2020 Draft

[WhyAlwaysMe]

What good is length and quickness if you can’t leverage it because you lack skill, aggression, whatever.

 

[JerkFace]

I've heard the names of Riller and Bane a number of times. I even did a thread on Grant Riller back in June.

https://www.arizonasportsfans.com/forum/threads/grant-riller.354792/

It looks like some are trying to figure out the impact Jeff Bower (senior VP of basketball operations) might have on Suns player personnel moves.

Grant Riller is late second round fodder at best.

Desmond Bayne isn't even draft worthy.

If either is the pick at 10, James Jones should be fired on the spot.

Bane or Riller at #10 would be colossally disappointing, but to suggest they aren’t draft worthy is equally ignorant. Both players are consistently ranked in the 20-40 area. Once again, not even remotely a fan at #10, but if we buy or trade back into the top of the 2nd round, both of them have potential as high volume scorers off the bench.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Bane at 10 would be a disaster, he’s another “great college shooter” that seems destined to get bodied by NBA athletes on the perimeter and he’s not quick/skilled enough to make them pay. He’s a fat guy with a 6’ 4” wingspan. He’s also terrible on defense.

Riller, otoh, I like a lot. He has great burst and strength. He’s really good at getting to the paint and finishing. He’s good enough to guard PGs in the NBA and maybe some small 2s. He will need to learn how to pass and develop more as a playmaker in the PnR and D&K, but he has good bbiq and feel. I think he becomes a solid NBA rotation player very soon in his career.

If there’s one thing we can say about Jones/Bower: they don’t mind “reaching” for the right guy (even really old ones) if that guy brings essential traits to the table.

I prefer Kira and Maxey, but I definitely rate Riller over Halliburton and Anthony. Hayes I haven’t seen enough.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Most mocks had us taking Coby White, Darius Garland, or Jarrett Culver.

Cam Johnson on RealGm EXPERT Mocks was picked 19th, 22nd, 31st and 33rd.

The term “reached” is hard to state with certainty when the guy you’re picking has translatable NBA traits.

 

[BC867]

I see him as a weaker, slower, less skilled version of Ibaka. Not really a fan of his game but if you're going to take a wild swing for the fences...

Continuing the baseball analogy, you mean like the Diamondbacks hitters, who have won 2 of their last 14 games, obsessed with "lift"?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Continuing the baseball analogy, you mean like the Diamondbacks hitters, who have won 2 of their last 14 games, obsessed with "lift"?

I wouldn't have a clue about the Dbacks today. I started poring over the box scores in 1962, not since 1961 have I known so little about the current game. Are you sure they're really playing?

 

[BC867]

I wouldn't have a clue about the Dbacks today. I started poring over the box scores in 1962, not since 1961 have I known so little about the current game. Are you sure they're really playing?

The players have tried, but their Manager, Torey Luvullo, is in over his head.

Shifting players in the field from position to position, game to game and
sometimes within games. And announcing that he wants his players to hit
balls into the air. All or nothing! Most of their HR's are solo shots.

And not giving young players a chance to acclimate, starting them in a game
here and there. Imagine the pressure on them, realizing that every at-bat
could be the one that sends them back down, even though positions opened up.

Recently the D-backs have had a fire sale, while the losing streak has been
going on. It is difficult to root for, but I still do and am one of the few ASFN
posters active during every game. Attribute that to the coronavirus
lock-down and me being a retired bachelor.

At least the Suns and Mercury both have talented Head Coaches.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Last 5 lottery guards from Kentucky:
Booker
Murray
Fox
SGA
Herro

Maxey just has to get a long look at 10

I don’t agree with much of your opinions, but I agree here. There’s value in this particular pedigree.

 

[1Sun]

I don’t agree with much of your opinions, but I agree here. There’s value in this particular pedigree.

Just note that it wasn't too long ago that we were desperate to dump Brandon Knight and that Tyler Ulis was a popular target for anger on this board.

Draft based on the actual player, not where he went to school.

 

[JerkFace]

If we had snuck into the playoffs and were drafting in the 15-18 range then I would be willing to give Maxey a look since I think we have a need for a combo guard, but at #10 I just think there is much better talent available.

 

[Phrazbit]

Just note that it wasn't too long ago that we were desperate to dump Brandon Knight and that Tyler Ulis was a popular target for anger on this board.

Draft based on the actual player, not where he went to school.

I agree.

Archie Goodwin was a Kentucky product too and he sucked out loud.

Kentucky has a high pedigree because they typically land several top 10 high school players each year, not because Calipari is good at developing talent. He is a great recruiter and, IMO, a sub par coach.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Compare Kentucky’s hit rate and volume on lotto picks and it isn’t even close.

Archie and Ulis weren’t close to lotto. Knight was good before he got to Phoenix.

 

[1Sun]

Compare Kentucky’s hit rate and volume on lotto picks and it isn’t even close.

Archie and Ulis weren’t close to lotto. Knight was good before he got to Phoenix.

Don't forget Malik Monk and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

It really does come down to the individual player versus the program from which they come...

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

MKG was not a guard.

Monk is still young and he’s an outlier from the trend.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Maxey isn’t even my favorite guard; I am just saying he’s got a lot of Bledsoe in him and he has a good BBIQ.

 

[GatorAZ]

I agree.

Archie Goodwin was a Kentucky product too and he sucked out loud.

Kentucky has a high pedigree because they typically land several top 10 high school players each year, not because Calipari is good at developing talent. He is a great recruiter and, IMO, a sub par coach.

How are you supposed to develop talent in one year? These are pit stops for these kids. They go to Kentucky, Duke, UNC to get showcased.

 

[Mainstreet]

Kentucky turns out a lot more good players than most schools although it's still an individual thing.

I'd look at Kentucky players more closely though because of the talent they have produced. It's amazing.

Here is a broader look at the link below:

https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Southeastern-Conference/8/Kentucky/258/nba-draft

 

[Mainstreet]

If only the Suns had used their 2016 and 2017 first round picks on Kentucky players Jamal Murray and De'Aaron Fox.

Even if the Suns didn't keep both players, what a boatload of talent.

 

[GatorAZ]

If only the Suns had used their 2016 and 2017 first round picks on Kentucky players Jamal Murray and De'Aaron Fox.

Even if the Suns didn't keep both players, what a boatload of talent.

They just paid Bledsoe so in retrospect it made sense passing on the young guards...

The big one is do you still take Mikal over SGA?

 

[1Sun]

If only the Suns had used their 2016 and 2017 first round picks on Kentucky players Jamal Murray and De'Aaron Fox.

Even if the Suns didn't keep both players, what a boatload of talent.

Murray and Fox were independently worthy of being drafted, Kentucky program or not. I put Maxey closer to the Monk, Goodwin and Ulis category than Murray, Fox and SGA.

 

[Mainstreet]

They just paid Bledsoe so in retrospect it made sense passing on the young guards...

The big one is do you still take Mikal over SGA?

I don't know if the Clippers pick used to draft Shai was available in trade.

Besides Mikal was already drafted when the Suns traded for him.

The picks that really hurt are passing on Murray and Fox. Teams get in trouble when they stray from BPA.

 

[Mainstreet]

Murray and Fox were independently worthy of being drafted, Kentucky program or not. I put Maxey closer to the Monk, Goodwin and Ulis category than Murray, Fox and SGA.

I'm not excited about drafting Maxey. He is a smaller shooting guard. Maybe some team will try to turn him into a combo guard to maximize his value.

 

[GatorAZ]

I don't know if the Clippers pick used to draft Shai was available in trade.

Besides Mikal was already drafted when the Suns traded for him.

The picks that really hurt are passing on Murray and Fox. Teams get in trouble when they stray from BPA.

There were murmurs McD wanted Shai. I can’t remember how it all went down.

 

[1Sun]

I don't know if the Clippers pick used to draft Shai was available in trade.

Besides Mikal was already drafted when the Suns traded for him.

The picks that really hurt are passing on Murray and Fox. Teams get in trouble when they stray from BPA.

Very true, though in this mediocre draft, BPA is a more relative term than usual where the Suns are drafting. Heck, it is more relative at #1 overall...

 

[AzStevenCal]

There were murmurs McD wanted Shai. I can’t remember how it all went down.

He was drafted in front of us and although there were rumors of a Suns trade for him, the Clippers repeatedly denied it.