2020 Draft

[Mainstreet]

The newest mock draft by Jonathon Givony of ESPN (formally DraftExpress) has the Suns taking Killian Hayes at #10. The most interesting part of the mock was that he had Precious Achiuwa going #8.

Hayes would be hard to turn down at #10. I like Achiuwa.

 

[JerkFace]

Hayes would be hard to turn down at #10. I like Achiuwa.

Me too... I think I am down to ‘any of the top 9 players’ if one slides or snagging Achiuwa or Vassell.

 

[Mainstreet]

Me too... I think I am down to ‘any of the top 9 players’ if one slides or snagging Achiuwa or Vassell.

It could happen. I like both. Achiuwa could be that 4/5 the Suns need for depth.

 

[JerkFace]

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[Mainstreet]

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Cole Anthony moved up to #9 in the Tankathon mock. I'm not real high on him.

 

[sinsay]

If Obi is not there Devin Vassell could be Sun's best option.

He could back up Booker at SG and log some min at SF.

With Vassell off the bench, Suns can go after Shooting PF
IN F/A.

Rubio
Booker
Kelly/Bridges
Dario/Cam
Ayton

Payne/Carter
Vassell/Carter
Bridges 6th MAN
Cam
F/A PF/C

10 deep.

 

[1Sun]

If Obi is not there Devin Vassell could be Sun's best option.

He could back up Booker at SG and log some min at SF.

With Vassell off the bench, Suns can go after Shooting PF
IN F/A.

Rubio
Booker
Kelly/Bridges
Dario/Cam
Ayton

Payne/Carter
Vassell/Carter
Bridges 6th MAN
Cam
F/A PF/C

10 deep.

If we start Dario or Cam at PF, this team's ceiling is 35 wins. They HAVE to improve that glaring weakness.

 

[JCSunsfan]

So. Two lists. The players you would want the Suns to draft and players you DO NOT want the Suns to draft.

Here is my DO NOT draft list.

1. Anthony Edwards. The Suns would have to move up in the lottery to get him, and if they do, they should not waste the pick on him. He is an offensive player but not a good shooter and a lackluster defender. I really can't understand why he is considered so highly.
2. He is young. He passes well. But he does not do another thing well that a pg must. A pg needs to distribute, shoot, or defend. He has to do two of the three. Melo does only one.
3. Deni Avdija. The next Luka, just like the next any other player, never will be. He is more likely the next Bender than the next Luka.
4. Isaac Okoro. If the Suns draft another wing, he needs to be star level. This kid is not.
5. Cole Anthony. A pg who is weak in every statistical area except rebounding? That is a formula for complete bust.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

So. Two lists. The players you would want the Suns to draft and players you DO NOT want the Suns to draft.

DO DRAFT:
1. Killian Hayes
2. Obi Toppin
3. Tyrese Haliburton
4. Deni Avdija
5. Onyeka Okongwu

DO NOT DRAFT:
1. Anthony Edwards
2. LaMelo Ball
3. James Wiseman
4. Isaac Okoro
5. Cole Anthony

I agree with your reasoning on Edwards, Anthony, and Okoro. I also agree on Ball, but I could be talked into him. I think if he were the same prospect with a different name I may value him more. I don't see Wiseman as a good fit with Ayton.

Avdija and Okungwu are far from sure things, but I like their upside given the quality of this draft. I think Toppin is a star, but his lack of rebounding and defense do scare me.

Ideally, the Suns get a point guard of the future. Hayes is my favorite prospect in the draft, and while I think Haliburton is less likely to be a star, I think he would have an immediate impact with some good upside as well.

I should note that I've done less research than normal and that "my favorite prospect in the draft" should be qualified with both my relative lack of knowledge this year and the fact that I am not crazy high on anyone in this draft.

 

[1Sun]

Do Draft:

Okongwu
Achiuwa
Carey
Stewart
Toppin
Jalen Smith
Haliburton
Vassell
Nesmith
Lewis

Don't Draft:

Edwards
Ball
Hampton
Anthony
Mannion
Avdija
Maledon
Okoro
McDaniels
Maxey

If we get a Top 4 pick, trade it.

 

[JerkFace]

I’m doing my list assuming we end up at #10 and the consensus top 9 players go top 9 (if any top 9 players drop they immediately go on my DO list):

Do draft:
Devin Vassell
Precious Achiuwa
Jalen Smith
Kira Lewis JR
I’m not a huge fan of any 5th player but I’ll put 2 at honorable mention:
Saddiq Bey
Patrick Williams

DON’T draft:
Cole Anthony
Nico Mannion
RJ Hampton
Jaden McDaniels
Theo Maledon

If we end up with a top 4 pick (using names from the top 9 players)

DO
Obi Toppin
Onyeka Okongwu
Tyrese Haliburton

DON’T
Anthony Edwards
LaMelo Ball
Isaac Okoro

 

[GoldGloveschmidt]

I believe the Suns will trade their pick no matter where it lands, so i haven't done much prospect scouting at all. Good analysis in here though

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

This is the least interested I’ve been in a draft in my memory. There’s no player that excites me. I hope I’ll just be pleasantly surprised as was the case with cam Johnson.

 

[Phrazbit]

I'd be happy with Toppin, he seems like a good fit who would find real minutes right away.

I think Haliburton would be solid and Okongwu and Saddiq Bey are big time boom or bust picks.

The rest... I don't know what to make of em, I don't see fits with our team and I see a lot of guys who are not ready to see an NBA court.

This draft looked murky BEFORE Covid made it almost impossible to study.

My expectations are low. I'd also almost rather us not get the top pick, if we jump then let us land at 3 or 4, where we won't have pressure to take a hype job like Ball or Wiseman.

 

[Phrazbit]

LeMelo Ball shot 37% from the field and 25% from 3pt range in AUSTRALIA, he also was reported to be a door mat on D. His status as a high lotto pick is absolutely astounding. He looks putrid.

EDIT: I know I am preaching to the choir here, but seriously, I don't freaking get it. The dude is riding hype from his brother and his status as a freshman in high school. If his last name was "Jenkins" I don't know if he'd be on the board.

 

[Hoop Head]

LeMelo Ball shot 37% from the field and 25% from 3pt range in AUSTRALIA, he also was reported to be a door mat on D. His status as a high lotto pick is absolutely astounding. He looks putrid.

EDIT: I know I am preaching to the choir here, but seriously, I don't freaking get it. The dude is riding hype from his brother and his status as a freshman in high school. If his last name was "Jenkins" I don't know if he'd be on the board.

I've thought this since I heard he was viewed as a potential top pick this year. It doesn't make sense. Post Covid, I can kind of see him getting hype because there was no tournament but it's not like Ball's posted other worldly numbers in a decent pro league. He's in a mediocre pro league with very little competition and is scoring a bunch but inefficiently. He's also doing that as a PG, which is also what he's projected to be in the NBA. I can't see why an NBA team would want to commit to a 35% shooter who jacks up 20+ attempts a game, regardless of his court vision.

I know he's also been touted as the best of the Ball brothers for a few years but one of them is barely a G-Leaguer and the other is a fringe starter in the NBA who was overhyped and oversold as the #2 pick in the draft. LaMelo being better doesn't make him worth the #1 pick in a draft that is arguably much better. LaMelo as a lottery pick? Ok, I can see that but not the top pick.

 

[Mainstreet]

LeMelo Ball shot 37% from the field and 25% from 3pt range in AUSTRALIA, he also was reported to be a door mat on D. His status as a high lotto pick is absolutely astounding. He looks putrid.

EDIT: I know I am preaching to the choir here, but seriously, I don't freaking get it. The dude is riding hype from his brother and his status as a freshman in high school. If his last name was "Jenkins" I don't know if he'd be on the board.

There are persistent rumors the Knicks are interested in LaMelo Ball. Go Knicks!

 

[Sunburn]

If we start Dario or Cam at PF, this team's ceiling is 35 wins. They HAVE to improve that glaring weakness.

We just went 8-0 starting Cam at PF.

 

[Mainstreet]

If James Jones were willing, this might be the draft to buy another draft pick to add some talent at a low price. Of course rookies aren't as cheap as they once were but perhaps a later first round or second round pick if someone is there he likes.

 

[Mainstreet]

James Jones will be the Suns representative at the lottery on Thursday.

https://arizonasports.com/story/235...esent-franchise-at-virtual-nba-draft-lottery/

 

[1Sun]

We just went 8-0 starting Cam at PF.

In a Bubble situation, where most of the teams we played had nothing to play for and rested as many as 6-7 players at a time. Not to discount the Suns' accomplishment, as this was very much a step in the right direction, but as others on the board have noted, this accomplishment doesn't happen in a regular game situation this year. And you saw how Cam performed against the Sixers' second and third string players even in that situation. (Hint: He was the worst player on the court and got dominated by Mike Scott.) While I have come around to believing Cam can contribute off the bench, it is equally clear that he is nowhere near an NBA starting caliber power forward.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We just went 8-0 starting Cam at PF.

And finished with 34 wins despite losing Baynes and Oubre plus missing Ayton for more than a third of our games and with a 73 game season. So yeah, it makes perfect sense that if we keep this team together and played 82 games, 35 wins would be our "ceiling". And for those keeping score, "ceiling" means absolute best case scenario.

 

[JCSunsfan]

My favorite two players in this draft are Toppin and Haliburton.

Toppin is an athletic force, very aggressive (Amare-like), and can shoot the 3. Haliburton is a big pg with all-around skills. There have been a number of those types who have done well recently.

Wiseman would be my choice for #1 but I would be far more nervous with that choice at #1 than with either of those two in the 3-10 range.

When you watch Toppin play he has a certain "it" factor. I remember seeing it with Jason Tatum but then dismissing it because everyone was saying he was average athletically and poor defensively.

I am not doing that this time. To me, Toppin has the most potential to be a star in this draft.

 

[Hoop Head]

And finished with 34 wins despite losing Baynes and Oubre plus missing Ayton for more than a third of our games and with a 73 game season. So yeah, it makes perfect sense that if we keep this team together and played 82 games, 35 wins would be our "ceiling". And for those keeping score, "ceiling" means absolute best case scenario.

FWIW Ayton only played in 38 of those 73 games. I was going to say he missed half but I figured I'd look it up to be sure. Had he missed the OKC game at the end, like was originally reported, then he would have played in 1 game over half.

Baynes only played in 42 games and Kaminsky in just 39 so the team was very thin up front all season. Diallo starting in 2 games gives a good idea of how thin they were.

 

[Mainstreet]

Unfortunately I don't think Haliburton or Toppin will be there at #10. Achiuwa would be a nice consolation prize.