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

[Wally_West]

I'm so mixed on McD. He's done some good things but I think the bad outweighs the good here. Trading the Lakers pick is still absolutely unforgivable to me. I really don't think there's enough positives on his résumé that says he deserves to be kept on as GM BUT...I don't trust Sarver at all in finding someone better and have all the confidence he will just get another Lance Blanks.

[n4th4n]

I'm so mixed on McD. He's done some good things but I think the bad outweighs the good here. Trading the Lakers pick is still absolutely unforgivable to me. I really don't think there's enough positives on his résumé that says he deserves to be kept on as GM BUT...I don't trust Sarver at all in finding someone better and have all the confidence he will just get another Lance Blanks.

Honestly, for a job as wildly complex as being an NBA GM, mistakes are to be expected. Even MASSIVE mistakes. Especially when you are young, new to the job, and are forced to deal with all the conflicting factors such as ownership, your own goals, fan expectations, etc. The young core we have has been built by McD. In fact, I consider him a part of that young core. He has been just like a talented young player- shown flashes of potential while making massive mistakes. You need to give him time to grow. I think he is smart enough to learn from his mistakes, and he has shown he has an eye for talent. Plus, he is learning to handle ownership. Personally, I have confidence in McD being our guy for the long term.

[UglyTruth]

I'm so mixed on McD. He's done some good things but I think the bad outweighs the good here. Trading the Lakers pick is still absolutely unforgivable to me. I really don't think there's enough positives on his résumé that says he deserves to be kept on as GM BUT...I don't trust Sarver at all in finding someone better and have all the confidence he will just get another Lance Blanks.

He's really good at drafting but he's mediocre at trades and signings.

He's the exact opposite of Danny Ainge.

[specialsauce]

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.

They may not have swagger but they have always been assertive. Bender plays scared to me. Maybe he'll grow out of it. I'm skeptical.

[OE32]

I'm so mixed on McD. He's done some good things but I think the bad outweighs the good here. Trading the Lakers pick is still absolutely unforgivable to me. I really don't think there's enough positives on his résumé that says he deserves to be kept on as GM BUT...I don't trust Sarver at all in finding someone better and have all the confidence he will just get another Lance Blanks.

Honestly, for a job as wildly complex as being an NBA GM, mistakes are to be expected. Even MASSIVE mistakes. Especially when you are young, new to the job, and are forced to deal with all the conflicting factors such as ownership, your own goals, fan expectations, etc. The young core we have has been built by McD. In fact, I consider him a part of that young core. He has been just like a talented young player- shown flashes of potential while making massive mistakes. You need to give him time to grow. I think he is smart enough to learn from his mistakes, and he has shown he has an eye for talent. Plus, he is learning to handle ownership. Personally, I have confidence in McD being our guy for the long term.

We've discussed this ad nauseum, but I have to continue to voice support for McD. I've thought he's maintained the correct perspective, acquiring draft picks and attempting to compile valuable assets. Knight has been a disaster. Bledsoe has been the opposite, exceeding my expectations. Len has been a bust; the two lotto picks thereafter were not at all, and the two after that look extremely promising. The emergence of Sauce, DJJ and especially Ulis look great. I'm extremely happy with where our team is at and the young team we've assembled, and McD is responsible.

I'm also not worried about not getting a top draft pick. I want Fultz; after that, I'd expect us to draft a center. We could drop to 6 or 7 and still grab a top center prospect.

Keep McD. McD forevs.

[Sunsfan4life]

I'm so mixed on McD. He's done some good things but I think the bad outweighs the good here. Trading the Lakers pick is still absolutely unforgivable to me. I really don't think there's enough positives on his résumé that says he deserves to be kept on as GM BUT...I don't trust Sarver at all in finding someone better and have all the confidence he will just get another Lance Blanks.

I'm in the minority here but I really like the pieces the suns have. Lots of bitching and complaining and understandable when you haven't been to the playoffs in like 6 years or whatever, but they have a ton of young pieces and draft picks to be set up to make a huge splash at some point. McDonaugh whiffed badly on the Knight trade and the Chandler contract. Those two plus drafting Chriss are the three biggest complaints I had with him at the time. Chriss seems to be proving me wrong (although its still early) at the moment though.) I'd also throw in as others have he should of traded tucker alot sooner then he did and I would explore trading Bledsoe this off-season which I doubt we do.

Now he has got to get something done with the assets he's accumulated or it's all for not. My prediction is he eventually gets canned and the next gm comes in and uses the assets we have to acquire a star and we make our way back to the top, but I really think he's done a nice job drafting (Warren,Book,Ulis,Turning bogdon and a late first to move up even though I did not like who he moved up for) He has to carve out a plan here and stop it with the Vet/rookie mix and not having an identity. The 2nd half of the yr has been a good start. Oh, and I'd look for more of an established coach then watson, who I'm just not a fan of.

[Mori Chu]

I like our young roster a lot; the one thing I want to see is more ball movement. That's why I want to dump Bledsoe and let Ulis start, and/or draft a pass-first PG like Ball or Fultz. Outside of that, I'd love to see us play better defense on a consistent basis, but the ball movement and passing is by far the #1 thing I want to change.

[TOO]

Even with Bledsoe, I think dumping Tucker and sitting Knight has greatly improved the offensive flow. Adding Ulis to that has made us much more fluid on offense.

[Superbone]

Even with Bledsoe, I think dumping Tucker and sitting Knight has greatly improved the offensive flow. Adding Ulis to that has made us much more fluid on offense.

For sure. Our assists since the all-star break have gone up "bigly." (Sorry, I couldn't help myself.)

[Split T]

Tyler Ulis has moved into the top 10 according to PER amongst rookies. Chriss has also broken the barrier and is now considered a positive contributor. There are only 13 rookies with positive contributions according to PER and only 7 that were actually drafted in 2016. (Brogdon, Hernangomez, Murray, Ulis, LaVert, Brown, Chriss)

[Mori Chu]

That's great for Ulis (and Chriss), but wow, what a surprisingly crappy rookie class.

[In2ition]

It would have been better with Simmons healthy. Some of the others are going to take some time just maturing.

I always wonder why the Suns seem to double down when the draft class doesn't seem that great.

[Split T]

True, but all we really gave up was more picks in this already poor draft to move up for Chriss. The big reason this draft looks so bad is all the guys who were supposed to be nba ready. Kris Dunn, Buddy Hield, Domantas Sabonis, and Denzel Valentine have all struggled a lot. Simmons missing the whole year obviously didn't help and Ingram is just not physically ready for the nba yet. Hopefully the draft starts looking better in a few years and hopefully because Chriss, Bender, and Ulis all turn into great players.

[Cap]

To trade up from #13 to #8, we packaged Bogdan, #28, and a future 2nd-rounder.

When we picked Ulis at #34, we gave him a 1st-round contract as if we had selected him at #28. (A neat manuever I hadn't heard of before.) And since Ulis is probably who we would have taken at #28, it worked out the same as if we'd dealt #34.

So effectively we're talking about Bogdan and two 2nd-rounders: a pittance, unless you're really high on Bogdan.

[Superbone]

To trade up from #13 to #8, we packaged Bogdan, #28, and a future 2nd-rounder.

When we picked Ulis at #34, we gave him a 1st-round contract as if we had selected him at #28. (A neat manuever I hadn't heard of before.) And since Ulis is probably who we would have taken at #28, it worked out the same as if we'd dealt #34.

So effectively we're talking about Bogdan and two 2nd-rounders: a pittance, unless you're really high on Bogdan.

And if he ever comes to the NBA.

[Shabazz]

True, but all we really gave up was more picks in this already poor draft to move up for Chriss. The big reason this draft looks so bad is all the guys who were supposed to be nba ready. Kris Dunn, Buddy Hield, Domantas Sabonis, and Denzel Valentine have all struggled a lot.

More fuel for my "anti-upperclassmen" fire.