How Great is the 2017 draft class?

[Russ Smith]

Probably looking for Big Baller gear, those T Shirts aren't cheap.

I'm assuming someone just reads the news and hears him bragging about money and they knew he wouldn't be home last night since Chino Hills was playing in a playoff game(they lost to Bishop Montgomery) so they tried to rob him. From the story neighbors called police right away and the police got there and found stuff in a pile but it appears nothing was stolen. They assume the robbers realized the police were on the way and took off.

 

[Mainstreet]

The draft is just so FAR Away..........

Isn't that the truth!

 

[Yuma]

http://www.tmz.com/2017/03/15/lavar-ball-family-home-burglarized


Tough week for Lavar Ball.

That takes Balls to rob that house! (I know you were all thinking it.)

 

[Mainstreet]

Does anyone know anything about Zach Collins? He looks like a mobile big man who has some skills around the basket and some hops. I like the idea of a player that can play PF/center.

 

[Russ Smith]

That takes Balls to rob that house! (I know you were all thinking it.)

Apparently the dad was on Sportscenter this morning and his comment was "I wish I had been home. It's not hard to get IN my house, it's hard to get OUT."

 

[Russ Smith]

Does anyone know anything about Zach Collins? He looks like a mobile big man who has some skills around the basket and some hops. I like the idea of a player that can play PF/center.

Yeah we've discussed him earlier in this thread I love him. Very good shooter he reminds me quite a bit of Laettner, not saying he's that good, but he's got that type of frame and he's a very good shooter for his size.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah we've discussed him earlier in this thread I love him. Very good shooter he reminds me quite a bit of Laettner, not saying he's that good, but he's got that type of frame and he's a very good shooter for his size.

I remember Collins was mentioned now. He looked pretty good in the videos but I like to see a player play in a game. I like that he can play the PF and center positions. If Len leaves, he could help the Suns. It sounds like you watch a lot more college games than I do so I respect your opinion.

Do you think Collins is worthy of the Suns selection if they pick hypothetically at #7 in the draft. Perhaps I should put it another way, who do you like more, Markkanen or Collins at this spot. Or perhaps there is another player you like better in this range that would realistically be there.

I'm just looking looking at worst case scenarios in the draft which, the more I look, may not be that bad.

Any thoughts based on current scenarios who you would draft at #7?

 

[Errntknght]

I watched 3 Markkanen videos last night. He looked very good in the first two but the 3rd one was the Arizona-Oregon game for Pac 12 tournament title and he was entirely passive... hard to believe it was the same guy.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I watched 3 Markkanen videos last night. He looked very good in the first two but the 3rd one was the Arizona-Oregon game for Pac 12 tournament title and he was entirely passive... hard to believe it was the same guy.

That happens a lot to big guys in the college game. It might help to remember he's a freshman and not the focal point of that team. I was more concerned by his free throw shooting in the clutch moments of the game. I think it's atypical but who knows?

 

[Dan H]

Hypothetically speaking, if we got the #1 pick, who is everyone's preferred player?

I think Ball would be awesome but MAN his dad is a nutcase.

 

[Yuma]

I have seen his dad in two interview shows recently, and he comes off OK to me. Maybe he is trying to tone it down, or he was being obnoxious on purpose before?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Hypothetically speaking, if we got the #1 pick, who is everyone's preferred player?

I think Ball would be awesome but MAN his dad is a nutcase.

I might change my mind after the tournament but right now I'd take Ball first or trade for two high picks from Philly and take something like Tatum and Markkanen.

 

[Mainstreet]

I might change my mind after the tournament but right now I'd take Ball first or trade for two high picks from Philly and take something like Tatum and Markkanen.

I like the latter scenario. Maybe give Collins a consider. I'm concerned about the center position if Len walks.

 

[Errntknght]

I like the latter scenario. Maybe give Collins a consider. I'm concerned about the center position if Len walks.

I don't think it makes much difference whether Len walks or not.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I like the latter scenario. Maybe give Collins a consider. I'm concerned about the center position if Len walks.

I like Collins quite a bit, brought him up a few times earlier this season but I don't think I'd use a top 7 pick on him. He's just a little too slow of foot and if we take Markkanen, he loses a little value because of duplication. I think in the NBA you're looking at a ceiling of Hawes, probably a little higher. But I might think about taking Fultz with that first pick and using a Miami pick plus a 2nd to move into the mid/late teens and take Zack there.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think it makes much difference whether Len walks or not.

Yeah, sure, Artis Gilmore walked every time he got the ball and nobody cared then either.

But yeah, I think we're done here. This was Len's chance to show what he has and while he's been okay, Williams has clearly outplayed him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I take Ball in a heartbeat... pair him with Booker and you might have the best backcourt in the league in a couple years. Pair those guys up with Chriss and hopefully Bender pans out and you've got the making of a super-young, talented, athletic squad for years... especially with Bledsoe as a great trading chip to dangle out there as well.

 

[hsandhu]

Ball would piss me off, Unless he is curry or westbrook, generational talents.

If he is in the next category of guys lillard, kyrie, wall, lowry, conley, what upgrade are you making? bledsoe is already at the tail end of that group, not to mention what ulis can develop into.

Fultz is dwayne wade, he can just as easily play the sg, slide booker to sf.

If down the road bledsoe, fultz, booker does not work on the court, bledsoe can go, fultz, booker, ulis can be the new isiah, dumars and vinnie johnson.


I'll take josh jackson or tatum over ball in a heartbeat as well, just because of the pg talent in the nba

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ball would piss me off, Unless he is curry or westbrook, generational talents.

If he is in the next category of guys lillard, kyrie, wall, lowry, conley, what upgrade are you making? bledsoe is already at the tail end of that group, not to mention what ulis can develop into.

Fultz is dwayne wade, he can just as easily play the sg, slide booker to sf.

If down the road bledsoe, fultz, booker does not work on the court, bledsoe can go, fultz, booker, ulis can be the new isiah, dumars and vinnie johnson.


I'll take josh jackson or tatum over ball in a heartbeat as well, just because of the pg talent in the nba

I don't think Ball is any of those guys. I think he could be Super Jason Kidd who can actually shoot... and is a better athlete. He's much more a distributor than Lillard, Kyrie, Lowry, Conley, etc.

 

[3rdside]

It's hard to pick how high ball's upside is, and he may not be the 'best player' in the draft, but he, booker, the best version of Warren and Chriss would just about guarantee guarantee 50+ win seasons for the next decade and beyond.

You can't say that about any other player.

Call me crazy but, in the vein of Trump, president, Moneymaker, poker, Bolt, sprinter, Wordsworth, poet....Ball as a baller has a very uncanny ring to it.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

It's hard to pick how high ball's upside is, and he may not be the 'best player' in the draft, but he, booker, the best version of Warren and Chriss would just about guarantee guarantee 50+ win seasons for the next decade and beyond.

You can't say that about any other player.

Call me crazy but, in the vein of Trump, president, Moneymaker, poker, Bolt, sprinter, Wordsworth, poet....Ball as a baller has a very uncanny ring to it.

This is my dream scenario. You draft Ball and have the following future line-up:

PG Ball Ulis
SG Booker ???
SF ??? Warren DJJ
PF Chriss Bender
C ??? Big Sauce

I like all 8 of those players for the next great Suns team. Then, you look for:

A. An athletic center who provides interior defense and a low-post presence on offense. (If only those grew on trees).
B. A starting SF who complements Booker. Ideally, this player would be a high-end 3-and-D type.
C. Back-up SG who can shoot the 3 and play defense as well.

You would have these avenues to get those players:
1. Trading Bledsoe
2. Our future draft picks and second rounders
3. The Miami picks (use or trade them)
4. Free agency

My second favorite scenario is to get Jackson or Tatum and keep Bledsoe. Then you only need two guys and you ride a really nice combo of Bled and Ulis at point. I'd still prefer the first scenario though, and a focus on building an exciting young team with great ball movement.

 

[slinslin]

It's hard to pick how high ball's upside is, and he may not be the 'best player' in the draft, but he, booker, the best version of Warren and Chriss would just about guarantee guarantee 50+ win seasons for the next decade and beyond.

You can't say that about any other player.

Call me crazy but, in the vein of Trump, president, Moneymaker, poker, Bolt, sprinter, Wordsworth, poet....Ball as a baller has a very uncanny ring to it.

There is nothing guaranteed about that. If he is a bust which he very well could be we are no further and if we lose Beldsoe for that we are actually behind.

We are not a 50 win team next season with Bledsoe who is already an borderline allstar PG. Ball has a long way to get there if he ever does.

 

[slinslin]

I don't think Ball is any of those guys. I think he could be Super Jason Kidd who can actually shoot... and is a better athlete. He's much more a distributor than Lillard, Kyrie, Lowry, Conley, etc.

Jason Kidd was a better scorer and defender than Ball.

So he is a better distributor, Ricky Rubio is also a better distributor than just about any other PG in the league.

Ball will never be the scorer that any of the ones you mentioned are and right now without exception all top level PGs are exceptional scorers and Ricky Rubio is not even near a top level PG despite being better than the guys you mentioned at every except scoring.

 

[slinslin]

I like Collins quite a bit, brought him up a few times earlier this season but I don't think I'd use a top 7 pick on him. He's just a little too slow of foot and if we take Markkanen, he loses a little value because of duplication. I think in the NBA you're looking at a ceiling of Hawes, probably a little higher. But I might think about taking Fultz with that first pick and using a Miami pick plus a 2nd to move into the mid/late teens and take Zack there.

But we are not taking Markkanen, we will draft 1-5 not 7-12 which is Markkanens range. #6 an absolute worst case scenario that is very unlikely.

4 of the top 5 picks are a given in Fultz, Tatum, Jackson and Ball and the 5th is either Smith, Isaac, Fox or Monk before Lauri.

 

[3rdside]

He is not going past LA though assuming they get second

There is nothing guaranteed about that. If he is a bust which he very well could be we are no further and if we lose Beldsoe for that we are actually behind.

We are not a 50 win team next season with Bledsoe who is already an borderline allstar PG. Ball has a long way to get there if he ever does.

He seems to be that type of player, and those types of players seem to generate wins (although it's probably partly dependent on a facilitative coach..). Statistically he's solid and if you watch the games when he plays well, the flow of him and his team is very, very good.

It's an eye test A+.

None of Kidd, Nash, Harden had much of an impact their first year so I wouldn't expect playoffs in Ball's first year but in his 2nd year and beyond, why not.

If we don't get a chance to draft Ball and we go Tatum instead then with Bledsoe running the point I agree we won't be a playoff team either.

But stick a Nash, Harden or Kidd in for Bledsoe and we probably would be however, and that's why Ball is such a drawcard. We may never win a title but we're guaranteed fun and 50 wins and that is a damn sight better than what we've had over the last 7 years.