Bill Simmons hates Devin Booker

[Hoop Head]

The NBA measurements are almost laughable. I know Wilt had his height altered for years. Shaq was NEVER the weight they listed him at. Almost all guys are measured height with sneakers on.

Players have a say in how they're listed also. I remember watching an interview with Durant about why he wouldn't let OKC or Golden State bill him as a 7 footer. He is definitely 7 feet but he's listed at 6'11". Apparently he feels if he were listed as a 7 footer then people would expect a different game from him, a more interior PF style of play rather than as a perimeter scorer like he is.

Found this piece where he says he's 7 foot in sneakers, but it's not what I saw a little over a year ago. Anyways, KD is definitely taller than his listed height and the point is that players have a say in how they're billed.

 

[Carolinacacti]

If this team doesn't figure out how to play defense as a unit (impossible with Ayton IMO) we will be a middle of the road 7 or 8 seed at best team until Sarver sells or dies.

This is possible, But Ayton's not going to get worse on DF only better.

 

[Yuma]

Players have a say in how they're listed also. I remember watching an interview with Durant about why he wouldn't let OKC or Golden State bill him as a 7 footer. He is definitely 7 feet but he's listed at 6'11". Apparently he feels if he were listed as a 7 footer then people would expect a different game from him, a more interior PF style of play rather than as a perimeter scorer like he is.

Found this piece where he says he's 7 foot in sneakers, but it's not what I saw a little over a year ago. Anyways, KD is definitely taller than his listed height and the point is that players have a say in how they're billed.

I know! Bender is supposedly 7 feet tall. I have seen other 7 footers who look taller, and 7 footers who look shorter than him! How?

 

[BC867]

I thought the height of all NBA players is measured in sneakers, representing their height on the court.

As long as they're honest. Per these posts, apparently not all the time.

My height for my adult life has been 5' 10 1/2". An inch and a half taller than average and an inch and
a half under 6 feet. But now, as a senior citizen, my doctor says I am officially 5'9". I know it happens,
but I don't like it. If someone asks me how tall I am, I still say 5' 10 1/2, even though I am otherwise a
stickler for detail.

So I can understand how some players alter their quoted height for personal reasons.

To finish the story, my height is in my legs, so I appear shorter than my height when I sit. I wonder if
that affects basketball players. Whether their height is in their upper or lower torso. Of course, wing
span and finger length do make a difference.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I thought the height of all NBA players is measured in sneakers, representing their height on the court.

Unless it's changed it never really represented their height on the court, players could wear whatever footwear they chose and some (many?) chose shoes that added a couple of inches to their wallets. It wouldn't have been so bad if they were measured in shoes they would typically play in but that wasn't necessarily the case. That's why so many have insisted on the shoeless measurement.

 

[GatorAZ]

I thought the height of all NBA players is measured in sneakers, representing their height on the court.

As long as they're honest. Per these posts, apparently not all the time.

My height for my adult life has been 5' 10 1/2". An inch and a half taller than average and an inch and
a half under 6 feet. But now, as a senior citizen, my doctor says I am officially 5'9". I know it happens,
but I don't like it. If someone asks me how tall I am, I still say 5' 10 1/2, even though I am otherwise a
stickler for detail.

So I can understand how some players alter their quoted height for personal reasons.

To finish the story, my height is in my legs, so I appear shorter than my height when I sit. I wonder if
that affects basketball players. Whether their height is in their upper or lower torso. Of course, wing
span and finger length do make a difference.

Height should be measured when barefoot. Shoes can give you anywhere from .5” to a full inch.

 

[slinslin]

Booker’s foot speed and handle is not close to Harden at the same age. Even at ASU he was breaking down everyone who guarded him. The fact that Booker is still getting the rim speaks to his offensive skill level and intelligence but it also means he’s taking more pounding. Harden is listed at 220 but I’m guessing he’s closer to 240.

um you know that Booker measured all-time great numbers at the combine for lane agility and shuttle drills?!

 

[JCSunsfan]

um you know that Booker measured all-time great numbers at the combine for lane agility and shuttle drills?!

Yep. Book is deceptively athletic. He has all the tools to be a Harden type of player.

 

[Covert Rain]

Yep. Book is deceptively athletic. He has all the tools to be a Harden type of player.

Exactly. He is not there yet. Comparisons to Harden are dumb. My biggest fear for Book is not his ability to learn or get better. That will come. I am worried about him becoming KJ part two injury wise.

That's another reason I think we desperately need another big play maker to take some of that burden off of Booker.

 

[1Sun]

Yep. Book is deceptively athletic. He has all the tools to be a Harden type of player.

Except for strength, game quickness, decision-making ability, ability to draw fouls and ability to drive hard and finish.

I maintain that offensively, Booker is closer to Klay Thompson than James Harden.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Except for strength, game quickness, decision-making ability, ability to draw fouls and ability to drive hard and finish.

I maintain that offensively, Booker is closer to Klay Thompson than James Harden.

Are you just making stuff up? Booker is already very good at drawing fouls (top 10 this season) and is one of the best ever at his age. He is also deceptively strong, has excellent game quickness, drives hard and can finish (probably needs to consistently finish a little stronger but he's shown he can). His decision making needs improvement but it's light years beyond what it was just a season before.

Booker is neither Harden nor Thompson, not even close, but he's almost Harden's twin if the only other option is to compare him to Klay.

 

[Covert Rain]

Except for strength, game quickness, decision-making ability, ability to draw fouls and ability to drive hard and finish.

I maintain that offensively, Booker is closer to Klay Thompson than James Harden.

Huh? He shot almost a fourth of his shots inside three feet making 63.2% of those shots which was the best since his rookie year. From 4-16 feet he shot 48%. His attempts at the line have increased every single year since his rookie season. He is 9th in the NBA overall for free throw attempts. Only Harden, Embiid, Antetokounmpo, Davis, Lebron, Leonard, Griffin and George get to the line more and none of them are guards.

How do you put up those with no strength, game quickness or the ability to drive and finish?!?!

That's not Books problem.

 

[Yuma]

Exactly. He is not there yet. Comparisons to Harden are dumb. My biggest fear for Book is not his ability to learn or get better. That will come. I am worried about him becoming KG part two injury wise.

That's another reason I think we desperately need another big play maker to take some of that burden off of Booker.

Even Houston had to admit Harden needed a PG and went and got Chris Paul. Just a decent PG is all we ask. I have a feeling PG will be resolved this off season.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Even Houston had to admit Harden needed a PG and went and got Chris Paul. Just a decent PG is all we ask. I have a feeling PG will be resolved this off season.

Maybe but I think it was just coincidence they brought in a big named point guard. I'd say they knew they needed another star besides Harden to shoulder the load and Chris Paul was the only one really available. I think they'd have been more than willing to settle for KD or Paul George or Kawhi but CP was looking for a home, somewhere he could set himself up for one last big payday and Houston fit the bill.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

Except for strength, game quickness, decision-making ability, ability to draw fouls and ability to drive hard and finish.

I maintain that offensively, Booker is closer to Klay Thompson than James Harden.

This would be spot on if the truth wasnt the exact opposite lol. Total head scratcher 1sun.

 

[1Sun]

This would be spot on if the truth wasnt the exact opposite lol. Total head scratcher 1sun.

Then I guess you don't buy Coach Monty's perspective, as Coach Monty has likened Booker to Brandon Roy, who was the Klay Thompson of a decade ago.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

Then I guess you don't buy Coach Monty's perspective, as Coach Monty has likened Booker to Brandon Roy, who was the Klay Thompson of a decade ago.

I like the Brandon Roy to Devin Booker comparison, but lol at comparing Brandon Roy to Klay Thompson. Would you mind explaining that comparison?

 

[AzStevenCal]

I like the Brandon Roy to Devin Booker comparison, but lol at comparing Brandon Roy to Klay Thompson. Would you mind explaining that comparison?

Two legs, two arms, one belly button each? They both have 1 "a" and 2 "o's" in their name? They both struggled through injury laden careers except for Klay?

 

[itlnsunsfan]

Two legs, two arms, one belly button each? They both have 1 "a" and 2 "o's" in their name? They both struggled through injury laden careers except for Klay?

lolol

 

[1Sun]

I like the Brandon Roy to Devin Booker comparison, but lol at comparing Brandon Roy to Klay Thompson. Would you mind explaining that comparison?

Finesse scorers with sweet jump shots. Not particularly strong or quick, but extremely crafty. Superior scorer and capable secondary passer (i.e., good passer for a shooting guard, but lacking in natural point guard skills), but not a lead ball-handler or facilitator. Most effective with pull up and step-back jumpers and floaters, as opposed to hard drives to the basket. Superior free throw shooter, but relative lack of strength means relatively few and-ones. Can use craftiness to slash, but can't just bully his way to the basket like a Harden. Just as Portland was most effective starting Steve Blake and then Andre Miller alongside Roy, the Suns would be most effective starting a true point guard next to Booker.

By the way, here is Booker's nbadraft.net scouting report (note the comp):

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/devin-booker

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe but I think it was just coincidence they brought in a big named point guard. I'd say they knew they needed another star besides Harden to shoulder the load and Chris Paul was the only one really available. I think they'd have been more than willing to settle for KD or Paul George or Kawhi but CP was looking for a home, somewhere he could set himself up for one last big payday and Houston fit the bill.

Surprisingly the Rockets didn't giveup a lot to get Paul either in terms of top talent.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

Finesse scorers with sweet jump shots. Not particularly strong or quick, but extremely crafty. Superior scorer and capable secondary passer (i.e., good passer for a shooting guard, but lacking in natural point guard skills), but not a lead ball-handler or facilitator. Most effective with pull up and step-back jumpers and floaters, as opposed to hard drives to the basket. Superior free throw shooter, but relative lack of strength means relatively few and-ones. Can use craftiness to slash, but can't just bully his way to the basket like a Harden. Just as Portland was most effective starting Steve Blake and then Andre Miller alongside Roy, the Suns would be most effective starting a true point guard next to Booker.

By the way, here is Booker's nbadraft.net scouting report (note the comp):

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/devin-booker

You're cracking me up today 1sun. Draft profile on Devin huh. You mean like the same kind of draft profile that led to him being picked 13th in the draft? Ya those really nailed him.

Brandon Roy and Klay Thompson are completely different players. I'm not sure you could pick two guards more different if you tried. Maybe Andre Miller and Reggie Miller.

Defense: Klay is elite. Roy was average at best. 3 point shooting: Klay is elite. Roy was average at best. Ball handling: Klay is below average. Roy was above average. Playmaking: Klay is below average. Roy was above average. Shot creation: Klay is below average. Roy was above average. Klay is the elite of the elite 3 and D player. Roy was offensively gifted, able to do a little of everything on that end, but not too much on the other. As I said, two very, very different NBA players.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe this.

Williams said Booker reminds him of Brandon Roy, who starred in Portland when he was an assistant there. Their stats are very comparable in their respective first four seasons.

• Roy (2006-10) — 20.1 ppg., 46.5% FG (35.6% from 3), 79.8% FT 4.55 rpg., 3.9 apg.
• Booker (2015-19) — 21.4 ppg., 43.7% FG (35.4% from 3), 85.4% FT, 3.5 rpg., 4.2 apg.

They’re both 6-foot-6. Roy played at 215 pounds. Booker is 210.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...er-monty-williams-same-page-shine/1202730001/

 

[GatorAZ]

um you know that Booker measured all-time great numbers at the combine for lane agility and shuttle drills?!

Those are drills. Harden has incredible feet. He can explode yet stop on a dime and change direction better than anyone in the game. It seems like he puts a defender on his knees every night.

 

[1Sun]

Those are drills. Harden has incredible feet. He can explode yet stop on a dime and change direction better than anyone in the game. It seems like he puts a defender on his knees every night and stares at him.

Harden also has a much quicker first step than Booker.