Kings @ Suns Wednesday 10-23-19 game thread

OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,855
Reaction score
52,251
Maybe it's already built-in by the NBA but I'd like to know some due process has occurred.

Perhaps the expedited appeal by the players association is part of this process.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
60,312
Reaction score
52,030
Location
SoCal
Maybe it's already built-in by the NBA but I'd like to know some due process has occurred.

Perhaps the expedited appeal by the players association is part of this process.
I guarantee there’s a process. The nbapa would never agree to anything otherwise.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
16,083
Reaction score
11,040
Location
Tempe, AZ
Maybe it's already built-in by the NBA but I'd like to know some due process has occurred.

Perhaps the expedited appeal by the players association is part of this process.

That expedited appeal is part of the process. Us hearing about that is hearing something is happening. With it being Friday though we won't hear anything until next week. We're without Ayton for no less than 10 games, is how I'm looking at it. I'm pulling 10 out of the air but I'm kind of basing it on the Jermaine O'Neal suspension from the Malice At The Palace. He was suspended for 25 but it was reduced to 15 on an appeal heard by an arbitrator. Stern wouldn't budge on it but Stern isn't in charge now either. However if he can get his reduced then I have hope for Ayton.
 
OP
OP
Mainstreet

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
112,855
Reaction score
52,251
I guarantee there’s a process. The nbapa would never agree to anything otherwise.

That expedited appeal is part of the process. Us hearing about that is hearing something is happening. With it being Friday though we won't hear anything until next week. We're without Ayton for no less than 10 games, is how I'm looking at it. I'm pulling 10 out of the air but I'm kind of basing it on the Jermaine O'Neal suspension from the Malice At The Palace. He was suspended for 25 but it was reduced to 15 on an appeal heard by an arbitrator. Stern wouldn't budge on it but Stern isn't in charge now either. However if he can get his reduced then I have hope for Ayton.

I'm looking from the perspective of the player being represented. As the National Basketball Players Association is a union they will serve this role. However, I would have preferred the punishment be levied after the appeal which I understand happens in the NFL.

I guess Ayton would be allowed to hire a private attorney as well.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
16,083
Reaction score
11,040
Location
Tempe, AZ
He is a finesse Center. Regardless of his size, that is his MO.

That is why it was easy for UofA to move him to Forward.

I don't know if that it was WHY they had two lead Centers
and moved him to Forward.

But that it was EASY to move him to Forward.

I'd like to see the Suns shore up the starting Center position
now and slide Ayton in at PF when he returns, which would
be the smoothest way of doing it.

He would have a lot of time to work on it in practice.

Absolutely not. If the plan was for Ayton to be a PF for us then we made the wrong pick in the draft last year. He was the #1 overall pick because he's a Center, finesse or not. Bagley is and was the better PF prospect. That is how we should have drafted if we wanted a PF or taken Luka.

Arizona ran a 2 Center set because Ristic was a Senior and had been there 4 years. Please stop with the idea that Ayton was moved to forward because he wasn't. He played Center in college like he has in the NBA. He played with another Center for part of the game but that's didn't make him a PF like it didn't make Dragic a SF when he played with Bledsoe and IT.
 

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
He played with another Center for part of the game but that's didn't make him a PF like it didn't make Dragic a SF when he played with Bledsoe and IT.
But don't you think that a Center who's covering for a missing Power Forward
or a Point Guard who's covering for a missing Shooting Guard diminish their
skills? Especially when going 1-on-1 against players at their natural position?

Case in point. Ayton doesn't draw fouls as a Center. That's part of his job
description. And he really doesn't dominate on the boards.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
16,083
Reaction score
11,040
Location
Tempe, AZ
But don't you think that a Center who's covering for a missing Power Forward
or a Point Guard who's covering for a missing Shooting Guard diminish their
skills? Especially when going 1-on-1 against players at their natural position?

Case in point. Ayton doesn't draw fouls as a Center. That's part of his job
description. And he really doesn't dominate on the boards.

Is he not drawing fouls or not drawing shooting fouls? There is a difference. A shooting foul would put him at the FT line regardless but regular fouls may not, depending on how many have happened already. Not getting FT's wasn't an issue in game 1. Unfortunately we don't know if it would have continued tonight for sure.
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
19,624
Reaction score
10,410
But don't you think that a Center who's covering for a missing Power Forward
or a Point Guard who's covering for a missing Shooting Guard diminish their
skills? Especially when going 1-on-1 against players at their natural position?

Case in point. Ayton doesn't draw fouls as a Center. That's part of his job
description. And he really doesn't dominate on the boards.

BC... I don't know why you keep ignoring the answers you get to this question but literally no one thinks Ayton should have been playing power forward at Arizona. He played the 4 because the Wildcats had a senior center who was far too slow to play anywhere else.

Also, Ayton not drawing fouls as a 5 has no bearing on his ability to draw fouls elsewhere.

Also, Ayton was 13th in the entire league last year as a rookie in rebounding, he led all rookies by a wide margin. He's a monster on the glass. I know you get caught up on your themes but any idea that Ayton has struggled on the glass is spitting in the face of reality.

I honestly find the idea of trying to make Ayton into a power forward revolting. Flat... out... revolting. He has every skill that anyone should look for in a center, he just needs get used to contact.
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
19,624
Reaction score
10,410
Absolutely not. If the plan was for Ayton to be a PF for us then we made the wrong pick in the draft last year. He was the #1 overall pick because he's a Center, finesse or not. Bagley is and was the better PF prospect.

Ehh... I disagree on this. JJJ was the PF prospect. IMO, Ayton, Doncic and Young were the clear top three. Bagley went #2 because the Kings are freaking idiots.
 

JCSunsfan

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 24, 2002
Posts
21,754
Reaction score
6,139
BC... I don't know why you keep ignoring the answers you get to this question but literally no one thinks Ayton should have been playing power forward at Arizona. He played the 4 because the Wildcats had a senior center who was far too slow to play anywhere else.

Also, Ayton not drawing fouls as a 5 has no bearing on his ability to draw fouls elsewhere.

Also, Ayton was 13th in the entire league last year as a rookie in rebounding, he led all rookies by a wide margin. He's a monster on the glass. I know you get caught up on your themes but any idea that Ayton has struggled on the glass is spitting in the face of reality.

I honestly find the idea of trying to make Ayton into a power forward revolting. Flat... out... revolting. He has every skill that anyone should look for in a center, he just needs get used to contact.
I agree with you kinda. I do not have a problem running Ayton as a pf situationally depending on matchups. But yes. He should be a center as his primary position—especially if his game one play holds up.
 

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
BC... I don't know why you keep ignoring the answers you get to this question but literally no one thinks Ayton should have been playing power forward at Arizona. He played the 4 because the Wildcats had a senior center who was far too slow to play anywhere else.

Also, Ayton not drawing fouls as a 5 has no bearing on his ability to draw fouls elsewhere.

Also, Ayton was 13th in the entire league last year as a rookie in rebounding, he led all rookies by a wide margin. He's a monster on the glass. I know you get caught up on your themes but any idea that Ayton has struggled on the glass is spitting in the face of reality.

I honestly find the idea of trying to make Ayton into a power forward revolting. Flat... out... revolting. He has every skill that anyone should look for in a center, he just needs get used to contact.
I understand your response. Please answer this question.

Just as Barkley was our predominant power player from the PF position,
isn't the concept of a role playing "Center" alongside Ayton (regardless
of what they're called) a good move?

Versus a finesse Center (Ayton) alongside a finesse Power Forward?

If our two guys covering Center now (Baynes and Kaminsky) play
alongside Ayton (versus one of our Small Forwards), I'll be pleased.

Which would keep us competitive concerning offense/defense and
matchups.
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
19,624
Reaction score
10,410
I understand your response. Please answer this question.

Just as Barkley was our predominant power player from the PF position,
isn't the concept of a role playing "Center" alongside Ayton (regardless
of what they're called) a good move?

Versus a finesse Center (Ayton) alongside a finesse Power Forward?

If our two guys covering Center now (Baynes and Kaminsky) play
alongside Ayton (versus one of our Small Forwards), I'll be pleased.

Which would keep us competitive concerning offense/defense and
matchups.
No, I don't think pairing a "center" with Ayton is a good move. It pulls him away from the hoop and it clogs the lane and makes us easier to defend against. It is a decidedly bad move on offense.

On defense, vs teams that are good at spreading the court, Ayton and Baynes would probably be one of our worst defensive pairings.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

Not So Skeptical
Joined
Aug 26, 2012
Posts
9,907
Reaction score
6,120
No, I don't think pairing a "center" with Ayton is a good move. It pulls him away from the hoop and it clogs the lane and makes us easier to defend against. It is a decidedly bad move on offense.

On defense, vs teams that are good at spreading the court, Ayton and Baynes would probably be one of our worst defensive pairings.
And Ayton has all the physical tools to be a very good defensive center. I would much rather keep developing him into that role than pulling him away from the rim which he is built extremely well to defend.
 

BC867

Long time Phoenician!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
17,827
Reaction score
1,709
Location
NE Phoenix
And Ayton has all the physical tools to be a very good defensive center. I would much rather keep developing him into that role than pulling him away from the rim which he is built extremely well to defend.
OK, guys. I'll hope for it. :thumbup::thumbup:
 
Top