Xylus wrote:Gambo reporting that the Suns are offering Bledsoe something in the ballpark of 4 yrs / $44 mil.
They should make it 15, 9.5, 9.5, 9. That would allow cap flexibility in the future and still give him his money.
Not strictly sure that's legal under the new CBA. I'd have to check. He could get paid out whatever, cause the payment schedule can be manipulated, but as far as $$ against the cap I just don't know.
should work fine under the CBA, thats what the Suns did w/ Thomas.
Hmmm, no They did a decreasing deal, which is legal, but not a decreasing deal that decreases by 40% in it's 2nd year.
If we could resign Bledsoe and snag Monroe without giving up significant assets, I'd be very happy with our offseason.
What is smallball? I play basketball. I'm not a regular big man. I can switch from the center to the guards. The game is evolving. I'd be dominAyton if the WNBA would let me in. - Ayton
According to one of the RealGm insiders: Love trade is dead. Pacers trade is dead. They will retain Bledsoe. Fill out the roster with tradable contracts. So we're looking at heading into the season with...
I guess we're slightly improved if both Bledsoe & Dragic return playing at the same level as last year and there's improvement internally. Only, all the other West teams have improved as well. I'm not sure we're a playoff team as constructed unless Goodwin, Len, and Keef are considerably more impressive than they were last season.
Not sure if we're a playoff team as constructed? Bledsoe missed 40 games and we ended up winning 48. If Bledsoe remains healthy, I think we're a lock.
What is smallball? I play basketball. I'm not a regular big man. I can switch from the center to the guards. The game is evolving. I'd be dominAyton if the WNBA would let me in. - Ayton
We really needed Len to have a good, productive summer. Sucks that he's injured, sucks we went with Tolliver for 6mil instead of Davis for the minimum. Sucks that Shavlik Randolph is even in the NBA.
The question is which, if any teams, fall off? I don't see too many teams in the West struggling. You know, barring injuries, the Clippers, Thunder, Spurs will be there. I don't see the Blazers, Warriors, Rockets sliding. The Grizzlies are still there and even the Mavs improved. I don't know where we land.
Last edited by ShelC on Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
Any word on if we put a bid in on Boozer? I'd definitely take him for a year and put him next to Plum. Apparently, the world will find out today at 5pm EST where Boozer is taking his talents.
I guess we're slightly improved if both Bledsoe & Dragic return playing at the same level as last year and there's improvement internally. Only, all the other West teams have improved as well. I'm not sure we're a playoff team as constructed unless Goodwin, Len, and Keef are considerably more impressive than they were last season.
We have a much better third guard (IT2) and our ballhandling should be excellent 100% of the time now, so that's nice. Our SF rotation is improved if we get Warren some minutes. But our PF rotation is weaker with Frye gone, and I think we'll feel that.
I get the sense that we are about even to where we were last season, since our guys will improve internally a bit, they'll age and mature, they'll get better at playing together; that does count for something, and not enough teams realize this. So I'm not upset with our offseason overall.
ShelC wrote:The question is which, if any teams, fall off? I don't see too many teams in the West struggling. You know, barring injuries, the Clippers, Thunder, Spurs will be there. I don't see the Blazers, Warriors, Rockets sliding. The Grizzlies are still there and even the Mavs improved. I don't know where we land.
I think the Grizz are out of the playoffs this year. That's the spot for us to grab, if any. But yeah the West is still brutal.
ShelC wrote:Any word on if we put a bid in on Boozer? I'd definitely take him for a year and put him next to Plum. Apparently, the world will find out today at 5pm EST where Boozer is taking his talents.
Coro has said a few times that it's pretty doubtful the Suns look at Boozer. Bledsoe likely the last deal they do (echoing what Gambo said.)
AmareIsGod wrote:Not sure if we're a playoff team as constructed? Bledsoe missed 40 games and we ended up winning 48. If Bledsoe remains healthy, I think we're a lock.
Yeah, I disagree. I'm not sure which team in the top 8 we're better than right now. Especially now that teams have an entire year of film to look at on our offense. I hope you're right, of course.
The thing is, if we're able to get a gain of +40 healthy games from Bledsoe, how does that not improve our number of wins from last year? Less burden (wear and tear) on Dragic + having a great backup in Isaiah Thomas. Dragic really had to shoulder a heavy burden last season and we were able to win 48 games. Do you think that having Bledsoe for all of those 40 games he missed wouldn't improve our wins by 10, minimum? We were 28-15 with him, I believe.
What is smallball? I play basketball. I'm not a regular big man. I can switch from the center to the guards. The game is evolving. I'd be dominAyton if the WNBA would let me in. - Ayton
AmareIsGod wrote:Not sure if we're a playoff team as constructed? Bledsoe missed 40 games and we ended up winning 48. If Bledsoe remains healthy, I think we're a lock.
Yeah, I disagree. I'm not sure which team in the top 8 we're better than right now. Especially now that teams have an entire year of film to look at on our offense. I hope you're right, of course.
I hope so as well, for both of our sakes!
What is smallball? I play basketball. I'm not a regular big man. I can switch from the center to the guards. The game is evolving. I'd be dominAyton if the WNBA would let me in. - Ayton
I actually think Rockets, Warriors and Trail Blazers are the ones to slide if any. They were the pretenders to me. Grizz were without Gasol most of the year, and still made it as a 7 seed. They're a top 4 team. But then again, I think it will come down to injuries.
AmareIsGod wrote: Do you think that having Bledsoe for all of those 40 games he missed wouldn't improve our wins by 10, minimum? We were 28-15 with him, I believe.
I do not. I do not think we were a 58 win team as currently constructed. I'm not sure we win 50 this year either. Our front court has major problems.
The thing is that we'll have a fair amount of moving parts and two apparent roster flaws.
A logjam at the backcourt and a hole in that paint. You could have said exactly that last year, for what it's worth. I'd say we are on the same level, but only if everybody is healthy. And I am not talking about Bledoe. Goran's ankle too. Len's finger is making people nervous. One legit big man down (Kieff-Miles) and we are done.
Anyhow, Marcus is going to play PF, and Warren too, or so I hope. I see this as a chance to see what we have in the bunch that plays the 4-5.
Kieff-Marcus-Warren is different from last year but has its tricks too. We lose 3pt but have killer midrange. Tolliver helps, that's a far from stupid move. But Len needs to play. Otherwise we are looking at a lot of small ball with Kieff at C, and I want that to be a resource, not a necessity. I'd be more comfortable with a Jermaine O'Neal like vet, or even a bull from the summer league. Romero Osby could be useful, and I am sure there are more like him out there.
We'll have to see too how the guards fare without the alleged elite pick and pop, but it will be hard to stay in front of Bledsoe-Goran-IT2 no matter what. However, they will have to solve their co-game, and fast.
I feel for Archie, though. Green has to play after the monster season he had, unless you pawn him off. I think I'd shop Green-Ennis around and see who needs/wants a backcourt, but is he makes the opening roster he has to play. This could be a good moment to learn a lesson. Frye left for nothing.
Anyway, 14-15 is a solid roster and I think it is well suited for the regular season, above all if we start off on fire. It's true that the West is even better on papper, but I like its chances.
The top3 is out of reach, but Houston is worse, Portland probably a bit improved but if the live by the jumpshot, they can die too. GSW has some question marks, including a new coach, depth and health. Memphis owned us last year but they are old. Dallas looks better, but still flawed. I think we can be better than 3 of those teams if things click. We'll have to worry too about Denver (we owned them last season) and New Orleans too (mixed bag), and Minni is still in the winning business until further notice, but we are the better team easily.
That tool Broussard is reporting that the Suns and Bledsoe are far apart on contract dollars. He clearly wants a max, we clearly don't want to give it to him (or it would be done already.)