Backup PG: Tinsley? Livingston?

[WuRaider]

The Pacers have reportedly made the decision to buyout the contract of point guard Jamaal Tinsley if they aren't able to trade him, according to The New York Daily News.

Tinsley has three years and more than $21 million left on his contract.
Larry Bird and David Morway are rumored to have made the decision to buy out Tinsley well before dealing for point guards T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack.


Clippers' guard Shaun Livingston is set to become an unrestricted free agent with the Clippers declining to tender him a qualifying offer, the New York Daily News is reporting.


Livingston is still rehabilitating from a devastating knee injury and may be too much of a medical risk for a team that is hoping to add a starting-caliber point guard.






In AZCentral, they said the Suns were going to look at Lue, Anthony Johnson, and Duhon.


My preference:
1. Tinsley
2. Duhon
3. Livingston
4. Johnson

 

[mojorizen7]

Raymond Felton

 

[Dan H]

Tinsley is a flippin' head case. I wouldn't touch him with a borrowed ten-foot pole.

 

[Irish]

I can't see Tinsley coming here. Assuming he is physically able to play (a huge if), why come to a team with an established veteran and a heir apparent?

Right now, I'm leaning toward Tyrone Lue. He's not a long term solution and certainly not the big defender we'd like, but he's still very fast and considered a good on the ball defender. Also, he can really shoot: 38.9% career for three. He's not a great playmaker, with a career 3.3 assists is not great, but he's at least experienced.

 

[Proteus]

Didn't Tinsley shoot the Pacers out of a game against the Suns last season?

 

[joshstmarie]

dont know if anyones already said this but tinsley and duhon are going to be too expensive, no thanks on livingston... let him be someone elses lab rat...

how bout lol...... smush parker

 

[Irish]

We had another thread on this about a month ago. There is a lot of people who think Livingston will never be effective. No one thinks he's going to much help this years. In any case, the situation changed when the Suns drafted Goran Dragic as their future PG.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

People don't want to bring in Livingston to sit the bench as a 12 or 13, that's a red herring. They want him because they are hoping he can play big time minutes here when/if he recovers.

The best thing for the back up point guard would to secure someone serviceable, not waste our limited money on a a high reward/risk guy.

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns are looking for a one year patch then a player like Lue makes sense.

If Dragic were not in the equation for now or next year I'd be pushing for a player like Arroyo or Udrih.

 

[TJ]

keep your eyes on Chris Duhon too....wouldnt mind him on the bench

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Felton or Duhon.

 

[mjb21aztd]

I would like Duhon because he is young and can still improve his game working under nash who would be a great teacher for him well other then defense lol. But defintally eaither Duhon or Lue wouldn't be bad eaither.

 

[joshstmarie]

pull your head out of the clouds guys! we arent getting a big name guy like duhon or tinsley, felton ect. the suns have already said they have their pg of the future, and surely none of those guys are going to sign for cheap OR for 1 year. heck we'd be lucky to get lue in here.

I bet we will see someone more along the lines of smush parker, a "c-list" guy.

 

[jlove]

IF Dragic is unable to get out of his contract this summer to play this year, then the Suns definitely need to find a back-up. That being said, wny player they do bring in doesn't mean that Dragic isn't our PG of the future either. Get over it people. I've seen in several forums that we won't sign a back-up PG for more than a one year rental because of Dragic. That's a load. We can sign a veteran PG to back-up Nash to a 2-3 year deal and we'd still be good. You have to realize that it will take Dragic time to convert to the NBA once he's here anyways, and Nash next year will be in his last year of his contract. So signing a long-term back-up PG isn't a travesty right now. If we can get the right "fit" back-up PG now and sign them long-term, then we wouldn't have any problems when Nash is done and Dragic takes over.

As far as the "Free Agent PG's", the best fits would be the following for this team (in rank and as short term 1-2 yr contract):

1. Johnson
2. Lue

As far as the "Free Agent PG's", the best fits for long-term contracts would be:

1. Tinsley (if he is bought out of his contract)
2. Duhon

As far as best fit PG's via trade posibility (and as long-term deal):

1. Felton
2. Lowry
3. Blake
4. Sergio Rodriguez

With all that said, I would take Livingston in a frickin heartbeat long-term (if he is able to play THIS year, AND the Suns training staff clears him as being healthy enough to sustain at least 70 games). My main reasoning is because he can play PG and SG (if he can gain at least another 20 lbs then he can play the SF spot as well) positions when healthy. He has the skills to be a playmaker, an outside shooter, slasher and defender.

 

[jagu]

Dragic's workout was awesome. I love his length and his j's. Wonder if he transalates well. He would be a steal if he turned into a player.

 

[Chaplin]

pull your head out of the clouds guys! we arent getting a big name guy like duhon or tinsley, felton ect. the suns have already said they have their pg of the future, and surely none of those guys are going to sign for cheap OR for 1 year. heck we'd be lucky to get lue in here.

I bet we will see someone more along the lines of smush parker, a "c-list" guy.

Smush Parker shouldn't be mentioned in any breath along with the Phoenix Suns. I don't know if it's short memories or what, but he was here, and he was a backup to Steve Nash, and it didn't work. Why in the world would we bring him back? Because he had one decent year in LA? Don't forget, he laid an egg last year.

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Smush Parker shouldn't be mentioned in any breath along with the Phoenix Suns. I don't know if it's short memories or what, but he was here, and he was a backup to Steve Nash, and it didn't work. Why in the world would we bring him back? Because he had one decent year in LA? Don't forget, he laid an egg last year.

I would not rule out anyone if they can help. Parker is a back up talent with starter experience, that would seem to make him a viable candidate for what the Suns want.

Being totally closed off based on memories of the past, is almost as stupid as overvaluing a player because he had a good game against the Suns once. The later being much more prevelant in fan logic.

 

[Irish]

I'd ask the Laker fans about Smush. He went from very successful to meltdown in short order.

 

[dodie53]

duhon

 

[AceP]

Dragic is definitely a long shot, it is only a slim chance he could come over this year. We got to find a backup point.

How about Jason Williams? He is FA now, rumor said he wanted to return to Memphis but they r loaded with PGs. It should be just veteran minimal for him.

 

[Chaplin]

Laker fans HATE Smush Parker. So if anyone is holding their breath for him, don't ask Laker fans.

Personally, I think it's an awful idea. Might as well bring back Randy Livingston instead.

 

[Nash2Amare]

Tinsley? Ew. You don't remember that game where Nash left with flu-like symptoms and we cameback and won in OT because Tinsley sucks and put on a chuckfest and took like 7 of their 8 shots in OT, making maybe 1 of them. God he was awful, I'll pass on him.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Tinsley was the best player on our team that game.

 

[AceP]

Our void at 3 is much much more serious. If we can't trade for one, Sarvar has to approve Kerr to spend MLE on a starting material SF. Players like Posey, JJ, Pietrus, or so. If so, look at the FA PGs who would accept BAE (2M) or Veteran Minimal (1.xM). There r actually many of them. I wouldn't worry too much.

If we could trade to fix void at SF and save MLE for PG. It would be much easier.

How about Delonte West? This kid is pretty good. He is restricted FA, but Cleveland is deep in tax zone, and they have to extend Gibson first. They r not offering West an extention and hope to keep him for the qualifying offer which is less than 3M. I think we could try to get him by a multi-year deal starting at 3.5~4M.

 

[Irish]

Cleveland is very clear they plan to keep West. He's is the closest thing to a real PG they have.

Right now, Boris is the backup SF on the team. He's not very popular, but he gives the Suns a tall guy who can defend, shoot, and handle the ball. My hope is that either Tucker becomes a player or they get a minimum guys who has more physical toughtness than Diaw to get him concerned about his his job.