Why do we suck?

[LukasBMW]

We need to make a trade if we want to finish 41-41 again:

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=jqu4yzp

Beldsoe
Dragic
Tucker
Keef/Mook
Len

Then maybe we can acquire Miles Plumlee and Gerald Green at the deadline.

[blacksun]

Guard play, and defense. Only Chandler, Dudley, and Bledsoe supposedly are the defenders in this team. The problems are the first two are too old, and the third is disinterested. Both are fixable by good coaching but we aint got none of that.

But thats okay, were supposed to suck. This team will not win a championship in six years so lets keep getting more young talent.

[bwgood77]

I didn't really expect us to be good. So I'm not really disappointed. I was very disappointed each of the last two years because I had expectations. I felt we finally embraced the rebuilding that many wanted by getting two top 10 picks. I don't expect the picks to even be ready to really contribute this year, or maybe not so much next year. One could very likely bust, but hopefully not both.

So many lottery picks are busts that I think we did well in getting Booker and Warren where we did, despite their struggles. They are both starting fairly early in their careers and Warren especially has looked like a legit good, above avg starter. I think Booker will get there. Then hopefully at least one or both our PFs.

I think having Chandler and Dudley are good for the team. I do agree that I think the team is likely better if Knight was just simply removed. I don't feel that way about Bledsoe. I'm not real high on him, but I'm certainly not low on him either.

I expected us to be one of the worst in the league along with probably LA, Philly and Brooklyn. Right now those teams all look better. However, we look really good on some nights but just really terrible on others.

I need to see a bit more to come to any solid conclusions. I've seen many good things this year despite the record and blowouts to bottom feeders.

Personally I would trade Knight for just about anything and then re-assess later. By simply removing Knight, that could potentially help in more ways than on the surface. Ulis gets a lot of playing time, gets everyone more involved, and the young guys develop more quickly and establish good chemistry with him starting now. Then you make rotations in such a way that Ulis plays with each of the starters at different times and Bledsoe with each of the bench guys at different times. At that point you look at whether or not every single player, or the vast majority is more effective playing with Ulis than with Bledsoe. I would try all those things, and if the case was clear that Bledsoe does not make the teammates around him better, while Ulis does, then you see what the trade options are for him.

[kennydorglas]

No Joke - I think we'd win more games without Bled and Knight on the roster. If for no other reason that that Ulis would play 30+ MPG.

Is Tyler ready tho?

I don't think so. He's been productive because he's played against bench units and no team ever game plans against him. He's pretty much gotten by just by being unknown and unexpected. Not to say he isn't talented or isn't productive but as much as I like what I've seen from him, if he was to play 30mpg, teams WILL start planning for him and making things more and more difficult for him.

I dont think he`s ready YET but I get a Chris Paul's vibe from him every time he steps in the court.
People used to post up Chris Paul to death until they saw how pesky defender he really is.
I think the same will happen with Ulis once he gets a little stronger.

Outside of that, there's nothing else u can do against a guard like them. Just pick your poison and hope he's in a bad day.

[lilfishi22]

Is Tyler ready tho?

I don't think so. He's been productive because he's played against bench units and no team ever game plans against him. He's pretty much gotten by just by being unknown and unexpected. Not to say he isn't talented or isn't productive but as much as I like what I've seen from him, if he was to play 30mpg, teams WILL start planning for him and making things more and more difficult for him.

I dont think he`s ready YET but I get a Chris Paul's vibe from him every time he steps in the court.
People used to post up Chris Paul to death until they saw how pesky defender he really is.
I think the same will happen with Ulis once he gets a little stronger.

Outside of that, there's nothing else u can do against a guard like them. Just pick your poison and hope he's in a bad day.

I think he does play with a certain level of poise you don't normally see from rookies but make no mistake, he still has a loooong way to go. His size will always put him at a disadvantage on both ends of the court. So far he hasn't seen much good defense against him but once teams recognise he is a threat, he'll then need to start figuring out how to get things done when bigger, stronger and more focused defenders are looking to shut him down.

[DaleyBlind]

Why do we suck? Its pretty damn obvious. Bad coaching, bad players, young players .simple as that.

It should not be a surprise to anyone though, I always assumed we were going to tank this year given our roster. I just wish we would start tanking properly, if your going to lose 50+ games at least play your young guys of the future

[OnceUponADime]

I don't why anyone was expecting a team as young as this one to not suck. Remember those OKC teams in KD and Westbrook's first couple years? Yikes.

I'm only disappointed in the lack of a competent offensive system being in place and the lack of playing time for the kids. Devin Booker is also missing, all the fame from the summer seems to have worn off. Also frustrating that many of the veterans like Knight, Len and Tucker have regressed so much.

[ATTL]

We're a young team that is lacking in talent, maturity and defensive awareness. We aren't getting too flight free agents to sign here for at least the next 3 seasons.

Were many of you expecting playoffs? Fighting for the 8th seed?

[Bogyo]

Why we suck?
Some of our players are just too young and inxperienced/inconsistent. (Book, TJ, Bender, Chriss, Ulis, and Len to an extent)
Some of our players don't have enough bbiq, especially for their position (Bled, Knight, Tucker, Barbosa, maybe some others)
Some of our players are just not good enough (yet???), however hard they might husle, or play their roles (Duds, Tucker, Barbosa, Len, the rookies and the 2nd yr players, maybe even Chandler and Knight who excel at their roles at he moment)
Rookie head coach (who might not even be an adequate HC in the long run), who seems to be more of a motivational speaker than an actual HC. This might be a bigger problem than we see, becouse most of this goes on behind closed doors at practices, etc...

How to fix it via trades?
Depends if you think that Book, TJ, Bender, Chriss will grow into a future contender or not.
If yes, small fixes are good. Knight and a pick for Favors is good. Or the Knight+pick for Okafor and McConel. (Then Chandler for another pick maybe in both scenarios?)
If not, then the blow it up scenario is more likely - like the Bled, Chriss, picks for Wall. (Then try to sign a marqee FA)-

I do agree that this team as of now is only good for a 4th-6th pick, which doesn't do it for me, as your are not likely to get the "once in a generation" talent that wins championships in this league.

When I see Len in the inexperienced column. What a disappointment

It is. I only put him there becouse he is still on his rookie contract, missed most of his 1st year, and some of his 2nd due to injuries. Furthermore he already had 3 (or 4? I dont really remember if Gentry coached him, or it was just Hunter, Horny, and Watson) coaches, plus bigs do take a little more time to develop usually. But he does not fill the "5th pick, center of the future" label right now that's for sure.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

We're a young team that is lacking in talent, maturity and defensive awareness. We aren't getting too flight free agents to sign here for at least the next 3 seasons.

Were many of you expecting playoffs? Fighting for the 8th seed?

I expected we'd get close to 40 wins on talent alone. Thought we'd beat teams like Philly and Brooklyn. Thought we'd surprise some teams with our solid chemistry, effort and offense. Did not think we'd be the worst defensive team in the league.

As I said, I think Bled should go. And of the targets I listed, I think Val is probably the best fit and the most realistic. Don't see Len ever getting to his level, and I have a hard time seeing us getting a better center in next year's draft. While Ayton would be the perfect long-term solution to us, what are the odds we get the #1 pick next season?

The worst part is, considering our talent doesn't appear to be league-altering, drafting Ayton appears to me to be the only way we'll compete with KAT/Embiid/Ayton going forward. If we managed somehow to tank hard enough to get Fultz, maybe that would put us in the conversation. Any less and we'll be... essentially where we are.

[Bogyo]

We're a young team that is lacking in talent, maturity and defensive awareness. We aren't getting too flight free agents to sign here for at least the next 3 seasons.

Were many of you expecting playoffs? Fighting for the 8th seed?

I expected we'd get close to 40 wins on talent alone. Thought we'd beat teams like Philly and Brooklyn. Thought we'd surprise some teams with our solid chemistry, effort and offense. Did not think we'd be the worst defensive team in the league.

As I said, I think Bled should go. And of the targets I listed, I think Val is probably the best fit and the most realistic. Don't see Len ever getting to his level, and I have a hard time seeing us getting a better center in next year's draft. While Ayton would be the perfect long-term solution to us, what are the odds we get the #1 pick next season?

The worst part is, considering our talent doesn't appear to be league-altering, drafting Ayton appears to me to be the only way we'll compete with KAT/Embiid/Ayton going forward. If we managed somehow to tank hard enough to get Fultz, maybe that would put us in the conversation. Any less and we'll be... essentially where we are.

Yeah, pretty much the same here.
I thought we could be better minus the Morris drama. I though could be better with Bledsoe and Knight back to the regular lineup. I thougt that we could be better becouse of chemistry. I hoped we might be better with coaching. I hoped Booker and TJ (and Len) will take a step forward. I hoped that one of our rookie bigs can have an Amare-esque rookie campaign. I hoped we would have a better bench with Duds IQ and Barbs championship experience added.
Pretty much none of this happened (so far?), or not to an extent wich would mean more wins.
My biggest problem with this is that we can not get the cream of the crop in the draft in the next couple years, and we will not be able to build a true contender like this. Some teams have more young talent (Minnesota, and Philly if they trade right), and some have at least equal to us (Lakers) plus they are a prime FA destination.
If we continue on this course we will get better and good eventually, but a hard-fought second round exit is not what I'm looking for after suffering throuhg the last 6 and the next 4 years...

[Calvin Klein]

We need to be patient. We are young and rebuilding. We have lots of promising players. Lots of potential.

The coach might be awful, yes. That could be true.

I'm ok with our players. Keep developing and hope we get a great draft pick.

I was really surprised at the amount of people hoping we'd win above 30 games.

[JDJ26]

I already expected the team to be bad. I just wish Watson would play the young players we have more. Hopefully McD can trade off guys like Tucker and Knight to free up more playing time for the young talent we have.

[bwgood77]

We're a young team that is lacking in talent, maturity and defensive awareness. We aren't getting too flight free agents to sign here for at least the next 3 seasons.

Were many of you expecting playoffs? Fighting for the 8th seed?

I expected we'd get close to 40 wins on talent alone. Thought we'd beat teams like Philly and Brooklyn. Thought we'd surprise some teams with our solid chemistry, effort and offense. Did not think we'd be the worst defensive team in the league.

As I said, I think Bled should go. And of the targets I listed, I think Val is probably the best fit and the most realistic. Don't see Len ever getting to his level, and I have a hard time seeing us getting a better center in next year's draft. While Ayton would be the perfect long-term solution to us, what are the odds we get the #1 pick next season?

The worst part is, considering our talent doesn't appear to be league-altering, drafting Ayton appears to me to be the only way we'll compete with KAT/Embiid/Ayton going forward. If we managed somehow to tank hard enough to get Fultz, maybe that would put us in the conversation. Any less and we'll be... essentially where we are.

Yeah, pretty much the same here.
I thought we could be better minus the Morris drama. I though could be better with Bledsoe and Knight back to the regular lineup. I thougt that we could be better becouse of chemistry. I hoped we might be better with coaching. I hoped Booker and TJ (and Len) will take a step forward. I hoped that one of our rookie bigs can have an Amare-esque rookie campaign. I hoped we would have a better bench with Duds IQ and Barbs championship experience added.
Pretty much none of this happened (so far?), or not to an extent wich would mean more wins.
My biggest problem with this is that we can not get the cream of the crop in the draft in the next couple years, and we will not be able to build a true contender like this. Some teams have more young talent (Minnesota, and Philly if they trade right), and some have at least equal to us (Lakers) plus they are a prime FA destination.
If we continue on this course we will get better and good eventually, but a hard-fought second round exit is not what I'm looking for after suffering throuhg the last 6 and the next 4 years...

Why can we not get the cream of the crop? I can't think of a team we are better than right now. MAYBE Dallas, but I doubt it by the end of the year. We should improve right now but so should teams like Brooklyn (when Lin gets back), Dallas (when healthy), Philly (when Noel/Simmons get back and when Noel or Okafor are traded), and the Pelicans already have with Terrence Jones stepping up and the return of Holiday.

We have three guys starting for the first time including a guy who is kind of clueless half the time and is 18.

[Bogyo]

Somehow I still don't think we're not better than Philly, Brooklyn, Pels and Dallas... Based on personnel and my offseason beliefs stated up there. If we are, then you just answered the question in the thread title: why do we suck? coaching.
(plus the fact that we will not win the lottery in a good year, becouse thats just not what your phoenix suns do. fact. )

[MrMiyagi]

I don't know about you guys, but I feel like we have a number of losses that really come down to finishing the game. We'll be in it until the last few minutes. I'm not sitting here panicking about this team. Watson is a rookie coach. There have been some very good rookie coaches recently, but some guys just need a little time to find their stride. I'm not ready to toss him out, especially given how enthusiastic our players seem to be. We're almost 20 games in, which is a significant sample size, but I think it's also a turning point where you start to see the adjustments. I think we've got another 15-20 games until we can start to really hone in on the issues, because right now it seems to be a lot of things that are understandable - young guys needing to adjust to a bigger role, a rookie head coach figuring out rotations and strategy, players adjusting to new roles. Some of these should start resolving themselves soon, and those that don't should be of concern. I had the feeling this year would be a good barometer for where we are and we are in a good position to either dump some vets and tank or add some vets and compete. It's looking like the former so far, but that's still fine in my book.