2021-22 Around the NBA Thread

[CardsSunsDbacks]

How are those things conflicting? Ceiling is about potential. Zion showed an insane amount of potential prior to his body falling apart and his will to work through it was revealed. There's a reason he was viewed as a top prospect while Booker wasn't even a starter on his college team or consistently in his rookie year with the Suns until injuries opened up more minutes for him.


And how many Devin Booker's have we seen? A lot more. What sets Book apart is his work ethic and desire. There isn't anything special about him in terms of athleticism or his physical stature.

We haven't seen a million Zion's either unless you mean busts. What sets him apart were his insane athleticism, strength, and size. Physically we hadn't seen anyone like him since Barkley, who was amongst NBA's 50 & 75 greatest players.

Many people get drafted very high and it ends up a mistake or teams pass on guys like Booker and it ends up being a mistake. Using draft position as some sort of proof of ceiling is faulty at best. I would be willing to bet that most people have a much higher ceiling for Booker now than they did prior to him being drafted and Zion's ceiling has probably gone down a bit over the past few months for most people.

That being said even if Zion comes back healthy and motivated, he is a poor defender, doesn't shoot well and doesn't particularly have a good handle. Heck he isn't even a good rebounder despite his size and athleticism. Sure he will get you and efficient 27 or so points, but that is about all he really brings to a team.

 

[Chaplin]

Kemba Walker will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

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What a dumpster fire the New York Knicks are.

 

[Proximo]

Zion hadn't shown motivation.

That would be an interesting discussion - Book or Zion - higher ceiling.

Are you serious, only biased Suns fans would even consider that a conversation.

Zion is a generational athlete that was averaging 27ppg while shooting 61%!!! from the field last year.

If he is healthy he is a top 5 player.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'd prefer Booker on the Suns to Zion right now and in the future but that doesn't change the fact that Zion has more potential, if he gets his weight under control. I don't see that happening but if it did, Zion will be a perennial All-Star and one of the most exciting players in the league.

I really don't see how people believe Booker has a higher ceiling. Booker is likely at or near his ceiling now and that's a great scoring guard who is an average defended but Zion could be a generational talent if he could stay healthy and motivated. He was barely scratching the surface of his skills and averaged 27 ppg in his 2nd year.

 

[Mainstreet]

What a dumpster fire the New York Knicks are.

The Knicks finished 10 games above .500 last season. I guess their problem wasn't Elfrid Payton.

 

[Finito]

Are you serious, only biased Suns fans would even consider that a conversation.

Zion is a generational athlete that was averaging 27ppg while shooting 61%!!! from the field last year.

If he is healthy he is a top 5 player.

To bad he’s considered a bad teammate, not a leader has no work ethic, but yes other than that total top 5 guys

He might aswell be Micheal Beasley

Talent alone isn’t what makes players great or special

 

[Finito]

How are those things conflicting? Ceiling is about potential. Zion showed an insane amount of potential prior to his body falling apart and his will to work through it was revealed. There's a reason he was viewed as a top prospect while Booker wasn't even a starter on his college team or consistently in his rookie year with the Suns until injuries opened up more minutes for him.


And how many Devin Booker's have we seen? A lot more. What sets Book apart is his work ethic and desire. There isn't anything special about him in terms of athleticism or his physical stature.

We haven't seen a million Zion's either unless you mean busts. What sets him apart were his insane athleticism, strength, and size. Physically we hadn't seen anyone like him since Barkley, who was amongst NBA's 50 & 75 greatest players.

I’m talking about guys with all the talent in the world and just didn’t want it

There were plenty of guys here who would of wanted us to take Ja if we got the number 1 pick

He’s been struggling with his weight since high school

 

[Hoop Head]

I’m talking about guys with all the talent in the world and just didn’t want it

There were plenty of guys here who would of wanted us to take Ja if we got the number 1 pick

He’s been struggling with his weight since high school

And we're talking about ceiling not realized or applied skill. Zion's ceiling is much higher. He will likely never reach it, no one is disputing that, but when discussing a players ceiling there are certain things that don't apply like the rumors he's a bad teammate. A players ceiling is determined by measuring where they'd be in a best scenario for that player

Whether people here would have wanted Ja instead of Zion is irrelevant. It's not about who would be the better fit on the Suns team prior to that draft.

 

[Finito]

And we're talking about ceiling not realized or applied skill. Zion's ceiling is much higher. He will likely never reach it, no one is disputing that, but when discussing a players ceiling there are certain things that don't apply like the rumors he's a bad teammate. A players ceiling is determined by measuring where they'd be in a best scenario for that player

Whether people here would have wanted Ja instead of Zion is irrelevant. It's not about who would be the better fit on the Suns team prior to that draft.

Oh I thought we were talking about players who had crazy talent and never reached it. My bad

 

[Hoop Head]

Oh I thought we were talking about players who had crazy talent and never reached it. My bad

All good. This all started by the question of who has the higher ceiling, Booker or Zion, and I don't see how that's debatable. Ayton or Zion would be a more interesting discussion, when comparing ceilings or potential, but that wasn't the comparison made that started all this.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

To bad he’s considered a bad teammate, not a leader has no work ethic, but yes other than that total top 5 guys

He might aswell be Micheal Beasley

Talent alone isn’t what makes players great or special

Comp to Beasley is really off considering we’ve seen zion be a major force already. So we know what his actual baseline potential is (and I say “baseline” Bc that was his second season). Beasley was all pre-draft projection that never evidenced itself in the NBA. Looks like zion’s dedication to remaining in shape will derail what could’ve been.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I’m talking about guys with all the talent in the world and just didn’t want it

There were plenty of guys here who would of wanted us to take Ja if we got the number 1 pick

He’s been struggling with his weight since high school

I would have been great with either one. And they were both positions of need.

 

[GatorAZ]

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Harden literally fattened himself out of two cities in the past year then showed up like he just completed a 7-day water fast.

 

[Hoop Head]

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Harden literally fattened himself out of two cities in the past year then showed up like he just completed a 7-day water fast.

And he wanted to go to Brooklyn! That's what I find so perplexing over his whole ordeal. He dogged it out of Houston to go to either Brooklyn or Philly, at first, and then seemed dead set on Brooklyn in short order. After their playoff struggles last year though it seemed like he wasn't a great fit but when this season started he decided to throw in the towel, essentially, because he wanted out.

I don't get why he wanted out of Brooklyn so bad. It's not like he'd be a first option in Philly with Embiid. Nash isn't Coach Thibs either demanding he play defense. It just makes no sense. He's just a bad teammate with some serious issues.

 

[GatorAZ]

And he wanted to go to Brooklyn! That's what I find so perplexing over his whole ordeal. He dogged it out of Houston to go to either Brooklyn or Philly, at first, and then seemed dead set on Brooklyn in short order. After their playoff struggles last year though it seemed like he wasn't a great fit but when this season started he decided to throw in the towel, essentially, because he wanted out.

I don't get why he wanted out of Brooklyn so bad. It's not like he'd be a first option in Philly with Embiid. Nash isn't Coach Thibs either demanding he play defense. It just makes no sense. He's just a bad teammate with some serious issues.

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Mask policies at strip clubs I’m guessing…

I do think a motivated Harden in Philly makes them the team to beat. Embiid has never had that caliber of teammate and Harris/Maxey will get the best looks of their careers.

 

[Proximo]

To bad he’s considered a bad teammate, not a leader has no work ethic, but yes other than that total top 5 guys

He might aswell be Micheal Beasley

Talent alone isn’t what makes players great or special

Well, as much as I hate to say this, it could just all be because he wants out of New Orleans.

Yeah, that would not say much for his maturity or leadership skills, but he would still be an amazing players even if he was a selfish a hole. I mean Jordan, and Lebron are both selfish a holes.

 

[Proximo]

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Harden literally fattened himself out of two cities in the past year then showed up like he just completed a 7-day water fast.

Woah.

Ok, I guess he really was forcing his way out. I have really grown to dislike this guy.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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Harden literally fattened himself out of two cities in the past year then showed up like he just completed a 7-day water fast.

That’s pretty crazy

 

[sdscard4]

He go on survivor or naked and afraid? Dude is skinny lol

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, as much as I hate to say this, it could just all be because he wants out of New Orleans.

Yeah, that would not say much for his maturity or leadership skills, but he would still be an amazing players even if he was a selfish a hole. I mean Jordan, and Lebron are both selfish a holes.

But they both had a love of the game snd competitive nature so strong that they’d never let themselves get Zion’d like this.

 

[Sparky16]

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Harden literally fattened himself out of two cities in the past year then showed up like he just completed a 7-day water fast.

Thats who I want the Suns to play, a media darling like Philly. I think Miami is a better team and the Greek Freak is the one thing the Suns could struggle against. I also want to play the Lakers in round one to have LaBronda get swept on his way out of LA with his only trophy being fraud bubble champs. I also want Golden State who also have way more questions than the Suns with the media basing their loft Warrior opinions on results from 4-5 years ago. They preach CP3 and his thumb but think a cronic back injury for Green is less severe for their only big man? Wiseman is nobody but a minutes eater if he ever makes it on the floor.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Woah.

Ok, I guess he really was forcing his way out. I have really grown to dislike this guy.

Can't lose that much weight that fast and truly be in good conditions. At least I don't think so.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Can't lose that much weight that fast and truly be in good conditions. At least I don't think so.

To be fair we are only seeing one photo here. He may not have trimmed down as much as it appears, but he certainly looks like he is taking his fitness more seriously with the 76ers.

 

[Ronin]

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[Mainstreet]

Statements from former Sun Alex Len of Kings and Svi Mykhailiuk of Raptors regarding Ukraine.

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