Suns News: Week 17 2/16-2/22

[ShelC]

Not a matter if IF he gets hurt, but WHEN. Very injury prone and I also get the feeling he's the type of veteran who will only give his all if he's on a contending team. On a middling team like ours, I think he'd miss more games than he plays.

[INFORMER]

https://twitter.com/sam_amick/status/567775635406200832

[ShelC]

I still like Plumlee. And should we be trading him without knowing Len's status and Brandan Wright not showing much?

[INFORMER]

And should we be trading him without knowing Len's status

We have the best training staff in the world. No need to worry about Len.

[OE32]

And should we be trading him without knowing Len's status

We have the best training staff in the world. No need to worry about Len.

I thought that sprain was highly encouraging. Coulda been real bad. He popped right up, no damage. Great to see the durability in our long-limbed center. Kudos to the training staff fo sho.

[INFORMER]

NBA.com has a huge piece on Danny Ainge. Here is an interesting excerpt that's Suns related:

Ainge's self-described fear of failure rarely, if ever, prevented him from taking the biggest shots, even when he was in the company of future Hall-of-Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Dennis Johnson in Boston. He was as bold in his career: Shortly after he had been hired by the Suns as an assistant coach in 1996, he remembers recommending Steve Nash for the No. 15 pick in case the Suns were unable to land Kobe Bryant, who was their priority.

"I was sort of a lone soldier on the Steve Nash idea,'' says Ainge. "Jerry [Colangelo] asked me a question one-on-one at that time, he said: 'The rest of the staff thinks you like Nash because Nash reminds you of him and him of you, and that's typical of the way ex-players think.' So I wondered about that. Do I like Steve because he reminds me of me? Are these guys right?''

Ainge was quickly elevated to head coach after the Suns started 0-8 in 1996-97 and, in line with his own point of view, he changed the rule for the team plane: Wives were invited to travel with players, but not girlfriends. "The guys (on the Suns' staff) that were against us drafting Steve Nash were thinking that as I became the head coach, I was playing Steve Nash just because I need him to do well. I never compared Steve to myself anyway; throughout the next 15 or 20 years of basketball I've never seen another player that was like Steve or like myself ... and then (before the 2006 draft) I was accused by couple of guys on my staff of liking J.J. Redick. They said, 'You like him because he's like you.' I just sort of found that interesting, that that's what the perception was.''

(Colangelo remembers the details in a different way. "That wasn't a new player that we were considering,'' he says of Nash. As for the comparisons, he agrees with Ainge that there was little of substance in common. "Maybe a little bit in terms of temperament and work ethics,'' says Colangelo. "But there was no comparison skill-wise. Different players.'')

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/features/i ... index.html

[ShelC]

Not a fan of Ainge the executive. Sounds like he's patting himself on the back with those guys. Remember, him and Doc were thisclose to getting fired before Ray Allen and KG fell in their laps. Doc maneuvered his way to another great roster in LA, now we'll see if Ainge can build a team from scratch.

[SDC]

According to the RealGM insider most of you believe is full of shit:

The discussion today is about what exactly Dragic is requesting and if we offer him a large contract (the best offer) if he will take it.

After today (maybe tonight if it leaks) but tomorrow look for a smaller trade. If the talks don't go well and he wants out and wants to be the ball handler (this is possible) we will look to move Dragic by Thursday. Per his request. We will not under any circumstance be trading Bledsoe.

McD knows with a true SG Bledsoe is the best point guard for us given his contract.

Our preference. Let me REPEAT. OUR PREFERENCE: Is to keep Dragic long term with Bledsoe. That is our priority. Everyone else is up for grabs for the right place. Even Len. Especially Green and the twins. And we are willing to overpay to get a star. Just not many stars available.

Cousins is not up on the block at the moment. We've tried.

this realgm may be an insider, but he is full of shit himself.

knowing dragic, he is not requesting anything be done immediately. he himself said that he is focused only on helping the suns make the playoffs this year. all this extension, re-signing stuff can be put off until after this season. only mcdo is following this artificial deadline. only he is feeling the urgency to do something if dragic doesnt commit NOW to the team (and why would he? this can be discussed after the season).

[Gladiator]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /23591221/

Looks like Dragic is on the way out

Goran Dragic wants out of Phoenix.

According to two people with knowledge of the situation, the representatives for the Suns point guard told team officials in a Tuesday meeting that he has no plans to re-sign in Phoenix this summer as a free agent.

With the Thursday trade deadline looming and the clear message now sent that Dragic plans on playing elsewhere next season, it remains to be seen if Suns general manager Ryan McDonough will succumb to the pressure and agree to a deal. The people spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

[Gladiator]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/567886555232206848 Another one saying Dragic wants out.

[Indy]

My question is whether they said he would opt out and try the open market, or said he would not sign here.

[Gladiator]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/567886817497870336 https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/567887335494418432

[Indy]

If the Lakers really have made it known they want to pay him 20M and we said we aren't, I would have said the same thing.

[TOO]

This is a punch in the dick. He'll be off to LA for Hill or some garbage now.

[Gladiator]

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/567887381124247552 The Lakers ... just to add some salt into the wound

[Gladiator]

https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/567888194924072960

[Gladiator]

https://twitter.com/HPbasketball/status/567888366798114816

[Indy]

Lakers Knicks and heat. Are those the only teams that can give him 20 million?

[TOO]

McD really shit the bed here. He almost deserves this for burying Dragic at the 2 in favor of 2 lesser PGs.

[Indy]

I think Jeff was an advocate too.