NBA Draft Combine 2019

Russ Smith

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Melton played the 3 in HS but it was HS he was also the 2 and the 1. He played both 1 and 2 at USC.

I still like him he may never be an NBA starting caliber guard but he will stick around for his defense at least a few years and his shot was improving rapidly at USC. the one thing Andy Enfield can do is help people shoot better.
 

1Sun

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Neither of them has ever played shooting guard

Actually, Okobo and Melton were PRIMARILY shooting guards before they came to the Suns. In fact, Okobo had only even been tried at the point for a single year. The rest of his career, he had been EXCLUSIVELY a shooting guard.
 

1Sun

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I just don't see it with White. He's not a good enough floor general to ever be a lead point guard.

Garland has too small a sample size and he hasn't shown the ability to be a floor general either.

I think the Suns need to first explore trading #6 and some combo of players for a good veteran PG, and if that doesn't work, take a good role player or upside guy.

That would be Hunter, Hachimura, Bol or Dombouya.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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What about White?
I kinda like white, but just don’t think he’s a PG. and I think he’s not that dynamic an athlete. I just don’t think he’ll put pressure on a defense, and if the guy we pair booker with is a combo guard, at a minimum the dude has to put pressure on the defense imo.
 

itlnsunsfan

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I kinda like white, but just don’t think he’s a PG. and I think he’s not that dynamic an athlete. I just don’t think he’ll put pressure on a defense, and if the guy we pair booker with is a combo guard, at a minimum the dude has to put pressure on the defense imo.

Why do you think he won't put pressure on the defense? He's good in transition, can score at all 3 levels, has excellent range and shot mechanics, playmaking ability, ball handling, good size, speed, and quickness. The only thing he really lacks is explosive leaping ability. Is explosive leaping ability that important to putting pressure on the defense?
 

JCSunsfan

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Most draft sites considered Melton a two-way combo guard.

https://www.thestepien.com/deanthony-melton/
https://www.nbadraft.net/players/deanthony-melton
https://stats.nba.com/articles/2018-nba-draft-profile-deanthony-melton/

Decent feel for passing (1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio) but not a pure point guard. Spent most of his time playing off of Jordan McLaughlin. May need to be paired with a more offensive-minded backcourt partner to maximize his strengths.
https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/18/d...outing-report-highlights-strengths-mock-draft

And it has already been established that Okobo made the switch from sg to pg.
 

JCSunsfan

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So. Can Brandon Clarke succeed in the NBA beyond that of a good role player. There is a precedent for players with T-Rex arms doing OK.

Blake Griffin. 6-10 with a 6-11 wingspan. He is highly athletic, but he is also tall too. Clarke is 6-8. That is undersized by almost every measure for pf.
Kevin Willis. 7-0 with a 3 foot wingspan (kidding, but it was really short). Again, he was a seven footer.
Jimmy Butler. 6-6 with a 6-8 wingspan. This is probably the closest comparison. Can Clarke become a Jimmy Butler type of player? He has a lot of offensive development to do in order to become effective on that level.

Clarke is a risk, IMO. He has to play SF, and his offense is very limited to do that.
 

GatorAZ

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So. Can Brandon Clarke succeed in the NBA beyond that of a good role player. There is a precedent for players with T-Rex arms doing OK.

Blake Griffin. 6-10 with a 6-11 wingspan. He is highly athletic, but he is also tall too. Clarke is 6-8. That is undersized by almost every measure for pf.
Kevin Willis. 7-0 with a 3 foot wingspan (kidding, but it was really short). Again, he was a seven footer.
Jimmy Butler. 6-6 with a 6-8 wingspan. This is probably the closest comparison. Can Clarke become a Jimmy Butler type of player? He has a lot of offensive development to do in order to become effective on that level.

Clarke is a risk, IMO. He has to play SF, and his offense is very limited to do that.

Jimmy Butler is one if the most complete players in the league. He can do everything.

Clarke can be like Kenneth Faried with defensive versatility but he will never be a star or reliable offensive weapon.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Why do you think he won't put pressure on the defense? He's good in transition, can score at all 3 levels, has excellent range and shot mechanics, playmaking ability, ball handling, good size, speed, and quickness. The only thing he really lacks is explosive leaping ability. Is explosive leaping ability that important to putting pressure on the defense?
Reading this I don’t think you’ve actually watched him. He has average quickness and speed and ballhandling. It may have appeared otherwise given the fact he had the Greenlight to push the ball (sometimes outta control). And his 3 point shot is awful mechanics. It’s a push shot.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Jimmy Butler is one if the most complete players in the league. He can do everything.

Clarke can be like Kenneth Faried with defensive versatility but he will never be a star or reliable offensive weapon.
Butler didn’t enter the league as such. Very raw offensively. Took time to develop
 

hcsilla

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Reading this I don’t think you’ve actually watched him. He has average quickness and speed and ballhandling. It may have appeared otherwise given the fact he had the Greenlight to push the ball (sometimes outta control). And his 3 point shot is awful mechanics. It’s a push shot.

I agree as someone who is extremely unimpressed by White. If he is a lottery pick that truly shows the average strength of this top-heavy draft class.
 

itlnsunsfan

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Reading this I don’t think you’ve actually watched him. He has average quickness and speed and ballhandling. It may have appeared otherwise given the fact he had the Greenlight to push the ball (sometimes outta control). And his 3 point shot is awful mechanics. It’s a push shot.

https://www.nbadraft.net/players/coby-white

NBA Comparison: Gilbert Arenas
Strengths: Lighting quick 6’5’’, 185-pound combo guard … Aggressive scoring mentality but also unselfish passer of the ball… Shifty player with an excellent first step that allows him to blow by defenders … Versatile scorer. Can score anywhere on the floor, either getting his own shot off the dribble or catch and shoot situations ... Has a quick and accurate release … Adjusts his body midair on challenging layups … Great job at creating space for his shot … Can score from all three levels … Gets defenders off balance because of his quick stop/start ability … can get his shot off against top perimeter defenders ... Has offensive versatility because of his ability to play on or off the ball … A lot of upside left to develop, having just finished his freshman year … Solid three-point shooter (35.3% in his freshman season at North Carolina) and his range that extends out to the NBA 3-pt line … solid mid-range game with a nice pull-up jumper and floater ... Is a scoring threat from anywhere in the half court … Has the ability to score in bunches and go off on any given night … Scored 33 or more points in three games with the Tar Heels ... Impressive lateral quickness … Good ball handler and facilitator, averaging 4.1 assists per game … Creates offense for himself and scores at the rim with his right or left hand … Drives aggressively to the hoop, drawing contact ...Can finish at or above the rim with either hand and regularly finishes difficult layups ... Great at penetrating and drawing fouls to get to the foul line … Shot 3.7 free throws per game … Confident shooter ... Brings a competitive energy on the defensive end … Does a great job at finding his teammates in transition …Stays in front of opponents well and plays with active hands… Averaged 16.1 points and 1.1 steals per game at North Carolina … Excellent free throw shooter (80%) ... Moves well without the basketball ...

Weaknesses: His quickness can be both a blessing and a curse … More effective as a scorer than a playmaker ... Needs to improve as a decision maker and passer … Good athlete but does not have a physical frame that stands out … Can improve overall as a playmaker ... Can get out of control… Must cut down on turnovers with 2.7 per game in his freshman season … Good athlete but not an incredibly explosive leaper ... His low release point makes it challenging to get his shot off over tall defenders … Not a great rebounder … Sometimes passes up open teammates for a forced shot of his own ... Can improve field goal percentage from 42 percent for his freshman year at UNC … Tends to throw inaccurate passes when he is moving at a faster rate than the play is developing at … Overall strength can improve … Finishing athletically at the rim will be tougher at the next level …
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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https://www.nbadraft.net/players/coby-white

NBA Comparison: Gilbert Arenas
Strengths: Lighting quick 6’5’’, 185-pound combo guard … Aggressive scoring mentality but also unselfish passer of the ball… Shifty player with an excellent first step that allows him to blow by defenders … Versatile scorer. Can score anywhere on the floor, either getting his own shot off the dribble or catch and shoot situations ... Has a quick and accurate release … Adjusts his body midair on challenging layups … Great job at creating space for his shot … Can score from all three levels … Gets defenders off balance because of his quick stop/start ability … can get his shot off against top perimeter defenders ... Has offensive versatility because of his ability to play on or off the ball … A lot of upside left to develop, having just finished his freshman year … Solid three-point shooter (35.3% in his freshman season at North Carolina) and his range that extends out to the NBA 3-pt line … solid mid-range game with a nice pull-up jumper and floater ... Is a scoring threat from anywhere in the half court … Has the ability to score in bunches and go off on any given night … Scored 33 or more points in three games with the Tar Heels ... Impressive lateral quickness … Good ball handler and facilitator, averaging 4.1 assists per game … Creates offense for himself and scores at the rim with his right or left hand … Drives aggressively to the hoop, drawing contact ...Can finish at or above the rim with either hand and regularly finishes difficult layups ... Great at penetrating and drawing fouls to get to the foul line … Shot 3.7 free throws per game … Confident shooter ... Brings a competitive energy on the defensive end … Does a great job at finding his teammates in transition …Stays in front of opponents well and plays with active hands… Averaged 16.1 points and 1.1 steals per game at North Carolina … Excellent free throw shooter (80%) ... Moves well without the basketball ...

Weaknesses: His quickness can be both a blessing and a curse … More effective as a scorer than a playmaker ... Needs to improve as a decision maker and passer … Good athlete but does not have a physical frame that stands out … Can improve overall as a playmaker ... Can get out of control… Must cut down on turnovers with 2.7 per game in his freshman season … Good athlete but not an incredibly explosive leaper ... His low release point makes it challenging to get his shot off over tall defenders … Not a great rebounder … Sometimes passes up open teammates for a forced shot of his own ... Can improve field goal percentage from 42 percent for his freshman year at UNC … Tends to throw inaccurate passes when he is moving at a faster rate than the play is developing at … Overall strength can improve … Finishing athletically at the rim will be tougher at the next level …
I’m glad you can conduct research. That write-up doesn’t come close to describing the kid I watched play multiple times last year. If that write-up was accurate he would be the second player taken behind Zion.
 

SunsTzu

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I’m glad you can conduct research. That write-up doesn’t come close to describing the kid I watched play multiple times last year. If that write-up was accurate he would be the second player taken behind Zion.

Yeah, another comparison I've seen is Jamal Murray and I'm just not seeing it.
 

itlnsunsfan

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I’m glad you can conduct research. That write-up doesn’t come close to describing the kid I watched play multiple times last year. If that write-up was accurate he would be the second player taken behind Zion.

Every draft profile I've seen says the same thing about him. So all of these draft profiles are inaccurate?
 

Yuma

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Every draft profile I've seen says the same thing about him. So all of these draft profiles are inaccurate?
I think they copy. They read from some initial guy that says "This guy is like X Man." Then I see almost the same wording and spelling in every draft profile after that. Sometimes I am like the others in previous posts, I watch highlights, and I don't see what the "experts" are saying.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Every draft profile I've seen says the same thing about him. So all of these draft profiles are inaccurate?
Dude I am telling you what I SAW. You are titled to believe what you READ. I have no problem with that.
 
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