2017-2018 Draft Prospects watch.

[AzStevenCal]

Is that true? How old is the son? Might be like “Dave” or “John” here in the states.

Yeah, I don't know the details. I just saw a press comment about him having a daughter and a son (named Luka). And you're right, it could easily be a very common name for both Serbia and Slovenia So, yes, the son's name may be relevant and might be completely unrelated.

 

[SirStefan32]

Is that true? How old is the son? Might be like “Dave” or “John” here in the states.

It is a relatively common name.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It is a relatively common name.

Do they all live on the 2nd floor? Seriously, I believe you but it's not a name I've run across often so I wasn't sure.

 

[Matt L]

I might be leaning more towards Doncic. What if this is like the Oden/Durant draft and Ayton turns out to be Oden?

 

[SirStefan32]

I might be leaning more towards Doncic. What if this is like the Oden/Durant draft and Ayton turns out to be Oden?

Well... Oden was actually a really good player. It's his injuries that ended his career. I don't think Ayton has any medical issues/ concerns. As for Doncic, I think we can assume he is not going to be Kevin Durant good. He might be very good, but KD is a freak of nature. Don't get me wrong, I AM a Doncic fan, but he's no KD.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah, I don't know the details. I just saw a press comment about him having a daughter and a son (named Luka). And you're right, it could easily be a very common name for both Serbia and Slovenia So, yes, the son's name may be relevant and might be completely unrelated.

Don't be modest.

 

[Hoop Head]

Regarding Doncic & Igor....

McDonough on Kokoskov's hire and how that impacts their view on Luka Doncic: "With Igor, certainly that relationship and that experience helps. I don't think any team will be more prepared in terms of evaluating Luka Doncic and knowing everything about him than we will."

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It gives the Suns a leg up but that's it, it's by no means something that should be considered a done deal but it should ease people's minds some knowing if we do pick Doncic that he'll be put in position to succeed here.

 

[pokerface]

Regarding Doncic & Igor....

McDonough on Kokoskov's hire and how that impacts their view on Luka Doncic: "With Igor, certainly that relationship and that experience helps. I don't think any team will be more prepared in terms of evaluating Luka Doncic and knowing everything about him than we will."

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It gives the Suns a leg up but that's it, it's by no means something that should be considered a done deal but it should ease people's minds some knowing if we do pick Doncic that he'll be put in position to succeed here.

It might give the suns some inside information as suggested but also would make Doncic feel a lot more comfortable if the suns drafted him.

 

[Matt L]

Well... Oden was actually a really good player. It's his injuries that ended his career. I don't think Ayton has any medical issues/ concerns. As for Doncic, I think we can assume he is not going to be Kevin Durant good. He might be very good, but KD is a freak of nature. Don't get me wrong, I AM a Doncic fan, but he's no KD.

Okay, I see where you are coming from. i guess if the Suns get the first pick, he should be the guy to draft. That said, I wouldn't be upset if we selected 2nd and picked up Doncic or Bagley.

 

[SirStefan32]

Okay, I see where you are coming from. i guess if the Suns get the first pick, he should be the guy to draft. That said, I wouldn't be upset if we selected 2nd and picked up Doncic or Bagley.

Oh I agree. I am not going to be upset if we end up with Doncic or Bagley. None of them (including Ayton) are perfect, but I think they will all be pretty good.

 

[overseascardfan]

I find the debate between Ayton & Doncic going #1 interesting. Draft philosophy has always been you take a C over a G unless there is no clear cut C stud prospect. The argument now is that Doncic is the better prospect because he is arguably the best player in the Euro League and has been in the league for a few years and that league is only second to the NBA. To me the Euro League is an offense league, you don’t hear about really good defensive prospects because the focus seems to be in offensive development. I guess you can argue the NBA is the same as scoring has been on the rise for years but the NBA does have some good defensive players and teams. The knock now on guys like Ayton and Bagley is that they only have 1 season of college basketball under their belt but I feel abilities far outweigh level of competition in basketball. If your the #1 recruit coming out of high school chances are you aren’t some scrub so why should only playing one year of college basketball be knock against someone who has multiple years in the Euro League. Yes, you play against grown men in the Euro League but how many of those older guys are on the level of an NBA caliber player. That’s almost the equivalent of playing against a college team of juniors and seniors. To me the #1 guy is Ayton and if I’m being honest I’d take Trae Young over Doncic.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

I find the debate between Ayton & Doncic going #1 interesting. Draft philosophy has always been you take a C over a G unless there is no clear cut C stud prospect. The argument now is that Doncic is the better prospect because he is arguably the best player in the Euro League and has been in the league for a few years and that league is only second to the NBA. To me the Euro League is an offense league, you don’t hear about really good defensive prospects because the focus seems to be in offensive development. I guess you can argue the NBA is the same as scoring has been on the rise for years but the NBA does have some good defensive players and teams. The knock now on guys like Ayton and Bagley is that they only have 1 season of college basketball under their belt but I feel abilities far outweigh level of competition in basketball. If your the #1 recruit coming out of high school chances are you aren’t some scrub so why should only playing one year of college basketball be knock against someone who has multiple years in the Euro League. Yes, you play against grown men in the Euro League but how many of those older guys are on the level of an NBA caliber player. That’s almost the equivalent of playing against a college team of juniors and seniors. To me the #1 guy is Ayton and if I’m being honest I’d take Trae Young over Doncic.

And a NBA trade is always considered a succesful trade is if you can trade small for Big. A big man is rare, wings are a dime a dozen. What's not being talked about is skin color. It's the great white hope, the reason alot of people are pimping Doncic is his pigment, if he was a less than athletic, Walt Williams clone, with the same skin color he wouldnt be as scrutinized, he is less athletic Walt Williams, with less rebounding and better court vision. I would go Ayton, Bagley top 2 with Porter, Young, Doncic and JJJ battling it out

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

And a NBA trade is always considered a succesful trade is if you can trade small for Big. A big man is rare, wings are a dime a dozen. What's not being talked about is skin color. It's the great white hope, the reason alot of people are pimping Doncic is his pigment, if he was a less than athletic, Walt Williams clone, with the same skin color he wouldnt be as scrutinized, he is less athletic Walt Williams, with less rebounding and better court vision. I would go Ayton, Bagley top 2 with Porter, Young, Doncic and JJJ battling it out

Ah yes...The large contingent of racist-but-not-xenophobic basketball nerds. That must be why he's so highly regarded!

 

[AzStevenCal]

And a NBA trade is always considered a succesful trade is if you can trade small for Big. A big man is rare, wings are a dime a dozen. What's not being talked about is skin color. It's the great white hope, the reason alot of people are pimping Doncic is his pigment, if he was a less than athletic, Walt Williams clone, with the same skin color he wouldnt be as scrutinized, he is less athletic Walt Williams, with less rebounding and better court vision. I would go Ayton, Bagley top 2 with Porter, Young, Doncic and JJJ battling it out

That was true at one time but this isn't the 80's or 90's anymore. A dominant big man is priceless but MOST big men have been rendered impotent in today's game. If you can get an Anthony Davis in trade for half a dozen guards and wings, that's a huge steal. But in pursuit of that big man you're probably more likely to be sweetening the pot to get someone to take a high priced Timofey Mozgov off your hands.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

That was true at one time but this isn't the 80's or 90's anymore. A dominant big man is priceless but MOST big men have been rendered impotent in today's game. If you can get an Anthony Davis in trade for half a dozen guards and wings, that's a huge steal. But in pursuit of that big man you're probably more likely to be sweetening the pot to get someone to take a high priced Timofey Mozgov off your hands.

I meant of equal value not mozgov. This just further strengthens my point on why you would not take the euro wing when you have an Ayton

 

[AzStevenCal]

I meant of equal value not mozgov. This just further strengthens my point on why you would not take the euro wing when you have an Ayton

Yes, if you think Ayton is going to be special there is no reason to draft anyone else. But not all scouts agree that he will be as dominant as we are hoping.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Yes, if you think Ayton is going to be special there is no reason to draft anyone else. But not all scouts agree that he will be as dominant as we are hoping.

Same argument with Doncic so you always have to go with size

 

[SirStefan32]

Same argument with Doncic so you always have to go with size

That worked out really great for Portland... twice. You take the best player available. It's the GM's job to know who that is. If McD thinks Ayton is the best player, then draft Ayton. If he thinks Doncic is the best player, then draft Doncic.

 

[AZCrazy]

Is Ayton the next Anthony Davis, or the nearest thing to that we've seen in a while? I see it in stretches, but not yet consistently.
It's so frustrating now with the NBA draft situation. It's all conjecture and hope. It's becoming more like the MLB or NHL draft, taking 18 year olds
and praying.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yes, if you think Ayton is going to be special there is no reason to draft anyone else. But not all scouts agree that he will be as dominant as we are hoping.

Not all. But I bet it approaches 80% that think he will be dominant in the NBA and is the best player in this draft.

 

[SirStefan32]

Is Ayton the next Anthony Davis, or the nearest thing to that we've seen in a while? I see it in stretches, but not yet consistently.
It's so frustrating now with the NBA draft situation. It's all conjecture and hope. It's becoming more like the MLB or NHL draft, taking 18 year olds
and praying.

No he is not. Ayton is not a good defender. He looks a lot more like Greg Monroe than he looks like Anthony Davis.
I like the kid. I'd take him #1, but these comparisons to David Robinson and Anthony Davis are just silly.

 

[JCSunsfan]

That worked out really great for Portland... twice. You take the best player available. It's the GM's job to know who that is. If McD thinks Ayton is the best player, then draft Ayton. If he thinks Doncic is the best player, then draft Doncic.

Size does factor into the consideration about who is the best player though.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Ah yes...The large contingent of racist-but-not-xenophobic basketball nerds. That must be why he's so highly regarded!

Not racism, the over hype of white NBA players is what it is. The same way McCaffrey was hyped as a white RB for the Panthers. The Adam Morrison's, Jimmers, Bobby Hurley's, Dragan Bender, Shawn Bradley's, Bryant Reeves, Joe Alelabder The Great White Hope, there always is a little of over hyping of White athletes.

 

[SirStefan32]

Not racisn, the over hype of white NBA pkayers is what it is. The same way McCaffrey was hyped as a white RB for the Panthers. The Adam Morrison's, Jimmers, Bobby Hurley's, Bender, Milacic, The Great White Hope, there always is a little of over hyping of White athletes.

And I would counter that by saying that the opposite is true. People are hating on Doncic because he is white. If he was the same player but looked like TJ Warren, most of his critics would be singing his praises.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not all. But I bet it approaches 80% that think he will be dominant in the NBA and is the best player in this draft.

I have no idea what the real scouts think of him but yeah, the internet voices are strongly in support of him as the best player in this draft.