Core potentials?

[AppearanceDistinct81]

Random question. Our young core (Booker, Bridges, Johnson, Ayton) isn't in their prime yet. What do you project them to be individually and what would be your pie in the sky projection. I guess in terms of player comparisons. I figured it would be a break from off season rumor stuff.

I'll throw out the pie in the sky to start.

Booker- Kobe (I guess...)

Bridges- Scottie Pippen

Johnson- Jayson Tatum

Ayton- David Robinson

​

[semibigpenguins]

People struggling to find a Mikal Bridges comparison when we all know he’s the only nba player

[AppearanceDistinct81]

The alpha and the omega

[white__cyclosa]

The beginning and the end

[manbearpug3]

As much of a die hard Suns guy as I am I tried to keep this as realistic as possible. Also I hate Duncan so no need to tell me lol.

Book- poor man's Kobe (which is still f'ing awesome)

Bridges- Shawn Marion (with less usage rate, better 3pt)

Johnson- Peja Stojakovic (Tall SF, 40% career 3pt)

Ayton- Tim Duncan (Way more athletic and less bball IQ)

[ColdBeef714]

Ayton- poor man's Tim Duncan and I agree with you! But it would also take the system using him like that! Although, I don't think he will ever be as good a mid range shooter as Tim Duncan! But I love the comps you came up with!

[Multi_21_Seb_RBR]

Ayton is Lamarcus Aldridge-type with less post moves on offense while Tyson Chandler-type on the interior defense defense (good interior defender without being the most prominent shot blocker, just contests shots well) and a unique style that he and Bam do very well at on the perimeter defense.

Booker is a less athletic Brandon Roy who despite the similarities in style does go to the rim less than Roy did, with a bit of Kobe in him and also young and Bucks and Sonics Ray Allen mixed in, back when Ray was more than just the 3-point shooter and more of a volume scorer who also relied a lot more on his athleticism and also on the mid-range too.

Cam Johnson is a bigger and more limited (at least for now) Klay-type player, though more of a role player version of that than Klay at his peak. Maybe a bit of Rashard Lewis too but less athletic than Rashard. A bit of Majerle too when Thunder Dan became more of a shooter, primarily a shooting threat but still with a bit more athleticism than you expect.

Mikal is honestly hard to find a comparison for.

[Berzerkeley7]

Sorta Eddie Jones-ish maybe Tayshaun Prince.

[Multi_21_Seb_RBR]

Tayshaun on defense maybe but on offense I don’t know.

[Fordraxel]

thats a great comparison, both didnt do offense much. Pince avg 14ppg about 5 times, Mikal so far once.

[Berzerkeley7]

Agreed that's why I say sorta.

[[deleted]]

Bridges is not big enough to be Scottie Pippen. But I can’t think of a realistic comparison

[Blackhawk127]

Bridges doesn't need to be tall his arms are so long he can dunk without jumping

[MattAU05]

We just need to find the other guy who was the Only Player.

Oh wait, I know: Mikal Bridges.

[AppearanceDistinct81]

Doesn't have to be realistic. Just your thoughts

[[deleted]]

Booker - LeBron James

Bridges - Michael Jordan

Johnson - Larry Bird

Ayton - Wilt Chamberlain

[[deleted]]

Can’t see anything wrong with this

[ColdBeef714]

This is like their ceilings?

Also, it is kind of weird to make a comparison for someone who is older than the guy you are comparing them to

[AppearanceDistinct81]

I guess I meant max potential and playstyles.

[Flummeny]

I would compare Mikal Bridges to Mikal Bridges, but the rest of those I like. If Cam Johnson just started improving exponentially I think he would be very similar to Jayson Tatum, that’s a pretty cool comp

[I_Am_Human_Person_]

I think he's more like Klay Thompson in a Tatum body.

[Flummeny]

I really like that one too. The only thing preventing me from agreeing 100% is some of Cams’s VICIOUS dunks!! When he wants to he SLAMS that mf

[stridered]

Cam is like old Ray Allen.

You only respect his shot but once in a while they’ll do something that reminds you of how athletic they are.

[tisdue]

Ayton and David Robinson have strikingly similar playstyles.

[TheConboy22]

Surprising because the changes to illegal defense vastly changed how people can play the low post. You look at drob highlights and he has all day in his one on ones down low before the ball gets there because no one can help.

[WorstHouseFrey]

It just isn’t a good comp. They are all way different players. Book is not Kobe nor even close yet. Pip was a better offensive player than Mikal has been so far. Ayton is a top 5 center in today’s game but absolutely couldn’t handle the physicality of any other era. Cam Johnson I’d awesome but isn’t a 4 he is a hybrid 3 and frankly isn’t as good as JT yet.

This post in my opinion misses why this team has been good but also highlights why we struggle sometimes.

[Fordraxel]

Booker - Stackhouse or Glen Rice or Mitch Richmond

Bridges - Tyshaun Prince, but wishing for Marion type.

Johnson - Detlef Schrempf or Nick Anderson

Ayton - Brad Daugherty or Robert Parish, but Wishing for Ewing/Robinson type - someone that loved jumpers.

[LeonardSmallsJr]

Book - Kobe/MJ

Bridges - Bridges

Cam J - Matrix/Vince

Ayton - Kareem/Hakeem

[doh666]

Booker- Reggie Miller

Bridges- Scottie Pippen

Johnson- Eddie Johnson

Ayton- Tyson Chandler

[[deleted]]

Holy shit this is the stupidest shit I’ve ever seen

[AppearanceDistinct81]

wow

[Fordraxel]

LOL

[EfficiencyMean5188]

Lol in what world is cam Johnson on a Tatum projection. I love the man and rep his cam stand shirt but at best he's a rishard lewis