Suns News: The Offseason (2016)

[OE32]

I think the ankle injury against the Blazers convinced the coaching staff that it was better to keep Len grounded on both sides of the ball. That and our need for him on offense made us want to keep him out of foul trouble. Len's athleticism is underrated, IMO, in part because he doesn't use it all that often.

I think the biggest thing for him is that jump shot, actually. When it goes, everything goes. When it doesn't, it seems he can't do anything right. It's all mental with him. He will either gain confidence in that shot and become Marc Gasol or not and become Andris Biedrins - a guy who only rebounds. You need to do more than just rebound to be a starting center in the NBA.

No matter what Alex does, he won't become Gasol.

Nice sig.

[Indy]

I think the ankle injury against the Blazers convinced the coaching staff that it was better to keep Len grounded on both sides of the ball. That and our need for him on offense made us want to keep him out of foul trouble. Len's athleticism is underrated, IMO, in part because he doesn't use it all that often.

I think the biggest thing for him is that jump shot, actually. When it goes, everything goes. When it doesn't, it seems he can't do anything right. It's all mental with him. He will either gain confidence in that shot and become Marc Gasol or not and become Andris Biedrins - a guy who only rebounds. You need to do more than just rebound to be a starting center in the NBA.

No matter what Alex does, he won't become Gasol.

Nice sig.

I couldn't let cap and sup have all the fun!

[virtual9mm]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

[wpmiller42]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

Great to hear. Though part of me hopes that Sarver never sees this. He might try lowballing him now...

[Indy]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

Great to hear. Though part of me hopes that Sarver never sees this. He might try lowballing him now...

Sarver doesn't low-ball players. Many times he over-pays. He hires the most inexperienced FO staffers though.

[OE32]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

Great to hear. Though part of me hopes that Sarver never sees this. He might try lowballing him now...

Sarver doesn't low-ball players. Many times he over-pays. He hires the most inexperienced FO staffers though.

He negotiated too hard with JJ. He wanted $50 mil (over what was it then - 5 years?); we wouldn't budge from $45. JC wanted Sarver to pay the $50 mil; Sarver wouldn't listen.

Just a few years later, he would hand a $7 mil per contract to Josh Childress, who had been playing for $2-3 mil per overseas, IIRC. At that time, Sarver was being advised by... no one. Having pushed the Colangelos out and refusing to give raises to his coaching staff, he was left without a GM to tell him that Josh Childress was not, in fact, even a very poor man's Shawn Marion.

No need to rehash all this unless things get dicey with our draft picks. Until then, I will believe that we are in good hands with Ryan McDonough.

[ShelC]

IIRC, Sarver was being advised by Lon Babby who was the former agent for Hedo and Childress. He was being advised because Babby hadn't yet come on as Overlord of BOps, but it was a mere formality.

[OE32]

IIRC, Sarver was being advised by Lon Babby who was the former agent for Hedo and Childress. He was being advised because Babby hadn't yet come on as Overlord of BOps, but it was a mere formality.

I believe the offer to join as Overlord was made during the course of Josh's contract negotiations.

Those were truly wasted years.

[O_Gardino]

(goddammit I'm trying to get us off of the topic of everything that went wrong over the last 12 years.)

Back to Len, I think the best thing about last season was his 78 games played. If he can stay on the court, he has a chance to learn all the little things he needs to be a good player. He's already a very good rebounder. He has a lot of dots to connect on both ends of the court, but his rebounding and passing have both improved every season. That tells me the hustle is there, and he's learning. Plus, I think he can move without the ball better than we realize. He will look much better when he's not the #2 scoring option. Fingers crossed for him this year.

[ShelC]

Seriously tho, we could've had Deng or Iguodala...

[Superbone]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

Love it! Booker and crew will bring the Suns their first NBA championship and he'll be loved by all. Book it!

[Superbone]

Love this quote:

“He’s 19 and he’s never afraid,” says Watson. “That’s what I love about him. He wants it. You have a lot of players in this league that say they want it, but when they get the chance to get it, they really don’t want it. You can just see it. You can feel it. But this kid really wants it.”

[JCSunsfan]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

Love it! Booker and crew will bring the Suns their first NBA championship and he'll be loved by all. Book it!

And oh, young man, that is what we would like you to be as well. Be our own version of Michael Jordan. This city deserves it.

[Mori Chu]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

Fuck yeah. This post and those quotes really get me going a big Suns fan. It's awesome when your best player says he loves playing here and wants to spend his whole career here. That was great to read.

[TOO]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

f*** yeah. This post and those quotes really get me going a big Suns fan. It's awesome when your best player says he loves playing here and wants to spend his whole career here. That was great to read.

When did Bledsoe say that?

[O_Gardino]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

f*** yeah. This post and those quotes really get me going a big Suns fan. It's awesome when your best player says he loves playing here and wants to spend his whole career here. That was great to read.

Yeah, very cool. He said something similar in Rookie/Vet when talking about the city itself. "I love the city of Phoenix... I tell people this all the time, that I could actually see myself living here in the future." As in - not just because I have to.

[youtube2][/youtube2]

[Superbone]

I hadn't seen the fourth installment yet. Here it is. (Again I'm sure. Apologies to Carey in advance. )

[youtube][/youtube]

[carey]

D.A. ranks the best off-seasons & has the Suns at 7th: http://www.nba.com/news/features/david_ ... index.html

7. PHOENIX SUNS

ADDED: F Jared Dudley (three years, $30 million); G Leandro Barbosa (two years, $8 million); F Dragan Bender (first round, fourth pick overall); F Marquese Chriss (Draft rights acquired from Sacramento); G Tyler Ulis (second round, 34th overall)

LOST: F Mirza Teletovic (signed with Milwaukee); F Jon Leuer (signed with Detroit)

RETAINED: G P.J. Tucker (guaranteed 2016-17 contract)

THE SKINNY: The Suns hope they addressed their forward deficiencies through the Draft, taking fliers on two teenagers -- the 18-year-old Bender, the Croatian wunderkind who played for Israeli power Maccabi Tel Aviv last season, and the 19-year-old Chriss, whose ridiculous athletic gifts were on sporadic display during his one season in college. A combined 13 feet, 11 inches, the two will surely struggle early, but should eventually step in with second-year guard Devin Booker, fourth-year center Alex Len and the Suns' seemingly endless trove of point guards -- which they added further to by taking Kentucky's Ulis in the second round. At some point, GM Ryan McDonough will have to pare that group down via trade, but he now has some real pieces to put together to offer for an All-Star-level talent should one become available. In the interim, Phoenix brought back Dudley and Barbosa for second tours to provide some kind of veteran presence in the locker room along with Tyson Chandler and Tucker. Coach Earl Watson will be able to put his program in fully this season as the Suns continue to rebuild.

[Cap]

Booker just told SLAM that he wants to stay in Phoenix his entire career:

Ever envision yourself going into that Ring?

“Definitely,” he answers, without hesitation. “I love it in Phoenix and I want to be one of those guys that gets drafted by one team and stays there the whole time. You know, they turn around the franchise, and they get love for that in that city like they’re the mayor…People still wear Steve Nash jerseys here. That’s definitely something I want to be.”

Read more at http://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/ ... 6isfxmI.99

f*** yeah. This post and those quotes really get me going a big Suns fan. It's awesome when your best player says he loves playing here and wants to spend his whole career here. That was great to read.

When did Bledsoe say that?

Last season, Bledsoe had 632 points, 190 assists, and 125 rebounds. Booker had 1048, 200, and 187. So .

[O_Gardino]

D.A. ranks the best off-seasons & has the Suns at 7th: http://www.nba.com/news/features/david_ ... index.html

Thanks,Carey.

Some responses to DA:

LOST: F Mirza Teletovic (signed with Milwaukee); F Jon Leuer (signed with Detroit)

We also lost Ronnie Price.

A combined 13 feet, 11 inches, [Bender and Chriss] will surely struggle early...

Yeah, if we make them stand on each other.

second-year guard Devin Booker, fourth-year center Alex Len and ... point guards

I guess I can't blame him for forgetting Warren, but I've got high hopes for TJ this season.

At some point, GM Ryan McDonough will have to pare that group down via trade, but he now has some real pieces to put together to offer for an All-Star-level talent should one become available.

And this is the question of the season for me. Does McDonough think he needs to pair down the guard rotation, or does hes still think Knight and Bledsoe are an unstoppable combo? Is he stocking up for a trade, or will we see the talent on the end of the bench waste away with no playing time?