Suns News: The Offseason

[bajanguy008]

Here we Go

http://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/phx

Wow , I just noticed all of the National TV games we have gotten

[Split T]

9 nbatv games, 1 tnt, 3 ESPN by my count

[Shabazz]

I view Bender as an "Elite Role Player" rather than someone with star potential. A Draymond Green-type (minus the insanity, for better or worse).

It's worth looking at the numbers Draymond put up as a 22-year old Rookie if you want to feel better about Bender's 19YO rookie season. Patience....

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... ndr01.html

[Superbone]

What is "director of performance"?

Not to mention "head strength".

[specialsauce]

It was absolutely suck if McD whiffed on two top 10 picks in the same draft. That's unforgivable IMO.

[ShelC]

Hey, he had a 3 pick and traded for an 8th. You can't hit on one of those, even in a weak draft? Come on...

[Split T]

Take your pick of anyone not in the top 3. Who would you have picked? Even with hindsight I'd argue there is no obvious players we should have picked instead.

[specialsauce]

Agreed.

Plus he hit on Ulis.

The expectations by some of you are unreal. You complain with picks like Len, Chriss, and Bender. When in reality all the picks around them were shit too. If you're picking between dog shit, horse shit, and human shit, the end result is the same.

[Cap]

Plus he hit on Ulis.

That is incredibly inappropriate. Ulis might sue for sexual harassment.

[Mori Chu]

Let's also take a deep breath and remember that these guys are like 19-20 years old, and they've had one NBA season, and they didn't get consistent minutes or roles (especially in the case of Bender). It's way too early to call either of them busts.

[specialsauce]

Plus he hit on Ulis.

That is incredibly inappropriate. Ulis might sue for sexual harassment.

[Superbone]

Let's also take a deep breath and remember that these guys are like 19-20 years old, and they've had one NBA season, and they didn't get consistent minutes or roles (especially in the case of Bender). It's way too early to call either of them busts.

I wish you guys would do this for Coach Watson too. He's had all of 2.5 years of coaching experience, 1.5 years as an NBA head coach. People don't seem to understand that he's part of #TheTimeline too. Let's give him some time to improve as well. If after 3 years of head coaching experience, he doesn't show any growth, then move on.

He's already got the player's respect and full attention (something that not all coaches possess), now he needs to work on the strategy side of things. I think he has all the tools to make it happen but it's going to take some time. I hope for his coaching progression the same way I hope for progression from our young players. If they all come together at the same time, it could be a beautiful thing.

[O_Gardino]

It was absolutely suck if McD whiffed on two top 10 picks in the same draft. That's unforgivable IMO.

We will see if McD wiffed on that draft in time. I do stay awake some nights worrying that the Kings got the better players 2 years in a row. But that's just worry at this point. Nobody has been good from the '16 draft yet.

I honestly and truly wonder how much of a role Sarver plays in the draft. Our front office has been gold the last couple of years with 2nd round and undrafted talent, but we've made some questionable decisions with higher profile players.

[ShelC]

I do stay awake some nights worrying that the Kings got the better players 2 years in a row.

So you're woke?

[O_Gardino]

I view Bender as an "Elite Role Player" rather than someone with star potential. A Draymond Green-type (minus the insanity, for better or worse).

It's worth looking at the numbers Draymond put up as a 22-year old Rookie if you want to feel better about Bender's 19YO rookie season. Patience....

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... ndr01.html

Fingers crossed that he become that guy.

I think for Bender to be his best, he needs shooters and movers all around him, and a team that runs and passes a lot. But he's never going to carry a team by taking over the scoring night in and night out, even in some crazy fantasy success scenario.

[O_Gardino]

Take your pick of anyone not in the top 3. Who would you have picked? Even with hindsight I'd argue there is no obvious players we should have picked instead.

We don't even have hindsight yet.

[O_Gardino]

Let's also take a deep breath and remember that these guys are like 19-20 years old, and they've had one NBA season, and they didn't get consistent minutes or roles (especially in the case of Bender). It's way too early to call either of them busts.

I wish you guys would do this for Coach Watson too. He's had all of 2.5 years of coaching experience, 1.5 years as an NBA head coach. People don't seem to understand that he's part of #TheTimeline too. Let's give him some time to improve as well. If after 3 years of head coaching experience, he doesn't show any growth, then move on.

He's already got the player's respect and full attention (something that not all coaches possess), now he needs to work on the strategy side of things. I think he has all the tools to make it happen but it's going to take some time. I hope for his coaching progression the same way I hope for progression from our young players. If they all come together at the same time, it could be a beautiful thing.

And McD?

The only problem is that those guys probably wont be with the Suns to use the wisdom they gain here.

[O_Gardino]

I do stay awake some nights worrying that the Kings got the better players 2 years in a row.

So you're woke?

too woke

[Mori Chu]

Let's also take a deep breath and remember that these guys are like 19-20 years old, and they've had one NBA season, and they didn't get consistent minutes or roles (especially in the case of Bender). It's way too early to call either of them busts.

I wish you guys would do this for Coach Watson too. He's had all of 2.5 years of coaching experience, 1.5 years as an NBA head coach. People don't seem to understand that he's part of #TheTimeline too. Let's give him some time to improve as well. If after 3 years of head coaching experience, he doesn't show any growth, then move on.

He's already got the player's respect and full attention (something that not all coaches possess), now he needs to work on the strategy side of things. I think he has all the tools to make it happen but it's going to take some time. I hope for his coaching progression the same way I hope for progression from our young players. If they all come together at the same time, it could be a beautiful thing.

That's a very reasonable comment. I mostly concur. My retort would be that being a player is different than being a coach in some important ways.

Namely, if you are a bad team looking to get better, you basically have to do that by drafting young players and developing them. You must acquire these players before they have fully learned their craft and must be patient as they grow and improve.

If you hire a coach, there is no particular rule requiring that you must hire one with no experience. You can hire a coach who's done it before, who has been coaching for any number of years. There were lots of choices when we hired Watson, and we didn't even interview them. We don't even know who else we could have gotten.

I do still agree with you that we should try to be supportive and positive about our team when we can. I don't like the signs so far from Watson, but I would be happy to see him improve with time.

[ShelC]

Sorry, I'm not in the group that thinks Watson should be given a pass because of his inexperience. That's why you work as an assistant coach for a number of years until you grow into a head coach (or not). If you have a group of 18-19-20 year olds who, by and large, don't really know how to play at the professional level, I want a coach who has a proven track record teaching them what to do and how to play from Day 1. Why waste 2-3-4 key developmental years of the young players' careers seeing if a rookie head coach will himself improve. And if Watson doesn't work out, now you scrap what he's taught them just to bring in someone else to start over?

Remember: Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.