Game Day: Magic (6-12) @ Suns (10-7), Sun 11/30/14

[ShelC]

Honestly, defense aside, Amar'es really impressed me with his play this year.

[SwingMan]

The only good thing from last night was watching Hornacek swearing up a storm on the bench the whole game. He's as pissed as we are. Which is a start.

I don't know if you listened to the Suns' broadcast but apparently in one of the timeouts, Coach stepped into the huddle and didn't say a word while everybody was waiting for instructions and then walked off.

Yep, I think it was in the 3rd quarter during a 20 second TO - just walked into the huddle, stared a bit, then turned around & walked out of it, completely silent.

[OE32]

WHOA. Did not know about that. The tension is real.

On the plus side, this probably gives McD all the room he needs to operate.

[ShelC]

Could Hornacek have lost the team? Are guys not responding? Is he down on certain players?

[carey]

Could Hornacek have lost the team? Are guys not responding? Is he down on certain players?

Jeez. We're kind of going off the deep end no?

[Superbone]

Could Hornacek have lost the team? Are guys not responding? Is he down on certain players?

To me it was more of letting them know that they weren't getting it done without needing to say anything.

[Shabazz]

That's a classic coaching move.

[Superbone]

''Orlando, they played hard for 48 minutes,'' Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek said. ''We played hard for about 12 minutes. ... We want to continually go through the motions and think we're just going to beat teams, not get dirty and not get hit and get scratched up, whatever it takes. The guys saw that in the fourth quarter when they play that way, they're pretty good''

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/magic-beat ... --nba.html

[Gladiator]

Perhaps this is better placed for another thread, but what are people's ideas for a short term fix?

- Len in starting line up?
- Tucker in starting line up?
- Is running Len and Plumee together at all worth a shot?
- See if a 2nd rounder can get us a more serviceable PF/C than Randolph to fix the roster imbalance?

I always assumed McD created the roster imbalance because he was still in acquiring assets mode for trades down the line. Just want to see if/how/when he intends to fix it. For that reason I put more pressure on coach right at the moment than McD.

I'm not that fussed about whether Len starts or comes off the bench, but he should definitely be playing big minutes (much more than Plumlee), and finishing games. Crunch time experience is more valuable than starting I think.

I'm torn on putting Tucker into the starting line-up. I'm annoyed by his off-field stuff and wonder if it points to a general drop-off in intensity in his game. He had such a chip on his shoulder to get a chance, then prove he was good enough. Now he's got a comfortable deal. He had one play in the last game where he got badly beaten by Ben Gordon (of all people) on a drive, and gave up a virtually uncontested lay-up. That's not the defensive menace we need. On balance, I'd probably start him and see how it works, but I'm certainly not committed to that idea.

I don't believe Len and Plumlee together would work. For no other reason than that would then be 2 players on court who never touch the ball on offence, given how little our guards look to our big guys.

I'm not sure there's a minor trade out there that can help us that much. I'm prepared to ride through this rough patch and see who fights their way out of it in the short term and go for a bigger trade when we can.

[Mori Chu]

Heck, Amare has a higher PER than anyone on our team other than IT3.

How about Bledsoe and PJ for Amare. He's even on an expiring deal so it's not like it would hurt us going forgward.

Ouch!! Bledsoe should print out that post and stick it to his locker. What a diss.

[Phoenix219]

I'm down. I wanted us to let Bledsoe walk anyways, so it would restore us to that position salary wise, give us a Big who could function as a stretch 4 with the jump shot an work on the pick n roll, an isn't much of a commitment on the expiring. I'm not in a rush to get rid of PJ, but it would get out of his contract too, and get away from the off court issues.

[OE32]

Bledsoe and PJ's contracts are valuable. I wouldn't give them away. I'd look at Amare in free agency, when he doesn't cost $20 million.

[Phoenix219]

Cap space is more valuable. Dump them now, then sign Amare to something like the mid level. Without expecting superstar results from him, Amare would probably be just fine here.

[carey]

I'm down. I wanted us to let Bledsoe walk anyways, so it would restore us to that position salary wise, give us a Big who could function as a stretch 4 with the jump shot an work on the pick n roll, an isn't much of a commitment on the expiring. I'm not in a rush to get rid of PJ, but it would get out of his contract too, and get away from the off court issues.

I'm not keen on Bledsoe at his salary, but I think he's better than he's been playing. If that trade were to happen, significant future assets would have to be headed our way in return. A lot of teams could give up just cap space. NYK picks are always mid-first but they rarely ever own them...

[Phoenix219]

They have any 2s we could pick up? Do they still have Shumpert? I don't know. I just liked Dan's idea, and am not a fan of Bledsoe, his contract, his stye or his attitude. I'd take a couple first rounders spread over the next 5 years. NY is perennially bad.

[OE32]

The way things are structured, cap space is becoming less valuable, and reasonable long-term contracts are looking more valuable. How things have changed!

[Dan H]

We'd have to throw in more to get back a 2, but I figured with our glut, getting rid of Bledsoe and Tucker would give us a more solidified backcourt rotation with IT3/Dragic/Green, and maybe a little Goodwin or Ennis from time to time. Warren would also be able to pick up PJ's minutes. I think he obviously has more upside than Tucker who's peaked at this point.

[Mori Chu]

I think Bledsoe, Tucker, and Tolliver for Amare and Shumpert works under the cap. Not sure if that would be good for the team, but it would clear cap. Problem with it is that we signed all 3 of those guys this offseason, and it looks really bad for McD to immediately trade 3 guys he just signed. I think it'd be too embarrassing for him as a GM to reboot on 3 of his transactions so quickly. So I doubt it'll happen.

[Dan H]

I think Bledsoe, Tucker, and Tolliver for Amare and Shumpert works under the cap. Not sure if that would be good for the team, but it would clear cap. Problem with it is that we signed all 3 of those guys this offseason, and it looks really bad for McD to immediately trade 3 guys he just signed. I think it'd be too embarrassing for him as a GM to reboot on 3 of his transactions so quickly. So I doubt it'll happen.

I dunno, of the four guys we got in the Barkley trade, all but one were gone within what, 20 games? If it improves chemistry or performance I think you have to look at it.

[ShelC]

Knicks are sensitive about capspace. They'd rather keep selling the dream of the big offseason signing than commit money and try to win. So I doubt they'd give up Amare's ending deal for Bledsoe's long term one. And keep in mind, they're running the triangle, which Bledsoe probably doesn't fit. If they had a more traditional coach and system, Bledsoe would probably be the kind of player you put with Anthony on the perimeter. They might be more interested in Dragic at this point, but again, probably wouldn't take on long term salary or give up their pick this year. And they could always go after him as a FA.