Phoenix SunsCoach David Blatt
Ast. Coach: Jeff Van Gundy
Team/Drafting Philosophy: I wanted to select a team that cared. I wanted a team composed of guys that loved to play basketball. A group of guys that would bring positivity to community. I want guys that will commit to playing defense first, and 'getting buckets' second. I didn't want guys that are out to prove they're better than the next guy, I wanted guys that wanted to win, and wanted to put the time necessary to
earn pt on the floor.
Player Round (Pick) Height Weight (lbs) AGE Position G MIN FGM-A FG%
Brandon Roy 1(30) 6'6 229 24 2 74 37.7 531-1170 0.454
Caron Butler 2(1) 6'7 228 28 3 58 39.9 439-943 0.466
Kendrick Perkins 3(30) 6'10 280 23 5 78 24.5 214-348 0.615
Mike Conley Jr 4(1) 6'1 180 20 1 53 26.1 189-442 0.428
Nene Hilario 5(30) 6'11 268 25 4 64 26.8 294-516 0.57
Channing Frye 6(1) 6'11 245 25 4 78 17.2 221-452 0.489
Trevor Ariza 7(15) 6'8 210 23 3 35 15.7 69-136 0.507
Antonio Daniels 7(28) 6'4 205 33 1 71 30.4 205-447 0.459
Donte Greene 9(30) 6'11 226 20 3 35 35.8 0.418
Etan Thomas 10(1) 6'10 260 30 5 65 19.2 159-277 0.574
Morris Almond 10(15) 6'6 225 23 2 34 37.1 297-666 0.446
Cheick Samb 14(5) 7'1 215 23 4 4 8 3-4 0.75
Demetris Nichols14(19) 6'8 216 23 3 14 3.4 6-23 0.261
Andre Brown 14(22) 6'9 245 27 4 33 8.6 39-78 0.5
Taurean Green 15(10) 6'0 177 23 1 17 4.4 7-25 0.28
Mateen Cleaves UD 6'2 205 30 1 15 40.8 106-198 0.535
Player 3PM-A 3P% FTM-A FT% OFF(REB) DEF(REB) TOT(REB) STL BLK TO PF AST PTS
Brandon Roy 73-215 0.34 281-373 0.753 1.1 3.6 4.7 1.07 0.22 1.84 1.99 5.8 19.1
Caron Butler 66-185 0.357 236-262 0.901 1.6 5.1 6.7 2.21 0.34 2.59 2.76 4.9 20.3
Kendrick Perkins 0-1 0 114-183 0.623 1.9 4.2 6.1 0.4 1.46 1.6 3.1 1.1 6.9
Mike Conley Jr 30-91 0.33 90-123 0.732 0.4 2.2 2.6 0.83 0.04 1.68 1.6 4.2 9.4
Nene Hilario 0-1 0 195-283 0.689 2.3 4.7 7 1 0.9 2 3.3 1.2 12.2
Channing Frye 39516 0.333 85-109 0.78 1.4 3.2 4.5 0.37 0.35 0.71 2.67 0.7 6.8
Trevor Ariza 5-18 0.278 49-75 0.653 0.9 2.2 3.1 0.89 0.31 0.66 1.29 1.3 5.5
Antonio Daniels 17-74 0.23 170-219 0.776 0.3 2.5 2.9 0.97 0.03 1.28 1.1 4.8 8.4
Donte Greene 0.345 0.707 7.2 1.3 1.6 2.6 2.9 2 17.7
Etan Thomas 0-0 0 77-138 0.558 2.1 3.7 5.8 0.34 1.37 1.09 2.49 0.4 6.1
Morris Almond 57-161 0.354 219-263 0.833 1 2.6 3.6 0.9 0.5 3.26 2 1.6 25.6
Cheick Samb 0-0 0 1-2 0.5 0.8 1 1.8 0.25 0.5 0.25 2 0 1.8
Demetris Nichols 3-13 0.231 0-0 0 0 0.4 0.4 0 0.21 0.29 0.29 0.1 1.1
Andre Brown 0-0 0 22-49 0.449 1.1 1.7 2.8 0.21 0.12 0.42 1.15 0.2 3
Taurean Green 2-11 0.182 11-12 0.917 0 0.6 0.6 0.12 0 0.53 0.29 0.6 1.6
Mateen Cleaves 12-35 0.343 61-79 0.772 1.3 3.9 5.3 2.3 0 4.33 3 10.3 19
Anticipated Rotation 12 man rotation:
*names followed by expected total playing time. For Frye,Nichols, Ariza, Roy, and Daniels, thats at multiple positions
Kendrick Perkins (28 mins)/Etan Thomas(10 mins)/
Nene (25 mins)/Channing Frye(20mins)/
Caron Butler(35 mins)/Trevor Ariza(25 mins)/Demetris Nichols(10 mins)
Brandon Roy(35 mins)/Morris Almond(7 mins)
Mike Conley Jr(25 mins)/Antonio Daniels(20 mins)/Mateen Cleaves(~0mins)
Bench:
Donte Greene (D-League)
Cheik Samb (D-League)
Andre Brown (Inactive)
Overseas: Taurean Green
Picks:
1 (30): Brandon Roy-In my eyes Brandon Roy is a top 5 shooting guard in the NBA. He can do a little bit of everything, and on top of that, the kid can score like a maniac. He's a born leader, and he'll be the face of this franchise. He's like Tim Duncan, if Tim Duncan were a shooting guard.
2 (1): Caron Butler-He had some behavior troubles early in his career but since then this versatile forward had been nothing but money. He's one of the tougher guys in the league but noone has ever said he's anything but the perfect teammate. He's heavily involved in community service, and supposedly he's great in the lockerroom. On the court he's a tenacious defender that can score off the dribble, from a set shot, rebound well, and basically just do it all. He's a good complement to Brandon Roy, as he's a bit older and has done a bit more living, but he's still young enough (28) that I think I will get at least 4-5 good solid years out of him.
3 (30): Kendrick Perkins-He was the best center under 25 left on the board, and he had what I was looking for. He's a tough kid, he's defensive minded, and he hasn't got any quit in him. He plays well above average man defense in the post, and excellent team defense. His offensive game is progressing, but I don't expect more than 7-8 ppg out of him. He needs to step up with the rebounding but I think that as he learns more and more how to anchor a team and stay out of foul trouble his rebounding will improve.
4 (1): Mike Conley Jr-I had to have a pg here, more than I needed a starting power forward. Mike Conley hasn't done much in the NBA yet, but he's been on a well below average team that was going through a pretty massive transition period. People compared him to Tony Parker and Chris Paul before last season and most people haven't waivered from thinking he has as much potential as any of the top tier young pg's.
5 (30): Nene- This was a tough pick for me. I needed a starting 4, and I needed him to bring some offensive firepower. 2 seasons ago Nene returned from a knee injury to average almost 15 points and 10 boards, AFTER he signed a huge contract in the offseason. He wasn't playing to prove he deserved to get a big pay day, he was playing because he wanted to. THis past season he has fought through cancer to return to the squad again. Consider this from John Hollinger when thinking about Nene's talent
Nene is one of the quickest big men in basketball, which allows him to beat opposing big men in transition or on drives and get in position for dunks. He uses that quickness on the defensive end to annually have one of the best rates of steals among centers -- last year he was seventh -- and help his guards out in pick-and-roll situations.
Nene isn't as sharp in help situations from the weak side, and he's not much of a leaper so his blocked shot totals are ordinary. But he's really improved as a post defender, giving Tim Duncan fits during the first-round playoff series with his size and a newfound physicality.
6 (1): Channing Frye-The negative part about drafting last in the 1st rd of a snake draft is that i have the honor of picking the last probable starter with the 30th pick in the 5th round. The benefit is that I pick the 1st sixth man with the 1st pick in the sixth round. I selected Frye because I needed a big that was starter capable and able to play both the 4 and the 5. Frye is that. He's average defensively and a little above average offensively, and possesses a nice little mid range jumper. I like him for 25 mins a night.
7 (15): Trevor Ariza- I think eventually this kid will be the defensive wing of his generation. Much like Bruce Bowen and Shane Battier served as the highest standard for defense from the wing position, I think Trevor Ariza will do the same in 1 or two years. He's got some of the quickest feet in the NBA, and because of that he's a good slasher from the wing. He's a freak atheltically, and big too, so in small ball lineups I can see him getting 5-8 mins a night at least at the 4. He doesn't have the J yet to be a threat consistently from the corner, but I really like this kid on my squad. An absolute steal in the 7th round, he'd be an above average starter for a lot of teams in our fake league.
7 (28): Antonio Daniels- The first of my project picks I was absolutely thrilled to pick this guy up. He played very well for Washington last season in Gilbert's absence, and I think he can give MIke Conley the guidance and security he needs. Conley is going to screw up, a lot. Daniels is 33, and has already won a ring with teh spurs. He's got 3 years left, and with each year his role as a reserve should be more pronounced. He's a good game manager, and could very well be a better starting option than Conley at this point. High character guy and a good influence on the young'ins.
9 (30): Donte Greene my first project pick. I watched him at syracuse and at the beginning of the season I couldn't have been more impressed. Then, his playing level dropped dramatically. He's a good long range shooter, he's 6'10 and rail thin, and he fancies himself more of the 3 than a 4. In 2 or 3 years this kid could be rashard lewis, or he could have more in common with Gerald Green. I hoping this season that he can provide some shooting if needed but I want him to season for a year in the D-League.
10 (1): Etan Thomas-This guy is a warrior, and supposedly he's 100% now. Before his heart surgery he was a bottom tier starting NBA center. I need him to backup perkins and play physical defense, as well as get boards. He's a smart guy, with high character. I think he's a fantastic second string center.
10 (15): Morris Almond-Very good shooter that led the d-league in scoring last season. He's another character guy (like almost everyone on my team) and he's obviously ready for the big time. He'll get ~15 mins a night backing up Brandon Roy.
14 (5): Cheik Samb-My second project pick. This gut is 7ft +, rail thin, and an unknown to most NBA people. He's also coveted by Joe Dumars and supposedly is going to crack the Piston's rotation this season, along with Amir Johnson. I picked Samb based on two things: 1) Henry Abbot's scouting report of him, and 2) That Joe Dumars made him untouchable this offseason, along with Stuckey and Johnson. Joe Dumars knows what he's doing.
14 (19): Demetris Nichols- I needed a shooter to spread the floor from the bench, and that's what I got. Anyone who has seen him play for Cuse knows he can score, but he can't do much else. he's got the size to play the 2 or the 3, and he should be able to find okay minutes as long as his shot is falling.
14 (22): Andre Brown- A 6'10 journeyman that probably won't play. Everyone needs one. I don't have a problem with him getting 12-15 a night if someone like Frye or E Thomas goes down, but he's not a part of my rotation right now. He'll be dressed in Armani during the games.
15 (10): Taureen Green- He just signed a contract overseas, and I think that will be good for him. He's a point that doesn't make a lot of mistakes and has played in big games for Florida. Im grooming him to replace Antonio Daniels.
Mateen Cleaves (undrafted)- I like Mateen Cleaves, Im glad to give him a roster spot, but I hope he doesn't play more than 5 mins a night. Not because he can't, but because that means either someone is hurt or Mike Conley sucks.
Best Move: Trading with Lucky (Hawks) to pick up Trevor Ariza and Antonio Daniels.
Worst Move: Taking Caron Butler instead of a more accomplished power forward. Love Caron, he's exactly the type of player I want, but I would've picked someone that could have made my frontcourt more dangerous.
Expectations: The world, Chico, and everything in it.
Seriously I expect to be in the playoffs and compete for the division. Im not sure my team is more talented than the Clippers but I think Im more balanced. I see my team as a 4-6 range squad.