Babby and McDonough Presser

[Covert Rain]

I listened to the Babby and McDonough Presser carefully and I actually think the Suns pulled their punches regarding Dragic and some of the other players that moved on. It was there, but the Suns left a lot open to interpretation. I didn't see a full blown frontal attack like Dragic leveled at the Suns. As others have noted, I have not seen many players throw their team under the bus especially leaving them so little time to recover from such an attack. Dragic not only demanded to be traded like one and half days before the trade deadline but he limited the Suns options to three teams. He was one of my favorites players but certainly not anymore with what I term a selfish act.

When I listen to Babby all I see is him talking out the side of his face. Could they have been more brutal? No doubt but he did his fancy lawyer two step IMO to put the spotlight on Goran and not the organization or their role in this big mess. After Babby talks they take indirect shots and make innuendos about Dragic again deflecting their part in the mess.

In essence it was "he said, he said". Dragic saying what he said about the FO and the Suns firing back saying they take issue with it. Both guilty in their own way IMO.

By the way the Suns were not blindsided per Babby's own words. He said they were not. They also knew there was trouble several weeks ago when they asked what his interest was and said they didn't get an answer. Even though media leaks were all over.

Babby also claims he never got a list of teams even though that list of teams per media leaks appeared to be spot on.

So which is it? We they blind sided or not? Did they talk with him or not? Did they get a list of teams or not? Seems like a bunch of half truths to me.

Dragic and his agent don't deserve any less flack for the way it was handled but this FO doesn't have their hands clean and basically admitted they screwed up in a big way by trading away half the roster.

 

[FutureSuperstar]

Who cares. Spin it hard. It will just be more fun when the Suns play Miami next season.

A lot of people care. Just look in this thread to see how many people are talking about other people's opinions, public perceptions, fans comments, what players will think of the Suns, etc. ... All these opinions are based off information/facts that the media puts out, so when ESPN/ the media makes up a headline, it isn't right ....

The media always twists/spins quotes to fit their agenda, but that's not what this is. This is ESPN totally making up a quote/headline to make the Suns GM look bad.

 

[devilalum]

A lot of people care. Just look in this thread to see how many people are talking about other people's opinions, public perceptions, fans comments, what players will think of the Suns, etc. ... All these opinions are based off information/facts that the media puts out, so when ESPN/ the media makes up a headline, it isn't right ....

The media always twists/spins quotes to fit their agenda, but that's not what this is. This is ESPN totally making up a quote/headline to make the Suns GM look bad.

You an get all mad or you can sit back and enjoy the spectacle of it all.

 

[BC867]

Simple fact. The Suns want a two pg system. The trades of yesterday indicate that. They want either guard to be able to push and distribute on the break and run the half court.

Dragic didn't want to do that. 3rd team all-nba or not, he didn't buy in and he took it public. They said he did not buy in from the beginning. They told him to be patient and see. He went on to have a career year and the team succeeded. They assumed that would be enough for him and he would see how it could work. He still did not like it.

They HAD to move on. But it was completely unprofessional of Goran to do this the way he did, especially with so little time before the deadline.

How can you say that without factoring in Thomas? It wasn't a case of Dragic and Bledsoe being the 2-Point Guards on the floor.

It was closing each half with Thomas and Bledsoe as the 2-Point Guards with Dragic way out of position at Forward.

Especially after Goran re-signed with the Suns in good faith, clearly expecting to be the Point Guard following Nash.

Goran reacted in the only way he could after the Suns backed him into a "corner". He finally went public and it led to a trade. Good for him!

It was the Front Office that have made fools of themselves by choosing a cockeyed formula -- 3-Point Guards in the lineup -- then having to trade 1/3 of the team to put up a smokescreen.

And return to their cockeyed formula of 2-Point Guards with new faces, while they tried to save face. And, with their obsession with small ball, are now even weaker at the power positions.

 

[Mainstreet]

How can you say that without factoring in Thomas? It wasn't a case of Dragic and Bledsoe being the 2-Point Guards on the floor.

It was closing each half with Thomas and Bledsoe as the 2-Point Guards with Dragic way out of position at Forward.

Especially after Goran re-signed with the Suns in good faith, clearly expecting to be the Point Guard following Nash.

Goran reacted in the only way he could after the Suns backed him into a "corner". He finally went public and it led to a trade. Good for him!

It seems you like how he threw the Suns under the bus.
It was the Front Office that have made fools of themselves by choosing a cockeyed formula -- 3-Point Guards in the lineup -- then having to trade 1/3 of the team to put up a smokescreen.

And return to their cockeyed formula of 2-Point Guards with new faces, while they tried to save face. And, with their obsession with small ball, are now even weaker at the power positions.

You don't think Goran could have made his ultimatum to be traded before the trade deadline? Also he certainly did not give the Suns many trade options. He only wanted to go to the teams that could afford to pay him the post money.

 

[BC867]

He only wanted to go to the teams that could afford to pay him the post money.

And that makes Goran different from all other NBA players?

 

[Mainstreet]

And that makes Goran different from all other NBA players?

It was the manner in the way Goran did it.

 

[Covert Rain]

It was the manner in the way Goran did it.

So you believe Babby was lying about never getting a list from Dragic?

 

[82CardsGrad]

And that makes Goran different from all other NBA players?

Dragic's agent leaked the names of the teams which made it way more difficult for the Suns... Everyone knew the NY and LA were non-players. Everyone knew Dragic only really wanted to play in Miami... And yet, the Suns were still able to work out a very effective deal in the end. I actually walk away from this with huge amounts of respect for McDonough for being able to pull this off given the circumstances...

 

[Mainstreet]

So you believe Babby was lying about never getting a list from Dragic?

I don't know, but Babby just said on a recorded pregame video, he ignored any imaginary list so it seems like a mute issue. Also Babby surprisingly said the Suns FO was prepared for such a scenario. So who knows.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So you believe Babby was lying about never getting a list from Dragic?

I didn't hear Babby say that. I heard McDonough say it but I must have missed the Lon comment. But no, I don't think Babby was lying. He is highly regarded in the industry as being a straight shooter and a man of integrity. I'd need solid proof before I tried to tear down someone with his kind of background and reputation.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't know, but Babby just said on a recorded pregame video, he ignored any imaginary list so it seems like a mute issue. Also Babby surprisingly said the Suns FO was prepared for such a scenario. So who knows.

He was prepared for the possibility that Goran's camp would want a trade. He was not prepared for the manner in which they handled the situation.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

I didn't hear Babby say that. I heard McDonough say it but I must have missed the Lon comment. But no, I don't think Babby was lying. He is highly regarded in the industry as being a straight shooter and a man of integrity. I'd need solid proof before I tried to tear down someone with his kind of background and reputation.

Steve

Babby was asked when he was made aware of Dragic's list of desired teams he wished to be traded to and Babby said he never was told of any such list and never saw it.

If there was a list, Babby joked it must have been "written in invisible ink".

So he claims he never got one even though the exact list lined up perfectly with the trade offers fielded by other teams and widely reported. I personally think he did get a list but Babby wants to retain the allusion of "we were in control" of the situation.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Babby was asked when he was made aware of Dragic's list of desired teams he wished to be traded to and Babby said he never was told of any such list and never saw it.

If there was a list, Babby joked it must have been "written in invisible ink".

So he claims he never got one even though the exact list lined up perfectly with the trade offers fielded by other teams and widely reported. I personally think he did get a list but Babby wants to retain the allusion of "we were in control" of the situation.

I heard that comment, I thought the question was actually asked of and answered by McDonough though. I'm also pretty sure you'll find it was McDonough that made the joke. Regardless, I wouldn't call Babby a liar without good reason. I admire the man and think he deserves the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Maybe he's lousy at his job but you'd be hard pressed to find a more respected human being in this business.

Steve

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

I think it was McD doing the talking about not seeing or caring about a certain list.

 

[Covert Rain]

I heard that comment, I thought the question was actually asked of and answered by McDonough though. I'm also pretty sure you'll find it was McDonough that made the joke. Regardless, I wouldn't call Babby a liar without good reason. I admire the man and think he deserves the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. Maybe he's lousy at his job but you'd be hard pressed to find a more respected human being in this business.

Steve

AZcentral also said it was Babby but they cut out that footage. However, my point is not to say that Babby or anybody else in the FO is an outright liar only that he is a lawyer by trade and an NBA executive. That position almost requires half truths so I take anything with a grain a salt coming from an NBA executive or an agent for that matter.

We all know they stretch the truth to appease fans, save face or smooth over public relations. Nothing new.

 

[sunsfan88]

https://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat/status/568885772801191936
Going from the likes of Chalmers and Cole to a guy like Goran Dragic must feel god sent for Wade.

 

[AzStevenCal]

AZcentral also said it was Babby but they cut out that footage. However, my point is not to say that Babby or anybody else in the FO is an outright liar only that he is a lawyer by trade and an NBA executive. That position almost requires half truths so I take anything with a grain a salt coming from an NBA executive or an agent for that matter.

I'm right now watching a recorded version of tonight's pre game show and they just showed the clip, trust me, the comment you referenced was from McDonough. And not telling the full truth is far from telling a lie and if there is anyone on the planet that knows that better than a politician, it's a lawyer. I'm quite sure Babby knows how to avoid telling the truth.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

One thing I've noticed a lot of posters and McD and Babby say is that this trade made us better now and the future. McD obviously went far enough to say that Knight is better than Dragic.

So that means we should be seeing major improvement in their play for the remaining season right?

 

[Mainstreet]

One thing I've noticed a lot of posters and McD and Babby say is that this trade made us better now and the future. McD obviously went far enough to say that Knight is better than Dragic.

So that means we should be seeing major improvement in their play for the remaining season right?

Wright is only 23 so give him time. Also the Suns need to improve their frontline.

 

[TRW]

The Suns got younger, got some picks and don't have to pay $100 mil for a player that will, most likely, decline significantly halfway through it IMO. Goran Dragic is a really good player but he is NOT a max player, again IMO.

The Suns got about as good a return as they could for him. This isn't the worst trade the Suns have ever made by far.

 

[AzStevenCal]

One thing I've noticed a lot of posters and McD and Babby say is that this trade made us better now and the future. McD obviously went far enough to say that Knight is better than Dragic.

So that means we should be seeing major improvement in their play for the remaining season right?

Name 'em.

No, we won't likely be seeing major improvement in their play this season. You know damned well it's a killer schedule. And unless all of our chemistry problems were housed in the outgoing bodies, there's no way that adding a new player to the roster in the middle of the season is going to make us better. Especially when we're losing 2 of our best players in the process. We can only hope that in the long run Knight becomes the best player and I'm pretty sure that's the spin McDonough was trying to put out there.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

Wright is only 23 so give him time. Also the Suns need to improve their frontline.

I'm gonna assume you mean Knight because Wright isn't that young. Probably in the 27 age range.

Agreed about the front line but we did get Barron.

 

[Covert Rain]

Name 'em.

No, we won't likely be seeing major improvement in their play this season. You know damned well it's a killer schedule. And unless all of our chemistry problems were housed in the outgoing bodies, there's no way that adding a new player to the roster in the middle of the season is going to make us better. Especially when we're losing 2 of our best players in the process. We can only hope that in the long run Knight becomes the best player and I'm pretty sure that's the spin McDonough was trying to put out there.

Steve

Yep for the same reason I believed Goran wouldn't change the fortunes of the Lakers if he went there, I don't see him making a significant impact here this season. I guess if Goran was playing half hearted out there it's possible we see some improvement.

 

[CardsFan88]

What I took from the topic of the 'list' is the following.

Dragic's agent may have leaked a list of preferred teams to the media.... but the Suns never received a list.

There's a difference from hearing about something from the media, because we all know the media lies far more then it doesn't, and so if they wanted them to go off a list, they needed to physically sent them one (or email or maybe even verbally over the phone).

So no, I think this is the disconnect. Agent sent one to the media and not the Suns.

Miami saw it, and jumped in. Thus a self-fulfilling prophecy was born.

But maybe one side or the other were liars, who knows.