Phoenix Suns sign Eric Gordon for $58 million over 4 years

[baseline bum]

Rivers isn't close to Gordon's level. He isn't that good. They drafted him 10 to play PG next to Gordon. Didn't like the decision. I thought he was a lower 1st round talent.

Gordon is injury prone, but its really hard finding a talented scoring SG who can take over late in games. I'm worried he will stay healthy somewhere else and be a perennial All-Star SG. He's a good on the ball defender as well. It's easier retaining him than chasing someone else. Plus, even if he gets his 14 million per season, they have enough cap room to sign two more max contracts next offseason.

I'm not arguing with you about not matching. There's reasons not to. Plus, they can do a sign and trade as well. I like Houston's pieces more than Phoenix. But I feel its more risk to let him go than to keep him. If he stays healthy, he gives them a potential perennial All-Star at the SG position who can score on his own. That's hard to find.

I think you're really underestimating Rivers as a shooting guard. With his handles and his creativity in the lane he's a born scorer. He's just not and never will be a point.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Take Marshall in a SnT

[da_suns_fan]

Clowns bashing Gordon are the same clowns screaming "Amare Webber" back in 2006.

Gordon averaged 22 points, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals while shooting 45% from the field two season ago.

Show me how many guys do that for under 14 million.

Laugh all you want. I just remember that Spurs fans were laughing at me when I told them Richard Jefferson wouldnt work in San Antonio (I was actually told only a Suns fan could see a negative in the Richard Jefferson trade). I remember DOK laughing when I told him the Suns would be better having NOTHING rather than Shaq, and I remember Laker fans laughing when I told them losing Odom meant they were DONE winning championships.

Even if Gordon is injured the next four years, its worth the risk. He's a fantastic talent and a good teammate. I say "Go for it".

[Xylus]

I hope New Orleans lets him go to us. This is a great signing for Phoenix.

That kind of money will be worth a guy who will be one of the best SG's in the league in just a few years. Let our training staff work its magic--if they can animate the corpses of Shaq, Michael Redd, and Grant Hill, I'm sure they can help this guy out.

[Pelicans78]

I think you're really underestimating Rivers as a shooting guard. With his handles and his creativity in the lane he's a born scorer. He's just not and never will be a point.

He has good handles, but he's not strong at all and doesn't shoot consistently well. Poor FT shooter. Plus, he takes a lot of awful shots. Doesn't know how to play within the offense. With Gordon gone, he will chuck a lot of shoots. Didn't mention how awful he is defensively. This dude is really overrated.

[Pelicans78]

Take Marshall in a SnT

Sure and we can leave him in the lower 9th ward.

[SenorSpur]

I wonder if the Hornets will match?

[Xylus]

I'm not sure if the Hornets will be willing to match that contract for a guy who implied in his statement that he doesn't want to play for New Orleans anymore. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, though.

[redzero]

lel

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I remember DOK laughing when I told him the Suns would be better having NOTHING rather than Shaq

I remember you saying Goran Dragic didn't belong in the NBA

[tesseractive]

Sure and we can leave him in the lower 9th ward.

I have no idea what this means.

[Pelicans78]

I'm not sure if the Hornets will be willing to match that contract for a guy who implied in his statement that he doesn't want to play for New Orleans anymore. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, though.

They will regardless.

I question why he would prefer Phoenix. The Hornets got a brand new owner who recently won a Super Bowl, have a load of cap room for the next few years and drafted Anthony Davis.

[da_suns_fan]

I remember you saying Goran Dragic didn't belong in the NBA

Got me there. I was was wrong about Goran and i was PISSED when they traded him.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I question why he would prefer Phoenix.

Because the other team is in New Orleans

[Xylus]

I remember saying the Suns might be the 6th seed the year before last.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I remember saying the Suns might be the 6th seed the year before last.

At least you didn't say they'd win the West like a certain Lakers fan who lives in Maryvale.

[Pelicans78]

The Hornets still have leverage. I would rather do a sign and trade with Houston. They have better pieces. All 3 of their 1st round picks are better prospects than Marshall.

[da_suns_fan]

Suns and Hawks were in the exact same situation 7 years ago.

Hawks made max offer to Suns. Suns said they would match unless given proper compensation.

So what will Hornets want?

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Got me there. I was was wrong about Goran and i was PISSED when they traded him.

The Dragic trade convinced me being an NBA GM is 5% about qualifications and 95% about connections and luck. Somehow, everyone knew that trade was an abortion EXCEPT the two guys in control of the Suns' front office.

[baseline bum]

The Hornets still have leverage. I would rather do a sign and trade with Houston. They have better pieces. All 3 of their 1st round picks are better prospects than Marshall.

Do they? Under the previous CBA all they could do is match or not match. Did restricted free agency appreciably change under the 2011 CBA?

[da_suns_fan]

Do they? Under the previous CBA all they could do is match or not match. Did restricted free agency appreciably change under the 2011 CBA?

No, but they can simply match and then trade him next season. Or they can say "we'll accept a sign and trade if you want to go somewhere else, but we're not simply losing you without compensation".

[Pelicans78]

Do they? Under the previous CBA all they could do is match or not match. Did restricted free agency appreciably change under the 2011 CBA?

They could match and leave it at that. Even if Gordon doesn't want to be there, they can still match and keep him. Better than taking whatever the Suns have. He could refuse to sign a max with the Suns and stick with the one year qualifying offer and the Hornets could negotiate with someone else.

[baseline bum]

No, but they can simply match and then trade him next season. Or they can say "we'll accept a sign and trade if you want to go somewhere else, but we're not simply losing you without compensation".

Sure about that second part? I know that definitely wasn't the case under previous CBAs.

[Mel_13]

The Hornets still have leverage. I would rather do a sign and trade with Houston. They have better pieces. All 3 of their 1st round picks are better prospects than Marshall.

They can't do a sign and trade with Houston unless Gordon wants to go there, but I'm sure they can get Gordon to fall in love with New Orleans by offering to add a 5th year to the contract.

[Mr Bones]

Gordon's saying some funny stuff to the media: "I strongly feel (the Suns) are the right franchise for me. Phoenix is just where my heart is.'' It's gonna be awkward if New Orleans matches, and he has to go back. New Orleans played this pretty smart: the max from them would've been 5 years/79 mil, so by matching the Phoenix offer of 4 years/58 mil they'll be saving a bit of money. I don't understand why he'd want to leave a team that just got Anthony Davis-- most likely a franchise type player and potential DPOY for years to come-- to go to a Phoenix team starting from scratch...