After half of the season - what is your verdict

[Kamnik]

Some of you may watched Suns this year. Even with injured Eric Bledsoe they still have a very good record in the tough west conference Bledsoe missed almost 1/2 of the games.
The east is so weak that even Utah or Sacramento could be playoff teams there. So this makes the Suns accomplishment so far even better

I am a huge Goran Dragič fan and have watched all of the games this year - but I am looking for a more objective view than my own.

What do you think Suns should do in the offseason? Should they keep Bledsoe?
Trading or keeping Morris brothers?
What is your take on Len? What is his ceiling?

I don't think giving Bledsoe some huge contract is a way to go. He is injured a lot and his numbers are worse than Dragič's and he is in a contract year.
Keep in mind - Suns have shitloads of picks coming their way.

[Thread]

They'll try and cheat Bledsoe, that is their tried & true method of operation. After they've pissed him off, they'll sign him and settle into a relationship of mistrust & backbiting.

They never learn.

[Kamnik]

New GM and coach in town.

Which player(s) did you have in mind?

[hater]

Spurs are done. stick a fork in em

[TDMVPDPOY]

Spurs are done. stick a fork in em

LOL enrique taking you to nowhere

[romsey31]

Knicks work on isolation during practices.

Curry practices on a smaller rim than what the nba uses with a larger than normal ball

Brooklyn will finish top 3 in the east

Lakers will win the no 1 pick

Spurs are coasting

Mia is looking more vulnerable everyday

Portland's best player is a soft jump shooting big man

As for the suns, a max contract for Bledsoe is a definite nono. Hopefully they learn from the disaster they avoided with Gordon

[Venti Quattro]

I'm picking the Suns to come out of the West.

[Thread]

^I don't even want to think about it.

[TDMVPDPOY]

I think too late for spurms to tank now...

looks like another failed campaign going to happen....

[romsey31]

I think too late for spurms to tank now...

looks like another failed campaign going to happen....

Hey go for it, maybe you guys can get embiid and play him next to Duncan, win the chip, Duncan retires, and embiid goes on to be the greatest center ever!

[Kamnik]

IF Bledsoe doesn't play another game this year - what kind of salary could he get? What is the max such a PG could sell himself in the NBA.

[AchillesHeel]

Bledsoe is fucking sick on 2K14, just hit a game-winner with him

[Robz4000]

Prolly missing the playoffs unless Bledsoe returns soon. I see Minny and Memphis getting their shit together and making a run for their spot.

[Kamnik]

Memphis yes.
Wolves are shitty.

[Robz4000]

Memphis yes.
Wolves are shitty.

Wolves have lost a shitton of close games. They win half of them and they're the sixth seed.

[Kamnik]

Well.... Suns also lost a lot of close games, if they win all of them they are no 1 seed :)

You know it doesn't quite work this way...

Wolves simply have horrible guard rotation; they live on Pekovič and Love. This is why the loose close games.

[Robz4000]

The struggles of the T-Pups in close games this year is as evident as the Spurs' struggles to win against the elite teams of the NBA, but unlike the Spurs they're due for an ascension to the mean much like how Portland has been winning a lot of close games and is due for a regression (or knee explosion).

Minny has an average guard rotation (Rubio, Martin, and Barea are a solid group), but the fact they do go through Pek and Love is more of a strength than anything. They have more than enough firepower this year to be a playoff team.

[Xylus]

Prolly missing the playoffs unless Bledsoe returns soon. I see Minny and Memphis getting their shit together and making a run for their spot.

If anyone takes the Suns' spot, it'll be Memphis if they can stay healthy. Minnesota hasn't shown any signs of turning it around, so I'm not sure why you'd think they will in the future.

I keep expecting the Suns to fall off the cliff, but they've shown no signs of doing so.

[Robz4000]

If anyone takes the Suns' spot, it'll be Memphis if they can stay healthy. Minnesota hasn't shown any signs of turning it around, so I'm not sure why you'd think they will in the future.

I keep expecting the Suns to fall off the cliff, but they've shown no signs of doing so.

Minny has a lot of talent on their roster and an above average coach. They've also played a pretty tough schedule in the first half of the season. They might not get it together but the potential is definitely there.

[Texas_Ranger]

damn, Dragic and Green went ape shit tonight.

[HarlemHeat37]

Dragic should be an All-Star, tbh, he has been better than Parker and Lillard this season IMO..

[Kamnik]

Lets agree to disagree. But Rubio, Barea and Martin are in my thinking not a very good rotation. Each player has serious flaws.

[Thread]

Lets agree to disagree. But Rubio

Rubio is a professional basketball player, but, he is not NBA caliber. Just because Media won't call him doesn't make a dime's worth of difference.

[N0 LyF3 ScRuB]

They are a good team. I want them to trade Morrii to the Spurs

Btw Suns fans, what are they going to do with Emeka?

[monosylab1k]

I'm kinda hoping Memphis & Phoenix edge out Dallas for a playoff spot. The Mavs are a guaranteed sweep or 4-1. A healthy Grizz or Suns team could make things interesting.

[Rogue]

our record vs. elite teams ain't much worse than the spurs imho. I'd have to give the other team the edge but it doesn't deny our chance to cause upset imho.

[Kamnik]

What contract can Bledsoe get? Or better said - what will he demand?

[Xylus]

What contract can Bledsoe get? Or better said - what will he demand?

That's a very difficult question to answer. Had he not gone down with the injury, he would have been a lock for near-Max money, but now the situation is uncertain. After the injury, there were whispers about him being injury-prone, and that can haunt a player. The Suns have a ton of cap room, though, so throwing a hefty contract at Bledsoe wouldn't handcuff them in the future.

Personally, I want the Suns to pay the man. The Dragic/Bledsoe combo is explosive, and gives us the ability to have an elite point guard on the floor at all times.

[Xylus]

They are a good team. I want them to trade Morrii to the Spurs

Btw Suns fans, what are they going to do with Emeka?

Emeka's contract is the one of the biggest trade chips in the league. I'd be surprised, though, if McD traded him before the deadline. Right now, there aren't any all-stars on the trade block, and he's looking to make a big splash. They'll likely just let his contract expire at the end of the season and try to make big moves in the upcoming free agency.

[Xylus]

What do you think Suns should do in the offseason? Should they keep Bledsoe?
Trading or keeping Morris brothers?
What is your take on Len? What is his ceiling?

My personal takes:

1. Keep Bledsoe, regardless of money. Individually he might not be worth a max contract, but it's worth the money to keep Dragic and Bledsoe together. (Dragic has an extremely reasonable contract, which makes it easier to pay Bled.)

2. Trade the Morris brothers only if you get an all-star PF or SF in return. Markieff, in particular, is showing flashes of greatness, and I think part of that has to do with having his brother around. Both players are making about the same money ($2.2 mil this year, $3.1 mil next year), so right now their value is higher than their paycheck.

3. Len shows signs of being a pretty good player, but he's young and hasn't put it together yet. He needs a lot more playing time (he was sidelined with an injury for much of the season). He's mobile, he boxes out better than Plumlee, has decent hands, and he's huge. It's hard to say how good Len will be, but I don't think he'll be a bust.

[Thread]

My personal takes:

1. Keep Bledsoe, regardless of money. Individually he might not be worth a max contract, but it's worth the money to keep Dragic and Bledsoe together. (Dragic has an extremely reasonable contract, which makes it easier to pay Bled.)

2. Trade the Morris brothers only if you get an all-star PF or SF in return. Markieff, in particular, is showing flashes of greatness, and I think part of that has to do with having his brother around. Both players are making about the same money ($2.2 mil this year, $3.1 mil next year), so right now their value is higher than their paycheck.

3. Len shows signs of being a pretty good player, but he's young and hasn't put it together yet. He needs a lot more playing time (he was sidelined with an injury for much of the season). He's mobile, he boxes out better than Plumlee, has decent hands, and he's huge. It's hard to say how good Len will be, but I don't think he'll be a bust.

You damn well better be right. Otherwise, I'm gonna ride you to the ends of the earth.

[Xylus]

You damn well better be right. Otherwise, I'm gonna ride you to the ends of the earth.

Cut it out, old man. I never said that Len was the best possible pick at #5, but honestly I don't know who we should have taken instead. Last year's draft class sucked balls. Now quit your sobbin'.

[Thread]

Cut it out, old man. I never said that Len was the best possible pick at #5, but honestly I don't know who we should have taken instead. Last year's draft class sucked balls. Now quit your sobbin'.

Fine.

[Kamnik]

What would be the max in money and years Suns could give Bledsoe? (other teams can't give that many years)

[Thread]

^I believe it's 4/$80 million.

[Kamnik]

I like Bledsoe... but if he will want too much they should sign&trade him.
Backup PG, SG, SF, PF... they need these things more than Bledsoe.

With Plumlee and Len they will have a very good center rotation next year.

[TDMVPDPOY]

^I believe it's 4/$80 million.

no one on that suns team is going to get the max

players earning +20m a season are franchise changers, bledsoe is not that

[Kamnik]

number 9.... above Lillard as he should be!

http://www.nba.com/mvp-ladder/

[Xylus]

Yet...not an all-star.

[Kamnik]

Let us wait for Kobe and Paul to grab crutches more firmly!