How Great is the 2017 draft class?

[Mainstreet]

Is anyone else violently jealous of the celtics? They're going to end up in the playoffs and get the #1 pick, aren't they? The issue is they likely don't need fultz or ball. Maybe they could send it to Sacramento for cousins?

I'm not jealous. Maybe Cousins will mess up their chemistry.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I'd have no problem packaging the 2 Miami picks in an effort to grab Markkanen. If he falls to 6th or so, those picks might be enough to swing a deal.

He is going to go 9 or 10, so no, I don't think I would do that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He is going to go 9 or 10, so no, I don't think I would do that.

We'll see. I doubt he lasts past 6.

 

[Mainstreet]

We'll see. I doubt he lasts past 6.

The way it's going the Suns might draft him at 6 with their own pick.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The way it's going the Suns might draft him at 6 with their own pick.

If we don't make any trades and assuming Knight is still either benched or forced to play within the system as he has of late, we're more likely to be drafting somewhere around 10th by then. I think we're 5-4 over our last 9, I don't see that winning rate changing much without personnel changes.

 

[Mainstreet]

If we don't make any trades and assuming Knight is still either benched or forced to play within the system as he has of late, we're more likely to be drafting somewhere around 10th by then. I think we're 5-4 over our last 9, I don't see that winning rate changing much without personnel changes.

So who do you like at 10.

I am still expecting the Suns to trade Knight but he played fairly well tonight. An unexpected possibility is the Suns come together and compete for the 8th playoff slot. Nobody seems to want to be that team right now.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So who do you like at 10.

I am still expecting the Suns to trade Knight but he played fairly well tonight. An unexpected possibility is the Suns come together and compete for the 8th playoff slot. Nobody seems to want to be that team right now.

I'm torn. If I weren't a Wildcat basketball fan I'd be hoping to see Lauri come down with a long term repercussion-free case of the 6 week flu or something like that.

If the draft were held today we could maybe grab him with that 10th pick but assuming he's gone there should still be a very good option at 10. Someone like Giles will be available there and there's still the option of packaging our 10th pick with a Miami pick to move into Markkanen range if he's moved to 5th or 6th as I suspect he will.

IMO, this is the season to tank for the first or second spot but failing that, anything in the top 12 is going to land you an all star level prospect.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm torn. If I weren't a Wildcat basketball fan I'd be hoping to see Lauri come down with a long term repercussion-free case of the 6 week flu or something like that.

If the draft were held today we could maybe grab him with that 10th pick but assuming he's gone there should still be a very good option at 10. Someone like Giles will be available there and there's still the option of packaging our 10th pick with a Miami pick to move into Markkanen range if he's moved to 5th or 6th as I suspect he will.

IMO, this is the season to tank for the first or second spot but failing that, anything in the top 12 is going to land you an all star level prospect.

The Suns are not going to tank so I guess the chips fall where they may. I'm hoping there is another Devin Booker like talent if the Suns draft later.

I'm uncertain how the Suns should use the Miami picks unless the Suns get some sort of protection in the years they are conveyed. Those picks are a tremendous resource.

It would give the Suns more options if they could trade for another pick in this draft.

 

[hcsilla]

Is anyone else violently jealous of the celtics?

Kind of. I'm jealous of the Celtics because they were in the right position to benefit from the incredible stupidity and incompetence of Billy King and Prokhorov.

 

[GatorAZ]

Dennis Smith takes over vs Duke. NC State wins by 2. Smith had 32 points including 4-6 from 3pt.

Guess it's fair to say Jeff Capel won't be K's successor.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Dennis Smith takes over vs Duke. NC State wins by 2. Smith had 32 points including 4-6 from 3pt.

Man did that game change quickly. I hate to watch Duke win so when NC State started dragging with the blue DEVILS up 7 and possession I almost switched back to the Clippers game. So glad I stayed with it. Tatum should have passed that ball up the court instead of taking the slow way and eventually turning it over. Poor decision on his part.

As for Smith, frequent travels and illegal dribbles, not sure he gets away with those at the next level. I like the fact that he gets real low on his dribble penetration.

 

[sunsfan88]

I'm torn. If I weren't a Wildcat basketball fan I'd be hoping to see Lauri come down with a long term repercussion-free case of the 6 week flu or something like that.

If the draft were held today we could maybe grab him with that 10th pick but assuming he's gone there should still be a very good option at 10. Someone like Giles will be available there and there's still the option of packaging our 10th pick with a Miami pick to move into Markkanen range if he's moved to 5th or 6th as I suspect he will.

IMO, this is the season to tank for the first or second spot but failing that, anything in the top 12 is going to land you an all star level prospect.

Wow I haven't been paying attention to the other bottom teams around the league but are we only at 10 worst record in the league? I thought we would be top 5.

Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you in some way.

 

[hsandhu]

Dennis Smith takes over vs Duke. NC State wins by 2. Smith had 32 points including 4-6 from 3pt.

Guess it's fair to say Jeff Capel won't be K's successor.

Was just going to post about dennis smith killing duke. As well as bledsoe is playing, if we are in position to take him I would consider it and trading bledsoe.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Wow I haven't been paying attention to the other bottom teams around the league but are we only at 10 worst record in the league? I thought we would be top 5.

Or maybe I'm misunderstanding you in some way.

Yes, misunderstanding. I'm just saying that's about where we'll draft if we don't make some mid-season trades. Knight's play has a lot to do with us bottoming out and with Watson having now made his responsibilities clear, we've become a better team. If Watson goes back to playing Knight 25 minutes a game regardless of performance, we'll return to a bottom 3 team but otherwise, we're closer to a .500 level ball club IMO.

 

[sunsfan88]

I'd stay away from the Ball brothers.

If those kids are anything like their father, and I'm sure he has some influence on them, then I doubt they will live up to the hype

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/l...-lonzo-in-ridiculous-interview-202844852.html

http://m.tmz.com/?adid=hero3#article/2017/01/26/lavar-lonzo-ball-nba-ucla/

 

[slinslin]

Lonzo seems pretty unfazed by his father and pretty calm overall but his father definitely looks like a distraction.

It is not just those articles, go to youtube. His father invited SLAM magazine to Christmas. It was full on propaganda, the father already is trying to sell clothers with the BALL trademark or something, just ridiculous.

His father is definitely the type that is trying to get in the lime light.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yes, misunderstanding. I'm just saying that's about where we'll draft if we don't make some mid-season trades. Knight's play has a lot to do with us bottoming out and with Watson having now made his responsibilities clear, we've become a better team. If Watson goes back to playing Knight 25 minutes a game regardless of performance, we'll return to a bottom 3 team but otherwise, we're closer to a .500 level ball club IMO.

Maybe not .500 but close... if we ditched him entirely, cut back Chriss' minutes, gave more a bit to Bender and Ullis... then yeah, I think we'd .500 for sure the way Bledsoe, Booker and Chandler are playing. Chandler especially, he is playing unreal basketball right now, not just on the glass but he is shooting nearly 70% from the field.

And remember when people complained the Bledsoe "couldn't throw an alley-oop pass"? He is lobbing 2 or 3 game right now it feels like.

 

[Russ Smith]

I'd stay away from the Ball brothers.

If those kids are anything like their father, and I'm sure he has some influence on them, then I doubt they will live up to the hype

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/l...-lonzo-in-ridiculous-interview-202844852.html

http://m.tmz.com/?adid=hero3#article/2017/01/26/lavar-lonzo-ball-nba-ucla/

Kevin Love's dad was worse and Love has been ok.

It's simple, Lonzo is an NBA player, LiAngelo is a marginal college player 4 year guy. It looks like melo has a chance to be pretty good. The dad is hyping all 3 because he has 3 sons.

Lonzo is a mellow kid nothing like the dad

 

[overseascardfan]

Markennan would be my pick if I were McD. I think he is more NBA ready than either Chriss or Bender. In fact, I would consider moving Chriss out to the 3, it makes sense because he has 3pt range (supposedly), former PG so he can handle the ball, he has agility and is mobile enough to defend the wing. Plus, it hides his lack of defensive rebounding and should keep him out of foul trouble not having to battle with bigger, stronger post players. Markennan and Moses Kingsley in Round 2 would be my picks. In case PHX doesn't re-sign Len and keeps Chandler, Kingsley would be a nice back up. Guy can defend, rebound and actually has some shooting range. If ARZ is interested in dealing Bledsoe, hopefully a lotto team looking for an established PG rather than taking a chance on guys like Dennis Smith, De'Aaron Fox or to some extent Ball then maybe PHX can land another top 5 pick this year and manuever into a position to take Ball or Fultz.

Chandler/Markennan/Chriss would be a very BIG frontcourt, with Kingsley, Bender and Warren coming off the bench.

 

[slinslin]

Wasting a high pick as we have on Markannen would be plain stupid.

He is a nice talent, nice shooting 7 footer but defensively and inside he is weak.

No way I pick MArkannen over Fultz, Ball, Smith, Jackson, Isaac, Tatum, Nikitina in the Suns situation.

I like Fox a bit as well.

And Chriss is not a 3, he will be a very good 4 when his body matures more, he looks like a boy still, just wait what 2 years of working on his body will do for him.

 

[DWKB]

Wasting a high pick as we have on Markannen would be plain stupid.

He is a nice talent, nice shooting 7 footer but defensively and inside he is weak.

No way I pick MArkannen over Fultz, Ball, Smith, Jackson, Isaac, Tatum, Nikitina in the Suns situation.

I like Fox a bit as well.

And Chriss is not a 3, he will be a very good 4 when his body matures more, he looks like a boy still, just wait what 2 years of working on his body will do for him.

They don't play defense in the West anyways, right?

It seems like there is a "bias" weight placed on desired draft picks for some Suns fans that goes:

UofA player
PAC12 player
Rest of the field

 

[overseascardfan]

They don't play defense in the West anyways, right?

It seems like there is a "bias" weight placed on desired draft picks for some Suns fans that goes:

UofA player
PAC12 player
Rest of the field

Bias plays no part in my opinion. If Markennan played for KU, wouldn't make a difference. Yes, his offense is much more advanced at this point than his defense but his shooting efficiency is extremely impressive and he is a stretch 4 in every sense of the word.

Wasting a high pick as we have on Markannen would be plain stupid.

He is a nice talent, nice shooting 7 footer but defensively and inside he is weak.

No way I pick MArkannen over Fultz, Ball, Smith, Jackson, Isaac, Tatum, Nikitina in the Suns situation.

I like Fox a bit as well.

And Chriss is not a 3, he will be a very good 4 when his body matures more, he looks like a boy still, just wait what 2 years of working on his body will do for him.

First off, chances are PHX lands outside of the Top 3, so forget Fultz, Ball and another of your top 7. Jackson or Tatum would be options but their main weakness is at this point they cannot shoot, particularly Jackson. You need to be able to shoot to make it in the NBA, that is Markennan's strength, that and his body is NBA ready now. You like Isaac better than him but your criticism that Markennan can't play defense because he is weak applies more to Isaac as he is listed at 210 pounds and a skinny 210 at that.

If PHX can trade up or acquire one of the Top 2 picks with a combo of Bledsoe and future 1st rounders then fine, grab Fultz or Ball, but Bledsoe has to go if Fultz or Ball are to be acquired.

I don't see Chriss having the frame to get much bigger, his body and skills currently are more geared towards a SF, if he can develop a consistent 3pt shot, maybe he becomes Rashard Lewis. But just as his criticisms in college (foul prone & lack of defensive rebounding), those are his main issues in his rookie year so far. Like I said, Markennan is more NBA ready IMO because his shooting ability is clear cut above Chriss and Bender and the other post prospects in this year's draft, if PHX lands around #6 then that is around the place Markannen will end up going.

 

[slinslin]

Isaac is a SF, Markannen is not.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Lonzo seems pretty unfazed by his father and pretty calm overall but his father definitely looks like a distraction.

It is not just those articles, go to youtube. His father invited SLAM magazine to Christmas. It was full on propaganda, the father already is trying to sell clothers with the BALL trademark or something, just ridiculous.

His father is definitely the type that is trying to get in the lime light.

The Cardinals survived Fitz's father. Is he more of distraction than that?

 

[JCSunsfan]

Bias plays no part in my opinion. If Markennan played for KU, wouldn't make a difference. Yes, his offense is much more advanced at this point than his defense but his shooting efficiency is extremely impressive and he is a stretch 4 in every sense of the word.



First off, chances are PHX lands outside of the Top 3, so forget Fultz, Ball and another of your top 7. Jackson or Tatum would be options but their main weakness is at this point they cannot shoot, particularly Jackson. You need to be able to shoot to make it in the NBA, that is Markennan's strength, that and his body is NBA ready now. You like Isaac better than him but your criticism that Markennan can't play defense because he is weak applies more to Isaac as he is listed at 210 pounds and a skinny 210 at that.

If PHX can trade up or acquire one of the Top 2 picks with a combo of Bledsoe and future 1st rounders then fine, grab Fultz or Ball, but Bledsoe has to go if Fultz or Ball are to be acquired.

I don't see Chriss having the frame to get much bigger, his body and skills currently are more geared towards a SF, if he can develop a consistent 3pt shot, maybe he becomes Rashard Lewis. But just as his criticisms in college (foul prone & lack of defensive rebounding), those are his main issues in his rookie year so far. Like I said, Markennan is more NBA ready IMO because his shooting ability is clear cut above Chriss and Bender and the other post prospects in this year's draft, if PHX lands around #6 then that is around the place Markannen will end up going.

I prefer Markannan over Isaac and I do not care a whit about UofA. Watch both of them move. To me Isaac's gait is stiff and awkward. He even seems slow. Markannan's running gait is much more natural. He cuts and changes more easily. For a seven footer he makes a euro step look easy.

When I look at Isaac, it looks to me like he is going to blow out a knee on any give play.