Chad Ford on Suns Draft Needs

[Chris_Sanders]

Whoever the Suns get at 17 will be gravy. They already have blossoming young stars at the point (Stephon Marbury), shooting guard (Joe Johnson, Casey Jacobsen), small forward (Shawn Marion) and power forward (Amare Stoudemire). While the team is still high on Jake Tsakalidis, there's no question it could use another shot blocker in the paint.

Problem is, there aren't a lot of great options here. High school center Kendrick Perkins is available, but he's probably a reach. Zaur Pachulia, a 19-year-old, 6-foot-11 big man playing in Turkey, might be a nice pick-up here. He's a project, but the Suns have time to develop him.

If no legit big men are available, the team may try to find a big, athletic small forward or a back-up point. The Suns would love to get their hands on 7-foot Maciej Lampe, but it's doubtful he'll be around at this spot. France's Boris Diaw could be here, but his game is too reminiscent of Johnson's. Russia's Viktor Khryapa would give the Suns a serious defensive presence. Illinois' Brian Cook would be a good fit. He's seen as a bit of a risk, but the Suns can afford to gamble a bit. Ditto for high schoolers Travis Outlaw or Ndudi Ebi.

As far as point guards go, a number of them, like Oregon's Luke Ridnour, Alabama's Mo Williams or UNLV's Marcus Banks could be a good fit here.


NOTE: Another mention of Lampe...I bet the Suns want to make a move to get him.

 

[Joe Mama]

I was just getting ready to post that myself. I'm oftentimes somewhat skeptical of Chad Ford's assessments, but I think he is right on this time. The Suns need a center that can hit a mid-range jump shot, a tall small forward, and a backup point guard in that order. At this time I really like Brian Cook.

I do trust the Phoenix Suns to draft the best player, but I do worry they will take Luke Ridnauer. I worry he is going to have trouble adjusting to the NBA game.

Joe Mama

 

[outcent]

I would really like to see them go after one of the developmental prospects. I really like Ebi but Outlaw or Pauchila would be excellent. I just hope we don't trade the farm for Lampe. Not saying I don't want him just don't trade away multiple 1st rounders.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I want to see SlinSlin's head explode when we draft Lampe

 

[slinslin]

I have not seen Lampe play but he isn't even on Madrid's A team I think and is playing on a junior team.
Szymon Szcewcyk is also from Poland and generally seen as the best polish basketball prospect (at least in the german media).

 

[fordronken]

I'm kind of hoping Sofoklis will fall, but just because he's probably the scariest looking Greek man on the planet, and I want to be able to see him as much as possible.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Slin...

According to NBADraft.net:

At just 17 years old, Maciej is the youngest player to ever play with the Real Madrid First Team. Some consider Lampe the best young prospect in European Basketball

 

[slinslin]

Check out the interview of Lampe and other stuff I posted in the ''Lampe'' thread. He is not playing with Real Madrid's first team.

 

[hcsilla]

Lampe seems to be this year's Nikoloz Tskitisvili.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Hopefully

If the Suns did manage to land him, they let him stay in Europe for a year or two so he gets playing time.

 

[slinslin]

I don't think staying in europe helps a player unless he would be on the IR for the whole season.

I don't see why his european team would be as dedicated to devellop him when they already know that he isn't a part of their future.

I also think that he can learn more about NBA basketball and lifestyle if he comes over just from practicing with better players and travelling with the team.

 

[cly2tw]

From what I read, I also like Pavlovic, who claimed to be a mixture of Ginobili and Giriceck, next to Outlaw for our 17th.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The one thing that you can be sure of. . . if everyone says the Suns are dying to get him, he's NOT the guy they are really interested in.

Jared Jeffries and Corey Maggette come to mind.

By the same token. If the Suns are letting out info that they are interested in a particular player (Lampe, in this case) then there probably IS a player in this draft that they really, really want.

When the Suns are not interested in a trade, free agent, or a draft in general, they usually say so.

 

[SUNSBG]

If they really want a particular player I doubt they will get him with the 17th pick. I would like to see the Suns move up in the draft by sending this year's and their own pick from next year. The Cavs will most possibly draft a francise player this year and with the talent they have it won't be difficult to make the playoffs in the East. So we will still have a good pick in the next few years.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by SUNSBG
If they really want a particular player I doubt they will get him with the 17th pick. I would like to see the Suns move up in the draft by sending this year's and their own pick from next year. The Cavs will most possibly draft a francise player this year and with the talent they have it won't be difficult to make the playoffs in the East. So we will still have a good pick in the next few years.

I have to disagree. Obviously I haven't seen all of these European players, but it appears to me that the drop-off in talent is after the first three picks. Chris Bosch will probably go No. 4, and then there really isn't much of a drop-off until you get to that late first-round early second-round.

On paper the Cleveland Cavaliers will look good. However on paper they looked a lot better than they played this season. I think it will be at least a few years before the Cavaliers make the playoffs again.

I'll be happy as long as the Suns don't take one of the second-tier point guards with the 17th pick.

Joe Mama

 

[JCSunsfan]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I have to disagree. Obviously I haven't seen all of these European players, but it appears to me that the drop-off in talent is after the first three picks. Chris Bosch will probably go No. 4, and then there really isn't much of a drop-off until you get to that late first-round early second-round.
Joe Mama

You are exactly right.

The world-wide draft pool makes the possibility of picking up sleepers in the draft a much more likely possibility.

 

[Yuma]

I have to disagree. Obviously I haven't seen all of these European players, but it appears to me that the drop-off in talent is after the first three picks. Chris Bosch will probably go No. 4, and then there really isn't much of a drop-off until you get to that late first-round early second-round.

I have to get Joe Mama's back on this one. There doesn't appear to be any real big man help out there for the Suns in this draft. That being said I would take Carmello Anthony in a trade move up situation for the Suns. Why? Lebron is overrated and won't really help us. Millic might be a good pick, but I have doubts he could guard the good western conference centers he would meet. Really that's all we want our centers to do and they can't really handle that assignment. The only guy I see in this draft really starting for us AND able to make an impact is Anthony. I really don't miss us not having a second round pick because we are not going to find any good big man help, which is what we really need.