Welcome to Phoenix, Bridges

[DevonCardsFan]

That free throw percentage is a strong indication that Ball will forever be pure trash as a shooter, while Kidd evolved into one of the best 3pt shooters of all time.

Free throw shooting is very teachable LOL, unlike Doncic lack of athletisicm, people were ready to over look

 

[1tinsoldier]

We successfully ducked Lonzo in the draft, by dint of picking fourth. Let's not even mention the familial name Ball henceforth. Among other things, the eldest Ball boy set the NBA record shooting FTs among non-centers at .431.

agreed. he-who-should-forever-remain-nameless and shoots .431 from the charity line as the primary ball-handler on a team, and who can not have fallen far enough from the poison apple tree of his father, should not be welcomed on any team but the Washington Generals.

 

[pokerface]

So is Warren on the blocks now or what?

 

[GatorAZ]

I completely buy into the potential for Bridges being an elite shooter. Improved his 3pt shot each year at Nova and hit 104 threes his JR season (44%)... 85% from the FT line for his career. Those are crazy good numbers for an athletic wing.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Free throw shooting is very teachable LOL, unlike Doncic lack of athletisicm, people were ready to over look

It's very teachable at 13, I'm not so sure it's that easy by the time they reach the NBA. I'm sure he will improve it but it's likely to always be an anchor dragging him and his team down.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Free throw shooting is very teachable LOL

there is a long list of players who started out sucking from the ff line and stayed that way despite extensive coaching. unlike players like Shaq, however, who could stuff the ball through the hoop with incredible consistency to compensate, ***** **** also stinks from 3 and 2.

 

[Phrazbit]

Free throw shooting is very teachable LOL, unlike Doncic lack of athletisicm, people were ready to over look

Is it? The guy was a bad shooter from every range, FT% is a bit of an indication if a player has no touch. All things combined, I'd feel comfortable wagering that Ball will always be well below average as a shooter.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I completely buy into the potential for Bridges being an elite shooter. Improved his 3pt shot each year at Nova and hit 104 threes his JR season (44%)... 85% from the FT line for his career. Those are crazy good numbers for an athletic wing.

Yeah, now he just needs to be able to put the ball on the floor for more than a step or two. Hopefully he will fill the role we wanted PJ Tucker to fill when he was here.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Is it? The guy was a bad shooter from every range, FT% is a bit of an indication if a player has no touch. Wll things combined, I'd feel comfortable wagering that Ball will always be well below average as a shooter.

Ball shot .673 from college at the free throw, I wouldn't throw out getting a free PG. I say again who and how would they acquire a better PG right now? He is the perfect age to join this team and make it scary good, Suns need a distributor and Ball does it great. He put up the same numbers as Kidd rookie year minus free throw pct.

 

[1tinsoldier]

name a better option to build with this young team?

i did have my heart set on adding a young pg. but the fact is we've just added 3 more young-ins. the recipe calls for a veteran pg who can ground this group while they get their feet wet.

 

[NashDishesDimes]

So stupid. Gave up potential very high Miami pick for a backup. Cant start him over JJ or Book and TJ deserves 25+ minutes.

May have traded away a chip (pick) that could have pryed away a star in a year or two. Terrible.

Not to mention could have taken Porter Jr

 

[JCSunsfan]

So stupid. Gave up potential very high Miami pick for a backup. Cant start him over JJ or Book and TJ deserves 25+ minutes.

May have traded away a chip (pick) that could have pryed away a star in a year or two. Terrible.

The potential we would be getting with that pick is what we are getting in Mikal right now. He is a very very good player. Better than Warren. TJ deserves nothing except to compete for minutes.

 

[mojorizen7]

The Suns would do well by bringing in an intelligent, unselfish, veteran PG. He doesn't have to be uber talented or athletic either. Not a clue who's out there though.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The Suns would do well by bringing in an intelligent, unselfish, veteran PG. He doesn't have to be uber talented or athletic either. Not a clue who's out there though.

Dragic. Probably available. Knows Igor. Can transition to Okobo in a year.

 

[sdscard4]

I would rather be the Suns of old where we are so good year in year out we can trade Kurt Thomas and even throw in a first round pick cause it means squat. That's because we were badass and could care less about a 1st round pick. Who cares about the stinking Miami pick. We just had a great draft where we got 2 studs I would trade 9 Miami picks.

 

[pokerface]

So stupid. Gave up potential very high Miami pick for a backup. Cant start him over JJ or Book and TJ deserves 25+ minutes.

May have traded away a chip (pick) that could have pryed away a star in a year or two. Terrible.

Not to mention could have taken Porter Jr

No one really knows how the Miami pick would have played out.

As far as Warren he might eventually be gone.

 

[Phrazbit]

So stupid. Gave up potential very high Miami pick for a backup. Cant start him over JJ or Book and TJ deserves 25+ minutes.

May have traded away a chip (pick) that could have pryed away a star in a year or two. Terrible.

Not to mention could have taken Porter Jr

If you're worried about giving up picks for nothing then Porter is the last guy you should care about. 50/50 he never plays a minute in this league.

Wings who can shoot the 3, who can slash and who can defend multiple postions are the blood of the modern NBA. Bridges is the best version of that player in this draft.

Also, it wasn't a year or 2 for the Miami pick, the earliest return was in 3 years. We're all hopeful that Miami will be trash in 3 seasons... but no one knows. If Miami is a contender in a couple years fans would have griped about not cashing it in sooner... now the same fans will get to gripe if Miami stinks. Hopefully Bridges is a stud an no one cares either way.

Back to Porter though, I'm not worried about missing out on him. You don't drop from being a consensus top 3 pick a year ago to "we'll take a flyer at 14", without some nightmare health problems. Porter missed almost all of his college career, then wasn't even healthy enough to work out for teams prior to the draft. He attended the combine and his measurables were frightening, he then didn't work out, developed back spasms and a hip problem... then hinted he'd probably have to sit out his rookie season. Umm... I feel okay passing on the guy who has had bones removed from his spine and has serious side effects a year later.

 

[sunsfan88]

This kid by all accounts is a great person off the court as well. Easily coachable and teammates love him.

He's also not the typical 18 year old kid that the Suns always draft...he's 22 years old and has some experience which will be beneficial.

He gives the Suns 2 things they lack most...defense and shooting.

 

[Hoop Head]

Lonzo fine he is quiet, he put up similar stats to Kidd's Rookie year he will find his shot and fit this team perfect, name a better option to build with this young team?

The only reason people think Lonzo is quiet is because he doesn't have the chance to talk because his dad is always standing over his shoulder chirping some BS

Free throw shooting is very teachable LOL, unlike Doncic lack of athletisicm, people were ready to over look

If FT shooting was so teachable explain Shaq, Drummond, DeAndre Jordan. Etc. The League has been discussing changing the Hack-A-Shaq rules because guys DONT learn to shoot FT's. That's a problem, a big one. It's not so bad when it's a big but when your playmaker can't make FT's, what good is having him out at the end of games? It's more likely the league changes the Hack-A-Shaq rules than Lonzo learns to shoot Ft's.

 

[taz02]

why can't we play Booker at PG if we are not relying on him to score 30 per game? that would allow Bridges to play 2, JJ 3 and either Bender or Chriss at the 4.

That line is big and has everything.

Whatever happens we needed 3p shooting and D, now we have it. Obviously it would be better if Bridges was a PG but he isn't. It's up to the coach now.

 

[pokerface]

why can't we play Booker at PG if we are not relying on him to score 30 per game? that would allow Bridges to play 2, JJ 3 and either Bender or Chriss at the 4.

That line is big and has everything.

Whatever happens we needed 3p shooting and D, now we have it. Obviously it would be better if Bridges was a PG but he isn't. It's up to the coach now.

Well they could experiment with Booker at pg but then we have two guys not playing their natural position. So my hopes aren't too high but not against seeing what would happen.

 

[Western Font]

Also, it wasn't a year or 2 for the Miami pick, the earliest return was in 3 years. We're all hopeful that Miami will be trash in 3 seasons... but no one knows. If Miami is a contender in a couple years fans would have griped about not cashing it in sooner... now the same fans will get to gripe if Miami stinks. Hopefully Bridges is a stud an no one cares either way.

Yeah, a couple of seasons is a lot of time for a franchise/market like Miami to get better. But I believe the pick would have been traded anyway long before then, too. McD has basically telegraphed that. We were just expecting it to be for a vet. If in a year or two we think Bridges is that vet, just younger and better...I’ll forget all about the pick.

And although we’re all thinking playoffs now, we might have another lottery pick this coming season. And we have tradable pieces. It would have been great to retain the Heat pick but it’s not like it was given away for nothing.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

If FT shooting was so teachable explain Shaq, Drummond, DeAndre Jordan. Etc. The League has been discussing changing the Hack-A-Shaq rules because guys DONT learn to shoot FT's. That's a problem, a big one. It's not so bad when it's a big but when your playmaker can't make FT's, what good is having him out at the end of games? It's more likely the league changes the Hack-A-Shaq rules than Lonzo learns to shoot Ft's.

Mikel Bridges shot 85% from the line last year, and 91% the year before!

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Here's a great read on Mikal:

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/3/6/17082610/mikal-bridges-nba-draft-3-and-d

"There are only nine players in the NBA this season with wingspans longer than 7 feet who are shooting better than 40 percent from 3 on more than two attempts per game. Most are stretch big men. The only perimeter players are Otto Porter Jr. and Kevin Durant."

"Bridges could become the best pure 3-and-D player in the NBA. Even the best players in that mold tend to favor one side of the ball. Bridges has a chance to be one of the best shooters and one of the best defenders in the league. How valuable would Andre Roberson be with ball skills and an elite 3-point shot? How about Wayne Ellington if he was a perennial All-Defensive team selection? As one NBA executive who likes Bridges told me, he’s the only player in this year’s lottery whose floor is a guy who could play big minutes in the Finals."

 

[Ronin]

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