Suns 2010 pre-draft workouts

[Folster]

I wouldn't expect Varnado to develop much on offense, he just doesn't have the feel for it offensively. Brings the ball down too much, doesn't do much well other than dunk it. Completely baffled by double teams etc.

But he's a lot like Theo Ratliff defensively in that he plays much bigger than he is. Ratliff got it done with quick leaping ability, Varnado is more about timing. He's uncanny how he stays down until the last split second and then blocks the shot. Long arms, huge hands, saw him play 4-5 times last season he really changes games. Against UK the big bodies of Cousins and Patterson gave him problems he got in foul trouble, but he still had 7 blocks in the 2 games and alters a lot of shots too.

I'm sure he'll fill out as he gets older but he doesn't look like a guy who's ever going to really bulk up.

I think he'll find a spot in the NBA and stick, he seems to be a good kid who works hard and will understand what his role is and won't complain about not getting more shots.

Thanks for the info on Varnado. I only saw him play once on TV, but his numbers have intrigued me for the last two season. I agree with your assessment on his skills. With the 46th and 60th pick, we'll be lucky to find a guy that can make the team, much less get playing time. Varnado has a skill set that will get him on the floor and keep in him in the league.

 

[Chaplin]

IMO, it's not going to happen that way.

Stanley Robinson is slated to go #35 per NBADraftnet so he may not be available. Torrance would be interesting if he fell to #60. However, if the Suns want Torrance or Stanley they better grab him at #46. What the Suns really need is another big man. What's the draft plan for that happening....

NBADraftnet is not a traditional mock draft. It's just a ranking system that doesn't take specific teams in consideration. This is something we go over every year.

 

[elindholm]

NBADraftnet is not a traditional mock draft. It's just a ranking system that doesn't take specific teams in consideration. This is something we go over every year.

That's true, but on the other hand, it's historically not any less accurate than any "true" mock draft. Almost every mock draft overestimates the degree to which teams will draft for need, when in reality they almost always draft for perceived talent.

 

[Chaplin]

That's true, but on the other hand, it's historically not any less accurate than any "true" mock draft. Almost every mock draft overestimates the degree to which teams will draft for need, when in reality they almost always draft for perceived talent.

True, but at least the so-called "expert" drafts try to take into consideration team needs and current personnel, even if they predict wrongly.

 

[Yuma]

Yeah, I wonder why they drafted him also. I keep hoping that they saw something in him they considered developable (I might have just made that word up?). It seems highly unlikely but they definitely saw something in Robin Lopez that many of us missed (that's us with a capital ME).

Steve

Oh, I could see drafting Lopez. He had some good raw skills and size. I liked him as a pick. Now Griffen, I am still trying to figure out why we drafted him. If we cut him loose this year, I would have no heartburn with that. I think he was just a roster filler/practice player for us.

 

[Griffin]

Seems that if the Suns want a first round pick this year, there may be a few teams willing to sell one. The Heat apparently are willing to part with the 18th pick. But I doubt Sarver is interested.

The Heat are willing to sell the 18th pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, according to league sources.

"They want to sell it to clear cap space," one Western Conference executive told Yahoo! Sports.

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi...t_willing_to_sell_18th_pick_for_cap_space/el/

 

[Yuma]

Seems that if the Suns want a first round pick this year, there may be a few teams willing to sell one. The Heat apparently are willing to part with the 18th pick. But I doubt Sarver is interested.

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi...t_willing_to_sell_18th_pick_for_cap_space/el/

Listened to Chad Ford today, and he said there were about 14 guys in the draft that could be good NBA talent. After that, he said everyone left was about on the same level, FWIW.

 

[Mainstreet]

It seems the Suns might be interested in Stanford swingman Landry Fields at #46 if the FO is not posturing. See azcentral article dated 6-22-10 by Paul Coro. He is compared to a player like Dudley or Matt Barnes. Anyone see him play or know more.

Do the Suns really need another swingman?

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...s-nba-draft-alvin-gentry-potential-picks.html

 

[hafey]

If you're drafting for need in the 2nd round you have issues.

 

[slinslin]

Seems that if the Suns want a first round pick this year, there may be a few teams willing to sell one. The Heat apparently are willing to part with the 18th pick. But I doubt Sarver is interested.

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wi...t_willing_to_sell_18th_pick_for_cap_space/el/

Yes please I want Whiteside (DX #23), Henry (DX #11) and Bledsoe (DX #19) in a Suns jersey. One of them should be available at #18 I would hope at least.

 

[Mainstreet]

If you're drafting for need in the 2nd round you have issues.

So are you thinking he is BPA?

I don't know very much about Landry Fields but I didn't know much about Taylor Griffin either. Now I do. I'm thinking the Suns needs are at C-F or possibly a third PG. In most cases when drafting at #46 in the draft need should be a strong consideration.

 

[BC867]

I agree. i believe that a 12-man roster should always include three legitimate Centers, three assist-capable Point Guards and two of everything else.

And what better way to break in a young C or PG than as the 11th and 12th players and see what develops.

Channing Frye is not a Center. Leandro Barbosa is not a Point Guard. Despite their large and small heights.

 

[Irish]

It seems the Suns might be interested in Stanford swingman Landry Fields at #46 if the FO is not posturing. See azcentral article dated 6-22-10 by Paul Coro. He is compared to a player like Dudley or Matt Barnes. Anyone see him play or know more.

Do the Suns really need another swingman?

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...s-nba-draft-alvin-gentry-potential-picks.html

Definitely a BPA sype player.

NCAA Weekly Performers, 12/31/09
December 31, 2009
Matthew Kamalsky

Though Stanford sits in the lower tier of the PAC-10 heading into conference play with their 6-6 record, senior forward Landry Fields has been nothing short of brilliant through the Cardinal’s non-conference schedule. Graduating four seniors from last season’s 20-win team, Fields has picked up the slack left behind by Anthony Goods and Lawrence Hill, demanding closer NBA draft scrutiny in the process.

As Stanford’s clear-cut first option, Fields has been an extremely consistent performer for Head Coach Johnny Dawkins through the first few months of the season, posting less than 21 points in only one game thus far, while also leading his team in rebounds and steals.

Fields has blossomed into a major mismatch threat at the college level due to his big wingspan, solid athleticism, and ability to play both inside and outside. However, standing just 6-7 and falling a bit between positions, Fields still has a lot to prove to NBA scouts regarding his pro potential.

After serving a complementary role next to Lawrence Hill last season, Fields is the feature player in Stanford’s offensive sets, with almost a quarter of his touches coming in pure isolation situations according to the data we have at our disposal.

Displaying a solid first step, nice ball-handling ability, and a knack for using his length and smarts effectively to get his shot off over defenders, Fields is a tough cover for small forwards, let alone the occasional four-man that steps out to defend him. Able to attack the basket and finish with either hand, he looks equally comfortable driving after facing up in the mid-post or operating from the perimeter. Using jabs and jump-stops very effectively, displaying a nice floater, and showing toughness and creativity around the rim, Fields does an excellent job of creating scoring chances on the interior as his outstanding 8.6 free-throw attempts per-contest indicate.

Though Fields has proven to be a high caliber scorer, he is still not a finished product offensively, especially with the polish he shows from the perimeter. When he isn’t able to get close enough to the rim to utilize his floater, he struggles mightily with his pull-up jump shot, displaying a lack of fluidity in his form and a low release point. In contrast, Fields is a passable shooter from a standstill, displaying solid range and the ability to make shots with a hand in his face, a nice tool for him on the occasions that he faces up in the post.

Aside from his ability to put points on the board, Fields impacts the game in a number of other ways. A capable passer and rebounder, Fields displays a good basketball IQ, and while he’s not looking to make passes when he puts the ball on the floor, he shows good court vision and will hit the open cutter and deliver crisp passes back out to the perimeter when defenders collapse to deny his penetration.

Defensively, Fields successfully uses his length to make an impact in the passing lanes and contest shots. Displaying active hands and a good effort level overall, Fields ranks amongst the top-20 players in steals per-game in our database. Though he doesn’t have outstanding lateral quickness, he doesn’t get beat off the dribble too often on the NCAA level, and shows good discipline forcing his defender to drive into help and pursuing the ball aggressively off the rim after shots go up.

Like many of his peers in this year’s senior class, this is the first season that Fields has had the opportunity to showcase all of the things that he does well on a regular basis. He’s taken advantage of his opportunity as well as any player in that group. If he can continue his momentum through conference play, improve his jump shot, and play well in front of NBA decision-makers in Portsmouth and in private workouts, he could work his way into draft conversations.

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From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Landry-Fields-5803/#ixzz0rhNykTJN
http://www.draftexpress.com
​

Standing reach is 8.85. Averaged 22.0 ppg on 62% for two but only 33.7% for three.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQFmTAYxc5o&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta2sBoDyyMg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u6QfPU5Tv4

The vidios suggest he's got some talent. Obviously highlihgt films doen't tell the whole story, but he looks a lot smoother than Griffin.

As for roster slots, it is hard to tell but might make sense if the Suns are thinking about a massive restructuring.

 

[Griffin]

The Suns concluded their pre-draft workouts today. The sixth and final workout featured Jon Scheyer, Marquez Haynes, Thomas Heurtel, Kyle Gibson and Dwayne Collins. Gibson made his third visit, but supposedly he works out locally. Collins didn't participate due to injury.

Yesterday, the Suns looked at Landry Fields, Mac Koshwal, Marquis Gilstrap and Gavin Edwards. The first post in this thread has the complete list of everyone the Suns looked at.

From Coro's blog:

Out of today's group, Heurtel and Collins would be the most likely Suns fits, particularly with Heurtel at No. 60 because it would be ideal to draft a player for the roster at No. 46 and do a draft-and-stash at No. 46.

Stanford swingman Landry Fields looks like a prime candidate for the Suns at No. 46, unless someone like Alabama point guard Mikhail Torrance or Rider shooting guard Ryan Thompson falls unexpectedly to that spot. For a team potentially losing three big-men free agents, DePaul power forward Mac Koshwal and Radford center Art Parakhouski (from Belarus) are also possibilities that have piqued Phoenix's interest.

"We really believe that at 46, with the way this draft is set up, that we can get a player that could make our team, possibly and actually maybe contribute a little bit," said Suns Director of Player Personnel Todd Quinter, a hands-on draft worker and long-time Suns basketball operations mind that is staying. "Obviously, with free agency the way it is, it depends on the position. And if we can get all our guys back, there wouldn't be quite as big of a need for another player."

There's more: http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/87612

I don't know why Coro says that Ryan Thompson's availability at 46 would be unexpected since I haven't seen his name in mock drafts and he's ranked only 93rd overall by DraftExpress.

 

[Irish]

I would be very surprised if Amundsen comes back. Frye will only leave if some team significantly overvalues a guy who was pretty one dimensional most of last season.

I'm not sure we know if Amare is leaving. It is not unreasonable to assume he will get a "max" offer, but Miami is the only playoff team with the cap space and most observers expect them to go after Bosh.

Bosh and Boozer will set the "high side" of the market. If they get the $140 million, then we can assume Amare will get an offer too high for Sarver. But if the number is substantially lower and the team bidding is really awful, Amare will have to eat his words on going to a contender or insisting on the Max. Other than Miami, he'll have to make a choice.

 

[carey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQFmTAYxc5o&NR=1&feature=fvwp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta2sBoDyyMg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u6QfPU5Tv4

That pass was to Rolo in the second vid

 

[Ronin]

A little bit off topic......but anyone know if the Suns have looked at Jahmar Young. The kid is oozing with talent but.....his maturity (that's putting nicely) will keep him from making it to the NBA.

 

[Ronin]

nevermind only the warriors have taken a look Young.