Bakersfield Jam

[AzStevenCal]

He missed the team bus, thereby holding up the team's charter flight. He presumably was on the team plane when it finally departed. He was at the game.

Just curious but did you make that up because it seemed logical to you or have you read/heard it elsewhere? I've seen nothing to suggest they had to hold the team's charter flight for him. Honestly, I didn't even know they would do that for a star let along a PJ.

Steve

 

[overseascardfan]

I am not trying to blow things out of proportion, but how do you miss the team bus on the road? The team stays at the same hotel, you don't drive so traffic isn't an issue. Doubt he had family with him on the road so personal reasons are unlikely. Not trying to speculate that booze was involved but seriously how do you miss the bus? Don't they have personnel to make sure everyone checks out of the hotel and is on the bus before departing for the airport?

 

[Chaplin]

Good point, but these are also grown ass men. We shouldn't need to hold their hand with everything. There has to be a certain trust that they'll be able to do something as simple as make the team bus, especially when they should be smart enough to know the consequences of missing it.

 

[Chaz]

I think the plan the whole time was to send the rookies down for 2 games to get some playing time and have them rejoin the team for the road trip east.

I think it was in Lon Babby's radio interview last week.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

I am not trying to blow things out of proportion, but how do you miss the team bus on the road? The team stays at the same hotel, you don't drive so traffic isn't an issue. Doubt he had family with him on the road so personal reasons are unlikely. Not trying to speculate that booze was involved but seriously how do you miss the bus? Don't they have personnel to make sure everyone checks out of the hotel and is on the bus before departing for the airport?

You just did.

Could have over slept???

Horny didnt seem to concerned about it on todays show.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think the plan the whole time was to send the rookies down for 2 games to get some playing time and have them rejoin the team for the road trip east.

I think it was in Lon Babby's radio interview last week.

It was. And it probably won't be the last trip down for Ennis at least.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

Good point, but these are also grown ass men. We shouldn't need to hold their hand with everything. There has to be a certain trust that they'll be able to do something as simple as make the team bus

If I'm getting paid millions of dollars a year to fly around the country and entertain people, you can be damn sure I'm catching every bus my bosses tell me to catch. Tucker needs to figure out that being an NBA player is a privilege, not an entitlement.

 

[JCSunsfan]

They still take up a roster spot since they're just assigned to the D-League. I would think that gets changed in the future though as the NBA turns the D-League into more of a AAA type minor league. Once they sign with the team after being drafter they count against the 15 person roster whether they are on assignment or not.

They need to change that. D leaguers should not have to take up a roster spot.

 

[AzStevenCal]

They need to change that. D leaguers should not have to take up a roster spot.

They need to do something but they also need to keep a fairly tight control on the process. If they let you stash players there without taking up a roster spot, the next obvious issue is going to be whether it hits the salary cap. And that opens up another can of worms. Teams with big bucks behind them would love to be able to stash a dozen players down there and could afford to pay them decent salaries. The Knicks and the Lakers of the NBA world don't need another built in advantage.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I think it should be like what I understand the NFL does. If a player is placed on the practice squad any team can claim them. It seems very similar to what the NBA is doing if if a player does not occupy a roster slot. This keeps a team from stockpiling talent there.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think it should be like what I understand the NFL does. If a player is placed on the practice squad any team can claim them. It seems very similar to what the NBA is doing if if a player does not occupy a roster slot. This keeps a team from stockpiling talent there.

I'm not sure you've thought that one through. It would pretty much kill the D League because no team would ever send a good player to their affiliate.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not sure you've thought that one through. It would pretty much kill the D League because no team would ever send a good player to their affiliate.

Steve

As I understand it, if a player is not on an NBA team's 15 man roster they can be claimed by another NBA team. The NFL works in a similar manner if they are not on their 53 man roster. Perhaps the team has a right to place them on their roster if another team claims them but if their roster slots are filled they would have to release a player to do it.

 

[JCSunsfan]

As I understand it, if a player is not on an NBA team's 15 man roster they can be claimed by another NBA team. The NFL works in a similar manner if they are not on their 53 man roster. Perhaps the team has a right to place them on their roster if another team claims them but if their roster slots are filled they would have to release a player to do it.

Not exactly. Alec Brown was a second round pick by the Suns, and he signed with Bakersfield (before the injury). The Suns retain his rights, very similar to a player remaining overseas. So, it is possible to retain the rights to players as long as they have been drafted by BUT do not sign with the NBA team.

That's where I see the D-League being really valuable. It allows teams a place to develop second round picks, and some first round picks. Their D-League affiliate can pay the salary. I think that solves the problem Steve mentioned. If you are not allowed to sign free agents and stash them, but only retain exclusive rights to player you draft, I do not think it is an issue.

 

[Mainstreet]

Not exactly. Alec Brown was a second round pick by the Suns, and he signed with Bakersfield (before the injury). The Suns retain his rights, very similar to a player remaining overseas. So, it is possible to retain the rights to players as long as they have been drafted by BUT do not sign with the NBA team.

That's where I see the D-League being really valuable. It allows teams a place to develop second round picks, and some first round picks. Their D-League affiliate can pay the salary. I think that solves the problem Steve mentioned. If you are not allowed to sign free agents and stash them, but only retain exclusive rights to player you draft, I do not think it is an issue.

I think the Suns only retain Alec Brown's rights because he is playing overseas under contract with a non-NBA team the same way they retain the rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic. If Brown were on a D-League team and the Suns had a full 15 man roster, he would be fair game to another NBA team. This is why teams send players overseas... to keep their rights.

There must be something definitive under the CBA agreement. Otherwise it is clear as mud.

 

[BC867]

I am not trying to blow things out of proportion, but how do you miss the team bus on the road? The team stays at the same hotel, you don't drive so traffic isn't an issue. Doubt he had family with him on the road so personal reasons are unlikely. Not trying to speculate that booze was involved but seriously how do you miss the bus? Don't they have personnel to make sure everyone checks out of the hotel and is on the bus before departing for the airport?

The TV camera got a pretty close shot of Tucker at the game. He was wearing a jacket and tie.

Perhaps he always looks that way in a jacket and tie, but I noticed that he looked disheveled. Crooked tie. Not sitting up straight. A far away look on his face.

That was the impression I got for what it's worth.

The man who was supposed to be the team leader with Frye gone is burning his bridges and using up his apologies.

Without drawing conclusions about what has caused it (although the DUI is a fact), he is headed in the wrong direction.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The TV camera got a pretty close shot of Tucker at the game. He was wearing a jacket and tie.

Perhaps he always looks that way in a jacket and tie, but I noticed that he looked disheveled. Crooked tie. Not sitting up straight. A far away look on his face.

That was the impression I got for what it's worth.

The man who was supposed to be the team leader with Frye gone is burning his bridges and using up his apologies.

Without drawing conclusions about what has caused it (although the DUI is a fact), he is headed in the wrong direction.

I saw him several times where he was enthusiastically supporting the guys.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I saw him several times where he was enthusiastically supporting the guys.

Steve

And when I saw him, he looked like he was going to bust out of his jacket. It was tight. I couldn't but wonder if he had borrowed it from someone for the game. Otherwise, he looked fine to me.

 

[Superbone]

I saw him several times where he was enthusiastically supporting the guys.

Steve

Yeah, wow! Talk about reading into things. I didn't see any of what BC saw. He looked well groomed to me and he was supporting his teammates.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Just curious but did you make that up because it seemed logical to you or have you read/heard it elsewhere? I've seen nothing to suggest they had to hold the team's charter flight for him. Honestly, I didn't even know they would do that for a star let along a PJ.

Steve

Sorry for the late reply. Steve Albert (hardly the bastion of truth, but whatever) mentioned it at least 3 times during the broadcast, that he had held up the team's charter flight. I would assume that Steve was on that flight with the team, but I am not sure of that. Was just relating what he mentioned.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Yeah, wow! Talk about reading into things. I didn't see any of what BC saw. He looked well groomed to me and he was supporting his teammates.

People see what they want to see. BC obviously dont like PJ, especially after his DUI, and I dont think that'll change anytime soon.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Sorry for the late reply. Steve Albert (hardly the bastion of truth, but whatever) mentioned it at least 3 times during the broadcast, that he had held up the team's charter flight. I would assume that Steve was on that flight with the team, but I am not sure of that. Was just relating what he mentioned.

Thanks for the response. Steve Albert is rarely right when he's calling the action on the court but I'm sure he's accurate on this. I watched the Boston telecast to avoid Steve Albert so I didn't hear the comments. But 'm still surprised that they would hold the plane for someone that missed the bus especially if he was going to be held out of the game for a rules violation.

Steve

 

[BC867]

People see what they want to see. BC obviously dont like PJ, especially after his DUI, and I dont think that'll change anytime soon.

Here we go with the "like", "don't like" and "hate" again.

As the saying goes . . . attack problems, not people.

What I don't like is that PJ's behavior is hurting the team, inside and out. One episode after another. I was a fan of his until he chose to ruin the team leader mantle the Suns were heaping on him.

It is not about you. Or me. It is about his irresponsible actions. One after the other. He let us (and himself) down.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Here we go with the "like", "don't like" and "hate" again.

As the saying goes . . . attack problems, not people.

What I don't like is that PJ's behavior is hurting the team, inside and out. One episode after another. I was a fan of his until he chose to ruin the team leader mantle the Suns were heaping on him.

It is not about you. Or me. It is about his irresponsible actions. One after the other. He let us (and himself) down.

Tell me kind Sir, what negative actions has PJ displayed besides his DUI? and dont say his being tardy for the team bus. Horny said it wasnt a problem so it shouldnt be for us.

 

[BC867]

Tell me kind Sir, what negative actions has PJ displayed besides his DUI? and dont say his being tardy for the team bus. Horny said it wasnt a problem so it shouldnt be for us.

I've taken your question seriously and have given it some thought.

It is disappointing that Tucker was supposed to be a leader and example and the Suns front office and he failed.

Horny's attempt to play down the latest incident didn't stop it from being an issue -- a public issue.

As a fan, that disappoints me. I hold these celebrity millionaires to the same standards that I hold myself. I am not perfect. But I take those standards seriously.

 

[Hoop Head]

I wasn't aware until today that the D-League aired all of their games on Youtube. I know the Suns don't have anyone assigned right now but that's something to keep an eye in the future when/if players get sent down later in the season. I assume once IT returns they might send Ennis down. I'm not sure why Zoran hasn't been assigned there at all since he's not getting any playing time and is rarely even active. It couldn't hurt to send him down there for a little while, especially with our depth at the guard and wing positions.

Their team site lists which NBA players are currently assigned there on the main page and the game schedule with links to the games are at the top.

http://www.nba.com/dleague/bakersfield/

Interesting observation, I was looking at the roster for the Jam and was surprised to see the brother obsession even spread down there. They have Elijah Millsap, who is the younger brother of Paul Millsap. He's listed as a 6'6 guard, which we don't need on the Suns right now. I was hoping he was bigger and played PF like his brother, who I think would be a perfect fit for the Suns. I know the Jam became the exclusive D-League team for the Suns this year, it looks like they didn't waste any time bringing in the less talented brother to play for them, like Robin Lopez, Miles Plumlee, and Taylor Griffin.