AYTON TRADED!

[Hoop Head]

My final pick was DA but I didn’t feel great about it. I hated the half confused/half unfocused look he always had on his face at Arizona. A smart team probably passes on him after doing a psychological exam on his attitude and motivation levels but that’s why the Suns and Kings were bottom feeders for so long. I remember Luka playing in the Euro championships right before the draft and he wasn’t overly impressive. Definitely one of the most Suns things ever to finally get the #1 pick and take the guy who doesn’t want to be great.

It wasn't just the Suns or Kings though. Ayton was the #1 pick in mocks all year. No American player came close to taking that spot. Luka started turning heads but we've never seen a Euro make the jump so young and be so impactful before. He was a dark horse MVP candidate as a rookie and if the Mavericks were better, he likely would have been a legit finalist. He was the Euro Lebron when most projected him as sort of a bigger Steve Nash, at best.

I started searching mocks from 2018 the other day and I can't fault the Suns for taking Ayton. He was the smart pick but I feel like the real steal was acquiring Mikal. Mikal isn't the top player from that class but alongside Ayton it felt more balanced because Mikal probably goes 3 in a redraft, while Aaron goes #10 maybe? At best.

 

[Big Deal]

My final pick was DA but I didn’t feel great about it. I hated the half confused/half unfocused look he always had on his face at Arizona. A smart team probably passes on him after doing a psychological exam on his attitude and motivation levels but that’s why the Suns and Kings were bottom feeders for so long. I remember Luka playing in the Euro championships right before the draft and he wasn’t overly impressive. Definitely one of the most Suns things ever to finally get the #1 pick and take the guy who doesn’t want to be great.

I don't think it would have mattered if Luka had dominated the Euro championships. Sarver was all in on Ayton as the biggest UofA fan boy there is. I told Sarver he should draft Luka and sign Capella as opposed to drafting Ayton if he was hell bent on a center. Sarver and a couple of the other owners flew out to scout Luka at the Euro championships (yes the owners were scouting, more like a vacation for their families). When they returned Sarver made a point to tell me how bad Luka was and that he would wash out of the NBA. He said he was way too slow to play in the NBA and that he would get eaten up. They thought Ayton was going to be the next Olajuwon and would get irate at any criticism that was brought up. At the time the criticism was his lack of basketball IQ, the amount of years he played the sport, taking the highest bidder on what college, and maturity level.

 

[Superbone]

I don't think it would have mattered if Luka had dominated the Euro championships. Sarver was all in on Ayton as the biggest UofA fan boy there is. I told Sarver he should draft Luka and sign Capella as opposed to drafting Ayton if he was hell bent on a center. Sarver and a couple of the other owners flew out to scout Luka at the Euro championships (yes the owners were scouting, more like a vacation for their families). When they returned Sarver made a point to tell me how bad Luka was and that he would wash out of the NBA. He said he was way too slow to play in the NBA and that he would get eaten up. They thought Ayton was going to be the next Olajuwon and would get irate at any criticism that was brought up. At the time the criticism was his lack of basketball IQ, the amount of years he played the sport, taking the highest bidder on what college, and maturity level.

A mental fortitude test would have been nice too. Sounds like Sarver had his mind made up. You better check every angle when you are gifted your first #1 overall after 50 years.

 

[Dback Jon]

7 free throws in 12 games, that's your hero?
He's about to set a record.

Now watch the NBA refs give him 12 tonight...

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't think it would have mattered if Luka had dominated the Euro championships. Sarver was all in on Ayton as the biggest UofA fan boy there is. I told Sarver he should draft Luka and sign Capella as opposed to drafting Ayton if he was hell bent on a center. Sarver and a couple of the other owners flew out to scout Luka at the Euro championships (yes the owners were scouting, more like a vacation for their families). When they returned Sarver made a point to tell me how bad Luka was and that he would wash out of the NBA. He said he was way too slow to play in the NBA and that he would get eaten up. They thought Ayton was going to be the next Olajuwon and would get irate at any criticism that was brought up. At the time the criticism was his lack of basketball IQ, the amount of years he played the sport, taking the highest bidder on what college, and maturity level.

You’ve had sarver’s ear? How am I just hearing about this?!? Are/were you in the industry?

If we had followed your path and still taken the bridges route I believe we would’ve won a championship at this point.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

You’ve had sarver’s ear? How am I just hearing about this?!? Are/were you in the industry?

If we had followed your path and still taken the bridges route I believe we would’ve won a championship at this point.

He is literally a Big Deal!

 

[Yuma]

I was in a rare spot I wanted us to go all in and somehow move up to get BOTH Luka and Ayton. Funny, now I am glad we don't have either one. I so much enjoy watching Booker and his style of play better!

 

[Proximo]

I was in a rare spot I wanted us to go all in and somehow move up to get BOTH Luka and Ayton. Funny, now I am glad we don't have either one. I so much enjoy watching Booker and his style of play better!

Yeah, Luka is not a player I think is likely to win a title. He just doesn't play that well with teamates.

 

[Phrazbit]

You’ve had sarver’s ear? How am I just hearing about this?!? Are/were you in the industry?

If we had followed your path and still taken the bridges route I believe we would’ve won a championship at this point.

I really don't.

I think Booker would have hated playing with Luka. Luka is the most ball dominant player in the league and shows up his teammates on both ends regularly. We would almost certainly have traded Booker within a year or 2 of the draft and I expect we'd basically be where the Mavs are.

 

[Big Deal]

You’ve had sarver’s ear? How am I just hearing about this?!? Are/were you in the industry?

If we had followed your path and still taken the bridges route I believe we would’ve won a championship at this point.

No one had Saver's ear, he was always the smartest guy in the room no matter what. I was an exec for a company that one of the other Suns' owners owned and Sarver was on the BOD. Had interactions with him several times a year at board meetings/suns annual dinner. He was every bit of all the negative news you hear about him. Not a pleasant person to be around, it seemed like he was perpetually in the worst mood ever. The only time I ever saw him smiling was when he was talking to Booker or Ayton. I think part of Ayton's maturity issues or lack of growth in that area stemmed from the coaching staff being afraid to call him to the carpet, they always treated him with kid gloves.

 

[Big Deal]

I really don't.

I think Booker would have hated playing with Luka. Luka is the most ball dominant player in the league and shows up his teammates on both ends regularly. We would almost certainly have traded Booker within a year or 2 of the draft and I expect we'd basically be where the Mavs are.

I agree that Booker and Luka might have had challenges playing together, but I don't think Sarver would have ever traded Booker. Maybe they end up trading Luka for a lot better haul then what they got for Ayton.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think it would have mattered if Luka had dominated the Euro championships. Sarver was all in on Ayton as the biggest UofA fan boy there is. I told Sarver he should draft Luka and sign Capella as opposed to drafting Ayton if he was hell bent on a center. Sarver and a couple of the other owners flew out to scout Luka at the Euro championships (yes the owners were scouting, more like a vacation for their families). When they returned Sarver made a point to tell me how bad Luka was and that he would wash out of the NBA. He said he was way too slow to play in the NBA and that he would get eaten up. They thought Ayton was going to be the next Olajuwon and would get irate at any criticism that was brought up. At the time the criticism was his lack of basketball IQ, the amount of years he played the sport, taking the highest bidder on what college, and maturity level.

Interesting. But as a UA fan my biggest concerns about DA were his lack of physicality and his hands. A lot of people talked about his inconsistent effort but I was surprised how little talk there was about his hands. Anyway, and despite believing Luka was destined for stardom, I still wanted us to take Ayton. At no time did I buy into the "next David Robinson" predictions but I never, in my worst nightmares, expected him to be such a disappointment.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I don't think it would have mattered if Luka had dominated the Euro championships. Sarver was all in on Ayton as the biggest UofA fan boy there is. I told Sarver he should draft Luka and sign Capella as opposed to drafting Ayton if he was hell bent on a center. Sarver and a couple of the other owners flew out to scout Luka at the Euro championships (yes the owners were scouting, more like a vacation for their families). When they returned Sarver made a point to tell me how bad Luka was and that he would wash out of the NBA. He said he was way too slow to play in the NBA and that he would get eaten up. They thought Ayton was going to be the next Olajuwon and would get irate at any criticism that was brought up. At the time the criticism was his lack of basketball IQ, the amount of years he played the sport, taking the highest bidder on what college, and maturity level.

This completely tracks with my Sarver hates McDonough conspiracy theory.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

He is literally a Big Deal!

None of what he says is any different than my Charlie conspiracy theory stuff I was saying at the time.

 

[Mainstreet]

I thought this belonged here as well.

Here is the tribute video the Suns gave to Deandre Ayton before tonight's game.

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[Vacard]

I thought this belonged here as well.

Here is the tribute video the Suns gave to Deandre Ayton before tonight's game.

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Damn he's getting boo'ed

 

[Mainstreet]

Damn he's getting boo'ed

I'm glad the Suns did the tribute video. Fans can have a short memory.

 

[Superbone]

I'm glad the Suns did the tribute video. Fans can have a short memory.

The memories kind of faded after the 2021 playoffs.

 

[Hoop Head]

The memories kind of faded after the 2021 playoffs.

The highlights quit happening at that point. It's cool they managed to get every dunk he had as a pro in the video though.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I really don't.

I think Booker would have hated playing with Luka. Luka is the most ball dominant player in the league and shows up his teammates on both ends regularly. We would almost certainly have traded Booker within a year or 2 of the draft and I expect we'd basically be where the Mavs are.

See, the team was already books team. I don’t think doncic could have come in and just taken the team from him. And had we had bridges too - a pretty selfless player and then added that shotblocker/rim runner and a crowder that’s an incredibly difficult team to beat. Doncic may have destroyed it eventually but I think that team peaks first.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

No one had Saver's ear, he was always the smartest guy in the room no matter what. I was an exec for a company that one of the other Suns' owners owned and Sarver was on the BOD. Had interactions with him several times a year at board meetings/suns annual dinner. He was every bit of all the negative news you hear about him. Not a pleasant person to be around, it seemed like he was perpetually in the worst mood ever. The only time I ever saw him smiling was when he was talking to Booker or Ayton. I think part of Ayton's maturity issues or lack of growth in that area stemmed from the coaching staff being afraid to call him to the carpet, they always treated him with kid gloves.

Very interesting. Appreciate your insight!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The highlights quit happening at that point. It's cool they managed to get every dunk he had as a pro in the video though.

Well there weren’t any free throws to show.

 

[Phrazbit]

See, the team was already books team. I don’t think doncic could have come in and just taken the team from him. And had we had bridges too - a pretty selfless player and then added that shotblocker/rim runner and a crowder that’s an incredibly difficult team to beat. Doncic may have destroyed it eventually but I think that team peaks first.

I think they clash from the jump... but, now it is left to our imaginations.

I'm fine with it. Doncic is really loathable, I'm glad I don't have to talk myself into rooting for him.

 

[Dback Jon]

I thought this belonged here as well.

Here is the tribute video the Suns gave to Deandre Ayton before tonight's game.

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They showed all of his dunks

 

[Proximo]

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That is 100% Shade