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

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Didn't shoot a ton but 34% from 3pt range is pretty good.

Also 34% shouldn’t be considered “pretty good,” it should be considered adequate. I believe 33% is the generally accepted demarcation line for having a green light to shoot the 3. Anything below is considered poor. So I don’t think you jump from poor to “pretty good” immediately. Unless you’re making this relative and saying “pretty good for a center.” Which is a little more reasonable (although I don’t know what three pint percentage averages exist for starting centers nowadays - maybe it’s just average?).

 

[Mainstreet]

i would like to think a "unicorn" player is "rare/unique, magical"

I will go with this. Actually, I'm not comfortable with the use of unicorn when it comes to the NBA because it means different things to different people

 

[HeHasRosen]

Also 34% shouldn’t be considered “pretty good,” it should be considered adequate. I believe 33% is the generally accepted demarcation line for having a green light to shoot the 3. Anything below is considered poor. So I don’t think you jump from poor to “pretty good” immediately. Unless you’re making this relative and saying “pretty good for a center.” Which is a little more reasonable (although I don’t know what three pint percentage averages exist for starting centers nowadays - maybe it’s just average?).

Yea pretty good for a center is more accurate. But like you said insufficient amount of data to really go off of. Add the 3 feet in nba as well. Good enough to get the green light though

Side note: KAT was a 34% 3pt shooter his rookie year. Shot 42% this year. Thats a huge jump. (Not comparing just thought it was interesting)

 

[AzStevenCal]

i would like to think a "unicorn" player is "rare/unique, magical"

I think it started off referring to a big man that could defend the rim and score from all 3 levels. Now, it's being used more and more to describe a player who is very good at what he does when what he does is fairly rare. I used to rail against things like this until 5 or 6 years ago when I heard Iverson referred to as "old school". After vomiting a few times, I adjusted.

 

[overseascardfan]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/...o-1-pick-phoenix-suns-nba-draft-deandre-ayton

This article ignores everything going on in the NBA...it just has a focus of the suns getting in the playoffs. Then it goes on to this BS trade offer and loses ALL credibility.

Minnesota receives: No. 1, Milwaukee 1st likely to convey in 2020, Miami 1st unprotected in 2021, Josh Jackson

Phoenix receives: Karl-Anthony Towns

I think this is the reason McD has come out recently and said PHX most likely will keep the #1 pick. They are not going to give up the pick and assets to get a guy that will command a max contract over $200M after next year with Booker's that will pretty much guarantee they could not make additional moves if necessary to improve because they will be in salary cap lock down. Keeping the pick makes the most sense because you have a potential Big 3 that could be together for at least 3 years before having to make long term salary cap decisions. If PHX can land their PGOTF in this draft as well then they are really sitting pretty as if they develop, they could all be going into their prime as GS starts their decline.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Ayton isn't a unicorn, but Ayton is a slam dunk potential All Star though. I think the only thing that derails that from happening is either an injury or attitude issues.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think this is the reason McD has come out recently and said PHX most likely will keep the #1 pick. They are not going to give up the pick and assets to get a guy that will command a max contract over $200M after next year with Booker's that will pretty much guarantee they could not make additional moves if necessary to improve because they will be in salary cap lock down. Keeping the pick makes the most sense because you have a potential Big 3 that could be together for at least 3 years before having to make long term salary cap decisions. If PHX can land their PGOTF in this draft as well then they are really sitting pretty as if they develop, they could all be going into their prime as GS starts their decline.

I like that he's made that clear but I think he's implied it all along. From the lottery on, he's said he'd only consider trading it (straight up) for a young star that's under control and he's acknowledged multiple times that there's only a couple of players that fit that description. And I agree with you that it makes more sense to build around our youth AND our number one pick.

 

[GatorAZ]

Ayton isn't a unicorn, but Ayton is a slam dunk potential All Star though. I think the only thing that derails that from happening is either an injury or attitude issues.

How rare is it someone that huge and young doesn’t have injury concerns? Yao, Oden, Embiid, Gobert, Porzingis, etc...

The only one I can think of was Cousins but people worried about his weight and conditions. He was 290 at the combine and had 16% body fat.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Analyzing-the-NBA-Combine-Measurements-3477/

Ayton is strong but has a tight waist and no injury concerns that we know of.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yea pretty good for a center is more accurate. But like you said insufficient amount of data to really go off of. Add the 3 feet in nba as well. Good enough to get the green light though

Side note: KAT was a 34% 3pt shooter his rookie year. Shot 42% this year. Thats a huge jump. (Not comparing just thought it was interesting)

That is a huge jump and is an incredible difference maker in how you have to defend minny.

 

[HeHasRosen]

How rare is it someone that huge and young doesn’t have injury concerns? Yao, Oden, Embiid, Gobert, Porzingis, etc...

The only one I can think of was Cousins but people worried about his weight and conditions. He was 290 at the combine and had 16% body fat.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Analyzing-the-NBA-Combine-Measurements-3477/

Ayton is strong but has a tight waist and no injury concerns that we know of.

Yea not a concern so far with injuries. I believe this has to do with his soccer background. Hes light on his feet. Something extremely rare for a big. And if he puts on more muscle which i fully expect, it will only help his durability.

Now that i have looked into this more i dont really like the term unicorn. But if it has to be used i think a big man who can rim protect and be able to shoot from anywhere on the court.

So like unicorns, Its basically non existent. Maybe Ayton will be a unicorn. If the suns pick him i sure hope so

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yea pretty good for a center is more accurate. But like you said insufficient amount of data to really go off of. Add the 3 feet in nba as well. Good enough to get the green light though

Side note: KAT was a 34% 3pt shooter his rookie year. Shot 42% this year. Thats a huge jump. (Not comparing just thought it was interesting)

He was a 25% 3 point shooter in college.

 

[HeHasRosen]

He was a 25% 3 point shooter in college.

Wow even more impressive

 

[JCSunsfan]

Wow even more impressive

Just a little perspective here. College three point shooting numbers.

Karl Anthony-Towns .250
Joel Embiid .200
Anthony Davis .150
Demarcus Cousins .200
Kristaps Porzingis .355 (Euroleague closer line)
DeAndre Ayton .343

Unicorn. Shoots like a guard, moves like a guard, can defend guards, runs the floor like a guard, 7-1 250 with a 7-5.5 wingspan. Also bulls in the center and has a well-developed post game. Porzingis is a unicorn because he is 7-3 and shoots like a guard. He is also very athletic. Ayton is not taller, but he is bigger, stronger, and faster (and almost as tall). If Porzingis is a unicorn, so is Ayton.

You know what the scariest thing about Ayton is? He picked up a basketball for the first time when he was 12, not 8. He is still on the steep side of his learning curve. The progress in his game from last year to this is astounding.

 

[pokerface]

Well I'm not into trading our (soon to be) non-unicorn Ayton for that other non-unicorn KAT.

 

[pokerface]

Just a little perspective here. College three point shooting numbers.

Karl Anthony-Towns .250
Joel Embiid .200
Anthony Davis .150
Demarcus Cousins .200
Kristaps Porzingis .355 (Euroleague closer line)
DeAndre Ayton .343

Unicorn. Shoots like a guard, moves like a guard, can defend guards, runs the floor like a guard, 7-1 250 with a 7-5.5 wingspan. Also bulls in the center and has a well-developed post game. Porzingis is a unicorn because he is 7-3 and shoots like a guard. He is also very athletic. Ayton is not taller, but he is bigger, stronger, and faster (and almost as big). If Porzingis is a unicorn, so is Ayton.

You know what the scariest thing about Ayton is? He picked up a basketball for the first time when he was 12, not 8. He is still on the steep side of his learning curve. The progress in his game from last year to this is astounding.

That's what I thought..until I got corrected by the NBA slang authorities . That group you mentioned is elite...and still rare. What shall we call them JC? Just centers??

 

[HeHasRosen]

Just a little perspective here. College three point shooting numbers.

Karl Anthony-Towns .250
Joel Embiid .200
Anthony Davis .150
Demarcus Cousins .200
Kristaps Porzingis .355 (Euroleague closer line)
DeAndre Ayton .343

Unicorn. Shoots like a guard, moves like a guard, can defend guards, runs the floor like a guard, 7-1 250 with a 7-5.5 wingspan. Also bulls in the center and has a well-developed post game. Porzingis is a unicorn because he is 7-3 and shoots like a guard. He is also very athletic. Ayton is not taller, but he is bigger, stronger, and faster (and almost as big). If Porzingis is a unicorn, so is Ayton.

You know what the scariest thing about Ayton is? He picked up a basketball for the first time when he was 12, not 8. He is still on the steep side of his learning curve. The progress in his game from last year to this is astounding.

Thank you for posting this.

 

[Folster]

Bump

 

[hsandhu]

I feel a little better after the Russillo comment last week, suns beat writer Scott bordow was on a podcast with a suns website and two doncic cultists... He said he would be shocked if ayton wasn't the pick.

He said this just based on the way people in suns org describe the players.I

Gave an example, At the Chicago combine he asked a suns scout/front office off the record about doncic, the comment was nice player, and talked about passing skills.

When asked about ayton, he said "monster"

 

[Krangodnzr]

I feel a little better after the Russillo comment last week, suns beat writer Scott bordow was on a podcast with a suns website and two doncic cultists... He said he would be shocked if ayton wasn't the pick.

He said this just based on the way people in suns org describe the players.I

Gave an example, At the Chicago combine he asked a suns scout/front office off the record about doncic, the comment was nice player, and talked about passing skills.

When asked about ayton, he said "monster"

Still could be a smokescreen.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yea not a concern so far with injuries. I believe this has to do with his soccer background. Hes light on his feet. Something extremely rare for a big. And if he puts on more muscle which i fully expect, it will only help his durability.

Now that i have looked into this more i dont really like the term unicorn. But if it has to be used i think a big man who can rim protect and be able to shoot from anywhere on the court.

So like unicorns, Its basically non existent. Maybe Ayton will be a unicorn. If the suns pick him i sure hope so

If you watch the video of Cousins as a rookie, he lumbered (quickly) but there was an overweight out of control look to how he moved. Ayton moves nimbly and with precision.

 

[pokerface]

We need to just stick with Ayton.


The media and their stupid trade ideas are killing me. They want us to trade our future so we 'might' make the playoffs...pffft. Like what kind of plan is that?

 

[Mainstreet]

I feel a little better after the Russillo comment last week, suns beat writer Scott bordow was on a podcast with a suns website and two doncic cultists... He said he would be shocked if ayton wasn't the pick.

He said this just based on the way people in suns org describe the players.I

Gave an example, At the Chicago combine he asked a suns scout/front office off the record about doncic, the comment was nice player, and talked about passing skills.

When asked about ayton, he said "monster"

That puts Bordow and Gambadoro in our camp.

 

[Mainstreet]

Still could be a smokescreen.

The Suns do not need to do a smokescreen owning the #1 pick unless unless they want Doncic to slide and move up from #16 to get him.

 

[Hoop Head]

That's one elaborate smokescreen, telling the beat writer off the record that they consider Ayton a "monster" and they think Doncic is a good passer/playmaker, and should be a nice player.

 

[pokerface]

Like I said before....The suns don't have the "guts" to not pick Ayton. That's why it's a done deal. Unicorn picks are easy.