The 2019 Draft

[JCSunsfan]

I wanted Sabonis and mentioned him several times as did a few others but I believe JCSunsfan was his biggest supporter.

I loved Sabonis in that draft.

Now in this draft, TheStepien says that Cam Reddish was a pg on his AAU team. Anyone here think his future in the NBA is as a pg?

 

[Mainstreet]

It's sort of like drafting Alex Len over Steven Adams. The Suns are always chasing potential.

 

[Hoop Head]

It's sort of like drafting Alex Len over Steven Adams. The Suns are always chasing potential.

And the times they drafted NBA ready players it worked out extremely well. When Warren was taken he was looked at as a bench scorer, nothing more. Even though he didn't have a 3pt shot then it was figured he would find a way to score 10 or so points off the bench as a role player., IIRC.

Booker was seen as a shooter. Maybe like a Kyle Korver type, with a little bit better athleticism. He would knock down 3's all day but couldn't create his own shot and would struggle to do more than that but he was seen as a contributor.

I think the only player who was viewed as ready and not based on potential selected by McD was Ennis and we never got to see much of him with Bledsoe, Dragic, and IT ahead of him. He's still floating around as a backup PG today though.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I loved Sabonis in that draft.

Now in this draft, TheStepien says that Cam Reddish was a pg on his AAU team. Anyone here think his future in the NBA is as a pg?

Not from what I've seen but that's a strange lineup he's part of so who knows.

 

[Mainstreet]

And the times they drafted NBA ready players it worked out extremely well. When Warren was taken he was looked at as a bench scorer, nothing more. Even though he didn't have a 3pt shot then it was figured he would find a way to score 10 or so points off the bench as a role player., IIRC.

Booker was seen as a shooter. Maybe like a Kyle Korver type, with a little bit better athleticism. He would knock down 3's all day but couldn't create his own shot and would struggle to do more than that but he was seen as a contributor.

I think the only player who was viewed as ready and not based on potential selected by McD was Ennis and we never got to see much of him with Bledsoe, Dragic, and IT ahead of him. He's still floating around as a backup PG today though.

Drafting Ennis was a puzzler to me.

Although McDonough did not draft Kendall Marshall, I thought the Suns doubled down on non-athletic point guards who couldn't shoot.

I think when a team drafts after the early picks, they look at safe picks. The Suns could have used more of those.

 

[SirStefan32]

I loved Sabonis in that draft.

Now in this draft, TheStepien says that Cam Reddish was a pg on his AAU team. Anyone here think his future in the NBA is as a pg?

I thought it was you, but I wasn't 100% sure. For some reason I mix you and Erthknight (sp) up all the time.
You were definitely right. Sabonis is exactly what this team needs.

 

[overseascardfan]

I wanted Sabonis as well but people focused too much on his lack of length and athleticism but should have focused on his skill set instead. I was hoping PHX would have taken him with their second first rounder but they doubled down on potential with an immature, undisciplined kid who could jump high.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wanted Sabonis as well but people focused too much on his lack of length and athleticism but should have focused on his skill set instead. I was hoping PHX would have taken him with their second first rounder but they doubled down on potential with an immature, undisciplined kid who could jump high.

Skill set is best way to draft IMO if they have other assets to go with it. Sabonis did have the height and moved relatively well.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I loved Sabonis in that draft.

Now in this draft, TheStepien says that Cam Reddish was a pg on his AAU team. Anyone here think his future in the NBA is as a pg?

No. In fact Reddish is maybe the one guy constantly mentioned among the top talents that I have zero interest in . . . he’s not even a beta, he’s like a delta. I could see him as an Horry-level player. Talented and always tempting but forever a role player and slight disappointment.

 

[1Sun]

Nonsense, they had the most potential but Sabonis was the best PF in that draft and is proving it now. Don't try and tell me he was a C, he played C in college but was always going to play PF in NBA.

He was rated below both Chriss and Bender across the board heading into that draft.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

No. In fact Reddish is maybe the one guy constantly mentioned among the top talents that I have zero interest in . . . he’s not even a beta, he’s like a delta. I could see him as an Horry-level player. Talented and always tempting but forever a role player and slight disappointment.

Based on your system, Dragan Bender is an omega.

 

[1Sun]

I loved Sabonis in that draft.

Now in this draft, TheStepien says that Cam Reddish was a pg on his AAU team. Anyone here think his future in the NBA is as a pg?

No. He has neither the handles to initiate the offense nor the lateral quickness to guard opposing point guards.

 

[1Sun]

Drafting Ennis was a puzzler to me.

Especially with Capela, Harris and Hood still on the board.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Based on your system, Dragan Bender is an omega.

Haha. Right!

 

[Suns_fan69]

I wanted Sabonis as well but people focused too much on his lack of length and athleticism but should have focused on his skill set instead. I was hoping PHX would have taken him with their second first rounder but they doubled down on potential with an immature, undisciplined kid who could jump high.

Full disclosure, I haven't actually watched Zion play, but my fear is that he's not far off that description. Well, maybe not the immature/undisciplined part, just that he'll be drafted solely on athleticism.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Full disclosure, I haven't actually watched Zion play, but my fear is that he's not far off that description. Well, maybe not the immature/undisciplined part, just that he'll be drafted solely on athleticism.

Any player can bust but trust me, he is nothing like that description. He has guard skills, incredible body control yet plays the game with a PJ Tucker type of energy. The questions about him that will hold up are can he stay healthy at that size and can he shoot from the outside.

 

[hcsilla]

As expected some players till now under the radar started to put their names into the conversation.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a long, combo G with good 3P-stroke and solid passing skills. He might become an excellent backcourt-partner to Booker.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4278039/nickeil-alexander-walker

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[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Full disclosure, I haven't actually watched Zion play, but my fear is that he's not far off that description. Well, maybe not the immature/undisciplined part, just that he'll be drafted solely on athleticism.

Watch him. Then come back and let us know if your opinion changed. I had similar concerns regarding him outta high school. He dashed those concerns.

 

[Finito]

Sabonis at best will always be a role player. Given the choice every GM in the NBA would of taken Bender or Chriss above him. I liked Sabonis aswell in that draft but was excited we got Bender and Chriss.

Zion scares me to death I do not see him staying healthy. Those super freak athletes are almost to athletic for there own bodies and with being almost 300lbs I just don't see a long a career for him but it's gonna be fun while it last

 

[AzStevenCal]

Sabonis at best will always be a role player. Given the choice every GM in the NBA would of taken Bender or Chriss above him. I liked Sabonis aswell in that draft but was excited we got Bender and Chriss.

Zion scares me to death I do not see him staying healthy. Those super freak athletes are almost to athletic for there own bodies and with being almost 300lbs I just don't see a long a career for him but it's gonna be fun while it last

I don't believe it. Maybe most GMs could have talked themselves into Bender with all the Porzingis hype but not Chriss. I can't believe, I won't believe, that every scouting department of every team could be as inept as we were. Bender was mostly an unknown (which should have scared the hell out of us) but there was far too much information available on Chriss for me to believe that every GM would have chased that pipe dream.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't believe it. Maybe most GMs could have talked themselves into Bender with all the Porzingis hype but not Chriss. I can't believe, I won't believe, that every scouting department of every team could be as inept as we were. Bender was mostly an unknown (which should have scared the hell out of us) but there was far too much information available on Chriss for me to believe that every GM would have chased that pipe dream.

Of course not every GM would have drafted like the Suns. However, in the 2016 NBA Draft Net mock (sort of a scouting indicator) had Chriss going #7.

Unfortunately I couldn't view the DraftExpress mock for that draft.

https://www.nbadraft.net/2016mock_draft


I wish the Nuggets had drafted Chriss per that mock. LOL

 

[AzStevenCal]

Of course not every GM would have drafted like the Suns. However, in the 2016 NBA Draft Net mock (sort of a scouting indicator) had Chriss going #7.

Unfortunately I couldn't view the DraftExpress mock for that draft.

https://www.nbadraft.net/2016mock_draft

I know what he was ranked, anywhere from roughly 4th to 10th as I recall but I have no faith in those rankings. I guess it's possible that every scout is just like us. We read what others have said and we watch some highlight videos. But I doubt that's the way the real scouts do it. And I'm confident that not a single professional scout would have drafted Chriss had they watched an entire game.

 

[Mainstreet]

I know what he was ranked, anywhere from roughly 4th to 10th as I recall but I have no faith in those rankings. I guess it's possible that every scout is just like us. We read what others have said and we watch some highlight videos. But I doubt that's the way the real scouts do it. And I'm confident that not a single professional scout would have drafted Chriss had they watched an entire game.

I think the established mocks usually reflect scouting information and seldom go too far out on a limb.

That said, I wish the Suns could get a do-over on the 2016 draft.

 

[1Sun]

For the last time, we don't need another project at point guard. We already have two of those in Okobo and Melton.

At point guard, we need someone who can be a legit NBA starter, compliment Booker and elevate this team to playoff contention before Booker's extended contract is up (and outside of Zion Williamson there isn't a single player, let alone point guard, in the 2019 draft who can do so). Otherwise, we might as well trade Booker now before his value plummets as he gets more and more frustrated with the team's lack of progress before wanting, and then asking, out.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I think the established mocks usually reflect scouting information and seldom go too far out on a limb.

That said, I wish the Suns could get a do-over on the 2016 draft.

I have a hard time faulting McD for that draft. The players chosen were not seen to be stretches at the time. Most everyone on this board was ecstatic about that draft. In retrospect, the draft showed some lack of confidence in his choices--a double-mindedness. It would be better to choose the pf you like and commit to that player.

Hindsight.