Suns News: The Offseason (2016)

[Ring_Wanted]

A number of players will be hungry. And supposedly we have run out of headcases (I'm looking at you, Tucker. Don't fuck up). They like the coach, the roles are defined...

Tangible production remains to be seen. 30 games? I want to see the rotations first.

[carey]

If the total is 26 I'd bet an awful lot on the over. I'd also bet we finish better than 14th in the West, that's next to last.

[Split T]

I think the only thing keeping us low in the west is that outside of the Lakers and maybe kings, there is no teams clearly worse. Minnesota, New Orleans, and Denver should all improve. I could see nets, Lakers and sixers as the only sub 30 win teams. We might win 32 or 33 and still get the 4th pick.

[Nodack]

I think they forgot that Bledsoe still played for the Suns nice he missed so many games last year. Knight missed a bunch too. If we stay healthy at all we have to be better. Plus no Morris's improves chemistry immensely. Veterans like LB and Duds will help with leadership and chemistry too.

I hate predicting anything but of we stay healthy at all we have to win more than last year IMO. 26 wins? I say 35 wins.

[bajanguy008]

Brandon with a different response to what he expects his role to be this season. Nice event this he put on , I must admit I am buying the chemistry chatter just hope it leads to "smarter basketball"

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /87919600/

[Indy]

Brandon with a different response to what he expects his role to be this season. Nice event this he put on , I must admit I am buying the chemistry chatter just hope it leads to "smarter basketball"

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /87919600/

Amazing quote:

Knight averaged a career-high 19.6 points in 52 appearances last season but also had a career-high 3.4 turnovers per game and was not able to regain the 3-point shooting accuracy that he showed in being a 2015 All-Star candidate for Milwaukee. Knight said his surgically repaired ankle never felt 100 percent last season even before the sports-hernia issue started in late December.

[Mori Chu]

AASCEM!!! Almost All-Star Candidate in the East for Milwaukee!!

It's the hot new acronym to describe Brandon Knight. If you don't know how great he is, just AASCEM!

[Shabazz]

Maybe I'm not the brightest guy, but I don't know what any of this means:

“When I say same role, it’s about me being better as a player,” Knight said Saturday. “Wherever that falls, that’s where it falls. I’m excited about the season. That’s the most important part. I’m excited about being healthy. I’m excited about playing with Book, Bled (Eric Bledsoe), Archie (Goodwin). I’m excited about playing with everybody and looking forward to what we can do.

“When you want to win, that’s what it’s about. That’s what it was about when I did the exit interview. I’ve been on a winner my entire life. When I get to this level, that’s the main thing I want to do now – win. For me, it’s about being a better player and challenging guys around me to be better and doing what I can to take our team to the next level, whether I have the same role or whatever that may be.”

It comes across as "just talk a lot and use enough cliches and eventually they won't question my answer."

[Superbone]

AASCEM!!! Almost All-Star Candidate in the East for Milwaukee!!

It's the hot new acronym to describe Brandon Knight. If you don't know how great he is, just AASCEM!

I still like BASE. Borderline All-Star in the East. That came directly out of McDonough's mouth.

[Superbone]

Whatever you want to say about Knight, it was a cool thing he did for the kids of Phoenix and that he's going to do again for his hometown kids.

[O_Gardino]

Here's an op/ed piece reminding us that Len has the tools to become a good player, and that this will be a contract year for him.

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/ ... oenix-suns

[TOO]

All Len has to do is stop dropping the ball low and slowly gathering himself before going up and he'll be fine. Just get the ball and go.

[carey]

All Len has to do is stop dropping the ball low and slowly gathering himself before going up and he'll be fine. Just get the ball and go.

That's not all he has to do, but it will help. What really mystifies me about him is that the monster we saw blocking everything as a rookie has all but disappeared in the name of fundamental defense, which he still isn't very good at. I'd like him to get some of that back. I also wish he'd be more aggressive and try to dunk every god damn thing.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

All Len has to do is stop dropping the ball low and slowly gathering himself before going up and he'll be fine. Just get the ball and go.

That's not all he has to do, but it will help. What really mystifies me about him is that the monster we saw blocking everything as a rookie has all but disappeared in the name of fundamental defense, which he still isn't very good at. I'd like him to get some of that back. I also wish he'd be more aggressive and try to dunk every god damn thing.

Agreed, even I think that it had more to do with his injuries, that fundamentals.

[O_Gardino]

Seems like he was in foul trouble a lot this year. Maybe he or the coaches decided that playing time was more important than going after blocks at this point in his career.

[OE32]

I think the ankle injury against the Blazers convinced the coaching staff that it was better to keep Len grounded on both sides of the ball. That and our need for him on offense made us want to keep him out of foul trouble. Len's athleticism is underrated, IMO, in part because he doesn't use it all that often.

I think the biggest thing for him is that jump shot, actually. When it goes, everything goes. When it doesn't, it seems he can't do anything right. It's all mental with him. He will either gain confidence in that shot and become Marc Gasol or not and become Andris Biedrins - a guy who only rebounds. You need to do more than just rebound to be a starting center in the NBA.

[EDC]

He just needs a left hand. His post moves are still rough but they show promise. The problem is he always brings the ball back to his right hand to take the shot. If a team knows that they can shut him down. That is why some days he looks amazing and others he just gets blocked at the rim constantly.

[Cap]

Biedrins wasn't just a rebounder. He was also a decent shot blocker. And while not a volume scorer, he was ridonkulously efficient, with a career FG% of .594.

Actually, his numbers were remarkably similar to Mark West: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... 4=&p5=&p6=

[OE32]

Biedrins wasn't just a rebounder. He was also a decent shot blocker. And while not a volume scorer, he was ridonkulously efficient, with a career FG% of .594.

Actually, his numbers were remarkably similar to Mark West: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... 4=&p5=&p6=

Once his FT% dropped, he never recovered. Out of the league not long after signing a hefty contract.

[Indy]

I think the ankle injury against the Blazers convinced the coaching staff that it was better to keep Len grounded on both sides of the ball. That and our need for him on offense made us want to keep him out of foul trouble. Len's athleticism is underrated, IMO, in part because he doesn't use it all that often.

I think the biggest thing for him is that jump shot, actually. When it goes, everything goes. When it doesn't, it seems he can't do anything right. It's all mental with him. He will either gain confidence in that shot and become Marc Gasol or not and become Andris Biedrins - a guy who only rebounds. You need to do more than just rebound to be a starting center in the NBA.

No matter what Alex does, he won't become Gasol.