Devin Booker = Franchise Player?

[Mainstreet]

OK. A little thought experiment. Lets say that Booker IS the franchise piece you decide to build around. Forget who else is on the team right now. What other pieces would you want to put around him? Type of players and skill sets rather than specific players.

Ideally I would like to add a star quality PF that can create his shot inside. Also I would like a solid pass first PG who can run the team to perfection.

Of course adding another star or two wouldn't hurt either. The Suns need players that can take the pressure off Booker.

 

[Catlover]

OK. A little thought experiment. Lets say that Booker IS the franchise piece you decide to build around. Forget who else is on the team right now. What other pieces would you want to put around him? Type of players and skill sets rather than specific players.

I did just what you asked. I typed it all out, with descriptions for each position. When I was through I realized I had listed my idea of a perfect 4 man team with or without Booker. And the more I think about it the more sure I am about it.

Booker is a versatile and complete player (or on the way to becoming one). He isn't like Drummond or Dragic or Monroe or Okafor or Randle or Bledsoe or Russell where you need to put certain type players next to him. IMO, surround him with a solid cast and he'll be a good, perhaps great, player. I'm not sure he's destined for greatness but I'm confident that he'd succeed whether he's playing on a team put together by D'antoni, Pop, SVG, Karl, Phil or probably any other coach. He's a throwback type player but with the skills to shine in today's game.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Just curious here. Would anyone trade Booker, Len, Warren for D. Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle? Just trying to compare our youth to the Lakers.

I think it tilts SLIGHTLY in the Lakers favor simply because Clarkson has proven more then Warren and because Len is so injury prone. But even up talent for talent, it's super close.

 

[Catlover]

I think it tilts SLIGHTLY in the Lakers favor simply because Clarkson has proven more then Warren and because Len is so injury prone. But even up talent for talent, it's super close.

That's the reason I'd consider it. I agree, Clarkson has more value than Warren but neither of them would decide this deal IMO. Len has a far higher up-side than Randle but I'd worry about injury potential given his size even if he hadn't already had numerous medical problems. And he's had numerous medical problems.

But in the end, absent a reason to believe Russell will be noticeably better than Booker, I'd stay with our core. I think it will be easier to build around Devin than the Lakers trio. And I suspect that most Lakers fans will have their own justification for sticking with their guys.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Feel free to dispute. I scrolled through espn game logs looking for any stretch by any of our main offensive weapons and could not find a stretch like that since Amare. I would not be offended at all if someone found an exception. I wasn't sure how to check it out.

It was pretty easy to check Knight, Bledsoe, and IT. They haven't been here that long. I looked through all of Goran's game logs with the Suns and could not find a stretch like that.

I just couldn't think of anyone else who score like that since Amare so I went back and looked at Amare's game logs and found that he had scored over 25 per game in his last month with us. Amare score more than that in the playoffs often as well.

Goran Dragic 2013-14 season, Jan 27 - Feb 8, he scored 27 points per game over a 7 game stretch. Not that I don't find this current stretch of games for Booker more impressive, because I do.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Goran Dragic 2013-14 season, Jan 27 - Feb 8, he scored 27 points per game over a 7 game stretch. Not that I don't find this current stretch of games for Booker more impressive, because I do.

Yep. I missed it. Good catch.

 

[slinslin]

I think it tilts SLIGHTLY in the Lakers favor simply because Clarkson has proven more then Warren and because Len is so injury prone. But even up talent for talent, it's super close.

Hell no, I think Clarkson is absolute gargbage that wont contribute to winning.

I give it a max of 2 years until they run Clarkson out of town because of a perceived conflict between Russell and Clarkson handling the ball.

And I don't rate Randle at all either. He can rebound but that is is. Everything else about his game is Michael Beasley. Ballstopper, very selfish scorer and extremely inefficient scorer.

I think our 3 guys are all playing the right way and Booker and Warren are simply efficient.

 

[SirStefan32]

Just curious here. Would anyone trade Booker, Len, Warren for D. Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle? Just trying to compare our youth to the Lakers.

I would not do that trade. First off, Booker is by far the best player out of the six players we are talking about. That, in and of itself is enough to say no to this deal.

As far as Clarkson and Russell go, I feel they are both overrated. I think their absolute ceiling is Bledsoe/ Knight level. That's Booker's floor.

I like Randle, as a fourth option on a strong team. I think his floor is very high, but ceiling is not. I would love to have Randle in Phoenix, but not at the expense of moving Booker, Warren, or Len.

Len has a very high ceiling, but he does have one big concern- injuries. I think that's the risk you have to take.

I am a huge Warren fan, and I think he will be a big-time scorer. He needs to start next season and get the freedom Booker has had this season. He will produce 15-20 points per game, especially now that can knock down threes.

Booker and Warren are about as smart and efficient as two youngsters can be, and it would be a shame if we traded them.

 

[sunsfan88]

Just curious here. Would anyone trade Booker, Len, Warren for D. Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle? Just trying to compare our youth to the Lakers.

Take Booker out and make it Knight and I would definitely do it. Knight's still somewhat young too.

I may even do it for Bledsoe because I don't trust his knees.

 

[Mainstreet]

Simply said, you just do not trade a future star in Booker for other pieces.




______________________________

 

[GatorAZ]

No. Russell is going to be a stud but Randle isn't special at all. I wouldn't even trade the Wizards pick for him.

 

[SirStefan32]

No. Russell is going to be a stud but Randle isn't special at all. I wouldn't even trade the Wizards pick for him.

Now that's just silly. Guys who average 12 and 10 in less than 30 minutes per game don't grow on trees. Getting Randle with a late lottery pick would be a bargain.

 

[GatorAZ]

Now that's just silly. Guys who average 12 and 10 in less than 30 minutes per game don't grow on trees. Getting Randle with a late lottery pick would be a bargain.

He's a undersized, high energy battering ram type player. Those guys do grow on trees. He's not bad but I'd rather keep #12 and take a chance on a high potential player like Skal, Rabb or Ellenson.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yeah, obviously, odds say our Wiz pick won't be better than Randle, but I'd still rather roll the dice, I don't think Randle is a difference maker, I don't think he starts on any good team and I also think our GM has shown a knack for finding talent in the draft.

Which is also why we absolutely need to keep McD around for now.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yeah, obviously, odds say our Wiz pick won't be better than Randle, but I'd still rather roll the dice, I don't think Randle is a difference maker, I don't think he starts on any good team and I also think our GM has shown a knack for finding talent in the draft.

Which is also why we absolutely need to keep McD around for now.

I agree. This is not the time to play it safe. This is the time to swing for the fences in the draft. With McD, we have a better shot that most.

Tonight's game will be intersting. Booker is going up against very good defensive players.

 

[SO91]

The book on Devin Booker

Zach Lowe did a piece on Booker. Great read and it feels good to have some hope for the future.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/15006476/the-phoenix-suns-seem-their-shooting-guard-future

This isn't a typical springtime case of a gunner, unleashed by a lottery sad-sack, putting up empty numbers. Booker has played mostly within himself, and shown skills that will translate into a secondary role once the Suns play meaningful basketball again. "Some people in the media might see a 'good stats, bad team' player," Earl Watson, the Suns' interim coach, told ESPN.com, "but us basketball teachers? We can see skill."

Opposing scouts and coaches whose teams have faced Booker over the last month almost universally rave about him. He is probably already a better point guard than Knight, which is scary, considering the Suns flipped the Lakers' top-3 protected pick in a three-team deal for Knight last season during those manic final minutes before the trade deadline. He has a better lob chemistry with Chandler, and an advanced understanding of where a defense will rotate

 

[elindholm]

That's a nice excerpt, but saying that he's a better point guard than Knight is a bit like saying he has a better post game than Teletovic, or higher character than Tucker.

 

[BC867]

That's a nice excerpt, but saying that he's a better point guard than Knight is a bit like saying he has a better post game than Teletovic, or higher character than Tucker.

Except for most of this season when they're all we've had running the Point. And, with Booker at age 19, he deserves the accolades.

I just hope he doesn't burn out as our best Shooting Guard and our best facilitator as a rookie. For the rest of the season, I'd rather see him play strictly Shooting Guard and let Knight and the rest of the mediocre Point Guards cover that position, even though it throws the rest of the team off. And with the Suns in a tanking mode.

 

[Mainstreet]

Except for most of this season when they're all we've had running the Point. And, with Booker at age 19, he deserves the accolades.

I just hope he doesn't burn out as our best Shooting Guard and our best facilitator as a rookie. For the rest of the season, I'd rather see him play strictly Shooting Guard and let Knight and the rest of the mediocre Point Guards cover that position, even though it throws the rest of the team off. And with the Suns in a tanking mode.

As I see it, I don't like to see Knight in the same lineup with Booker. Actually, I don't even like Knight in the same lineup with Bledsoe. IMO, he confuses the role of PG. If the Suns could trade Knight for value this might be the best option because Knight is a SG. He is a tease at PG.

I do not view Bledsoe as the problem because (like it or not) he is as close to a PG the Suns have. I do not want this role thrust upon Booker although he can run an offense like Harden on occasion. I'd like the Suns to add a pass first PG behind Bledsoe (maybe a draft pick or trade) and another one behind him. I'm really not high on Price playing even as a third PG but I suspect the Suns will keep him.

 

[slinslin]

His FG% is very worrying in the last 2 months.

He is basically living off of layups right now.

 

[SO91]

His FG% is very worrying in the last 2 months.

He is basically living off of layups right now.

Rookie wall, tiered legs and can't get the same lift? Or something else going on?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Rookie wall, tiered legs and can't get the same lift? Or something else going on?

Tired legs, you can see it in his form. He's not used to playing this many minutes or this often and he's handling a lot more responsibilities on the court than he's used to.

 

[Phrazbit]

His FG% is very worrying in the last 2 months.

He is basically living off of layups right now.

I'm not worried about it. His offense has gone from a ton of catch and shoot high efficiency shots, to now being the primary ball handler and the focus of the opposing defense and we have basically no spacing when Len and Chandler are in there at the same time.

He'll be fine.

 

[Chaplin]

He was a 6th man on a college team, so not only did he not have the games that he has in the NBA, he also didn't have the minutes in COLLEGE that starters there have. So I think him hitting the rookie wall is most definitely what has happened. The guy's probably exhausted.

 

[BC867]

I'm not worried about it. His offense has gone from a ton of catch and shoot high efficiency shots, to now being the primary ball handler and the focus of the opposing defense and we have basically no spacing when Len and Chandler are in there at the same time.

He'll be fine.

Bingo!