Bickley: Suns stuck in NBA quicksand with no easy fixes

[FArting]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...ix-suns-jeff-hornacek-cardinals-nba/28509215/


Good read on what Bickley thinks the Suns should do.

 

[Phrazbit]

Just post links and a few highlights, not full articles. It's a copyright violation.

 

[FArting]

Just post links and a few highlights, not full articles. It's a copyright violation.

Fixed

 

[Covert Rain]

The article is spot on. The Suns biggest problem is they never really ever bottom out to draft high enough to get future superstars. We always end up on the outside looking in even when we do have lottery picks. We are NOT a free agent destination either. That leaves the Suns very little methods of building a contender. Basically you are relying on trades or getting lucky that some stud falls in the draft.

I blame the organization's philosophy for both. The Suns try to avoid bottoming out like the plague for the sake of keeping the fans coming. The way the organization has been run since Sarver took over has ruined the team's reputation.

IMO it's healthy for a team to bottom out once in awhile. Having a strategy that keeps your team "competitive" while drafting in the middle constantly is a recipe for sustained mediocrity. My hopes are all centered around the teams ability to pull of some trades. Outside of that it looks pretty dim until the team proves it can bring in big name free agents again.

 

[devilalum]

Didn't the Warriors start their rebuild process at the same time the Suns did?

 

[Catlover]

Didn't the Warriors start their rebuild process at the same time the Suns did?

Can't tell for sure but here is their season win totals starting in the 94-95 season: 26, 36, 30, 19, 21, 19, 17, 21, 38, 37, 34, 34, 42, 48, 29, 26, 36, 23, 47, 51.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Didn't the Warriors start their rebuild process at the same time the Suns did?

No. They have been horrible for years.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Bickley is horrible. He thinks good journalism is being annoying and negative all the time. I am not interested in reading anything he writes.

 

[Mainstreet]

Bickley is horrible. He thinks good journalism is being annoying and negative all the time. I am not interested in reading anything he writes.

Same here. I find his articles too toxic and short of new content.

 

[Chaplin]

Bickley is horrible. He thinks good journalism is being annoying and negative all the time. I am not interested in reading anything he writes.

Except he just wrote what we've been saying here for months. The guy can't write an original thought if his life depended on it.

Open up any Suns-related thread on this board since the season ended, and you'd almost see what he wrote verbatim.

 

[Cheesebeef]

One thing struck me as really odd from Bickley... lauding McD for the Warren pick. what exactly has Warren proved yet that gives McD any kind of props? I hope the kid's good, but to single that pick out speaks volumes as to the job McD's done so far.

 

[Dback Jon]

Except he just wrote what we've been saying here for months. The guy can't write an original thought if his life depended on it.

Open up any Suns-related thread on this board since the season ended, and you'd almost see what he wrote verbatim.

And listen to his show - you will see topics plucked straight from here.

 

[az jam]

And listen to his show - you will see topics plucked straight from here.

Means he is really smart as he comes to this site for real insider information!!

 

[Cheesebeef]

And listen to his show - you will see topics plucked straight from here.

isn't his job to foster discussion about what suns fans are talking about?

 

[Chaplin]

isn't his job to foster discussion about what suns fans are talking about?

Sure, that may be his job, but he's not fostering anything, he's simply repeating what everyone is saying.

 

[SO91]

Absolute crap article. Frank Kaminsky? Shoot me the second that pick is announced. I'll even provide the gun and bullet. Trading 1st round picks for "veteran player who can provide the leadership"? They're available for peanuts.

The team probably should have tanked again after getting rid of Steve and drafting Len. They got picks and young players with upside for the guys they got rid of, but unfortunately ended up playing better than expected and challenged for a playoff spot. The fan base would have been livid and divided had they tried to tank like the Knicks or Sixers did after coming that close to a playoff spot with a bunch of castoffs in a sorta-feel-good season rooting for underdogs.

 

[Phrazbit]

Absolute crap article. Frank Kaminsky? Shoot me the second that pick is announced. I'll even provide the gun and bullet. Trading 1st round picks for "veteran player who can provide the leadership"? They're available for peanuts.

The team probably should have tanked again after getting rid of Steve and drafting Len. They got picks and young players with upside for the guys they got rid of, but unfortunately ended up playing better than expected and challenged for a playoff spot. The fan base would have been livid and divided had they tried to tank like the Knicks or Sixers did after coming that close to a playoff spot with a bunch of castoffs in a sorta-feel-good season rooting for underdogs.

The didn't tank in 2012-13, the dummies that made that team thought it was playoff caliber, they sucked on accident. Then the following year the Suns almost certainly wanted to tank (who trades their starting center the day before the season?) but the team ended up crushing expectations.

 

[SO91]

The didn't tank in 2012-13, the dummies that made that team thought it was playoff caliber, they sucked on accident. Then the following year the Suns almost certainly wanted to tank (who trades their starting center the day before the season?) but the team ended up crushing expectations.

Accidental or on purpose, they sucked enough to get a high pick, which is all that matters. Even when they tried to tank they eff'd it up and ended up being good.

 

[overseascardfan]

I agree with all his ideas except drafting Kaminsky. I would rather draft a more athletic and better all around player like Bobby Portis.

 

[Mainstreet]

Doug Haller at azcentral in his June 4th mock had the Suns drafting Sam Dekker with Bobby Portis and other bigs still on the board.

13. Phoenix Suns: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin, 6-9, 219, small forward, junior.

Dekker has a lot to like: He's athletic, he has size and he can shoot, but his best attribute is simply confidence. He expects to be a star.

Please, no, no, no.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...15-doug-haller-projects-first-round/28456159/

 

[Catlover]

Doug Haller at azcentral in his June 4th mock had the Suns drafting Sam Dekker with Bobby Portis and other bigs still on the board.


Please, no, no, no.

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...15-doug-haller-projects-first-round/28456159/

Why? If we didn't already have Warren, he'd be at the top of my list. If you go BPA, he's not a bad choice for anyone outside the top 6 or so spots.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Sure, that may be his job, but he's not fostering anything, he's simply repeating what everyone is saying.

again... what do you want him to say? try and start a discussion about complete fantasy? his job is to get people talking about what's relevant with the suns right now and mediocrity is the only thing to talk about. Very few people visit message boards, but a ton of people listen to sports radio, so why is it surprising or somehow held against Bickley that he's doing the same thing there as we are here. he'd sound like a fool to talk about anything else as far as the Suns are concerned.

 

[Errntknght]

I disagree with Bicks about Hornacek - there's no way to say he bears no responsibility for all the crap. Its his job to be responsible. Frankly, I don't know how he can say anything positive about Jeff if he advocates trading Bledsoe (and keeping Knight) as the heart of Jeff's plan is to run them as a tandem.

 

[SirStefan32]

I disagree with Bicks about Hornacek - there's no way to say he bears no responsibility for all the crap. Its his job to be responsible. Frankly, I don't know how he can say anything positive about Jeff if he advocates trading Bledsoe (and keeping Knight) as the heart of Jeff's plan is to run them as a tandem.

It's McD's plan, not Jeff's.
I don't think he is a good coach, but let's not blame his for McD's stubbornness. If my boss gave me a bag of crap and told me to make roses out of it, I'd suck at my job too.

 

[Phrazbit]

Why? If we didn't already have Warren, he'd be at the top of my list. If you go BPA, he's not a bad choice for anyone outside the top 6 or so spots.

I don't think Sam Dekker will do anything in the NBA. If anyone in the draft absolutely screams "BUST!" its him. He was a below average shooter from the college 3, he lacks the strength to play inside, fast wing players are going to eat him alive, he isn't a good ball handler. I don't see a single potential "plus" skill he will possess in the NBA.

He went from off the radar to a potential lotto pick based on a few games in the tournament. Sometimes that has merit, but Dekker isn't some kid from a small school who didn't get a chance to showcase his talents. He was a 3 year player in a major program, there is a big sample size that says he is not an NBA player.