Summer League 2015

[FArting]

Tomorrow's summer league game will be on NBATV.

 

[sunsfan88]

Booker showing he can do a little bit of everything, good to see

http://youtu.be/xVCAOpmY4fM

 

[3rdside]

Think I got a little carried away with the love word there – I was on the right track with the Adebayor article suggesting that it’s not often about love, it’s often a pain in the a$$, but players do it out of a sense of patriotic duty. A good thing that a sportsman should feel this; for the love (here we go again..) not the money.

Nobody is denying him the right to do anything. It absolutely should be up to Len to decide. He should be able to decide between money and love. if he wants to play for love, he can leave his contract behind. Nobody is proposing holding him hostage. We are just saying that since we are giving him money, we should have a say in those decisions. If he doesn't want a team to have a say, let's get rid of contract guarantees in those situations.

If you have a $100m contract and your team tells you you can’t play international ball without giving that up, what are you realistically going to do? You can’t on any reasonable ground break the contract as you’ve got a future to worry about, a family to feed (heh) etc etc. so, by definition, you are holding them hostage. And with 101 players (that’s a lot) from overseas, do you propose to tell them all the same thing? Of course not, you can’t, there would be no NBA if you did.

First off, that was not an "opening argument. Typically, opening arguments are not located at the end of a post/ argument. Additionally, I wasn't having an argument. You asked, I answered. If you said that two plus two equaled five, I would tell you that you are wrong. This is no different.

My mistake – you make one point (one) in your first post (they who pay the checks decide the rules) and then conclude I’m wrong. Either you’re a genius, capable of winning an argument in one point, or you’re arrogant…and I’m fairly confident you’re not a genius; if I was talking complete rubbish i.e. nothing about what I said makes sense then your analogy of 2 + 2 ≠ 5 might be correct. But I do have a valid point – it’s why we’re still arguing – so your reasoning here is the opposite of genius..it’s idiotic.

Speaking of arrogance though, it is quite arrogant to ask for an opinion and then dismiss it before anyone responds.

“They who pay the checks decide the rules” is too blunt of an argument to be considered in any depth; bosses of Vietnam war veterans didn’t decide the rules on whether their employees could stay or go, NBA team owners don’t decide whether their players can play international ball..so if the real world tells me you're wrong, why would I accept being told I'm categorically wrong, end of story, and in one point no less? All I asked is that you argue with an open mind but you failed this request spectacularly - you therefore deserved a blunt response and you got one.

You are probably right about that, though nobody is proposing a global band on international play. If they have no health concerns, don't have a history of running out of gas towards the end of the season after playing internationally, or don't have a freshly signed five year guaranteed max contract. We are just saying that a team should be able to protect their assets.

A team, of course, should be able to protect their assets, but a player should also be able to protect his interests, and that means keeping his employment contract in place while also abiding by his sense of patriotic duty. I’m no expert on the international ball / insurance situation but it sounds imperfect; that may be so but that’s what progression is all about i.e. we will, as the club vs country issue continues, verge towards a perfect solution. But to say outright it’s a blunt choice between the two is, as I said before, just not right.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Booker showing he can do a little bit of everything, good to see

http://youtu.be/xVCAOpmY4fM

Nice to see a good quick release on the catch and shoot. Great steal and feed by Warren on that fast break. Good defensive peskiness by Booker.

Great basic 2 guard skills.

 

[leclerc]

I agree. Seeing him shoot off screens and with such a high and quick release bodes well. He might actually get some minutes this year.

 

[Mainstreet]

Suns versus Houston has started in summer league. The Suns are playing zero defense and are quickly down 10-0. Alec Brown seems content to put up outside shots.

 

[Mainstreet]

Suns with horrible offensive start. J. McNeal was definitely not the answer at PG.

 

[Mainstreet]

Alex Len is sitting out the game today to avoid the back to back but Justin Harper has shown some offensive skills.

 

[SweetD]

Booker looks a lot smaller than I thought. Both the PG on this summer team are looking for their shots vs running the team. Brown is trying to be Frye and just Chuck up 3s.

Goodwin still doesn't have an outside shot

 

[Mainstreet]

The Rockets had a good draft in getting Dekker in the first round and Harrell in the second round. The Suns could use a banger like Harrell.

Booker went scoreless in the first half.

 

[Mainstreet]

Goodwin did score once on a nice mid-range shot. I can't blame him for taking it to the basket because he is getting to the FT line. However, I think what we all want to see, is Archie showing he has mastered the outside shot.

 

[slinslin]

Booker looks bad, was not impressed yesterday and today well..

I am a little worried with McDonoughs scouting.

IF not for other teams choices we could have Cody Zeller, Nik Stauskas and Booker (yuck). Alec Brown does not look like a player at all.

 

[Chaplin]

Booker looks bad, was not impressed yesterday and today well..

I am a little worried with McDonoughs scouting.

IF not for other teams choices we could have Cody Zeller, Nik Stauskas and Booker (yuck). Alec Brown does not look like a player at all.

And as always, your scouting after 2 summer league games is impeccable. Keep it up.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Booker will be fine. Everything was short, but the shots looked fine. The Houston guard (Cummings) was head and shoulders above McNeal or McConnell(?), and LOTS of lazy passes and turnovers. So Houston rolled them pretty good. Harrell looked great, but all he needed to was be the large player he is. Really had no competition.

 

[Errntknght]

Goodwin does look better shooting the 3 this year. Made 2/3 today and 1/4 yesterday so there's room to hope.

Booker shot worse today than yesterday but I'm not worried about him finding his stroke.

I have to agree with Slin (it does happen) - Alec Brown doesn't look like a player. He needs to play a great deal of basketball - how many years can a guy play in the developmental league?

The whole team turned to total crap in the fourth quarter.

The highlight of the game was seeing Hornacek's beautiful daughter sitting next to him.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not worried about Booker. His shot was straight but short. Shooters are either short or long. Let's not forget he is only 18. He did get to the rim for a couple of baskets.

Archie seemed like all business today and his outside shot shows improvement. I like him getting to the FT line so long as driving the ball to the hoop is not his whole game.

Alec Brown does not look he is ready to play. Maybe he will never be. IMO, he just does not have the build. J. McNeal does not look like roster material either.

I was looking for a big man the Suns might be able to stash on their 15 man roster with some upside. I really didn't see it although Justin Harper might be worth a look.

Just once I wish the Suns would draft a banger like M. Harrell. I guess the Rockets must have a lock on these type players like Tarik Black last season.

 

[sunsfan88]

I'm not worried about Booker. His shot was straight but short. Shooters are either short or long. Let's not forget he is only 18. He did get to the rim for a couple of baskets.

Archie seemed like all business today and his outside shot shows improvement. I like him getting to the FT line so long as driving the ball to the hoop is not his whole game.

Alec Brown does not look he is ready to play. Maybe he will never be. IMO, he just does not have the build. J. McNeal does not look like roster material either.

I was looking for a big man the Suns might be able to stash on their 15 man roster with some upside. I really didn't see it although Justin Harper might be worth a look.

Just once I wish the Suns would draft a banger like M. Harrell. I guess the Rockets must have a lock on these type players like Tarik Black last season.

What's funny is that on the Rockets, Harrel isn't even a top 5 big man on their own team. They will have Dwight, Motiejunas, Smith, Jones, and Capela would all be above him. If he was on the Suns, Harrel would be able to compete for that 4th big man spot with Teletovic & Leur.

He'd be a perfect banger to have here. Morey does a fantastic job with scouting for the Rockets.

 

[Mainstreet]

What's funny is that on the Rockets, Harrel isn't even a top 5 big man on their own team. They will have Dwight, Motiejunas, Smith, Jones, and Capela would all be above him. If he was on the Suns, Harrel would be able to compete for that 4th big man spot with Teletovic & Leur.

He'd be a perfect banger to have here. Morey does a fantastic job with scouting for the Rockets.

Very true. It seems the Rockets have a knack for finding big men. Harrell was an absolute steal in the second round. Not only that, but the Rockets get Dekker in the first round. I was not a huge Dekker fan but if they get Harrell in the second round there is no downside. The Suns need to watch the Rockets waiver wire later on or work a trade (like with the Cleveland pick) to snatch one of those big men.

 

[Chaz]

I think Booker looks like he could be a heck of a player.
Looked active and made some good decisions.
He drew a couple of offensive fouls chasing over screens.

His shot was not falling today but it looks good.

 

[95pro]

His shot could just be his legs adjusting to the speed of the game as well.

 

[Errntknght]

What's funny is that on the Rockets, Harrel isn't even a top 5 big man on their own team. They will have Dwight, Motiejunas, Smith, Jones, and Capela would all be above him. If he was on the Suns, Harrel would be able to compete for that 4th big man spot with Teletovic & Leur.

He'd be a perfect banger to have here. Morey does a fantastic job with scouting for the Rockets.

I watched the first half of the game just now and I thought the same thing about Harrell. I swear the Suns just never pay any attention to guy's strength.

I watched Alec Brown more carefully and he was not quite as out of it as I mentioned yesterday - he did a few things right. He does have a good face up shot with range which is not a bad starting point. If he can add some muscle and learn the game he could become a worthwhile player.

I also watched Goodwin's feet on his jumpers and they were spaced about right (leclerc mentioned yesterday that he had them too close together for good stability.) I'd never noticed that but there was something about his shot that looked better this year and that is probably what it was. I do notice when guys get their feet set well - that was the first thing that struck me about Teletovic. Even off the dribble he squares up beautifully.
One thing Archie could do is get a little better spacing on his feet when he shoots FTs - it would be good practice for his jumpers and might even improve his FT shooting.

 

[Phrazbit]

I watched the first half of the game just now and I thought the same thing about Harrell. I swear the Suns just never pay any attention to guy's strength.

Really? Based on us not taking Harrell? With what pick... the 13th?

The Suns are plenty big and strong.

The knee jerk reactions to brief bits of play in the horrible NBA Summer League are crazy to me. Harrell puts up 11-8 against our Len-less front court of non-prospects and BOOM; according to an earlier post he would be our "4th best big man".

80% of the guys in these games will never see NBA serious NBA minutes, these guys all met like... a week ago, they got only a few days of practice together. No conclusions can be drawn based on this mess of a "league".

 

[Errntknght]

Really? Based on us not taking Harrell? With what pick... the 13th?

The Suns are plenty big and strong.

The knee jerk reactions to brief bits of play in the horrible NBA Summer League are crazy to me. Harrell puts up 11-8 against our Len-less front court of non-prospects and BOOM; according to an earlier post he would be our "4th best big man".

80% of the guys in these games will never see NBA serious NBA minutes, these guys all met like... a week ago, they got only a few days of practice together. No conclusions can be drawn based on this mess of a "league".

Two years in a row without a PF who could hold his own in the paint is not big and strong enough in my book. And there is plenty of historical precedent for that state of affairs. Heck we have a 13th pick PF on the team that I'd be happy to trade for Harrell, unproven as he is. (At least we should watch the waiver wire, as the prior poster suggested, because if the Rocks keep Josh Smith they'll surely have to waive some big.)

Incidentally, in the first half of the game the announcers conversed with Kevin McHale who was extremely candid in talking about his team. Its worth watching, IMO.

 

[leclerc]

The general consensus is that the Suns need to get stronger inside because we're getting killed on the boards on most nights. There must be some team stats to back this up, a +/- for team rebounds...

 

[elindholm]

The general consensus is that the Suns need to get stronger inside because we're getting killed on the boards on most nights.

If only they could add someone like Tyson Chandler.