2018 Draft Grades

[1Sun]

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.

Actually, the write-up on both reflects what we already knew: Under Igor Kokoskov, what were originally very promising rookies did not progress enough, especially compared with other rookies.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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 don’t disagree with you, but they aren’t doing the redraft based solely on rookie season. They even stayed so when they slotted JJJ at #2.

 

[slinslin]

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

it is bleacherreport... they have no credibility

 

[taz02]

Besides Booker, what player(s) have the Suns drafted in the last five seasons that would be projected higher in a draft re-do?

 

[Sunburn]

Besides Booker, what player(s) have the Suns drafted in the last five seasons that would be projected higher in a draft re-do?

TJ Warren? That's depressing.

 

[1Sun]

TJ Warren? That's depressing.

Could it have anything to do with the fact that they're not being developed properly here?...

 

[JCSunsfan]

TJ Warren? That's depressing.

Man. This is not worth getting depressed over.

This is just what some random guy thinks. Ayton is a solid, solid, player and will be a star in this league. When you have the #1 pick you take the best bet. We did that. No regrets.

 

[Yuma]

Man. This is not worth getting depressed over.

This is just what some random guy thinks. Ayton is a solid, solid, player and will be a star in this league. When you have the #1 pick you take the best bet. We did that. No regrets.

Plus almost EVERY draft expert prior to the season said take Doncic if you need a guy to play at his peak immediately They said take Ayton if you were picking for long term. We have always been Center deficient in the Suns history. I would have taken Ayton, too. THen I would have traded my Milwaukee pick, and the following years number one, and whatever else to pick at two and take Doncic. Besides, with Doncic AND Ayton, I would have bet our following year's number one would not have been that high. However, if I was GM, we would not be in the Zion sweepstakes now.

 

[Finito]

Honestly I just don’t see it in JJJ he’s nice and all but what’s his ceiling? I think a really good role player I don’t see a star in him nothing about him or his game makes me go wow.

 

[Phrazbit]

The only thing about that article I agree with is Bamba's tumble. The hype around him required people not actually watching him play.

The stupidest thing about that article (and there is a lot of stupid) is Porter somehow moving UP... based on what? More debilitating injury news?

I would not be surprised if in 5 years Michael Porter Jr and myself have the exact same amount of NBA seasons with more than say... 30 games played, I would be less surprised if he never even plays a minute in an NBA game.

I don't blame the Nuggets for the pick, they had a good core and swinging for the fences on a mid round pick could put them over the top but back problems don't tend to improve over time, at least in the sense of vertical leap.

Good lord, I didn't even see that they had Kevin Huerter at #10... that website sucks out loud, almost as much as Kevin Huerter. They praise his "team defense"... few lineups in the league were worse on D than lineups featuring him.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Like others have said Ayton is all about what he is going to be 3 years from now. JJJ is a nice player but I dont think his ceiling is as high. Doncic might already be close to his best already. Ayton wasn't very good...and he compares to some of the better young big men to come out in the past 20 years.

Bridges is already one of the best wing defenders in the game as a rookie.

 

[Mainstreet]

I do think Jaren Jackson Jr. has tremendous upside. Pre-draft I thought he might eventually be the best player in the draft. With his shooting and size I think he can still challenge the top draft picks.

The 2018 NBA Draft is looking to be an elite draft.

 

[Chaplin]

Like others have said Ayton is all about what he is going to be 3 years from now. JJJ is a nice player but I dont think his ceiling is as high. Doncic might already be close to his best already. Ayton wasn't very good...and he compares to some of the better young big men to come out in the past 20 years.

Bridges is already one of the best wing defenders in the game as a rookie.

Define “not very good.”

 

[Yuma]

Define “not very good.”

I am reading Krang as saying we don't think Ayton is that good, but when you look at his numbers historically, he compares well to the great big men of the game in their first year.

 

[Sunburn]

I don't understand when people say Doncic may be at his ceiling. His body hasn't even physically matured yet.

 

[SirStefan32]

I don't understand when people say Doncic may be at his ceiling. His body hasn't even physically matured yet.

Yeah, I disagree that he is at his ceiling, but I think the difference between him and Ayton is that Doncic does have physical limitations.

 

[Yuma]

Doncic is already a 21 point and 6 assist guy. Do we think he's going to be a 30 point 10 assist guy? Arguably he doesn't have that much room to move up in his stats. On the other hand, all season long this whole board keeps saying they expect Ayton to increase his stats a LOT! LMAO. I say Ayton is further from his ceiling than Doncic.

 

[BC867]

I am reading Krang as saying we don't think Ayton is that good, but when you look at his numbers historically, he compares well to the great big men of the game in their first year.

Ayton was not coached to take advantage of his skills. He still put up good rookie numbers.

But he wasn't the young inside factor we've been hoping for half a century, so there is disappointment.

Put that on his Head Coach and big man coach.

The question is . . . will it be any different next season?

The same question (as has been discussed over and over) applies to the "worn thin" Devin Booker.

So much basketball talent! So little management common sense!

 

[Chaplin]

Ayton was not coached to take advantage of his skills. He still put up good rookie numbers.

But he wasn't the young inside factor we've been hoping for half a century, so there is disappointment.

Put that on his Head Coach and big man coach.

The question is . . . will it be any different next season?

The same question (as has been discussed over and over) applies to the "worn thin" Devin Booker.

So much basketball talent! So little management common sense!

What EXACTLY did you want? What did you expect from a rookie big man?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ayton was not coached to take advantage of his skills. He still put up good rookie numbers.

But he wasn't the young inside factor we've been hoping for half a century, so there is disappointment.

Put that on his Head Coach and big man coach.

The question is . . . will it be any different next season?

The same question (as has been discussed over and over) applies to the "worn thin" Devin Booker.

So much basketball talent! So little management common sense!

People keep trotting this out but that mid season article clearly stated they were trying to get Ayton to plant his posterior in the paint and go hard at the hole and draw fouls but he wasn’t doing so. So obviously this narrative that he wasn’t being coached to do so is either a complete fallacy or that player development coach that was quoted just decided to blatantly lie to the interviewer.

 

[GatorAZ]

Ayton’s rookie year left me with the same feeling his one year at Arizona left me. Wanting more.

 

[Hoop Head]

The stupidest thing about that article (and there is a lot of stupid) is Porter somehow moving UP... based on what? More debilitating injury news?

I would not be surprised if in 5 years Michael Porter Jr and myself have the exact same amount of NBA seasons with more than say... 30 games played, I would be less surprised if he never even plays a minute in an NBA game.

I don't blame the Nuggets for the pick, they had a good core and swinging for the fences on a mid round pick could put them over the top but back problems don't tend to improve over time, at least in the sense of vertical leap.

Their reasoning for Porter made sense, IMO. He went to the Knicks because they were on a tank year so if he works out for them eventually, all the better, it acknowledges it being a gamble but the only reason he moved up is because they believed a team other than the Nuggets would take the risk of drafting him.

Almost all of the complaints people have are addressed in the article itself. If you're looking solely at where they have a player being selected then I can understand why some of the choices don't make much sense on the surface but if you actually read the little blurbs for each pick then everything makes a lot more sense.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't understand when people say Doncic may be at his ceiling. His body hasn't even physically matured yet.

totally agree.

 

[GatorAZ]

Doncic could be a 6’8” Steve Nash by the time he peaks.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Doncic is already a 21 point and 6 assist guy. Do we think he's going to be a 30 point 10 assist guy? Arguably he doesn't have that much room to move up in his stats. On the other hand, all season long this whole board keeps saying they expect Ayton to increase his stats a LOT! LMAO. I say Ayton is further from his ceiling than Doncic.

uh... why couldn't he put up Harden stats? You realize as the season went on Doncic continued improve his game, putting up more and more impressive stats as the season went on, while Ayton reached a plateau in all of his stats... in Game 1 of the season.