Will D'Antoni Play Rookies?

[azirish]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/0629suns0630.html

Suns find 2 of a kind in draft

Draft picks are mature, tough and defensive

Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 29, 2007 09:57 PM
To stay on the court for the Suns, draftees Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry eventually will have to improve their perimeter shooting.

Their toughness and defense figure to get them on the court.

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A day after the Suns were eliminated from the playoffs, coach Mike D'Antoni talked about his team's needs to get tougher physically and mentally and improve defense.

Now, Tucker and Strawberry walk in from Wisconsin and Maryland, respectively, with the maturity and work ethic of four-year college players. They carry NBA strength to the point that Strawberry had the second-most bench press repetitions of any predraft camp prospect.

They relish defense as much as breakaway dunks.

"A lot of people out there for whatever reason seem to think the younger the player the better," Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said. "Maybe because the career span is longer. I tend to take the opposite point. I believe strongly in life experience and playing experience. Players these days who come out early miss a big part of the natural progression of becoming a good basketball player, growing up, becoming a man. That's one of the things that attracted us to these guys."

Being a first-round selection at No. 29, Tucker gets a four-year contract with two guaranteed years (worth about $1.6 million combined) and two team-option years. Phoenix does not have to give Strawberry, a second-rounder at No. 59, a contract but he has a strong chance to earn one.

Phoenix was willing to trade up to snag Strawberry and had Tucker in its top 20 players. Their interest was mutual.

Tucker's younger brother is a Suns fan who predicted that Tucker would wind up in Phoenix. After Tucker was drafted, his brother called.

"I couldn't understand what he was saying," Tucker said. "It was like he was speaking a different language."

Tucker, 6 feet 6 and 205 pounds, is a dazzling athlete with a 39-inch vertical leap and speed that defies the methodical Wisconsin system. Tucker, the Big Ten Player of the Year over top-five picks Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. of Ohio State, excelled to become a player quick enough to stay with wings and strong enough to defend inside.

Tucker will begin practice with the Suns summer league team in Las Vegas in a week.

"I love the challenge," Tucker said. "I want to take it on. I know I have to get better. I'm my own worst critic so I'm going to stay in the gym."

Strawberry said Atlantic Coast Conference battles toughened him for the NBA. At 6 feet 5 and 201 pounds, he could man both guard spots and bring defensive intensity.

"It's a pride factor of coming down and stopping somebody," said Strawberry, who said his famous father, Darryl, was happy he went to a title contender.

"It makes me feel good. I do whatever it takes for my team to win."

The Suns' draft approach backed up their mission to win a title, D'Antoni said.

"We do get rookies but we get mature rookies on the court and off the court for team chemistry and being able to contribute at any time," D'Antoni said. "These are guys we expect something from."

 

[dodie53]

if the rookie can contribute immediately, i think DA will play him

 

[OldDirtMcGirt]

He probably won't give them or the rest of the bench significant minutes, because frankly he's awful at bench management.

 

[BillsCarnage]

As much as Banks plays is probably how much the rook's will play knowing D'Ant.

Dude has the shortest leash of any coach i think i've ever seen.

 

[da_suns_fan]

No.

 

[Mainstreet]

If these two rookies can play some tough nosed defense, I believe this will earn them some playing time. I thought one of the Suns biggest weaknesses last season was they lacked a combo guard to take the pressure off Raja and LB for a few minutes. Also the thought that Strawberry was a PG for Maryland in 05-06 season intrigues me.

 

[BillsCarnage]

Although, he may not have a choice but to play them w/ how the bench is shaping up.

 

[Nasser22]

I think they could be nice role players. D'Antoni should give them a chance at the beginning like he did with Banks so we'll see if they earn some more time...

 

[az1965]

Nope...

 

[sunsfn]

I think he will play Tucker more than Banks unless Banks does a complete turn around, and I do not think that is possible.

How much Strawberry plays will depend if he can handle the ball and not make mistakes.

These guys have played four years and that will help them a lot, and it will also depend on if they are coachable, and I think both of them will be.

 

[Rich In Bunly Goodness]

Tucker is a guy who is extremely coachable, plus he makes very few turnovers.

 

[F-Dog]

Tucker will get time. Maybe Marcus Banks-type minutes, but he'll be out there on the court.

Strawberry, I don't think so.

 

[Gaddabout]

Until we actually see these guys play in Suns uniforms, I think the better question is:

Do we want D'Antoni to play the rookies?

 

[azirish]

I'm not sure it's about rookies, it's about playing more than eight.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

I'm not sure it's about rookies, it's about playing more than eight.

honestly, they would play if they were worth a damn. I think the further we get from seeing the trash actualy play we forget.

or maybe people just like the idea of playing a lot of guys. I seriously think the idea of this huge deep 12 man bench as the grail all mighty is a complete misread on what this team needs, which isn't that much IMO.

the answer ultimately is if Tucker performs in the summer league and preseason and early in the season they get more mintes, let's see daryl's boi makes the team first before we worry about playing him 20.

 

[azirish]

honestly, they would play if they were worth a damn. I think the further we get from seeing the trash actualy play we forget.

or maybe people just like the idea of playing a lot of guys. I seriously think the idea of this huge deep 12 man bench as the grail all mighty is a complete misread on what this team needs, which isn't that much IMO.

the answer ultimately is if Tucker performs in the summer league and preseason and early in the season they get more mintes, let's see daryl's boi makes the team first before we worry about playing him 20.

I hope so. IMHO, the key problem with the Suns bench last season was that each had fatal flaws:

Banks - Played totally one on one without a sense of the team structure and shot badly. Not good rotations on defense.

Rose - No defense

Jumaine Jones - No defense and didn't hit his shots

Pike - Probably no defense, did not play enough to tell

Burke - Poor defense and not enough disciplline on offense

Marks - Who knows?

Banks is the only guy who showed any aptitude to play defense and did not understand the scheme. Everyone else did not play good defense in any shape or form.

My hope is that by drafting guys best known for their defense, maybe they will get some minutes. Offense specialists did not. Athletic defenders are probably better able to be effective even without getting "warmed up" than shooters who are trying to find rhythm. The key is that while not being able to shoot consistently is unfortunate, Jones still played due to his defense.