Game Day: Suns (17-47) @ Nuggets (26-38), Thurs 3/10/16

[Indy]

By the way, does anyone have quick access to draft lottery results vs expected chances in the modern era?

[dragickingdom]

Nets play 76ers today.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

How easy is to lose perspective after a mere 2 win streak.

We are nitpicking the same players we were giving praise for their baby steps during the blowouts. Len is not as good as their ESPN mention, neither as bad as this single game. Now and then, he still has A LOT of work ahead to do, left hand, positioning, etc.

Booker is not the next Lebron after matching that back to back 30pts performance gimmick, as he was easily nulified when teams take notice of him as a primary option. Altough he clearly will be above average to very good as a SG.

Bottom line, we are in the middle of growing pains for an extremely raw team. Next year, we are due to receive another batch of rookies with their very own development path. Even if we nail our picks, and development them right, it will be a rough ride, a rollercoaster maybe.

We must make a effort not to use a single game as a verdict of our young players' future.

[Mori Chu]

Current mood: Brooding about Lakers pick :'(

[OE32]

Current mood: Brooding about Lakers pick :'(

Not fretting too much about having just two lottery picks rather than three this year. We're likely to trade one of them as it is. Though Brandon Knight as a return is not exactly impressive. But on that note, who is the best player you think we could get trading the #4 or #5 this year? Just wondering. It's a tough question.

[Indy]

Current mood: Brooding about Lakers pick :'(

Not fretting too much about having just two lottery picks rather than three this year. We're likely to trade one of them as it is. Though Brandon Knight as a return is not exactly impressive. But on that note, who is the best player you think we could get trading the #4 or #5 this year? Just wondering. It's a tough question.

Is it just me, or does everyone else see us trading more than 1 pick and a guy like Knight for some mediocre PF on a bad contract (or expiring)?

[Cap]

Trading away draft picks for little or nothing is kind of a tradition with this franchise, so I don't think anybody here would be terribly surprised by it.

[Indy]

Trading away draft picks for little or nothing is kind of a tradition with this franchise, so I don't think anybody here would be terribly surprised by it.

Especially in the Sarver era.

[OE32]

I'd be shocked by it. And I highly doubt we'll trade for someone who will be a UFA in the near future. RFA is more like it.

[TOO]

Current mood: Brooding about Lakers pick :'(

Not fretting too much about having just two lottery picks rather than three this year. We're likely to trade one of them as it is. Though Brandon Knight as a return is not exactly impressive. But on that note, who is the best player you think we could get trading the #4 or #5 this year? Just wondering. It's a tough question.

Is it just me, or does everyone else see us trading more than 1 pick and a guy like Knight for some mediocre PF on a bad contract (or expiring)?

Kevin Love will be available.

[Indy]

I'd be shocked by it. And I highly doubt we'll trade for someone who will be a UFA in the near future. RFA is more like it.

I wasn't saying UFA. I see us doing a Knight deal again, but maybe with a vet instead of a rook. Either way, it will be underwhelming, but just big enough for the org to sell it and put us back in the race for a 13-15th pick next year.

[Indy]

And Watson will be praised as an almost-coach-of-the-year with a +20 game turn around...

[Danimal]

How easy is to lose perspective after a mere 2 win streak.

We are nitpicking the same players we were giving praise for their baby steps during the blowouts. Len is not as good as their ESPN mention, neither as bad as this single game. Now and then, he still has A LOT of work ahead to do, left hand, positioning, etc.

Booker is not the next Lebron after matching that back to back 30pts performance gimmick, as he was easily nulified when teams take notice of him as a primary option. Altough he clearly will be above average to very good as a SG.

Bottom line, we are in the middle of growing pains for an extremely raw team. Next year, we are due to receive another batch of rookies with their very own development path. Even if we nail our picks, and development them right, it will be a rough ride, a rollercoaster maybe..

Agreed. But the media seems to lead the kind of yoyo opinion of the youngsters. A week ago it was all positive articles, then today Len has hit a wall?? No he's just very inconsistent and is developing. Its kind of the same crap you see at the start of season where the media heaps praise on the team on top 5 GAMES into the season
We must make a effort not to use a single game as a verdict of our young players' future

[Aztec Sunsfan]

Current mood: Brooding about Lakers pick :'(

If they keep it for this year, would it make you feel better? I agree that AASE would still be a bad investment for it, but would you feel better to see that maybe, after free agency, drafting in the top 3 this year, and No-more-Kobeball, the Lakers could take a real jump in the standings next year, returning an unprotected pick, but in the teens range, maybe even out of the lottery?

[Indy]

Current mood: Brooding about Lakers pick :'(

If they keep it for this year, would it make you feel better? I agree that AASE would still be a bad investment for it, but would you feel better to see that maybe, after free agency, drafting in the top 3 this year, and No-more-Kobeball, the Lakers could take a real jump in the standings next year, returning an unprotected pick, but in the teens range, maybe even out of the lottery?

I'd be happy to place a wager that the Lakers are not in the playoffs next year.

[Mori Chu]

The pick is going to be a great pick, whether it transfers this year or next. We blew it.

[Indy]

The pick is going to be a great pick, whether it transfers this year or next. We blew it.

Exactly. We blew it on a mediocre player that we got to resign for $14M a year. We wasted a pick and then bid against ourselves. Brilliant.

[Aztec Sunsfan]

The pick is going to be a great pick, whether it transfers this year or next. We blew it.

Great pick does not necesarily means great player, specially out of the top 3. Again, not defending the trade, not at all. Im still unable to come around the fact, the shock, on how McD was forced to surrender our top asset, for a vanilla player in a contract year. I guess desperation makes stupid out of most of all.

I'm just pointing out, that as good as that pick is, is not a rosseta stone either. Receiving it this year, does not looks like we were almost guarantee to find a sure thing, not even a clear cut building block. I shed some tears for the pick, but not ripping my clothes for it

[OE32]

Knight looked good last night, except as a creator (those lobs man... those lobs). With Booker guarding the 2 and playing the 1 on offense, and Knight playing the 2 on offense and the 1 on defense - that could work. By going to Len and Booker as our primary options, Knight was able to wait for his opportunities rather than force them, which increased his FG%. For a night, it looked like it could work. And if he's shooting 40% from 3 and 45% from 2 while playing solid defense on the opposing point, I'll have no complaints.

This does beg the question, though - which of Knight and Bled has the most trade value? Because I'm becoming more skeptical of the idea that Brandon will accept coming off the bench. If we can boost Knight's numbers these last 6 weeks of the season, we may be able to pull off a solid deal and bring in a quality forward... but who? That's a tough question. Maybe Favors? I've been against it in the past, but the high-low with Chandler and Len has been working, and it's looking like Len is more of a face-up 5.

I know it sounds blasphemous, but would anyone do http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=h4nrn96 with our top pick (assuming we can't grab one of Simmons, Ingram or Bender) and our #35 for Utah's pick and the future OKC and GS picks? Outside of those three, most of the talent at the top of this draft appears to be shooting guards. I think we can do about as well at the back of the lottery (Sabonis - credit JCSunsfan - and Valentine or Luwawu, say) than at #5.

Bledsoe/Burke/Felder or Ulis
Booker/Goodwin/Valentine or Luwawu
Warren/Tucker/Budinger
Favors/Sabonis
Len/Chandler

IDK. I'd also look at dealing with Denver and their bevy of picks, but that only works if we can move those picks in a package for a forward - again, it's not particularly clear what options we would have. Maybe Love.

[INFORMER]

I want Knight to play well the rest of the year because I want him to have some trade value this summer.

Then again, if he plays well, some genius in the Suns front office might insist on keeping him.

Agreed on both points.