If the Suns have the #2 pick, who should they pick?

[ColdPickleNachos]

I'm thinking this sounds about right. There was a lot of hype surrounding him.

Exum has a worse injury history than the Cardinals' new quarterback.

 

[Mainstreet]

Exum has a worse injury history than the Cardinals' new quarterback.

And I'm trying to stay positive about it on the Cardinals forum. LOL

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'm thinking this sounds about right. There was a lot of hype surrounding him.

Exam wasn’t really a euro. I don’t think he played in the league doncic plays in (in fact, did he even play in a euro league?).

The closest we’ve seen to the doncic hype imo is Rubio.

 

[Mainstreet]

Exam wasn’t really a euro. I don’t think he played in the league doncic plays in (in fact, did he even play in a euro league?).

The closest we’ve seen to the doncic hype imo is Rubio.

Rubio got a lot of hype as well. He is not horrible but he did not live up to expectations.

Perhaps Exum is more fresh in my mind.

Maybe it is because Exum is a bigger miss IMO.

Looked it up. Exum is only 22. LOL

Such high expectations for young players these days.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Exam wasn’t really a euro. I don’t think he played in the league doncic plays in (in fact, did he even play in a euro league?).

The closest we’ve seen to the doncic hype imo is Rubio.

Exum is Australian (his dad moved them there to play pro ball). I'm just trying to figure out who was being referenced and Exum fits the description the best (other than being European) so I thought this might have been the case of "European" to describe every international prospect.

 

[elindholm]

Sergio Rodriguez or Milos Teodosic?

I'll bet it's one of them. Definitely not Exum.

Edit: Hmm, no, Rodriguez is too long ago, and Teodosic's move to the NBA is too recent. Drat. Thanks for trying, everyone!

 

[Chaplin]

I'll bet it's one of them. Definitely not Exum.

Teodosic was only 6'5", so I'm not sure it would be him.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Nemanja Nedovic was once called the "European Derrick Rose". Rodrigue Beaubois was an interesting prospect briefly. Neither was particularly tall or Doncic-like though.

I can't think of any European guard prospect considered as highly as Doncic is.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Teodosic was only 6'5", so I'm not sure it would be him.

He also wasn’t that hyped. Certainly not close to doncic hype. Rubio the only guard to come close. Maybe hezonja?

 

[Cheesebeef]

He also wasn’t that hyped. Certainly not close to doncic hype. Rubio the only guard to come close. Maybe hezonja?

You were so in on Rubio.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Posted for fun because the title says my piece, but also a good read:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20668236/there-never-nba-draft-prospect-slovenia-luka-doncic

 

[Mainstreet]

Posted for fun because the title says my piece, but also a good read:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20668236/there-never-nba-draft-prospect-slovenia-luka-doncic

Doncic has a strong passion for the game, combined with talent, which gives him a huge chance for success.

I think we already know the Suns like him.

 

[pokerface]

Doncic has a strong passion for the game, combined with talent, which gives him a huge chance for success.

I think we already know the Suns like him.

Well I wouldn't cry if we got him that's for sure.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well I wouldn't cry if we got him that's for sure.

Agree. If he is the BPA, draft him. We will not get a chance to see him scrimmage with the Suns.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm kind of surprised by the results so far, mainly that Young has only received 1 vote out of 34 people. He was hyped heavily early on and played great to start the season. I think if this were asked back in November or December he'd probably be closer to splitting the majority with Bagley and Doncic. I'm surprised Bagley has 21 to Doncic's 8 also. I know I'm a fan of Bagley but people seem to have soured on Doncic over the last couple of weeks here, not nationally or on message boards.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

You were so in on Rubio.

I was. I was.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I seem to remember another Euro PG who was relatively large for the position and had a similar profile to Doncic's. He was massively hyped and attempted to come over to the NBA, but then he fizzled. Can someone help me remember who I'm thinking of? I feel like it was 6-8 years ago, but that could be off.

One more shot at this, as I just saw a Doncic documentary where he was talking up his idol, a Greek legend with several Euroleague MVPs who fizzled out with the Rockets around 2008:

Vassilis Spanoulis

 

[elindholm]

One more shot at this, as I just saw a Doncic documentary where he was talking up his idol, a Greek legend with several Euroleague MVPs who fizzled out with the Rockets around 2008:

Vassilis Spanoulis

The name isn't familiar, but the story sounds right. I guess the takeaway is that these Euros with Doncic-level hype aren't so rare as we tend to think, and most of them wind up having NBA careers that are somewhere between mediocre and outright forgettable.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

The name isn't familiar, but the story sounds right. I guess the takeaway is that these Euros with Doncic-level hype aren't so rare as we tend to think, and most of them wind up having NBA careers that are somewhere between mediocre and outright forgettable.

Except Doncic is being hyped for his potential mostly. Not simply based on what he is doing in another league. Anytime a player plays this well at such a young age there is going to be a lot of hype and rightfully so.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

The name isn't familiar, but the story sounds right. I guess the takeaway is that these Euros with Doncic-level hype aren't so rare as we tend to think, and most of them wind up having NBA careers that are somewhere between mediocre and outright forgettable.

I don't know about that takeaway. All these guys were late first rounders or second rounders and many had already established themselves as veterans in Europe. Even Bogdan, who has looked good early on and got a good amount of hype, was a late first rounder we were happy to throw into a trade package.

The only Europeans who have gotten similar hype to Doncic imho are a few bigs. Some have turned out spectacularly (Dirk, Kristaps), some have been good not great (Mirotic, Saric) and some have been colossal busts (Darko, Skita...hopefully not Bender). But that's true with all NBA prospects.

I can't think of another teenage guard who has come out of Europe as a potential #1 pick or anything close to it. By all accounts, Doncic is a uniquely special prospect. Whether or not that translates to a special NBA player remains to be seen, but that's the case with everyone in the draft.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Tony Parker was from France. He was great

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Tony Parker was from France. He was great

Absolutely, but also a late first rounder.

I think people get too caught up in labels and broad strokes with prospects. Being European factors in due to competition, the way you learn the game, etc, but discounting players because of that one attribute feels like an overreaction.

Should we not take Ayton because Arizona has never produced a dominant big? Or because he was born in the Bahamas? Or should we avoid him because Greg Oden and Kwame Brown were busts so big, young, athletic centers are a risk?

I get that some people see the lack of traditional athleticism as a red flag (though I think it's both overstated and unimaginative from a fan base that rooted for Steve Nash), but with Doncic I don't see a European first...I see a kid with great size, otherworldly skills, and (most importantly) an obsession with the game of basketball.

 

[BC867]

I'm kind of surprised by the results so far, mainly that Young has only received 1 vote out of 34 people. He was hyped heavily early on and played great to start the season. I think if this were asked back in November or December he'd probably be closer to splitting the majority with Bagley and Doncic. I'm surprised Bagley has 21 to Doncic's 8 also. I know I'm a fan of Bagley but people seem to have soured on Doncic over the last couple of weeks here, not nationally or on message boards.

Don'tcha think that is because we have a starting Point Guard now with a variety of talents?

If we are looking to move from pathetic to good, not just mediocre, our chief need is a Center. Our second is a Power Forward.

BPA is not going to get us there if we leave our greatest needs unfilled.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Don'tcha think that is because we have a starting Point Guard now with a variety of talents?

If we are looking to move from pathetic to good, not just mediocre, our chief need is a Center. Our second is a Power Forward.

BPA is not going to get us there if we leave our greatest needs unfilled.

Elfrid Payton has not come close to proving his value as a starting pg. He fizzled in Orlando, and while we would love to see a turnaround, his play here has done more to confirm his reputation than repudiate it. He is well worth a second rounder in trade still. Just not sure if he is worth $8 million plus per year in a contract.

We need a point guard. We also need a center. We also need a pf. I don't mind taking Bagley because I think he is the second best player in this draft after Ayton. But if scouting believes that Young will be the better pro, by all means take him.

My order is Atyon, Bagley, Young. You all know what I think about Doncic.

 

[BC867]

Elfrid Payton has not come close to proving his value as a starting pg. He fizzled in Orlando, and while we would love to see a turnaround, his play here has done more to confirm his reputation than repudiate it.

My point is that he is showing more promise at his position than any of our starting Center or Power Forward starting candidates. I'm curious if you disagree with that.