2018-19 Season | Point Guard Discussion

[devilalum]

The "pundits" and sportswriters were over the moon about the Ariza signing. Not sure why they were, but they were.

Because he was a key piece for the Rockets. Not the first time a good role player has come to Phoenix and stunk it up.


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[AzStevenCal]

The "pundits" and sportswriters were over the moon about the Ariza signing. Not sure why they were, but they were.

Yeah, they really were. All I heard over and again was how smart we were to sign him and how shortsighted Houston was to let him go. I think he's a good role player but he's frequently overrated by the former NBA players on these shows because he lets the stars be the stars and he willingly does the little things. But, IMO, he's been on a gradual decline for more than a season and it's difficult to play a background role when you are surrounded by the kind of players we have.

 

[1Sun]

The "pundits" and sportswriters were over the moon about the Ariza signing. Not sure why they were, but they were.

While not over the moon, I saw some merit in the Ariza signing...until he decided to quit on the team and not put forth any effort.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeah, they really were. All I heard over and again was how smart we were to sign him and how shortsighted Houston was to let him go. I think he's a good role player but he's frequently overrated by the former NBA players on these shows because he lets the stars be the stars and he willingly does the little things. But, IMO, he's been on a gradual decline for more than a season and it's difficult to play a background role when you are surrounded by the kind of players we have.

LOL are you describing Ariza or Ryan Anderson? Pretty funny how that describes both and they both happen to be on our team now.

 

[AZ Shocker]

JJ took a lot of shoe money to be placed at Kansas no? Doesn't really surprise me when these shoe players struggle once they get to the league. Attitude and moral character could be deemed questionable once big paychecks at such a young age appear.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's worth looking at that thread just to see how some have done a complete 180 on Jackson. He was considered part of our core and untouchable by the majority of people who mentioned him and now there's been numerous calls to bench him, how he's a bust, and how we should have taken Fox or someone else.

Some fans had some different preferences before the draft before it became clear the Suns were going to draft Jackson. Personally I liked Fox a lot.

IIRC, neither Fox or Jackson were good outside shooters in college. The reason I leaned towards Fox is because the Suns needed a point guard, he would always be able to get to the rim and his athleticism was off the charts.

Jackson had some of the same characteristics as Fox but a wing needs to be able to shoot. There are too many athletic wings around for Jackson not to have a good outside shot.

 

[Hoop Head]

Some fans had some different preferences before the draft before it became clear the Suns were going to draft Jackson. Personally I liked Fox a lot.

IIRC, neither Fox or Jackson were good outside shooters in college. The reason I leaned towards Fox is because the Suns needed a point guard, he would always be able to get to the rim and his athleticism was off the charts.

Jackson had some of the same characteristics as Fox but a wing needs to be able to shoot. There are too many athletic wings around for Jackson not to have a good outside shot.

I remember that. I was glad to be getting Jackson, or Tatum, and would have been happy with either. I liked Fox but mainly because the Lakers were going Ball and Fox did a good job of getting under his skin in college and shutting him when they played each other. I think that would have been something to add to the Suns and Lakers for years to come if we went that way but since we had Bledsoe, and no obvious sign that would be changing, I wasn't a fan of taking a backup at #4.

I remember a lot of people being upset about the Suns falling to #4 though. Most knew were weren't getting #1 or #2 but prior to the lottery drawing I remember people talking about the draft like it was a 3 player draft, in a way, with Fultz and Ball going #1 and #2 and Jackson being the best of the rest. When the Suns fell to #4 it was looking like we'd end up "settling" for Tatum. Tatum has been the top player from that class though so settling for him wouldn't have been bad at all. I understood the concerns with him though, that he was more one dimensional as offensive player. Jackson was viewed as a defensive ace whose offense needed work but I don't think anyone realized it needed as much as it did/does.

While JJ's play has been an issue this year, he showed enough last year that we need to be patient. It was like what Chriss showed in his rookie year, he showed real talent and that he could carry a team on both ends of the floor when things were clicking. He was averaging over 20 a game in the last month of the season, without Booker and Warren regularly, but it was a nice glimpse of what he could be.

 

[Mainstreet]

I remember that. I was glad to be getting Jackson, or Tatum, and would have been happy with either. I liked Fox but mainly because the Lakers were going Ball and Fox did a good job of getting under his skin in college and shutting him when they played each other. I think that would have been something to add to the Suns and Lakers for years to come if we went that way but since we had Bledsoe, and no obvious sign that would be changing, I wasn't a fan of taking a backup at #4.

I remember a lot of people being upset about the Suns falling to #4 though. Most knew were weren't getting #1 or #2 but prior to the lottery drawing I remember people talking about the draft like it was a 3 player draft, in a way, with Fultz and Ball going #1 and #2 and Jackson being the best of the rest. When the Suns fell to #4 it was looking like we'd end up "settling" for Tatum. Tatum has been the top player from that class though so settling for him wouldn't have been bad at all. I understood the concerns with him though, that he was more one dimensional as offensive player. Jackson was viewed as a defensive ace whose offense needed work but I don't think anyone realized it needed as much as it did/does.

While JJ's play has been an issue this year, he showed enough last year that we need to be patient. It was like what Chriss showed in his rookie year, he showed real talent and that he could carry a team on both ends of the floor when things were clicking. He was averaging over 20 a game in the last month of the season, without Booker and Warren regularly, but it was a nice glimpse of what he could be.

A lot of good points made. In regard to Bledsoe, I was hoping Fox would replace him as he was wanting max type money and had an injury issue.

How I wish the Suns had to settle for Tatum.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Some fans had some different preferences before the draft before it became clear the Suns were going to draft Jackson. Personally I liked Fox a lot.

IIRC, neither Fox or Jackson were good outside shooters in college. The reason I leaned towards Fox is because the Suns needed a point guard, he would always be able to get to the rim and his athleticism was off the charts.

Jackson had some of the same characteristics as Fox but a wing needs to be able to shoot. There are too many athletic wings around for Jackson not to have a good outside shot.

I was a Jackson guy during pretty much the entire college season. I still think he will be a very good player in the NBA, but like many others on the team he is not being put in the best position to succeed. Sure he is making some silly decisions on the court, but he shouldn't be playing so much with the ball in his hands to begin with. Get a real PG for him to play with and get him back to his natural role of forward and playing off the ball and he will look significantly better.

 

[Mainstreet]

I was a Jackson guy during pretty much the entire college season. I still think he will be a very good player in the NBA, but like many others on the team he is not being put in the best position to succeed. Sure he is making some silly decisions on the court, but he shouldn't be playing so much with the ball in his hands to begin with. Get a real PG for him to play with and get him back to his natural role of forward and playing off the ball and he will look significantly better.

Nothing would make me happier to see Jackson succeed. I'd like to see him playing closer to the basket where he only needs to take a couple, three steps to score until he develops a consistent outside shot. A point guard would help put everyone in more comfortable roles. Even Ayton could devote more time to positioning than playing a point guard role.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I remember that. I was glad to be getting Jackson, or Tatum, and would have been happy with either. I liked Fox but mainly because the Lakers were going Ball and Fox did a good job of getting under his skin in college and shutting him when they played each other. I think that would have been something to add to the Suns and Lakers for years to come if we went that way but since we had Bledsoe, and no obvious sign that would be changing, I wasn't a fan of taking a backup at #4.

the fact that the Suns told Bledsoe they wouldn't be extending his contract plus all the talk that the Suns were interested in Ball or Fultz (both PGs) seemed like pretty obvious signs to me and a lot of others at the time that Bledsoe wasn't long for the Suns.

Best,

********

 

[95pro]

This board is the only thing good about the suns right now. Don't ruin it.

 

[BC867]

It’s all relative. When I say “assists are way up” I am comparing the suns to their stats from the last few seasons. I wouldn’t dare compare anything on this team to any other team in the league.

Better than piss poor does not equal good.

 

[1Sun]

Better than piss poor does not equal good.

Not to mention the fact that turnovers, shooting, rebounding, offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency, scoring margin and team PER are all worse.

 

[BC867]

Not to mention the fact that turnovers, shooting, rebounding, offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency, scoring margin and team PER are all worse.

Ah, go ahead, mention it. Oh, you did. Good!

Sometimes, the best thing to do with the situation is laugh.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Better than piss poor does not equal good.

I never used the word “good.”

 

[BC867]

I never used the word “good.”

True, but it is what I, as a fan, have been looking for sometime this decade.

 

[sdscard4]

Every team in the West is in the race but us. All by ourselves in the basement. Pathetic and disgusting

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Every team in the West is in the race but us. All by ourselves in the basement. Pathetic and disgusting

Yeah we are 7 games back of the next worst (or something in that neighborhood). Astounding really.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Yeah we are 7 games back of the next worst (or something in that neighborhood). Astounding really.

The more astounding part about it is the lack of a single other bad team. The west appears to be more stacked this year than it has ever been before.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The more astounding part about it is the lack of a single other bad team. The west appears to be more stacked this year than it has ever been before.

It is but I think getting 12 (soon to be 13) easy wins against us might be padding those records a bit.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

It is but I think getting 12 (soon to be 13) easy wins against us might be padding those records a bit.

I disagree on that. It's not like all of these teams have played us multiple times. Also most years there would be 3-4 bad teams to feast on and that isn't the case this year.

 

[Yuma]

The more astounding part about it is the lack of a single other bad team. The west appears to be more stacked this year than it has ever been before.

My point exactly. I was way under on most on the board. Heck Lebron moves to our Division, and that alone shifts a lot of power.

 

[1tinsoldier]

i have a bad feeling about the comments coming out of Jones' mouth about shifting away from the draft and winning with veterans

winning what? another few games this season?

i'm up for moving Ariza and the Milwaukee pick after the 15th
for a stabilizing point guard
or even for the Fultz experiment

but we sucked too hard to give up all that suckage that has earned us another top pick

i don't support giving up that asset for the kind of veteran that would be available right now
--under this organization as it is now constituted

i don't trust the current leadership to make any big move right now

 

[Cheesebeef]

The more astounding part about it is the lack of a single other bad team. The west appears to be more stacked this year than it has ever been before.

totally disagree. the west isn't stacked... it's as mediocre as it's ever been. It's a bunch of middling teams, all extremely flawed.