Dragic slated to play 18+ minutes per game

[daveang]

Suns point guard Goran Dragic is slated to get 18-plus minutes per game this season, allowing Steve Nash to rest.
Nash has said he was run down at the end of last season and the team would like to limit his minutes, as well as keep him around 70 games played. Nash has admitted that he's not sure if the plan will pan out, but we'll have to see if the Suns can pull it off.

I think that it's reasonable for Dragic to play 18-20 minutes per game as a backup - even though we've seen Barbosa step in for Nash, if Dragic can keep up the pace then there's no reason why he can't play those sort of minutes. Initially does he play those sort of minutes? Porter might just throw him in the deep end and see if he adapts.

As far as Nash and the 70 games played scenario, I can't see that happening. The West is going to be tight, and it's more than likely that Nash will be required on the floor in the final 10-12 games of the season as the Suns fight it out for a decent playoff spot.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

C'mon Dave where is your source?



I expect around 15 minutes per from Dragic. And yeah I think Porter will throw him in the deep end straight away. He will have a full pre-season with us and should be relatively up to speed once the season comes around, so I don't see a problem in throwing him in the deep end, unless of course he struggles with it during camp.

Also on the Nash scenario, I don't really see it happening, but I don't think they plan to do it the way you state. I think their idea is to rest him against lesser teams rather than the last 10-12 games.

[lilfishi22]

It's reasonable for Dragic to play 18-20min, but is it realistic? I would like Nash to have upwards of 20min a game of rest, but I just don't see Dragic being able to hold things down til he get's back. NF33 is probably right, we're going to rest Nash against the non-playoff teams rather than the last few games of the season. I expect the West to be much like last season with even elite teams fighting for a playoff spot, so I think Nash may have to play the last few games.

But like I've mentioned many times before, I expect Porter to give Dragic big minutes early in the season, upwards of about 20min, pushing 25 against lesser teams. This way by the All-Star break Dragic could be comfortably playing about 15mpg on a nightly basis, and about 10-15 solid minutes in the playoffs. The way I see it, the first half of the season will be Dragic's time and the 2nd half will be Nash's.

[ma_falaa_50]

as long as nash can rest. Im cool with the idea. Fact is all that matters is the playoffs. I know winning matters in the west but lets be honest when you get to the playoffs in the west the suns will have to step up home or away.

[daveang]

C'mon Dave where is your source?

Never Fear, here is my source!!

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/124921

I guess there is always the chance that the coaching staff could list Nash as 'injured' before a game starts just to rest him for a whole game....

I also don't see him getting complete games off - but yeah, maybe extended minutes of rest in blowouts etc....

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

Thanks Dave, be careful the boys get a little antsy if you don't put a link around these here parts.

[Suns247]

I agree that the first half of the season is going to be the Dragic experiment. With 5 new players and the ongoing transition of Shaq into the lineup, the first half of the season should be crazy. After the all-star break, everything should be panned out, and hopefully this means Dragic getting a solid 15-20 mins a game and Nash resting for the playoffs.

[pidi]

mh, i expect even more of sean singletary. i think he realy could step up with the play i´ve seen from him. i expect nash to play around 30 minutes. and that would be awesome.

but again, i don´t expect much from goran dragic in his first year - i hope i´m wrong.

[nevetsov]

As long as Nash doesn't skip the 6 game east coast trip..

[TXSun]

i don't think Dragic will got 20 minutes himself, I expect singletary to get his 5-8 minutes in there somehow and Dragic 12-15 minutes. Whatever it is, we got two solid unproven legit PGs to backup Nash.

[eastsidecrossover]

I agree with lilfishi22. I think he will and should get up to 20 mins a game early, and those mins will dwindel as time goes on, especially as games become critical in the playoff race. Sean would be nice to get some mins, but I don't see it unless he outplays Dragic. But Porter has to be smart when he plays and rest nash.

At least, with a deeper bench, and a new coach, we should see a lot of our bench the rist two months. Kind of like how the spurs do it.

tight games, you will see more nash than Dragic. the west is very good, so I really do not see him getting 20 mins a game to tell you the truth.

[Never Fear 33 Is Here]

As long as Nash doesn't skip the 6 game east coast trip..

Wouldn't that just suck ass.

BTW, nice link through your pic..............I always wanted to know what the imageshack site looked like.

[tsherkin]

Hmm... a testy rookie point guard without NBA 3pt range or a mid-range game playing 15-20 mpg as the Suns look to fight off a strong WC and establish a top-4 seed... Hmm... Running a new offense with Steve Nash playing only 30 mpg and in only 85% of the team's games.

I'm not a big fan of this proposition. I think 70 games is freaking stupid and I think relying on rookies to play big minutes to fill his shoes is similarly (Please Use More Appropriate Word). I do not think this experiment will last.

[TASTIC]

^Sounds like Tony Parker in his rookie year, except he had 3 pt range back then and was a lot faster and more seasoned

I think they're essentially forfeiting 8-10 of those 12 games they want to rest him, really dumb.
Nash won't stand for it, he's a fighter. Aim to play him 75, and if he has any nagging injuries let them heal

I'd like to see some of Hill/Diaw creating

[lilfishi22]

We have to limit Nash's minutes to 30mpg if we could, and I think we should be able to do it in the first half of the season. The 2nd half of the season should be the business end of the regular season, so I see Nash playing about 35mpg for certain games, especially against title contenders. I want Nash to be playing 75 games, 70 games will be pushing it.

I think Dragic is probably about a year or 2 away from running the team properly, but I think he should be able to hold his own while Nash is out. I doubt Singletary will get minutes, like someone mentioned before, he'll probably play down at the D-League most of the time. With that being said, worse comes to worse, we'll have LB doing what he's been doing the last few seasons, playing backup PG. While the Suns would suffer in a few games in the regular season with LB at point, it's much better have LB do what he can rather than have Nash play extended minutes.

I think that is what Porter has in mind, use LB if Dragic doesn't perform, but Nash's minutes will be shortened no matter what, be it Diaw, Hill or LB having to play point.

@ Tastic: Porter would be stupid to sit Nash for 12 games against playoff teams. He will most likely sit Nash against the young teams like OKC and MIN. The last 4 games of the season we play against, MEM, MIN, MEM, GSW. I think we can sit Nash for all of them, or play him 10mpg in each depending on our W-L situation. One could argue GSW could be a playoff team, but i don't see the Suns having to play for a playoff position in the last game. So that's already 4 games we could potentially sit Nash. It could work out.

[TASTIC]

^Man isn't that even worse - imagine if we rest him vs the gimme wins and we LOSE...it's a foolish plan

[tsherkin]

^Sounds like Tony Parker in his rookie year, except he had 3 pt range back then and was a lot faster and more seasoned

Faster, yes. More seasoned? Maybe. 3pt range? Meh, not really. He'd hit them if he was stunningly open but he shot under 33% 3PT as a rookie and even with a 39.5% season two years ago, he's still at a career 3PT% of 31.4; he's never been a noteworthy outside shooter.

[lilfishi22]

^Man isn't that even worse - imagine if we rest him vs the gimme wins and we LOSE...it's a foolish plan

Yes it is. Honestly I don't care if giving Nash enough rest means we make the playoffs by 1 game. The playoffs is what counts. We've had our share of fun and regular season success, it's all good and nice but if Nash is being worked into the ground then we haven't got a chance in the playoffs.

Even with the West getting stronger, I believe we can still rest Nash enough and get us into the playoffs. So we should just get whatever wins is needed to make playoffs, then get Nash rested by keeping him to about 20mpg going into the playoffs. I admit some games in the regular season, we're gonna push Nash to 35+mpg and that's fine as long as it isn't on a nightly basis. I too was skeptical about limiting the games Nash plays, but after looking over the schedule I think we may be able to limit Nash to about 75 games. All I'm saying is that it's possibly to keep Nash out of . . . say 8 games, and still win 6 of those.

The main thing is, limit Nash's minutes to a reasonable 30mpg , leave him out of unnecessary games and only push Nash to 35+mpg if we're in a situation where we may not make playoffs.

[Sun Scorched]

Listen, play Nash the entire 82, but throw him 10-12 games where he plays limited minutes off the ball. He wo'nt get worn out playing 20 minutes off the bench as a spot up 2.

It would throw an interesting curve at other teams though, Dragic could still gaurd other team's 2s and Nash could still run a couple PNRs out there, but Nash was the best shooting gaurd in the league last year, we need to use him as such.

[tsherkin]

75 GP and 32 or 33 mpg is fine. 70 games? That is not wise. And SS' idea of playing Nash off-ball a bunch for several games is a good one; it replaces Nash being out of the game with him being there in case they need him but mostly loping around as a spot-up shooter.

Neat thought.