Suns need to stop neglecting to develop their young players

[Revived]

I honestly think it's better to give guys real playing time in their 2nd year, and maybe a few spot minutes in blowouts in their first. Now if we were terrible it might be worth it, but as good as I expect TJ to be, he is probably not nearly as good as Marcus quite yet. A year getting used to the speed at the pro level in practice IS developing guys.

Now if we did deal the twins and start to fall back in the standings, it might be worth it, but I think Dragic is most likely to re-sign with us if we make the playoffs. I still don't really expect it, but I don't think he would be too happy if we don't do everything we can to try and win games.

Yea but that's not quite happening with Goodwin.

[bwgood77]

I honestly think it's better to give guys real playing time in their 2nd year, and maybe a few spot minutes in blowouts in their first. Now if we were terrible it might be worth it, but as good as I expect TJ to be, he is probably not nearly as good as Marcus quite yet. A year getting used to the speed at the pro level in practice IS developing guys.

Now if we did deal the twins and start to fall back in the standings, it might be worth it, but I think Dragic is most likely to re-sign with us if we make the playoffs. I still don't really expect it, but I don't think he would be too happy if we don't do everything we can to try and win games.

Yea but that's not quite happening with Goodwin.

Well I think you and I differ on Goodwin. We don't need another driver. We need a two who can shoot 3s. If he ever learns to shoot, he will maybe be ok. Right now he is a very very poor man's Bledsoe who can't pass or shoot. Playing against elite starters in the league isn't going to help him learn those skills.

Regardless of what we do with him, I think there is probably only a 10-15% chance he ever becomes a major rotational player. If he does it might be years down the line like with Gerald Green, once he learned to shoot well.

[Revived]

I honestly think it's better to give guys real playing time in their 2nd year, and maybe a few spot minutes in blowouts in their first. Now if we were terrible it might be worth it, but as good as I expect TJ to be, he is probably not nearly as good as Marcus quite yet. A year getting used to the speed at the pro level in practice IS developing guys.

Now if we did deal the twins and start to fall back in the standings, it might be worth it, but I think Dragic is most likely to re-sign with us if we make the playoffs. I still don't really expect it, but I don't think he would be too happy if we don't do everything we can to try and win games.

Yea but that's not quite happening with Goodwin.

Well I think you and I differ on Goodwin. We don't need another driver. We need a two who can shoot 3s. If he ever learns to shoot, he will maybe be ok. Right now he is a very very poor man's Bledsoe who can't pass or shoot. Playing against elite starters in the league isn't going to help him learn those skills.

Regardless of what we do with him, I think there is probably only a 10-15% chance he ever becomes a major rotational player. If he does it might be years down the line like with Gerald Green, once he learned to shoot well.

Ok we do differ on Goodwin. However, what about Bullock? His primary and main strength is his 3pt shot.

[bwgood77]

Yea but that's not quite happening with Goodwin.

Well I think you and I differ on Goodwin. We don't need another driver. We need a two who can shoot 3s. If he ever learns to shoot, he will maybe be ok. Right now he is a very very poor man's Bledsoe who can't pass or shoot. Playing against elite starters in the league isn't going to help him learn those skills.

Regardless of what we do with him, I think there is probably only a 10-15% chance he ever becomes a major rotational player. If he does it might be years down the line like with Gerald Green, once he learned to shoot well.

Ok we do differ on Goodwin. However, what about Bullock? His primary and main strength is his 3pt shot.

Oh yeah, I think Bullock probably has a place in the league for sure because if he plays the 2 he has nice size at 6'7 and can hit 3s, though I haven't watched him much.

[Revived]

Mitch McGary is getting more playing time for OKC than Warren is for the Suns smh.

[Orens]

Mitch McGary is getting more playing time for OKC than Warren is for the Suns smh.

He was drafted after Ennis, so...

[Revived]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ScottHoward42/status/572600961086013441[/tweet]

[sunskerr]

I think it's getting to a similar situation we had with Len and Plumlee, where the younger guy is clearly better or he is as good but younger (and therefore has priority). I think we need to give Green's minutes to Archie and Warren. Of course if Green isn't bought out it could bring more negative press to the team.

[RunDogGun]

I think it's getting to a similar situation we had with Len and Plumlee, where the younger guy is clearly better or he is as good but younger (and therefore has priority). I think we need to give Green's minutes to Archie and Warren. Of course if Green isn't bought out it could bring more negative press to the team.

I was a bit surprised we didn't at least get a second rounder for Green. I just don't see the need for him anymore. They must have talked to him, and he wanted to stay? I don't know, maybe they were hoping he would return to last year's Green....but that didn't happen.

We've lost too many recently, not to give more minutes to players under contract for more than this season. I would buy out Green, and let him sign on wherever he wants, or can. Do him a solid, and then divide the backup SG minutes to Goodwin and Bullock. Both did their time in the DLeague, and we can spread their minutes with vet guards.

[saintEscaton]

Will Thornton continue to be a roadblock getting in the way of Bullock? I dont see why we are obliged to play just because he was a throw in for the IT deal

[nevetsov]

Will Thornton continue to be a roadblock getting in the way of Bullock? I dont see why we are obliged to play just because he was a throw in for the IT deal

Heat are trying for a playoff push, I'm surprised we didn't bundle him into that deal for the injured McRoberts. Wouldn't cost Miami anything this season and would beef up their bench. I guess it doesn't matter for them now that they have next year's MVP Tyler Johnson at SG.

McBob would be a great PF complement next to Len next season, and would enable us to bring the Morrii off the bench together.

[Scutt]

The Suns are like the movie Groundhog Day, its the same thing year after year. Always bringing in vet role players instead of developing their own young guys. How many players in the starting lineup were drafted by the Suns? Only one, and he very well could be on his way out. People on here say that Len, Booker, and Warren are all part of our core. Yet Booker cant even sniff the court, Len lost his starting spot and playing time to Chandler, and Tucker gets the majority of minutes over Warren. Do not even get me started on Goodwin. One of the hardest workers on the team, in his 3rd year, and the Suns cant even give him a shot because they are so desperate to make the 8th seed.

It was so awesome to see Len only get 9 minutes last night and DNP's for Booker and Goodwin! We as Suns fans should really all get behind the Bledsoe, Knight, and the band of 30 year role players this front office has rolled out. Why develop young players when you have guys like Tyson Chandler, PJ Tucker, Ronnie Price, Sunny Weems, John Leuer, and Teletovic to take those minutes. With guys like them, the Suns must be considered a playoff team for sure!

[jazzfan1971]

I drafted Len. I thought he was ready. I am really struggling to understand your team.

Is it that you guys think you are making the playoffs, and the chance of that is worth giving a guy like Len 9 minutes? Or is Len just not ready for primetime?

- Confused

[bwgood77]

I drafted Len. I thought he was ready. I am really struggling to understand your team.

Is it that you guys think you are making the playoffs, and the chance of that is worth giving a guy like Len 9 minutes? Or is Len just not ready for primetime?

- Confused

I did too, but I already dropped him. He shows good flashes, but the main thing is that Tyson Chandler is really balling. He also says he is learning a ton from Chandler so, although he is probably developing skills, he isn't nearly the player Tyson is yet. Part of the problem is that since McDonough didn't give Hornacek an extension and this is his make or break year to make the playoffs, and prove himself, he is on the hot seat to win now. I would have rather him gotten the extension and I imagine younger guys would get more minutes. But Len has also looked really bad at times. Just still developing.

[jazzfan1971]

I feel bad for Hornacek then. That's really not fair to him IMHO.

[bwgood77]

I feel bad for Hornacek then. That's really not fair to him IMHO.

Yeah, they hired a GM who wanted to rebuild with youth and the draft but once they sniffed a little success and looked competitive in Hornacek's first year, ownership demands playoffs now so it puts both the GM and coach in a bad spot. If they hit reset again and fire Hornacek they will get another coach who feels pressure to prove himself and win right out of the gate and will likely rely on vets with experience over getting young guys in unless Sarver allows them to go through some ugly losses while young guys get more playing time.

[jazzfan1971]

On the plus side, at 3-3 and a pretty good +3.3 point differential it's possible you folks make the playoffs. I guess it's probably worth playing 20 games with the vets to get a good idea where you are.

[letsgosuns]

The Suns are like the movie Groundhog Day, its the same thing year after year. Always bringing in vet role players instead of developing their own young guys. How many players in the starting lineup were drafted by the Suns? Only one, and he very well could be on his way out. People on here say that Len, Booker, and Warren are all part of our core. Yet Booker cant even sniff the court, Len lost his starting spot and playing time to Chandler, and Tucker gets the majority of minutes over Warren. Do not even get me started on Goodwin. One of the hardest workers on the team, in his 3rd year, and the Suns cant even give him a shot because they are so desperate to make the 8th seed.

It was so awesome to see Len only get 9 minutes last night and DNP's for Booker and Goodwin! We as Suns fans should really all get behind the Bledsoe, Knight, and the band of 30 year role players this front office has rolled out. Why develop young players when you have guys like Tyson Chandler, PJ Tucker, Ronnie Price, Sunny Weems, John Leuer, and Teletovic to take those minutes. With guys like them, the Suns must be considered a playoff team for sure!

100% agree. There is nothing exciting about watching this team. That is why there are so many empty seats. That is why they are offering such huge discounts on tickets. Nobody cares. Barkley said it himself after Markieff blamed the fans last year. He said Suns fans are not stupid. They know this team is not good. What is there to cheer about. You put such a bad product on the court then people will not be interested. Simple business logic. People are not interested in products that suck. The Suns starting lineup is one of the ugliest offenses I have ever seen.

[RaisingArizona]

I drafted Len. I thought he was ready. I am really struggling to understand your team.

Is it that you guys think you are making the playoffs, and the chance of that is worth giving a guy like Len 9 minutes? Or is Len just not ready for primetime?

- Confused

Chandler is just a lot better. Honestly. TC has been one of the best big men thus far.

[Damkac]

Just saw Chandler is now 5th best rebounder in the league with over 11 a game. And that in just 28,7 minutes.