The Suns with the 2018 #1 overall pick select....

[leclerc]

Maybe some offseason work can help him [Booker] be a better distributor but I'd rather he focus mostly on becoming the best shooting guard he can be.

Let him see looping videos of MJ doing his thing and Reggie Miller running off screens. His goal should be to shut down his opponent and put up most points in the game.

 

[1tinsoldier]

1. Ayton ceiling is higher and floor is around KAT.

2. $$$ you wont have to worry about Ayton signing a max deal next year. Having 2 max contracts will limit what this team does going forward.

3. We get to raise are own home grown talent. And pick #1 for the first time ever. There's a reason anyone who would trade for the pick would take Ayton

yes and the pure fun of it. i'm much more excited to tune in and watch Ayton blossum in a Suns uniform than see Towns switch jerseys.

 

[Chaplin]

yes and the pure fun of it. i'm much more excited to tune in and watch Ayton blossum in a Suns uniform than see Towns switch jerseys.

Assuming Ayton blossoms, that is. If he doesn't, we will all hate each other for not taking the opportunity (if it even is an opportunity).

KAT is a sure thing.

And Max contracts are going to be a fact of life with the more good players you have on your roster. That's a fact.

 

[Dan H]

It makes more sense from a cap perspective to have a max Booker and Ayton on a rookie contract, rather than doubling up on two guys from the same draft class. By the time Ayton is due for an extension, Book will be getting close to his third contract, and the pieces around them might have changed to open up space, as well.

I'd rather have Ayton, Booker, Jackson along with other pieces we could add with the cap space KAT would suck up.

 

[elindholm]

I'm curious to know the reasoning for NOT trading the #1 for KAT straight-up.

Because Ayton projects as a better player than Towns.

 

[Chaplin]

Because Ayton projects as a better player than Towns.

How so? Towns is a pretty good player on his own. Probably a top 3-5 big man in the entire league.

 

[HeHasRosen]

Towns literally has the same question marks as Ayton. He has improved but there's still questions wether he can be a true rim protector. Hes quite often out of position and his anticipation is off

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

trading Ayton for Bickley straight up is a safe and measured trade the Suns might be more inclined to do than Minny. but it's not something I'd do.

#1 for Bickley?!? Pass!!!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Except if the #1 by itself can net you a proven NBA-experienced 22-year-old big man, you ABSOLUTELY have to consider it.

I'm curious to know the reasoning for NOT trading the #1 for KAT straight-up.

I believe Ayton has greater upside.

Cost containment of ayton’s riokie deal verses KAT’s pending mex contract allows suns MUCH more flexibility in adding to core.

The converse is that KAT is already proven commodity. No guesswork. No maybe bust.

 

[Carolinacacti]

When do teams start having individual workouts for draft players? I'm for just taking Ayton like to see if he even works out for anyone.

 

[SirStefan32]

I guarantee you that the Wolves would not trade KAT straight up for #1. KAT is already an outstanding player. Ayton is all potential. They would want additional picks, and probably JJ.

 

[elindholm]

How so? Towns is a pretty good player on his own. Probably a top 3-5 big man in the entire league.

Towns's one year in college:

10.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, on 57% shooting and 21.1 mpg on a team that went 38-1

Ayton's one year in college:

20.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg, on 61% shooting and 33.5 mpg on a team that went 27-8

Towns was on a better team and didn't get as many minutes, but the difference in production is still striking. If you put those two players in the same draft, based just on those numbers and on general athletic ability, Ayton would go ahead of Towns.

 

[Chaplin]

Towns's one year in college:

10.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, on 57% shooting and 21.1 mpg on a team that went 38-1

Ayton's one year in college:

20.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg, on 61% shooting and 33.5 mpg on a team that went 27-8

Towns was on a better team and didn't get as many minutes, but the difference in production is still striking. If you put those two players in the same draft, based just on those numbers and on general athletic ability, Ayton would go ahead of Towns.

No question there, but that isn't Towns today. Towns has doubled his stats. And Ayton will never double his college stats, so that is a flawed argument. It's odd that you are comparing a player today with a player who no longer exists.

 

[HeHasRosen]

No question there, but that isn't Towns today. Towns has doubled his stats. And Ayton will never double his college stats, so that is a flawed argument. It's odd that you are comparing a player today with a player who no longer exists.

So Ayton doesnt have to even put up better numbers but he probably will. That allows him to work on his d and technique. Everything else is there.

Also KAT had better coaching in college

 

[elindholm]

No question there, but that isn't Towns today. Towns has doubled his stats. And Ayton will never double his college stats, so that is a flawed argument.

So if Ayton had averaged 40 and 25 in college, that would be even worse, because he'd have trouble sustaining those numbers in the NBA?

Barring (a) injury, (b) poor motivation, or (c) insufficient talent, pretty much all players are better at age 22 than they were at age 19. So Ayton will be better than he is now. The question is how much.

It's odd that you are comparing a player today with a player who no longer exists.

You asked me specifically why I said Ayton "projects" as a better player than Towns. That's what projection is: It's seeing where someone was as a youngster and trying to guesstimate where they'll be a few years down the road.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I guarantee you that the Wolves would not trade KAT straight up for #1. KAT is already an outstanding player. Ayton is all potential. They would want additional picks, and probably JJ.

That's a tough guarantee to stand up to. I guarantee they wouldn't want to trade him for a single pick but they don't trade a KAT unless he's unhappy and demanding a trade. At that point, it's no longer strictly about what he's worth.

Maybe someone will offer up a treasure chest of assets but if the guy is as flawed as so many here are saying, why wouldn't they trade him for a prospect that's pegged as a can't miss superstar?

 

[JCSunsfan]

No question there, but that isn't Towns today. Towns has doubled his stats. And Ayton will never double his college stats, so that is a flawed argument. It's odd that you are comparing a player today with a player who no longer exists.

What it means is that Towns was more of a risk when drafted than Ayton. I do not think it silly to think that Ayton will be a better player than Towns. Plus we would have to give up too much to get him. I am sure that at the time that Booker was drafted a player like Eric Gordon would have looked like a better bet. It would have taken Booker plus a pick to get him. If we had been offered Gordon in trade, it would have been tempting. But sometimes you have to just go with potential you see in front of you and not try to be overly cautious, That time is now.

Minnesota should consider KAT untouchable and fire the coach if necessary. Then we can just focus on the draft.

 

[Mainstreet]

That's not technically correct, we have 1 year of control, that's it. Once he's a RFA control is KAT's. He signs an offer sheet elsewhere or gets the Suns to open their checkbook. If he takes the 1 year tender we would get an extra year but wouldn't be in control, we'd be in a very bad place with him headed towards unrestricted free agency after 2 years here. Not sure where Bickley gets 3 years.

I think we are in agreement except I am talking about seasons.

Bickley appears to be talking about years if the Suns traded for Towns this summer.

I think he is saying the Suns would have control of Towns 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20. Viewing it in years is technically correct although misleading. The Suns would only have Towns one season (next season) under contract before he becomes a RFA.

 

[Chaplin]

What it means is that Towns was more of a risk when drafted than Ayton. I do not think it silly to think that Ayton will be a better player than Towns. Plus we would have to give up too much to get him. I am sure that at the time that Booker was drafted a player like Eric Gordon would have looked like a better bet. It would have taken Booker plus a pick to get him. If we had been offered Gordon in trade, it would have been tempting. But sometimes you have to just go with potential you see in front of you and not try to be overly cautious, That time is now.

Minnesota should consider KAT untouchable and fire the coach if necessary. Then we can just focus on the draft.

I agree that Minnesota shouldn't trade KAT.

What I'm saying is it doesn't matter if KAT was a risk when he was drafted--that is irrelevant to this discussion of whether we could (or should) trade the #1 pick straight up for him. It doesn't matter what his stats were in college.

 

[WildBB]

Towns isn't worth more then the #1 pick. Just for the fact that you're giving up his replacement and giving up cap flexability. You won't be able to sign another starter for this coming season. And there are some options there.

 

[Mainstreet]

I guarantee you that the Wolves would not trade KAT straight up for #1. KAT is already an outstanding player. Ayton is all potential. They would want additional picks, and probably JJ.

So that solves this trade discussion.

No way should the Suns trade more than the #1 pick for Towns unless we are matching his salary slot by including a player.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So that solves this trade discussion.

No way should the Suns trade more than the #1 pick for Towns unless we are matching his salary slot by including a player.

Fortunately, for us, Ryan has made it clear that he thinks a trade is unlikely and that it would only be for one of a few young stars. And he repeats the "our pick straight up for star player" every time he mentions we might be willing to trade it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Fortunately, for us, Ryan has made it clear that he thinks a trade is unlikely and that it would only be for one of a few young stars. And he repeats the "our pick straight up for star player" every time he mentions we might be willing to trade it.

I'm glad to hear this is how McDonough views it.

 

[WildBB]

Just keep the #1. Keep Warren, add a vet and trade up from 16.

 

[pokerface]

Just keep the #1. Keep Warren, add a vet and trade up from 16.

Yeah why isn't that good enough?


Taking for KAT is just bailing the Twolves out. We get Ayton on a rookie contract and control him more years.