Bill Simmons hates Devin Booker

[1Sun]

Defense: Klay is elite. Roy was average at best. 3 point shooting: Klay is elite. Roy was slightly above average (as is Booker). Ball handling: Klay is average. Roy was average (as is Booker). Playmaking: Klay is average. Roy was above average for a shooting guard and below average for a point guard (as is Booker). Shot creation: Klay is average. Roy was above average for a shooting guard and below average for a point guard (as is Booker). Klay is the elite of the elite 3 and D player, who can also hit the pull up jumper from two-point range and make the occasional finesse drive. Roy was offensively gifted, able to do a little of everything on that end as a primary scorer and secondary ball handler, and primarily as an outside shooter with the occasional finesse drive, but not as a primary ball handler and facilitator and not too much on the other (as is Booker).

FIFY. And FYI, the comparison I was making was strictly on offense.

 

[Sunburn]

FIFY. And FYI, the comparison I was making was strictly on offense.

One, while strictly talking offense removes a huge aspect of Klay's game, it still doesn't help your comparison. Two, your "fixes" are incorrect. The "fix" that I have the least problem with is that Roy is slightly above average at 3 point shooting. Statistically, Roy was not a slightly above average 3 point shooter. NBA average 3 point shooting is about 35% give or take from year to year. Roy was at .348 for his career. 2 seasons he was above 35%, 3 seasons he was below. I'm not counting his final season where he played 5 games and didn't make any. If you want to say his knack for hitting big shots makes him slightly above average, well that's subjective, but it's not a hill I'm going to die on arguing against. The rest of your fixes regarding Klay are garbage. Klay is not a good ball handler. This is one of his biggest weaknesses. Both Roy and Booker blow him away here. Klay is not a good playmaker. Both Roy and Booker blow him away here. Klay is not a good shot creator. Both Roy and Booker blow him away here. The rest of your Roy and Booker summation is a bit convoluted and hard to understand, but both Roy and Booker are not simply occasional finesse drivers. A big part of both of their games was/is going to the basket.

 

[Covert Rain]

Finesse scorers with sweet jump shots. Not particularly strong or quick, but extremely crafty. Superior scorer and capable secondary passer (i.e., good passer for a shooting guard, but lacking in natural point guard skills), but not a lead ball-handler or facilitator. Most effective with pull up and step-back jumpers and floaters, as opposed to hard drives to the basket. Superior free throw shooter, but relative lack of strength means relatively few and-ones. Can use craftiness to slash, but can't just bully his way to the basket like a Harden. Just as Portland was most effective starting Steve Blake and then Andre Miller alongside Roy, the Suns would be most effective starting a true point guard next to Booker.

By the way, here is Booker's nbadraft.net scouting report (note the comp):

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/devin-booker

I still have not heard a plausible explanation how a guard who draws enough contact to lead the NBA in FT attempts, be 9th overall and puts up the numbers around the rim he does.....is a "finesse" player.

Also, guards who are not quick are kept at the top of the key and are not very good penetrating, getting to the line or playing more than 15 feet in. He does all of that and has improved every single year.

I will say it again huh?!?

 

[JCSunsfan]

I am only getting half of this discussion.