buys into the team game, he can fill that vet role and we don't have to give up future assets.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm guessing since you figured he wasn't a target you didn't do any research on him? Because he has been regarded as a top 8 or so prospect for months.

Yes, I knew that already, but just didn't think he was a SUNS target, so no, I didn't do any research on him until after we picked him. What is your point?

 

[Chaplin]

I was also on the Okobo train because of his athleticism and defensive potential at PG. It was either him or Carter for me at #31, funny how Carter & Brunson were the next 2 picks after Okobo.

Okobo only started playing PG just last year so he still has a lot of development ahead of him but this will be a great coaching project for Kokoskov who is known for player development. But no one can deny Okobo's got a great skill set right now to work with, he just needs to learn the PG position.

Kostos is a project, no doubt but at #59 I like his potential more than King's. I had no idea who King was but after watching clips he can shoot. Maybe he was picked because his 4 years of college experience is needed with all these youngsters on the roster.

After looking more into him, I can't find anything that points to Kostos being anything other than an extreme reach--his only advantage is that he happens to be Giannis' brother. His other stats don't jump out at all. King had a better college career.

 

[JCSunsfan]

After looking more into him, I can't find anything that points to Kostos being anything other than an extreme reach--his only advantage is that he happens to be Giannis' brother. His other stats don't jump out at all. King had a better college career.

Yeah. I just look at that body and see his brother. Giannis was a late bloomer too.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeah. I just look at that body and see his brother. Giannis was a late bloomer too.

I certainly wouldn't have minded taking him at 59, but I'm not going to go crazy about not.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I certainly wouldn't have minded taking him at 59, but I'm not going to go crazy about not.

Nah. It's the 59th pick.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yeah. I just look at that body and see his brother. Giannis was a late bloomer too.

Downgrading our draft grade because we didn't take a shot at a Dayton's 9th man is redonk.

When Giannis was 20 he was putting up numbers that his brother didn't equal in high school. And you'd think the younger brother would have a leg up... seeing as he has an older brother to emulate while Giannis had to do it on his own.

I look at Kostas stats and I watch him play and I see a guy who flat out isn't good at basketball... even at the mid-major college level.

Seriously, you guys are wondering why we didn't take a shot at him, but if he was not some other dudes brother and we took someone with the exact same resume the only conclusion would be that McD was doing some nobody a favor.

Kostas is NOT an NBA prospect. I expect he won't even crack a D-league rotation.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Downgrading our draft grade because we didn't take a shot at a Dayton's 9th man is redonk.

When Giannis was 20 he was putting up numbers that his brother didn't equal in high school. And you'd think the younger brother would have a leg up... seeing as he has an older brother to emulate while Giannis had to do it on his own.

I look at Kostas stats and I watch him play and I see a guy who flat out isn't good at basketball... even at the mid-major college level.

Seriously, you guys are wondering why we didn't take a shot at him, but if he was not some other dudes brother and we took someone with the exact same resume the only conclusion would be that McD was doing some nobody a favor.

Kostas is NOT an NBA prospect. I expect he won't even crack a D-league rotation.

I was trying to find SOMETHING to be neg about because I am such a homer.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Yes, I knew that already, but just didn't think he was a SUNS target, so no, I didn't do any research on him until after we picked him. What is your point?

No big deal, I was just a little surprised that you didn't know much about him prior to the draft. I know a lot of the guys on here do quite a bit of scouting themselves, but I don't know if that is something that you have time for or interest in.

 

[Chaplin]

No big deal, I was just a little surprised that you didn't know much about him prior to the draft. I know a lot of the guys on here do quite a bit of scouting themselves, but I don't know if that is something that you have time for or interest in.

I figured that if we did trade up to the area where Bridges would fall, it would be for Trae or Shai, had no idea we’d draft another wing by moving up.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I figured that if we did trade up to the area where Bridges would fall, it would be for Trae or Shai, had no idea we’d draft another wing by moving up.

Yeah I really didn't think he would be a target either. Figured they would trade up is a PG or PF fell, but really wasn't expecting a trade up for a wing.

 

[Russ Smith]

Downgrading our draft grade because we didn't take a shot at a Dayton's 9th man is redonk.

When Giannis was 20 he was putting up numbers that his brother didn't equal in high school. And you'd think the younger brother would have a leg up... seeing as he has an older brother to emulate while Giannis had to do it on his own.

I look at Kostas stats and I watch him play and I see a guy who flat out isn't good at basketball... even at the mid-major college level.

Seriously, you guys are wondering why we didn't take a shot at him, but if he was not some other dudes brother and we took someone with the exact same resume the only conclusion would be that McD was doing some nobody a favor.

Kostas is NOT an NBA prospect. I expect he won't even crack a D-league rotation.

Yeah he's much better but it reminds me a bit of all the UCLA fans touting Adria Gasol several years ago when he walked on at UCLA. All these people saying he's 6'10" and his 2 older brothers are in the NBA, he's going to end up a better player than any kid UCLA signed that year(the year they signed Shabazz, Kyle Anderson, Tony Parker and Jordan Adams). All the talk about how Marc was a late bloomer(because he was overweight) and how Adria might be the best of the 3 brothers.

A year later he went back to Spain having not played a single minute at UCLA, and everyone who saw him play in pickup games said he was terrible. The kid was openly participating in Reddit threads about himself, telling people he was still learning how to play the game, even came back and said he was pursuing a degree in economics. Being the brother of an NBA player doesn't guarantee you're going to be good.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here are some draft grades for the Suns draft selections with lots of "A" grades.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...suns-deandre-ayton-mikal-bridges-z/730558002/

It's hard to give the Suns a lessor grade although some lower grades were floating out there.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Here are some draft grades for the Suns draft selections with lots of "A" grades.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...suns-deandre-ayton-mikal-bridges-z/730558002/

It's hard to give the Suns a lessor grade although some lower grades were floating out there.

I noticed the Lower grades were from the cult of Doncic, most team that have Suns low grades gave Mavs A+ for picking there guy in the drafy

 

[Raindog]

I noticed the Lower grades were from the cult of Doncic, most team that have Suns low grades gave Mavs A+ for picking there guy in the drafy

Yep - totally stupid. The idiots at The Stepien, among others, clearly having a hissy fit that their poster boy didn't go first - therefore every Suns pick is "meh," even the guys like Bridges and Okobo, who they loved before the draft are now "not all that great. "

 

[Chaplin]

Yep - totally stupid. The idiots at The Stepien, among others, clearly having a hissy fit that their poster boy didn't go first - therefore every Suns pick is "meh," even the guys like Bridges and Okobo, who they loved before the draft are now "not all that great. "

The Locked On Suns podcast still takes little digs about not taking Doncic. It's infuriating. I wish I could quit it, but it is a daily show about the Suns, so it's hard.

 

[Mainstreet]

I noticed the Lower grades were from the cult of Doncic, most team that have Suns low grades gave Mavs A+ for picking there guy in the drafy

Also some lower grades I have seen around the internet take away from the Suns grade because they traded away the future Heat pick. Maybe Doncic supporters.

I want to say... just grade the Suns draft.

The Suns came away with two top ten picks in a loaded draft plus Okobo who is highly thought of from every scouting service I have read. Even Dwight King is liked.

 

[sunsfan88]

Thestepien.com review on Okobo is quite impressive. He compares similarly to Parker in France. He is a bit turnover prone though.

Their reviews on the other Suns draftees Bridges and Ayton is very impressive as well.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Yep - totally stupid. The idiots at The Stepien, among others, clearly having a hissy fit that their poster boy didn't go first - therefore every Suns pick is "meh," even the guys like Bridges and Okobo, who they loved before the draft are now "not all that great. "

Yes it's completely sour grapes, for not picking their Demigod

 

[Chaplin]

Bleacher has ran a redraft for 2018 and they have Ayton falling to #4 and the Grizzlies.

They have us taking Doncic #1 of course.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral

 

[GatorAZ]

Bleacher has ran a redraft for 2018 and they have Ayton falling to #4 and the Grizzlies.

They have us taking Doncic #1 of course.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral

Swap JJJ and Trae...

Ouch at Bamba behind Carter and Robinson.

 

[Sunburn]

Bleacher has ran a redraft for 2018 and they have Ayton falling to #4 and the Grizzlies.

They have us taking Doncic #1 of course.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...om&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_medium=referral

Bridges at 14. So basically it's saying we lost value on both of our picks. Great.

 

[SirStefan32]

Bridges at 14. So basically it's saying we lost value on both of our picks. Great.

Let them say stupid stuff. Suns did not draft Ayton for what he was in his rookie season. As for Bridges, they must not have watched him play a whole lot.

 

[Hoop Head]

Let them say stupid stuff. Suns did not draft Ayton for what he was in his rookie season. As for Bridges, they must not have watched him play a whole lot.

I didn't have a problem with their write up on Bridges. He is a great role player and if you look at the draft from top to bottom there are some potential contributors that may become more than Bridges that deserve to be taken in the top 10. Bridges on the right squad is extremely valuable but since the Suns only won 19 games it's hard to give him much credit for his contributions. I think we'll see him continually move up in redrafts as the years go on because he will have a really nice career in the league. He may never be a star but he should be a good starter for the next decade and that won't earn him praise right now but it will in years to come.