On Chriss

[Russ Smith]

I hope he turns into a star. I saw him play as a soph at Pleasant Grove I think he was 6'2" or an inch taller at most. the star on the team was Malik Thames the younger brother of Xavier Thames who played at Wash State and then SDSU. Malik had been very highly regarded as a soph himself but didn't get much better.

I'd like to say I noticed Chriss and thought future star but that would be a lie, he was playing guard and wing and he was athletic but he's the rare kid that both had a big growth spurt and not only didn't lose coordination seemed more athletic after he grew.

I think Thames is at UC Riverside and here's Chriss a lottery pick.

Pretty cool/

 

[SweetD]

This guy has so much athleticism that it is crazy! And he already has a jump shot and ball handling!

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[SweetD]

He is more athletic and more range than Miles Turner who I wanted last year. I think Turner is much better on D. I see him playing more of a stretch 4 for now.

 

[GatorAZ]

Although he's one of the worst rebounders and defenders in draft prospect history his athletic upside is too sexy not to get excited. Just hope fans are willing to be patient with both players.

In 2-3 years the Suns could have a versatile lineup to the likes we've never seen before. Honestly another year with a top-10 pick wouldn't bothe me at all.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

In 2-3 years the Suns could have a versatile lineup to the likes we've never seen before. Honestly another year with a top-10 pick wouldn't bothe me at all.

This. It's not tanking, per se. But play the youngsters. Get them meaningful minutes. They won't be ready to truly compete for some time, so don't try to pyrrhic wins. Next year's draft is supposed to be talent-filled. We get our teens experience and get another high draft pick.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It would be nice if we were trading Bledsoe and maybe Knight and if our focus shifted to just developing the youngsters but I doubt Sarver will allow that. Assuming we keep Eric, I think we do everything we can to make the playoffs this season and walk the tightrope when it comes to developing the young ones.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This. It's not tanking, per se. But play the youngsters. Get them meaningful minutes. They won't be ready to truly compete for some time, so don't try to pyrrhic wins. Next year's draft is supposed to be talent-filled. We get our teens experience and get another high draft pick.

Outside of PJ and Chandler, everybody we HAVE is young. I do not think we have a choice unless we resign Tele. We are not going to get them all minutes, but the best will play.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Outside of PJ and Chandler, everybody we HAVE is young. I do not think we have a choice unless we resign Tele. We are not going to get them all minutes, but the best will play.

I could see us re-signing either Teletovic or Leuer and bringing the young guys along slowly. It wouldn't be my preference but we've missed the playoffs for 6 years straight and the natives are restless, not to mention Sarver's piggy bank is probably near empty.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Bledsoe, Ulis
Booker, Knight, Archie
TJ, PJ
Bender, Chriss
Len, Chandler

That's some entertainment right there. BTW, I somehow think a pairing of Ulis and Knight off the bench could be quite explosive.

BTW. All five guards are from Kentucky. I know everyone else probably already has talked about it but wow.

I could see where adding a player like Jimmy Butler to this roster would be perfect.

 

[jagu]

I'm not excited about Chriss. I think he'll be out of the league in a few years. Not much effort and hell Earl Clark had athleticism.

 

[Russ Smith]

I'm not excited about Chriss. I think he'll be out of the league in a few years. Not much effort and hell Earl Clark had athleticism.

he is definitely a boom or bust guy I think people are seriously underestimating the transition from being a guard to being a big. As a guard there's not much contact, especially in HS. Then overnight you're a big and you go to a college with a run and gun coach who's not going to teach you much and then you're on the court competing against guys who have been big forever and learned the game inside and you still feel like a guard.

Long term it has advantages but in the short term he has no idea what he's doing, he doesn't fight for position he just uses his hops and that doesn't work in D1 and sure as heck doesn't work in the NBA. he's a project but he's a great athlete and a smart kid the question is can they get him to play hard which I think again is a function of realizing how physical he has to be.

 

[leclerc]

This. It's not tanking, per se. But play the youngsters. Get them meaningful minutes. They won't be ready to truly compete for some time, so don't try to pyrrhic wins. Next year's draft is supposed to be talent-filled. We get our teens experience and get another high draft pick.

Hallelujah. You preach the gospel.

Give all the kids floor time but get some vets in to spell them. 30 mpg is too much when you're a teenager playing against NBA players for a 82 game season.

 

[Russ Smith]

If I'm counting your roster right you have at least 4 players under 21 and 3 teenagers on the roster. Seems like a perfect time to play kids and get them experience and also get a top 5 pick next year in a loaded draft.

 

[overseascardfan]

At first, I saw what PHX did at #4 and #13 and thought is McD trying to get canned? But then I started looking at clips of Bender and he looks the same body wise and game wise like Pau Gasol in his Euroleague clips. Pau played with a willingness to mix it up in the paint and attack the basket but the resemblance is uncanny. Obviously Pau went on the win ROY but people had questions about him prior to the draft.

 

[SO91]

It would be nice if we were trading Bledsoe and maybe Knight and if our focus shifted to just developing the youngsters but I doubt Sarver will allow that. Assuming we keep Eric, I think we do everything we can to make the playoffs this season and walk the tightrope when it comes to developing the young ones.

If we go all out to make the 8th seed it will be super idiotic. I hope we finally have a damn plan and let the kids mature together. If they turn out to be good enough to get this team in the playoffs, so be it. But don't go chasing a couple of veterans thinking we'll do anything but get slaughtered in the first round, and then have a crap draft pick in what's looking like a strong draft.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If we go all out to make the 8th seed it will be super idiotic. I hope we finally have a damn plan and let the kids mature together. If they turn out to be good enough to get this team in the playoffs, so be it. But don't go chasing a couple of veterans thinking we'll do anything but get slaughtered in the first round, and then have a crap draft pick in what's looking like a strong draft.

It's not really that idiotic. We have an unhappy fan base. The vast majority of them want to see this team compete and make the playoffs. And while I think we'd be better served paying full attention to player development instead, it's not really a given that not doing so would be a better approach to rebuilding. And players can develop without logging big minutes.

My first choice, by far, would be to focus primarily on development with the eye towards getting another top pick in the next year's draft. But I'm okay if we make a trade or two or sign an FA or two with an eye to making the playoffs this season. As long as we don't sell out our future. I'd be very disappointed if we did something like trade away a bunch of future picks and a few players to land Al Horford.

 

[slinslin]

Earl Clark was not nearly as athletic as Chriss, much older, smaller and pretty sure Clark did not study engineering.

 

[JCSunsfan]

At first, I saw what PHX did at #4 and #13 and thought is McD trying to get canned? But then I started looking at clips of Bender and he looks the same body wise and game wise like Pau Gasol in his Euroleague clips. Pau played with a willingness to mix it up in the paint and attack the basket but the resemblance is uncanny. Obviously Pau went on the win ROY but people had questions about him prior to the draft.

He doesn't nearly have the maturity or refined post game that Pau had.

 

[SweetD]

I could see Chriss getting some time at the SF spot. His def and rebounding will keep him from playing PF, unless we are playing against a stretch four that only plays outside the paint.

You can see he just doesn't know how to box out, or keep a body on someone. His ball handling is good enough for him to play with the ball, but probably can't create his own shot from the wing yet.

 

[devilalum]

He's long and crazy athletic. He fits the modern mold. The Suns are now loaded with athletic versitile players that can play multiple positions. IMO this draft really has them moving in the right direction.

You could create an entire thread to explore all the possible lignups and the advantages of each.

sent from a fone

 

[overseascardfan]

He doesn't nearly have the maturity or refined post game that Pau had.

Yeah, that's what I said....Gasol was stronger in the post but their bodies and versatility are similar in that they could play multiple positions and were very mobile. I agree with draft pundits that feel he compares more to Gasol / Kukoc rather than Porzingis but then again he could end up the second coming of Skita.

 

[hcsilla]

At first, I saw what PHX did at #4 and #13 and thought is McD trying to get canned? But then I started looking at clips of Bender and he looks the same body wise and game wise like Pau Gasol in his Euroleague clips. Pau played with a willingness to mix it up in the paint and attack the basket but the resemblance is uncanny. Obviously Pau went on the win ROY but people had questions about him prior to the draft.

As others said Gasol was bigger and also more polished offensively.

I think that Bender's ceiling is the longer version of Andrei Kirilenko which is crazy good.

 

[Chaplin]

You could create an entire thread to explore all the possible lignups and the advantages of each.

sent from a fone

Don't worry, slin will create one eventually.