Suns updates and discussion for the 2019-20 season

[GatorAZ]

What are you talking about? I just watched him deny it on video during a press conference.

Miller admitted at the press conference he spoke with Dawkins. He denied discussing Ayton or anything involving payments. There was no tape played of Miller discussing Ayton. Everything is hearsay from Book.

 

[Mainstreet]

Devin Booker will become a global ambassador for Special Olympics.

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[Hoop Head]

Devin Booker will become a global ambassador for Special Olympics.

I was coming here to post about that also. Whether Booker is able to elevate his game to another level or not is up for debate but I think he's viewed as a legit star by his peers in the NBA and other professional athletes.


https://www.nba.com/suns/community/star-court-booker-announced-special-olympics-global-ambassador

 

[Ronin]

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[Chaplin]

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There is so much here. So much.

 

[Phrazbit]

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Is that Frank the Tank?

Is so... at least his knee seems to be better!

 

[Mainstreet]

Some good news. Oubre and Kaminsky have healed from injury.


Gina Mizell‏Verified account @ginamizell

James Jones said Kelly Oubre Jr. (meniscus surgery) and Frank Kaminsky (patella stress fracture) have both medically healed, but "kind of pressed the pause button" because they can't do full-blown sports rehab. If season resumes, Jones is optimistic they'd be able to play. #Suns

12:53 PM - 16 Apr 2020

 

[Mainstreet]

James Jones optimistic the NBA season can resume or at least the playoffs.

From Arizona Sports:


Again, no decision by the NBA has been made about whether the 2019-20 regular season will resume, or how, but Williams’ word choice showed the sharp realities of how coronavirus has changed the world and put basketball in the backseat of priorities.

Nonetheless, Jones said he is optimistic the season can return.

“I do know that (NBA commissioner) Adam (Silver) and all the teams, we’ll explore every option to resume the season,” Jones said. “We want to crown the champion. I think every player will tell you they want closure to the season. We’ll do that in a respectful way. We won’t forsake health or wellness to play.”


https://arizonasports.com/story/229...-coronavirus-halt-could-take-more-than-weeks/

 

[95pro]

Some good news. Oubre and Kaminsky have healed from injury.


Gina Mizell‏Verified account @ginamizell

James Jones said Kelly Oubre Jr. (meniscus surgery) and Frank Kaminsky (patella stress fracture) have both medically healed, but "kind of pressed the pause button" because they can't do full-blown sports rehab. If season resumes, Jones is optimistic they'd be able to play. #Suns

12:53 PM - 16 Apr 2020

I completely forgot about his meniscus. Hopefully it doesn't bother him down the road or become a nagging injury.

 

[Mainstreet]

I completely forgot about his meniscus. Hopefully it doesn't bother him down the road or become a nagging injury.

The same here. Of course Bledsoe reportedly had a small piece of meniscus removed in 2014 and he is still going.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/01/1...d-meniscus-removed-could-return-in-six-weeks/

 

[Mainstreet]

Suns may explore point guard Devin Booker again.

From Duane Rankin at azcentral:

"If there is anything I'd like to explore would probably be putting Devin at the point guard position a bit more than I did last year," Williams said. "I think he's at a point in his career where he makes the right plays consistently. And so my thought is put the ball in his hands for about 10 to 12 minutes, maybe more, a game and see how that impacts our team."

"He's so efficient," Williams said about Booker, who shot a career-high 48.7% from the field this season.

Booker also connected on 36% of his 3s and shot a career-best 91.6% from the line, Williams noted.

"Why not take advantage of having the ball in his hands?" Williams added.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...n-booker-point-guard-phoenix-suns/5146865002/

 

[Hoop Head]

Booker is #3 on Lowe's list of 5 things he likes this week. Good write up on him also, especially encouraged to see the last paragraph....

Booker took a leap this season. He was a deserving All-Star. He and the Suns have a lot to sort out, especially on defense, but Booker is really good and should grow into the sort of scorer-distributor who can play a big role on a winning team.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...luding-devin-booker-showing-skills-chris-paul

 

[Mainstreet]

@Hoop Head

It makes a lot of sense for the Suns to add a combo guard or a shooting point guard beside Booker to get another shooter on the court.

 

[BC867]

Suns may explore point guard Devin Booker again.

From Duane Rankin at azcentral:

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...n-booker-point-guard-phoenix-suns/5146865002/

"He's so efficient.," Williams said about Booker, who shot a career-high 48.7% from the field this season.

"Booker also connected on 36% of his 3s and shot a career-best 91.6% from the line.", Williams noted.

That describes Booker as a Shooting Guard, does it not?


"Why not take advantage of having the ball in his hands?" Williams added.

And that describes a ball hog. Which invites the usual double- and triple-teaming of our best scorer.
Wearing him down, which invites injuries.

How can a Coach call for that? For even twelve minutes a game. Including with games on the line.
We've seen the bad results of that.

Why do I keep taking the Phoenix Suns seriously? Because I dislike the thought of abandoning my
hometown team. But I don't like being a masochist.

 

[Superbone]

The same here. Of course Bledsoe reportedly had a small piece of meniscus removed in 2014 and he is still going.

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/01/1...d-meniscus-removed-could-return-in-six-weeks/

I’m not an NBA athlete but I had the same surgery about 3 years ago and my knee is back to as good as ever. I still play full court basketball. Speaking of which, it’s going to be a while before us regular folk can get back on the court too.

 

[Mainstreet]

"He's so efficient.," Williams said about Booker, who shot a career-high 48.7% from the field this season.

"Booker also connected on 36% of his 3s and shot a career-best 91.6% from the line.", Williams noted.

That describes Booker as a Shooting Guard, does it not?


"Why not take advantage of having the ball in his hands?" Williams added.

And that describes a ball hog. Which invites the usual double- and triple-teaming of our best scorer.
Wearing him down, which invites injuries.

How can a Coach call for that? For even twelve minutes a game. Including with games on the line.
We've seen the bad results of that.

Why do I keep taking the Phoenix Suns seriously? Because I dislike the thought of abandoning my
hometown team. But I don't like being a masochist.

Booker is already handling the ball in the last few minutes of the game or in key situations so I don't see much of a change.

As I mentioned earlier, I do think adding a combo guard or a shooting point guard would solve a lot of the issues in regard to adding additional shooting and having another ball handler on the court.

 

[GatorAZ]

"He's so efficient.," Williams said about Booker, who shot a career-high 48.7% from the field this season.

"Booker also connected on 36% of his 3s and shot a career-best 91.6% from the line.", Williams noted.

That describes Booker as a Shooting Guard, does it not?


"Why not take advantage of having the ball in his hands?" Williams added.

And that describes a ball hog. Which invites the usual double- and triple-teaming of our best scorer.
Wearing him down, which invites injuries.

How can a Coach call for that? For even twelve minutes a game. Including with games on the line.
We've seen the bad results of that.

Why do I keep taking the Phoenix Suns seriously? Because I dislike the thought of abandoning my
hometown team. But I don't like being a masochist.

I don’t like it any more than you do but it’s pretty simple...

Carter is a defensive pest who has shown the ability to hit 3’s and Ty Jerome well... neither of which are distributors. It’s not like we’ll see Point Book for more than a few stretches with Rubio resting or injured.

 

[Superbone]

I think it would actually help Booker get doubled less. Currently, he gets doubled every time he touches the ball.

 

[Chaplin]

True distributors don’t exactly grow on trees anymore...

 

[95pro]

I think it would actually help Booker get doubled less. Currently, he gets doubled every time he touches the ball.

I agree, adding a combo guard would do wonders. I'm actually liking the idea of Donovan Mitchell, he can penetrate and is more explosivel, whereas booker is a little more cerebral lately. I think they'd compliment each other very well. I'd feel better having booker pass to an open combo guard than an open Rubio.

 

[Covert Rain]

Booker is already handling the ball in the last few minutes of the game or in key situations so I don't see much of a change.

As I mentioned earlier, I do think adding a combo guard or a shooting point guard would solve a lot of the issues in regard to adding additional shooting and having another ball handler on the court.

The reason his efficiency has gone up is because he isn't being asked to handle the ball 100% down the court and make every decision. He isn't being asked to do everything. The idea that we should play him more as a guard isn't a good one IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

The reason his efficiency has gone up is because he isn't being asked to handle the ball 100% down the court and make every decision. He isn't being asked to do everything. The idea that we should play him more as a guard isn't a good one IMO.

I thought this as well. Only guessing but I suspect the Suns look north to Utah and see Booker being as good or better than Donovan Mitchell who handles the ball.

A combo guard would fit nicely next to Booker to spread ball handling duties.

 

[Mainstreet]

There are some quotes from Devin Booker in the linked azcentral article below.

Here is a snippet when he shared thoughts with The Big Lead's Liam McKeone:


When asked about which part of his game he felt he had improved the most in the past season, Booker replied: "I’d say many aspects, but the one that stuck out the most was efficiency levels. Shooting the ball at an efficient rate. I credit the system Coach Monty [Williams] put in and the players that helped me out a lot this year. Having a pass-first, true leader, playoff-experienced point guard in Ricky Rubio helped out a lot. The way Kelly Oubre played until his injury was, I’d say, the best year of his career so far. Deandre Ayton got better. It’s been a really fun season trying to change that reputation that the Suns have."


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...ns-up-nba-perception-himself-team/3065639001/

 

[BC867]

There are some quotes from Devin Booker in the linked azcentral article below.

Here is a snippet when he shared thoughts with The Big Lead's Liam McKeone:


When asked about which part of his game he felt he had improved the most in the past season, Booker replied: "I’d say many aspects, but the one that stuck out the most was efficiency levels. Shooting the ball at an efficient rate. I credit the system Coach Monty [Williams] put in and the players that helped me out a lot this year. Having a pass-first, true leader, playoff-experienced point guard in Ricky Rubio helped out a lot. The way Kelly Oubre played until his injury was, I’d say, the best year of his career so far. Deandre Ayton got better. It’s been a really fun season trying to change that reputation that the Suns have."


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...ns-up-nba-perception-himself-team/3065639001/

"Having a pass-first, true leader, playoff-experienced point guard in Ricky rubio helped out a lot."

So the best approach would be to play Book and Rubio as a tandem. Or have a backup Point Guard who is pass-first
for when Book is in but not Rubio. The backup does not have to be playoff-experienced. He can acquire experience
all season long.

Rather than wear out Devin as also being our backup Point Guard when Rubio is not in the game, which is what
Monty announced he will do.

Maximize the efficiency of Booker's minutes!

 

[Mainstreet]

"Having a pass-first, true leader, playoff-experienced point guard in Ricky rubio helped out a lot."

So the best approach would be to play Book and Rubio as a tandem. Or have a backup Point Guard who is pass-first
for when Book is in but not Rubio. The backup does not have to be playoff-experienced. He can acquire experience
all season long.

Rather than wear out Devin as also being our backup Point Guard when Rubio is not in the game, which is what
Monty announced he will do.

Maximize the efficiency of Booker's minutes!

We may disagree, but I think a combo guard who can shoot and distribute would work as well.