Suns News: Week 3 11/9-11/15

[JCSunsfan]

I think Sac could probably do better than that, sadly. Doubt we will have much of a shot at Boogie.

Boston will probably offer the Nets unprotected first from this year and some other firsts and a couple of meh prospects and it will get done. All we have is our own unprotected and the Heat unprotected way down the line, which is very valuable if you ask me...

This is probably why we should have held on to that Lakers pick. Knight's ability to play basketball not withstanding.

Nah. Knight is doing just fine.

Boston has boatloads of picks and could certainly outbid us. In fact, Ainge really needs to trade those picks for something worthwhile because he cannot possibly handle that many rookies.

[ShelC]

Is Ainge best buds with the GM of the Kings? How close is he with Vlade?

Picks and players/talent aside, you can't assume the Kings FO will make a rational decision/trade. Their owner is a child and Vlade's in over his head. At the very least, one could assume they'd prefer to trade Cousins to an EC team. But again, who knows.

[JCSunsfan]

Is Ainge best buds with the GM of the Kings? How close is he with Vlade?

Picks and players/talent aside, you can't assume the Kings FO will make a rational decision/trade. Their owner is a child and Vlade's in over his head. At the very least, one could assume they'd prefer to trade Cousins to an EC team. But again, who knows.

I think the Kings are committed to Cousins. The owner loves him. The GM and coach would lose their jobs before Cousins is traded.

This Suns team has been designed for a star level pf. Everything is set up. Not sure what is coming up in free agency, but this is the time to trade Kieff, picks, and young talent for that feature guy.

Davis, Love, Cousins, Ibaka, Griffin, Alderidge, George, maybe even Favors, or Millsap. DGreen is too much of a role player. Bosh, Nowitski, and Randolph are too old.

Not sure how many others are better than Kieff. I would consider a player who now is not as good as Kieff but will likely be better, like JParker, DMo, or CZeller.

Honestly. This team is set up for Markieff to thrive, as long as he has the stones to do it.

[Ring_Wanted]

Haven't you heard Kieff is a 'premiere' player on this team already? And the thing is it is true. Nowhere else in the L he is allowed to launch 20 shots per game with this impunity. He should be giving you 45%FG, 33%3pt but at this rate the value from that contract will erode in no time.

At least a number of teams' session so far is shaping up the right way to motivate a move for him. Washington struggling; Toronto, Detroit, Indiana doing well. There should be a market but the %s need to become at least defensible.

[Cap]

Best +/-'s on the team:

Keef +3.1
Tucker +2.0
Leuer +2.0


Worst:

Chandler -2.9


Anybody want to take a crack at explaining this?

[Mori Chu]

Anybody want to take a crack at explaining this?

Sure. "+/- is a deeply flawed stat." -- Mori Chu

That about sums it up.

[Ring_Wanted]

Speaking of stats, turns out our bigs are not protecting the rim that well. Len allows almost 60%FG, Chanlder 53%.

On the other hand our '3pt +/-' is pretty good. We are in the sweet spot where we concede less than the expected efficiency threshold to justify a three over a two. Under 32% allowed. We only hit at a mediocre rate of 35% but combined with said defense, that's enough to put us #3 overall on 3pt differential.

The other bright spot is a terrific rebounding rate. #6 overall and an amazing second place on defensive rebound %.

Still awful at everything related to assists and TOs (only Detroit is worse).

Middle of the pack on FG% related stuff. Looking at you big time Markieff, but also Len.


We'll see how things unfold until the proverbial 20 game mark, above all because our schedule has been pretty lite so far, despite what ESPN says. They put us in the upper half of toughness on SOS (#13 overall) but in reality only OKC and one game of Clippers at full strength feel like real L's beforehand.

[Cap]

We'll see how things unfold until the proverbial 20 game mark, above all because our schedule has been pretty lite so far, despite what ESPN says. They put us in the upper half of toughness on SOS (#13 overall)

Interesting. Jeff Sagarin puts us at #23. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/sagarin/

Incidentally, the top six teams in the West according to Sagarin: Golden State, San Antonio, OKC, LAC... Utah and Phoenix.

[Ring_Wanted]

#23 is much more plausible if one takes in mind the players out with injury. Lakers next, btw.

About our ranking in the West, I could buy it. #6 sounds insane given the way we actually play but Houston, Memphis and NOP are losing an unexpected amount of games. The Pelis have not moved their pick, but Houston and Memphis have. Houston lotto protected; Memphis loses it if #6-14.

[pickle]

I think the Kings are committed to Cousins. The owner loves him. The GM and coach would lose their jobs before Cousins is traded.

This Suns team has been designed for a star level pf. Everything is set up. Not sure what is coming up in free agency, but this is the time to trade Kieff, picks, and young talent for that feature guy.

Davis, Love, Cousins, Ibaka, Griffin, Alderidge, George, maybe even Favors, or Millsap. DGreen is too much of a role player. Bosh, Nowitski, and Randolph are too old.

Not sure how many others are better than Kieff. I would consider a player who now is not as good as Kieff but will likely be better, like JParker, DMo, or CZeller.

Honestly. This team is set up for Markieff to thrive, as long as he has the stones to do it.

i wouldn't mind making a run at ibaka if that team blows it up or if durant actually moves on in free agency. i know many here don't like the clippers but i would also have some interest in blake, who is able to actually be a focal point and playmaker on offense, which would be pretty important given the state of our two pgs. obviously this is all a wet dream so ... don't scream at me too hard over how blake is never leaving LA.

[da_suns_fan]

Anybody want to take a crack at explaining this?

Sure. "+/- is a deeply flawed stat." -- Mori Chu

That about sums it up.

Bledsoe is currently second in the league in Wins Produced (behind Stephen Curry):

http://www.boxscoregeeks.com/players?di ... s_produced

Markeff Morris is third to last (in the entire league) behind two rookies:

http://www.boxscoregeeks.com/players?di ... s_produced