Suns News: Week 19 2/27 - 3/5

[carey]

We won't stretch him. We may even keep him if we move Chandler. One of them will be gone before next season. I'm 100% certain of that.

[Mori Chu]

Chandler really didn't do anything wrong. He has essentially delivered exactly what he was supposed to be when we signed him. It isn't his fault that he isn't a different player or a different age. Kind of feel for the guy being out of the rotation for no real reason. I hope he to some degree wants the rest and time to recover his body. I feel like we could give him to a contender in the offseason and get back an asset of some kind.

[ShelC]

I thought the Blazers could've used him for sure but went younger with Nurkic. Not sure where we can trade him, if we do indeed try. I thought maybe the Rockets would have interest and they may this offseason depending on their playoffs. We were speaking with the Kings over the deadline so maybe that's revisited. The Bucks don't have a true center on their team that fits with their style, but Tyson would. He's still athletic, has the size and length that could make them very dangerous. Imagine him and Freak on the PnR? Boston, depending on the playoffs, may want to pair him with Horford in the East.

[Superbone]

Chandler really didn't do anything wrong. He has essentially delivered exactly what he was supposed to be when we signed him. It isn't his fault that he isn't a different player or a different age. Kind of feel for the guy being out of the rotation for no real reason. I hope he to some degree wants the rest and time to recover his body. I feel like we could give him to a contender in the offseason and get back an asset of some kind.

It was really cool to see Chandler involved in the huddles the last couple games. He takes his mentoring role seriously. I also have to give props to Knight for continuing to show excitement and that he's pulling for the other guys. He's been nothing but professional about his demotion so far.

[JCSunsfan]

Chandler really didn't do anything wrong. He has essentially delivered exactly what he was supposed to be when we signed him. It isn't his fault that he isn't a different player or a different age. Kind of feel for the guy being out of the rotation for no real reason. I hope he to some degree wants the rest and time to recover his body. I feel like we could give him to a contender in the offseason and get back an asset of some kind.

The Suns are extending Chandler's career and his paychecks. He already has a championship. He is enjoying the mentor role and this young team. I think he is just fine with the situation.

[carey]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I think overall I'm much more positive about McDo than some others here. He isn't batting 1.000 on his transactions, but mostly I think he does the right thing. He has made a few bad signings and trades, but he seems to generally realize this before too long and try to make things right. I think he knows as well as any of us what the strengths and weaknesses of this current roster are, with the possible exception of irrational love for Bledsoe. I think he's learning on the job and improving as he goes along.

Bottom line is that I would absolutely not want him to be let go at the end of this season.

Good post, sometimes we get so mad about the deals, and wanting to win, even to landslide win every transaction, that we lose perspective. All in all, there are teams that run out of choices a turn every asset into a mistake, ending on salary cap hell, with nothing to show for it neither in potential or actual on court performance, even to the degree of having no picks ahead, i.e. New Jersey, and in the echelon, New York and Sacramento...

No to say that we should extend McD with a hefty raise, is good that weare always demanding more out of him. Is like the good old days with SSOL, we wanted to win it all, not just to contend. But we have to see that he has been able to turn around the mess he inherited in terms of roster, into a nice collection of talent, and some noisy mistakes. Now we need him to take it to next level, and so on, until we get our throphy. And then, we will want a dinasty, with nice, crusty potato chips on the side please!!!

[JCSunsfan]

I like McD. He is not perfect, but no GM is. The only GM's that do not lose some trades are those who never trade.

Booker, Bledsoe, Williams, Chriss, Bender, TJ, Ulis, DJJr., the Miami picks, a pick for Kieff. These are all wins in my book. Even the PJ trade was a good one. It was not highway robbery, but no one should expect that all the time. Chandler and Dudley signings were good. The IT signing was good. The Louis Scola trade was a good one too.

[EDC]

Chriss has definitely had his moments this season. Pretty happy with his play for a young rookie. The biggest hurdle for him is avoiding those
stretches where he sleep walks out there.

Besides staying involved he needs to also work on his defense but that is true of most rookies. His offense is pretty polished. I actually think
he is probably underused in that respect. He should be getting opportunities in the post.

[Mori Chu]

New episode of the Solar Panel Suns podcast with Espo.

http://www.sports360az.com/solar-panel-suns-podcast/

[Split T]

Chriss has definitely had his moments this season. Pretty happy with his play for a young rookie. The biggest hurdle for him is avoiding those
stretches where he sleep walks out there.

Besides staying involved he needs to also work on his defense but that is true of most rookies. His offense is pretty polished. I actually think
he is probably underused in that respect. He should be getting opportunities in the post.

I wonder how he'd do with our new 2nd unit in place of Dudley? Ulis has some good chemistry in the 2-man game with Alan Williams, I'd love to see Chriss get more minutes with Ulis and a 2nd unit that doesn't have as many scorers(Warren, booker, Bledsoe)

[O_Gardino]

Chriss has definitely had his moments this season. Pretty happy with his play for a young rookie. The biggest hurdle for him is avoiding those
stretches where he sleep walks out there.

Besides staying involved he needs to also work on his defense but that is true of most rookies. His offense is pretty polished. I actually think
he is probably underused in that respect. He should be getting opportunities in the post.

I'm unexpectedly happy with Chriss. He does have some stuff to work on, but I thought he just wasn't a basketball player. Turns out he is.

In fact, almost every one of McD's draft picks have turned out better than I expected. I'm heading into this off-season with more optimism than I've had in a long time.

[specialsauce]

Len? Bender?

Certainly do not live up to top 5 pick hype.

[EDC]

Len? Bender?

Certainly do not live up to top 5 pick hype.

Len I agree with you but Bender?

You have to admit there was a serious injustice in the amount of minutes he was getting compared to Chriss. Especially when comparing how well they did with the minutes they got.

The few times Bender has gotten more then jus ta few minutes he has looked good.

[jonh]

Im a fan of McD. His drafts are not perfect, and he has a tendency to try and collect players like assets without really considering their fit with the team, but its apparent he is learning and he has a drive to collect draft picks. I like both of those traits in a GM.

[Wally_West]

Yeah, I agree. The amount of minutes Bender was getting was some major BS. I actually think Bender was out playing Chriss for a good stretch there.

[specialsauce]

I could end up being proven wrong but I doubt it. I don't think Bender has the attitude and arrogance needed to be a star in this league. He can learn to be a nice role player but you can't teach swagger. You could see porzingis had it from the start.

[UglyTruth]

Chriss is developing into a good rim protector. He has the athletic ability for it, he just needed to play without fouling and he's doing that now.

I always thought Bender would end up being the future 4 but now Chriss has made me rethink things. I wonder how a front court of Bender/Chriss would look together at the 4 and 5. They both just need to add weight and hangout a lot more with Alan Williams and eat whatever he's eating.

[In2ition]

I could end up being proven wrong but I doubt it. I don't think Bender has the attitude and arrogance needed to be a star in this league. He can learn to be a nice role player but you can't teach swagger. You could see porzingis had it from the start.

I don't remember this, but did Nowitzski have swagger his rookie year? I do remember people saying he was a bust though.

[carey]

I don't think it's a necessary component of being a star. I don't think Kawhi or PG13 have swagger. You can be unassuming and still be great. Anyway, that's not what I'm looking for from him or what I expect. I want a sweet passing and shooting point forward that can also play defense. A Ryan Anderson that passes and defends, basically.