Top 7 Players in the NBA Draft

[BC867]

Elton Brand got the GM job in Philly with the same amount of experience as Jones and he's viewed quite well around the league. The Cavs were reported to be interested in Chauncey Billups after they let Griffin go but Billups turned the job down, he had no experience and the media backed Billups in that instance. Jones was seen as a quality hire since he was a smart player who had a great reputation around the league who held high positions in the player association so he could gain office experience to transition into a front office job when his career was over.

His resume has 1 year as the interim GM, 1 as the VP of basketball operations, and he was a players union rep dating back to his days with the Pacers in 04-05 and eventually made it to Secretary Treasurer, which had him 3rd in command behind Chris Paul and Lebron as the President and Vice President respectively.

His resume isn't huge but it's good and he knows the organizations, it's players, and wants to be here. That should account for something since everyone likes talking about all of the players who want to run away from the Suns.



What half does he have a disdain for? That's quite a lot, why interview and accept the position if he hates it? That doesn't make sense but I'm open to you elaborating on the half he disdains.



Like it or not but Sarver is the owner and as the owner he has people working below him. There isn't a GM in the league who doesn't answer to their teams owner so why contend it's a negative that Jones does also?

As far as Bower, he interviewed for the VP of Basketball Ops position to come in and advise Sarver and Jones, he wasn't after the job above Jones so why should he be higher than James?



That's conjecture. You've already written off Bower simply because he didn't fight for Jones job and also wants to be here. What makes you believe he was hired to replace Jones? All reports indicate that Jones participated in the hiring, did he actually help hire his replacement?


Sure he can but why would he? If he deliberately damaged this team then he'd never work in the NBA again. Perhaps you don't mean deliberately though, based on what he did this season what makes you think he'll damage this team next year? What moves this year did you take issue with, specifically?

Is there anyone who could have been hired that you would have supported? I'm not sure there is because ultimately it would have been Sarver hiring that person and that alone gives anyone a black mark in your eyes, right? I don't want to answer for you, I want to know how you feel on this because I honestly don't believe anything other than Sarver selling the team would have pleased you but I could be wrong, that's why I'm asking you what could have been done.

Articles quoted Jones as saying that he did not want to spend the time doing all of the behind the scenes work that is expected from a General
Manager. It has been quoted on this board.

Let's see how Jones being the #1 man in the organization behind Sarver works out over the summer.

If he puts an end to our almost-decade-long playoff draught (with his personnel decisions, including Head Coach), I will happily say I was wrong.

Until then, he is just a continuation of the Suns revolving door of relatively inexperienced General Managers and Head Coaches, which results in
bringing up the rear. And, yes, as you said, I believe that Sarver is the cancer who hires sub-par executives to oversee the day-to-day operations.

 

[Phrazbit]

I really doubt the Suns would take Morant over Zion, but if the Cards take a member of the Lollipop Guild 1st overall in the NFL draft... who knows?

 

[Chaplin]

Articles quoted Jones as saying that he did not want to spend the time doing all of the behind the scenes work that is expected from a General
Manager. It has been quoted on this board.

Let's see how Jones being the #1 man in the organization behind Sarver works out over the summer.

If he puts an end to our almost-decade-long playoff draught (with his personnel decisions, including Head Coach), I will happily say I was wrong.

Until then, he is just a continuation of the Suns revolving door of relatively inexperienced General Managers and Head Coaches, which results in
bringing up the rear. And, yes, as you said, I believe that Sarver is the cancer who hires sub-par executives to oversee the day-to-day operations.

No he was quoted that he wasn’t one to sit behind a laptop all day and GM that way. That’s obviously why Trevor Buckstein has been involved. Jones has always been a player guy with Buckstein the analytics guy.

 

[Proximo]

If the Suns get the #1 pick I will bet anyone on here $100 that they pick Zion over Ja. Criticizing Jones on something that will never happen is a waste of time and ridiculous.

I would bet $10,000. Even if the suns did value Ja the most they would have to be inconceivably stupid not to trade down one spot at least because every other team would take Zion first.

 

[1Sun]

I would bet $10,000. Even if the suns did value Ja the most they would have to be inconceivably stupid not to trade down one spot at least because every other team would take Zion first.

That still doesn't address the real problem: That this franchise's basketball operations are being run by someone who is crazy enough to value Ja over Zion in the first place. This doesn't alarm any of you? (For perspective, imagine if the Spurs had taken Antonio Daniels or Chauncey Billups #1 over Tim Duncan, or if the Cavs took Carmelo Anthony #1 over Lebron.)

 

[GatorAZ]

I would expect the Suns to shoot this down before the lottery balls are drawn in case they win it. Seasons tickets would start flying that night.

 

[Mainstreet]

I really doubt the Suns would take Morant over Zion, but if the Cards take a member of the Lollipop Guild 1st overall in the NFL draft... who knows?

When thinking about the possibility of the Cardinals drafting Murray, I tried to make some sense of it by trying to compare the situation to a point guard in the NBA.

I don't think a 5'10" point guard would be drafted early. There are too many deficiencies in terms of getting shots blocked, poor defensive match-ups, etc.

However, I'm not sure the same applies to the NFL. If Murray can see the field, make quick reads and make the right passes, height doesn't mean as much as in the NBA. Shorter quarterbacks have been successful in the NFL.

My gut feeling heading into the draft, the Cardinals would prefer to trade down with the number 1 pick. I'm going to enjoy the draft no mater what they do. If they do trade down, it wouldn't surprise me if they drafted a quarterback somewhere in the draft because of Rosen's lackluster first season.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

No he was quoted that he wasn’t one to sit behind a laptop all day and GM that way. That’s obviously why Trevor Buckstein has been involved. Jones has always been a player guy with Buckstein the analytics guy.

That’s not accurate.

 

[Proximo]

When thinking about the possibility of the Cardinals drafting Murray, I tried to make some sense of it by trying to compare the situation to a point guard in the NBA.

I don't think a 5'10" point guard would be drafted early. There are too many deficiencies in terms of getting shots blocked, poor defensive match-ups, etc.

However, I'm not sure the same applies to the NFL. If Murray can see the field, make quick reads and make the right passes, height doesn't mean as much as in the NBA. Shorter quarterbacks have been successful in the NFL.

My gut feeling heading into the draft, the Cardinals would prefer to trade down with the number 1 pick. I'm going to enjoy the draft no mater what they do. If they do trade down, it wouldn't surprise me if they drafted a quarterback somewhere in the draft because of Rosen's lackluster first season.

Really? You are comparing height of a qb to height af a guard?

Last I checked there was no 10 ft high object in football to throw the ball over.

If Murray was 5 ft tall than maybe their would be legit reasons to criticicize him, but he is a half inch shorter than Wilson and 2 inches shorter than brees.

 

[JerkFace]

That still doesn't address the real problem: That this franchise's basketball operations are being run by someone who is crazy enough to value Ja over Zion in the first place. This doesn't alarm any of you? (For perspective, imagine if the Spurs had taken Antonio Daniels or Chauncey Billups #1 over Tim Duncan, or if the Cavs took Carmelo Anthony #1 over Lebron.)

Where is your absolute proof that he values Ja over Zion? Jones may have made an offhand comment like “we need a point guard more than a power forward”. I’m not going to knock someone for someone else’s speculation.

 

[1Sun]

Where is your absolute proof that he values Ja over Zion? Jones may have made an offhand comment like “we need a point guard more than a power forward”. I’m not going to knock someone for someone else’s speculation.

Take a look at Hoop Head's post revealing the tweet exchange confirming the report with a second source.

 

[Hoop Head]

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And

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And...

This as a screenshot but readily available and easy to find on the author of that piece's Twitter feed. The Suns liking Ja more does not mean they would pass on Zion #1. They like Ja a lot and value his fit with the team more than Zion but that does not mean they'll pass on Zion for Ja but that is a reason they value Ja a little more right now. It's like how the Blazers should have viewed the 84 draft, they needed a big but Jordan was on the board, rather than taking the best player available they took who fit their team best because they already have Drexler. They passed on Jordan and have been blasted ever since. No one is saying the Suns WILL pass on Zion, just that they really like what Ja brings and if they land at #2 then they'd probably be as happy as if they land at #1.

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[Superbone]

We probably shouldn't worry about this one way or the other unless we get the #1 pick.

 

[Mainstreet]

Really? You are comparing height of a qb to height af a guard?

Last I checked there was no 10 ft high object in football to throw the ball over.

If Murray was 5 ft tall than maybe their would be legit reasons to criticicize him, but he is a half inch shorter than Wilson and 2 inches shorter than brees.

I think I made it clear the height of the decision makers is more relevant to the NBA than the NFL.

Still I thought it was interesting to compare the two sports.

At first glance, height should be almost as important in football. I think this is why Murray has some vocal critics.

 

[Proximo]

It is very clear the suns want Morant badly. Several of our players follow him on social media, and booker and him have messaged each other back and forth.

Than we made a very public scouting trip with the whole front office and fitz.

I think booker may have told management he wants him.

I just hope we don’t end up trading the farm to move up from 6 to 2 to get him.

We really, really need a top 3 draw in the lottery. It could literally determine the next 5 years for the team.

 

[1Sun]

You all continue to miss the point, which is NOT that the Suns will pass on Zion to take Morant #1, but IS that James Jones insanely values Ja more than Zion, as confirmed with a second source in Hoop Head's cited tweet exchange, above, which does not bode well at all for us in terms of some other decisions Jones might make, like trading the farm for Ja.

 

[Proximo]

You all continue to miss the point, which is NOT that the Suns will pass on Zion to take Morant #1, but IS that James Jones insanely values Ja more than Zion, as confirmed with a second source in Hoop Head's cited tweet exchange, above, which does not bode well at all for us in terms of some other decisions Jones might make, like trading the farm for Ja.

Yeah I don’t believe that till I hear it out of his mouth.

Does he believe Morant is a better fit, that I could believe, and that would be because of zions current lack of a jump shot.

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns get the #1 pick they can do whatever they want. There is no end to the teams wanting Zion.

Drafting Zion is the right choice but it's fun fantasizing about the trades the Suns could make.

 

[Hoop Head]

Yeah I don’t believe that till I hear it out of his mouth.

Does he believe Morant is a better fit, that I could believe, and that would be because of zions current lack of a jump shot.

This can be taken multiple ways but the writer of the article seems to back how you view it, and I do as well. It seems like Gina spoke of turn or was overly simplistic in her reply. The reporter who wrote the article has taken a few people to task for going with the clickbait headline that the Suns would take Ja before Zion. I didn't read the article before messaging Gina and since it's behind a paywall I doubt many people did read it in it's entirety.

Anyone who wants to bash the Suns, James Jones, or even Sarver because they now believe that the Suns will take Ja before Zion based on a clickbait headline would bash them regardless. The whole "Suns would take Ja over Zion" idea wasn't said by the reporter who wrote the article and the headline didn't go to his article and wasn't even featured on the same site he writes for. His article has been sourced by various other sites that have created the misleading headline for clicks but that's it. He's refuted those headlines on his Twitter account, which is all he can do now. To continue running with the idea that he reported something he's gone out of his way to deny and clarify, is biased.

 

[Chaplin]

That’s not accurate.

Wrong

It’s certainly more true than the false narrative that he doesn’t want to do the job.

 

[Hoop Head]

Wrong

It’s certainly more true than the false narrative that he doesn’t want to do the job.

And it's definitely more accurate than saying Jones has a deep disdain for half of the jobs responsibilities, like BC initially stated.

I already said my piece to him and if I responded to his rebuttal I would have been repeating myself. I think your response touched on an important part that is more true than false and definitely more accurate than BC's assertion.

 

[1Sun]

This can be taken multiple ways but the writer of the article seems to back how you view it, and I do as well. It seems like Gina spoke of turn or was overly simplistic in her reply. The reporter who wrote the article has taken a few people to task for going with the clickbait headline that the Suns would take Ja before Zion. I didn't read the article before messaging Gina and since it's behind a paywall I doubt many people did read it in it's entirety.

Anyone who wants to bash the Suns, James Jones, or even Sarver because they now believe that the Suns will take Ja before Zion based on a clickbait headline would bash them regardless. The whole "Suns would take Ja over Zion" idea wasn't said by the reporter who wrote the article and the headline didn't go to his article and wasn't even featured on the same site he writes for. His article has been sourced by various other sites that have created the misleading headline for clicks but that's it. He's refuted those headlines on his Twitter account, which is all he can do now. To continue running with the idea that he reported something he's gone out of his way to deny and clarify, is biased.

But isn't Gina the insider? Why would she be off here?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Wrong

It’s certainly more true than the false narrative that he doesn’t want to do the job.

His words spoke for themselves. He does not believe in putting in the hours that other GMs have. You can try to spin it in any manner that you want, but his actual words spoke volumes. No narrative. Actual words.

 

[JerkFace]

Take a look at Hoop Head's post revealing the tweet exchange confirming the report with a second source.

Two reporters with the athletic... most likely one source. There is a difference between reporters and sources. I’m sure that Jones thinks that a PG is a bigger priority than a PF, most of us do. He might of said something along the lines of “Ja would fill a bigger need than Zion” at some point during conversations about the draft. That doesn’t mean he would ultimately draft Ja over Zion.

 

[Chaplin]

His words spoke for themselves. He does not believe in putting in the hours that other GMs have. You can try to spin it in any manner that you want, but his actual words spoke volumes. No narrative. Actual words.

TOTALLY off base. So surprised at you in this one Ouchie.