Offseason Thread 7: A Tale Of Two Dragons

[LukasBMW]

How can Earl make the team? We can only have 15 players (with two inactive) right?

1. Dragic
2, Dragic
3, Morris
4. Morris
5. PJ
6. TJ
7. Plumlee
8. Len
9. Green
10. Tolliver
11. Bledsoe
12. IT
13. Archie
14. Ennis
15. Shavlik

Gonna come down to Earl or Shavlik. Unless we cut someone else which is highly unlikely. We can't cut Goodwin yet because he still has potential and cutting ZDragic would really piss of GDragic.

[JTrain]

ESPN Top 500 Players

NR. Barron
NR. Zoran

412. Shavlik
392. Archie
366. TJ
335. Ennis
319. Tolliver
294. Len
176. PJ
146. Green
145. Mook
144. Plumdog

104. Keef
67. IT
41. Bledsoe
?. Dragic

[Saberestar]

Another week at least for Len...

Alex Len said his fractured right pinkie felt sore catching and shooting today. Hornacek hopes Len can play a preseason game late next week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulcoro

I think McDonagh probably is looking to make a trade for an starting center before the season begins. Plumlee is good coming of the bench for some minutes and Len can be a good third string center developing and getting healthy...but we need someone to start an play good defense and provide rebounding. Hornacek has been speaking about our problems on defense and protecting the rim lately, and praised Tucker for be the only one that seriously fights to rebound the ball.

Tyler Ennis, Gerarld Green and one first round pick for.......????

[JDLAW]

Another week at least for Len...

Alex Len said his fractured right pinkie felt sore catching and shooting today. Hornacek hopes Len can play a preseason game late next week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulcoro

I think McDonagh probably is looking to make a trade for an starting center before the season begins. Plumlee is good coming of the bench for some minutes and Len can be a good third string center developing and getting healthy...but we need someone to start an play good defense and provide rebounding. Hornacek has been speaking about our problems on defense and protecting the rim lately, and praised Tucker for be the only one that seriously fights to rebound the ball.

Tyler Ennis, Gerarld Green and one first round pick for.......????

I do not think he is looking to make a trade for a "starting center". There are no "starting centers" available to the Suns for that package or more likely there are no "starting centers" available at all for trade in the league.

Better learn to accept the fact that Plumlee and Len are going to be the Suns center rotation and I do not think they are upset about that at all.

[Saberestar]

Another week at least for Len...

Alex Len said his fractured right pinkie felt sore catching and shooting today. Hornacek hopes Len can play a preseason game late next week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulcoro

I think McDonagh probably is looking to make a trade for an starting center before the season begins. Plumlee is good coming of the bench for some minutes and Len can be a good third string center developing and getting healthy...but we need someone to start an play good defense and provide rebounding. Hornacek has been speaking about our problems on defense and protecting the rim lately, and praised Tucker for be the only one that seriously fights to rebound the ball.

Tyler Ennis, Gerarld Green and one first round pick for.......????

I do not think he is looking to make a trade for a "starting center". There are no "starting centers" available to the Suns for that package or more likely there are no "starting centers" available at all for trade in the league.

Better learn to accept the fact that Plumlee and Len are going to be the Suns center rotation and I do not think they are upset about that at all.

If we start the season with this current squad, I think Markieff will play the majority of the minutes at center, next to Marcus or Tolliver at PF. With that frountcourt, at least, we will have great spacing and playmakers.

[NavLDO]

Another week at least for Len...

Alex Len said his fractured right pinkie felt sore catching and shooting today. Hornacek hopes Len can play a preseason game late next week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulcoro

I think McDonagh probably is looking to make a trade for an starting center before the season begins. Plumlee is good coming of the bench for some minutes and Len can be a good third string center developing and getting healthy...but we need someone to start an play good defense and provide rebounding. Hornacek has been speaking about our problems on defense and protecting the rim lately, and praised Tucker for be the only one that seriously fights to rebound the ball.

Tyler Ennis, Gerarld Green and one first round pick for.......????

I do not think he is looking to make a trade for a "starting center". There are no "starting centers" available to the Suns for that package or more likely there are no "starting centers" available at all for trade in the league.

Better learn to accept the fact that Plumlee and Len are going to be the Suns center rotation and I do not think they are upset about that at all.

Pssshh...uuhhh, Mason Plumlee!!!! It's so obvious. But instead of Green, Ennis and a 1st, we trade Shavlik, Ennis, and a 1st. They'll need a "passable" big to replace Mason, they need a cheap PG, and aren't they without a 1st for like, the next, 5 years?

In all seriousness:

Denver has a plethora of 5s in Mozgov, McGee, and Nurkic, so McGee???

The Bucks have Zaza, Sanders, and O'Bryant, so Zaza???

OKC have Perkins, Adams, McGary, so McGary???

So, anyway, there are teams that have really good depth at the 5, like we are at the 1, so there is probably a deal to be had there, but I do think you are correct in that McD isn't likely desiring a trade for a starting C.

[Qwigglez]

It would be nice to have Marcin Gortat back...
I believe Hibbert/Sanders are on the block, but we'd have to give up a hefty package to make some kind of trade work salary wise.

[Christine-In-AZ]

Another week at least for Len...

Alex Len said his fractured right pinkie felt sore catching and shooting today. Hornacek hopes Len can play a preseason game late next week.

https://mobile.twitter.com/paulcoro

I think McDonagh probably is looking to make a trade for an starting center before the season begins. Plumlee is good coming of the bench for some minutes and Len can be a good third string center developing and getting healthy...but we need someone to start an play good defense and provide rebounding. Hornacek has been speaking about our problems on defense and protecting the rim lately, and praised Tucker for be the only one that seriously fights to rebound the ball.

Tyler Ennis, Gerarld Green and one first round pick for.......????

I do not think he is looking to make a trade for a "starting center". There are no "starting centers" available to the Suns for that package or more likely there are no "starting centers" available at all for trade in the league.

Better learn to accept the fact that Plumlee and Len are going to be the Suns center rotation and I do not think they are upset about that at all.

Let's just throw an offer at Utah that they can't refuse for Gobert. An "overpay" that includes Plumlee, (player) and picks. We double down on young, unproven 7 footers that may never be great...but could. One has to pan out, right? ......right?

I know...never happen.

[JDLAW]

Don't think Markieff is going to play the majority of the minutes at center. The Suns just resigned him and Hornacek is not going to kill him by making him go up every night against players that are several inches taller and 30-40lbs heavier. He'll get some minutes at center but not the majority of center minutes and his minutes at center will be only in certain circumstances.

Saber, my friend you and I and everyone else are going to have to be a little patient with the Suns center position while Plumlee and Len develop and mature. Other teams have had to go through this as few big men step into the league at 20 years of age and become immediate stars. Look at Marc Gasol. He is considered an excellent in this basketball era. But he came into the league very mature at 23 years old after playing many years of pro ball in Spain. He has yet to average 10rpg or 15ppg.

Len came into the league at 20 years and had an injury plagued start, I'll get worried if Len at 23 years is not putting up numbers comparable to what Gasol at 23 years old.

[JDLAW]

Another week at least for Len...


https://mobile.twitter.com/paulcoro

I think McDonagh probably is looking to make a trade for an starting center before the season begins. Plumlee is good coming of the bench for some minutes and Len can be a good third string center developing and getting healthy...but we need someone to start an play good defense and provide rebounding. Hornacek has been speaking about our problems on defense and protecting the rim lately, and praised Tucker for be the only one that seriously fights to rebound the ball.

Tyler Ennis, Gerarld Green and one first round pick for.......????

I do not think he is looking to make a trade for a "starting center". There are no "starting centers" available to the Suns for that package or more likely there are no "starting centers" available at all for trade in the league.

Better learn to accept the fact that Plumlee and Len are going to be the Suns center rotation and I do not think they are upset about that at all.

Pssshh...uuhhh, Mason Plumlee!!!! It's so obvious. But instead of Green, Ennis and a 1st, we trade Shavlik, Ennis, and a 1st. They'll need a "passable" big to replace Mason, they need a cheap PG, and aren't they without a 1st for like, the next, 5 years?

In all seriousness:

Denver has a plethora of 5s in Mozgov, McGee, and Nurkic, so McGee???

The Bucks have Zaza, Sanders, and O'Bryant, so Zaza???

OKC have Perkins, Adams, McGary, so McGary???

So, anyway, there are teams that have really good depth at the 5, like we are at the 1, so there is probably a deal to be had there, but I do think you are correct in that McD isn't likely desiring a trade for a starting C.

Do not see the Suns being interested in any of these players except Adams.

[lilfishi22]

Let's just throw an offer at Utah that they can't refuse for Gobert. An "overpay" that includes Plumlee, (player) and picks. We double down on young, unproven 7 footers that may never be great...but could. One has to pan out, right? ......right?

I know...never happen.

Uhh rather keep Plumlee

[NavLDO]

I do not think he is looking to make a trade for a "starting center". There are no "starting centers" available to the Suns for that package or more likely there are no "starting centers" available at all for trade in the league.

Better learn to accept the fact that Plumlee and Len are going to be the Suns center rotation and I do not think they are upset about that at all.

Pssshh...uuhhh, Mason Plumlee!!!! It's so obvious. But instead of Green, Ennis and a 1st, we trade Shavlik, Ennis, and a 1st. They'll need a "passable" big to replace Mason, they need a cheap PG, and aren't they without a 1st for like, the next, 5 years?

In all seriousness:

Denver has a plethora of 5s in Mozgov, McGee, and Nurkic, so McGee???

The Bucks have Zaza, Sanders, and O'Bryant, so Zaza???

OKC have Perkins, Adams, McGary, so McGary???

So, anyway, there are teams that have really good depth at the 5, like we are at the 1, so there is probably a deal to be had there, but I do think you are correct in that McD isn't likely desiring a trade for a starting C.

Do not see the Suns being interested in any of these players except Adams.

True enough. And what would that really gain us? Oh, another big we have to wait to fully develop. So yeah, that wouldn't make any sense unless they gave up on Len, which why would they when he hasn't even had a meaningful amount of court time in the regular season to know whether he'll pan out or not.

So, yeah, I'm with you. May as well wait. I was just providing options that could be explored, but even then, it would just be a vet to provide some insurance/security while Plumlee and Len develop.

[kingstyyyle]

I'd love to steal Marc away from the griz next off season somehow. I think he'd catapult us into contention.

[Scutt]

It would be nice to have Marcin Gortat back...

It would be even nicer to have Robin Lopez back. He is a much better rim protector than Gortat and has really improved his rebounding. He also boxes out, a foreign concept to Gortat, which helps the team rebound better as a whole. In fact, deep down I hope we go after Robin when he becomes a free agent if Len doesn't show some signs in the upcoming season.

[LukasBMW]

With our offense, it seems like we are more concerned with an athletic center who can move well off the pick and roll. As much as I'd like a big post guy, I don't think that's what we are looking for.

For power forward, it seems like 3 point range is a must. But the good news is it looks like Kieff has worked on his range as he has been hitting open 3's so far. If he can continue to hit the open 3, then that combined with his post up game gives us what we need at the 4.

[bigfoot]

44 minute games ... what a fricking joke. The league wants to cater to the superstars even more. What a bunch of p*ssies. Coaches have control over how many minutes they give their stars and have 14 other players to back them up. Build a deep bench but jeez don't give these superstars any more preferential treatment than they already have.

[SSOL]

It has nothing to do with catering to players and everything to do with shortening the game to attract more fans.

[Flying Colors]

I dunno the pessimist in me thinks it is a way to sneak in 4 more minutes of advertising

[kburry151]

It has nothing to do with catering to players and everything to do with shortening the game to attract more fans.

Is 4 less minutes per game really going to make more people go to or watch the game? Does that in turn reduce ticket prices? It honestly makes no sense to change the length of games.

[bigfoot]

It has nothing to do with catering to players and everything to do with shortening the game to attract more fans.

That's crazy. If you want attract more fans lower the ticket prices. In fact with the new TV deal cut them in half or 1/4. The average fan with a family of four would pay over $500 to sit in the lower bowl to watch a Suns game. Then there are parking and vendor fees. Screw that when you could sit at home and watch on TV. Better yet go camping and try to pick it up on a radio.

As it is right now corporate america purchases most of the seats in the lower section and gifts them out to employees and customers. Its like a destination town where second homes inflate the price so that the folks living and working in the town can never afford to live there. Its why the arena is dead. These temporary fans don't come to cheer for the Suns. I believe the 44 minute games equal 4 more minutes of ear blowing commercials. Just more money for the owners and players.