Joe Mama
Moderator
Okay, I can understand concerns that Ike isn't a good fit for the Phoenix Suns up-tempo style of basketball. I disagree with that notion, but I can understand it. For the life of me I can't figure out why some would would think that he wouldn't be a good fit with Amare Stoudemire though. He's probably the best shooting power forward in the draft. He's a very good rebounder with length and a strong body. He can also battle inside. I'm not sure there is a better power forward/center complement to Amare in this draft.
Suns' first-round pick likely 1 of these 7 players
John Gambadoro
Special for azcentral.com
Jun. 27, 2005 08:35 AM
The Phoenix Suns have two picks in this year's draft and unlike last season, when they traded away their first-round pick, they plan on using both selections to add to the nucleus of a team that got to the Western Conference Finals. The Suns have the 21st pick in the first round and the 57th pick in the second round.
There is only a slight chance that the second-round pick won't make the team. That player, whoever it may be, will occupy the spot that Paul Shirley had last season and do it for a few hundred thousand dollars less. So pick No. 57 will instantly become the 12th man.
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What the Suns do with the 21st pick is still up for grabs. There are a few ways Phoenix could go, including drafting an international player and leaving him overseas for a year so to shave the $1 million he's slated to make off the cap for next season. They could also draft a college player who could come in and play right away.
Going into the weekend the Suns have narrowed their choices down to about seven players. But let's assume that two of them - Francisco Garcia and Roko Ukic - will be gone by the time Phoenix picks. Garcia, the talented Louisville product, had a great workout for the Suns, but word is that Indiana envisions him as the player who can replace Reggie Miller, and the Pacers have the 17th pick. And Ukic, a 6-foot-6 point guard from Croatia, could be taken by either Toronto at No. 16 or the Celtics, who need a replacement for Gary Payton, at No. 18.
If those two players are on the board, either one could become the Suns' pick. But if not, the choice will come down to five players:
Mickael Gelabale - A shooting guard/small forward who played in Spain but is from France. Gelabel is 6-foot-7 and 22 years old, and is considered a smart player and good shooter. Probably a long shot to be the Suns' pick because some projections have him going in the second-round, but Phoenix does like him and he is being considered.
Wayne Simien - The Big 12 Player of the Year from Kansas had a good workout with Phoenix on Thursday and despite numerous injury problems - he missed time in each of his four years with the Jayhawks - would be a solid addition. Simien is tough, has basketball intelligence and if not for the previous injuries most likely would have been a top-15 pick.
Nate Robinson - The multi-talented point guard from Washington is as exciting a player as there is in this draft. An ideal backup point guard to Steve Nash, Robinson can push the tempo and even despite his 5-foot-9 frame is a good defender who brings non-stop pressure. He is considered a stronger, more athletic version of Denver's Early Boykins. Some might believe this is a reach for Phoenix, that Robinson is second-round talent, but he fits a need for the Suns and fans will love him.
Ryan Gomes - The player UConn Jim Calhoun passed on, Gomes had a sensational career at Providence and at 6-8 can shoot, rebound and pass. Will play small forward at the NBA level and could be a nice replacement for Quentin Richardson. Gomes had his second workout for the Suns on Friday and if chosen could come in and play right away.
Johan Petro - A true 7-footer with length. Petro has an amazing wingspan of 7 feet 3 5/8 inches and a standing reach of 9 feet 4 inches. He is young, just 19, with a good NBA body. He did not have much success playing in Europe in a league that wasn't very good . He is athletic and projects as a starter in the NBA down the road. He is not better than Steven Hunter right now but projects to become a better player. The Lakers and Clippers have shown interest in him after he had good workouts for those teams.
The Suns worked out and liked other players, such as David Lee from Florida, Ersav Ilyasova from Turkey, Chris Taft from Pittsburgh and Ike Diogu from Arizona State. But they will most likely pass on those players for one of the aforementioned five if they are available. Diogu had a good first workout with Phoenix but didn't fare as well in his second. He could very well be gone by the time Phoenix picks anyway, but his style doesn't seem to suit the Suns and he may not be a good fit for Amare Stoudamire.
What could influence the Suns' decision is their lack of centers. With Jake Voskuhl set to pick up his option for $1.9 million and the Suns poised to trade him because he is not considered part of the rotation anymore and with Hunter opting out of his deal and wanting more than the Suns seem willing to pay, the team may not have a legitimate center on the roster. The Suns could offer Hunter the $1.6 million minimum exception, which would more than double his salary from last season. But Hunter has said he won't sign for that and believes he deserves more. If another team offers him a better deal he could be gone.
The Suns also have the mid-level exception available, which is around $5.6 million, but do not plan on giving that to Hunter. That could go to a player like Sarunas Jasikevicius, who played on the Eurolegue champion team in Israel and is a point guard.
So with the center position unsettled and this team needing length, Petro makes the most sense for Phoenix at the No. 21 slot. It could try to move up in the second round to add Salim Stoudamire, an Arizona product who was the best three-point shooter in the country last season and will play point guard at the NBA level. But as much as the Suns like Gomes, Simien, Robinson and Gelabale - and all of them could fill a role for Phoenix - Petro just makes more sense. A young player they can develop and be the insurance for the possible loss of Hunter. At pick No. 21, it's not that big of a gamble. He certainly fits a need.
Suns' first-round pick likely 1 of these 7 players
John Gambadoro
Special for azcentral.com
Jun. 27, 2005 08:35 AM
The Phoenix Suns have two picks in this year's draft and unlike last season, when they traded away their first-round pick, they plan on using both selections to add to the nucleus of a team that got to the Western Conference Finals. The Suns have the 21st pick in the first round and the 57th pick in the second round.
There is only a slight chance that the second-round pick won't make the team. That player, whoever it may be, will occupy the spot that Paul Shirley had last season and do it for a few hundred thousand dollars less. So pick No. 57 will instantly become the 12th man.
advertisement
What the Suns do with the 21st pick is still up for grabs. There are a few ways Phoenix could go, including drafting an international player and leaving him overseas for a year so to shave the $1 million he's slated to make off the cap for next season. They could also draft a college player who could come in and play right away.
Going into the weekend the Suns have narrowed their choices down to about seven players. But let's assume that two of them - Francisco Garcia and Roko Ukic - will be gone by the time Phoenix picks. Garcia, the talented Louisville product, had a great workout for the Suns, but word is that Indiana envisions him as the player who can replace Reggie Miller, and the Pacers have the 17th pick. And Ukic, a 6-foot-6 point guard from Croatia, could be taken by either Toronto at No. 16 or the Celtics, who need a replacement for Gary Payton, at No. 18.
If those two players are on the board, either one could become the Suns' pick. But if not, the choice will come down to five players:
Mickael Gelabale - A shooting guard/small forward who played in Spain but is from France. Gelabel is 6-foot-7 and 22 years old, and is considered a smart player and good shooter. Probably a long shot to be the Suns' pick because some projections have him going in the second-round, but Phoenix does like him and he is being considered.
Wayne Simien - The Big 12 Player of the Year from Kansas had a good workout with Phoenix on Thursday and despite numerous injury problems - he missed time in each of his four years with the Jayhawks - would be a solid addition. Simien is tough, has basketball intelligence and if not for the previous injuries most likely would have been a top-15 pick.
Nate Robinson - The multi-talented point guard from Washington is as exciting a player as there is in this draft. An ideal backup point guard to Steve Nash, Robinson can push the tempo and even despite his 5-foot-9 frame is a good defender who brings non-stop pressure. He is considered a stronger, more athletic version of Denver's Early Boykins. Some might believe this is a reach for Phoenix, that Robinson is second-round talent, but he fits a need for the Suns and fans will love him.
Ryan Gomes - The player UConn Jim Calhoun passed on, Gomes had a sensational career at Providence and at 6-8 can shoot, rebound and pass. Will play small forward at the NBA level and could be a nice replacement for Quentin Richardson. Gomes had his second workout for the Suns on Friday and if chosen could come in and play right away.
Johan Petro - A true 7-footer with length. Petro has an amazing wingspan of 7 feet 3 5/8 inches and a standing reach of 9 feet 4 inches. He is young, just 19, with a good NBA body. He did not have much success playing in Europe in a league that wasn't very good . He is athletic and projects as a starter in the NBA down the road. He is not better than Steven Hunter right now but projects to become a better player. The Lakers and Clippers have shown interest in him after he had good workouts for those teams.
The Suns worked out and liked other players, such as David Lee from Florida, Ersav Ilyasova from Turkey, Chris Taft from Pittsburgh and Ike Diogu from Arizona State. But they will most likely pass on those players for one of the aforementioned five if they are available. Diogu had a good first workout with Phoenix but didn't fare as well in his second. He could very well be gone by the time Phoenix picks anyway, but his style doesn't seem to suit the Suns and he may not be a good fit for Amare Stoudamire.
What could influence the Suns' decision is their lack of centers. With Jake Voskuhl set to pick up his option for $1.9 million and the Suns poised to trade him because he is not considered part of the rotation anymore and with Hunter opting out of his deal and wanting more than the Suns seem willing to pay, the team may not have a legitimate center on the roster. The Suns could offer Hunter the $1.6 million minimum exception, which would more than double his salary from last season. But Hunter has said he won't sign for that and believes he deserves more. If another team offers him a better deal he could be gone.
The Suns also have the mid-level exception available, which is around $5.6 million, but do not plan on giving that to Hunter. That could go to a player like Sarunas Jasikevicius, who played on the Eurolegue champion team in Israel and is a point guard.
So with the center position unsettled and this team needing length, Petro makes the most sense for Phoenix at the No. 21 slot. It could try to move up in the second round to add Salim Stoudamire, an Arizona product who was the best three-point shooter in the country last season and will play point guard at the NBA level. But as much as the Suns like Gomes, Simien, Robinson and Gelabale - and all of them could fill a role for Phoenix - Petro just makes more sense. A young player they can develop and be the insurance for the possible loss of Hunter. At pick No. 21, it's not that big of a gamble. He certainly fits a need.
