How good is Booker?

[unseenaz]

Listening to Zach Lowe's podcast with Ben Falk and Zach brought up that "he’s a weirdly divisive player in NBA circles. Some people just think Devin Booker is bad".

This is something I've been debating internally for the entire off season. How good is Booker, actually? His advanced stats are bad, below average player based on PER and negative VORP (value over replacement) and really none of the advanced stats show him as an overall positive player. Is this due to his defense? Is he a volume scorer on a bad team? The jumper is there but he takes a ton of bad shots. He's surrounded by terrible circumstances in PHX, most players his age get more time to develop their game before getting 30 mins a game.

Hopefully better coaching can get Book to take that next step in his game.

Here's the link to that podcast, btw. He also paints a pretty ugly picture of Chriss and Bender
http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=21142339

 

[Ronin]

I dunno. Right now he is volume scorer on a bad team.
I hope to the high heavens he turns into a Reggie Miller/Rip Hamilton type player.

 

[elindholm]

At this moment, he's probably not a very good player because he forces the issue too much and gives up a lot defensively. But his weaknesses are fixable, whereas his strengths can't be taught. So his expected future value is quite high, especially compared to his peer group.

 

[Mainstreet]

The last time I looked Booker is still 20.

I guess he should be a superstar already.

 

[Matt L]

He's only 20....that said, I wish he had a quicker first step and he took slightly better shots.

 

[SweetD]

I put him at 3rd year Joe Johnson. Good scorer who is starting to learn how to take over games. Booker will get more points since he is the #1 option for the Suns.

 

[Mainstreet]

He's only 20....that said, I wish he had a quicker first step and he took slightly better shots.

We agree but Booker should develop with time. He wants to be the best so this should carry him a long way. It's a learning process. As he learns he should be able to overcome any deficiencies.

 

[hsandhu]

So a couple analytics nerds on a podcast dont know how good he is. Likely because of his 42 % shooting at 20 freakin years old, it will get better.

yet durant, jimmy butler, dwyane wade and lebron have all gone out of their way after playing him, unprompted, to say how good hes gonna be.

And who said he doenst have a first step, do you watch suns games? He is very quick, ask jaylen brown and marcus smart, and had the fastest lane agilty time at tne combine.

 

[SirStefan32]

I think people forget just how young Booker is. He will improve his shooting, efficiency, rebounding, and passing.

 

[Raze]

He's only 20....that said, I wish he had a quicker first step and he took slightly better shots.

It was nice to see him take over the game when it mattered tonight.

His first step is reminiscent of Paul Pierce. Paul was the most frustrating prospect to scout because his first move looked like he was running in water. So you weren't sure he could get his shot off. But man could that guy create space. He only needed a little to get that deadly shot off. He then complimented his "slowness" with drawing a ridiculous amount of contact. He more than proved how great he was with his stellar career. (I am NOT a Paul Pierce fan, but I will respect his game)

I see a little of that in Booker. He has a great feel for the space around him and he appears to be getting better every year. No, he's not explosive like LeBron or Kobe. He won't ever be. However he's smart and smooth. He's unique. I think he can gain a lot from watching what Paul did with his unique skill set.

 

[hsandhu]

I think people forget just how young Booker is. He will improve his shooting, efficiency, rebounding, and passing.

His rebounding, passing, and efffort on d have already been better this year.

Oh yeah, add steve kerr, klay thompson, who was raving about booker after usa select team, to the list from above.

Analytics are a very useful tool, but people who treat it as religion as opposed to what they see are idiots.

 

[hsandhu]

It was nice to see him take over the game when it mattered tonight.

His first step is reminiscent of Paul Pierce. Paul was the most frustrating prospect to scout because his first move looked like he was running in water. So you weren't sure he could get his shot off. But man could that guy create space. He only needed a little to get that deadly shot off. He then complimented his "slowness" with drawing a ridiculous amount of contact. He more than proved how great he was with his stellar career. (I am NOT a Paul Pierce fan, but I will respect his game)

I see a little of that in Booker. He has a great feel for the space around him and he appears to be getting better every year. No, he's not explosive like LeBron or Kobe. He won't ever be. However he's smart and smooth. He's unique. I think he can gain a lot from watching what Paul did with his unique skill set.

Is this a myth booker doesnt have a first step? Go watch some youtube videos, he is able to get by great defenders such as klay thopson. He was running all around marcus smart and jaylen brown.

And from a pure fact standpoint, he had the fastest combime times his year.

 

[Raze]

Is this a myth booker doesnt have a first step? Go watch some youtube videos, he is able to get by great defenders such as klay thopson. He was running all around marcus smart and jaylen brown.

And from a pure fact standpoint, he had the fastest combime times his year.

Oh, he absolutely has a first step, but it seems to be purely complimentary to the sheer danger of his outside shot. He has really good balance and is deceiving. With defenders ready to lunge at his shot he uses that to his advantage and gets by them. He also uses his body to keep them away (Nash was a master of this).

I really like what he did tonight with under a minute. (Going off of memory here) After he just nailed a three. Tyson set the screen. He gave a synchronized stutter to the switch which was just enough to hesitate the defenders (It also happened to be on the same spot he just hit the three). He then drove to the basket keeping the trailing defender on his right hip and used his left to finish with the scoop. It was beautiful. It was also clutch. It won't make a highlight reel, but it was good basketball.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I think people forget just how young Booker is. He will improve his shooting, efficiency, rebounding, and passing.

He is 7 seasons from his peak season.

 

[Finito]

Yeah people really forget how young he is. He's not that athletic freak like Westbrook but like it was brought up he's like a Joe Johnson/ Paul Pierce type old man game just a ton of moves in the bank.

But the one thing I've taken notice of and other players have to its his attitude. He's def not afraid of the big moment and he ain't afraid to mix it up. That's what's going to make him great

 

[JS22]

I put him at 3rd year Joe Johnson. Good scorer who is starting to learn how to take over games. Booker will get more points since he is the #1 option for the Suns.

Speaking of Joe Johnson, that dude was a shell of his former self last night. He could barely move, was useless on both ends, and threw up 7 junk shots. Was a shock to see.

 

[Finito]

Speaking of Joe Johnson, that dude was a shell of his former self last night. He could barely move, was useless on both ends, and threw up 7 junk shots. Was a shock to see.

What do you expect that guys been in league like 15-16 years lol. He was great last year in the playoffs for them though. I always liked him.

 

[95pro]

Speaking of Joe Johnson, that dude was a shell of his former self last night. He could barely move, was useless on both ends, and threw up 7 junk shots. Was a shock to see.

I noticed Jackson and Bender were playing off of him, I was thinking like JJ isn't going to blow by you guys.

 

[JS22]

What do you expect that guys been in league like 15-16 years lol. He was great last year in the playoffs for them though. I always liked him.

I just haven't followed him much since his ATL days.

Was surprising to see how slow he moved. It looked like he was running through mud.

 

[Mainstreet]

I put him at 3rd year Joe Johnson. Good scorer who is starting to learn how to take over games. Booker will get more points since he is the #1 option for the Suns.

I don't know but I think I would rate Booker at least 5th year Joe Johnson.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsjo02.html

 

[Ronin]

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[unseenaz]

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great read

 

[JCSunsfan]

If Booker becomes a neutral or even plus defender without losing his offensive effectiveness, we have a superstar.

BTW. With Bledsoe gone, Booker understands that he is THE leader.

 

[Ronin]

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[GatorAZ]

He should be a better 3pt shooter given his impeccable form. I'm sure it'll get there eventually but it's taking longer than expected.