Alex Len

[ASUCHRIS]

I agree with your approach but I would limit Len's minutes while he matures. IMO, Goodwin is more NBA ready than Len.

Probably, although I'd be happier with them both getting heavy minutes. This year should be about 3 things-

1 - seeing if we have anything with Len/Goodwin/Bledsoe, and getting them tons of minutes

2 - positioning ourselves for another young asset - a top 3 pick in a potentially historic draft, an actual franchise player

Dealing Butler was an indication that McD gets it, hopefully we can unload Gortat soon.

 

[Phrazbit]

I think it can hurt a young guy to play them heavy minutes when they're not ready. If Goodwin and Len earn their PT then awesome, but if they are out there getting torched, struggling and developing bad habits then its likely you can either crush their confidence or develop a flawed player with poor play ingrained in his development.

When young players are struggling a coach needs to have a tool to reel them in, if they are going to get PT regardless of their mistakes then it really hampers the coaches ability to get through to them.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think it can hurt a young guy to play them heavy minutes when they're not ready. If Goodwin and Len earn their PT then awesome, but if they are out there getting torched, struggling and developing bad habits then its likely you can either crush their confidence or develop a flawed player with poor play ingrained in his development.

When young players are struggling a coach needs to have a tool to reel them in, if they are going to get PT regardless of their mistakes then it really hampers the coaches ability to get through to them.

Agreed. The goal should be to get them as much experience as possible but the minutes need to be earned and managed. I just don't want to see them lose minutes in an effort to win games. But I don't want us to simply tank out there. I want our players to play to win and our coaches to coach to win but with both eyes focused primarily on player development.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Agreed. The goal should be to get them as much experience as possible but the minutes need to be earned and managed. I just don't want to see them lose minutes in an effort to win games. But I don't want us to simply tank out there. I want our players to play to win and our coaches to coach with both eyes focused primarily on player development.

Steve

Thankfully, from what I can tell, Hornacek has a good grasp of how to play this young roster. It's nice to see a coach that appears flexible and not locked into preconceived ideas.

 

[Mainstreet]

A news tidbit about Alex Len in an article from Paul Coro at azcentral dated 12-21-13.

View from press row: Alex Len had a better bounce to his step when he came off the Suns practice court, where he had a pregame workout. On a one-to-five scale, Len puts his ankle pain at the low one and believes he will be playing around the new year. The Suns have been successful with a small lineup but getting Len backup minutes at center would reduce those looks with Markieff Morris or Channing Frye at center.

I'll take any news that is encouraging.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...r-surge-in-win-over-the-dallas-mavericks.html

 

[95pro]

At this point Id prefer him to sit out the remaineder and heal up fully. He's not going to provide much in minutes and impact. Why risk anything short term for an obvious long term project.

 

[JCSunsfan]

A news tidbit about Alex Len in an article from Paul Coro at azcentral dated 12-21-13.



I'll take any news that is encouraging.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...r-surge-in-win-over-the-dallas-mavericks.html

In the short minutes he has, he has been a shot blocker. Having another big rim protector allows Frye to play almost exclusively at SF. It would be nice if Len could contribute even a little bit.

 

[Gaddabout]

At this point Id prefer him to sit out the remaineder and heal up fully. He's not going to provide much in minutes and impact. Why risk anything short term for an obvious long term project.

At this point the Suns have the 6th best record in the Western Conference, only two games behind the Clippers for the Pacific. There's no point in resting players who are legitimately healthy. If they can provide any minutes, use them. Nothing prepares young players better than asking them to step up in a push for playoff positioning in the second-half of the season.

 

[Mainstreet]

In the short minutes he has, he has been a shot blocker. Having another big rim protector allows Frye to play almost exclusively at SF. It would be nice if Len could contribute even a little bit.

At this point the Suns have the 6th best record in the Western Conference, only two games behind the Clippers for the Pacific. There's no point in resting players who are legitimately healthy. If they can provide any minutes, use them. Nothing prepares young players better than asking them to step up in a push for playoff positioning in the second-half of the season.

I'm for Len playing if he is deemed healthy. There are a few reasons: 1) I want him to get more playing time in his first season for experience. 2) I want the Suns to get a good look at him in action before the draft. And 3), I want to see how his body holds up.

Perhaps interestingly, I'm not wanting the Suns to bring Len back for the primary purpose of winning. If he helps the Suns win a game or two so be it. Thus, I can understand the concern expressed by 95pro. Making the playoffs this season has never my goal for the Suns, even now when they appear better than expected.

 

[95pro]

I can understand bringing back an established player into the lineup again after an injury. But with Len the injury is a concern for his long term health. It's so short sighted to risk something not happening to him. He's big. Young. Still growing.

 

[SirStefan32]

I see no reason to not play Len if he is fully healthy. My expectations are at exactly 0%.

Plumlee is, right now, more than I expected Len would ever become.
It also appears that Archie Goodwin will be a good player.

As far as I am concerned we came out of this summer with a serviceable Center, and a young guard with tons of potential. If Len never plays another game, I think we still came out of last summer with more than I expected.

If he is healthy enough to play, let's see what he can do. If he needs more time off, give him more time off.

 

[Covert Rain]

Did you think he'd be anything else but a long-term project when we drafted him?

This. Who thought he would be an impact player out of the gate?!?!

 

[devilalum]

The odd thing is that we all thought we'd see him get a lot of minutes for a horrible lottery team and nobody had any idea that we'd get Plumlee or that he'd be good.

Makes me wonder if the Suns would still draft him or if they would have gone for a wing.

 

[Errntknght]

Has anyone heard anything about the other Alex we drafted, Alex Oriakhi, at #57? He signed on with some foreign team, IIRC. McD didn't say so but I figured it was either his idea or he encouraged it as a way to get AOk some playing time. i recall thinking at the time that we might bring him in when the other team's season ended if things went well for him...

 

[sunsfan88]

This. Who thought he would be an impact player out of the gate?!?!

I think Ryan McDonough said something along the lines of "I think Alex can make an impact immediately on the defensive end and develop his game offensively".

So to answer your question, the Suns GM

 

[sunsfan88]

Suns are the worst team in the NBA in terms of giving up points in the paint. Our bigs suck at protecting the rim so if Len can come in and help with that, no reason to not play him once he becomes healthy.

 

[SirStefan32]

Has anyone heard anything about the other Alex we drafted, Alex Oriakhi, at #57? He signed on with some foreign team, IIRC. McD didn't say so but I figured it was either his idea or he encouraged it as a way to get AOk some playing time. i recall thinking at the time that we might bring him in when the other team's season ended if things went well for him...

I believe he got waived/ kicked out by two different teams in Europe. I believe he is back playing in D League somewhere.

 

[Catlover]

Suns are the worst team in the NBA in terms of giving up points in the paint. Our bigs suck at protecting the rim so if Len can come in and help with that, no reason to not play him once he becomes healthy.

Are we really? I thought we were 27th. Also, it's worth noting that we are very good at defending the three and that comes with a cost. By the way, the Knicks are 9th best at defending the paint so perhaps we should offer to swap rosters.

 

[Errntknght]

I believe he got waived/ kicked out by two different teams in Europe. I believe he is back playing in D League somewhere.

Thank you, Sir. Doesn't sound very promising...

 

[Errntknght]

Suns are the worst team in the NBA in terms of giving up points in the paint. Our bigs suck at protecting the rim so if Len can come in and help with that, no reason to not play him once he becomes healthy.

Whether we are dead last or not, Plumlee, who isn't bad, could use some help. I'm sure Hornacek knows Kravtsov can't help, but, damn, I'd like to see it for myself. He's got the physical tools to do it and sometimes you get surprised when you ask things of a player that he hasn't shown much proficiency at in practice.

 

[SirStefan32]

Whether we are dead last or not, Plumlee, who isn't bad, could use some help. I'm sure Hornacek knows Kravtsov can't help, but, damn, I'd like to see it for myself. He's got the physical tools to do it and sometimes you get surprised when you ask things of a player that he hasn't shown much proficiency at in practice.

I've seen enough of Kravtsov to tell you he is the very definition of a stiff. He is 100% useless.

Having said that, I also have a feeling Hornacek is another Suns' coach who loves small ball. I don't see Len and Plumlee playing together.
I hope I am wrong, but what I've seen so far is just another coach with an illogical infatuation with small ball.

 

[Chaplin]

I've seen enough of Kravtsov to tell you he is the very definition of a stiff. He is 100% useless.

Having said that, I also have a feeling Hornacek is another Suns' coach who loves small ball. I don't see Len and Plumlee playing together.
I hope I am wrong, but what I've seen so far is just another coach with an illogical infatuation with small ball.

Excuse me, but what possibly could be your proof of that? Sure, he could play Kravtsov with Plumlee, but why would he, whether he plays small or not? You yourself even say he's useless.

We don't have the players to play big, so right now there is just about zero proof that he won't when we have bigs available. I'd like to learn more about this "feeling". Is it because he goes small a lot now? Well guess what, he doesn't have a choice with this roster.

The guy played with Karl Malone, he understands the value of a big man.

 

[elindholm]

We don't have the players to play big, so right now there is just about zero proof that he won't when we have bigs available. I'd like to learn more about this "feeling". Is it because he goes small a lot now? Well guess what, he doesn't have a choice with this roster.

I agree, it's too soon to declare Hornacek a small-ball coach. However, I seriously doubt that Len and Plumlee could play together, because neither has the skill set to be a credible PF.

More generally, the Suns have gone from being a pretty good defensive team at the start of the season to a lousy one: 10 out of their last 13 opponents have scored 100+, and the next two after that scored 99 and 97. So there is cause for concern that, no matter what Hornacek's preference might be, the Suns appear to be building another run-and-gun team that will struggle to adapt in the postseason, should they be fortunate enough to get there.

 

[Errntknght]

I've seen enough of Kravtsov to tell you he is the very definition of a stiff. He is 100% useless.

Having said that, I also have a feeling Hornacek is another Suns' coach who loves small ball. I don't see Len and Plumlee playing together.
I hope I am wrong, but what I've seen so far is just another coach with an illogical infatuation with small ball.

I saw bits of Slava in the Euro tournament last summer and I thought there might be hope for him. He's not graceful but I've seen much worse stiffs and even some of them found ways to contribute. It has more to do with mindset than anything else, and I can't say he's shown much sign of the fierceness he needs.

I don't think you have to worry too much about Hornacek being infatuated with small ball - he wants the team to push the ball upfloor with all possible speed but he knows they need to rebound the ball well to get it going. He's also big on the team hustling back on defense, and defending hard. On the other hand the game is evolving towards the small end of the spectrum, fueled by greater proficiency in 3pt shooting. It wasn't long ago that there was virtually no such thing as play designed to get off a good three point shot. (As much as I disliked D'A, I have to admit he was among the first to recognize the value of shooting them in transition.) So, big or small, ability to shoot or defend the three is of growing importance and a lot bigs can't do it well.

 

[Chaplin]

I agree, it's too soon to declare Hornacek a small-ball coach. However, I seriously doubt that Len and Plumlee could play together, because neither has the skill set to be a credible PF.

True, which won't dispel the feeling that Hornacek is a small-ball coach. Sigh.

More generally, the Suns have gone from being a pretty good defensive team at the start of the season to a lousy one: 10 out of their last 13 opponents have scored 100+, and the next two after that scored 99 and 97. So there is cause for concern that, no matter what Hornacek's preference might be, the Suns appear to be building another run-and-gun team that will struggle to adapt in the postseason, should they be fortunate enough to get there.

You've got a point with the scoring, but I'd like to see how the number of possessions has changed, along with the opponent's shooting %, if at all. That could directly affect the scores. We did score our season high in that period you quoted, after all.