Phx-Suns.Net

ShelC wrote:I just don't get this center rotation where Len plays 12 minutes, then 25, then logs a DNP. Monroe is hardly playing despite the fact that he's really our best big and we traded our starting PG for him. If we're showcasing Chandler...good luck.

I'm still very open to the idea of Bender growing into the center position. Maybe I'm off with that, but I think his skillset translates nicely to what the 5spot has become. Play him at the 3 pt line, use his passing to set up others, then use his shotblocking instincts around the rim. The biggest thing is that it'll give us a more speed, athleticism and maybe, just maybe, an identity.

But that kills us on the boards. If we have a front court of TJ, Chriss and Bender, we will get out rebounded every night.

O_Gardino wrote:Len can veto any trade, and has heavy incentives to do so. Unless someone wants him on a sign and trade, he doesn't move. Nobody seemed to want him this summer, so...

I'm aware, but if he is told he has no future on the Suns, he'd be wise to ok a move to a team that would consider giving him a contract if they like what they see. There are teams out there who can use him for 12-18mpg.

averages per 36 minutes:
Alex Len
15 points at 55%, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks, shoots his free throws well for a big man

Monroe:
17 at 60%, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, shoots his free throws well for a big man

i'd be happy to keep either

I'd be happy if we played either.

1tinsoldier wrote:averages per 36 minutes:
Alex Len
15 points at 55%, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks, shoots his free throws well for a big man

Monroe:
17 at 60%, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, shoots his free throws well for a big man

i'd be happy to keep either

Stats only tell you so much. Their games are fairly different. One doesn't play defense and the other one has trouble scoring on the block (or outside of 6 feet really.)

I still just don't understand why we traded Bledsoe. I wanted him gone, but if the haul for him was Monroe, and we aren't playing Monroe, and we aren't trading Monroe, and we're just going to let Monroe walk, what exactly was the point? What was the vision there? What exactly did we get back in giving them a pretty decent veteran starting PG who has helped their team?

Pretty sure the point was to acquire another draft pick?

Marty [Mori Chu] wrote:I still just don't understand why we traded Bledsoe. I wanted him gone, but if the haul for him was Monroe, and we aren't playing Monroe, and we aren't trading Monroe, and we're just going to let Monroe walk, what exactly was the point? What was the vision there? What exactly did we get back in giving them a pretty decent veteran starting PG who has helped their team?

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carey wrote:Pretty sure the point was to acquire another draft pick?

Uh, this?

Who's to say we won't?

We'll try to be opportunistic. If some team goes after say Jordan or Gasol and needs a big contract to make things work, we may be able to step in and help for a nice price. Probably a decent chance nothing happens, but we did snag a first round pick as well.

We got such a shitty haul for Bledsoe. He is a decent point guard. Several contending teams could have used him. Milwaukee had better assets that we were unable to get them to include in the trade. At best we'll get a late pick and a rental of a middling center we hardly use. I expected more.

Unfortunately you can't force teams to give up what you think Bledsoe's worth. This isn't trades with the CPU on 2K. We didn't have a whole lot of leverage and if Milwaukee said no to Brogdon, not much we can do about it.

carey wrote:Pretty sure the point was to acquire another draft pick?

And his salary off the books.

Unfortunately Bledsoe is a shooting guard in a point guard body - he doesn't really run an offense very well, so you have to have other players who can initiate offense to make your team successful.

Ideally you play him with a bigger guard who can play the point, or better yet, he's your third guard. Perimeter shooting isn't a strength, and while he's a good defender, he's not what he once was.

Throw in his injury history and the proliferation of quality point guards in the league and the trade market for him wasn't particularly good.

ShelC wrote: I'm still very open to the idea of Bender growing into the center position. Maybe I'm off with that

You're not.

The Bledsoe trade all comes down to Ryan waiting until his hand was forced; that's been his M.O. with the majority of player trades he has executed. The haul he got for Bledsoe was fairly poor, but I've tried not to dwell on it.

INFORMER wrote:The Bledsoe trade all comes down to Ryan waiting until his hand was forced; that's been his M.O. with the majority of player trades he has executed. The haul he got for Bledsoe was fairly poor, but I've tried not to dwell on it.

Just be glad he's finally gone, right?

INFORMER wrote:The Bledsoe trade all comes down to Ryan waiting until his hand was forced; that's been his M.O. with the majority of player trades he has executed. The haul he got for Bledsoe was fairly poor, but I've tried not to dwell on it.

I agree with this. The haul for Bled wasn't good, but the real problem was the bad timing and not building a team that was going to work from the start. Keeping Bled would not have been better.

INFORMER wrote:The Bledsoe trade all comes down to Ryan waiting until his hand was forced; that's been his M.O. with the majority of player trades he has executed. The haul he got for Bledsoe was fairly poor, but I've tried not to dwell on it.

He is not known for getting good deals in trades. And to your point, he waits until everyone in the league (and anyone who watches a small amount of NBA coverage) knows he needs to sell. That screws you over every time. And besides, Bledsoe's value wasn't going to be going up as the year went on. The time to sell was the deadline last year.