The Luka Report

[Dr. Jones]

I will take your list against some of the big men playing at the same time in the past in a heartbeat. Oh and nobody was scared of Duncan and his 3 point ability.

OK, so what you are saying is the league wakes up one day, and decides we are going to be a small ball 3 point shooting league and the players are forced to do it. Not that the league adjusts to the players coming out of college? That's not how it works. Sure the league can try and make rule changes to for example to accommodate the types of players in the league but they can't force players to be legit big men.

I am saying that the NBA through multiple rule changes has legislated it out of the game. The last 15 years the teams, have adjusted. D'anotini was on the forefront of this revolution.

Then analytics caught up to show how important the three point line was and everything changed.

Over that same timeframe, younger players began to adjust their development to align with these new changes.

 

[Matt L]

Those guys might’ve been able to “play” in the 90s and 80s but I’m unsure they would’ve dominated. I think most of them would’ve been abused by Hakeem, Robinson, Ewing, Shaq. I think many of them would have had rik Smit’s or dikembe mutumbo level (not Play type) careers. Due to the size and strength of centers back then a lot of those guys (other than jokic, gobert and Embiid) May have been relegated to playing forward. I think some of you fail to recall there were a lot of second tier talented back to the basket players too like Alonzo mourning, Jermaine O’Neal, Sabonis, Smit’s, mutumbo, Duckworth, Parrish, daugherty, Divac, Duncan, Ilgauskas, Ben wallace. And that’s not counting PFs like Barkley, Kemp, kg, buck Williams, Elden Campbell, Perkins, Kevin Willis, mchale, worthy, Coleman, Rasheed Wallace, mailman, Webber, Juwan Howard, grandmama, vin baker, Oakley, Thorpe, Abdur rahim, Mason, dale davis, googs, Rodman, nance, cummings.

there was just a lot more talented bigs in those two decades imo.

I wish we could put Giannis in a time machine and see what he would do to Barkley, McHale, hell even Dennis Rodman

 

[Covert Rain]

I am saying that the NBA through multiple rule changes has legislated it out of the game. The last 15 years the teams, have adjusted. D'anotini was on the forefront of this revolution.

Then analytics caught up to show how important the three point line was and everything changed.

Over that same timeframe, younger players began to adjust their development to align with these new changes.

You can’t legislate skills out of a game anymore than legislate them in. [emoji23]. All you can do is nudge.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I wish we could put Giannis in a time machine and see what he would do to Barkley, McHale, hell even Dennis Rodman

And then Ewing, Shaq, and Hakeem would eat Giannis for lunch.

 

[Matt L]

And then Ewing, Shaq, and Hakeem would eat Giannis for lunch.

Really? I guess they would score but I can't see Shaq or Ewing guarding Giannis at the three point line and staying in front of him

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Really? I guess they would score but I can't see Shaq or Ewing guarding Giannis at the three point line and staying in front of him

Why would they guard a career 28% three point shooter out to the three point line?

 

[GatorAZ]

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[Chris_Sanders]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/rumor-kings-passed-luka-doncic-200003936.html

In the case of the Suns (who had just hired Doncic’s international coach), multiple of sources around the league say Phoenix owner Robert Sarver pushed for Deandre Ayton, the in-state Arizona player (and, to be fair, he was on top of a lot, if not most, team draft boards).

First confirmation of my theory that McDonough hired Koko to pick Doncic and Sarver overruled him

 

[Mainstreet]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/rumor-kings-passed-luka-doncic-200003936.html



First confirmation of my theory that McDonough hired Koko to pick Doncic and Sarver overruled him

The above confirms my theory Sarver essentially drafted Ayton and traded for Bridges. We already knew about Bridges. It makes sense Sarver directed both moves.

McDonough got a lot of drafts wrong but if he had been allowed to draft Doncic (with a trade down for more assets) and traded for Shai all would have been forgiven.

 

[WildBB]

Those guys might’ve been able to “play” in the 90s and 80s but I’m unsure they would’ve dominated. I think most of them would’ve been abused by Hakeem, Robinson, Ewing, Shaq. I think many of them would have had rik Smit’s or dikembe mutumbo level (not Play type) careers. Due to the size and strength of centers back then a lot of those guys (other than jokic, gobert and Embiid) May have been relegated to playing forward. I think some of you fail to recall there were a lot of second tier talented back to the basket players too like Alonzo mourning, Jermaine O’Neal, Sabonis, Smit’s, mutumbo, Duckworth, Parrish, daugherty, Divac, Duncan, Ilgauskas, Ben wallace. And that’s not counting PFs like Barkley, Kemp, kg, buck Williams, Elden Campbell, Perkins, Kevin Willis, mchale, worthy, Coleman, Rasheed Wallace, mailman, Webber, Juwan Howard, grandmama, vin baker, Oakley, Thorpe, Abdur rahim, Mason, dale davis, googs, Rodman, nance, cummings.

there was just a lot more talented bigs in those two decades imo.

It really was BBalls heyday! '84 Dream Team. Would like to see them try to replicate it for '24 LA games.

 

[GatorAZ]

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I believe more this theory. Not necessarily Sarver pushing for Luka but McDonough siding with the physical upside of Ayton.

 

[AzStevenCal]

First confirmation of my theory that McDonough hired Koko to pick Doncic and Sarver overruled him

It's certainly possible that Sarver made the call on Ayton but if so, I doubt it followed that timeline. It seemed clear even when Koko was first hired that he'd been made aware that we wouldn't be drafting Doncic (and that he wouldn't have any real input into the selection). Although, granted, the comments from Ryan and Igor might have just been GM and Coach speak.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I believe more this theory. Not necessarily Sarver pushing for Luka but McDonough siding with the physical upside of Ayton.

I do too but it's certainly not because I think Sarver is above overruling his basketball people.

 

[SirStefan32]

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I believe more this theory. Not necessarily Sarver pushing for Luka but McDonough siding with the physical upside of Ayton.

I tend to agree with this. I just don't see McD being able to see beyond Ayton's height, length, and athleticism. Ayton is a textbook McD pick.

 

[CRC83]

If there was a redraft today, there isn’t a single GM that wouldn’t pick Doncic #1, right?

 

[SirStefan32]

If there was a redraft today, there isn’t a single GM that wouldn’t pick Doncic #1, right?

I would be surprised if anyone passed on Luka in a re-draft.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Look..... it's not hard to believe that our owner is the NBA's version of Dan Snyder.

And the Ayton info seems so simple to see if you are looking at the whole board. Sarver has deep and profound UofA ties. That started way back with Kerr. And probably farther.

 

[Dr. Jones]

As far as the Luka Debate...... Well, that's already over.

Luka is already 10 times the player Ayton is, and probably 5 times the player that Booker is. The only question left is if Ayton can do enough to not make us look like fools for the next decade. I'll still give him till the end of next season to fully judge his improvement.

His ascendancy to the top 7 of the NBA has been shocking..... even to me.

So truly disappointing. We went for Quinnen Williams instead of Kyler Murray.

 

[AzStevenCal]

As far as the Luka Debate...... Well, that's already over.

Luka is already 10 times the player Ayton is, and probably 5 times the player that Booker is. The only question left is if Ayton can do enough to not make us look like fools for the next decade. I'll still give him till the end of next season to fully judge his improvement.

His ascendancy to the top 7 of the NBA has been shocking..... even to me.

So truly disappointing. We went for Quinnen Williams instead of Kyler Murray.

Hyperbolic hyperbole is the most bestest.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Hyperbolic hyperbole is the most bestest.

Still true. But since you are dead to me....... I will disregard!

 

[BC867]

As far as the Luka Debate...... Well, that's already over.

Luka is already 10 times the player Ayton is, and probably 5 times the player that Booker is. The only question left is if Ayton can do enough to not make us look like fools for the next decade. I'll still give him till the end of next season to fully judge his improvement.

His ascendancy to the top 7 of the NBA has been shocking..... even to me.

So truly disappointing. We went for Quinnen Williams instead of Kyler Murray.

Nobody ever put up stats like Wilt Chamberlain. But it didn't translate to many championships.

Ayton, like Bill Russell, is here to play a role on the team. A team that has been in the doldrums
for a decade.

Ayton doesn't have to "out-stat" Luca to be the right selection for the Suns. Just as Bill
Russell didn't out-stat Wilt The Stilt.

Hope that Ayton never thinks he has to out-stat Luca. We'll see!

 

[GatorAZ]

I tend to agree with this. I just don't see McD being able to see beyond Ayton's height, length, and athleticism. Ayton is a textbook McD pick.

Yep. Probably would’ve taken Cam Reddish too.

 

[Covert Rain]

Really? I guess they would score but I can't see Shaq or Ewing guarding Giannis at the three point line and staying in front of him

He isn't a good 3 point shooter but let's say he was decent. Can you name me a coach that wouldn't mind trading high percentage dunks with a big guy shooting 3's?!?!?

 

[Matt L]

He isn't a good 3 point shooter but let's say he was decent. Can you name me a coach that wouldn't mind trading high percentage dunks with a big guy shooting 3's?!?!?

Maybe Steve Kerr, Mike D'antoni.

Giannis is taking 4-5 three pointers a game, I'm guessing he will get that average up by the end of the year.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Maybe Steve Kerr, Mike D'antoni.

Giannis is taking 4-5 three pointers a game, I'm guessing he will get that average up by the end of the year.

He’s shooting more so his percentage should magically change from being wholly consistent with his career average? That’s some wacky logic.