The One And Only Offseason Thread 5: Dinnertime!

[Sunsdeuce]

Also National TV counts for some other teams:

Lakers -- 27
Knicks -- 23
Clippers -- 32
Cavs -- 29
Warriors -- 25
Pacers -- 8 (lol)
Heat -- 20

these include NBATV

It amazes me the Lakers continue to be on that much.

Thinking the same thing.

[SunsFanSSOL]

Probably a bit controversial, but I feel I need to say it. I think the city has a lot to do with Bledsoe reportedly not wanting to be here. As Kareem famously said of Milwaukee:

"Live in Milwaukee? No, I guess you could say I exist in Milwaukee, I am a soldier hired for service and I will perform that service well. Basketball has given me a good life, but this town has nothing to do with my roots. There's no common ground."

Culture wise, Phoenix is far different than Bledsoe's hometown of Birmingham, AL. Phoenix is 6.5 % African American, Birmingham is 73.4 %. Hate to bring race into this but it probably is a major factor. Growing up, all of Bledsoe's friends, neighbors, teachers, and coaches were black and now he comes to a city with a very low black population. Probably feels a bit lonely and experienced a culture shock, which is why he felt the need to have his brother move out to Phoenix with him (to my knowledge he lived alone in LA). People mention the nightlife in Scottsdale as being good, but it's just not the same as it is in South, as Bledsoe is accustom to.

Of course this is not the case for every player. Some guys will play anywhere and not have a problem with it, but there are some guys who are very particular in the place where they'd like to play. Ricky Rubio was hesitant to play in Minnesota because it was so different from Spain. Pau Gasol didn't want to play in OKC due the what he reported described as a lack of culture. Yi Jianlian hated playing for the Bucks and request a trade to a place with more Asian-Americans. Of course, this is all just speculation, but I'm starting to believe it's the case when people are saying that the issue here is personal, Bledsoe never saying he likes the city, and how he would only willingly come back for the max.

[tgtm_24]

Another tough finish to the schedule, just like last season. Nice chance to start well though.

[King4Day]

Having grown up in NY and then NC, I've been to Phoenix twice. I prefer cold whether and living by water. For me, I would choose Minnesota over Phoenix. That would be a dream for me odd as that seems.
Different for everyone. Nash lived in NY during the offseason though so it's not like these guys are forced to stay there.
Bledsoe...you are gong to make millions. Who gives a **** where you live. Suck it up...

[BurningHeart]

Because the Suns have never had any black players, especially black players from Alabama? Good grief.

If Goran **** Dragic can come all the way from SLOVENIA to PHOENIX and feel at home enough to come BACK after getting traded, I'm pretty damn sure Eric Bledsoe should be just jim dandy.

[Blackification]

Another tough finish to the schedule, just like last season. Nice chance to start well though.

I went up to november and saw 4 or 5 back to backs and a 5 game road trip thats ends in a b2b

We were pretty decent last year at those games but still

[SunsFanSSOL]

Because the Suns have never had any black players, especially black players from Alabama? Good grief.

If Goran **** Dragic can come all the way from SLOVENIA to PHOENIX and feel at home enough to come BACK after getting traded, I'm pretty damn sure Eric Bledsoe will be just jim dandy.

Did you even acknowledge my last paragraph? Like I said, not everyone is very particular about where they play, Dragic is probably one of those guys, he seems happy to play wherever and is just grateful for a chance to play basketball for a living. Same with guys like KD, the Morris twins, Isaiah Thomas etc. Looking and EB's instagram and his friends it seems he loves the hip-hop culture that Birmingham is engrossed in. Phoenix just doesn't offer that. Places like LA, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, DC, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia do. I'm sure this same situation would occur had Bledsoe been traded to a team like the Jazz or Wolves.

[spanishninja]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/23 ... 15-By-Team

tally of non-NBATV national broadcasts by team. We're tied with Washington, which is nice.

[Sun Scorched]

Guys, Bledsoe is great on D, no question, but can we stop pretending like he's some sort of defensive God that adds 10+ wins onto our total? He doesn't. And he didn't last year.

Goran Dragic
Offensive Win Shares = 8.4
Defensive Win Shares = 2.0
Win Shares per 48 = .186

Eric Bledsoe
Offensive Win Shares = 2.6
Defensive Win Shares = 1.6
Win Shares per 48 = .140

Essentially, if you pretend that both Dragic and Bledsoe average exactly 36 minutes over 82 games, Dragic would produce 11.43 wins by himself (or rather, that's how much he contributed to the Suns win total this past season). Bledsoe would contribute 8.61 wins, by himself.

Since Bledsoe only played half the season, per win shares, he only contributed 4.3 wins to this team. So that's your theoretical downside.

Oh, and on that cluster of a roster in SAC, Isaiah Thomas posted win shares per 48 of .149 - which is impressive because SAC won only 28 games all season. His stats will jump as a result of playing in PHX, but are already better than Bledsoe.

Markeiff had a wsp48 of .143.

[wordsenuff]

nothing we haven't heard before...

Restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe recently said the Phoenix Suns are using the system against him.

Greg Monroe, also a restricted free agent, has made clear that he wants to use the system to his advantage.

Bledsoe, a point guard for the Suns, wants a five-year, full-max deal worth $84 million, a contract significantly higher than the four-year, $48 million deal the Suns have presented. The Suns counter that their offer is fair.

The Suns are using the system — the rules of the collective bargaining agreement — to their advantage. The two sides still don't have a deal with training camp less than two months away, and the rift only has grown.


USATODAY
Greg Monroe signs Pistons' offer, delays free agency
The relationship between the two sides has soured, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.

The person also said Bledsoe, 24, strongly is considering signing the Suns' qualifying offer for $3.726 million — good for the 2014-15 season — to become an unrestricted free agent after next summer.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /13967777/

[RunDogGun]

Having grown up in NY and then NC, I've been to Phoenix twice. I prefer cold whether and living by water. For me, I would choose Minnesota over Phoenix. That would be a dream for me odd as that seems.
Different for everyone. Nash lived in NY during the offseason though so it's not like these guys are forced to stay there.
Bledsoe...you are gong to make millions. Who gives a **** where you live. Suck it up...

I live in Minny right now, and since the season is basically through the worst months of the winter here, and off the worst months in AZ, I think it's a no brainer. Play in PHX, in a style that suits you, and live somewhere else for the summer.

[rsavaj]

[bwgood77]

Many refuse to see it, but when you can draw a BIG out of the paint, it is MUCH MUCH easier for anyone to score, especially from short to mid range or driving to the basket. Part of the reason I was one of the few that mentioned Hawes...he will help uncrowd the Clips lane in a BIG way when he is on the court...Griffin and Paul will be monsters around the basket.

Hopefully Kieff has worked on this. I'm sure Hornacek has emphasized how important it is. I've mentioned before that they perhaps they mix the lineups a bit to have Kieff out there more with Tolliver at times and Mook out there with Plumlee to at least have a better stretch big on the floor at all times.

[Jdiddy701]

You guys act like Markieff can't hit the 3. If anything, he will shoot more efficiently than Frye because the mixture of midrange and 3 pt shots. Frye's spacing so overrated by Suns fans. Markieff will be an upgrade in the PF position. No shooting slumps anymore for 41 games like Frye ran into every season and in the post season. Markieff will probably have shooting slumps, but the difference is that Markieff has a post game, something Frye has never had in Phoenix even though he's now 30 years old.

Do I think the PF position needs upgrade? Yes, but Markieff will fill Frye's job and bring more very easy. We will never hear from Channing Frye again and he will be just another Suns player to leave the system and never talk about again.

Again, I like Frye and wouldn't have mind to kept him for 4 mil a year at most AND coming off the bench but he is not starter, rather give it to a young player that has room for development like Markieff.

You guys talk about the Frye effect and how the team played so well with him on the floor, rather than him out, but call me crazy but I could have sworn Markieff finished 80% of all games in the 4th quarter while Frye was sitting n the end of the games.

[lilfishi22]

You guys act like Markieff can't hit the 3. If anything, he will shoot more efficiently than Frye because the mixture of midrange and 3 pt shots. Frye's spacing so overrated by Suns fans. Markieff will be an upgrade in the PF position. No shooting slumps anymore for 41 games like Frye ran into every season and in the post season. Markieff will probably have shooting slumps, but the difference is that Markieff has a post game, something Frye has never had in Phoenix even though he's now 30 years old.

Do I think the PF position needs upgrade? Yes, but Markieff will fill Frye's job and bring more very easy. We will never hear from Channing Frye again and he will be just another Suns player to leave the system and never talk about again.

Again, I like Frye and wouldn't have mind to kept him for 4 mil a year at most AND coming off the bench but he is not starter, rather give it to a young player that has room for development like Markieff.

You guys talk about the Frye effect and how the team played so well with him on the floor, rather than him out, but call me crazy but I could have sworn Markieff finished 80% of all games in the 4th quarter while Frye was sitting n the end of the games.

I'll need more than personal testimonials. Stats?

[Jdiddy701]

^^ I have no idea how I would find that stat lol

Somebody please help me out with that. Never saw a stat or anyone saying anything proving that. Just my observation from watching last season unless I had a dream for the entire season.

[Sunsss]

I think it was Kieff-Frye together most of the time.

[SSOL]

Where are these stats pulled from?

[Jdiddy701]

I think it was Kieff-Frye together most of the time.

Yeah maybe that is the case because I know Plumlee had a lot of games where he didn't finish off the games, unless we went small with Markieff and Marcus finishing games which I know they did do some but don't know how many. Point is the offense was ran through Markieff during important stretches and crunch times.

I think Markieff will surprise us and could turn out to be the reason why we make the playoffs next season even with Bled potentially gone.


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[bwgood77]

You guys act like Markieff can't hit the 3. If anything, he will shoot more efficiently than Frye because the mixture of midrange and 3 pt shots. Frye's spacing so overrated by Suns fans. Markieff will be an upgrade in the PF position. No shooting slumps anymore for 41 games like Frye ran into every season and in the post season. Markieff will probably have shooting slumps, but the difference is that Markieff has a post game, something Frye has never had in Phoenix even though he's now 30 years old.

Do I think the PF position needs upgrade? Yes, but Markieff will fill Frye's job and bring more very easy. We will never hear from Channing Frye again and he will be just another Suns player to leave the system and never talk about again.

Again, I like Frye and wouldn't have mind to kept him for 4 mil a year at most AND coming off the bench but he is not starter, rather give it to a young player that has room for development like Markieff.

You guys talk about the Frye effect and how the team played so well with him on the floor, rather than him out, but call me crazy but I could have sworn Markieff finished 80% of all games in the 4th quarter while Frye was sitting n the end of the games.

I think Kieff is a better overall player than Frye but the stats posted here show the impact of getting a big guy DEFENDER out of the paint. A post game is nice to have, but in our offense, a floor spreader is of vast importance. I have confidence he can fill that role, but if not, perhaps his brother and Tolliver can.