2012/13 Greatest impact: Newcomers

[Griffin]

Which of the Suns' newcomers will have the biggest (positive) impact on the team during the 2012/13 season?

Past poll winners:

2007: 1. DJ Strawberry
2008: 1. Robin Lopez, 2. Matt Barnes
2009: 1. Earl Clark, 2. Channing Frye
2010: 1. Hakim Warrick, 2. Josh Childress
2011: 1. Shannon Brown & Markieff Morris (tie), 3. Sebastian Telfair

In the past I phrased this question as who will be the "biggest surprise", but I suppose whether or not you are surprised depends on your level of expectations. So this year I am only asking who will have the greatest impact in terms of helping the team put W's in the win column, however few there are. This doesn't necessarily mean who will put up the best stats. It means the player you can't afford to take off the floor if you are trying to win games.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Which of the Suns' newcomers will have the biggest (positive) impact on the team during the 2012/13 season?

Past poll winners:

2007: 1. DJ Strawberry
2008: 1. Robin Lopez, 2. Matt Barnes
2009: 1. Earl Clark, 2. Channing Frye
2010: 1. Hakim Warrick, 2. Josh Childress
2011: 1. Shannon Brown & Markieff Morris (tie), 3. Sebastian Telfair

In the past I phrased this question as who will be the "biggest surprise", but I suppose whether or not you are surprised depends on your level of expectations. So this year I am only asking who will have the greatest impact in terms of helping the team put W's in the win column, however few there are. This doesn't necessarily mean who will put up the best stats. It means the player you can't afford to take off the floor if you are trying to win games.

LOL... i remember when people were talking about how DJ Strawberry was going to lock up Manu. It was almost as funny as a couple years earlier when people though The Sausage King, Whatever-His-Name-Was Vroman was going to be a rugged rebounder for us.

 

[Mainstreet]

I voted for Scola.

 

[Phrazbit]

Wow, this appears to be a kiss of death.

And its a good thing you put in the qualifier of (positive). I'll vote Dragic.

 

[mojorizen7]

I voted Beasley. He'll have the green light to chuck shots all season IMO...and this team will be in desperate need of points.

 

[Errntknght]

voted for the most obvious guy, Dragic

I like the change in the poll statement, too. A guy could surprise the heck out of you and still have virtually no impact or a negative impact.

Unbelievable how bad we've been every single year... I'm glad I can't remember how I've voted. (At least I know that I didn't vote for Warrick!)

 

[sunsfan88]

Even though Dragic isn't exactly a "newcomer" he'll get my vote.

 

[Griffin]

I waited for the Suns to sign the last guy before posting this poll, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen anytime soon. So of course as soon as I post it, they sign O'Neal. Now I guess he falls under the "other" option, although quite frankly "other" seemed a much stronger choice before he was signed

Anyway, I voted for Dragic, despite my reservations about him and his contract. But as the Suns new starting point guard, he will get plenty of opportunities to succeed (or fail). If he plays poorly, then the whole team will struggle anyway and there will be no impact players.

Beasley has the potential to put up big numbers, but he's done that before and rarely did it translate into winning games. He needs to be more efficient than in the past. Almost anyone can average 20ppg on a losing team if given the minutes.

If Dragic does struggle, Marshall may get some opportunities to showcase his playmaking skills, but he is a rookie and thus bound to struggle himself as most rookie PG's do. And if Dragic plays well enough, Marshall won't see much floor time. There will be less need to conserve Dragic like there was with Nash.

Along with Beasley, Luis Scola is a good candidate to lead the team in scoring. But Scola is a much smarter player, and I'm guessing he will usually be on the floor late in games while Beasley is watching from the bench. I expect Scola's numbers to go up from last season, but not by much. He and Gortat will probably be featured in the Suns most productive lineups.

Wes Johnson didn't do much as a starter for two seasons with the T'Wolves and there's a good chance he won't start here. Change of scenery might do him good, but he likely won't be an impact player for the Suns.

If Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy, he can still provide good backup minutes at center. But he hasn't been healthy the last two years.

PJ Tucker will try his best to not be confused with Alando Tucker when he is on the floor. He will fail.

 

[Sonec]

I waited for the Suns to sign the last guy before posting this poll, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen anytime soon. So of course as soon as I post it, they sign O'Neal. Now I guess he falls under the "other" option, although quite frankly "other" seemed a much stronger choice before he was signed

Anyway, I voted for Dragic, despite my reservations about him and his contract. But as the Suns new starting point guard, he will get plenty of opportunities to succeed (or fail). If he plays poorly, then the whole team will struggle anyway and there will be no impact players.

Beasley has the potential to put up big numbers, but he's done that before and rarely did it translate into winning games. He needs to be more efficient than in the past. Almost anyone can average 20ppg on a losing team if given the minutes.

If Dragic does struggle, Marshall may get some opportunities to showcase his playmaking skills, but he is a rookie and thus bound to struggle himself as most rookie PG's do. And if Dragic plays well enough, Marshall won't see much floor time. There will be less need to conserve Dragic like there was with Nash.

Along with Beasley, Luis Scola is a good candidate to lead the team in scoring. But Scola is a much smarter player, and I'm guessing he will usually be on the floor late in games while Beasley is watching from the bench. I expect Scola's numbers to go up from last season, but not by much. He and Gortat will probably be featured in the Suns most productive lineups.

Wes Johnson didn't do much as a starter for two seasons with the T'Wolves and there's a good chance he won't start here. Change of scenery might do him good, but he likely won't be an impact player for the Suns.

If Jermaine O'Neal can stay healthy, he can still provide good backup minutes at center. But he hasn't been healthy the last two years.

PJ Tucker will try his best to not be confused with Alando Tucker when he is on the floor. He will fail.

Griffin on every thread? Dragic struggle? lol, I'm starting to think you actually want that to happen. Well I can only see Marshall struggling in those few minutes he'll get. Hopefully he don't, cause good substitutes are important for the team success.

 

[Griffin]

Dragic struggle? lol,

You must be a die-hard Dragic fan for you to be unable to even entertain the possibility that he may not quite sustain his brief successful run as a starter in Houston. I try to be more objective and consider all possibilities, and that's a distinct possibility. But I do think he is more likely to succeed than any of the other additions the Suns have made, and I hope he does because otherwise the Suns might set some records for futility this year, and I'm never in favor of that.

 

[Sonec]

You must be a die-hard Dragic fan for you to be unable to even entertain the possibility that he may not quite sustain his brief successful run as a starter in Houston. I try to be more objective and consider all possibilities, and that's a distinct possibility. But I do think he is more likely to succeed than any of the other additions the Suns have made, and I hope he does because otherwise the Suns might set some records for futility this year, and I'm never in favor of that.

I am, for many years now. While you must suck in your life for being pessimistic type of guy, sorry but I must be right. All your posts are negative, keep bitching, hehe.

 

[Griffin]

I am, for many years now.

Which explains your lack of objectivity in the matter.

All your posts are negative, keep bitching, hehe.

What you really mean is all my posts about your boy Dragic are negative, which in itself is not true either. I am simply trying to consider all possibilities, however likely or unlikely. I've never even said that I expect him to struggle, I merely suggested that it's quite possible, which seems inconceivable to you.

You don't seem to take any criticism directed at your favorite player very well.

 

[Sonec]

Which explains your lack of objectivity in the matter.

What you really mean is all my posts about your boy Dragic are negative, which in itself is not true either. I am simply trying to consider all possibilities, however likely or unlikely. I've never even said that I expect him to struggle, I merely suggested that it's quite possible, which seems inconceivable to you.

You don't seem to take any criticism directed at your favorite player very well.

you sure don't know how to stop right? ok you are pessimistic, well I won't be. Have no reason... Admit I didn't read all your posts or even the last one, it was so obvious.

 

[Sonec]

and one more thing Griff, if I was so subjective and poor evaluater of talent, why did I follow A. Kopitar's career for even more years than Dragic's now, and was saying to my friends we will win with him eventually, sooner or later. I think you know who won NHL this year and who was the best in all stats this PO and Kings'd best scorer all these years, right? just saying...

 

[Sonec]

you can trolololol whatever you want now, I'm out.

 

[Mainstreet]

Griffin on every thread? Dragic struggle? lol, I'm starting to think you actually want that to happen. Well I can only see Marshall struggling in those few minutes he'll get. Hopefully he don't, cause good substitutes are important for the team success.

Dragic struggled mightily for the Suns the season he was traded to Houston for Brooks. Why is it unrealistic to worry about the same thing happening again? Hopefully Dragic has turned the corner but to express concern that he might struggle again is only being realistic. Looking at his career stats does not provide comfort and I like Dragic. These are not the stats of a star player. See link below.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/goran_dragic/career_stats.html

 

[BC867]

Dragic struggled mightily for the Suns the season he was traded to Houston for Brooks. Why is it unrealistic to worry about the same thing happening again? Hopefully Dragic has turned the corner but to express concern that he might struggle again is only being realistic.

Every backup Point Guard to Steve Nash struggled in trying to step into his shoes for a few minutes. Sebastion Telfair was the least unsuccessful of the lot.

Man, I hate using double-negatives, but no one could successfully come off the bench to run Steve's system. It is why, although Steve was our guy, he had to go.

Now, it is a whole new ball game. How good Goran Dragic will be is up to him and the effectiveness of the offensive sets that the Coach institutes.

 

[Mainstreet]

Every backup Point Guard to Steve Nash struggled in trying to step into his shoes for a few minutes. Sebastion Telfair was the least unsuccessful of the lot.

Man, I hate using double-negatives, but no one could successfully come off the bench to run Steve's system. It is why, although Steve was our guy, he had to go.

Now, it is a whole new ball game. How good Goran Dragic will be is up to him and the effectiveness of the offensive sets that the Coach institutes.

I thought Zabian Dowdell was coming around before he was injured.

 

[Phrazbit]

and one more thing Griff, if I was so subjective and poor evaluater of talent, why did I follow A. Kopitar's career for even more years than Dragic's now, and was saying to my friends we will win with him eventually, sooner or later. I think you know who won NHL this year and who was the best in all stats this PO and Kings'd best scorer all these years, right? just saying...

Because they are both Slovenian...

Thats some standard for "evaluating" talent.

 

[elindholm]

you can trolololol whatever you want now, I'm out.

New to the board, criticizes others without reading what they say, quickly resorts to pre-adolescent insults, can't discuss anything remotely coherently, obnoxious and immature pest. I've added you to my Ignore list, I assume others will follow suit, and you will be soon talking only to yourself.

 

[Chaplin]

Dragic struggled mightily for the Suns the season he was traded to Houston for Brooks. Why is it unrealistic to worry about the same thing happening again? Hopefully Dragic has turned the corner but to express concern that he might struggle again is only being realistic. Looking at his career stats does not provide comfort and I like Dragic. These are not the stats of a star player. See link below.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/goran_dragic/career_stats.html

Mainstreet, frankly I'm surprised by this post. You definitely know that his past time here is hard to equate with today because of the presence of Steve Nash. Goran had to play in the same system--and as you know, nobody can emulate MVSteve.

This is a whole new ballgame, and he has proven that given the freedom to be the player he inherently is, he has the chance to excel. And now after 8 years we are able to give him that chance ourselves.

 

[leclerc]

I expect Dragic and Beasley to have the most impact. I voted Beasley because I think he can impact this team the most, plus/minus.

Scola has his work cut out for him down low. I hope he plays better defence and rebounds better than our previous starting PF, or should I say big forward, Channing Frye.

I don't expect much from Wesley Johnson or Kendall Marshall. I hope Gentry makes Marshall earn it if he's going to get playing time from Bassy. Same thing goes for Wesley Johnson versus Shannon Brown. Compete for the minutes but at the same time, make them comfortable so they don't look to the bench each time they throw away the ball. How to do this I have no clue, but I'm not the coach, Gentry is.

 

[95pro]

I thought Zabian Dowdell was coming around before he was injured.

i liked the kid, he had some good moments while playing.

 

[Mainstreet]

Mainstreet, frankly I'm surprised by this post. You definitely know that his past time here is hard to equate with today because of the presence of Steve Nash. Goran had to play in the same system--and as you know, nobody can emulate MVSteve.

This is a whole new ballgame, and he has proven that given the freedom to be the player he inherently is, he has the chance to excel. And now after 8 years we are able to give him that chance ourselves.

I just never bought the theory a good PG could not play behind Nash. Even Telfair seemed to be adapting playing PG behind Nash as well as Dowdell before he got injured. Most PGs should be able to do some basics like pass the ball, shoot a little and not turn the ball over. I think Dragic could have done all of these and more, like playing defense, but for some reason he couldn't get it done consistently.

 

[Mainstreet]

i liked the kid, he had some good moments while playing.

I grew to like Zabian Dowdell a lot. IMO, if healthy, he still has enough talent to be a backup PG in the NBA. He tried to get after it on defense.