Suns News: October

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Ok, right now, it would be very useful that we could start with "Stay in the court".

Two offseason in row down the drain and I already can see a an upcoming inconsistent season with glimpses of "what if" and next thing you know, is time to extend the guy or letting him go into RFA without still not knowing how much are we going to get in return for him. Sometimes I read "former 5th overall selection", and I start to think about some Wesley-perfect-smile-Johnson.

I know, unfair comparison, but The Len is already on borrowed time to show what he's got.

[Robot]

I predicated Len's situation… tons of injuries and minor time until his contract year wherein he will have some modest numbers and maybe a few 12pt and 6 rb games -- then he will fall apart again. Len sucks. The analytics suck for euro centers with injury history … just a terrible draft pick at 5.

- R

[Superbone]

Too early!

[The Bobster]

much too early.

[SwingMan]

I predicated Len's situation… tons of injuries and minor time until his contract year wherein he will have some modest numbers and maybe a few 12pt and 6 rb games -- then he will fall apart again. Len sucks. The analytics suck for euro centers with injury history … just a terrible draft pick at 5.

- R

So, you also predicted not a hint of ankle issues since January/February?

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Good thing that his ankle SEEMS healed, but he still lost his second preseason and would start the season out of the starting 5, behind Plumlee, Markieff and Tolliver in the frontcourt rotation, maybe even behind Marcus. The kid is young I know, on that perspective is early, but if you talk about the usual 4 year contract for rookies, he better take a big leap on Year Two. I'm not talking about becoming an All-Star, but at least taking over the starting spot, providing solid play on both ends for about 28 min. That alone would turn around our chances to make some noise.

[Ring_Wanted]

We certainly need him. Defensive rebounding is going to be a huge problem this season. Just watched the Rockets game and they grabbed a ton of offensive boards even without Howard.

[Mori Chu]

I think the lack of rebounding and interior defense may cost us a playoff spot. It seems like maybe 1 team from the 2014 playoffs may bow out this year, and I think New Orleans may be more poised to grab that spot than we are.

[Cap]

Oh, stifle it. We are not missing the playoffs again. The Suns will be in the 2015 playoffs. I have decreed it. I know the world doesn't typically obey my decrees, but that means I'm due.

[JCSunsfan]

The Suns don't need Len to be a star. They need him to be an above average center that can contribute at both ends of the court.

This. Outside of Duncan and Dwight, I don't know if there are any "star" centers in the league. If he could somehow average a double double, it would be absolutely incredible (as little as 10 p, 10 r).

[Split T]

I think the lack of rebounding and interior defense may cost us a playoff spot. It seems like maybe 1 team from the 2014 playoffs may bow out this year, and I think New Orleans may be more poised to grab that spot than we are.

On paper New Orleans looks great, but I still think they go through some growing pains this year and ultimately that keeps them out of the playoffs. Not to mention, Davis, Holliday, Anderson, Asik, and Gordon have all shown to have health problems in the past. I think they break .500, but end up 4 or 5 games out.

[JCSunsfan]

I think Utah could be the surprise team this year. Exum is looking fantastic, and Gobert is really progressing. That team has a lot of good looking young assets. They could be the 2014/15 version of the 13/14 Suns--the team that surprises.

It will be a real battle for the Suns to make the playoffs this year.

[JCSunsfan]

Oh, stifle it. We are not missing the playoffs again. The Suns will be in the 2015 playoffs. I have decreed it. I know the world doesn't typically obey my decrees, but that means I'm due.

The Suns could be better this year than last (not by record, just a better team) and still miss the playoffs.

SAS, GSW, OKC, LAC, HOU, MEM are all locks IMO.

PHX, POR, DAL will vie for the last two spots.

But there are dark horses that are really looking good that may really surprise
UTA, NOP, MIN

SAC and DEN won't be pushovers. The only lock to NOT make the playoffs in the west is LAL.

[Superbone]

Oh, stifle it. We are not missing the playoffs again. The Suns will be in the 2015 playoffs. I have decreed it. I know the world doesn't typically obey my decrees, but that means I'm due.

The Suns could be better this year than last (not by record, just a better team) and still miss the playoffs.

SAS, GSW, OKC, LAC, HOU, MEM are all locks IMO.

PHX, POR, DAL will vie for the last two spots.

But there are dark horses that are really looking good that may really surprise
UTA, NOP, MIN

SAC and DEN won't be pushovers. The only lock to NOT make the playoffs in the west is LAL.

I disagree with the notion that HOU and MEM are locks to make the playoffs.

[Split T]

Agreed, the west is so good I think it's possible just about anyone could fall out. I think the clippers are the safest bet to make the playoffs.
Spurs - maybe this is the year age catches up with them. Ginobili has been fading, Leonard might just be a great complimentary piece and not a star, and with advancing age, injuries are also always a question. I doubt it happens, but a slow start, an injury here and there and maybe they only win 47 games and get left out.
Thunder - Only chance they don't make it is Durant is out longer than expected and Westbrook struggles as the man, otherwise they are a lock.
Warriors - They are pretty safe if they stay healthy, but they have a lot of important players with legitimate injury issues(curry and bogut mostly)
Trailblazers - overachieved at the beginning of last year and hung on in the end. They are definitely not a lock.
Rockets - Not much depth, they are relying on two players who both have flaws. Harden is an abysmal defender and Howard is not a go-to scorer. Not a lock
Grizzlies - Played poorly to start the year last year, not a great shooting team. If they stay healthy they are probably in, but not a lock.
Suns - Everyone had career years last year and we still didn't make it. If we don't regress and if we stay healthy, we'll be in the mix. Not a lock.
Mavs - Barely made it last year and I'm not sure they really improved. Dirk is getting older, tyson chandler isn't the chandler of 2011 and raymond felton is their pg. Not a lock

I think Clips, spurs, and thunder are safe. But I wouldn't be that surprised to see anyone else on the outside looking in

[Sunsfan4life]

I think Utah could be the surprise team this year. Exum is looking fantastic, and Gobert is really progressing. That team has a lot of good looking young assets. They could be the 2014/15 version of the 13/14 Suns--the team that surprises.

It will be a real battle for the Suns to make the playoffs this year.

I agree that the Jazz will be the suprise team, but disagree that it will be because of Exum. It will be because of Trey burke. Infact, Quinn snyder recently said The game is going a little fast for Exum right now and he needs to adjust to it. Burke is tearing up pre-season and if Favors stays healthy a frontcourt of Favors/Kanter/Gobert with Hayward as your 3 and Burke,Burks and yes, Exum in a reserve role as your guard rotation. The fact that the over/under on wins for them is 25 reminds me of the Suns last yr. (we were 21)

[Robot]

I predicated Len's situation… tons of injuries and minor time until his contract year wherein he will have some modest numbers and maybe a few 12pt and 6 rb games -- then he will fall apart again. Len sucks. The analytics suck for euro centers with injury history … just a terrible draft pick at 5.

- R

So, you also predicted not a hint of ankle issues since January/February?

I predicted his career arc by season not by month. I hope I'm wrong .

- R

[Mori Chu]

I was just thinking: Should we have kept Marcin Gortat? Right now you could argue that our worst pair of contracts are the ones we just gave to the Morris brothers. Combined, they're making as much or more than what Marcin got from the Wizards. Wouldn't we be better off with Marcin as our starting center, paying him essentially that same money, with a starting lineup of:

Dragic
Bledsoe
Green
Tolliver/whoever
Gortat?

[carey]

I was just thinking: Should we have kept Marcin Gortat? Right now you could argue that our worst pair of contracts are the ones we just gave to the Morris brothers. Combined, they're making as much or more than what Marcin got from the Wizards. Wouldn't we be better off with Marcin as our starting center, paying him essentially that same money, with a starting lineup of:

Dragic
Bledsoe
Green
Tolliver/whoever
Gortat?

Depends. Do we get the Marcin that played his tail off last year? Or the shitty one from the previous year with the Suns?

[SDC]

I was just thinking: Should we have kept Marcin Gortat? Right now you could argue that our worst pair of contracts are the ones we just gave to the Morris brothers. Combined, they're making as much or more than what Marcin got from the Wizards. Wouldn't we be better off with Marcin as our starting center, paying him essentially that same money, with a starting lineup of:

Dragic
Bledsoe
Green
Tolliver/whoever
Gortat?

yes, the suns are better off with a gortat than without.