Phx-Suns.Net

Under normal circumstances, inexperience often dooms teams competing for a playoff spot, but the NBA restart is unlike anything the league has experienced.

That's why NBA on TNT analyst Kenny Smith doesn't see that variable hindering the youthful Phoenix Suns in this 2019-20 season resumption in Florida.

"I know they're hoping they can get into into the playoffs," said Smith, a two-time NBA champion. "The one thing that you would say about that team is experience. Playing in a bubble, there is no experience or inexperience. It's just if you're good that night or not."

Combine the Orlando bubble elements of no fans and neutral court settings with Phoenix's youth, and Smith can see the Suns (26-39) representing themselves well in the restart. They open their eight regular-season "seedings" schedule Friday against Washington (24-40) at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

"It's not like the older players are going to play worse, but the younger players, I think, will play better in this scenario," Smith added.

Shabazz wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:13 pm

Thank God for Lecque. If there's one thing we're missing it's underqualified PGs.

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:15 pm

At first glance I thought it said Antichrist. That would be a helluva statement.

In2ition wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:15 pm

At first glance I thought it said Antichrist. That would be a helluva statement.

I thought the same thing,

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:18 pm

Yea definitely saw Antichrist at first.

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 3:42 pm

I don't know why but I laughed when I saw what Saric was using:

Respect Us: Carter, Ayton, Bridges
Equality: Booker, Kaminsky, Baynes, Johnson, Payne, Okobo
Peace: Oubre Jr., Lecque,
Justice: Rubio
Freedom: Diallo
Enough: Jerome
Antiracist: Saric
Credit: @Suns

Superbone wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:28 pm

In2ition wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:15 pm

At first glance I thought it said Antichrist. That would be a helluva statement.

I thought the same thing,

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:18 pm

Yea definitely saw Antichrist at first.

There's something wrong with all you guys!

After head coach Monty Williams had been providing updates on what Oubre was doing in practice and how he was doing, he declined to provide any on two different occasions this week.

Dario Saric was not on the injury report after injuring his left ankle in Tuesday’s scrimmage

What’s most egregious is that the Suns saw the player development argument, too. They signed undrafted high school prospect Jalen Lecque to a multi-year deal last summer and used the NAZ Suns to give him extended, starter-caliber minutes in the G League.

Jones expressed the importance of the club to Suns.com’s Cody Cunningham last year, calling the NAZ Suns “vital.”

“If you look at the opportunity for our players, our coaches and our staff to develop, it’s critical,” Jones told the team website. “We have one of the youngest teams in the NBA and that’s not just players. It’s also staff. It affords us an opportunity to grow and develop and that’s important when you’re trying to do what we’re doing.”


Just a year later, he’s saying that’s all out the window?

To be sure, there is financial pressure on the Suns franchise during the pandemic. The team is also building a practice facility and renovating the Talking Stick Resort Arena, using its own funding for $80 million out of the $230 million total, it said in January 2019.

The team estimated then that the practice facility would cost between $25-50 million, all of which it would cover without public funding.

After the Suns and their minor league team cited COVID-19 for leaving Prescott Valley just weeks ago, and as the NBA club reportedly let go of around 30 staffers this month, the move does not appear to be all about basketball.

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:40 pm

Superbone wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:28 pm

In2ition wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:15 pm

At first glance I thought it said Antichrist. That would be a helluva statement.

I thought the same thing,

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:18 pm

Yea definitely saw Antichrist at first.

There's something wrong with all you guys!

I didn't need Saric to be satanic to figure that out about myself.

Charlie Smithy! wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:24 pm

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:40 pm

Superbone wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:28 pm

In2ition wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:15 pm

At first glance I thought it said Antichrist. That would be a helluva statement.

I thought the same thing,

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:18 pm

Yea definitely saw Antichrist at first.

There's something wrong with all you guys!

I didn't need Saric to be satanic to figure that out about myself.

Justin from the top rope!

Superbone wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 6:28 pm

In2ition wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Flagrant Fowl wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:15 pm

At first glance I thought it said Antichrist. That would be a helluva statement.

I thought the same thing,

ShelC wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:18 pm

Yea definitely saw Antichrist at first.

There's something wrong with all you guys!