i've seen enough of this team to know that the suns need to keep IT and goran and trade bledsoe (for expiring contracts if needed). sorry to all bledsoe fans. there's a reason why only two teams are willing to pay bledsoe the near max contract (the other team is minnesota, a team desperate to overpay for top players to stay.)
If Bledsoe stays healthy for the whole season, then I see no reason to trade him. He's a do-it-all point guard who has shown the ability to run the show and hit big shots from time to time. He's better than IT and Dragic in the clutch, he plays significantly better defense, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is on the rise. He's improving, playing more consistently, and is slowly limiting his turnovers (arguably his biggest weakness).
He needs to continue to limit his turnovers and improve his shot, but he's young and I expect those areas to improve over the next year or two.
We started the year complaining about how he wasn't worth $14mil/yr, but now I hardly hear anyone complaining about his contract.
I'd keep Bledsoe over IT and Dragic, for sure.
That's not to say I want to get rid of Dragic or IT, but if we're playing the triage game here, I think Bledsoe is the most untouchable of the three.
Agreed. I also think there's a personal vendetta with some here because of the McD/Bledsoe connection. But prior to McD coming on, i think there were some advocating a trade for Bledsoe when it came out the Clips were shopping him. Bledsoe was a hot commodity two years ago, now he's a pariah because he's "McD's guy" (which I don't think is true btw). There's also a personal connection to Dragic, which I completely understand, but from a roster POV, you keep Bledsoe if making the choice.
sorry to all bledsoe fans. there's a reason why only two teams are willing to pay bledsoe the near max contract
I don't think it's that cut and dry. Comes down to capspace. The knicks for example, have a ton of caproom this offseason and would've offered Bledsoe a max deal. As it is, they may go after Dragic very hard with a max offer.
The only guys I think are untouchable right now are Bledsoe and Len. The rest of our roster is up for grabs if it means nabbing a star player in return.
I think this is Goran's last year in a Phoenix uniform. There are plenty of teams in the league who covet him, and will have the money to get him. I'm not sure the Suns will want to commit the kind of money that Dragic will command, especially when we have a superior (and younger) PG on the roster already.
My big worry for next year is Green starting next to Bledsoe at Dragic's current salary & not only do we lose an all star quality guard but we lose him for nothing.
Xylus wrote:If Bledsoe stays healthy for the whole season, then I see no reason to trade him. He's a do-it-all point guard who has shown the ability to run the show and hit big shots from time to time. He's better than IT and Dragic in the clutch, he plays significantly better defense, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is on the rise. He's improving, playing more consistently, and is slowly limiting his turnovers (arguably his biggest weakness).
He needs to continue to limit his turnovers and improve his shot, but he's young and I expect those areas to improve over the next year or two.
We started the year complaining about how he wasn't worth $14mil/yr, but now I hardly hear anyone complaining about his contract.
I'd keep Bledsoe over IT and Dragic, for sure.
That's not to say I want to get rid of Dragic or IT, but if we're playing the triage game here, I think Bledsoe is the most untouchable of the three.
Bledsoe just can't manage an offense. Take Friday's game... that bank shot was pure athleticism but he almost threw the game away on the previous two trips down doing dumb things. He has a long way to go. He is 25 in his 5th year so he better get with the program soon.
carey wrote:My big worry for next year is Green starting next to Bledsoe at Dragic's current salary & not only do we lose an all star quality guard but we lose him for nothing.
Yea thats not good. But I don't think they'll re-sign Gerald, I think the writing is on the wall. We may make a token offer, but he'll prob get a better off on a team that will play him more then 12-18mins per game like we do.
“Kobe had said (after the play) I wasn’t hugged enough as a child,” Bell recalled. “My mom kind of found him after the instance and we had beat them and offered him a hug in the bowels of the Phoenix arena. She really feels a part of that story.”
I love Dragic; he's my favorite Sun and it isn't close. But if they are going to keep him at SG and play him off the ball 100% of the time like this, I don't see the point in re-signing him. It's a waste of his talent and not a good use of our money. Makes me sad to say it.
Dragic has always been strong and able to finish with contact. Lately it seems like the message has gone out across the league that it is okay to knock him to the ground without worry of being called for a foul. It is getting a bit ridiculous how much they let other teams hit him compared to other guards in the league.
ShelC wrote: I also think there's a personal vendetta with some here because of the McD/Bledsoe connection. But prior to McD coming on, i think there were some advocating a trade for Bledsoe when it came out the Clips were shopping him. Bledsoe was a hot commodity two years ago, now he's a pariah because he's "McD's guy" (which I don't think is true btw). There's also a personal connection to Dragic, which I completely understand, but from a roster POV, you keep Bledsoe if making the choice.
carey wrote:Bledsoe just can't manage an offense. Take Friday's game... that bank shot was pure athleticism but he almost threw the game away on the previous two trips down doing dumb things. He has a long way to go. He is 25 in his 5th year so he better get with the program soon.
I think "can't" is a bit strong, but I have similar qualms with Bledsoe. Besides his carelessness with the ball, I'm not a fan of his decision-maker, his low-motor/inconsistency, and he's shooting 44% from the field and 31% from 3; that's just not good enough for me, especially not at a $14 million/yr price tag. It's baffling that some view him as this stud.
I think he's great if you are just playing fantasy league, or if you just want a nice/solid lower-seeded playoff team. But he's not the guy I want as one of my top 3 players if I'm trying to win a championship.
carey wrote:Bledsoe just can't manage an offense. Take Friday's game... that bank shot was pure athleticism but he almost threw the game away on the previous two trips down doing dumb things. He has a long way to go. He is 25 in his 5th year so he better get with the program soon.
I think "can't" is a bit strong, but I have similar qualms with Bledsoe. Besides his carelessness with the ball, I'm not a fan of his decision-maker, his low-motor/inconsistency, and he's shooting 44% from the field and 31% from 3; that's just not good enough for me, especially not at a $14 million/yr price tag. It's baffling that some view him as this stud.
I think he's great if you are just playing fantasy league, or if you just want a nice/solid lower-seeded playoff team. But he's not the guy I want as one of my top 3 players if I'm trying to win a championship.
The number of times each game he tries to split two defenders and loses the ball, or dives into the lane and then kicks it out to a spot where he hopes/thinks someone is, really troubles me.
Re: Game Day: Suns (28-20) @ Warriors (36-8), Sat 1/31/15
