How Great is the 2017 draft class?

[hsandhu]

I dont watch college ball, anyone watching and have updates on this class? I know the names, ball, giles, jackswn, Dennis smith, etc.. but I don't care to follow there college progress.

I just know everyone was saying before the season how 2017 is supposed to be a great draft, is it still going to be, how many franchise players are there?

Hopefully suns keep doing the A plus tanking. Maybe unintentionally, but however they get there is fine with me.

 

[JerkFace]

I think the top 8 are super solid and then there is a slight drop to the next tier. As long as we stay top 8 I think we will secure a good player. Of course lots can change before June.

 

[Mainstreet]

There are reportedly a lot of good PGs in this draft. Hmm.

 

[JerkFace]

There are reportedly a lot of good PGs in this draft. Hmm.

I think arguably 5 of the top 10 (and 3 of the top 5) players are PGs.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think arguably 5 of the top 10 (and 3 of the top 5) players are PGs.

How I wish the Suns could revisit the Isaiah Thomas trade to the Celtics. It has been PG hell since Steve Nash left.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not a UCLA fan at all but I really love watching Ball play. He's an incredible college player and it amazes me how involved he is with almost every thing that happens on the court. If he can be this effective in the NBA, he's going to be something special. I'm not sure if he has the quickness to translate his game (not saying he doesn't) and, like everyone else, I worry about his outside shot but he's the type of player that makes everyone around him so much better.

If he shows up and shows well at the NBA combine, I take him first without hesitation. If his numbers disappoint there, I don't know what I'd do. He has everything Jason Kidd did and even more but it was already clear at the college level that Kidd had the speed to play the point in the NBA. But I think the eventual question will be whether Lonzo can adapt enough to play some other position at the next level (SF maybe?).

Duke has several players I consider to be better prospects than Ingram from last season. Kentucky is also loaded with impact players. And then there's Fultz, Smith, Williams, Jackson, Isaac, Markkanen, Leaf, Rabb and so many more. This would be a great season to have a top 5 pick, another top 15 pick, plus an additional late first rounder.

 

[GatorAZ]

Ball/Fultz/Monk get a lot of attention but Dennis Smith's explosiveness is insane. His shooting numbers are poor but when he puts it together he may have the hugest ceiling. I think the fact that he tore his ACL in HS could potentially cause a drop on team's boards.

 

[slinslin]

Really great.

Markelle Fultz is without a doubt a franchise player. He has size and can do everything, he has no holes in his game really it is amazing.

Ball is good also, even with the unorthodox shot and sometimes erratic shots, he is still a rare true PG.

Besides these two Josh Jackson looks like a SF who also does it all, only needs to add the 3pt shot but he defends, scores, rebounds, passes, steals, blocks..

Tatum also looks good.

Dennis Smith is more of a risk.

We have not seen Giles yet, but medical red flags there.

Markannen looks solid too.

I think there is significant drop off though after the top 2 or top 4.

Fultz is clear cut #1 followed by Ball in my opinion. Both would be transformational picks for the Suns.

 

[Ronin]

Someone to keep a eye on.
Fran Fraschilla ‏@franfraschilla 4m4 minutes ago
Watched French sensation, Frank Nitilikina, make 27 of 30 NBA 3's at NYC workout in July. Watching U-18's and nothing wrong w/his mechanics.

 

[Ronin]

There are plenty of NBA teams hurting for a star point guard; almost every team on the outside of the playoff picture could take an upgrade at the point. A lot of these players have glaring weaknesses that could scare a team away if they have a particular need. But don’t be blinded by the negatives or needs for improvement — these are five point guards with elite potential.

http://bballbreakdown.com/2016/12/14/nba-draft-prospect-watch-point-guards-aplenty/

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns spent a lottery pick (13) on Kendall Marshall in 2012 and drafted Tyler Ennis (18) in the 2014 draft. Indeed the better PGs are hard to find.

 

[AZeBrA]

The talent pool is drying up in America...AAU has destroyed college ball and it then bleeds into the NBA. The 76ers are a great example of the failing hoops system. Multiple #1 picks and they are still the worst team in the league.

 

[AZeBrA]

Ball is going to stay 4 years to play with his little brothers

 

[GatorAZ]

Fox is faster than Wall was. He looks like an incredible talent but he can't shoot a lick atm.

 

[slinslin]

Ball is going to stay 4 years to play with his little brothers

eh no he is not

Suns should be able to fill out their core nicely.

Either to get one of the top 2 PGs (Fultz, Ball, Smith..) in the draft with their pick or grab Josh Jackson or Jayson Tatum or Harry Giles with their pick and then maybe acquire one of the next best PGs (Fox, Nikitina..).

Fultz is definitely in a league of his own though in my opinion, he is head and shoulders above the rest.
If I compare him to previous #1 pick guards he looks far better than John Wall or Kyrie Irving did.

 

[overseascardfan]

This would have been the year to have multiple first round picks. Ball and Fultz are the real deal, Smith and Fox are good but their main flaw is shooting, then you have wings like Jackson and Tatum but then there are some impressive bigs in Giles, Leaf, Motley, Adebayo & Markkanen. Plus, in the mid to late first round prospects like Rabb, Bridges, Hartenstein are all oozing with potential. The one guy I am surprised is not getting any love on NBA Draft Net is Caleb Swanigan, he is putting up POY numbers at PUR (18 PPG, 12 RPG, 3 APG 60% FG 75% FT). but he is not listed among Top 25 prospects.

If PHX gets interest in Bledsoe, they could make a deal knowing they can get his replacement in this draft, maybe they get another first rounder and can get one of the talented bigs or wings.

My hope for this draft without acquiring any picks would be Lonzo Ball and either Chris Boucher or Moses Kingsley in Round 2. Boucher and Kingsley are active, mobile, quick twitch athletes whom can alter a game defensively as great shot blockers but both are capable of knocking down jump shots. They are a little skinny but their athleticism and ability to get up and down the court are very impressive.

 

[slinslin]

I like Ball but he does not belong in a sentence with Fultz.

I also think that Ball has a significant bust chance.

 

[Covert Rain]

This would have been the year to have multiple first round picks. Ball and Fultz are the real deal, Smith and Fox are good but their main flaw is shooting, then you have wings like Jackson and Tatum but then there are some impressive bigs in Giles, Leaf, Motley, Adebayo & Markkanen. Plus, in the mid to late first round prospects like Rabb, Bridges, Hartenstein are all oozing with potential. The one guy I am surprised is not getting any love on NBA Draft Net is Caleb Swanigan, he is putting up POY numbers at PUR (18 PPG, 12 RPG, 3 APG 60% FG 75% FT). but he is not listed among Top 25 prospects.

If PHX gets interest in Bledsoe, they could make a deal knowing they can get his replacement in this draft, maybe they get another first rounder and can get one of the talented bigs or wings.

My hope for this draft without acquiring any picks would be Lonzo Ball and either Chris Boucher or Moses Kingsley in Round 2. Boucher and Kingsley are active, mobile, quick twitch athletes whom can alter a game defensively as great shot blockers but both are capable of knocking down jump shots. They are a little skinny but their athleticism and ability to get up and down the court are very impressive.

Yep. Many here were pounding the trade drum to setup multiple picks for this year instead. Just didn't work out.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

Hype every year. Temper expectations.................

 

[JCSunsfan]

Talking about the greatness of this class is about 6 years premature.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Hype every year. Temper expectations.................

I'd say ignore the hype you hear in July or October but the hype as the New Year approaches has some substance to it. Any one of these "stars" can fail but the likelihood that all or even most of them will is minimal IMO. This IS a very good draft class, whether it's a great one will be determined years down the road.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ball and fultz have the word "transformational" being thrown around about them. Only a handful of players referred to in those terms.

 

[itlnsunsfan]

Ball and fultz have the word "transformational" being thrown around about them. Only a handful of players referred to in those terms.

Transformational? What does that mean? Transcendent I can get excited about, but I don't know what transformational is suppose to indicate.

 

[Hoop Head]

The best players in this upcoming draft are primarily point guards. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the top 10 end up being point guards. Adding a young pass first PG to our team should be the final piece we need to develop along with our other youngsters. I like Ulis but I'm not sure he'll ever be a good to great starting PG in the NBA at his size with his skillset. Adding someone like Lonzo Ball would be a huge upgrade for our team. He's definitely better than Ulis and a better PG than Bledsoe, Bled is a better player right now but Ball is a playmaking PG who makes him teammates better. He's also 6'6 so alongside Booker we'd have one of the largest backcourts in the league for years to come.

 

[elindholm]

Ball and fultz have the word "transformational" being thrown around about them. Only a handful of players referred to in those terms.

Only a handful merit it, you mean. I hear those terms get thrown around a lot.