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

[pokerface]

Man, I'll admit to only watching a handful of Ayton games, but he wasn't guarding a broken chair in the few games I've seen, let alone smaller guys on the perimeter. I am still picking him at #1, but let's not make things up and proclaim him a great defender. He is not going to be a 7 foot Draymond. He is not a good defender, and he doesn't have Green's drive and intensity.

I'm sure Ayton will at least be adequete on defense at some point.

 

[TJ]

If Ayton is the pick, I hope they bring in some assistant coaches who has really good defensive pedigree. AFAIK, Kokoskov has mostly offensively responsibilities in Utah but maybe he can bring on whoever worked with Gobert

Ayton is skilled offensively but he has some major holes in his game defensively and offers very little rim protection despite misleading BPG statistics. He will need to shore that up to be that star player in this league and Suns will need to bring in the

You realize that at Arizona, Ayton played most of his minutes at the 4, right? His primary assignment was hardly rim protection, but when he has, he’s done well defending it.

Ayton has no “major holes” in his game. He has areas he can improve, but it’d be nitpicking to name them.

 

[JCSunsfan]

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Man, I'll admit to only watching a handful of Ayton games, but he wasn't guarding a broken chair in the few games I've seen, let alone smaller guys on the perimeter. I am still picking him at #1, but let's not make things up and proclaim him a great defender. He is not going to be a 7 foot Draymond. He is not a good defender, and he doesn't have Green's drive and intensity.

My point was that he has the ability to defend well. This is a pretty good representation of his defense, warts and all.

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[pokerface]

This must be the fastest growing thread of all times. It will be a hundred pages by tomorrow night!

 

[Red Bird]

I take Ayton without hesitation.

Then i trade the 16, next year’s suns pick and Milwaukee pick and maybe Warren for number 2 and take Doncic. Hey if the bulls could grab Tyson and curry at 2 and 4 we could figure this out . . . right?

Vlade isn't going to pass up the chance to draft the most hyped Euro of all time. Doesn't matter what we throw at them.

 

[TJ]

Man, I'll admit to only watching a handful of Ayton games, but he wasn't guarding a broken chair in the few games I've seen, let alone smaller guys on the perimeter. I am still picking him at #1, but let's not make things up and proclaim him a great defender. He is not going to be a 7 foot Draymond. He is not a good defender, and he doesn't have Green's drive and intensity.

I watched every single minute of Ayton’s college career. He’s a very good defender. If he’s not blocking shots at the rim, he’s altering them. He can guard stretch 4s on the perimeter and post players. hes very versatile. It also helps that he played exclusively man defense at Arizona.

His worst defensive game was against Buffalo in the tournament and that was because he was exclusively on the perimeter guarding a shooting guard.

 

[1tinsoldier]

i'm sure Sac is very excited about the prospect of drafting Doncic.
i would "throw in the farm" if what's left is Booker, Jackson, Ayton, Doncic
but going for Young would be more realistic

 

[JS22]

In a heartbeat. 16, the Milwaukee pick, and Suns #1 next year. In a hearbeat. In a heartbeat. That is two late first rounders, plus maybe a late lottery pick. Warren would be fine in that too. I doubt Sacramento would take it but maybe.

Ok, that makes more sense.

I was (I don't know why, I guess) assuming the 3 picks would be unprotected and from the Suns. So yeah I'd mostly likely do the above deal. Although I doubt Sac would even listen to it.

 

[SunsTzu]

You realize that at Arizona, Ayton played most of his minutes at the 4, right? His primary assignment was hardly rim protection, but when he has, he’s done well defending it.

Ayton has no “major holes” in his game. He has areas he can improve, but it’d be nitpicking to name them.

The way some people tell it Ayton isn't even a lottery pick. Never seen such a negative narrative against such an obvious elite talent. If anything I'm impressed with how productive Ayton was able to be given how ill fitting his supporting cast was. Spent so much time playing with another C that killed spacing and forced him to spend too much time defending the perimeter.

 

[Cheesebeef]

For the few that are in Doncic's camp, watch this video and tell me you'd seriously pass on Ayton.

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I don't know about anyone else, but I saw more than just a couple flashes of Hakeem and Robinson.

If Igor is the offensive savant that he is billed, just imagine the system he could put in place with Ayton down low.

The pendulum is due to swing back from the current style of play just like it is in football with the passing game. It's swung too far to perimeter/finesse side in the NBA. With Embid, Towns, Davis, Drummond, and now Ayton we are going to see the return of the center position.

Let's get our franchise big man so we don't have to suffer through Jake Tsakalidas and Luc Longley for the next decade.

I definitely see a little Hakeem in his offensive game.

Definitely questions about his defense, but I think he will be an absolute dynamic offensive player, while still giving you at least 10 boards and 2 blocks per night.

Worse case scenario is he's a level headed Boogie Cousins, IMO.

He's just SOOOOOO gifted offensively at such a young age and that was while playing with just ATROCIOUS guards who a big man is heavily dependent on in college. And rebounding usually carries over to the pros.

 

[GatorAZ]

I definitely see a little Hakeem in his offensive game.

Definitely questions about his defense, but I think he will be an absolute dynamic offensive player, while still giving you at least 10 boards and 2 blocks per night.

Worse case scenario is he's a level headed Boogie Cousins, IMO.

He's just SOOOOOO gifted offensively at such a young age and that was while playing with just ATROCIOUS guards who a big man is heavily dependent on in college. And rebounding usually carries over to the pros.

Ayton will get better coaching at the next level. Miller was very distracted this year.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ayton will get better coaching at the next level. Miller was very distracted this year.

I agree.

 

[SirStefan32]

The way some people tell it Ayton isn't even a lottery pick. Never seen such a negative narrative against such an obvious elite talent. If anything I'm impressed with how productive Ayton was able to be given how ill fitting his supporting cast was. Spent so much time playing with another C that killed spacing and forced him to spend too much time defending the perimeter.

Good Lord, EVERYONE wants him with the #1 pick. What are you talking about? Pardon us for being realistic and pointing out he is not a David Robinson or Hakeem.

 

[Folster]

Good Lord, EVERYONE wants him with the #1 pick. What are you talking about? Pardon us for being realistic and pointing out he is not a David Robinson or Hakeem.

He definitely shows flashes of those two and he was only a freshman. Imagine what he'd be doing by his junior and senior years

 

[hsandhu]

Charlotte has a ton of horrible contracts, they will want to attach 1 to a walker trade.

Walker and Marvin Williams for 16, Milwaukee pick next year, top 10 protected suns pick?

Marvin makes 29 million over the next two years BUT is a 40% from 3 shooting power forward, perfect for the suns spacing.

Would Charlotte do that, start clearing some cap space and rebuild. I think kupcheck might, but Jordan is an idiot as an owner.

 

[Evil Ash]

Charlotte has a ton of horrible contracts, they will want to attach 1 to a walker trade.

Walker and Marvin Williams for 16, Milwaukee pick next year, top 10 protected suns pick?

Marvin makes 29 million over the next two years BUT is a 40% from 3 shooting power forward, perfect for the suns spacing.

Would Charlotte do that, start clearing some cap space and rebuild. I think kupcheck might, but Jordan is an idiot as an owner.

Supposedly Kupcheck has free reign and Jordan is gonna be hands off

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't know what it would take but it seems to me that having the Kings drafting at 2 at least opens up the possibility of a move.

And remember, sac town doesn’t have their first rounder next year (Celtics own it - sheesh ainge is good). So even though Doncic May be too good to pass up, can they really turn down the equivalent of 4 first round picks for him?

 

[Cheesebeef]

And remember, sac town doesn’t have their first rounder next year (Celtics own it - sheesh ainge is good). So even though Doncic May be too good to pass up, can they really turn down the equivalent of 4 first round picks for him?

if they believe him to be a Unicorn? Absolutely.

I think he and Fox can be a dynamic backcourt because Fox can defend the hell out of the ball and attack the rim and dish, while Doncic can be the great secondary playmaker and a BIG one playing SG at 6'8.

What they'd be getting in a trade is just a pupu platter, IMO. They need someone who can possibly be a superstar and they ain't getting that with a bunch of lotto protected picks and the Armon Gilliam of SFs.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Vlade isn't going to pass up the chance to draft the most hyped Euro of all time. Doesn't matter what we throw at them.

Yes that angle likely sinks any chance, no matter how slim, this may have had at happening.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I watched every single minute of Ayton’s college career. He’s a very good defender. If he’s not blocking shots at the rim, he’s altering them. He can guard stretch 4s on the perimeter and post players. hes very versatile. It also helps that he played exclusively man defense at Arizona.

His worst defensive game was against Buffalo in the tournament and that was because he was exclusively on the perimeter guarding a shooting guard.

Eh he got schooled by that undersized kid from Stanford. And I think the kid from Texas a&m (not Williams) did a number on him too. I’m not fretting his defense but I have to see a lot more from him before I call him a good defender.

 

[Cheesebeef]

this is soooooooooo freaking exciting!

You know what's also great? The Suns will ACTUALLY BE RELEVANT again. They'll be the first thing talked about in EVERY DRAFT STORY.

Please don't screw this up. Please don't screw this up. Please don't screw this up. Please don't screw this up.

 

[JCSunsfan]

And remember, sac town doesn’t have their first rounder next year (Celtics own it - sheesh ainge is good). So even though Doncic May be too good to pass up, can they really turn down the equivalent of 4 first round picks for him?

I would give them 16, and the Suns picks in 2019 and 2021 plus their pick of Chriss or Warren.

 

[Hoop Head]

It's crazy to see what some people are proposing for Sacramento's pick. Doncic could be a good player, I think he will be a solid player but not quite a star, but before the lottery drawing most people seemed to be against the idea of taking him ahead of Bagley at #2 or #3. Now we're supposed to mortgage our future and all of our assets to add him because we also have the chance to draft Ayton at #1? I don't get it. Ayton should be great for us but I don't see how also adding Doncic is worth giving up our own pick for years to come to take Doncic to play PG is a good move. If someone proposed these trades yesterday they would have been ripped apart.

 

[SweetD]

I watched every gUidE game with Ayton playing. So here are a few observations:

*Uofa has horrid spacing and many time the defenses made a point to crowd the key to keep Ayton out.
*Majority of the time Ayton played at the top left of key just inside the wing vs down low in the paint. I never understood this strategy.
* Ayton also played majority of the game with another big and he would match up against PFs.
* He doesn't have a great touch outside the arc, but it also took David a few years to start hitting that shot.
* He is a much better help defender than a low post defender, probably the reason he was matched up more on pfs.

Overall he is right on par with David when he drafted, it will be up to Ayton and his health if he can improve like AD. He should be our pick at #1 for sure!!! So excited to see how this team comes together over this summer.

My PG targets:
Stop gap Proven Vet with great assist:turnover ratio, ability to hit open 3s, 6'1" +, good-great perimeter defender. 2-3 year contract for flexibility
- K. Walker
- G. Dragic
- M. Bogdan (longer deal)
- E. Turner

PF targets:
Mid level vet, 3&D type, rebounder would be a plus. Chriss may fill this role, but still need a sold defender that at times can cover the post. Spacing is going to be key in this new offense.
-P. Milsaps
- T. Gibson
- K. Faried
- T. Young
- N. Mirotic
- J. Henson

I am sure there is more but it is past my bed time

 

[Raindog]

LOL at anyone complaining about Ayton's supposed defensive shortcomings and then clamoring for us to take Doncic instead. Makes a lot of sense... not.

And the fact is that Ayton is going to be a far more indefensible offensive threat than Doncic every day and twice on Sunday. If you want to argue for Doncic as in impact player over say JJJ, fine... but over Ayton is ridiculous.