2018-19 Season | Point Guard Discussion

[1Sun]

I found this comment by Kokoskov interesting concerning the point guard. It shows the value he puts on the position.

See excerpt below:


“I never talk to the whole team during the game,” Kokoskov said. “I talk to the point guard and his job is to relay the calls and the messages to the other guys. That’s how communication goes. If somebody doesn’t know the play on the court, that’s your job as the point guard to deliver the message. That’s his job. That’s what my expectations are for the point guard. To be my voice or the voice on the court.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...elieves-point-guards-need-improve/1560913002/

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that Kokoskov also wants the Suns to acquire a legitimate NBA starting point guard ASAP, and he is doing his best to balance that desire with the need not to come across as being disgruntled this early in his tenure as head coach. I really feel for Kokoskov in that context. The Suns need to do a better job putting him in a position to succeed, in my opinion.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's becoming increasingly clear to me that Kokoskov also wants the Suns to acquire a legitimate NBA starting point guard ASAP, and he is doing his best to balance that desire with the need not to come across as being disgruntled this early in his tenure as head coach. I really feel for Kokoskov in that context. The Suns need to do a better job putting him in a position to succeed, in my opinion.

Other than the bolded part, I agree. Who knows what he's said to management.

 

[1Sun]

Other than the bolded part, I agree. Who knows what he's said to management.

Even if he has made his desire clear internally, he is still having to do his best to hold his tongue publicly so as not to throw his GM and owner under the bus.

 

[BC867]

I found this comment by Kokoskov interesting concerning the point guard. It shows the value he puts on the position.

See excerpt below:

“I never talk to the whole team during the game,” Kokoskov said. “I talk to the point guard and his job is to relay the calls and the messages to the other guys. That’s how communication goes. If somebody doesn’t know the play on the court, that’s your job as the point guard to deliver the message. That’s his job. That’s what my expectations are for the point guard. To be my voice or the voice on the court.”

https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...elieves-point-guards-need-improve/1560913002/

Koko is setting the bar where it should be. The Point Guard is still the "coach/captain/quarterback" on the court, where the action is.

I'm trying to reconcile how that ties in with his previous comment that he is going to use a 2 1/2 Point Guard rotation every game. It doesn't jive.

Expecting chemistry from constantly changing faces. And not one of them possessing experience or proven talent to steer this amazingly young roster.

Based upon his latest quote (above), I do expect that Koko has told management, something like, "You can't do this to me. Or the fans." I feel for him!

It shows that the ceiling for the Suns is, #1 pick or not, the ability, or lack of it, by the Managing General Partner and General Manager to field a competitive NBA team.

That's my reaction to this latest quote.

 

[Mainstreet]

Koko is setting the bar where it should be. The Point Guard is still the "coach/captain/quarterback" on the court, where the action is.

I'm trying to reconcile how that ties in with his previous comment that he is going to use a 2 1/2 Point Guard rotation every game. It doesn't jive.

Expecting chemistry from constantly changing faces. And not one of them possessing experience or proven talent to steer this amazingly young roster.

Based upon his latest quote (above), I do expect that Koko has told management, something like, "You can't do this to me. Or the fans." I feel for him!

It shows that the ceiling for the Suns is, #1 pick or not, the ability, or lack of it, by the Managing General Partner and General Manager to field a competitive NBA team.

That's my reaction to this latest quote.

This may well have something to do with the McDonough firing... at least in an indirect way.

Previously it seemed like the need for another point guard was minimized in previous discussions with Kokoskov. Anyway, this is the first time I heard Igor speak to the importance of a point guard so clearly.

 

[Hoop Head]

This may well have something to do with the McDonough firing... at least in an indirect way.

Previously it seemed like the need for another point guard was minimized in previous discussions with Kokoskov. Anyway, this is the first time I heard Igor speak to the importance of a point guard so clearly.

Igor comes across as way too classy to throw direct jabs at McD but I can't help but feel like he played a role in his firing. I don't think it matters that McD hired him. Reports of the Suns interview process had candidates meeting with McD and Sarver, at least that's what Budenholzer did. This isn't Igor's first time with the Suns so it's possible he had a relationship with Sarver already, who knows how familiar of a relationship it is/was but I think it's safe to say it wasn't bad since he's our current coach. McD did put him a very tough position and if Igor got wind of the Suns passing on adding Teague, especially for Chandler, I can't see him being happy about that. Chandler hasn't played much at all and didn't seem to figure into the Suns plans beyond working Ayton in practice. I doubt he would have been a big part of any rotation so losing him for a competent PG, one who was a former All-Star in Teague, had to anger him. He knows it's a process to coach a team that finished with the worst record in the league but there is a difference between speed bumps of a rebuilding team and a team that is woefully incomplete in it's construction and McD has saddled more than just Igor with a roster like that.

 

[Mainstreet]

Igor comes across as way too classy to throw direct jabs at McD but I can't help but feel like he played a role in his firing. I don't think it matters that McD hired him. Reports of the Suns interview process had candidates meeting with McD and Sarver, at least that's what Budenholzer did. This isn't Igor's first time with the Suns so it's possible he had a relationship with Sarver already, who knows how familiar of a relationship it is/was but I think it's safe to say it wasn't bad since he's our current coach. McD did put him a very tough position and if Igor got wind of the Suns passing on adding Teague, especially for Chandler, I can't see him being happy about that. Chandler hasn't played much at all and didn't seem to figure into the Suns plans beyond working Ayton in practice. I doubt he would have been a big part of any rotation so losing him for a competent PG, one who was a former All-Star in Teague, had to anger him. He knows it's a process to coach a team that finished with the worst record in the league but there is a difference between speed bumps of a rebuilding team and a team that is woefully incomplete in it's construction and McD has saddled more than just Igor with a roster like that.

I think Kokoskov brings a clarity to the Suns personnel decisions. As a new head coach he is faced with putting a quality team on the floor. As I mentioned before, the Suns should not have two major holes to fill at power forward and point guard at this stage of the Suns rebuild. As you suggest, there may have been a conflict over the Suns failure to find a starting point guard before now... with only two preseason games left.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm thinking the Suns already have a trade in the pipeline for a point guard and for some reason (we can only guess) McDonough was not in agreement.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I'm thinking the Suns already have a trade in the pipeline for a point guard and for some reason (we can only guess) McDonough was not in agreement.

Might be that. I assume that there is something going on right now that was the final straw.

The Houston trade.
The Bender option.
The point guard situation.

Something.

Maybe Sarver heard that certain free agents will not consider the Suns because of McD. I would not put it past him to hire a GM who has a very close personal relationship with a player he would like to target in free agency next summer.

 

[Mainstreet]

Might be that. I assume that there is something going on right now that was the final straw.

The Houston trade.
The Bender option.
The point guard situation.

Something.

Maybe Sarver heard that certain free agents will not consider the Suns because of McD. I would not put it past him to hire a GM who has a very close personal relationship with a player he would like to target in free agency next summer.

Another thing that keeps going through my head is that it may take something exorbitant to trade for a PG like Jackson or Bridges.

 

[Yuma]

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Drake, our new PG.

 

[Carolinacacti]

I know a lot of starters sit in preseason. But Goran is not playing tonight just to stir the point guard pot.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Well, roster day is coming. Let's just assume we have to cut one point guard.

Who are you going to cut? Okobo, Harrison, Melton, Canaan.

For me. This is tough. I think its Canaan. It's just too soon to cut one of the rookies. Harrison does play very good defense, that makes him valuable.

That was McD's biggest problem, he loved to collect young players with potential, but not clear starters. Magic beans.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Well, roster day is coming. Let's just assume we have to cut one point guard.

Who are you going to cut? Okobo, Harrison, Melton, Canaan.

For me. This is tough. I think its Canaan. It's just too soon to cut one of the rookies. Harrison does play very good defense, that makes him valuable.

That was McD's biggest problem, he loved to collect young players with potential, but not clear starters. Magic beans.

I would assume you either convert Harrison or Canaan to a 2-way contract. Probably Harrison, given you would need Canaan's relatively steady and experienced hand if your backups are both rookies.

 

[slinslin]

Well, roster day is coming. Let's just assume we have to cut one point guard.

Who are you going to cut? Okobo, Harrison, Melton, Canaan.

For me. This is tough. I think its Canaan. It's just too soon to cut one of the rookies. Harrison does play very good defense, that makes him valuable.

That was McD's biggest problem, he loved to collect young players with potential, but not clear starters. Magic beans.

Bender and Canaan

look for a deal first

 

[SirStefan32]

Harrison would be the first to go if I were the GM. Canaan is the closest we have to somebody who is competent at everything. Now if the Suns get a real NBA PG, then I may release Canaan instead of Harrison, as Shaq may have some value as a defensive specialist for a few minutes here and there. If they are not exercising their option on Bender, they may as well release him too.

 

[1Sun]

Well, roster day is coming. Let's just assume we have to cut one point guard.

Who are you going to cut? Okobo, Harrison, Melton, Canaan.

For me. This is tough. I think its Canaan. It's just too soon to cut one of the rookies. Harrison does play very good defense, that makes him valuable.

That was McD's biggest problem, he loved to collect young players with potential, but not clear starters. Magic beans.

Harrison hasn't played good defense recently. He's been like a sieve, and his offense is about as bad as possible. To my Harrison is the first to get cut, followed by Bender. Okobo and Melton need time in the G League, which means that Canaan is the only NBA-level point guard on the roster right now, albeit a third-string-level NBA point guard.

 

[1Sun]

Harrison would be the first to go if I were the GM. Canaan is the closet we have to somebody who is competent at everything. Now if the Suns get a real NBA PG, then I may release Canaan instead of Harrison, as Shaq may have some value as a defensive specialist for a few minutes here and there. If they are not exercising their option on Bender, they may as well release him too.

I agree with all of this, except that at this point I don't think Harrison even has value as a defensive specialist. He hasn't shown much defensive ability lately, in my opinion.

 

[Hoop Head]

For me. This is tough. I think its Canaan. It's just too soon to cut one of the rookies. Harrison does play very good defense, that makes him valuable.

Harrison is a goner, IMO. People can talk up his defense all they want but he's really not that good on that side of the floor and his effort hasn't been there throughout preseason. His defense is not good enough to make up for his non-existent offense either. We played good PG's in Steph Curry and Lillard but the New Zealand PG lit him up and has never been in the NBA. In the 2nd Portland game Wade Baldwin, Seth Curry, and Gary Payton Jr all played much better than Harrison. His defense seems to be overrated, IMO. Who has he shut down? This year or last. Cutting him now allows us to go with Canaan until a deal can be made shipping someone out.

It wouldn't shock me if they opened a roster spot by trading Daniels for a 2nd round pick though. His cap number is $3.2 million and there has to be a few teams with that much space or a trade exception to make it work. It will probably be a protected 2nd rounder that we don't see for a while or at all but he's not going to be here beyond this season.

If they cut Shaq they could resign him to a Two-Way deal if he clears waivers and he probably will. They could do the same with Canaan but if they do that it will probably be Shaq since he needs more work. A stint in the G-League might help him gain some confidence and work on his shot in game situations. Reed is another who might get waived to be put on a Two-Way deal. He was a McD pick so things don't look good for him right now.

We have 16 players under contract, Arthur won't count if we're granted the disabled player exception but with him we're at 17 plus King as a Two-Way contract. We have 1 Two-Way deal left and I think whoever is cut will probably be brought back on that.

 

[Hoop Head]

Harrison hasn't played good defense recently. He's been like a sieve, and his offense is about as bad as possible. To my Harrison is the first to get cut, followed by Bender. Okobo and Melton need time in the G League, which means that Canaan is the only NBA-level point guard on the roster right now, albeit a third-string-level NBA point guard.

I think Reed is ahead of Bender in the cutting order. He's a Two-Way candidate though, like Harrison. Bender won't be cut. If he is though that would highlight how awful that draft is. That would mean Kokoskov has no hope for him and honestly that would be a bit concerning. Not so much concerning about Bender but that Kokoskov is ready to give up on him so quickly.

I agree with all of this, except that at this point I don't think Harrison even has value as a defensive specialist. He hasn't shown much defensive ability lately, in my opinion.

I actually agree with this. His defense has sucked now that he's playing NBA PG's. He did well against borderline NBA players in Summer League but was exposed against real PG's. Not just real PG's but Corey Webster from New Zealand also lit him up. He needs to go to the G-League if he hopes to get back to the NBA soon.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

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He's 38 years old and not really a point guard...but could he be our point guard?

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[Hoop Head]

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He's 38 years old and not really a point guard...but could he be our point guard?

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He doesn't fit, really. Troy Daniels is better at this stage. We open the season against Dallas next Wednesday. Perhaps he's being considered by the Mavericks?

 

[Suns_fan69]

Ugh, Crawford would be great if we're looking for a 6th man instant offense off the bench, but as the starting PG? I'm not sure he's the right fit. He'd also be the best PG on the team instantly, so...

 

[Mainstreet]

Apparently Igor maintains the Suns have enough play-makers but this is also what I would expect him to say.

I'm thinking the Suns will add another point guard.

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[Mainstreet]

More about the Suns rotation especially in regard to the point guard position and Booker.

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