Brandon Jennings Could Fall To The Phoenix Suns?
The Phoenix Suns have invited several possible draft prospects to come in for workouts today including Earl Clark of Louisville, Austin Daye of Gonzaga, and Brandon Jennings of Italy. Clark and Daye are very athletic forward / small forward type players that can create major defensive problems for teams. Brandon Jennings plays the point guard position.
Brandon Jennings was made famous for his decision to skip college basketball and play professionally in Italy for one year. If this works out for him we could see a new trend with some younger players skipping college and going to Europe for a few million dollars before entering the NBA draft. The initial mock drafts had Jennings being drafted in the top ten. Lately he has slipped further down the draft board and could possibly be available with the 14th pick for the Phoenix Suns. The reason many are speculating that he has begun to fall in the mock drafts is because of his choice to not play college basketball. Playing a year of college basketball would have given him the showcase to show all of his skills and help him secure himself as a lower draft pick. When he played in Italy he struggled in limited playing time and never was able to show what he could do. This decision could inevitably impact which number he is drafted at next week.
Through discussions with the point guard it is obvious that he wants to be a great point guard in this league. He prides himself on his on ball defense as well as his speed and amazing passing ability. He is a bit flashy now and gambles on defense to acquire steals but his potential could be limitless. He was also recently in the spot light for calling out the Spainsensation Ricky Rubio. Jenningsstated that Rubio was all hype and he could not wait to face him in the NBA to prove his point. Rubio is projected by many as the top point guard in the draft. Is Jennings all talk or is he ready to really make a splash into the NBA and prove all the teams that passed him up how bad of a decision they made. Many NBA executives have admitted that he has learned a lot in short amount of time and is a very coach able player which can be hard to come across now with all the ego’s some of the young players can carry with them.
If the Suns do decide to draft Jenningsit could essentially create a log-jam at the point guard position. Last year the Suns drafted Goran Dragic. He initially struggled under new coach Terry Porter and was never really given the time to make mistakes and develop. Once Porter was out and current head coach AlvinGentry was approved we started to see some of the potential for Dragic that the Suns organization had seen prior to drafting him. But the Suns are not yet sold he is the point guard of the future for the team. There is not enough playing time to keep Steve Nash happy and develop both of the Suns guards if they decided on Jennings for the 14th pick.
Steve Nash, the returning starting point guard is essentially holding the organization hostage with his demands. The Suns have publicly stated they want to extend Nash’s contract and keep him around so that he can retire as a Sun. Nash will not sign a contract extension until he gets a glimpse of what the roster will look like when the season starts.
He only wants to play for the Suns if they are a championship contending team. (not sure what planet Nash is on) If the Suns were to bring back the team from next season with a few tweaks here and there they will still not be a championship contending team. I think that is obvious to everyone except Steve Nash. That core will never get them a championship so it is time to rebuild. Steve Nash wants no part of a rebuild.
The fans have asked for it and deep down the owner and GM know its time but Steve Nash is only further delaying the inevitable. Plain and simple, rebuild this team to compete with the teams of the future like Portland and Oklahoma City. Start to build the team with young talent that can focus on defense and are willing to do anything it takes to prove they can win at the NBA level. Steve Nash can still be a championship caliber point guard but only with the right cast of players around him and the Phoenix Suns do not have that. The Suns should focus on drafting the best talent available with their pick and not look to fill a specific need. In all actuality the Suns have holes everywhere in their roster with over the hill veterans that have limited time left.
If Brandon Jennings is still on the board at 14 it would be a very wise decision for the Suns to draft him and not screw up another year of bad draft day decisions.
Check the Suns web blog for
Up to date news and honest opinions all news related to the Phoenix Suns
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
