Off Season Consideration

[Dan H]

That's what makes this a fascinating discussion. I would argue that Shaq would get you 30 points while only giving up 20. Hell, Shaq has never guarded anybody anyway. I think guys like Olajuwon and Robinson would be fine guarding the guys on the perimeter.

Heck, Big Jake backed Shaq down and scored over him in the post a time or two.

 

[elindholm]

I'm not so sure about O'Neal, since he was a poor help defender and I feel like his low FT% would be a bigger liability in today's game. But I'm confident Olajuwon would still be a superstar today.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's what makes this a fascinating discussion. I would argue that Shaq would get you 30 points while only giving up 20. Hell, Shaq has never guarded anybody anyway. I think guys like Olajuwon and Robinson would be fine guarding the guys on the perimeter.

When the Suns acquired Shaq for Marion the game was already changing. It didn't make sense at the time and doesn't make sense now.

However, you are right, some of the players you mention could have adapted just fine.

Dwight Howard was another example of the game changing away from the traditional big man.

The game still needs players that are strong enough to play inside but they do not necessarily gave to be 7 foot... just be able to spread the court.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm not so sure about O'Neal, since he was a poor help defender and I feel like his low FT% would be a bigger liability in today's game. But I'm confident Olajuwon would still be a superstar today.

Absolutely.

 

[leclerc]

McD is okay picking players, pretty good at signing reasonable contracts, not very good with handling delicate situations, and lousy signing head coaches, if that is part of his job. Looks like we'll make the playoffs soon. We won't beat the top teams anytime soon though. Look at the odds for Golden State winning this year... Point is we can't mess up the next draft and we need to get a winning culture with a certified head coach. Good luck to us all.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Those old time centers would have to come outside to play defense. Also they would have to shoot the outside shot to keep defenses honest.

Gobert would probably be an elite center years back.

You don’t think Gobert is considered elite? He pales in comparison talenteise to those other guys.

And their value in spacing is sucking in defenders to allow more space for shooters.

And you don’t think you can find one of five players on the court to place them on defensively? Virtually no team has a lineup of five guys raining threes. Even golden states death lineup would likely mean draymond jacking up a ton of threes. I don’t think he can make them at a high enough percentage to offset how Robinson, Olajuwon and Shaq would destroy him in the post. If they shoot 70% he’d have to hit 50% of hisbthrees to outperform them and most 5’s aren’t going to do that consistently.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

That's all fine, but once you get past the first 8-10 picks, there's a lot of difference of opinion about who goes exactly where. I'm sure there were several players who were all "slotted" about where Booker went, and McDonough had to choose one of those several.

On a slightly related note, Tatum has really tailed off recently. Leading up to the last draft, I preferred Tatum to Jackson, but since Tatum was off the board by the time the Suns picked, I was okay with Jackson. It's a small sample size, but over the last four or five games, you'd have to say that Jackson is looking like the more dynamic prospect. I really hope he can keep it up through what's left of this season.

Jackson’s been outplaying him since the start of January. It hasn’t really been close either.

 

[hcsilla]

Jackson been outplaying him since the start of January.

No, Jackson hasn't. Tatum's defense is still far superior to Jackson's.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

No, Jackson hasn't. Tatum's defense is still far superior to Jackson's.

He simply plays on a much better defensive team. Put Jackson on that same team and his defense looks much better than it has here.

 

[Mainstreet]

You don’t think Gobert is considered elite? He pales in comparison talenteise to those other guys.

And their value in spacing is sucking in defenders to allow more space for shooters.

And you don’t think you can find one of five players on the court to place them on defensively? Virtually no team has a lineup of five guys raining threes. Even golden states death lineup would likely mean draymond jacking up a ton of threes. I don’t think he can make them at a high enough percentage to offset how Robinson, Olajuwon and Shaq would destroy him in the post. If they shoot 70% he’d have to hit 50% of hisbthrees to outperform them and most 5’s aren’t going to do that consistently.

I don't think Gobert is in the same category of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq, , Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing.

I find spacing and ball rotation the key to finding open shooters although it can be created by a big man passing the ball outside.

The best of the bunch would have an all around game although it's hard to go back in time and compare when the 3 point shot was not prominent.

Some of the above mentioned players could adapt.

Do I find value in a center... you bet. I wish the Suns could find a player like Jokic.

 

[pokerface]

McD is okay picking players, pretty good at signing reasonable contracts, not very good with handling delicate situations, and lousy signing head coaches, if that is part of his job. Looks like we'll make the playoffs soon. We won't beat the top teams anytime soon though. Look at the odds for Golden State winning this year... Point is we can't mess up the next draft and we need to get a winning culture with a certified head coach. Good luck to us all.

I agree with this assessment. That's why we should hang on to McD through the off season. It plays more to his strengths.

 

[SirStefan32]

Do I find value in a center... you bet. I wish the Suns could find a player like Jokic.

We can all hope they already have one. He is a few years younger and 40lb lighter though.

 

[Mainstreet]

We can all hope they already have one. He is a few years younger and 40lb lighter though.

I've thought Bender could play some center for awhile and lately it's become a reality.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't think Gobert is in the same category of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq, , Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson and Patrick Ewing.

I find spacing and ball rotation the key to finding open shooters although it can be created by a big man passing the ball outside.

The best of the bunch would have an all around game although it's hard to go back in time and compare when the 3 point shot was not prominent.

Some of the above mentioned players could adapt.

Do I find value in a center... you bet. I wish the Suns could find a player like Jokic.

I don’t think Gobert fits the definition of generational centers, but today in today’s league I think he’s considered elite. The Jazz certainly built their team around him and I would think few teams wouldn’t want him as their center. My point is, if Gobert would be a no-brainer for today’s teams the dominant centers of yesteryear would be beasts today.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I've thought Bender could play some center for awhile and lately it's become a reality.

I’ve secretly harbored the desire for him to develop into a skillful 5.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don’t think Gobert fits the definition of generational centers, but today in today’s league I think he’s considered elite. The Jazz certainly built their team around him and I would think few teams wouldn’t want him as their center. My point is, if Gobert would be a no-brainer for today’s teams the dominant centers of yesteryear would be beasts today.

How anyone thought you were saying Gobert belongs in the upper echelon of generational centers and missed your point is beyond me.

 

[Mainstreet]

How anyone thought you were saying Gobert belongs in the upper echelon of generational centers and missed your point is beyond me.

Need to read the whole script.

 

[Mainstreet]

I’ve secretly harbored the desire for him to develop into a skillful 5.

I have as well, sort of like Porzingis before he went down.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don’t think Gobert fits the definition of generational centers, but today in today’s league I think he’s considered elite. The Jazz certainly built their team around him and I would think few teams wouldn’t want him as their center. My point is, if Gobert would be a no-brainer for today’s teams the dominant centers of yesteryear would be beasts today.

I'd certainly like to have Gobert on the Suns roster for sure. He is an top defensive center.

A lot better than Mark Eaton... sorry Mark.

 

[BC867]

Looks like we'll make the playoffs soon. We won't beat the top teams anytime soon though.

Looking back over the past 50 seasons, that is the Suns DNA, their niche, their ceiling.

When we maintained it, I always hoped we'd be able to take the next step. Now, I am just hoping we can get back to it. Reality wins out.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Nobody, not even cheese, is saying he hasn't had any hits--he's just mostly had misses.

No GM ever has more hits than misses. That is the NBA draft.

 

[Covert Rain]

No GM ever has more hits than misses. That is the NBA draft.

True but some have way more misses than others.

 

[pokerface]

I've thought Bender could play some center for awhile and lately it's become a reality.

I guess when we think about it Bender playing center fits in todays NBA. The center that can shoot from outside.

 

[Mainstreet]

I guess when we think about it Bender playing center fits in todays NBA. The center that can shoot from outside.

I mostly want to get Bender playing near the top of the key where he can distribute and get him out of the corner. Also I think his shot looks better from there. Additionally he is a mismatch for many centers.

 

[overseascardfan]

Problem with Bender is he isn't aggressive enough and he needs to get tougher, more hard nosed instead of being a finesse player.