Grading McDonough

[OE32]

It's possible this backfires on McDonough. A lot rides on these next 20 hours. Bled and IT may not trust McD, but they're also under contract. This certainly can't look good to future free agents.

[carey]

It's possible this backfires on McDonough. A lot rides on these next 20 hours. Bled and IT may not trust McD, but they're also under contract. This certainly can't look good to future free agents.

As we've seen time & time again, all FAs these days care about is $$ and Ws. I don't think anyone cares that Goran is in a huff other than Goran and the teams that are now trying to acquire Goran.

[SDC]

2013 Offseason: A-

2014 Offseason: D

Brought in WAY too many guards. This team needed big men, bottomline. I don't blame Dragic at all, cause by watching him play he didn't seem to be motivated at times on the floor.

mcdo and his analytics.

when he designed this team to tank in 2014, the team overachieved and became a top ten team.

when he actually tried to improve the team in 2015, the suns took 2 steps back.

[OE32]

Unless we pull something off with the Pacers, McD's grade is about to take a significant hit. I've been in favor (and must have) of getting rid of between 1 and 2 of the PG's, but we stuck with all three guards, and that's turned out to be a big mistake. It's becoming clear we should have made a move earlier.

I'd like to see Tucker moved, too. Warren needs time. He just does. I'm not willing to hear otherwise. Since we're not headed to the playoffs, we can afford to let him go, start the Morris twins. The FO needs to shift gears now. I've been disappointed by the delay, but I thought it was part of a smarter, long-term plan. Now I think a lot of it probably has to do with conflicting visions within the FO --- Sarver wants playoffs now, McD wants to build towards championship contention in a 4-7 year time frame.

[The Bobster]

We're still in year two of rebuilding what was considered to be one of the worst franchises in the league in the summer of 2013. This is a pretty big bump in the road, but I'm willing to wait to see how it turns out before passing judgement on McDonough.

At any rate, I think it's time to see if Warren and Goodwin can play, and that means moving out a couple of veterans (Tucker and Green are likely candidates for that).

I also don't have any problem with the team moving a rotation player like Dragic or Thomas if they get fair value in return, and I would look to re-access the commitment to some players (like the Morrii) in the offseason, and take a hard look at the team's offense and consider moving Bledsoe to SG.

McDonough and Hornacek have a lot of work to do the rest of the season and next offseason.

[OE32]

We're still in year two of rebuilding what was considered to be one of the worst franchises in the league in the summer of 2013. This is a pretty big bump in the road, but I'm willing to wait to see how it turns out before passing judgement on McDonough.

At any rate, I think it's time to see if Warren and Goodwin can play, and that means moving out a couple of veterans (Tucker and Green are likely candidates for that).

I also don't have any problem with the team moving a rotation player like Dragic or Thomas if they get fair value in return, and I would look to re-access the commitment to some players (like the Morrii) in the offseason, and take a hard look at the team's offense and consider moving Bledsoe to SG.

McDonough and Hornacek have a lot of work to do the rest of the season and next offseason.

Agreed on all points. I've been awestruck by the deference given to the veterans on this roster despite the buildup of evidence that they are not deserving of it. If we're not a playoff team this year - and that is now abundantly clear - there's really no point to keeping all these vets. I would love to see a fire sale - Goran, IT, Gerald, PJ, Plumlee. Given what we've seen so far this season, however, I don't expect it.

[ShelC]

It's all going to work out. We're going to trade Dragic and IT, maybe Tucker too. Then Bledsoe will be the primary weapon, break out and become one of the top young PGs. In the process, we may take a step back but other guys around the league will take notice. Top flight young PG....huge, developing center, high draft pick in 2015, a franchise that's never won a title...pretty intriguing. And in 2016, Durant will come on board, be able to compete right away. and lead Phoenix to its first ever championship. So it is written, so it shall be done.

[Mori Chu]

Soooooooo .... What grade do you guys give the trade deadline moves McDo made?

Dragic trade: B+. Had to dump the guy; wanted out, would have left for nothing. Got two 1st-round picks and minimal cap clogging. No real talent coming back, but good asset acquisition for a guy who was about to become a major problem.

Dumping IT: A-. Screw that guy. GTFO. Addition by subtraction. Got a mediocre 1st-round pick and salary ballast for him. Good enough.

Knight trade: C-. I like Knight plenty and think he'll be a productive player here. But he's an RFA and we'll have to pay some coin to keep him. And we gave up a lot, in terms of rotation-quality and especially in terms of giving up that Laker 1st-rounder is going to come back to bite us.

Overall trade deadline grade: B-. Seems like we mostly made the best of a bad situation, but McD arguably set things up to lead us into that bad situation.

[INFORMER]

D+

[TOO]

C- for everything. Slightly below average seems to be norm now, so I'm gonna roll w/that.

[Superbone]

C- for everything. Slightly below average seems to be norm now, so I'm gonna roll w/that.

That sounds about right.

[Ring_Wanted]

The credit he built from his first offseason is gone. He will have to work to prove that he is quality. The next draft will be a huge test.

[INFORMER]

[OE32]

I've warmed considerably to this. We got a piece of the core in Knight - I'm convinced none of the players we sent out were in that category - and we added picks.

As far as the grade goes - shit, man. Not the prettiest return I've ever seen, but for degree of difficulty, DAMN.

Flush with picks and the backcourt's fixed.

Grade: TBD. Need time to think. Of course, I wasn't a huge Dragic fan, so my grade would be higher than average.

[Sunsfan4life]

Dragic trade: B. They had to trade him. Holding onto him would of been bad. People are rolling there eyes that the picks are 2017 and 2021 but Hey Bosh/Wade and maybe even dragic himself may be gone by then. You never know how high that pk might be. I guess the Pelicans pick and a piece or 2 from Houston would of been better. Boston also had some young pieces I liked, but not adding salary and getting 2 picks is good enough.

IT Trade: A. I mean what did you expect? They undid what they did in the off-season and got a 1st for it. People saying Trading Dragic made IT more of a fit on the roster..he still wasn't going to be able to play off the ball.

Knight Trade: C. Rather have the pk then the player....Yes. Not upset over getting rid of Plumlee or Ennis, I like B Knight and think his best years are ahead of him. But don't know how he'll fit and don't think he was worth a lotto with potential to be as high as #4 pick.

Not trading P.J. or Green: I was disappointed by this especially Green. I still doubt they bring him back and now they'll get nothing for him. They could of shipped him to a contender out east for atleast a 2nd rd pick. P.J. Can still be traded this off-season but I 'd rather see those mins go to Warren at this pt.

[SDC]

D+

i cant wait for mcdo's next espn article explaining why he had to do this again.

[SDC]

i would think more kindly of mcdo if he did the nice thing and cut gerald green so he can play for OKC or something

no point in keeping him while the suns go hinkie mode now.

[SDC]

he did a good job of fixing his own mess. i'll give him a B-. If he cuts gerald green, i'll up his grade to B+ (for kindness).

[OE32]

Having reflected, I give today's deals a B. I downgrade the signing of Isaiah Thomas last year to C. Considering McD was sitting sweet with an A in my book, he's now down to a B+. How good is Brandon Knight? Will Ennis be better? How good will that LA pick be? Clearly, McD didn't want to spoil his investments in the Morrises and Bledsoe by holding too tightly to those assets. Smart move I think, but a costly one.

Tucker must go this summer. TJ must play. It's like having a young Steve Nash as your third string PG, except instead of Kidd and KJ ahead of him, it's Chris Childs and Lindsey Hunter.

Next up, the draft, followed by what I anticipate will be a quiet offseason.

Bledsoe/Goodwin
Knight/[Bogdanovic]
Tucker/Marcus/TJ:( /Bullock
Kieff/[Brown]
Len

+ in all likelihood, the #13 pick

On the plus side, we're in a position to take fliers on young players looking for a chance to play. Let's give that fatass in China a two year deal, see what happens. Or Thomas Robinson, if it must be.

[In2ition]

I was a little skeptical of the trade of Dragic, being that he was IMO the best player on the team and they didn't get anyone back that was as good. I'm not a huge fan of Knight, but know that he is a very smart kid and is an unbelievable worker, which is great. I was most disappointed that the Suns gave up the Lakers pick and Ennis. I thought both of those were going to be excellent players(eventually). I have to say even with all of this, they probably improved themselves for the future, opening up playing time, eliminating logjams, removing a player(which was a mistake to sign) that marginalized nearly everyone else on the team, creating a younger team, and opening some more cap flexibility going forward. They just need one more superstar or potential superstar in the next year either through a trade or in the draft. I like that in the timetable that they could be very good, that they will have some extra picks, which could be perfect to sustain a championship caliber team for years to come, if they are used wisely.

Now, all they need is to draft Jahlil Okafor or Karl Towns to pair with Len in the front court for the next 10-15 years.

I'm optimistic about what McDonough has done and will be doing.