Offseason Thread 6: The Not So Mexican Stand-off Continues

[letsgosuns]

The Suns really did more than only keep Bledsoe with this deal. The organization showed potential free agents around the league that the team is willing to pay big money to deserving players and have learned from past mistakes. They screwed up quite a few times in the past by losing Joe Johnson, Tim Thomas, Kurt Thomas, Eddie House, and countless draft picks to save a little bit of money. I am sure that those previous mistakes were on Sarver's mind and he did not want to lose Bledsoe over just a couple million more a year. This new contract also keeps the Suns on good terms with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports who appear to be moving up in the agency ranks. If Paul gets new clients, it never hurts to have a relationship with an agent that can sway people's minds towards coming to your team.

[jcsunsfan]

Boy McD really stuck it to Bledsoe and Rich Paul. For two guys with no leverage, they did allright.

Sarcasm aside, I as I've posted here the past three months, I don't think your franchise had a choice.

-You weren't getting fair value back in trade
-Letting him go to the QO would have resulted in losing the asset in nine-months.
-Hardballing him would have caused PHX to have a bad rap with other players that would have damaged your franchise

I would have just offered him 4/$63 and given him the opt-out after year 3. But maybe Rich Paul had to have five-years. The problem with the five year deal is that the final year could pay him between $15 and $18 million depending on structure. That's a boat anchor to prevent trades if he doesn't pan out.

In any event, he's a great player if he stays healthy. He makes you relevant this season.

5/70 is a much better deal for the Suns than 4/63. 14 a year instead of 16.

This is true. Props to jdiddy for almost nailing it perfectly. Yes, I doubted you. I was guessing 4/54. This is not really that much more with the extra year. I do expect he will stay reasonably healthy.

[mg]

I believe Bledsoe will be a "poison pill" player this season so would be nearly impossible to trade but can be dealt beginning next offseason as a $14 mil outgoing salary. Really need Bled to stay healthy and live up to the contract..at least for one season.

[SunZel]

I remember NotTraxxe saying we would trade him soon in the season once we signed him.

[Marz11]

I used to defend the Suns when people would make fun of the number of guards on the team. It is actually ridiculous now. If Zoran comes then that is three guards signed this offseason with an already stacked guard rotation.

I guess Green will play more 3 this season but a player like Archie needs playing time to develop and I can't see where that will come from. I can't see how Zoran gets any time either, let alone Ennis who will rot in the D league it seems.

Makes no sense having all these guys, when Horancek has already said that Suns will play with IT, Goran and Bled rotation.

Hard to believe the offseason moves are over.

[JTrain]

Len and Plumlee both have potential. Whoever outperforms the other this season will likely become part of our long-term plans. I would not give up on the possibility that either could be a top 10 center in this league in the next 2-4 years.

[lilfishi22]

A thought and a question.

$48/4 was never going to get it done and the Suns knew that but they set the bar at what is fair and negotiated up. 70/5 seems a lot but when put into perspective, $1m a year more and an extra year tacked on over the 52/4 offer which we would realistically looking at. That said, this will ALWAYS be the case when signing or resigning premier young talent which Bledsoe is. I'd love to see more details of the actual deal.

My question though is whether tacking on 5th makes him our "Designed Player" or if that's only for a 5th year and no max dollars?

[Suns Court 23]

I remember NotTraxxe saying we would trade him soon in the season once we signed him.

I only like the idea of trading him if:

1) We are getting a quality big in return

2) The medical staff has potential worries over his knees

3) If his trade value is high and we are offered a killer deal for him

[Saberestar]

http://instagram.com/p/tWF-eUAX1a/

[Suns Court 23]

Len and Plumlee both have potential. Whoever outperforms the other this season will likely become part of our long-term plans. I would not give up on the possibility that either could be a top 10 center in this league in the next 2-4 years.

I think Len is supposed to be the future 5 unless we trade or sign an all-star center such as Marc Gasol next offseason but that is unlikely. At the same time I don't think Len will be ready for 20 minutes a night as the back up to Plumlee but I hope I am wrong.

[lilfishi22]

http://instagram.com/p/tWF-eUAX1a/

If anything, I hate that Paul comes away looking like a winner.

[BurningHeart]

You'd think with all the injuries the Suns have had over the years that people would learn that guard depth is a good thing.

Guess not.

[LukasBMW]

http://instagram.com/p/tWF-eUAX1a/

If anything, I hate that Paul comes away looking like a winner.

This x100

We would have won at 4/54 even with a player option on the 4th year.

64/4 would have been ugly, but acceptable.

70/5 means we got absolutely worked by the Klutch d-bags.

[LukasBMW]

And we still need a big.

Plumlee is great at finishing at the rim off the pick and roll from 10 feet an in. But that's about it. To be effective, he needs to start making his shots off his post game (he didn't last year) and be a better rebounder and defender. Not sure that's gonna happen.

Len has defensive potential, but he needs to hit his outside shot consistently and become much better at finishing around the rim.

Ironically Len can hit the outside shot, but had rock hands in the paint last year where Plumlee has no outside shot but was great at catching lobs.

[JDLAW]

I remember NotTraxxe saying we would trade him soon in the season once we signed him.

Cannot happen under the CBA. He will be with the Suns at least a year and more likely the length of the agreement.

[Sunsdeuce]

You'd think with all the injuries the Suns have had over the years that people would learn that guard depth is a good thing.

Guess not.

Depth is great but you don't want to be overloaded especially at the guard spot, It's more important to have balance on a roster. To be honest, I would rather be overloaded at the forward position. But we aren't so I have to deal with it.

We have zero, I say that again zero depth behind markeiff. Tolliver is not depth. He is what he is. A journeyman happy to be making 3 million for a year. And Marcus is a small forward. Although he will have to play power forward now (not his strength).

If markeiff goes down for a long period of time, this team is in trouble.

It's a proven fact small ball is useless (more of a gimmick offensive, not effective long term nor is it playoff worthy) . And the suns are going to be playing extreme small ball.

I'm sure Ryan Mcd is well aware of this. So I'm sure he has something up his sleeve.


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[thamadkant]

Reading yesterday's news about Bledsoe/Paul returning a 4/54 million contract with 4th year player option..

I'm actually questioning the 5/70 WITHOUT condition offer now...

4/54 with player option would of been better, its cheaper and just in case Bledsoe does start getting DNPs due to injuries towards the 3rd and 4th year... then its a contract a year shorter.


Unless more news comes out with Suns actually having conditions... I'm baffled a bit with the lack of conditions given the news yesterday.

[BurningHeart]

The hashtag in the Instagram has a typo, lol. And the notion behind the hashtag itself irks the hell out of me.

"#WeWriteOurOwnChapter."

It stinks of "me against the world," "they tried to screw us," manufactured, empty, "rise above the struggle" rhetoric garbage. Typical of the "2014 Athlete" that I hate so much.

Oh well. Let him go get us 20, 5, and 5.

[JDLAW]

http://instagram.com/p/tWF-eUAX1a/

If anything, I hate that Paul comes away looking like a winner.

I do not think it does. He wanted 5 and 84 ($16.8M/yr) or he was not going to agree to a contract. The Suns offered 4 and 48 ($12M yr) They settled at 5 and 70 ($14M/yr) The Suns gave the 5th year because is showed Bledsoe wanted to be here. The salary per year was a compromise that slightly favored the Suns - they went down 3M/yr and we went up 2M/yr. The Suns were always willing to go up on the initial offer if they would come in and negotiate. They finally did and the deal got done.

What looks so stupid is that it took so long for this to get worked out.

[SSOL]

I remember NotTraxxe saying we would trade him soon in the season once we signed him.

Guarantee that doesn't happen.