The 2019 Draft

[Mainstreet]

Sure but the first 4 or 5 years of that 8 year stretch saw us trying to compete WITHOUT rebuilding. Once we made the decision to rebuild, everything has to change. You can't try to bandaid your way out of a rebuild unless you want to start it all over again in a year or two when the bandaid falls off. Maybe it was the wrong call to strip the cupboard bare and go full on rebuild but abandoning it just 3 years into it will kill our future IMO.

Especially without the addition of a veteran point guard, it looks like the Suns move to add veterans to the roster (Anderson and Ariza) might have been a year too early.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Especially without the addition of a veteran point guard, it looks like the Suns move to add veterans to the roster might (Anderson and Ariza) might have been a year too early.

I think it was although I understand why we did it. But Ryan should have sat down with Booker and explained the plan beyond this season instead of altering it to keep him happy.

 

[taz02]

This process has taken way too long. Patience has limits for the fans and the players. I'm pretty sure Booker doesn't want to wait a couple years to develop another rookie that may or may not work out.

I'm not advocating for a bad trade but we need to trade for a quality seasoned player.

IMO, we need one of JJ, Bridges, TJ to pan out in a big consistent way and we need to trade for a PG as soon as a deal can be found.

Obviously, if there are no deals to be had then draft someone but that is not the ideal scenario.

 

[AzStevenCal]

This process has taken way too long. Patience has limits for the fans and the players. I'm pretty sure Booker doesn't want to wait a couple years to develop another rookie that may or may not work out.

I'm not advocating for a bad trade but we need to trade for a quality seasoned player.

IMO, we need one of JJ, Bridges, TJ to pan out in a big consistent way and we need to trade for a PG as soon as a deal can be found.

Obviously, if there are no deals to be had then draft someone but that is not the ideal scenario.

Here's how I see it. We had one plan that we stuck with for 5 years and it was clearly not succeeding. So we switched to an all or nothing plan and, 3 years in, it is just now starting to show positive results. Abandoning it now, as you and others appear to be suggesting, simply means, to me, that we shouldn't have started this plan in the first place. If you don't have the patience to really rebuild, just keep bringing in mediocre players and settle for winning 40 some games a season. But I was hoping for more.

And I'm not against trading for a quality player. I'm just against trading away part of our future to make today seem a little more palatable.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think it was although I understand why we did it. But Ryan should have sat down with Booker and explained the plan beyond this season instead of altering it to keep him happy.

I'm thinking McDonough had a plan to add a point guard and somehow the deal was vetoed or it became unglued.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm thinking McDonough had a plan to add a point guard and somehow the deal was vetoed or it became unglued.

Probably. It would be nice if the whole story leaked out eventually.

 

[Chaplin]

As of today, the top of the draft isn’t looking great—overhype for Zion notwithstanding—I don’t think it’s unreasonable to talk about trading down scenarios.

 

[BC867]

Sure but the first 4 or 5 years of that 8 year stretch saw us trying to compete WITHOUT rebuilding. Once we made the decision to rebuild, everything has to change. You can't try to bandaid your way out of a rebuild unless you want to start it all over again in a year or two when the bandaid falls off. Maybe it was the wrong call to strip the cupboard bare and go full on rebuild but abandoning it just 3 years into it will kill our future IMO.

The sad part of that is the failures of the past eight years give very little hope that, all of a sudden, the skill of the leadership will change, especially with another unqualified General Manager the heir apparent. Until we see differently, they will be what they are. Bumbling their way through year after year.

We got rid of the incompetents and unhappy "stars". We lucked with a Booker and into an Ayton. The rest of the roster remains a guess. To put it another way, even if the just turned 22 year old Bridges could be the real thing, that leaves other starting spots and a bench below NBA level.

The longer we wait, the more the chance that Booker and Ayton will voice dissatisfaction. Steve, do you not see a need to show progressive results now? Another three years will be too late.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The sad part of that is the failures of the past eight years give very little hope that, all of a sudden, the skill of the leadership will change, especially with another unqualified General Manager the heir apparent. Until we see differently, they will be what they are. Bumbling their way through year after year.

We got rid of the incompetents and unhappy "stars". We lucked with a Booker and into an Ayton. The rest of the roster remains a guess. To put it another way, even if the just turned 22 year old Bridges could be the real thing, that leaves other starting spots and a bench below NBA level.

The longer we wait, the more the chance that Booker and Ayton will voice dissatisfaction. Steve, do you not see a need to show progressive results now? Another three years will be too late.

First off, I don't think we lucked into Booker or Ayton. There was some luck involved but that's the draft. It was our decision to be horrible that led to Ayton and Booker was an example of our scouting department making the right choice. They've made enough bad ones so I don't see reason to negate the few good ones.

And I don't think anyone is saying do nothing for 3 years but it does take time to turn young players into mature players. Trying to shortcut the process is self defeating. We need to balance the roster and we'll get to see progressive results each year. And yeah, if things go our way it will probably take 3 years to get us truly competitive with the top teams but that doesn't mean we have to lose 60 plus games a year until then. We should win close to 30 games this season and maybe approach 40 wins the next.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The sad part of that is the failures of the past eight years give very little hope that, all of a sudden, the skill of the leadership will change, especially with another unqualified General Manager the heir apparent. Until we see differently, they will be what they are. Bumbling their way through year after year.

We got rid of the incompetents and unhappy "stars". We lucked with a Booker and into an Ayton. The rest of the roster remains a guess. To put it another way, even if the just turned 22 year old Bridges could be the real thing, that leaves other starting spots and a bench below NBA level.

The longer we wait, the more the chance that Booker and Ayton will voice dissatisfaction. Steve, do you not see a need to show progressive results now? Another three years will be too late.

Ayton is what 12 games into his career and he’s going to be voicing dissatisfaction? Geez . . .

 

[GatorAZ]

RJ Barrett stealing the show so far.

 

[BC867]

Ayton is what 12 games into his career and he’s going to be voicing dissatisfaction? Geez . . .

No! I said the longer we wait, in terms of Steve referring to three more years for the team to step up.

 

[AzStevenCal]

No! I said the longer we wait, in terms of Steve referring to three more years for the team to step up.

I didn't say that. No matter how much we wish that we could be one of the real contenders in this league, we can't make it happen overnight. It will take time, that doesn't mean we won't "step up" for 3 years. Teams don't go from 20 wins to 60 wins overnight.

 

[Yuma]

I didn't say that. No matter how much we wish that we could be one of the real contenders in this league, we can't make it happen overnight. It will take time, that doesn't mean we won't "step up" for 3 years. Teams don't go from 20 wins to 60 wins overnight.

Milwaukee Bucks won 26 games their first year. They drafted Lew Alcindor and won 56 games the next season. So no, you don't go from 20 to 60!

Suns came close!
2003-2004: 29-53

2004-2005: 62-20

Celtics
2006-2007: 24-58

2007-2008: 66-16 I think they technically do it because they change by more than a 40 game turnaround. So yes you can go from 20 wins to 60 overnight!

 

[AzStevenCal]

Milwaukee Bucks won 26 games their first year. They drafted Lew Alcindor and won 56 games the next season. So no, you don't go from 20 to 60!

You add a mature David Robinson or a generational great such as Lew Alcindor and you can turn things around quickly. But there have been a lot of bad teams, few take the kind of jump we'd like to see the Suns take. And I doubt any of them had rosters laced with tired vets and inexperienced kids.

 

[Hoop Head]

Apparently Zion is 285 pounds right now. There is only 1 NBA player who weighs more than that, Boban Marjanovic. He's listed at 290 pounds but he's also 7'3". I know Zion doesn't move like he's that big but that's a little concerning when it comes to injuries. Carrying that weight won't be easy on his back or knees.

 

[GatorAZ]

Apparently Zion is 285 pounds right now. There is only 1 NBA player who weighs more than that, Boban Marjanovic. He's listed at 290 pounds but he's also 7'3". I know Zion doesn't move like he's that big but that's a little concerning when it comes to injuries. Carrying that weight won't be easy on his back or knees.

His lower body looks overweight. I noticed that right away. He’ll be one of those guys that’s weight will fluctuate throughout his career.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

But he’s also not exactly fat. Dude is built like a bodybuilder.

Those Duke highlights last night showed a kid who is not a one trick pony. Just the block, runout and assist he had in one play were all amazing. And that wasn’t even him scoring the ball.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Apparently Zion is 285 pounds right now. There is only 1 NBA player who weighs more than that, Boban Marjanovic. He's listed at 290 pounds but he's also 7'3". I know Zion doesn't move like he's that big but that's a little concerning when it comes to injuries. Carrying that weight won't be easy on his back or knees.

Wow. The quoted weights on Zion differ so widely, I see anywhere from 250 to 285.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Wow. The quoted weights on Zion differ so widely, I see anywhere from 250 to 285.

I’ve seen 275 pretty consistently lately.

 

[GatorAZ]

But he’s also not exactly fat. Dude is built like a bodybuilder.

Those Duke highlights last night showed a kid who is not a one trick pony. Just the block, runout and assist he had in one play were all amazing. And that wasn’t even him scoring the ball.

I wouldn’t call him fat but he does have a little bit of “loose” weight on him...

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[Raindog]

He could be another Barkley in the NBA... maybe. I also wouldn't at all be surprised if he ends up being another "Hot Plate" Williams.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He could be another Barkley in the NBA... maybe. I also wouldn't at all be surprised if he ends up being another "Hot Plate" Williams.

Or Oliver Miller. Still, I wouldn't mind seeing him in a Suns uniform. I haven't seen enough to know he's the best player but he's pretty impressive.

 

[Yuma]

I have always been skeptical of the weights reported on NBA and College players. I mean I am not overly obese, then I meet one of these guys who reportedly weighs the same as me and they are literally twice my size, I am like, yeah right. I have been around Barkley and Shaq, and I can tell you, their NBA official weights, or how much they say they wiegh now, no freaking way. Zion at 285 I can see. Shaq is way bigger than this kid and he always says he weighs less. My A$$!

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have always been skeptical of the weights reported on NBA and College players. I mean I am not overly obese, then I meet one of these guys who reportedly weighs the same as me and they are literally twice my size, I am like, yeah right. I have been around Barkley and Shaq, and I can tell you, their NBA official weights, or how much they say they wiegh now, no freaking way. Zion at 285 I can see. Shaq is way bigger than this kid and he always says he weighs less. My A$$!

Yeah I always get a kick out of Shaq's reported weight, I think it's been understated by as much as a hundred pounds.