Suns draft

[The Derski]

#4 Dragon Bender
#8 Marquese Chriss
#32 Tyler Ulis

Thoughts?

 

[The Derski]

At this point, since it appears the two lottery picks we got need significant development, maybe we should truly tank our ass off and go for Josh Jackson?

 

[The Derski]

.....?

 

[GMATCa]

... from the current vantage point, I would consider this draft excellent. The Suns did what they needed to do, which was to give themselves a chance to redeem the disastrous '15-'16 season by potentially having it pay off in a needed influx of young talent. Phoenix badly needed an infusion of athleticism and talent at forward, especially power forward, and the franchise addressed that concern by acquiring both Bender and Chriss. What I particularly like about drafting them both (in effect) is that the Suns improved their odds: by selecting two long, tall, athletic forwards with range both offensively and defensively, there is a decent chance that at least one of them will "hit" and become a quality, useful, rotational player (meaning someone who will become a mainstay in the playing rotation, preferably as a starter). So even if one of them "misses" and becomes the next Earl Clark, the odds that both of them will flop seem slim. I would draw an analogy to baseball, where if you create a pool of top prospects coming up from the minor league, odds are that at least some of them will "hit" and you can afford to suffer some "misses." And if both Bender and Chriss "hit," then the Suns will have struck a bonanza, giving themselves a range of options.

Oh, and the Markieff Morris trade did end up paying dividends, as acquiring Washington's first-round pick (thirteenth) enabled the Suns to move up and obtain Chriss. Phoenix should have traded Morris last summer, but I was pleasantly surprised that the Suns were ultimately able to attain a lottery pick in exchange for him.

From the highlights that I viewed, I like Ulis, too. He seems as if he is a true point guard, like Tyler Ennis (whom Phoenix drafted two years ago with a much higher pick), but unlike Ennis, Ulis seems to possess some speed and quickness, which you need in the NBA if you are an undersized point guard. I am not sure what role he will play for Phoenix next season, but at least he provides options, depth, and a natural quarterback—a role that Bledsoe and especially Knight and Goodwin fail to easily fit.

These draftees will not necessarily make the Suns that much better next season, but certainly there is now greater upside to the roster. In an ideal scenario, Bender will become the next Tom Chambers and Chriss will become a taller version of Shawn Marion. Those chances may be unlikely, but the Suns will at least combine length and athleticism in a way that they did not a year ago.

 

[johnson]

#4 Dragon Bender
#8 Marquese Chriss
#32 Tyler Ulis

Thoughts?

Marquese Chriss is going to be a total bust. He has an attitude problem and he's over-rated. He's young, but lacking experience even with age considered. Terrible.

Dragon Bender...I have no idea. Just because it's the Suns, I'm guessing this guy will amount to another interchangeable part at best.

Ulis...well, I guess it's good for Kentucky alumni parties. Another guard added to a crowded back court.

It's another deep free agent market this year. Suns need to make a splash there...or they can just massively whiff like last year.

 

[The Derski]

Marquese Chriss is going to be a total bust. He has an attitude problem and he's over-rated. He's young, but lacking experience even with age considered. Terrible.

Dragon Bender...I have no idea. Just because it's the Suns, I'm guessing this guy will amount to another interchangeable part at best.

Ulis...well, I guess it's good for Kentucky alumni parties. Another guard added to a crowded back court.

It's another deep free agent market this year. Suns need to make a splash there...or they can just massively whiff like last year.

Honestly I was more confident in the Chriss pick than the Bender pick. Just watching Chriss' highlights and he has that wow factor that comes out of nowhere. Crazy athletic. If he can contain his supposed off court issues or whatever it is he has real potential. I have no idea what Bender is going to do for us, I almost know nothing about him. I think Ulis was picked partially because he is friends with Booker. I bet he spends significant time in the d league.

 

[johnson]

Honestly I was more confident in the Chriss pick than the Bender pick. Just watching Chriss' highlights and he has that wow factor that comes out of nowhere. Crazy athletic. If he can contain his supposed off court issues or whatever it is he has real potential. I have no idea what Bender is going to do for us, I almost know nothing about him. I think Ulis was picked partially because he is friends with Booker. I bet he spends significant time in the d league.

I agree on the athleticism of Chriss, but I think once he gets in the NBA, he's going to be good for the occasional highlight reel block, but being an immediate impact player or even one that becomes a fixture on a winning team...no way. I do hope you're right though.

I'm okay with another botched Suns draft. If it results in them finally getting rid of GM McDunno then so be it. He should have been canned the moment he traded Dragic and Thomas and officially derailed the team.

 

[BPNAZ]

aside from Devin Booker, just about ever single draft pick that was kept on the team since Amare Stoudemire has been horrific

 

[FORKWDEVIL]

Just keep the Kentucky Derby going.....