Devin Booker = Franchise Player?

[sunsfan88]

His ability to finish at the rim is very underrated. I can only imagine how much better he will be at this part of the game with more experience and strength.

https://twitter.com/SethPartnow/status/715051277797994496

 

[slinslin]

If the draft was redone, town and porzingis go 1 and 2, each taking either slot.

Then booker and russell go 3 and 4, again either can go in each spot.

The idea turner, winslow and jokic are ahead of boker is laughable

??

Are you suggesting that Porzingis is anywhere near Towns level? Because he clearly is not.

Wouldn't take Porzingis over Booker. Porzingis has shown many problems, rebounding, strength, stamina, inefficiency on offense to name a few. He is a unique player but there have to be some concerns. Bargnani's rookie season was better.

 

[JCSunsfan]

??

Are you suggesting that Porzingis is anywhere near Towns level? Because he clearly is not.

Wouldn't take Porzingis over Booker. Porzingis has shown many problems, rebounding, strength, stamina, inefficiency on offense to name a few. He is a unique player but there have to be some concerns. Bargnani's rookie season was better.

I don't think I would take Porzingis over Booker either, but with that size, athletic ability and shooting, I can certainly see how others would.

Regarding Booker, I just like the kid. And he is a fantastic basketball player too.

 

[slinslin]

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[sunsfan88]

I didn't see this earlier but wow really cool

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/712905560430145536

I know Kobe said he plans on working with players like Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins in the summer, I hope he can take Booker under his wings too

 

[Arizona's Finest]

To me it goes:
Towns
Booker
Porzngis
Mudiay
Myles Turner
Russell off the board for me as of now.

And if I am picking whom I would most want? Booker. He is the ideal wing for the new NBA. Lights out shooter, can take you off dribble, can catch and shoot, poise/maturity, and playmaking instincts. Thats where the NBA is going. And hell add to his game post up and defense as he already is willing to do those things now.

And hes 19 years old FFS.

Love me some Booker. Hope he stays here forever too.

 

[SweetD]

Yes, yes he is! I was 100% wrong about him and I am happy to be! After the Morris trade he is why I am watching every game and going to a few.

I am a little worried, that he has changed his shooting style up, she fades on almost every shot now. Seems like after he played Kobe he has started shooting like him also. I do say it is working on most of the mid range stuff.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Yes, yes he is! I was 100% wrong about him and I am happy to be! After the Morris trade he is why I am watching every game and going to a few.

I am a little worried, that he has changed his shooting style up, she fades on almost every shot now. Seems like after he played Kobe he has started shooting like him also. I do say it is working on most of the mid range stuff.

He may be fading on most of his contested mid range shots, but when he has the room he isn't fading from what I am seeing.

 

[devilalum]

His ability to finish at the rim is very underrated. I can only imagine how much better he will be at this part of the game with more experience and strength.

https://twitter.com/SethPartnow/status/715051277797994496

I'm guessing Bledsoe would be about 200th on that list. If I had a dollar for every time he drove into the lane and got trapped or drove into the lane and jumped in the air with no plan I'd have a lot of dollars.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Booker was horrible last night.

 

[BC867]

Booker was horrible last night.

Suns management shortsightedness is wearing him out. Now he's our best player at 3 positions. That is not a long-term solution. But it is obvious that the Suns front office lives for today -- season after season.

Boy, are the fans going to be pissed when Sarver gets all he can out of him, then turns over the roster still another time.

Sterling was an embarrassment to the Clippers in terms of public relations. But he didn't try to run the on-court operation like Sarver. Sarver is more of a danger to the NBA.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Suns management shortsightedness is wearing him out. Now he's our best player at 3 positions. That is not a long-term solution. But it is obvious that the Suns front office lives for today -- season after season.

Boy, are the fans going to be pissed when Sarver gets all he can out of him, then turns over the roster still another time.

Sterling was an embarrassment to the Clippers in terms of public relations. But he didn't try to run the on-court operation like Sarver. Sarver is more of a danger to the NBA.

I was at the game. His poor game had nothing to do with being worn out. He sat out nearly the entire second quarter.

He was defended very well by Wall and double teamed at the three point line.

He needs those minutes and more. You get certain things in your head and see them when they are not there.

 

[Chaplin]

Suns management shortsightedness is wearing him out. Now he's our best player at 3 positions. That is not a long-term solution. But it is obvious that the Suns front office lives for today -- season after season.

Boy, are the fans going to be pissed when Sarver gets all he can out of him, then turns over the roster still another time.

Sterling was an embarrassment to the Clippers in terms of public relations. But he didn't try to run the on-court operation like Sarver. Sarver is more of a danger to the NBA.

Booker is our best point guard and small forward? Talk about short-sightedness...

 

[BC867]

Booker is our best point guard and small forward? Talk about short-sightedness...

Thank you, Chap, that's the point.

It's the Suns who have counted on Booker to run the point while on the court, even with Knight on the floor this season.

And next season they'll be using him at Small Forward with Bledsoe and Knight on the court. It's certainly not Bledsoe or Knight who are going to be covering Small Forward.

And yes, it is going to wear out the young Shooting Guard, playing Point from the Small Forward position. A Shooting Guard in his first full season as starter playing Point from a Forward position. That is not going to burn him out?

Hopefully, we won't be tanking next season, so having to rest Booker more than a typical Shooting Guard isn't going to help.

Suns management is so trapped in their own bad decisions, it just keeps magnifying their ineptitude.

 

[Phrazbit]

Thank you, Chap, that's the point.

It's the Suns who have counted on Booker to run the point while on the court, even with Knight on the floor this season.

And next season they'll be using him at Small Forward with Bledsoe and Knight on the court. It's certainly not Bledsoe or Knight who are going to be covering Small Forward.

And yes, it is going to wear out the young Shooting Guard, playing Point from the Small Forward position. A Shooting Guard in his first full season as starter playing Point from a Forward position. That is not going to burn him out?

Hopefully, we won't be tanking next season, so having to rest Booker more than a typical Shooting Guard isn't going to help.

Suns management is so trapped in their own bad decisions, it just keeps magnifying their ineptitude.

The inept Suns management that nabbed this guy who now has a superstar profile with a mid-round pick?

You are the only person who views versatility in the modern NBA as a problem. And the idea that he is somehow going to get dramatically more worn down based on him playing on the wing because he occasionally will be out there with 2 other guards is total nonsense. The SG/SF position is essentially interchangeable, it is merely "the wing". Often wing players are also ball handlers. That is the way it is in the current NBA. The "inept" Suns management are using Booker right now the way literally every other team in the league would be using him if they were in the same position.

 

[SirStefan32]

The inept Suns management that nabbed this guy who now has a superstar profile with a mid-round pick?

You are the only person who views versatility in the modern NBA as a problem. And the idea that he is somehow going to get dramatically more worn down based on him playing on the wing because he occasionally will be out there with 2 other guards is total nonsense. The SG/SF position is essentially interchangeable, it is merely "the wing". Often wing players are also ball handlers. That is the way it is in the current NBA. The "inept" Suns management are using Booker right now the way literally every other team in the league would be using him if they were in the same position.

Well hold on a second now- "versatility" may have a different meaning to you. To me, versatility means that a player can play two positions well, or at the very least be able to play one position well, and cover another position (or a skill) adequately.

D. Green is versatile because he can play SF in a big lineup or a PF in a small lineup, AND he can handle the ball and even run the offense. Magic Johnson was versatile because he could play 1, 3, or a 4 very effectively. Penny Hardaway was a very good shooting guard, but he could play PG effectively. Grant Hill could run the offense for a while even though he was a great small forward.

Just because Booker can handle the ball, it doesn't mean that he can (or should) play PG. Just because he could technically play SF, doesn't mean that Booker at 3 is a good thing. You are sliding a BIG shooting guard into being an undersized SF, and sliding Warren (a bif SF) out of the rotation. That's my main gripe with Bledsoe and especially Knight- they are not versatile, they are just not very good or effective in either position. That's not versatility- that's not being either.

You and a lot of others oversimplify "positionless" basketball and mischaracterise "versatility." Put players in the best position to be successful. If you have players who are legitimately good at multiple positions- great! Don't try to fit square pegs into a round whole just because you happen to have those pieces.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Well hold on a second now- "versatility" may have a different meaning to you. To me, versatility means that a player can play two positions well, or at the very least be able to play one position well, and cover another position (or a skill) adequately.

D. Green is versatile because he can play SF in a big lineup or a PF in a small lineup, AND he can handle the ball and even run the offense. Magic Johnson was versatile because he could play 1, 3, or a 4 very effectively. Penny Hardaway was a very good shooting guard, but he could play PG effectively. Grant Hill could run the offense for a while even though he was a great small forward.

Just because Booker can handle the ball, it doesn't mean that he can (or should) play PG. Just because he could technically play SF, doesn't mean that Booker at 3 is a good thing. You are sliding a BIG shooting guard into being an undersized SF, and sliding Warren (a bif SF) out of the rotation. That's my main gripe with Bledsoe and especially Knight- they are not versatile, they are just not very good or effective in either position. That's not versatility- that's not being either.

You and a lot of others oversimplify "positionless" basketball and mischaracterise "versatility." Put players in the best position to be successful. If you have players who are legitimately good at multiple positions- great! Don't try to fit square pegs into a round whole just because you happen to have those pieces.

Totally agree. Just because you CAN slide a player into other positions doesn't mean you SHOULD. it needs to be strategic. In a day and age when people are looking for length at positions we have it at SG with booker. Playing at SF he's short and lacks strength and becomes a liability.

 

[BC867]

The inept Suns management that nabbed this guy who now has a superstar profile with a mid-round pick?

No, the inept Suns management that is leaning on a 19-year old to cover for their obsession with multi tweener Guards in the starting lineup.

You didn't mention defense. Do you not think it puts extra pressure on a rookie with less than a half season as a starter to have to be proficient guarding Point Guards, Shooting Guards and Small Forwards (who are usually bulkier than Shooting Guards)? And now, that is the plan for next season?

A bunch of Suns guards have been scapegoats for the inept Suns management. 'Looks like Booker has been put on that path, too. How long before he wants out?

 

[GatorAZ]

Good Lord. When are the Suns supposed to remove Booker's protective bubble? 2020??

 

[JCSunsfan]

No, the inept Suns management that is leaning on a 19-year old to cover for their obsession with multi tweener Guards in the starting lineup.

You didn't mention defense. Do you not think it puts extra pressure on a rookie with less than a half season as a starter to have to be proficient guarding Point Guards, Shooting Guards and Small Forwards (who are usually bulkier than Shooting Guards)? And now, that is the plan for next season?

A bunch of Suns guards have been scapegoats for the inept Suns management. 'Looks like Booker has been put on that path, too. How long before he wants out?

BC, the idea that Booker is being worn out is asinine. Yes stupid. I don't even know what to say. They have a perfect opportunity to get him minutes. And if you watch the games you would realize that the positions you are talking about are way in the past. Teams, all of them are constantly switching and changing up on defense. You literally cannot tell the difference between the sg and sf position on any given play, offense or defense.

Booker sometimes brings the ball up. Sometime he doesn't. That's how teams have been playing for years.

 

[Phrazbit]

Well hold on a second now- "versatility" may have a different meaning to you. To me, versatility means that a player can play two positions well, or at the very least be able to play one position well, and cover another position (or a skill) adequately.

D. Green is versatile because he can play SF in a big lineup or a PF in a small lineup, AND he can handle the ball and even run the offense. Magic Johnson was versatile because he could play 1, 3, or a 4 very effectively. Penny Hardaway was a very good shooting guard, but he could play PG effectively. Grant Hill could run the offense for a while even though he was a great small forward.

Just because Booker can handle the ball, it doesn't mean that he can (or should) play PG. Just because he could technically play SF, doesn't mean that Booker at 3 is a good thing. You are sliding a BIG shooting guard into being an undersized SF, and sliding Warren (a bif SF) out of the rotation. That's my main gripe with Bledsoe and especially Knight- they are not versatile, they are just not very good or effective in either position. That's not versatility- that's not being either.

You and a lot of others oversimplify "positionless" basketball and mischaracterise "versatility." Put players in the best position to be successful. If you have players who are legitimately good at multiple positions- great! Don't try to fit square pegs into a round whole just because you happen to have those pieces.

First off, I actually don't think this is going to happen, IMO its likely Knight is gone during the summer (and we get a fresh dose of "Suns don't know how to treat guys" nonsense).

Secondly, I'm responding specifically to BC's viewpoint here, not a world view point. I don't want Booker to play as the starting PG on a night to night basis, I don't want the Suns to constantly have 3 guards out there either. But him having the versatility to allow for those situations is nice, (and IMO he would be perfectly capable of being a starting PG) but BC views that they're even letting him get some variety in his PT right now as a sign that we're rudderless and stupid. This season is dead, this is the perfect time to allow a guy like Booker to work on a variety of skills. ANY team in a similar situation would be using him the way the Suns are.

 

[BC867]

ICYMI: @Earl_Watson says in the future, the @Suns plan on playing all three guards (EB, BK, and DB) at same time. https://t.co/xEdjTCGXOi

— Doug & Wolf Show (@DougandWolf987) March 31, 2016

That, from the The Suns plan on playing all three Guards (Bledsoe, Knight and Booker) at the same time. thread.

Needless to say, my opinion about how to use Devin Booker doesn't change from thread to thread.

This is still 2015-2016 and the Coach says that in the FUTURE, the Suns PLAN on playing all three guards at the same time.

If we believe the interim Head Coach, that means the obsession will continue in 2016-2017.

And if we are not to believe him, does the Suns management have any credibility?

What is the purpose in announcing that now? If it is a ploy to increase Knight's trade value, I'll be the first to applaud. And enjoy seeing Booker develop as a star Shooting Guard for a full season at the age of 20.

The words FUTURE and PLAN are what set me off.

 

[3rdside]

(and we get a fresh dose of "Suns don't know how to treat guys" nonsense).

.

Frye, dragic, green and Morris ALL said something about the Suns' player management; that is unusual.

Maybe mcd was just cleaning house, so what happened with these guys is largely irrelevant, but given that we have undoubtedly taken a reputation hit as an organisation - enabled via their numerous post-trade comments in the media - and that mcd that has a long was to go to prove his all-round competence, it's nonsense to ignore - completely - the view that the suns don't know how to treat guys.

 

[SirStefan32]

Frye, dragic, green and Morris ALL said something about the Suns' player management; that is unusual.

Maybe mcd was just cleaning house, so what happened with these guys is largely irrelevant, but given that we have undoubtedly taken a reputation hit as an organisation - enabled via their numerous post-trade comments in the media - and that mcd that has a long was to go to prove his all-round competence, it's nonsense to ignore - completely - the view that the suns don't know how to treat guys.

Yeah, where there is smoke, there is fire. It's the same theme, and some of those guys are just not trouble-makers. I am hoping it was a simple case of a very young guy who is very good at what he did (scouting) moving into a leadership role without knowing how to lead, and making some mistakes. Anyone who's been in leadership/ management positions probably had that phase for a while.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think there's any doubt that some of this has to fall on the Suns, meaning Ryan. But I think it's greatly overstated and for the most part, it's just piling on.

Green has no claim in this IMO. The Frye situation is a typical breakup and normally would go undiscussed. The Morris situation was poorly handled but the twins behavior brought all that about so I put it in the live and learn pile. But the childish manner in which McDonough fired back at Dragic really stands out.

Babby kept that situation from being even worse than it was. I'm concerned that with the front office changes, he might not have the power to step in again if something similar occurs. But hopefully Ryan has learned the importance of communication and has also learned the folly of talking about players as if they were trading cards.