2014-2015 roster as it stands

[Folster]

Here is the current Suns roster and depth chart.

PG: Dragic, Ennis
SG: Green, Goodwin
SF: Morris, Warren
PF: Morris,
C: Plumlee, Len

Team Option: Smith, Randolph
RFA's: Bledsoe, Tucker
UFA's: Frye, Barbosa, Christmas, Kravtsov
Overseas: Bogdanovic, Brown

It's still early, but that is one underwhelming roster. We absolutely need to resign Bledsoe or get value for him in a sign and trade, because we can't afford to lose him for nothing.

While it's unlikely we'll be able to land a big free agent, I'm hopeful we can land a few assets from teams desperate to clear cap space to take a shot at Lebron and Melo.

 

[slinslin]

Plumlee/Len
[Frye]/Morris
[Tucker]/Morris/Warren
Dragic/Green/Goodwin/[Bogdanovic]
Bledsoe/Ennis

5 guards
5 forwards
2 centers

One thing is for sure, someone has to go if we sign new players. Tuckers caphold is really cheap so we can always match him.

We need a true power forward.

Our backcourt looks fantastic. Center is solid as well especially if you consider that Frye can play minutes there as well.

 

[slinslin]

Free agent targets

Center: Spencer Hawes, Channing Frye, Pau Gasol, Greg Monroe, Jordan Hill

Power Forward: Channing Frye, Zach Randolph, Ed Davis, Pau Gasol

Small Forward: Trevor Ariza, PJ Tucker, Luol Deng, Gordon Hayward, Evan Turner

 

[sunsfan88]

Bledsoe, Ennis
Dragic, Goodwin
Warren, Green
?, Kieff
Plumlee, Len

I really hope that our PF is a great rebounder cause without Tucker, we are gonna need someone who gets it.

 

[Chaplin]

Everyone seems convinced that Tucker is gone. Is that a foregone conclusion?

 

[overseascardfan]

Bledsoe, Ennis
Dragic, Goodwin
Warren, Green
?, Kieff
Plumlee, Len

I really hope that our PF is a great rebounder cause without Tucker, we are gonna need someone who gets it.

Only FA's out there that can give you rebounding (proven not potentially or per 40 minutes) are Gasol & Monroe. Gasol is probably the easier of the 2 to get as Monroe is a RFA who I've read DET is probably go to match any offer or will do a S&T but will not let him walk and get nothing in return. Obviously there is a huge difference in age but if PHX is in win now mode Gasol is the best option available. I know people are thinking, Pau Gasol isn't worth spending money on but realistically who else is out there....Ed Davis? Jordan Hill? I'd take someone more proven.

 

[sunsfan88]

Jordan Hill would be perfect. Especially since he started knocking down that mid range jump shot a little bit.

 

[sunsfan88]

Everyone seems convinced that Tucker is gone. Is that a foregone conclusion?

No my assumption considering that we now have 4 SFs in Tucker, Warren, Marcus and Green .

Green has to move to SF otherwise he will take playing time from either Ennis or Goodwin (if Bledsoe stays).

We have to trade or let a SF walk.

Oh and Tucker deleted his Twitter after we drafted Warren and posted on Instagram with the hashtag "IMOUT".

 

[BC867]

Free agent targets

Center: Spencer Hawes, Channing Frye, Pau Gasol, Greg Monroe, Jordan Hill

Power Forward: Channing Frye, Zach Randolph, Ed Davis, Pau Gasol

Small Forward: Trevor Ariza, PJ Tucker, Luol Deng, Gordon Hayward, Evan Turner

Shooting Guard: Channing Frye

 

[SunsTzu]

Everyone seems convinced that Tucker is gone. Is that a foregone conclusion?

Nope. It's possible though if he gets a big deal elsewhere. McDonough also said last night that it is their preference to bring back all 3 FAs, not sure how much stock I'd put in that at this point though.

 

[SirStefan32]

I know this is yet another unpopular opinion, but If we are going to overpay for a player, let's overpay for a BIG PF (Monroe) instead of a small guard (Bledsoe.)

I'd also be happy with Hill. He is a good rebounder, defender, and can knock down a jumper.

 

[slinslin]

Why the hell would we do that "instead" , makes absolutely no sense.

Besides Monroe is a more of a center, he struggles at PF.

 

[Covert Rain]

I know this is yet another unpopular opinion, but If we are going to overpay for a player, let's overpay for a BIG PF (Monroe) instead of a small guard (Bledsoe.)

I'd also be happy with Hill. He is a good rebounder, defender, and can knock down a jumper.

All things being equal....if you have 2 same caliber players....one a guard and one a big man......I am with you 100%. Pay for the big man.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I know this is yet another unpopular opinion, but If we are going to overpay for a player, let's overpay for a BIG PF (Monroe) instead of a small guard (Bledsoe.)

I'd also be happy with Hill. He is a good rebounder, defender, and can knock down a jumper.

I don't know. my preference is to overpay FOR THE BETTER PLAYER! Yikes! What a bad idea! In this case, all things are definitely not equal.

 

[BC867]

All things being equal....if you have 2 same caliber players....one a guard and one a big man......I am with you 100%. Pay for the big man.

Because a big man is hard to find.

Of the first 30 players chosen in the draft, 2 are Centers and 6 are Power Forwards. 26% of the players manning 2 out of 5 (40%) of the positions on the court. What is the NBA turning into -- the WNBA?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Because a big man is hard to find.

Of the first 30 players chosen in the draft, 2 are Centers and 6 are Power Forwards. 26% of the players manning 2 out of 5 (40%) of the positions on the court. What is the NBA turning into -- the WNBA?

Only if you're counting all the combo forwards as small forwards. And I don't get the WNBA reference, do they play the game differently?

I thought it was funny yesterday when Jalen Rose said something like this "positions were created so that novices could understand the game".

Steve

 

[SunsTzu]

There were 11 PF/C drafted last year in the 1st round and DX currently has 15 projected in 2015.

But I guess teams should just draft bigs no matter what. I'm sure the Blazers have no regrets with Bowe and Oden since they were bigs and the guys drafted after them are wings.

 

[BC867]

And I don't get the WNBA reference, do they play the game differently?

Yes, they do because, in general, bulky male power players are bulkier than female power players.

I've been a WNBA fan since Grandmama would grab the microphone and lead the crowd in singing at the end of Mercury games.

And, yes, I was disappointed when Maria Stepanova (whom we drafted in 1998) did not turn into the Center we expected.

Truthfully, my favorite WNBA player was C Lisa Leslie of the L.A. Sparks. It was hard not to respect her game and she is the greatest all-time WNBA player. But as a 6'5"-170 dominant Center, of course the ladies play the game differently.

 

[Phrazbit]

I'd rather draft a guy who you know is a good player than a guy who you know is simply a big player. Drafting for size turns into drafting for busts about 90% of the time I feel like. That the league only took 8 straight up "bigs" during the first round tells me that teams are getting smarter, not that the league is changing. Crappy players end up on the bench regardless of draft position.

The the late 90s/early 2000s was the only era of NBA ball that I can recall where teams always made sure to have "x" amount of bigs on the roster and everyone tried to get as close to a 7 footer at center almost regardless of his actual talent... and by no small coincidence that was when the league was at its ugliest. Bad teams playing a terrible brand of basketball.

The Spurs just won a title with an very aged Duncan and iffy Splitter as their only real bigs. They won through team defense and ball movement. Miami won two titles without a legit center on their team and only one quality big in their rotation... yeah, they've got LeBron, but talent wins out, not size.

 

[devilalum]

They added at least 2 players last night that have guaranteed contracts so at least 2 players from last years roster have to go.

 

[tobiazz]

They added at least 2 players last night that have guaranteed contracts so at least 2 players from last years roster have to go.

No problem, Shavlik Randolph and Dionte Christmas.

EDIT: Oh, and there's Okafor.

 

[Superbone]

Everyone seems convinced that Tucker is gone. Is that a foregone conclusion?

Not in the least.

 

[Superbone]

Oh and Tucker deleted his Twitter after we drafted Warren and posted on Twitter with the hashtag "IMOUT".

Seriously?

 

[Superbone]

Truthfully, my favorite WNBA player was C Lisa Leslie of the L.A. Sparks. It was hard not to respect her game and she is the greatest all-time WNBA player. But as a 6'5"-170 dominant Center, of course the ladies play the game differently.

It didn't hurt that she was easy to look at.

 

[sunsfan88]

Seriously?

No sorry, he posted that last part on Instagram (not Twitter) after he deleted his Twitter account. The hashtags in particular were #July1st #FreeAgent #ImOutchea