Which position do you pair with Devin Booker

[BirdGangThing]

probably doesn't matter who the coach will be - this is all post kd (could be for kd) and with beal not in mind as a starter - ish has sworn up and down book is staying so this convo will be based on which position would most help booker excel

obviously cp3 made it work when we made our run but (the good) ayton was no slouch either - if we had a big that didn't disappear or a pg that didn't fall apart well you know the rest

would you rather have a genius level point guard - a real dominating big - or perhaps a powerful power forward with a 3 ball

trying to stay away from specific names - it's more gauging positional value and fit - it's why i left shooting guard/small forward completely off

 

[Goldfield]

I take a dominant big anytime

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

We saw the genius level pg unlock Booker. It improves two positions at once: the pg and the sg. Likely improves everyone else as well.

 

[95pro]

All have their guard surrounded by good forwards and decent centers. These allow guards and wings to be more aggressive on both ends of the floor.

 

[Mainstreet]

Add the best athletic talent, paired with length and defense.

 

[BirdGangThing]

although we are going back to the drawing board with nothing but a promised booker im thinking/hoping ryan dunn will also be a sun/starter for a long time - dunn's a small forward but can d up pretty much any position besides the bigs - its why im going with a big here but point guard is right up there too

 

[Phrazbit]

In today's NBA ball handling, fast play and passing are at a massive premium, far more important than simple shot making.

IMO, it's pg by a mile.

I think it's generally the most important position on any team, unless you're lucky enough to have some freak like LeBron or Jokic who can play their own natural position and run the entire offense at a high level.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

In today's NBA ball handling, fast play and passing are at a massive premium, far more important than simple shot making.

IMO, it's pg by a mile.

I think it's generally the most important position on any team, unless you're lucky enough to have some freak like LeBron or Jokic who can play their own natural position and run the entire offense at a high level.

This and to be more specific an elite playmaker in general would be preferred. If we can find that in a wing or big then that works, but a PG would be the most likely to give us that aspect of the game.

 

[Superbone]

My answer is...NOT Kevin Durant.

 

[Carolinacacti]

My answer is to pair Booker to another team

 

[Mainstreet]

Add the best athletic talent, paired with length and defense.

The reason I answered the way I did, the Suns need to add the best talent available if they are keeping Booker.

It would be nice to be selective of position, but I think it's more important to add the BPA.

 

[95pro]

PGs are good for regular season wins. Idr the focal player winning a championship ever being a pg, maybe Rondo and Magic.
We’ve come short so many times despite having some hof pgs.

Now there have been quite a few SGs that have gone onto win, and that’s our conundrum. We already have Book there and so far we haven’t had a chip or even close after the finals year.

 

[Cheesebeef]

PGs are good for regular season wins. Idr the focal player winning a championship ever being a pg, maybe Rondo and Magic.
We’ve come short so many times despite having some hof pgs.

Now there have been quite a few SGs that have gone onto win, and that’s our conundrum. We already have Book there and so far we haven’t had a chip or even close after the finals year.

Not sure there’s a conundrum here and that’s because Booker is very good but he’s not an elite ALL-TIME SG who can totally control games with the kind of regularity those guys could. Those guys could carry a team to the playoffs on their back and overpower a team to a Finals W. For 8 of his 12 seasons, Booker hasn’t even been a dominant enough SG to even get us IN the playoffs. And he’s really only had success in 1 of those 4 playoff appearances with the other three ending in humiliating fashion.

He ain’t a Jordan, Kobe, Shai, Wade etc. and that’s why there’s not really a conundrum why it hasn’t worked, IMO. It’s more a conundrum why this organization thought it ever would or ever will.

 

[95pro]

Not sure there’s a conundrum here and that’s because Booker is very good but he’s not an elite ALL-TIME SG who can totally control games with the kind of regularity those guys could. Those guys could carry a team to the playoffs on their back and overpower a team to a Finals W. For 8 of his 12 seasons, Booker hasn’t even been a dominant enough SG to even get us IN the playoffs. And he’s really only had success in 1 of those 4 playoff appearances with the other three ending in humiliating fashion.

He ain’t a Jordan, Kobe, Shai, Wade etc. and that’s why there’s not really a conundrum why it hasn’t worked, IMO. It’s more a conundrum why this organization thought it ever would or ever will.

That’s what I’m saying. He’s not great enough if we make our sg the star player. That’s the issue.

I said book hasn’t led us to the promise land.

 

[BirdGangThing]

im still thinking a big man - a good center who can pick and roll with a point guard (that isn't point book) - id like a 3 and D power forward too but i think they're easier to find these days

 

[Cheesebeef]

That’s what I’m saying. He’s not great enough if we make our sg the star player. That’s the issue.

I said book hasn’t led us to the promise land.

Gotcha.

 

[elindholm]

That’s what I’m saying. He’s not great enough if we make our sg the star player. That’s the issue.

I said book hasn’t led us to the promise land.

True, but that's water under the bridge. There is no longer any scenario in which the Suns are contenders before Booker retires, regardless of where he's playing. Focusing on Booker's deficiencies in the context of future championship aspirations is a meaningless exercise. You might as well base current decisions on Nash's poor defense or Kevin Johnson's balkly hamstrings.

 

[Covert Rain]

If this is strictly about unlocking Book? I say PG. If this is about the team having a shot at the title? Unless you have athletic wings and legit big man, unlocking Book isn't going to enough. They could be the best back court duo and it won't matter if they are giving up a ton of second chance points and can't rebound or defend the paint.

 

[Covert Rain]

You might as well base current decisions on Nash's poor defense or Kevin Johnson's balkly hamstrings.

Since you brought up KJ. I don't recall if it was an interview he did on the radio or print. However, they said most of KJ's issues with his hamstrings were later found out to be caused my an undiagnosed hernia he played with for years and didn't know it. Wow. I wonder what his numbers would have been like minus all the hamstring issues.

 

[Phrazbit]

If this is strictly about unlocking Book? I say PG. If this is about the team having a shot at the title? Unless you have athletic wings and legit big man, unlocking Book isn't going to enough. They could be the best back court duo and it won't matter if they are giving up a ton of second chance points and can't rebound or defend the paint.

We're not winning a title any time soon, destroying our culture and trading the every ounce of flexibility for a 35 year old cancer clinched that.

If we're locking in on keeping Booker, which it appears they are, then they should try to build the best team they can around him.

Even if they trade Booker, there is no path to legit contention in the next 7 or 8 minus stumbling into absolute gold with a middling pick.

That said, Booker is an elite SG, maybe the best in the league still... but he hasn't gotten to play SG primarily the last couple years. They should focus on getting a PG.

 

[BirdGangThing]

only one other voter picked a big - im forever in the minority here

 

[AzStevenCal]

only one other voter picked a big - im forever in the minority here

What's our goal? If our goal is to win it all, it won't matter who we pick because that isn't happening in the next decade. If it's to return Devin to star status, a complete point guard or the greatest interior defender ever would be nice.

Anyway, our problem is that we don't have a single greatest need, we have several of them. But the biggest need is quality, so if we have a clear cut best player in our sights, we need to pull the trigger regardless of the position he plays.

 

[BirdGangThing]

What's our goal? If our goal is to win it all, it won't matter who we pick because that isn't happening in the next decade. If it's to return Devin to star status, a complete point guard or the greatest interior defender ever would be nice.

Anyway, our problem is that we don't have a single greatest need, we have several of them. But the biggest need is quality, so if we have a clear cut best player in our sights, we need to pull the trigger regardless of the position he plays.

i think true bigs are the hardest piece to find - college ball is forever producing pgs - i think we'll see a ton of 3 and D players coming into the league for awhile - but a defensive rebounding big who can run the floor is what im looking for - no injuries - must weigh more than a run way model (sorry oso) - and smart as all hell - good free throws would be nice too

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i think true bigs are the hardest piece to find - college ball is forever producing pgs - i think we'll see a ton of 3 and D players coming into the league for awhile - but a defensive rebounding big who can run the floor is what im looking for - no injuries - must weigh more than a run way model (sorry oso) - and smart as all hell - good free throws would be nice too

I’m amazed how quickly we forgot how long we wandered in the desert and suffered without a pg until we got Rubio.

 

[Mainstreet]

I’m amazed how quickly we forgot how long we wandered in the desert and suffered without a pg until we got Rubio.

Yes, they are the quarterback of the team.