2013/14 Greatest impact: Newcomers

[Griffin]

Which of the Suns newcomers will have the biggest positive impact on the team during the upcoming 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
2012: 1. Michael Beasley & Goran Dragic (tie), 3. Luis Scola

 

[elindholm]

Ha, that list of past winners is really revealing!

 

[Superbone]

To me, this one is pretty obvious. But who knows, maybe we'll be surprised.

 

[Griffin]

Ha, that list of past winners is really revealing!

It's really amazing the Suns have been unable to acquire a single all-star level player in half a decade. Looking further back, the only player acquired after 2004 to make the all-star team as a Sun was Shaq, and he was already well-past his prime. No one else even came close. Jason Richardson is the only player that was acquired in his prime that had all-star potential, although he never made the team in his career.

 

[Chaplin]

Duh.

 

[Mainstreet]

I voted for Bledsoe.

 

[Neo]

Ha, that list of past winners is really revealing!

It certainly reveals a lot about the quality of players that we have added over the last six years. DJ Strawberry and Hakim Warrik voted as greatest impact newcomers: YIKES!

 

[JCSunsfan]

It certainly reveals a lot about the quality of players that we have added over the last six years. DJ Strawberry and Hakim Warrik voted as greatest impact newcomers: YIKES!

Yep. Long gone are the days when it was Tom Chambers, Charles Barkley, Danny Manning, Danny Ainge, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, etc.

 

[Superbone]

Yep. Long gone are the days when it was Tom Chambers, Charles Barkley, Danny Manning, Danny Ainge, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, etc.

Who knows? Maybe you'll be including Eric Bledsoe in that list in the future.

 

[BC867]

Yep. Long gone are the days when it was Tom Chambers, Charles Barkley, Danny Manning, Danny Ainge, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, etc.

Who knows? Maybe you'll be including Eric Bledsoe in that list in the future.

Yes, but TC and the Chuckster and Manning and Ainge and Kidd and Nash, etc., playing alongside Eric next season would sort of slow the team down.

 

[Errntknght]

Yes, but TC and the Chuckster and Manning and Ainge and Kidd and Nash, etc., playing alongside Eric next season would sort of slow the team down.

They sure would - the refs would whistle them for having 7 men on the floor.

 

[Griffin]

Yep. Long gone are the days when it was Tom Chambers, Charles Barkley, Danny Manning, Danny Ainge, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, etc.

Who knows? Maybe you'll be including Eric Bledsoe in that list in the future.

But most of the players in that list were already established all-star level players when they were acquired. Bledsoe doesn't fit the bill. His acquisition is more similar to KJ's or JJ's, but those two were lottery-picked players acquired in their rookie seasons, whereas Bledsoe is a career-backup going into his fourth NBA season.

In a way, if he does turn into an all-star, his acquisition will be even more remarkable because the Suns didn't have to give up much, but it's not really the same as being able to acquire a bonafide superstar in his prime or someone at the cusp of stardom. That has not happened in Phoenix since 2004.

 

[SirStefan32]

Yes, but TC and the Chuckster and Manning and Ainge and Kidd and Nash, etc., playing alongside Eric next season would sort of slow the team down.

TC and Chuck would still be an upgrade over our current PF lineup.

 

[BC867]

TC and Chuck would still be an upgrade over our current PF lineup.

LOL. Sad, but true.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm thinking about giving Malcolm Lee a sympathy vote.

Steve

 

[Errntknght]

My vote for Len was not a sympathy vote. I think he will have the greatest impact on the Suns - eventually. But it could happen as soon as this year - an agile seven footer protecting the rim would really solidify our team D.

 

[AzStevenCal]

My vote for Len was not a sympathy vote. I think he will have the greatest impact on the Suns - eventually. But it could happen as soon as this year - an agile seven footer protecting the rim would really solidify our team D.

I want us to become a good team sooner than later. Our chance of becoming a very competitive team goes up considerably if Len becomes an impact player, hence my vote.

Steve

 

[Errntknght]

I want us to become a good team sooner than later. Our chance of becoming a very competitive team goes up considerably if Len becomes an impact player, hence my vote.

Steve

I want the team to shed Gortat quickly so he doesn't damage our next years draft pick but if the team gets a lesser pick because Len and/or Goodwin have a significant impact so soon, I'd be happy... thrilled.

A thought occurred to my a while back - what if Gortat changed his mind about staying with the Suns? I mean got excited about the prospect of being part of it. I'm undecided whether I'd welcome that or not. Well, I suppose it would depend on his salary expectations... if this team is to become a contender I think Marcin will have to be the backup center and be content with it. I doubt he would agree...

 

[AzStevenCal]

I want the team to shed Gortat quickly so he doesn't damage our next years draft pick but if the team gets a lesser pick because Len and/or Goodwin have a significant impact so soon, I'd be happy... thrilled.

A thought occurred to my a while back - what if Gortat changed his mind about staying with the Suns? I mean got excited about the prospect of being part of it. I'm undecided whether I'd welcome that or not. Well, I suppose it would depend on his salary expectations... if this team is to become a contender I think Marcin will have to be the backup center and be content with it. I doubt he would agree...

Id love to have a player with Gortat's ability (and I still think it's much higher than he has shown regularly) playing behind a quality starter but I I'm pretty sure you're right. He'd never agree to it. As for the rest of your post, I feel pretty much the same way. I know it's in our best interest to be horrible this year but the best reason to not be horrible is if our young players are too good for us to be that bad. If it happens because of a player that's on his way out the door, that will slow our rebuilding process considerably.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

The idea situation would have been Gortat signing that extension. Len probably needs to play a couple of seasons as a backup center to be ready to make an impact. Now I just want to get something of value for Gortat.