Suns vs Kings, Las Vegas, 7-7-17

[Raze]

Cooley was bothersome, but Chriss was our leading scorer and rebounder tonight. He wasn't outplayed by Cooley. I agree with your assessment of his attitude, but you're off base in his importance to the win. IMO

I didn't infer his importance in the win. Wins mean nothing in this league. That's why players don't foul at the end of games. They know what these games are for. Sure, they won because of his contributions. But so what?

I don't care what his stats are. This is the summer league. I want to see a guy working on an aspect of his game that was lacking. Getting 9 boards in 33 minutes when you're the most athletic big man on the floor in the summer league is NOT satisfactory. And let's not forget he's a 2nd year player.

If I watched film with him after this, I wouldn't show him every rebound he got. I'd show him every rebound he could've got. He left a ton on the floor. Earl Watson was recently asked what he wanted from Chriss this summer. He essentially said he wants to see him rebound. He said he should get rebounds in the TEENS. Well he was 4 short.

Oh yeah, and...

Dude had 8 TO's. 8! (0 assists)

Dude had 9 PF's. 9!

I'm very disappointed in his play tonight.

 

[Hoop Head]

Chriss is attitude is troublesome but I'm not certain the Suns didn't create part of it. He wasn't ready to be a full time NBA starter when he was gifted the job last year and he kept it throughout the season. He played like the Summer League is beneath him but he actually needs this time, unlike Booker after his first year. Booker's play earned his playing time and role with the team while Chriss was gifted his role and playing time. Hopefully they can get Chriss' head right, maybe it'll take a really bad game in Summer League for him to realize that he's not above it at that this point.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Looks to me that Chriss is now the enforcement on the Suns. The Bad guy, enforcer that they wanted and did not draft this year. He needs to be in the box but his threes where all good shots. Having Chandler next to him should help.
Love Reed ............

 

[SirStefan32]

I think Dudley and Chandler need to sit down with Chriss and tell him to stop acting like a little kid.
Speaking of Dudley, Reed reminds me of 2009-2013 Dudley with perhaps a little more athleticism. I think he will be a very good player off the bench at the very least.

 

[devilalum]

OK, it's one summer league game but it was easy to see what the Suns saw in Reed. The guys game and body look polished and NBA ready. I agree with the Walter Davis comparison. NO way he ever rises to that level but he has that smooth movement.

Too bad players don't play college ball longer. The one and done has changed the NBA. Players like Reed come ready to contribute on day one. I'm tired of watching these kids grow up on the court.

 

[WildBB]

Fox is going to be so good. He has all the talent in the world. Those first two teams in the draft wanting a PG may regret not drafting him.

So might the Suns. He'll be an All Star.

Reed might be one of the biggest steals and could push Jackson for minutes.

Can Booker play point like Curry?

 

[Mainstreet]

So might the Suns. He'll be an All Star.

Reed might be one of the biggest steals and could push Jackson for minutes.

Can Booker play point like Curry?

I expect Fox to be an All-Star and more given time.

The Suns seemed committed to drafting a forward with the 4th pick. I hope passing on Fox does not come back to bite them. Jackson appears to be a good selection.

I agree Reed can be a steal in this draft. I see him more of a bench player at the moment probably backing up Booker.

Actually I think Booker can play PG, given time, like Curry or Harden but I do not want to put this burden on him right now. I'd rather for his game to develop naturally and then see where it goes.

 

[Hoop Head]

This is only summer league, it's encouraging to see guys like Reed play well but let's not try and fit him into the starting lineup after 1 summer league game. I hope he's good enough to be a regular in the rotation and contribute to this team but expecting any more than that at this time is wishful thinking. He was a 2nd round pick for a reason.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I know its only one game, but there is a real smoothness to Reed. When people say Walter Davis, they are right on. It goes to show the upper classman bias in the draft. It also shows that age and maturity matter, not just nba experience. It might just be that many 19 year olds are not mature enough to benefit from the early NBA experience they get.

It is a case to expand the G-league role--maybe even for top players. If the NBA made a rule that you can draft a player any time, but they have to stay in the G-League until they are 20, it would be good for college ball and the NBA IMO. Just thinking out loud here.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Shhhhh. JJ was 6 of 7 from the line.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I only watched the first half, but I wonder if Chriss ends up being a little in the Odom mold. All the talent in the world, but maybe not the fire needed to bring it every single night. Still a very good player, but maybe a frustrating one to watch at times.

who knows... kid's only 19 or 20, right?

What I do see from Jackson is a kid who plays ANGRY, FAST, ELECTRIC. Can't shoot real well right now, but that CAN be fixed and a kid who's got a chip on his shoulder about it is going to put in the word to change that. And once he does, he's going to be an absolute wrecking ball on the court, offensively and defensively.

Bender... I have no idea how to quantify him.

Reed... looks like a great backup SG. But it's summer league. But... better to show in summer league, than not at all!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Can Booker play point like Curry?

no way. Curry's got natural handles and passing ability. Had it from the second I saw him in college. Those next level skills you can't learn, you're born with, IMO.

But he will be a great SG. I'm guessing a 24ppg SG in his prime. Reggie Miller-esque.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

DISCLAIMER - FIRST GAME OF SUMMER LEAGUE:

Totally agree with all those praising Fox - he looks like Rondo without the bad attitude and with the promise of a real shot. We may regret passing on him.

Jackson was far less impressive. His shot is ugly - slow release, poor base, lots of fading away. I was also expecting a more impressive and impactful defensive performance. First game, but I can see why scouts were worried about his shot.

Bender has all the tools, but plays scared - he thinks about everything way too much and doesn't trust his instincts. He has a wonderful stroke, but misses too many open shots. You can almost see the gears turning when he's debating whether to shoot or not. From a defensive perspective, I was glad that he gained some weight - he wasn't getting pushed around nearly as much. His positioning was good, I'd like to see him challenge more shots.

Like many others have noted, Chriss was a real mixed bag. His natural talent is undeniable, and if he can get his head straight, he has a chance to be an excellent player. Like Bender, I think his biggest problem is between the ears, although their problems are polar opposite. Chriss plays purely off instinct, and doesn't seem to think through anything he does. This leads to bad shots, poor box outs, and falling asleep on d/boxing out.

There is a difference between controlled aggression/playing hard and just being a jerk. Too often Chriss trends to the latter.

The Suns have put all their eggs in the Bender/Chriss/Jackson basket - there are flashes of why this may be a great strategy, and many things to be excited about. That said, all 3 have a lot of growing up to do, and at least 2 of the 3 need to become legitimate shooters. Hopefully guys like Ullis and Booker can bring the maturity/polish to help these athletic freaks.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Shhhhh. JJ was 6 of 7 from the line.

And everyone was ugly.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I only watched the first half, but I wonder if Chriss ends up being a little in the Odom mold. All the talent in the world, but maybe not the fire needed to bring it every single night. Still a very good player, but maybe a frustrating one to watch at times.

who knows... kid's only 19 or 20, right?

What I do see from Jackson is a kid who plays ANGRY, FAST, ELECTRIC. Can't shoot real well right now, but that CAN be fixed and a kid who's got a chip on his shoulder about it is going to put in the word to change that. And once he does, he's going to be an absolute wrecking ball on the court, offensively and defensively.

Bender... I have no idea how to quantify him.

Reed... looks like a great backup SG. But it's summer league. But... better to show in summer league, than not at all!

Doesn't seem to lack the fire IMO. Seems to have plenty of fire, but if anything he just needs to learn to channel it properly. If he learns to channel his emotion towards something positive he will be a beast.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

DISCLAIMER - FIRST GAME OF SUMMER LEAGUE:

Totally agree with all those praising Fox - he looks like Rondo without the bad attitude and with the promise of a real shot. We may regret passing on him.

Jackson was far less impressive. His shot is ugly - slow release, poor base, lots of fading away. I was also expecting a more impressive and impactful defensive performance. First game, but I can see why scouts were worried about his shot.

Bender has all the tools, but plays scared - he thinks about everything way too much and doesn't trust his instincts. He has a wonderful stroke, but misses too many open shots. You can almost see the gears turning when he's debating whether to shoot or not. From a defensive perspective, I was glad that he gained some weight - he wasn't getting pushed around nearly as much. His positioning was good, I'd like to see him challenge more shots.

Like many others have noted, Chriss was a real mixed bag. His natural talent is undeniable, and if he can get his head straight, he has a chance to be an excellent player. Like Bender, I think his biggest problem is between the ears, although their problems are polar opposite. Chriss plays purely off instinct, and doesn't seem to think through anything he does. This leads to bad shots, poor box outs, and falling asleep on d/boxing out.

There is a difference between controlled aggression/playing hard and just being a jerk. Too often Chriss trends to the latter.

The Suns have put all their eggs in the Bender/Chriss/Jackson basket - there are flashes of why this may be a great strategy, and many things to be excited about. That said, all 3 have a lot of growing up to do, and at least 2 of the 3 need to become legitimate shooters. Hopefully guys like Ullis and Booker can bring the maturity/polish to help these athletic freaks.

Not sure we can be any further apart on Jackson. His shot was literally the only thing that wasn't impressive last night and that was something we all knew he needs work on anyways. Defensively he was really good and pretty much shut out Fox from the box score in the 4th quarter. He knocked down his free throws (which is a concern for him) and his ball handling looks really good. Showed some of his abilities as a passer as well.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Doesn't seem to lack the fire IMO. Seems to have plenty of fire, but if anything he just needs to learn to channel it properly. If he learns to channel his emotion towards something positive he will be a beast.

I think he added to much bulk this off season and he did not realize how much it would impact his mobility. He is frustrated.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I think he added to much bulk this off season and he did not realize how much it would impact his mobility. He is frustrated.

Yeah I think it is a good idea to really add on the muscle over time. Not a good idea to pack on 20 lbs in one off season. I'm guessing he will shed 5-10 lbs from now and to the start of the season.

 

[95pro]

Yeah I think it is a good idea to really add on the muscle over time. Not a good idea to pack on 20 lbs in one off season. I'm guessing he will shed 5-10 lbs from now and to the start of the season.

Yeah he doesn't look shredded/cut. Too much bulk now. What I'm concerned about are his knees dealing with the extra weight.

 

[Chaplin]

I didn't infer his importance in the win. Wins mean nothing in this league. That's why players don't foul at the end of games. They know what these games are for. Sure, they won because of his contributions. But so what?

I don't care what his stats are. This is the summer league. I want to see a guy working on an aspect of his game that was lacking. Getting 9 boards in 33 minutes when you're the most athletic big man on the floor in the summer league is NOT satisfactory. And let's not forget he's a 2nd year player.

If I watched film with him after this, I wouldn't show him every rebound he got. I'd show him every rebound he could've got. He left a ton on the floor. Earl Watson was recently asked what he wanted from Chriss this summer. He essentially said he wants to see him rebound. He said he should get rebounds in the TEENS. Well he was 4 short.

Oh yeah, and...

Dude had 8 TO's. 8! (0 assists)

Dude had 9 PF's. 9!

I'm very disappointed in his play tonight.

As an armchair coach, sure, the win doesn't matter. But to Chriss and the players? I think you put too much stock in what you want vs what the team wants. Individual players want to win--make no mistake about it. It's why true tanking doesn't work.

I find it funny that you post your legitimate complaints about his attitude and his "game" but haven't repeated your claim that he was outplayed by a scrub who might not even see a minute of playing time in the NBA.

 

[Hoop Head]

Chriss fouling is a concern. He fouled out a lot in college also. I didn't noticed him in foul trouble that much during the season but he didn't play a lot of minutes either, despite starting. Hopefully that's something he can get under control soon. I know fouls don't count for much in summer league since a player can't foul out but 9 fouls is unacceptable for a 2nd year player. I'll cut him slack because it was game #1 though.

 

[Raze]

I find it funny that you post your legitimate complaints about his attitude and his "game" but haven't repeated your claim that he was outplayed by a scrub who might not even see a minute of playing time in the NBA.

I thought it was obvious.

Cooley will struggle ever making an NBA team long term. He's a hustler. Nothing more. And just to clarify, he played for Utah last year for 16 games and logged 80 minutes.

Chriss has been blessed with amazing athleticism and will stay in the league for a long time.

That said, last night:

Cooley scored 11 pts in 23 minutes (.48 pts/min)
Chriss scored 19 pts in 33 minutes (.58 pts/min)

Cooley shot 80%
Chriss shot 29%

Cooley grabbed 10 Rs (.43 R/min)
Chriss grabbed 9 Rs (.27 R/min)

Cooley had 1 A & 1 TO (1:1)
Chriss had 0 A & 8 TO (1:infinity)

Cooley shot 75% from FT
Chriss shot 69% from FT

More importantly Cooley passed the eye test for effort. Chriss was sporadic with his effort AND actually quit on his team at times to argue with the ref. 3 times his team had to play 4v5 because he was pouting.

Cooley looked like he was fighting to make a team. Chriss looked entitled.

There is no doubt Cooley did more with less last night.

 

[Phrazbit]

Summer league is virtually meaningless. My only "hope" going into it is that our guys don't look completely wretched and, most importantly, don't get hurt.

 

[devilalum]

Too bad JJ can't throw ally oops to himself.


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