Suns News: The Offseason

[INFORMER]

Dan Bickley has 8 steps for the Suns to take to reach title contention:

4. Embrace the strength of the team, which is the collaboration of starring point guards — Bledsoe and Goran Dragic.

It's clear the Suns don't have to do this, as Dragic emerged as a MVP candidate when Bledsoe was on the shelf, and the team remains very excited about Archie Goodwin, who scored 29 points with extended minutes in the season finale.

Yet the high-octane pairing is what made the Suns so unique, even if it's a luxury that will require great care and commitment. To wit:

Dragic has outperformed his current contract (4 years, $30 million). He will rank far below Bledsoe in salary when the two return next season. Dragic can then opt out of his contract after 2014-15 by declining his $7.5 million player option.

So, can the Suns afford two big-dollar point guards and still construct a championship team around them? The answer is yes, as long as Robert Sarver isn't averse to short-term luxury tax.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... p/7932049/

[INFORMER]

Len to summer in Phoenix

Quite a few of the Suns talked about being an NBA anomaly and spending their summers in Phoenix. It is not more important for anyone than rookie Alex Len, who lost his summer last season to ankle surgeries and crutches.

"It's going to be a huge summer, just getting healthy, getting stronger and getting better," Len said. "I'm going to try to stay here the whole summer and get better.

"I need to play as many pickup games as I can. Missing last summer hurt me a lot. I just need to try to play as much as I can because the game was too fast for me this year. It is going to slow down with getting playing time."

Len said he will not return to Ukraine, his home country that is torn with civil unrest, because he can get the best coaching here. Len, the No. 5 pick in June, made 42 appearances this season and averaged 8.6 minutes, 2.0 points and 2.4 rebounds.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... n/7855823/

[INFORMER]

Suns.com has put together a slideshow of

The Best Photos of the 2013-14 Season

[carey]

I couldn't make up my mind if I was going to continue with weekly threads, go to monthly, or one thread this off season. Thanks for making my mind up for me. Heh.

[INFORMER]

I couldn't make up my mind if I was going to continue with weekly threads, go to monthly, or one thread this off season. Thanks for making my mind up for me. Heh.

I wasn't sure if this was the right way to go, but I figured you were through with the weekly threads because the Suns' season is over. So I just decided to throw it up and wait and see how it would be received.

[Superbone]

We can always break it up if this thread gets too big.

[Mori Chu]

I suspect we'll make new threads for particular events, like if we make an FA signing, a trade, the draft, etc. This one will do for general offseason happenings.

[Superbone]

As mentioned elsewhere, Pop got coach of the year. Not mentioned was Hornacek was a close second.

[ShelC]

I definitely respect Popovich and his coaching. He's mastered the NBA schedule and knows his roster inside and out, but Hornacek really deserved it. If we had made the playoffs maybe he gets it?

[Superbone]

I really don't think making the playoffs was a difference maker. They tied the modern record for most wins without making it and they tied for the third best record in the East. I don't see how one or two more wins makes a big difference in the voting.

[virtual9mm]

Goran Dragic MIP, Green #4 on the list.

http://www.nba.com/media/042314-2013-14 ... -Votes.pdf

[Mori Chu]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the CotY votes were gathered before the Suns had even been eliminated from the playoff race. So even if we'd squeaked in, the vote probably would have been the same.

[SDC]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the CotY votes were gathered before the Suns had even been eliminated from the playoff race. So even if we'd squeaked in, the vote probably would have been the same.

correct. but if the suns were a "sure" playoff team like the warriors (not much difference recordswise between them and memphis in the end), hornacek would have won COTY. all the uncertainty on whether the suns will make it or not didnt help hornacek's case. the suns were in and out of the playoffs in the last 3 weeks of the regular season, and with a tough schedule playing mostly away vs quality teams, most COTY voters rightly predicted the suns would not have made it, and this factored into their decision making to give the award to a SURE THING (popovich).

[JeffreyLee]

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the CotY votes were gathered before the Suns had even been eliminated from the playoff race. So even if we'd squeaked in, the vote probably would have been the same.

correct. but if the suns were a "sure" playoff team like the warriors (not much difference recordswise between them and memphis in the end), hornacek would have won COTY. all the uncertainty on whether the suns will make it or not didnt help hornacek's case. the suns were in and out of the playoffs in the last 3 weeks of the regular season, and with a tough schedule playing mostly away vs quality teams, most COTY voters rightly predicted the suns would not have made it, and this factored into their decision making to give the award to a SURE THING (popovich).

I feel bad for Horney, he should have won it this year. Alot of good coaches miss out on this award. Pop already had a good team, Jeff lifted up a bad team. To me its like Lebron getting MVP for name only.

[Superbone]

Not Suns news but I don't know where to put it:

RIP Jack Ramsay.

[carey]

Not Suns news but I don't know where to put it:

RIP Jack Ramsay.

Oh man, Doctor Jack? I didn't see it.

[Superbone]

Not Suns news but I don't know where to put it:

RIP Jack Ramsay.

Oh man, Doctor Jack? I didn't see it.

Yep. He was a great ambassador for the game.

http://espn.go.com/?topId=10851894

[Gladiator]

Here's quite a long article about Archie Goodwin and Alex Len, and the importance of this summer for their progression. It had an interesting tid-bit about the Suns' draft plans..

“I think it’s unlikely we bring in three rookies to the Suns next year,” said Suns General Manager Ryan McDonough. “Obviously we have Alex and Archie, who we’re high on."

http://www.nba.com/suns/news/summer-wor ... oodwin-len

[Superbone]

Don't get INF started, Gladiator.

[Gladiator]

I know, I know! I found it interesting though and assume it means they'll try to package a couple of picks to move up the draft.