Game Day: Timberwolves (14-48) @ Suns (33-32), Wed 3/11/15

[Mori Chu]

The main benefit of making the playoffs would be, getting destroyed by the Warriors would show our guys what the playoffs are like and how much further we need to go to be a great team. You can't beat reps. Also our own draft pick would not change by much whether we make it or not.

[LazarusLong]

A couple more floggings similar to the one the Spurs administered a few weeks ago ought to do the same trick. That, or certain players will continue to whine they'd only be better if fans adored them more ...

[Indy]

The main benefit of making the playoffs would be, getting destroyed by the Warriors would show our guys what the playoffs are like and how much further we need to go to be a great team. You can't beat reps. Also our own draft pick would not change by much whether we make it or not.

That assumes the players we want to develop would be getting significant minutes during this destruction.

[specialsauce]

Fire Hornacek, tonight.

You be trippin', dude.

[specialsauce]

Unless the front office comes out and says "winning isn't as important as developing the young players" the coach is going to play the guys he thinks give the team the best chance of winning. That's just the way it is when you're the coach or players - you go out there to win the game.

Now we can argue that Warren should play over Marcus, but I don't think at this point Archie gives the team a better chance to win than Thornton. And Hornacek may just be one of those coaches that prefers going with the veterans (he gave Green a long leash).

Personally, I would throw in the towel this season and play the kids - but unless you have the stamp of approval of the front office, priority #1 is winning games.

Sorry bud, I think you're way off. I think we will win more games with Warren and Archie. I don't call playing them throwing in the towel. It's a matter of the veterans not getting it done and going with players that will run the system. It's principle. He has no command of the locker room AND the results are poor.

I am with Bob. I don't think it is clear based on this entire season that playing Archie or TJ (despite a great game last night) means we win more games this year. And the front office keeps saying we are in a playoff race. And keep in mind that right now is prime season for renewing next season's tickets. They aren't going to say, "Well, we had a shot but decided to prepare for next season and beyond." They just aren't going to get the majority of the fair weather fans in Phoenix to pony up money to see that.

I know, I know. They aren't getting people to pony up money to this what is currently happening either. But you get my point. That's why I think we are not going to go the whole rebuild route, and keep mediocre players around like Keef/Marcus until 2020. Bleh.

I completely disagree. The Marcus' provide no distinct winning advantage and are not well liked by fans. It's a lose-lose all the way around.

[Indy]

This season is a lost cause. So it doesn't really matter. And you devalue Marcus if you sit him. Thornton is another story though, since he is an UFA.

[virtual9mm]

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the Suns should move Marcus and keep Markieff. I like Markieff's game quite a bit, and I'm convinced that Marcus has been a bad influence on him. Marcus is an average player on an average salary, and we need to find PT for Warren. It will be like "Sorry guys, you fucked up".

Maybe without Marcus around, Markieff's going to be more of a rebounder as a matter of effort.

[INFORMER]

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the Suns should move Marcus and keep Markieff. I like Markieff's game quite a bit, and I'm convinced that Marcus has been a bad influence on him. Marcus is an average player on an average salary, and we need to find PT for Warren. It will be like "Sorry guys, you fucked up".

Maybe without Marcus around, Markieff's going to be more of a rebounder as a matter of effort.

You have no idea what you're asking for.

[Mori Chu]

You can't split up the twins anymore. They will revolt. They are a package deal, literally.

[virtual9mm]

Let them. This team is getting to a point where it needs a heavy hand.

[Indy]

Keef isn't going to start rebounding well for the first time in his life because we trade his life-partner.

[LazarusLong]

The Twins are a package deal. After all the care and feeding by Suns management, if they were split now, the one who remained would sulk like a five-year old who didn't get his birthday cake.

[In2ition]

The Twins are a package deal. After all the care and feeding by Suns management, if they were split now, the one who remained would sulk like a five-year old who didn't get his birthday cake.

#TwinDilemmas

[virtual9mm]

The sulking 5 year old would have to learn how to deal with it.

[OE32]

When the salary cap jumps to $90 million in two years, the twins at $12 are going to be a helluva bargain. Just as long as they're ok with TJ leapfrogging Mook in the rotation

[Mori Chu]

I don't think this is the same as breaking apart two buddies in a typical NBA team. These guys literally signed a joint contract. They are being paid a mutual shared pool of money that they then put into a shared bank account and split amongst themselves as they see fit. I'm not even sure how the contract would be split if they somehow ended up not on the same team. I think there is literally no way that they will be separated from each other again in their careers. They will insist on playing together, and the contract is too weird to try to split it up. They might even take less money or settle for a given team just to make sure they can keep playing together.

So I just think that the idea of trading one Morris brother (Marcus) and keeping the other is a complete non-starter and shouldn't even be discussed because there is 0.000% chance it will ever happen.

[OE32]

Pretty sure they're just normal contracts - they were only "joined" for the negotiation. They can be traded independently, no problem - except for the quality of play you might get if you split them up.

[jkalldaway]

Mori, they did not sign a joint contract, that is not allowed under the CBA.

[carey]

Yeah, Babby gave them a total they wanted to sign both of them for. Told them to split it up as they see fit. They chose Keef getting 8 per year and Marcus getting 5. That's all that happened. They are regular deals.