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

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah. We have a glut of back-up-quality point guards, but I feel like Ulis will end up on the team for this reason.

Is he an NBA player? I'm not sure at this point. But he's a lot better than Zoran Dragic, and Booker is a lot better than Goran.

He wasn't last year. I think recovering from injury, size, new injuries, inexperience and another preseason being coached by Earl Watson explain his disappointing performance last season. All but one them should hopefully be non-issues this season. So yeah, I expect he'll be here another season.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah. We have a glut of back-up-quality point guards, but I feel like Ulis will end up on the team for this reason.

Is he an NBA player? I'm not sure at this point. But he's a lot better than Zoran Dragic, and Booker is a lot better than Goran.

I'd definitely make room on a 15 man roster for Ulis as a 3rd or 4th PG. He doesn't command that much money either.

 

[DWKB]

Don't know if this has been posted on here yet, but I thought it was worth a read for Suns fans:


The One Question That Can Block Deandre Ayton’s Path to Stardom

The Arizona big man looks the part of a no. 1 draft pick, but will he be able to defend in the NBA? The recent history of one stat raises a major red flag for him and another notable lottery prospect.

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/6/13/17456542/deandre-ayton-defense-nba-draft

 

[elindholm]

Is he an NBA player? I'm not sure at this point. But he's a lot better than Zoran Dragic

wtf

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

wtf

I'm saying, there's less of an issue keeping a player on your roster to please your best player if that player is actually deserving of an NBA roster spot. Zoran wasn't, and that didn't seem to go over well. If Ulis is an NBA quality player, keeping him on the roster to appease Booker makes more sense.

I was a big fan of Ulis coming out of the draft, but there's a strong argument to be made that the Suns could find three point guards (from trades, signings, the draft, and the current roster) that make more sense for the team next year. That said, why mess with a good thing if it's close?

 

[elindholm]

Don't know if this has been posted on here yet, but I thought it was worth a read for Suns fans:


https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/6/13/17456542/deandre-ayton-defense-nba-draft

The article states from the outset that the site's "experts" prefer Doncic. So, rather than admit that they were wrong as the evidence continues to stack up on Ayton's side, they're floundering around making an invented argument. The author usually writes about baseball, where statistical hand-waving is more accepted.

Ayton's low block rate is a concern. The Suns need rim protection, and he should be able to provide it. It seems safe to project that he will never become an elite shot blocker, but he needs to become at least mediocre.

I've never before heard of steals as being an indicator of a big man's defensive effectiveness. That's just nonsense.

Also, any analysis that lists Porzingis as "one of the league's top defensive big men" is, to put it kindly, pretty suspect.

 

[elindholm]

I'm saying, there's less of an issue keeping a player on your roster to please your best player if that player is actually deserving of an NBA roster spot. Zoran wasn't, and that didn't seem to go over well. If Ulis is an NBA quality player, keeping him on the roster to appease Booker makes more sense.

It leads down a very dangerous road. Ulis needs to make the roster or not based on his own merits. If his friendship with Booker plays into the equation, what happens if he and Booker have a falling out? Or if it becomes clear that Ulis isn't deserving of the opportunities he gets, and teammates start resenting Booker for shielding him?

These guys make insane money to be professionals. The default position should be that they will act like professionals and be treated like professionals. Any deviation from that is already a concession.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

It leads down a very dangerous road. Ulis needs to make the roster or not based on his own merits. If his friendship with Booker plays into the equation, what happens if he and Booker have a falling out? Or if it becomes clear that Ulis isn't deserving of the opportunities he gets, and teammates start resenting Booker for shielding him?

These guys make insane money to be professionals. The default position should be that they will act like professionals and be treated like professionals. Any deviation from that is already a concession.

I agree with you on this. You'll notice that my wording was as a prediction rather than a preference. I'm just saying that it's easier for us to regard it this way in theory and harder in practice.

Would Booker handle Ulis being cut professionally? Likely. However, even as a professional, if you work for a company that fires your best friend...I suggest it will at least slightly taint your opinion of the company and how happy you are to work for that company; even if your friend probably deserved to lose his job. The Suns have to fear this on some level, which is why I think they will stick with Ulis until it's more obvious they shouldn't.

 

[elindholm]

However, even as a professional, if you work for a company that fires your best friend...I suggest it will at least slightly taint your opinion of the company and how happy you are to work for that company; even if your friend probably deserved to lose his job. The Suns have to fear this on some level, which is why I think they will stick with Ulis until it's more obvious they shouldn't.

If your company is paying you $25 million a year, you shut up and deal. I would guess that a good number of seven-figure executives -- never mind eight-figure -- have had the experience of firing their best friend themselves. When you get to that level of compensation, the personal angle simply can't be a factor.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

If your company is paying you $25 million a year, you shut up and deal. I would guess that a good number of seven-figure executives -- never mind eight-figure -- have had the experience of firing their best friend themselves. When you get to that level of compensation, the personal angle simply can't be a factor.

This seems like a good opportunity for first person journalism. Step one requires me to find a job that will pay me $25 million a year. Let me know if you find any good leads!

 

[elindholm]

This seems like a good opportunity for first person journalism. Step one requires me to find a job that will pay me $25 million a year. Let me know if you find any good leads!

Sure thing -- just know that I'll be firing you within the first month, so you'll have to get your perspective quickly.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Ulis makes another team's roster so the Suns should be able to make room for him. He would likely be playing somewhere in the NBA if the Suns had not drafted him. I think the ankle surgery held him back so I expect him to improve.

 

[Phrazbit]

I think Ulis makes another team's roster so the Suns should be able to make room for him. He would likely be playing somewhere in the NBA if the Suns had not drafted him. I think the ankle surgery held him back so I expect him to improve.

He can't shoot. If you're a tiny point guard and you can't shoot you flat out will not make it in the NBA.

 

[Mainstreet]

He can't shoot. If you're a tiny point guard and you can't shoot you flat out will not make it in the NBA.

I understand the shooting part but I still like the way he can run a team. I'd like to give him at least one more season. I'm not expecting him to be a rotation player... maybe the 3rd PG on the team.

 

[devilalum]

I understand the shooting part but I still like the way he can run a team. I'd like to give him at least one more season. I'm not expecting him to be a rotation player... maybe the 3rd PG on the team.

People always like to talk about the intangibles with Ulis.

What are his tangible skills?

Small
Can't shoot
liability on defense
good passer but limited by size
average ball handler

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

A good read on Ayton:

https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/13/deandre-ayton-nba-draft-arizona-fbi-sean-miller-phoenix-suns

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

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[Chris_Sanders]

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Yeesh...

He peaked about a month ago. Might be hitting the wall now.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeesh...

He peaked about a month ago. Might be hitting the wall now.

Considering how much he's played in the past year, is it that big of a deal?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Considering how much he's played in the past year, is it that big of a deal?

It is and it isn't. Didn't Dragic have an issue where he was wearing himself down every off season playing internationally too? I might be misremembering though

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Poor timing for him to say the least.

 

[Mainstreet]

People always like to talk about the intangibles with Ulis.

What are his tangible skills?

Small
Can't shoot
liability on defense
good passer but limited by size
average ball handler

If you don't like Ulis I'm not going to convince you otherwise. However, I wouldn't write him off just yet.

Ulis is a non-rotation player but he does have PG skills and is a decent ball handler as you point out. Also he is a good teammate which counts for something. His stats are not terrible but at this point of his career he is a fringe player. His stats for the latter part of March and April are actually pretty good.

I'd like to let him finish his contract with the Suns but I realize anything can happen. At this point in time, the Suns are not so talented that they couldn't keep him.

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/gamelog/_/id/3136194/tyler-ulis

 

[Mainstreet]

Scott Bordow is supposed to have a segment on NBA TV at 6:10 p.m.

It's channel 216 on DirecTV.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm watching the Scott Bordow segment on NBA TV.

He is giving reasons why the Suns will draft Ayton... Bordow would be shocked otherwise.

Ayton, Jackson and Bamba are the names mentioned as big man candidates.

McDonough thinks Ayton will develop into a good defender plus coaching should improve his defensive game with his athletic skills.

Bordow says Igor blew him away by his coaching in Euro League... the ability to get his players open shots.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'm watching the Scott Bordow segment on NBA TV.

He is giving reasons why the Suns will draft Ayton... Bordow would be shocked otherwise.

Ayton, Jackson and Bamba are the names mentioned as big man candidates.

McDonough thinks Ayton will develop into a good defender plus coaching should improve his defensive game with his athletic skills.

Bordow says Igor blew him away by his coaching in Euro League... the ability to get his players open shots.

This is all music to my ears.