Suns News: Week 15 2/2-2/8

[ShelC]

Bledsoe can be a #2.

[Shabazz]

I usually just have nothing meaningful to add.

Great. Then you're just like the rest of us.

Even now most of what I've said in this post was probably said a couple of times here already

Yep. Just like the rest of us.

[Shabazz]

I think we need to abandon the starting-two-PGs paradigm and trade one of the PGs for a true SG who is a lights-out 3point shooter. I could see a guy like Afflalo being a huge upgrade. I'd LOVE to get Jimmy Butler; I wonder if we could outbid Chicago for him.

I disagree. I think it's one of our strengths and sustainable in the long run. The 3 PG system on the on the other hand, while actually working decently now, seems like a poor allocation of resources long term. That situation's a little trickier to judge.

I think we'd lose more than we'd gain by swapping Gogi or Bledsoe for a guy like Afflalo.

[Indy]

I think we need to abandon the starting-two-PGs paradigm and trade one of the PGs for a true SG who is a lights-out 3point shooter. I could see a guy like Afflalo being a huge upgrade. I'd LOVE to get Jimmy Butler; I wonder if we could outbid Chicago for him.

I disagree. I think it's one of our strengths and sustainable in the long run. The 3 PG system on the on the other hand, while actually working decently now, seems like a poor allocation of resources long term. That situation's a little trickier to judge.

I think we'd lose more than we'd gain by swapping Gogi or Bledsoe for a guy like Afflalo.

I am kind of in that boat, it just doesn't feel that the FO is. Not specifically related to Arron (I hate that he spells it that way!), but to Dragic.

I think we could be a contender with our current starting backcourt, but not if either guy is our vocal leader, or our best player.

[Superbone]

Hi everyone, another lurker here.
I just wanted to say, that even though this team may appear to have "average" future, you never know. If I remember correctly, Houston was in a very similar position before getting Harden and consequently Howard (only they were stacking PFs not PGs ). Also I believe many would say Hawks plateaued before this season, but now they're looking extremely good.

Welcome. Please feel free to post instead of lurking. Don't let the bullies (*cough*Superbone*cough*) discourage you.

[Superbone]

Hi everyone, another lurker here.
I just wanted to say, that even though this team may appear to have "average" future, you never know. If I remember correctly, Houston was in a very similar position before getting Harden and consequently Howard (only they were stacking PFs not PGs ). Also I believe many would say Hawks plateaued before this season, but now they're looking extremely good.

Great point, Hermen. Even this team looked like it had no hope of even being good a couple seasons ago. A trade here and there, and bam!

[Superbone]

Which move do you see that we can make to put us in the top 5 teams this year?

I think we need to abandon the starting-two-PGs paradigm and trade one of the PGs for a true SG who is a lights-out 3point shooter. I could see a guy like Afflalo being a huge upgrade. I'd LOVE to get Jimmy Butler; I wonder if we could outbid Chicago for him.

We also really need better SFs. I could see Paul George being a fit if he gets healthy. I'm intrigued by Tobias Harris. Maybe Wilson Chandler? I kind of wish we'd thrown the bank at Gordon Hayward, in retrospect. I don't know.

We need to find the right player and then go after him with the "Steve Nash" treatment where we have a leatherbound book showing his future as a Sun on the first day of free agency.

[INFORMER]

Exum was brutal in the last 5 games going 2/21 from the field combined in about 25 minutes per game.

He's essentially coming into the NBA straight of high school. I'd take him in heartbeat. Give me Exum, Steve Novak, and Trevor Booker for Bledsoe any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

[INFORMER]

And why are the Jazz so scary? Trey Burke? Hayward? Exum? Favors? Gobert? Nice young players but I'm not ready to anoint them just yet.

No one said they're scary or are anointing them.

And fyi, Gobert already is sick and he's just 22. 21.76 PER. Freakin' ridiculous.

[ShelC]

Give me Exum, Steve Novak, and Trevor Booker for Bledsoe any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Wow.

[INFORMER]

Houston won't be a contender anytime soon with their roster. It's fool's gold. Harden doesn't play defense, Howard is soft and injury prone, Smith is a bad fit. They won't get past the 2nd round with this core.

Your Harden take is dated. He isn't a lockdown defender, but his performance on the defensive end is no longer standing in the way of Houston's chances to succeed. You're more or less right about Howard. I wouldn't factor Josh Smith in. He's their Tim Thomas. He's not a bad fit; he's just not that good. He helps now with Howard unavailable.

D-Mo and Terrence Jones (before he got injured) have taken big leaps this year, so that helps.

I don't see how you can call them fool's gold, because honestly, they are what they appear to be. They're a team being carried by one of the best players in the league (this season) with some interesting role players and potentially some up and coming young players. They're really good but not great. No one is really talking about them and the championship because I think it is generally accepted that they are probably one player away.

[Mori Chu]

That's a pretty big diss on Bledsoe right there. Those guys (Exum, Novak, Booker) are all trash. But I could see some addition-by-subtraction potential in getting rid of a PG right now, at least.

[INFORMER]

Novak and Booker are just salary filler. Booker's deal is non-guaranteed next season so the expectation would be just to waive him.

Calling Exum trash is just silly.

[wpmiller42]

I actually really like Exum. He's got most of the tools you need to be a top guard in the league, but he just hasn't put them together yet. Which, I think, is mostly just a product of him being young. I actually like Booker too as more of a bench defensive type.

[Ring_Wanted]

Give me Exum, Steve Novak, and Trevor Booker for Bledsoe any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Wow.

I'd take it.

[Ring_Wanted]

I think we need to abandon the starting-two-PGs paradigm and trade one of the PGs for a true SG who is a lights-out 3point shooter. I could see a guy like Afflalo being a huge upgrade. I'd LOVE to get Jimmy Butler; I wonder if we could outbid Chicago for him.

I disagree. I think it's one of our strengths and sustainable in the long run. The 3 PG system on the on the other hand, while actually working decently now, seems like a poor allocation of resources long term. That situation's a little trickier to judge.

I think we'd lose more than we'd gain by swapping Gogi or Bledsoe for a guy like Afflalo.

Agreed.

[Superbone]

Your Harden take is dated. He isn't a lockdown defender, but his performance on the defensive end is no longer standing in the way of Houston's chances to succeed.

Did anybody see Harden being this good coming out of ASU?

[Indy]

Your Harden take is dated. He isn't a lockdown defender, but his performance on the defensive end is no longer standing in the way of Houston's chances to succeed.

Did anybody see Harden being this good coming out of ASU?

I'm sure wpmiller did.

[SDC]

Suns are currently 28-22. A year ago at this time after 50 games the Suns were 30-20, 2 games better.

They got to get things in gear. Suns lost to the Grizz cause of missed freethrows (esp.in the first half) and of course late game execution. It's going to be harder making the playoffs this year than last with the Thunder and the Pelicans on their heels.

i predicted this team will win 6 games less than last season.

And if a couple of freak bounces would have gone our way, we could have 32 wins and be 2 games better than last years pace.

I don't think it is out of the question to think we can get hot and finish 22-10 to get to 50 wins

listening to the warriors broadcast, one thing they get right is that the suns team will let you get back into the game even if you are down by a huge margin. one other thing about this current team is that the suns have lost all close margin games to top tier teams in the west.

[SDC]

I think overall the most encouraging thing to take from that article is our age vs that of the west.

When Simmons mentions (Bledsoe - Morii - Len - IT) then(Randolph - CP3 - Duncan - Parker - Nowitzki, etc), it really allows me to believe if we keep improving and see some decline from some other teams, we can be in the mix/middle of conf for years to come.

Well, CP3 is leaps and bounds better than Bledsoe. It isn't close. Even an ancient Duncan is light years ahead of Keef. Same with Dirk. And I understand your logic, but I am not sure how much better either Morrii or IT can be. I can see Bledsoe improving some, and Len improving a lot. But I still don't see that as a championship team, even if you throw in a flashy free agent signing. I feel like we would do something like the Googs signing again, thinking that is a missing piece. Ugh.

By the way, I hate that I feel this way. I wish I could just see that our team is destined for greatness, but I just don't.

i thought last year's suns team was destined for something. losing frye was underrated loss for the suns.

adding IT and ennis and overpaying for bledsoe is probably the dumbest move of the decade. that isnt about misjudging a player/free agent or drafting poorly, but more fundamental.

of course, not getting gasol looks even more stupid now for those who live outside the suns bubble or outside arizona.

this team will be the denver nuggets of next season.