Game Day: Suns (12-24) @ Lakers (7-27), Sun 1/3/16

[Superbone]

Let's do this! Watching this one eagerly. #YSMF

Sorry, Mori.

[Superbone]

So Len is in and is apparently fine. So Coach just put him in the dog house last game after the first 3 minutes.

Apparently it is okay to throw the ball to the other team as many times as you want in a game just don't pick up too many fouls early.

I don't think he was fine. His hand was much more bandaged up in the previous games.

[Superbone]

We seriously throw better passes to the other team. They are much more crisp than anything the team throws at each other.

And close range too. Good hands by the Lakers.

[Superbone]

10-point 1st quarter.

That's encouraging.

We got real close to the all time record last night for a half. We did set the Suns all-time low.

[Superbone]

Chandler stuffed by the rim leading to a Laker fastbreak then Archie passes it to the other team the following possession. Theres no way this team practices. Just no way.

Something is wrong with Chandler. I don't think he has fully recovered from the hamstring injury. Or maybe he is just old and has too many miles on him.

[Superbone]

Bookers shot ends up hitting the back of the backboard then Tucker shoots an air ball. This team is drunk!

Booker's shot was blocked.

[Superbone]

Not sure I can go out in public tomorrow.

You didn't lay the turd, man. Just don't wear a Suns shirt.

[Superbone]

Anyone for wearing paper bags with our Suns gear in public this week?

My Suns gear isn't making it out of the house this week.

[Superbone]

Jones has been horrible on defense and erratic offensively.

He'd fit right in.

[Superbone]

How does it seem every game nowadays is a whole new rock bottom? No parachute on this freefall?

The Suns keep moving the floor.

[pickle]

I would definitely keep Leuer, and probably Teletovic too unless there was an offer on the table that is very attractive. I don't know why we would keep Chandler, yes he's a calming influence, but I think his productivity will drop very fast as this contract progresses. I hate to get rid of a guy who signed to help us in our free agency pitch, but if there's a destination for him, I'd definitely make that a priority.

If NO hadn't signed that atrocious Asik deal, he'd be a pretty damn good fit there. Oh well.

[INFORMER]

I thought the Kings game was rock bottom...

I'd try and firesale whatever we can. BKnight to the Knicks, Kieff and Tucker anywhere. I'd keep Chandler tho, at least for another year if we're starting from scratch.

Chandler is way done. We need out from that contract as soon as possible.

I would try to move Chandler to Atlanta, Indiana, or Chicago.

Move Knight to Houston, NY or Brooklyn.

Look at OKC, Washington, and/or Orlando as possible destinations for Tucker and/or Kieff.

[pickle]

Seems NY is looking at Jennings.

I was thinking about Chicago for Chandler, but then they already have a massive logjam. Would we want Noah back?

[Ring_Wanted]

Who knows, but Chandler to Chicago? Maybe in a big move, but he doesn't improve Gibson or the also declining Noah. I think Boston could make more sense. Charlotte too.

The Bulls do make a nice destination for Knight, though. Houston, NY too, as well as Utah. The Nets would be but they have, well, nothing of substance to a rebuilding team.

The issue is, as Lowe called it, admiting defeat and not making excessive demands for a collection of players that has put the franchise at its lowest since who knows when.

If I were McD, I'd forget about cap space for next summer and would aim at packages that bring a positive asset at the cost of taking back non expiring crap. Swallow the likes of Calderon, Meeks, Singler, Dunleavy, etc so other teams have a real incentive to pony up for my players.

The problem is I don't think the FO, starting with the owner, is ready to take that step. Bledsoe's injury is extremely inopportune in the sense that it gives the franchise yet another excuse to defend the failed strategy of winning now.

[pickle]

I don't think Boston would take Chandler. Their front court logjam is even worse than the Bulls'. You are right that the Boston players may be a bit greener than the Chicago front court guys, but the youth is part of the appeal, and the Celtics probably won't want to take on the next 3.5 yrs of Chandler's contract, unless they feel like his leadership in the locker room is worth that much.

I am not fully ready to give up on Knight. We are at a low point but it's just barely cracking the half way point of the season, and I think the Suns will (much to my dismay) bounce back and put up a better record towards the second half of the season. Knight is talented, even if his talent doesn't fit this team. He will put up stats, and we can try to move him when his value might be a bit higher.

Agreed that we should clean house and not worry about the cap space. This summer everyone will have cap space and nobody will want to come to Phoenix anyway. May as well structure the salary situation so that our cap space comes online when the other teams have wasted theirs in a spending frenzy over the next year or two. While a lot of us think this is the lowest we can go, I shudder to think what might happen when we lose out on all the impactful free agents this summer and end up doing another Turkoglu/Childress type deal just to look like we are doing *something*. I'd much rather just go the 76ers route (with better drafting and general relationship management).

[Ring_Wanted]

Boston does need a defensive anchor in the paint. They have a logjam of big men but it is mainly PFs. Chandler's age and contract is obviously an obstacle but if you sell him on the cheap they could get interested as a last resort. Anyway, Chandler is not my top priority in terms of trades. Moving Knight-Markieff-Tucker is what we should be doing.

As for Knight in particular, his value is predicated on how well he scores. At this point I don't think anyone in the league is going to be fooled into believing he can run an offense, so efficiency plays a huge part on how he is perceived. The longer he has to carry a team by himself, the more probable it is he logs poor %s. For what it's worth, he can't be moved until Jan 15 anyway.

Kieff, I'd love to know if McD and SVG have had real talks. I'd offer to take back Meeks and Bullock so the move becomes neutral to the Pistons cap wise (thus mantaining the beneficial effect of delaying Drummond's contract) in exchange for a lotto protected 1stR ('16 through '19 then x2 2ndR). Would even add Archie if they want.

PJ-Teletovic could represent a shot in the arm for the right team. Contenders/pretenders such as the Clippers, OKC, Cleveland or Chicago.

[UglyTruth]

Seems NY is looking at Jennings.

I was thinking about Chicago for Chandler, but then they already have a massive logjam. Would we want Noah back?

Sure, Noah has an expiring contract iirc.