NBA News: Offseason

[pickle]

I think Oladipo is there to do what Harden and Reggie Jackson did before each ran off to greener pastures. I agree that the fit is not great, but the haul is amazing. I think Sabonis will be fine at the four though. He isn't a knock down shooter, but while Ibaka shot a decent percentage he didn't exactly step up in the big games. Whereas Sabonis solidifies exactly what made the Thunder dangerous... relentless and bruising physicality on the offensive glass. If they need the outside shooting, Ilyasova provides that with still a modicum of rebounding mixed in. So all in all I thought that was an incredible haul for one single player. I'm shocked that the Magic couldn't at least get back a Mitch McGary or something.

I really don't have any interest in Kanter whatsoever. In any trade I want the defensive to move up, not down.

[pickle]

I like George Hill. He's a versatile player and a long defender who is willing to play any role that the team asks of him. He may not be a scorer one can rely on to generate offense, but he is a threat from three and can effectively slow or even shut down smaller opposing guards, or defend the 2 capably, especially in today's NBA. The only net negative with his situation is that he's 30 years old. He would be a perfect compliment to a guy like Bledsoe in the back court. Or Booker for that matter.

There are a number of role players I'd love to have to start a team, so that once you add one or two stars you instantly make that team a perennial power. That list includes guys like Marvin Williams, George Hill, Kris Middleton, Patrick Beverley, Taj Gibson, Thad Young, and any number of other players who may not be considered stars and have flaws in their game, but play solid defense and don't have exceptional holes, and most of all are net positives in the chemistry and effort departments.

[SDC]

I think Oladipo is there to do what Harden and Reggie Jackson did before each ran off to greener pastures. I agree that the fit is not great, but the haul is amazing. I think Sabonis will be fine at the four though. He isn't a knock down shooter, but while Ibaka shot a decent percentage he didn't exactly step up in the big games. Whereas Sabonis solidifies exactly what made the Thunder dangerous... relentless and bruising physicality on the offensive glass. If they need the outside shooting, Ilyasova provides that with still a modicum of rebounding mixed in. So all in all I thought that was an incredible haul for one single player. I'm shocked that the Magic couldn't at least get back a Mitch McGary or something.

I really don't have any interest in Kanter whatsoever. In any trade I want the defensive to move up, not down.

Kanter is another kentucky guy

[carey]

I'd trade Chandler for Kanter. I have always liked Kanter, terrible defense be damned. Maybe Len could learn some offensive assertiveness from the Turkish delight.

I've been thinking about this quite a bit. I am not sure how much it benefits OKC, but I think moving Chandler for Kanter makes a lot of sense for us. He's one of the better scoring Cs in the league and is only 24. He fits right into our age window. We move old man Chandler to a playoff team where he'll actually try every night and his defense backing up Adams will be huge. I'm definitely more interested in moving Chandler for Kanter than moving Bledsoe for Okafor.

[O_Gardino]

Why are folks so down on Chandler? What didn't you like about him last season?

I saw him as a big net positive for us. He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had, he doesn't waste possessions, he understands his diminishing role, he's a great teacher, and he has a good relationship with our best young guy. You want to trade all that for Kanter?

[carey]

Why are folks so down on Chandler? What didn't you like about him last season?

I saw him as a big net positive for us. He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had, he doesn't waste possessions, he understands his diminishing role, he's a great teacher, and he has a good relationship with our best young guy. You want to trade all that for Kanter?

Yes. He's unhappy here so I'd just as soon send him out before it becomes an issue. I know he backtracked on his comments publicly but I don't believe anything has changed. I might disagree he was a net positive. There were a ton of games where he was a complete zero and even a negative out there. Not finishing gimme's at the rim. Not hustling. He seemed to come alive the last 1/4 of the season for some reason, but does anyone think that's who we'll get for the next 3 years?

[LazarusLong]

"He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had"

Uh, not really. He's good, but let's not get carried away.

[O_Gardino]

Why are folks so down on Chandler? What didn't you like about him last season?

I saw him as a big net positive for us. He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had, he doesn't waste possessions, he understands his diminishing role, he's a great teacher, and he has a good relationship with our best young guy. You want to trade all that for Kanter?

Yes. He's unhappy here so I'd just as soon send him out before it becomes an issue. I know he backtracked on his comments publicly but I don't believe anything has changed. I might disagree he was a net positive. There were a ton of games where he was a complete zero and even a negative out there. Not finishing gimme's at the rim. Not hustling. He seemed to come alive the last 1/4 of the season for some reason, but does anyone think that's who we'll get for the next 3 years?

He was 33, so no, I wouldn't expect the same production when he is 36. He's going to decline as age catches up to him. I don't expect him to be a major part of a playoff push for us. But I would expect him to play with heart and intelligence, and I think he will still be an effective player in a diminished role. I'm more interested in him as a teacher than anything else.

I don't remember any games where he mailed it in on the defensive end. I saw games where he was in early foul trouble and had to play carefully. There were a ton of games, especially early, when he played the whole game without a single lob being thrown to him. Since catching lobs is his only scoring skill, he was fairly invisible on that end until Watson took over and Booker started passing to Chandler. Overall, he still shot .583 including .685 at the rim, both very high numbers. And the guy set like 5 screens per possession.

He may be unhappy, I don't really know about that. We do seem to pick someone each year to alienate an mistreat leading to a dramatically negative parting. Maybe this is his year. It may be that with Bledsoe and Knight back on the court, he will never see the ball again and go through games in foul trouble because of stupid offensive fouls on pick and rolls.

But those are organizational issues, and Kanter does not solve them. Will Kanter, a young guy who is still developing his game and reputation, be happier playing with these guards and splitting time with Len?

[O_Gardino]

"He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had"

Uh, not really. He's good, but let's not get carried away.

How about this: For the minutes he plays, he's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/tea ... eason.html

• Total Rebound Pct
  1. Tyson Chandler 19.3 2015-16
  2. Maurice Lucas 18.9 1984-85
  3. Maurice Lucas 18.4 1983-84
  4. Charles Barkley* 18.2 1994-95
  5. Marcin Gortat 18.1 2010-11
  6. Charles Barkley* 18.1 1992-93
  7. Charles Barkley* 18.1 1995-96
  8. Curtis Perry 18.0 1974-75
  9. Miles Plumlee 17.9 2013-14
  10. Charles Barkley* 17.8 1993-94

[ShelC]

I think we'd be wise to move him to a contender sooner than later.

[Superbone]

"He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had"

Uh, not really. He's good, but let's not get carried away.

Yeah, I thought of you. Paul Silas is rolling in his ... bed.

[In2ition]

I like Chandler on the team, even though I know he's paid too much. I don't see his salary this year as a hindrance, as the Suns shouldn't be in the race for mediocre free agents this summer and frankly they shouldn't be in the running for top tier free agents either. It's just not the year for it. He helps the young guys, as he helped Len and Booker last year. He will also help Bender and Chriss this year, and might love playing with Ulis.

[ShelC]

It's not his salary, it'll be the idea of playing on losing teams to finish out his career. He's going to want to play for a contender at some point. So do we trade him now while he still has value (and trust me, he does) or wait a year or two until he starts bitching and be forced to take a bad deal or buy him out and let him go where he wants.

[In2ition]

It's not his salary, it'll be the idea of playing on losing teams to finish out his career. He's going to want to play for a contender at some point. So do we trade him now while he still has value (and trust me, he does) or wait a year or two until he starts bitching and be forced to take a bad deal or buy him out and let him go where he wants.

Perhaps they can get something for him this summer, looking for a '17 1st round pick. I see what you're saying, and I'm sure he wants to play for a contender. Do you see any contender wanting to take on his contract?

I just see him balancing out the roster in a good position. I would like to see Len step up and take that starting C spot this year, and hopefully he is diligently working on his right and left hand hook shots all summer.

[In2ition]

I could see the Lakers going hard after DeRozan and Whiteside this summer. They would both be good pickups for them, and help them push for the playoffs.

[LazarusLong]

"He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had"

Uh, not really. He's good, but let's not get carried away.

How about this: For the minutes he plays, he's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/tea ... eason.html

• Total Rebound Pct
  1. Tyson Chandler 19.3 2015-16
  2. Maurice Lucas 18.9 1984-85
  3. Maurice Lucas 18.4 1983-84
  4. Charles Barkley* 18.2 1994-95
  5. Marcin Gortat 18.1 2010-11
  6. Charles Barkley* 18.1 1992-93
  7. Charles Barkley* 18.1 1995-96
  8. Curtis Perry 18.0 1974-75
  9. Miles Plumlee 17.9 2013-14
  10. Charles Barkley* 17.8 1993-94

Fair enough.
He has very impressive stats for a 7-footer, given many leading rebounders over the years are typically 6-7 to 6-10.
(Not counting Chamberlain, who along with Russell, was off the charts ...)

[The Bobster]

"He's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had"

Uh, not really. He's good, but let's not get carried away.

How about this: For the minutes he plays, he's the best rebounder the Suns have ever had.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/tea ... eason.html

• Total Rebound Pct
  1. Tyson Chandler 19.3 2015-16
  2. Maurice Lucas 18.9 1984-85
  3. Maurice Lucas 18.4 1983-84
  4. Charles Barkley* 18.2 1994-95
  5. Marcin Gortat 18.1 2010-11
  6. Charles Barkley* 18.1 1992-93
  7. Charles Barkley* 18.1 1995-96
  8. Curtis Perry 18.0 1974-75
  9. Miles Plumlee 17.9 2013-14
  10. Charles Barkley* 17.8 1993-94

That's also one season where he played 1618 minutes.

Chandler's a great rebounder, but I'm not going to anoint him the Suns best ever after 66 games and 24 minutes a game.

[O_Gardino]

It's not his salary, it'll be the idea of playing on losing teams to finish out his career. He's going to want to play for a contender at some point. So do we trade him now while he still has value (and trust me, he does) or wait a year or two until he starts bitching and be forced to take a bad deal or buy him out and let him go where he wants.

Sure. If he wants to go, let's send him. He will probably have more value at the trade deadline than now, I assume.

But I'm with In2ition on his value to the team. Let's not dump him just because. And certainly not for 18 million worth of Kanter!

[In2ition]

It feels like the Suns really screwed themselves over by being on the fence on their rebuild a few years ago. Now, they seem like they are still another lottery year away from really going after a playoff spot. Now, they aren't in position to lure a top tier free agent, and hopefully they realize it too. Now, it might be two years of developing the guys they drafted, and in a couple years, they will take the big plunge into being a player. This all depends on if these draft picks pan out and develop how they hope or better.

[Cap]

Now, they aren't in position to lure a top tier free agent, and hopefully they realize it too.

Judging by the post-draft presser, they do. McD spent a good portion of it managing expectations. He said that we'll be a very young team, and that historically that doesn't translate to winning, but it helps build for the future.

He talked about the 48-win season as one of the most rewarding of his 13-year NBA career. The team was a preseason pick to finish near the bottom of the West, and had major injury issues, but overcame all that to do much better than anyone thought they could. And that was one of his two favorite seasons, despite missing the playoffs.

He was very clear that he expects to once again go into the season with a roster that's a long shot to make the playoffs, and that's okay. He said we need a veteran PF to start while Bender and Chriss are coming along, and to that end he hopes to... resign Mirza Teletovic. No talk about pursuing an upgrade at the position like Horford or somebody instead of resigning Telly.