2020 Draft

CardsSunsDbacks

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I get that. I think he's just still really green as a GM and probably somewhat risk averse to certain things in the draft.
This may well be true, but it seems like a silly risk to potentially lose your top guy to pick up the 30th pick. Especially in what many consider to have been a pretty weak draft.
 

Proximo

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Except reports have come out after the draft that Smith was very high on multiple team's boards.
It's easy for you to say that because he wasn't very high on most mocks (14th on the last ESPN mock btw) that he was certainly going to be there later, but you have no way to know that.

Even after Cam was picked it came out that at least Detroit (maybe others, but not sure) was very interested in taking Cam and it appeared that he was not going to go as late as people speculated.

It's my understanding that Smith was top 5 on the Suns board and if that is true he was probably easily their top guy remaining and you don't potentially lose that just to pick up pick 30 (which happens to also be the least desirable pick in the draft BTW).

It's not that simple.

You have to add the probability the value of the 30th pick + your second choice is better than getting Smith by himself. It's almost guaranteed it is because nobody can accurately predict how well these guys will do.

Simply giving yourself 2 chances instead of 1 has a lot of value.
 

ColdPickleNachos

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I guess you have drunk the James Jones Kool Aide.

NOBODY was taking him before 14 except James Jones - that's why everyone says it was a bad pick. All these NBA reporters have contacts with the teams - and nobody is saying that was a good time to take him.

The Ringer had him going to the Pelicans at 13 more often than not.
 

Cheesebeef

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This may well be true, but it seems like a silly risk to potentially lose your top guy to pick up the 30th pick. Especially in what many consider to have been a pretty weak draft.

true. it also seems really narrow minded that there was only ONE player they liked at that position.

as far as the "he was ranked 5th on our board"... that's just GM speak for defending or praising any pick they make. means as much as the rumors that we could have traded back, IMO.

we'll never know. i just hope the kid sticks. if he can contribute right away at a Cam Johnson level, that's a good rotation big and a solid pick, IMO.
 

Cheesebeef

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The Ringer had him going to the Pelicans at 13 more often than not.

that would seem to be a weird spot for him, no? They already have a stable of Ingram, Zion and Jaxson Hayes up front manning the 4/5 positions.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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It's not that simple.

You have to add the probability the value of the 30th pick + your second choice is better than getting Smith by himself. It's almost guaranteed it is because nobody can accurately predict how well these guys will do.

Simply giving yourself 2 chances instead of 1 has a lot of value.
It is that simple if they simply had a higher grade on Smith than anyone else left on the board.

Information has come out that Smith was very high on their board (and on other team's boards) and that lends to the idea that he was probably easily their top graded prospect remaining.

So it comes down to take a guy that you are very confident in or potentially draft 2 guys that you have less confidence in.
 

ColdPickleNachos

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that would seem to be a weird spot for him, no? They already have a stable of Ingram, Zion and Jaxson Hayes up front manning the 4/5 positions.

Ingram is more of a 3 and Hayes gives no spacing. Smith would make some sense there. To be clear, I'm not claiming I think they would have taken him, merely disputing the claim that nobody was talking about him in those spots.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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true. it also seems really narrow minded that there was only ONE player they liked at that position.

as far as the "he was ranked 5th on our board"... that's just GM speak for defending or praising any pick they make. means as much as the rumors that we could have traded back, IMO.

we'll never know. i just hope the kid sticks. if he can contribute right away at a Cam Johnson level, that's a good rotation big and a solid pick, IMO.
I don't think it was the only player they liked at that position. For one they were reportedly very high on Deni and probably would have taken him if he dropped to them.

I am merely saying that it is a real possibility that he was easily the top prospect remaining on their board and thus didn't want to risk losing him for the 30th pick.
 
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JCSunsfan

JCSunsfan

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I guess you have drunk the James Jones Kool Aide.

NOBODY was taking him before 14 except James Jones - that's why everyone says it was a bad pick. All these NBA reporters have contacts with the teams - and nobody is saying that was a good time to take him.
There is no way to know that, now or then.
 

Mainstreet

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It was a crazy draft. Even Udoka Azubuike went at #27 who I liked with a later pick.

Btw, no one will ever be able to get a layup against the Jazz. They love their big men in Utah.
 

Folster

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He dunked over a VW bug

Different guy. You're thinking Marko Milic. Milos Vujanic was a European guard we got the draft rights to from the Knicks I believe. Every summer fans would speculate if he would come stateside or fans would include his draft rights in hypothetical trades as if they had value.. Good times.
 
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Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Different guy. You're thinking Marko Milic. Milos Vujanic was a European guard we got the draft right to from the Knicks I believe. Every summer fans would speculate if he would come stateside or fans would include his draft rights in hypothetical trades as if they had value.. Good times.
You’re right! I can’t believe I mixed those two up! We are GREAT at identifying foreign talent. I guess we have had some limited luck ( dragic, barbs, Diaw, the polish hammer, Rubio, saric, baynes ). But man . . .

georghi
Stefano
Luc
Big jake
Zarko
Lampe
Marko
Giricik
Milos
Hedo
Scola
Len
Mirza
Dragan
Elie
Diallo
 

Cheesebeef

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Different guy. You're thinking Marko Milic. Milos Vujanic was a European guard we got the draft right to from the Knicks I believe. Every summer fans would speculate if he would come stateside or fans would include his draft rights in hypothetical trades as if they had value.. Good times.

those were the days people tried to convince themselves that DJ Strawberry could possibly be the answer to slowing Ginobli down.
 

Cheesebeef

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You’re right! I can’t believe I mixed those two up! We are GREAT at identifying foreign talent. I guess we have had some limited luck ( dragic, barbs, Diaw, the polish hammer, Rubio, saric, baynes ). But man . . .

georghi
Stefano
Luc
Big jake
Zarko
Lampe
Marko
Giricik
Milos
Hedo
Scola
Len
Mirza
Dragan
Elie
Diallo

wheres Burrito Grande?
 

Folster

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I don’t ever recall thinking twice about those guys. I tried to list guys we thought, even if for just a fleeting moment, might actually turn into something.

Oh, I thought you were just naming international guys. Haddadi could've made it in the 90s. Yuta was just a mascot.

I almost forgot Pay Burke too.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Oh, I thought you were just naming international guys. Haddadi could've made it in the 90s. Yuta was just a mascot.

I almost forgot Pay Burke too.
I always considered Burke just an average end of bench big. Never thought he might develop into a player. He was what he was. Never even thought THAT much of haddadi.
 

Folster

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I always considered Burke just an average end of bench big. Never thought he might develop into a player. He was what he was. Never even thought THAT much of haddadi.

Burke was D'Antoni's human victory cigar.
 

Mainstreet

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I thought Nico Mannion would be signed to more than a two-way contract.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

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