Jonathan Isaac

[Mainstreet]

Looking at these two draft reports, the Suns could choose Tatum at #4 or trade down if Fox is there.

IMO, Fox is the best player of the three (Tatum, Isaac, Fox) but the Suns are seemingly content at PG.

This is why I always start looking at trade-down scenarios.

If the Suns stay at #4, I can see them drafting Tatum if Jackson is gone.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Looking at these two draft reports, the Suns could choose Tatum at #4 or trade down if Fox is there.

IMO, Fox is the best player of the three (Tatum, Isaac, Fox) but the Suns seemingly are content at PG.

This is why I always start looking at trade-down scenarios.

If the Suns stay at #4, I can see them drafting Tatum.

I think the Suns are wanting to improve a position with their pick. They must not think Fox is an improvement over Bledsoe.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think the Suns are wanting to improve a position with their pick. They must not think Fox is an improvement over Bledsoe.

My thoughts are the Suns feel Bledsoe is better than Fox (at the moment) and they are content at the PG position with Bledsoe and Ulis.

Also the Suns are switching to win-now mode. They want a player that can contribute immediately. It all seems to point to Jackson or Tatum.

Long term, I think Fox is the better PG. I like him as BPA. Trading down at #4 could make some sense.

 

[sunsfan88]

I think the Suns are wanting to improve a position with their pick. They must not think Fox is an improvement over Bledsoe.

Bledsoe of course is 27 years old and Fox is 19. It's reasonable that Fox won't be an immediate improvement over Bledsoe right away.

I doubt that neither of Fultz nor Lonzo Ball will be better than current Bledsoe their first season in the league as well.

What's more important than that is if the front office thinks Fox will be better at age 27 than current Bledsoe. Also, Fox doesn't have the constant reoccurring knee injuries that Bledsoe does which has to be taken into account.

 

[AzStevenCal]

My thoughts are the Suns feel Bledsoe is better than Fox (at the moment) and they are content at the PG position with Bledsoe and Ulis.

Also the Suns are switching to win-now mode. They want a player that can contribute immediately. It all seems to point to Jackson or Tatum.

Long term, I think Fox is the better PG.

Are they? What makes you say this? Is it because of the recent statement that we will re-visit some trade scenarios? Just curious. I had thought the front office realized we were a few years away with all of our youth? Look at Minnesota and all the talent they've accumulated. They stocked up a couple of years before us and they're still on the outside wondering when.

 

[sunsfan88]

My thoughts are the Suns feel Bledsoe is better than Fox (at the moment) and they are content at the PG position with Bledsoe and Ulis.

Also the Suns are switching to win-now mode. They want a player that can contribute immediately. It all seems to point to Jackson or Tatum.

Long term, I think Fox is the better PG. I like him as BPA. Trading down at #4 could make some sense.

Gosh I hope not. We still need to continue getting top 5 picks, still too many holes in the roster.

The only positions that we are good at is SG and PF. If you're a fan of Warren and think that 3pt shooting from the wing isn't important then SF as well. We still need longterm solutions at PG and C and despite how much I love Ulis and his style of play as pass first guy, he's not be the future at that PG position. And I hope to not see Alex Len in a Suns uniform again so I won't even mention being a candidate for the C position longterm.

 

[Mainstreet]

Are they? What makes you say this? Is it because of the recent statement that we will re-visit some trade scenarios? Just curious. I had thought the front office realized we were a few years away with all of our youth? Look at Minnesota and all the talent they've accumulated. They stocked up a couple of years before us and they're still on the outside wondering when.

I think Sarver has been patient but it only goes so far. Also McDonough's job is on the line. The Suns need to show marked improvement this season. They need to show they are going to be a winning team going forward. I do not think the Suns FO or fans have the stomach for more tanking.

 

[Mainstreet]

Gosh I hope not. We still need to continue getting top 5 picks, still too many holes in the roster.

The only positions that we are good at is SG and PF. If you're a fan of Warren and think that 3pt shooting from the wing isn't important then SF as well. We still need longterm solutions at PG and C and despite how much I love Ulis and his style of play as pass first guy, he's not be the future at that PG position. And I hope to not see Alex Len in a Suns uniform again so I won't even mention being a candidate for the C position longterm.

What's the saying, fish or chop bait. I think this is where the Suns are going forward. They should have a good baseline of young talent plus the picks in this draft.

At some point, a team needs to focus on winning.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think Sarver has been patient but it only goes so far. Also McDonough's job is on the line. The Suns need to show marked improvement this season. They need to show they are going to be a winning team going forward. I do not think the Suns FO or fans have the stomach for more tanking.

Ryan and Sarver have both said almost the exact opposite. Sarver wants to win but more than anything, he wants to make money. He was pressuring the front office to win because we were dying at the gate and money was a real issue. But the huge influx of money with the new TV deal has put all of that to rest.

Today, we have a very well managed salary situation (read: profitable) and IMO Ryan is about as safe as a GM can be in the world of pro sports because we are solid financially. His job security can disappear overnight but I do not believe it will hinge on having immediate success. They've both pointed to 2020 as the time frame they expect us to become relevant and I don't see them risking that future by trying to speed it up.

I'm not saying that tanking is definitely in our future but I wouldn't rule it out next season if we again reach the all star break with a dismal record. And if we play our 2017 rookie, Chriss, Bender, Booker and Ulis major minutes, we probably will be out of playoff contention by the end of March. I expect us to look next year something like the way Minnesota did this season, or Utah a couple of years ago. Youth might be great for your future but experience tends to win games.

 

[AzStevenCal]

What's the saying, fish or chop bait. I think this is where the Suns are going forward. They should have a good baseline of young talent plus the picks in this draft.

At some point, a team needs to focus on winning.

I agree with this and I expect that's what will happen next season. I just don't think a group of 19 to 22 year olds is likely to be all that successful at winning. IMO we still have a couple of challenging years ahead of us. Sure, we could get lucky and beat the learning curve but the odds are well against us.

 

[Finito]

Suns are flat out not a playoff team fans shouldn't expect that next season these guys are all still super young.

 

[GatorAZ]

Bledsoe of course is 27 years old and Fox is 19. It's reasonable that Fox won't be an immediate improvement over Bledsoe right away.

I doubt that neither of Fultz nor Lonzo Ball will be better than current Bledsoe their first season in the league as well.

What's more important than that is if the front office thinks Fox will be better at age 27 than current Bledsoe. Also, Fox doesn't have the constant reoccurring knee injuries that Bledsoe does which has to be taken into account.

Going forward with a 19 year old super raw PG that can't shoot is the worst thing for Booker/Warren/Chriss' development.

Let's say they stick it out with Bledsoe and let him walk in two years. By that time Booker will be a star and Chriss/Ulis/Bender should be more polished by then so it's not a big deal.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ryan and Sarver have both said almost the exact opposite. Sarver wants to win but more than anything, he wants to make money. He was pressuring the front office to win because we were dying at the gate and money was a real issue. But the huge influx of money with the new TV deal has put all of that to rest.

Today, we have a very well managed salary situation (read: profitable) and IMO Ryan is about as safe as a GM can be in the world of pro sports because we are solid financially. His job security can disappear overnight but I do not believe it will hinge on having immediate success. They've both pointed to 2020 as the time frame they expect us to become relevant and I don't see them risking that future by trying to speed it up.

I'm not saying that tanking is definitely in our future but I wouldn't rule it out next season if we again reach the all star break with a dismal record. And if we play our 2017 rookie, Chriss, Bender, Booker and Ulis major minutes, we probably will be out of playoff contention by the end of March. I expect us to look next year something like the way Minnesota did this season, or Utah a couple of years ago. Youth might be great for your future but experience tends to win games.

Then maybe I'm speaking for myself. I can't stand the thought of tanking next season 2020 goal or not.

Ryan needs to use the 2017 picks well plus future first round picks including the Miami picks. If the Suns are playing relatively well at the trade deadline (or sooner) I can see them making a move for a premium player if available.

Just a thought, I wonder what Warren plus #32 might bring. Of course this would have the Suns drafting a SF early.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Then maybe I'm speaking for myself. I can't stand the thought of tanking next season 2020 goal or not.

Ryan needs to use the 2017 picks well plus future first round picks including the Miami picks. If the Suns are playing relatively well at the trade deadline (or sooner) I can see them making a move for a premium player if available.

Just a thought, I wonder what Warren plus #32 might bring. Of course this would have the Suns drafting a SF early.

How far away do you think Ulis is from his peak? Same question with Booker, Chriss, Bender and even Warren? For me, I figure Booker is at least 2 full seasons away from simply being a plus player and other than Warren I'd say all the rest of the young talent is at least a season or two behind him. I could see us trying to speed up our timeline but I don't know how you do it and hang on to those young guys. And I don't really see any trade targets out there that would do any more than let us challenge for the chance to make a first round exit.

I think we can show glimpses of our future this season and hopefully that will be enough to keep the interest level high. As for trading Warren, I'd be willing to do it in the right deal but I can't help remember that he was our best player when he was fully healthy at the start and then again, the end of the season. He was pretty bad in between but if that head injury is behind him, I'd hate to find out we sold him on the cheap.

 

[SirStefan32]

I agree with this and I expect that's what will happen next season. I just don't think a group of 19 to 22 year olds is likely to be all that successful at winning. IMO we still have a couple of challenging years ahead of us. Sure, we could get lucky and beat the learning curve but the odds are well against us.

I agree with you, but there is a flip side to young teams, and that's the more pleasant side of unpredictable. Theoretically, every young player should improve. Could Boooker come in and give us six more points per game and maybe some defense? Could pre-bizzare injury TJ Warren come back and score 20 points every night? Could Chriss surprise us again and be significantly more consistent? Could Bender start to contribute? Can Williams and Ulis give us great backup minutes? Hell, could Bledsoe get better? Last year he looked much better than the previous year- can he do it again? If Len is back, what if he finally figures it out and starts playing like an actual NBA player consistently?

I am definitely not saying they are likely to make the playoffs, but the Suns do have a lot of young talent, and young players are unpredictable. If three or four of the things I listed do happen, I can see them sneaking it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I agree with you, but there is a flip side to young teams, and that's the more pleasant side of unpredictable. Theoretically, every young player should improve. Could Boooker come in and give us six more points per game and maybe some defense? Could pre-bizzare injury TJ Warren come back and score 20 points every night? Could Chriss surprise us again and be significantly more consistent? Could Bender start to contribute? Can Williams and Ulis give us great backup minutes? Hell, could Bledsoe get better? Last year he looked much better than the previous year- can he do it again? If Len is back, what if he finally figures it out and starts playing like an actual NBA player consistently?

I am definitely not saying they are likely to make the playoffs, but the Suns do have a lot of young talent, and young players are unpredictable. If three or four of the things I listed do happen, I can see them sneaking it.

I agree with all of this, I just think it's premature to expect it.

 

[SirStefan32]

How far away do you think Ulis is from his peak? Same question with Booker, Chriss, Bender and even Warren? For me, I figure Booker is at least 2 full seasons away from simply being a plus player and other than Warren I'd say all the rest of the young talent is at least a season or two behind him. I could see us trying to speed up our timeline but I don't know how you do it and hang on to those young guys. And I don't really see any trade targets out there that would do any more than let us challenge for the chance to make a first round exit.

I think we can show glimpses of our future this season and hopefully that will be enough to keep the interest level high. As for trading Warren, I'd be willing to do it in the right deal but I can't help remember that he was our best player when he was fully healthy at the start and then again, the end of the season. He was pretty bad in between but if that head injury is behind him, I'd hate to find out we sold him on the cheap.

I started typing my previous post before you wrote this, and it covers just about everything I said.

I especially agree with you on Warren. Pre-injury TJ was an amazing player. I cannot think of a more efficient player than TJ before his mysterious injury. I also really like how well he played the 4 near the end of the season.

 

[SirStefan32]

I agree with all of this, I just think it's premature to expect it.

Oh absolutely! I am not expecting it, but I can see a couple of those things happening. At the very least, it keeps me interested.

 

[Mainstreet]

How far away do you think Ulis is from his peak? Same question with Booker, Chriss, Bender and even Warren? For me, I figure Booker is at least 2 full seasons away from simply being a plus player and other than Warren I'd say all the rest of the young talent is at least a season or two behind him. I could see us trying to speed up our timeline but I don't know how you do it and hang on to those young guys. And I don't really see any trade targets out there that would do any more than let us challenge for the chance to make a first round exit.

I think we can show glimpses of our future this season and hopefully that will be enough to keep the interest level high. As for trading Warren, I'd be willing to do it in the right deal but I can't help remember that he was our best player when he was fully healthy at the start and then again, the end of the season. He was pretty bad in between but if that head injury is behind him, I'd hate to find out we sold him on the cheap.

I have not said the Suns need to make the playoffs next season or even have a winning record. What I have tried to say, I do not want the Suns in be in anything but win mode next season. I do not want to smell tankathon again unless the Suns get to the end of the season and they need to lose a game or two to get a better draft pick. Otherwise, I want the Suns to win every game they can.

I look for the Suns to surprise next season with hopefully two new contributors in the draft, the improvement of players already on the roster plus hopefully the addition of a key player via trade or free agency.

Anything else is an excuse IMO.

 

[Shaggy]

Isaac is impressive athletically but I suspect he will be more of a project than some of the other players. The asthma does not worry me so much with all new medications on the market. I suspect the Suns will take a long look at him.

I intended to do threads on all the players in the first round and the second round through #32 but there did not appear much interest. However, there is still time.

Do it!

 

[sunsfan88]

Going forward with a 19 year old super raw PG that can't shoot is the worst thing for Booker/Warren/Chriss' development.

Let's say they stick it out with Bledsoe and let him walk in two years. By that time Booker will be a star and Chriss/Ulis/Bender should be more polished by then so it's not a big deal.

We're wasting an asset then. Bledsoe is guaranteed to injure himself and miss significant games in at least one of those two seasons so we likely get 1 and a half season of Bledsoe at best.

I would rather have a draft pick in the top 10 that is under contract for 4-5 years than have Bledsoe for 1.5 years.

If the Suns want to trade Bledsoe for a pick in this draft and address their needs at atleast two of PG, SF (one that can shoot/defend) and C with both picks then I'm fine with "trying to win" next season.

 

[Chaplin]

I agree with all of this, I just think it's premature to expect it.

How many more players do we need? I mean, at some point there just isn't anymore room for high draft picks, right? We could use a higher upside center and a SF, but what other reason is there to tank at this point? And when do you completely discount Free Agency?

 

[AzStevenCal]

How many more players do we need? I mean, at some point there just isn't anymore room for high draft picks, right? We could use a higher upside center and a SF, but what other reason is there to tank at this point? And when do you completely discount Free Agency?

I wasn't advocating tanking "at this point". I agreed we should focus on winning. But the cost of playing very young players almost always shows up in the win/loss column.

Expecting a core group that might not even average out to drinking age to play anywhere near their potential is just asking for disappointment. If we reach that point in the season where it's clear we can't compete for a playoff spot, then we should and likely will shift from winning to developing youth as our priority.

 

[Carolinacacti]

I would rather have a skinny Isaac then a slow Dudley on the court. I would look real close at Isaac. Suns will win some games with Chandler, Bled, TJ and Booker. But they have time to take a chance on someone special.

 

[SirStefan32]

How many more players do we need? I mean, at some point there just isn't anymore room for high draft picks, right? We could use a higher upside center and a SF, but what other reason is there to tank at this point? And when do you completely discount Free Agency?

I agree, and I want to add one more thing. I think the problem with free agency is that the Suns have been terrible. Free agents want talent on the roster, and they want playoffs. In my mind, we should keep Bledsoe because he is still our best player. If the Suns are going to make playoffs (which I think is necessary to attract free agents), they need Bledsoe.