FanPost

The 2017 Draft Obsession

Sir...please put the Kool-Aid down.

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Rebuilding is never fun. As fans we all want to see our team competing for a championship, or at a bare minimum being capable of going deep into the playoffs. The Suns are currently experiencing a six year drought, which will inevitably turn into year seven after this season. Until this year it didn't even appear there was a plan. We've watched them experiment with hodge podge groups of players. We endured the Morrii. We got our hopes up more than once that we would land a superstar free agent, only to see none of them choose the Valley of the Sun. We cringe knowing that Isaiah Thomas who is averaging 28 PPG and 6 APG was traded for a ham sandwich... It appears though, that management has finally bitten the bullet and embraced the rebuild.

There finally seems to be a plan, and the future looks bright. What I can't for the life of me understand is why half way through the plan, people are ready to blow it up AGAIN, and start over from scratch to a degree. The 2017 NBA draft is projected to be great, but it's also a PROJECTION. None of these players have competed at the highest level. History has told us that some of them will be busts, and yet there are those who not only want to trade Bledsoe (27 years old, averages 20 PPG, 5 APG, 5 RPG, is a great defender, and WANTS to be in Phoenix), but who also would trade Booker for a top 3 pick in this draft. Are you kidding me??? Booker is barely 20 years old, and averages 19.8 PPG. He had 39 last night (Watch HERE) on 14-20 shooting (6-7 from 3pt). Stop the madness folks. Management has already found a nucleus of players with potential to take the team back to prominence.

2014 - T.J. Warren

In 2014 they turned the 14th pick into Warren, who I believe has proven to have the ability to be a very solid wing player with a penchant for crafty scoring. He's also worked hard to improve his defense. A few weeks ago McDonough said this about Warren:

"He’s been probably our most consistent two-way player and our best scorer in terms of efficiency, and just being able to get a bucket to stop an opposing run or to start a run of our own in the halfcourt."

Will T.J. ever be a superstar? Probably not, but I think he's proven to be a very good player who fits in with the rebuild.

2015 - Devin Booker

In 2015 the Suns found a real diamond in the rough with the 13th pick. Nearly all the prognosticators view him as a future all-star. Even the splash brothers are blown away by his potential: WATCH HERE. Has he been a little inconsistent in his sophomore campaign? Sure. Ummm...he's 20 years old. Stop talking yourself out of how good he can be. In Steph Curry's second year he averaged 18.6 PPG. In his third year he averaged 14.7 PPG. Klay Thompson was 16.6 and 18.4 in his second and third years respectively. Almost halfway through Booker's second season he's averaging 19.8 PPG. Slow your roll on the whole, "maybe Booker isn't as good as we thought" nonsense.

2016 - Bender, Chriss, & Ulis

I believe that once again management knocked it out of the park in this draft. All three of these guys have HUGE potential. Chriss is already starting, and in my opinion has shown definite flashes of all-star potential. While he's still figuring out the game, his raw offensive and defensive ability is off the charts. (Watch Chriss Highlights HERE). Bender has also looked like a guy with the kind of versatility on offense and defense to give opposing teams fits, and to be an X-factor for the Suns. (Watch Bender Highlights HERE). If Tyler Ulis was 3" taller he would have been a top 5 pick. We keep talking about the lack of creativity on offense, and how Bledsoe and Knight are not "true" PG's. Tyler Ulis is. In his limited opportunities he's shown that despite his stature he can be the floor general this team needs. (Watch Ulis Highlights HERE).

Stay The Course

I would contend that in Booker and Chriss we already have two future all-stars, and Bender, Warren, and Ulis can be VERY GOOD role players. Eric Bledsoe is a fringe all-star who while I agree isn't the play-maker this team needs is still a great scorer and defender, and again WANTS TO BE HERE. No, all the pieces aren't there. My hope is that the Suns trade Knight and Tucker for pieces or picks that are part of the future. I would love to see them swap Knight and Okafor who I think would add the low post scoring we are lacking.

Either way, they need to play the young guys. Playing them accomplishes two things, it accelerates the process of their growth, and probably ensures a top 5 draft pick in 2017. Like everyone else on the planet, I agree that there is potential to get another great piece of the puzzle in the upcoming draft, but what I radically DIS-agree with is getting so enamored with the 2017 draft that we get rid of pieces that are already in place, for guys who may never be as good as players already on our roster. That's my 10 cents, my 2 cents is free. What do you think?