Game Day: Suns (5-4) @ Clippers (4-3), Sat 11/15/14

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Bledsoe's contract, after the cap increases, will absolutely be an asset. Be patient.

Even better, someday he will be an expiring contract!!!
Be patient!!,

[Cap]

Even better than that, some day we will all be dead and never have to endure another Suns loss again.

[INFORMER]

Even better than that, some day we will all be dead and never have to endure another Suns loss again.

Cap took it to a scary place.

[Superbone]

Even better than that, some day we will all be dead and never have to endure another Suns loss again.

Cap took it to a scary place.

Yeah, I'm going to pretend that never happened. The Suns WILL win a championship in my lifetime.

[gosuns]

Even better than that, some day we will all be dead and never have to endure another Suns loss again.

Cap took it to a scary place.

Yeah, I'm going to pretend that never happened. The Suns WILL win a championship in my lifetime.

How old are you Superbone?

[Superbone]

Even better than that, some day we will all be dead and never have to endure another Suns loss again.

Cap took it to a scary place.

Yeah, I'm going to pretend that never happened. The Suns WILL win a championship in my lifetime.

How old are you Superbone?

I figure I've got 30 to 50 years.

[INFORMER]

Green had two nice assists to Len for a couple of buckets in the paint.

Thomas also had a nice drive and dump-off to Len for a slam.

Dragic had one awful play where Len had Redick deep in the post and Dragic didn't get him the ball. There were defenders lying in wait to a certain extent, but I think you have to try and feed him. If the ball gets stolen, so be it. That's the basketball play to make. Instead, Dragic hoisted a 3, and missed. He did tap Len after the play as if to acknowledge he failed to get him the ball.

[jkalldaway]

I need to make this clear because I don't think it is being understood. Expiring contracts are no longer looked at in the positive light that they were once looked at in the past.

Why is this? It used to be that cap space was a real rarity in the NBA. Teams would plan for space and a free agent would be lucky if as many as five teams had the requisite cap space to absorb his services during the free agency period. With the new bound-to-explode Salary Cap (thank you Turner and ESPN), virtually every team will have an abundance of salary cap room almost each and every year.

This means that there is no real incentive for a team to trade out performing or soon-to-perform assets in exchange for a giant expiring contract (cap relief).

[INFORMER]

The problem, jk, is that there are so many variables that make any definitive statements about what will happen seem presumptuous at best. There's the opt-out available to both sides for the current CBA. There's a desire to push for a flattening of the rise in cap instead of having one sharp dramatic increase. Salaries will go up, but to what extent and how quickly is unknown.

This means that there is no real incentive for a team to trade out performing or soon-to-perform assets in exchange for a giant expiring contract (cap relief).

The problem is that you're counting Bledsoe and the Morris Twins in the out performing or soon-to-perform assets category.

[Indy]

The problem is that you're counting Bledsoe and the Morris Twins in the out performing or soon-to-perform assets category.

Bledsoe certainly isn't. I am not sure about Marcus; probably on the lower side but close. Markieff is. Unless I am just crazy and there are plenty of other PFs in the league (not on rookie contracts) doing more for less money.

[jkalldaway]

While I am down on Bledsoe right now as well, I think it is important to point out that these are the players that have had his averages (points, rebounds, assists) or better in a season over the past five years:

Lebron
Durant
Westbrook
Kobe
Iggy
Rondo
Harden
Curry
Lillard
Paul
Brandon Knight
Tyreke Evans

Not horrible company.

[Indy]

While I am down on Bledsoe right now as well, I think it is important to point out that these are the players that have had his averages (points, rebounds, assists) in a season over the past five years:

Lebron
Durant
Westbrook
Kobe
Iggy
Rondo
Harden
Curry
Lillard
Paul
Brandon Knight
Tyreke Evans

Not horrible company.

What are you talking about, JK? When did LeBron average these stats? or Durant? I must be reading your post incorrectly.

[jkalldaway]

Sorry Indy, his averages or better* when you look at his ppg, apg, and totrpg

[Indy]

Sorry, I am still confused. Are you saying those are the only players in the last 5 years to average 13/5/5 or better in each category?

[ShelC]

I didn't draft Bledsoe in the 3rd round of my draft for 13-5-5. His ass better wake up.

[Indy]

How much did you expect him to improve from last year per game, Shel?

[ShelC]

I mean, I'm cool with 18-5-7 on 44% and 2 threes a game. But 0/6 with 1 point? Really??

[jkalldaway]

Indy, yes. since the 2010-11 season, the following players averaged 13.6, 5, and 5 or better:

LeBron James 26.8 PPG, 8 Reb, 7.3 AST
Kevin Durant 32.0 PPG, 7.4 Reb, 5.5 AST
LeBron James 27.1 PPG, 6.9 REB, 6.3 AST
LeBron James 26.7 PPG, 7.5 REB, 7.0 AST
LeBron James 27.1 PPG, 7.9 REB, 6.2 AST
Russell Westbrook 23.2 PPG, 5.2 REB, 7.4 AST
Kobe Bryant 27.3 PPG, 5.6 REB, 6.0 AST
Andre Iguodala 14.1 PPG, 5.8 REB, 6.3 AST
Russell Westbrook 21.8 PPG, 5.7 REB, 6.9 AST
Rajon Rondo 13.7 PPG, 5.6 REB, 11.1 AST
James Harden 25.5 PPG, 6.6 REB, 7.2 AST
Stephen Curry 24.8 PPG, 5.6 REB, 7.7 AST
Damian Lillard 20.6 PPG, 5.2 REB, 6.6 AST
Chris Paul 18 PPG, 5.3 REB, 10.1 AST
Michael Carter-Williams 16.7 PPG, 6.2 REB, 6.3 AST
LeBron James 27.8 PPG, 6.4 REB. 6.8 AST
Brandon Knight 18.3 PPG, 6.0 REB, 6.4 AST
Tyreke Evans 16.3 PPG, 6.8 REB, 7.1 AST

[Indy]

Indy, yes. since the 2010-11 season, the following players averaged 13.6, 5, and 5 or better:

LeBron James 26.8 PPG, 8 Reb, 7.3 AST
Kevin Durant 32.0 PPG, 7.4 Reb, 5.5 AST
LeBron James 27.1 PPG, 6.9 REB, 6.3 AST
LeBron James 26.7 PPG, 7.5 REB, 7.0 AST
LeBron James 27.1 PPG, 7.9 REB, 6.2 AST
Russell Westbrook 23.2 PPG, 5.2 REB, 7.4 AST
Kobe Bryant 27.3 PPG, 5.6 REB, 6.0 AST
Andre Iguodala 14.1 PPG, 5.8 REB, 6.3 AST
Russell Westbrook 21.8 PPG, 5.7 REB, 6.9 AST
Rajon Rondo 13.7 PPG, 5.6 REB, 11.1 AST
James Harden 25.5 PPG, 6.6 REB, 7.2 AST
Stephen Curry 24.8 PPG, 5.6 REB, 7.7 AST
Damian Lillard 20.6 PPG, 5.2 REB, 6.6 AST
Chris Paul 18 PPG, 5.3 REB, 10.1 AST
Michael Carter-Williams 16.7 PPG, 6.2 REB, 6.3 AST
LeBron James 27.8 PPG, 6.4 REB. 6.8 AST
Brandon Knight 18.3 PPG, 6.0 REB, 6.4 AST
Tyreke Evans 16.3 PPG, 6.8 REB, 7.1 AST

You should add TOs in there too...

[Indy]

I mean, I'm cool with 18-5-7 on 44% and 2 threes a game. But 0/6 with 1 point? Really??

Yeah, that was pretty awful. With his tank like body, he should at least be getting to the line 5 times a night (either for 10 shots if he misses the drive, or as little as 5 if he makes them all).