Suns News: Week 1 10/25-10/30

[Cap]

I don't know if I'd want to sign him long-term to be a backup, because that's going to be Chandler's job after this season. Ideally it would be Chandler's job now, because he has definitely lost a few steps since his DPOY days. We need a starter.

[Gladiator]

I still think Len could be a good to very good player with a decent run of continuity. Not a franchise changer or anything like that but more than handy. I feel like he's played through a fairly dysfunctional period of Suns history, and the times the Suns were going best (like Hornacek's first year) he's been hurt a lot and when he's been fit they've been something of a basket case.
IF Watson's a good coach and IF Len can stay fit, I think we'll see him take good strides this season. He's still relatively young, he works hard and is tall and quite mobile ... there's a player in there somewhere, the Suns just have to coax him out.

[JCSunsfan]

OK. At this point it doesn't matter where Len was picked. They just have to look at him for what he is and decided how they want to used him and what they want to pay him. If he can be a back up big man and they can pay him accordingly. Fine.

...and develop him into that player, instead of trying to develop him into a franchise center.

But I hope McD and the draft guys look back at that draft class and learn some lessons.

Exactly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[O_Gardino]

Year 4 hasn't started yet, so it can't be a disappointment yet.
You criticize his FT%, but that was at .728 last year, and it has improved each year he is in the league. .728 is pretty good for a big guy at this age. Kurt Thomas, who made a whole career out of the elbow jumper, shot .663 through his first 4 seasons, at ages 23-26.
Free throws, rebounds, and assists have all gone up year over year, and fouls have gone down.
Len is actually a pretty good rebounded. From his draft class, only Gobert is a better.
Len's best shot blocking year was his sophomore season (2014-15), and it wasn't bad. Len blocked 2.5 per 36 minutes, which is the exact same as Gobert blocked in 2015-2016. Maybe he would have blocked more shots if he wasn't playing PF and being told not to foul.
Also in 2014-15, when Len was not asked to create offense, he shot over 50% from the field.

Obviously, Len there are a handful of guys from that draft class we would all rather have. But it's silly to say or imply that Len isn't good at anything, or that he hasn't improved, or that he should be doing more with this much experience. He's not the star some folks hoped for, but he's not Anthony Bennett either.

I think he has regressed since '14-'15. His FG% per 36 dropped from 50 to 42 percent last year, his blocks dropped by half from 2.5 to 1.2. He did improve his FT shooting 2%. I just don't know. He seems thoroughly average to me. I'm glad there are people out there remaining hopeful.

Yeah, those numbers are worrying. Was '14-'15 a fluke, or was it the change in his role on the team that lead to missed shots and fewer blocks? This year will tell.

[O_Gardino]

-moved to the league news thread-

[O_Gardino]

Why Devin Booker Can Be an All Star from BBallBreakdown

[Ring_Wanted]

$8M maybe?.

8M is exactly what came to my mind. But I think if we had to bet, we'd look at a higher amount.

[Nodack]

My jury is still sort of out on Len. He has looked real good for stretches and then not so good. He has lacked consistency I guess. Not sure if those good and bad stretches coincide with injury.

I have been a Suns fan for decades and I would say the Center position has been our weakest position on average throughout their history of me watching. He doesn't have to be an All Star, just be decent. When he is playing good I rate him better than decent. When he's playing not so good he can hurt you. I also think you have to use Len against Centers he matches up well with and maybe use somebody else to start against guys he has matchup problems with, such as speedy athletic guys. Instead and let Len come off the bench in those situations. He might do more damage to their bench and not get into foul trouble as fast.

I like the guy. I like it when he has a good game and gets into it, not taking any shit from the other team. I'm not ready to move him yet. He needs to start bringing it. How is his health right now anyway? Anybody know for sure? How's the ankles?

[Indy]

NBA Trade Rumors: Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge heading to the Phoenix Suns for Marquese Chriss

http://www.hngn.com/articles/213805/201 ... rquese.htm

[Ring_Wanted]

NBA Trade Rumors: Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge heading to the Phoenix Suns for Marquese Chriss

http://www.hngn.com/articles/213805/201 ... rquese.htm

haha crazy stuff the day after he torched the Warriors.

[Indy]

Yeah, I just made a thread about it, but am really hoping there is no truth.

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't know if I'd want to sign him long-term to be a backup, because that's going to be Chandler's job after this season. Ideally it would be Chandler's job now, because he has definitely lost a few steps since his DPOY days. We need a starter.

Len for Meyers Leonard come Jan. 15. Do you take it?

[Aztec Sunsfan]

I don't know if I'd want to sign him long-term to be a backup, because that's going to be Chandler's job after this season. Ideally it would be Chandler's job now, because he has definitely lost a few steps since his DPOY days. We need a starter.

Len for Meyers Leonard come Jan. 15. Do you take it?

I would prefer average Len. The inconsistency would be my main beef against him, he looks dominant sometimes and lead you to think of him as a eventual 3rd piece in a contender, then he looks so tentative, so lost, that not even backup big comes to mind. But average Len, would ideally be a solid starter, 5th best player in a contender, maybe 6th if you a have a "6thman of the year" caliber player coming from the bench in other position.

We just need that two out of three between Bender, Len and Chriss to pan out as above average players, with one of them capable to be the at least third best player in a contender, and we are set in the froncourt, because they complement each other very well, allowing for almost any combination you need upfront: Size, speed, shooting, passing, defense, ofense, even effective rim protection if they develop right... Then you have Booker who will easily reach 2nd best if not a bonnefide Main Star, and we would be just lacking a second Star. We are not as bad as you could think... Aaaah the sweet smell of a fresh season!!!

[Superbone]

Article about Al McCoy's induction into the Suns Ring of Honor. It includes a video of Al's reaction to the news:

http://www.nba.com/suns/press-release/p ... or-march-3

[Ring_Wanted]

I don't know if I'd want to sign him long-term to be a backup, because that's going to be Chandler's job after this season. Ideally it would be Chandler's job now, because he has definitely lost a few steps since his DPOY days. We need a starter.

Len for Meyers Leonard come Jan. 15. Do you take it?

I would prefer average Len. The inconsistency would be my main beef against him, he looks dominant sometimes and lead you to think of him as a eventual 3rd piece in a contender, then he looks so tentative, so lost, that not even backup big comes to mind. But average Len, would ideally be a solid starter, 5th best player in a contender, maybe 6th if you a have a "6thman of the year" caliber player coming from the bench in other position.

We just need that two out of three between Bender, Len and Chriss to pan out as above average players, with one of them capable to be the at least third best player in a contender, and we are set in the froncourt, because they complement each other very well, allowing for almost any combination you need upfront: Size, speed, shooting, passing, defense, ofense, even effective rim protection if they develop right... Then you have Booker who will easily reach 2nd best if not a bonnefide Main Star, and we would be just lacking a second Star. We are not as bad as you could think... Aaaah the sweet smell of a fresh season!!!

I don't think there is potential to become a 3rd best player on a contender. We've seen him defend really well and also rebound, but offensively he's just too far from said level. There is potential to develop a solid jumper but his movements are too mechanical and his hands are not good (granted, the passes don't come exactly from Nash or Kidd). Where I really think he can improve is at finishing as too often he tries to avoid contact instead of just using his size. That's subsanable, but even if you work out that, something seems fundamentally lacking with this player so in the end I think he can be labeled useful but disposable under the right conditions. That's why I brought up Leonard as Portland has a need for what Len provides while also having to give Vonleh minutes. Leonard has a decent contract for new age standards and plays a role we lack since Frye left. Of course he is soft and has his own consistency issues, but if he didn't, he'd be a top big man.

In the end, seeing as there is not an extension in the works, I don't want to either pay Len 15M per or lose him for nothing. In my mind, given that we have Tyson to play the enforcer role, the roster could benefit from some diversity.

[Superbone]

That's subsanable...

What does that mean?

[Aztec Sunsfan]

After 3 years, I also don't think he will be more than a role player, I was referring to certain moments in the past. I think we would have the shooting covered with Bender/Chriss, so I would prefer to keep Len as an average enforcer, given that Chandler is on the declining side of his career, and for the right price we can afford to keep spliting minutes between them hoping for Len to take over in a couple more years.

[ShelC]

Watson making some bench changes. Kind of calls out LB and PJ while promoting Ulis and Bender:

Suns rookies Tyler Ulis and Dragan Bender will replace Leandro Barbosa and P.J. Tucker in the bench unit that will keep Brandon Knight, Marquese Chriss and Alex Len. “To me, they play with the most heart,” Watson said. “Heart gets rewarded.”

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /92820030/

Can't disagree with the philosophy and I'm fine seeing the kids play.

[Superbone]

Can't disagree with the philosophy and I'm fine seeing the kids play.

It's starting to happen...

[Superbone]

Watson making some bench changes. Kind of calls out LB and PJ while promoting Ulis and Bender:

Suns rookies Tyler Ulis and Dragan Bender will replace Leandro Barbosa and P.J. Tucker in the bench unit that will keep Brandon Knight, Marquese Chriss and Alex Len. “To me, they play with the most heart,” Watson said. “Heart gets rewarded.”

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /92820030/

Can't disagree with the philosophy and I'm fine seeing the kids play.

I like that he's decisive and quick to make changes. The rookies played with heart and hustle and they're going to get rewarded immediately. The vets are going to have to wake up really quick if they want to play.