Suns News: The Offseason (2016)

[O_Gardino]

My company is close to partnering with a large organization in Phoenix and I may be out there a few times this year. I've never actually been to Phoenix before, so I hope to cross a "Suns Home Game" off my bucket list. Would be nice to grab drinks one night too, time permitting.

How did you become a Suns fan Bazz?

Long story short: I grew up in a city (Montreal, Canada) with no team, but was a big basketball fan. Around 1990-91 my brother introduced me to this player, Kevin Johnson. I was 10. Been a Suns fan ever since.

Right on! I grew up in Lakers / Kings country and have only made it to PHX home game once. It was great! Seeing the murals of the RoH players, feeling the energy of the place, seeing all the player jersey's the fans were wearing, seeing warm-ups and shoot around. You can get a much better feel for the team than you can from watching TV. Such a great time.

[Superbone]

Take two of the Suns’ rebuild brings even less room for error
BY KELLAN OLSON | August 16, 2016 @ 10:02 am

In what feels like seven years ago, the Phoenix Suns were coming off a 48-win season in the summer of 2014 with two different cores they could choose to build around.

Goran Dragic, Channing Frye, Gerald Green and P.J. Tucker were all in the primes of their career and played large parts in the construction of a near-playoff team.

Eric Bledsoe, Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris, Alex Len, Miles Plumlee, Archie Goodwin and 2014 first-round picks T.J. Warren, Tyler Ennis and Bogdan Bogdanovic all brought promise to the future of the team.

Ryan McDonough made his choice on which core to choose, letting Channing Frye walk and sign with the Orlando Magic, extending the Morris twins and Bledsoe and signing Isaiah Thomas.

The direct impact of that move is clear. Dragic was unhappy and wanted to be traded, Green didn’t re-sign and negative reports about his last season came out towards the end of it.

So, group two it was...

[EDC]

It is amusing that the article calls not over paying Frye and letting Green walk a failure. I do think Dragic was handled badly but on the list of things he was upset about not having Frye and Green around was probably low on that list.

That team was never a first attempt at a rebuild. It was the start of a continuous rebuild that is still underway. That team lacked talent. It takes awhile to increase the talent level of a team especially if free agents don't consider you a good destination.

[JCSunsfan]

It is amusing that the article calls not over paying Frye and letting Green walk a failure. I do think Dragic was handled badly but on the list of things he was upset about not having Frye and Green around was probably low on that list.

That team was never a first attempt at a rebuild. It was the start of a continuous rebuild that is still underway. That team lacked talent. It takes awhile to increase the talent level of a team especially if free agents don't consider you a good destination.

The team would have been better at the time if they had kept Frye and Green. But that team may have made the playoffs as a 7-8 seed for a while and then would have failed again quickly. Lipstick on a pig, it would have been. It was not a rebuild and would not have lasted. We would be calling for McD's head right now.

[Mori Chu]

I always think it's amusing when people are mad about the wrong direction of our team and wish we had chosen a different wrong direction instead.

[Cap]

The last six years have been such a complete waste that it's difficult to imagine the road not taken could have been any worse.

[O_Gardino]

The last six years have been such a complete waste that it's difficult to imagine the road not taken could have been any worse.

Exactly.

Just how bad are we? We are looking back at a team that did not make the playoffs and debating whether it was best to break that team up. "Remember that team that didn't even win 50 games or make the playoffs? Man, that team had some good players." This is a conversation for Bucks fans.

Time for the angry dance.

[youtube][/youtube]

[Mori Chu]

It could always be much worse. We don't have a horrible salary cap situation here right now. We didn't trade away a bunch of draft picks, and in fact, we have stockpiled a bunch of them. We aren't bereft of young talent; we have several promising young players (our 3 rooks, Len, etc) and a likely future star in Booker. We aren't empty of talent; we have a lot of guys like Bledsoe, Warren, Chandler, Dudley, Len, Tucker, etc. We don't have any "cancers" or malcontents on the roster now that we traded the Morrii (for a first-round pick in Markieff's case, no less). We still have a top-flight training staff.

Anybody who says that we might as well have wasted the last 5 years on $100m of Amare, that we should have had let Nash retire here instead of grabbing 4 picks, that we should have kept Frye at his jacked salary and paid big money to Gerald Green, is looney tunes. There are various moves I'd undo (wish we'd kept Dragic; would not have traded for Knight; etc.), but it's not all as bleak as some make it sound. We at least have pieces, potential, and some semblance of a future here. Look at a shit franchise like Brooklyn that overpaid stars and tried to win-now and tell me they are in better shape than we are.

[Cap]

(wish we'd kept Dragic; would not have traded for Knight; etc.)

Kept Dragic at 5/90? I think I'd rather have the two picks.

But I think I'd like to undo the IT3 and AASE deals.

[O_Gardino]

It could always be much worse. We don't have a horrible salary cap situation here right now. We didn't trade away a bunch of draft picks, and in fact, we have stockpiled a bunch of them. We aren't bereft of young talent; we have several promising young players... and a likely future star... We aren't empty of talent... We don't have any "cancers" or malcontents on the roster...

Bucks.

It's a big step from there to being a playoff team, and an even bigger step to becoming a contender.

I'm not trying to be Negative Nelly. Yes, it is very possible to become great from here. But it's also possible to remain mediocre. We haven't accomplished anything yet.

[Superbone]

(wish we'd kept Dragic; would not have traded for Knight; etc.)

Kept Dragic at 5/90? I think I'd rather have the two picks.

But I think I'd like to undo the IT3 and AASE deals.

I hope we get a BASE hit this year.

[EDC]

I was excited about last year. I would much rather watch a young team trying to make something of themselves then an old/middle aged team struggle to make the playoffs. Kieff definitely put a damper on things last year combined with the injuries. It was still a lot of fun watching the young guys get better.

This year we still have a lot of young question marks but we also have some young guys that look like clear solid starters ( Booker, Len, TJ). The players seem to like their coach and he gets a full training camp with them. I just hope we don't end up with a malcontent in either Knight or Chandler. I really hope the McD has learned from last year and has at least talked to these guys about the situation to feel them out. The last thing we need is drama. He should probably also talk to Goodwin. If players aren't happy ship them out before they can mess with the locker room.

[Gladiator]

I was excited about last year. I would much rather watch a young team trying to make something of themselves then an old/middle aged team struggle to make the playoffs. Kieff definitely put a damper on things last year combined with the injuries. It was still a lot of fun watching the young guys get better.

This year we still have a lot of young question marks but we also have some young guys that look like clear solid starters ( Booker, Len, TJ). The players seem to like their coach and he gets a full training camp with them. I just hope we don't end up with a malcontent in either Knight or Chandler. I really hope the McD has learned from last year and has at least talked to these guys about the situation to feel them out. The last thing we need is drama. He should probably also talk to Goodwin. If players aren't happy ship them out before they can mess with the locker room.

I agree with the sentiment of this. The only thing I'd say is if you're hung up on all of Booker, Len and TJ being starters, you're likely setting yourself up to be disappointed. For at least the first part of the season, I reckon meaningful and consistent minutes are more important for them than whether they are starting or not (albeit without question Booker should start).

[EDC]

I was excited about last year. I would much rather watch a young team trying to make something of themselves then an old/middle aged team struggle to make the playoffs. Kieff definitely put a damper on things last year combined with the injuries. It was still a lot of fun watching the young guys get better.

This year we still have a lot of young question marks but we also have some young guys that look like clear solid starters ( Booker, Len, TJ). The players seem to like their coach and he gets a full training camp with them. I just hope we don't end up with a malcontent in either Knight or Chandler. I really hope the McD has learned from last year and has at least talked to these guys about the situation to feel them out. The last thing we need is drama. He should probably also talk to Goodwin. If players aren't happy ship them out before they can mess with the locker room.

I agree with the sentiment of this. The only thing I'd say is if you're hung up on all of Booker, Len and TJ being starters, you're likely setting yourself up to be disappointed. For at least the first part of the season, I reckon meaningful and consistent minutes are more important for them than whether they are starting or not (albeit without question Booker should start).

Yeah, things are probably a bit too crowded for them to be starters this year. I mostly meant that all three would be at least solid nba starters in the future.

Lots to look forward too.

[JCSunsfan]

(wish we'd kept Dragic; would not have traded for Knight; etc.)

Kept Dragic at 5/90? I think I'd rather have the two picks.

But I think I'd like to undo the IT3 and AASE deals.

Even McD has said he would like to undo the IT3 trade. The AASE deal is still open. We do not know where that pick will end up. McD took a risk, thinking that LA would be too bad to lose it in the near term, but would be good enough to lower its value in the long term. This year will tell us whether that was a good bet or not.

[Cap]

(wish we'd kept Dragic; would not have traded for Knight; etc.)

Kept Dragic at 5/90? I think I'd rather have the two picks.

But I think I'd like to undo the IT3 and AASE deals.

Even McD has said he would like to undo the IT3 trade. The AASE deal is still open. We do not know where that pick will end up. McD took a risk, thinking that LA would be too bad to lose it in the near term, but would be good enough to lower its value in the long term. This year will tell us whether that was a good bet or not.

If you undo the IT3 deal, we have Bledsoe, IT3, Booker, and Ulis in the backcourt. I'd rather have the pick than pay 5/70 to the fifth-best backcourt player on the team, even if it's a mediocre pick.

[JCSunsfan]

(wish we'd kept Dragic; would not have traded for Knight; etc.)

Kept Dragic at 5/90? I think I'd rather have the two picks.

But I think I'd like to undo the IT3 and AASE deals.

Even McD has said he would like to undo the IT3 trade. The AASE deal is still open. We do not know where that pick will end up. McD took a risk, thinking that LA would be too bad to lose it in the near term, but would be good enough to lower its value in the long term. This year will tell us whether that was a good bet or not.

If you undo the IT3 deal, we have Bledsoe, IT3, Booker, and Ulis in the backcourt. I'd rather have the pick than pay 5/70 to the fifth-best backcourt player on the team, even if it's a mediocre pick.

If you undo the IT3 trade, then every other decision after changes. Kinda hard to know what would be now. So we have what we have. I am really hoping Ulis turns out to be what he looks like he is. I do not think it is unreasonable for him to be better than IT3. He might not have the offensive production, but he could be a better floor general and defender. I think I would prefer a 5-9 pure pg who is disruptive defensively to a 5-9 shooting guard who can distribute a little.

Just all wishful thinking right now.

[Superbone]

LeBron James says Suns’ Devin Booker is a future All-Star
BY ARIZONA SPORTS | August 17, 2016 @ 4:29 pm

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker has already earned the praise of star shooting guards Kobe Bryant, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade.

On Wednesday while on Uninterrupted’s Open Run podcast (check the 1:22.00 mark), the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James became the latest to give Booker an endorsement.

And it was a pretty bold one, too.

The reigning NBA Finals MVP threw Booker’s name out when he was asked to choose a “promising young gun” that was under the radar.

“That no one knows about?” James asked. “I’ma be honest. If it’s someone that is under the radar right now that … I believe that’s gonna be a really, really, really All-Star (level) player in the league, it’s Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns.”

Read more...

[Superbone]

The curious case of Alex Len faces extension talk with Phoenix Suns
Several young big men got large rookie extensions this summer. Will Alex Len join the group, or hold out for more money next summer?
By Dave King @DaveKingNBA Aug 19, 2016, 7:29a

On the one hand, Phoenix Suns big man Alex Len has all the tools and size he needs to excel in the NBA as an old-school center with a variety of offensive moves, the length to defend the basket and the hunger to rebound errant shots on both ends of the court.

But on the other hand, Len experiences frequent bouts of indecision and often lets his offensive struggles hinder his effort, rendering him a non-factor in games he should be dominating on the defensive end.

Last season, Len’s third in the NBA, was by far his best statistical season in many categories. Playing roughly the same minutes as the year before (23 vs. 22 minutes per game), the 7’1”, 260 lb. Len set career highs in points per game (9.0), rebounds (7.6), assists (1.2) and free throws (3.1), while reducing his fouls per game to 2.9 in a career high 78 games.

Len was one of only nine players to average at least 13 points, 10 rebounds after the All-Star break last season, joining luminaries Andre Drummond, Anthony Davis, DeAndre Jordan, Demarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, Karl-Anthony Towns, Paul Millsap and Pau Gasol among the most productive big men in the league.

But pulling back a layer or two tells a different story...

[TOO]

Story has layers.

Onions have layers.

Ogres are like onions

Alex Len is an onion.