Game Day: Grizzlies (48-32) @ Suns (47-33) , Mon 4/14/14

[INFORMER]

I just hope Len and Goodwin get a bunch of PT next game.

Agreed.

[In2ition]

I just hope Len and Goodwin get a bunch of PT next game.

Agreed.

I think this off-season is going to be huge for them, but it wouldn't surprise me if they still struggled for one more year. I hope that's not the case and they each take huge steps next year, since I think both have a tremendous amount of talent to become excellent players, even all-stars in the future.

[Mori Chu]

I like both Len and Goodwin as far as potential goes, but I'm not sure where we'll find the minutes to give them. We already have a pretty deep rotation and I don't expect us to lose many guys from that rotation. I hope we'll find a way to play them at least somewhat consistently, particularly Len.

[In2ition]

I have a feeling that there is going to be more turnover on the roster than we are seeing right now. I have no idea where Ryan and Jeff see for this team next season other than turning the roster into a chip contender.

[TOO]

I have a feeling that there is going to be more turnover on the roster than we are seeing right now. I have no idea where Ryan and Jeff see for this team next season other than turning the roster into a chip contender.

Probably true, Len, Dragic and Bledsoe are probably the only players we wouldn't move. Even one of Dragic or Bledsoe could be available in deal for Love. Should be a very exciting off season.

[carey]

I'm predicting right now we use all our first round picks ourself & we do not move up. I think at least one will be a draft & stash situation.

[TOO]

I really see us using 1, maybe the Pacers selection and use the other 2 in a big move. Or use the lotto pick and use the other 2 to enhance that lotto pick. 2 more rookies to go with the 2 raw rookies from this year wouldnt seem like a wise move. Although if we're replacing Christmas and Shav then its not likely to be a huge deal if Goodwin and Len step up.

[INFORMER]

2 more rookies to go with the 2 raw rookies from this year wouldnt seem like a wise move.

[INFORMER]

I have a feeling that there is going to be more turnover on the roster than we are seeing right now.

I hope so. I know this was a feel good season and everyone all giddy, but the Suns don't have a foundation for a championship team, they can't defend, they don't have a paint presence on offense, they rebound the ball poorly, and they didn't make the playoffs. So there's considerable work to be done.

[wpmiller42]

I have a feeling that there is going to be more turnover on the roster than we are seeing right now. I have no idea where Ryan and Jeff see for this team next season other than turning the roster into a chip contender.

I tend to agree with this. We're kind of in the same situation Boston was a while back when they had a lot of young assets and they combined them together to get Garnett and Allen. Was McD with the Celtics at that point? Either way, we're in a good position where we do have the kinds of pieces someone would be looking for if they were going to trade a superstar.

[Mori Chu]

I have a feeling that there is going to be more turnover on the roster than we are seeing right now.

I hope so. I know this was a feel good season and everyone all giddy, but the Suns don't have a foundation for a championship team, they can't defend, they don't have a paint presence on offense, they rebound the ball poorly, and they didn't make the playoffs. So there's considerable work to be done.

I like almost everybody on the roster, but our forwards are way undersized, can't defend, can't rebound, and are mostly inconsistent. I'd love to see us get a new starting PF for the future in this offseason, somehow.

[INFORMER]

I'm not sure there will be one available. I hope the Suns don't reach for a guy in the draft, via trade or free agency, just to address a need asap. Get the best talent. Don't feel compelled just because the season went better than expected to build the team in a hurry. Get the right guys.

[INFORMER]

I like almost everybody on the roster

Dragic/Green/Tucker would be the only save ones for me. Of course for McDonough, it's probably Bledsoe/Goodwin/Len.

[Sunsfan4life]

I mean I guess it really depends on what you are giving Tucker in Free Agency. Thats where his value will be determined.

Corey Brewer is making 4.50 mil per
Jared Dudley is making 4.25mil per
Something along those lines may be equal for both sides.

We gave dudley 5yrs 22.5mil...He was 26, P.J. is 28.

[TOO]

4.5 seems about right for a 3D guy. I like Tucker more than Dudley so I wouldnt have a problem giving him a similiar deal.

[In2ition]

I'd think 3.5 is better. I wouldn't want to overpay him. I like Tucker, but I don't think he's worth that much.

[Ring_Wanted]

3.5M is perfect.

And Dragic-Green-Tucker is close to my red line too, but I'll add Miles Plumlee.

If I am keeping Dragic, I also want to give him the best chance to succeed, so Frye is almost imperative, unless you can find a better stretch forward that improves what we have on defense and rebounding, but those areas need work no matter what, anyway. I'd be much more comfortable if we didn't have to rely on Channing so much, at least in terms of minutes per game (same for Tucker).

I'd like to see Miles back for good to his level from the first half or third of the season, but even if that happens, you need one more big man capable of good D+R, and Kieff is not that. Hopefully Len can make the jump. Otherwise we are in for another rollercoaster where we give up big leads as easily as we gain them.

Bledsoe is tricky with his health, but if the med staff is ok with him long term, so am I. I believe he is overrated to some extent, especially one on one D, but he is a talent and it's not easy to find players of his caliber, either via draft or free agency, and this one fits quite well. Losing him for nothing clearly sets the team back. In my opinion, much more than overpaying to keep him. I could consider a sign and trade, but I don't think the chances are high that something worthy comes up.

The Morrii, the picks, the rookies, the cap space, are all should be used to adress the holes we have, namely defense (especially interior), shot creation at the wing and defensive rebounding. The TOs also need to go down.

I also hope that everybody works on their stamina and conditioning. So many players have looked totally exhausted for the better part of the second half of the season, and that has to change if they want to be a real playoff team in the West.

[INFORMER]

Losing him for nothing clearly sets the team back.

I really don't see how this is true. The Suns aren't some capped out, veteran team. They have loads of cap space, a wealth of draft picks, and decent prospects in Goodwin and Len. They gave up hardly anything for him, and they played half of the season without him. Plus, the Suns have an All-Star caliber player that plays his position.

I get that it's never appealing to lose a player the caliber of Bledsoe for nothing, but I really don't think it sets the Suns back.

[INFORMER]

If I am keeping Dragic, I also want to give him the best chance to succeed, so Frye is almost imperative, unless you can find a better stretch forward that improves what we have on defense and rebounding, but those areas need work no matter what, anyway. I'd be much more comfortable if we didn't have to rely on Channing so much, at least in terms of minutes per game (same for Tucker).

I would like it if the Suns moved Frye and brought in Spencer Hawes.

[Ring_Wanted]

Losing him for nothing clearly sets the team back.

I really don't see how this is true. The Suns aren't some capped out, veteran team. They have loads of cap space, a wealth of draft picks, and decent prospects in Goodwin and Len. They gave up hardly anything for him, and they played half of the season without him. Plus, the Suns have an All-Star caliber player that plays his position.

I get that it's never appealing to lose a player the caliber of Bledsoe for nothing, but I really don't think it sets the Suns back.

Mmmh so if he was gone for nothing, don't you think the team would be worse off?

I think losing him for nothing would be quite a hit. This doesn't mean that he is a real max player, that he doesn't have flaws or health concerns, that he can't be replaced or that you can't use a different system.

But you can't convince me that the team wouldn't miss him, and if he was gone for free, you'd need to use resources just to get back to the same level, even if it's a different product.

The price paid to aquire him is a minor point, in my opinion, and one that shouldn't determine how expendable he is.

Also, about Dragic, have you seen him defend this year? He hasn't, and that's a problem that Bledsoe helps alleviating. Maybe he is not the advertised lockdown defender, but his recovering is absolutely magnificent and he doesn't gamble as much as I thought he would. Another plus regarding Dragic is that one more ballhandler of Bledsoe's caliber makes it way easier for everybody, especially a Goran Dragic who tends to pick up his dribble too soon and is vulnerable to pressure.

Really, I get not wanting to gamble on damaged goods, but that's not what we are discussing here. If Bledsoe is healthy, I say keep him, even if you know you are overpaying.

Besides, how much are we talking about? The max is around $14.5M plus ~1M raises. He has proved that he is a player, and that the team can win with him. I think we can agree that he is out of the 8-9M range. 10-11M would be fair? More than that is indeed overpaying, don't you think? He won't get the franchise max, so at most you are looking at around 20M over four years in 'overpayments'. Or one role player. The way things work in the NBA, I think sooner or later you have to bite that bullet and stop shuffling.

If the proposition is doing so or saving the opportunity in hopes that something better comes up, I do the former and try to mitigate the impact of having that salary. For instance, using the picks instead of spending significant money on say the Morrii, Green or Frye.

And if during his tenure something indeed better can be done, you use him without even thinking twice.