Suns updates and discussion for the 2020-21 season

[Hoop Head]

@Hoop Head

Are you able to watch the Suns games live?

When I have time. I'm using a few different sites to watch along and catch about 2/3 of the games.

 

[elindholm]

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Why is Derek Fisher still in the news? Did he die or something?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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I’m glad fisher circled nash. It should remind him constantly that nash was always much better than him.

 

[Mainstreet]

When I have time. I'm using a few different sites to watch along and catch about 2/3 of the games.

My bill has been bumped up considerably. I may finish out the season and hope there are new alternatives next season.

 

[Hoop Head]

My bill has been bumped up considerably. I may finish out the season and hope there are new alternatives next season.

I remember hearing how Fox Sports AZ were considering offering a standalone subscription service prior to this season and obviously nothing came of it and they switched to Bally Sports.I hope they do get.things in line to offer something next year because I'd rather pay a few bucks than deal with various streaming sites.

I hope the change in their name brings about a change in business as well..it sucks being so limited as how we can watch local sports.

 

[Proximo]

And reportedly wanted more. Both of them seem to be great teammates but Mikal is worth a lot more on the court than Kelly is IMO. I have no idea what Bridges will get but I'd be disappointed if we didn't outbid whoever we had to in order to keep him.

Bridges will get 20 Million a season - and he is worth it.

He is literally the perfect complimentary player. He doesn't feel he has to get shots, but is extremely efficient, has a great attitude is a top flight defender.

 

[Proximo]

I remember hearing how Fox Sports AZ were considering offering a standalone subscription service prior to this season and obviously nothing came of it and they switched to Bally Sports.I hope they do get.things in line to offer something next year because I'd rather pay a few bucks than deal with various streaming sites.

I hope the change in their name brings about a change in business as well..it sucks being so limited as how we can watch local sports.

No, Fox sports was never doing a standalone subscription service - Bally Sport's is. It's not out yet, but should be soon.

 

[Proximo]

Bridges has way too many games in which he completely disappears. like, 0-3 point games. He’s a solid role player for this team, but the way fans adore him makes him vastly overrated. If I’m JJ, I don’t make much of an effort to re-sign him

The team does not ask him to score. You are looking at it completely wrong.

What matters is what happens when players get shots how efficient are they - not how many shots do they take. Mikal is a 53, 40, 83 shooter. That's DAMN good - and his main focus is not offense.

You must have been an Iverson fan or something.

 

[Mainstreet]

I remember hearing how Fox Sports AZ were considering offering a standalone subscription service prior to this season and obviously nothing came of it and they switched to Bally Sports.I hope they do get.things in line to offer something next year because I'd rather pay a few bucks than deal with various streaming sites.

I hope the change in their name brings about a change in business as well..it sucks being so limited as how we can watch local sports.

It would seem there is a lot more money to made by offering the service to more customers rather than fewer. I don't understand why some of these streaming services got cut out of the market.

Maybe all the gambling money will lower prices.

 

[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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[Mainstreet]

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This is the most encouraging news I have heard about Jalen Smith all season.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Disclaimer: At no point in the forthcoming comment am I suggesting that Jalen is going to be a great player or even like the player mentioned, lol.

With that out of the way I would like to point out that Dirk was absolutely horrendous as a rookie and he absolutely wouldn't have seen the floor on this team.

Point being is that the learning curve coming to the NBA can be a steep one and a player can look quite bad early on and still turn out to be good or even great.

 

[Mainstreet]

Disclaimer: At no point in the forthcoming comment am I suggesting that Jalen is going to be a great player or even like the player mentioned, lol.

With that out of the way I would like to point out that Dirk was absolutely horrendous as a rookie and he absolutely wouldn't have seen the floor on this team.

Point being is that the learning curve coming to the NBA can be a steep one and a player can look quite bad early on and still turn out to be good or even great.

I really liked the scouting video of what I saw of Jalen Smith in college. He has multiple skills.

My concern after watching him play in the NBA level is his physical build.

Can he ever on enough weight and muscle to hold his own inside? That's the question for me.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I really liked the scouting video of what I saw of Jalen Smith in college. He has multiple skills.

My concern after watching him play in the NBA level is his physical build.

Can he ever on enough weight and muscle to hold his own inside? That's the question for me.

It's really just a matter of strengthening his lower body. Probably wouldn't have to add too much to make a significant difference.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The team does not ask him to score. You are looking at it completely wrong.

What matters is what happens when players get shots how efficient are they - not how many shots do they take. Mikal is a 53, 40, 83 shooter. That's DAMN good - and his main focus is not offense.

You must have been an Iverson fan or something.

I hadn’t realized his percentages were that good. That’s impressive for a 3-D guy. Now as has been said multiple times, he needs to extend his range beyond the corners and become a bit more clutch with late game shots.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It's really just a matter of strengthening his lower body. Probably wouldn't have to add too much to make a significant difference.

Have you seen his lower body - aka STIX?

 

[Mainstreet]

It's really just a matter of strengthening his lower body. Probably wouldn't have to add too much to make a significant difference.

There doesn't seem like a lot to work with on the lower body. Strengthening the upper body would help.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Disclaimer: At no point in the forthcoming comment am I suggesting that Jalen is going to be a great player or even like the player mentioned, lol.

With that out of the way I would like to point out that Dirk was absolutely horrendous as a rookie and he absolutely wouldn't have seen the floor on this team.

Point being is that the learning curve coming to the NBA can be a steep one and a player can look quite bad early on and still turn out to be good or even great.

I don’t think Dirk is a great example to shine some rays of hope on the disaster that is Stix so far. Dirk was terrible early in the season, but he absolutely wasn’t “horrendous as a rookie”. He in fact got BETTER as the year went on. And while Stix didn’t have a training camp or summer league, well, neither did Dirk as that was the strike shortened season which started in Feb. And yet, in Dirk’s last 17 games of a similarly shortened season he was averaging 12/5/1 on 46% shooting. So, even though you’re not saying Stix will be Dirk, even bringing Dirk up in the conversation doesn’t tell us much of anything because they DIDNT have similar rookie years, DESPITE the similarities and limitations of their compromised offseasons. Dirk was also a year younger than Stix, so even their ages and development was different. Dirk showed flashes and then the next season was actually GOOD. Have you seen anything that points to Stix even being serviceable next year?

Stix looks like he doesn’t belong on a basketball court. That is what is troubling. Even against G-Leaguers. Most guys who are going to be good and definitely guys who are going to be great show at least FLASHES. Stix has looked like he’s amongst the worst players in the league. And that’s being generous.

Instead of the Dirk example of someone being a horrendous rookie who ended up being good or great, can you provide another example of a guy who played two years of college, was a lotto pick looked like an abject disaster and ended up being good or great? That would go further to bolster confidence that it’s possible instead of a bad example given with Dirk.

 

[Chaplin]

you’ve got to come up with better comparisons when you’re “not making comparisons” Dirk was terrible early in the season, but he absolutely wasn’t “horrendous as a rookie”. He in fact got BETTER as the year went on. And before you say well, Stix didn’t have a training camp or summer league, well, neither did Dirk as that was the strike shortened season which started in Feb. And yet, in Dirk’s last 17 games of a similarly shortened season he was averaging 12/5/1 on 46% shooting. So, even though you’re not saying Stix will be Dirk, even bringing Dirk up in the conversation is meaningless because they DIDNT have similar rookie years, DESPITE the similarities and limitations of their compromised offseasons. Dirk showed flashes

Stix looks like he doesn’t belong on a basketball court. That is what is troubling. Most guys who are going to be good and definitely guys who are going to be great show at least FLASHES. Stix has looked like he’s amongst the worst players in the league. And that’s being generous.

Dirk got minutes though. That makes a difference and like you said, invalidates the comparison.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Dirk got minutes though. That makes a difference and like you said, invalidates the comparison.

Stix got minutes in the g league and looked pretty awful. I’d suspect a move up in leagues wouldn’t remedy that.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

you’ve got to come up with better comparisons when you’re “not making comparisons” Dirk was terrible early in the season, but he absolutely wasn’t “horrendous as a rookie”. He in fact got BETTER as the year went on. And before you say well, Stix didn’t have a training camp or summer league, well, neither did Dirk as that was the strike shortened season which started in Feb. And yet, in Dirk’s last 17 games of a similarly shortened season he was averaging 12/5/1 on 46% shooting. So, even though you’re not saying Stix will be Dirk, even bringing Dirk up in the conversation is meaningless because they DIDNT have similar rookie years, DESPITE the similarities and limitations of their compromised offseasons. Dirk showed flashes

Stix looks like he doesn’t belong on a basketball court. That is what is troubling. Most guys who are going to be good and definitely guys who are going to be great show at least FLASHES. Stix has looked like he’s amongst the worst players in the league. And that’s being generous.

Largely because he hasn't had the opportunity to get on the court and learn with live game reps. Even in the G-League he only got a total of 6 games and 16 minutes per game. Dirk had the benefit of getting consistent minutes from the start of the season and to work through his shortcomings.

And yes as a whole he was very bad as a rookie and even towards the end of the season he was only not as terrible as he was earlier (had a solid 12 game stretch or so at the end, but he also ended up being a great player).

 

[Chaplin]

Stix got minutes in the g league and looked pretty awful. I’d suspect a move up in leagues wouldn’t remedy that.

Not the same thing.

He played 16m per in 6 games in the GLeague. Not a great sample size, but not great nonetheless.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Stix got minutes in the g league and looked pretty awful. I’d suspect a move up in leagues wouldn’t remedy that.

Sure 6 games and 16 minutes per game. Not nearly enough time to find any sort of rhythm or to be able to adjust and improve. Dirk got minutes from the very start of the season and finally started to find some success at the end of the season.

Again not suggesting that Jalen will ever be any where near that level of player, but only that we can't come even close to a conclusion of what he will become based on his play this year.