Bill Simmons on Atlanta pick

[fordronken]

Not exactly a revolutionary idea, but...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?entryDate=20070213&name=simmons

• Speaking of Noah, I love how his draft stock dropped because he stuck around for an extra season and everyone started picking him apart. Um, didn't we learn from the Chris Paul debacle? Right now, he's ranked fourth behind Brandan Wright on just about everyone's board (with one notable exception: the underrated Jonathan Givony of draftexpress.com, who has Noah ranked third AND Durant ranked above Oden); I could see him sliding to fifth or sixth as everyone talks themselves into Al Horford and Julian Wright because of the whole "upppppppside" thing. Meanwhile, he's even better than he was last season -- if you applied my Table Test to him, he's still one of those guys who brings X amount of things to the table and takes absolutely nothing off it, and he'll be better as a pro when he's playing with better teammates. He's a winner, he's always in the right place at the right time, he always makes the right decision on either end, he doesn't care about stats, he's immensely fun to play with and he makes 5-6 important plays per game that will not be reflected in the stats.

One silver lining: Because he's playing on a deep team and everyone keeps picking his game apart, he's definitely dropping out of the top three and possibly the top four. Well, Phoenix owns Atlanta's pick as long as it's not in the top three; I guarantee they're salivating over the chance that (A) that pick will be in the 4-to-6 range, and (B) Noah could fall to them. Can you imagine a better fit for Phoenix's frontcourt than Joakim Noah? Let's say they drafted him, and let's say they moved the other two first-rounders and maybe even Boris Diaw for a shooter (someone like Rashard Lewis or Mike Miller). Imagine a front seven of Nash, Stoudemire, Marion, Lewis/Miller, Bell, Noah and Barbosa? That's a 70-win team if everyone stays healthy.

(By the way, if anyone in Phoenix's front office is reading this right now, they're probably screaming, "Shut up! Shut the hell up! Dammit! He's ruining everything!")

 

[devilalum]

They should just put a link on Page 2 to this board.

We formulated something like this months ago.

 

[elindholm]

Let's lay odds on the following: The Suns get the #6 pick, then trade it away because they don't think Noah will be there, and then he is.

 

[dodie53]

trade diaw?
hmmmm...

 

[boisesuns]

Let's lay odds on the following: The Suns get the #6 pick, then trade it away because they don't think Noah will be there, and then he is.

I don't know, got a coin?

 

[devilalum]

Let's lay odds on the following: The Suns get the #6 pick, then trade it away because they don't think Noah will be there, and then he is.

I know you're joking but I would bet money that the Suns will NOT use either of the other 2 firsts they have.

 

[CaptainInsano]

I know you're joking but I would bet money that the Suns will NOT use either of the other 2 firsts they have.

If we get noah, then why not use the first cruddy pick to unload KT and his valuable expiring contract for someone useful.

Next we use our own garbage first along with banks to get an expiring for cap relief.

Next year would be looking pretty damn good then.

 

[Mainstreet]

If we get noah, then why not use the first cruddy pick to unload KT and his valuable expiring contract for someone useful.

Next we use our own garbage first along with banks to get an expiring for cap relief.

Next year would be looking pretty damn good then.

I don't like the idea of the Suns using first round picks to move players. However, if they did, I would like to see them get some second round picks in return.

Also, I could see the Suns trading up to three first round picks for the right player... perhaps Noah. Then again, why not move a couple of picks and salaries if the right player is available before the trading deadline and win a Championship this year?

 

[fordronken]

Let's lay odds on the following: The Suns get the #6 pick, then trade it away because they don't think Noah will be there, and then he is.

Got a little extra acidity in your breakfast this morning?

And for the record-- if that happens, I'm gonna puke. A lot.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Let's lay odds on the following: The Suns get the #6 pick, then trade it away because they don't think Noah will be there, and then he is.

I'll take the 100:1 odds on that one. The Suns won't trade it, until they are sure that Noah is off of the clock.

 

[scotsman13]

if the suns dont get the 4th pick, then i would personally i would be shocked if the suns dont trade their pick along with clevelands and atlanta's pick to move up a couple spots to get the player that they want (noah).

 

[Arizona's Finest]

If we get noah, then why not use the first cruddy pick to unload KT and his valuable expiring contract for someone useful.

Next we use our own garbage first along with banks to get an expiring for cap relief.

Next year would be looking pretty damn good then.

For the life of me I don't know why people want to unload KT. He brings alot to this team defensivly and rebounding wise. Not to mention he is Amare's go-to-guy.....

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Not exactly a revolutionary idea, but...

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/blog/index?entryDate=20070213&name=simmons

Noah's nice but personally i wouldn't mind if we drafted 6th and were "forced" to draft Chase Budinger instead....

This is from the same Simmons article:

• I have a new favorite player: Chase Budinger, the Arizona freshman best described as a taller Thunder Dan Majerle with a 45-inch vertical leap. By the way, that's an estimate -- he might have a 55-inch vertical leap. Hell, it might be 70 inches. But he shoots 3s, fills the lane, jumps over everybody, even has red hair and one of those chin goatee thingies. Just an electric player. He might be the most exciting white guy since ... I don't even know. Was Majerle even that exciting? Tom Chambers? I'd have to go all the way back to the great Paul Westphal.

Everyone made a big fuss about him in the preseason because he's also a world-class volleyball player, so it's not like I hadn't heard about him before ... but I wasn't prepared to see him tear apart Oregon (30 points, 10 boards) and carry himself with a "you guys suck, I'm the best player on the court" demeanor. He almost reminds me of one of those sneering California skateboarders who hang outside banks, ride railings of the outside staircases and terrify the customers as they're trying to head inside. In real life? I hate those kids. In basketball? I want them carrying themselves like that. Anyway, I was really impressed -- he's a sure thing. I'd rank him fourth for the draft behind Durant, Oden and Noah, assuming he comes out (which he probably won't).

 

[SO91]

I'm not so sure Chase would come out after one year. Having said that, I do like what Simmons has to say about him

 

[pokerface]

For the life of me I don't know why people want to unload KT. He brings alot to this team defensivly and rebounding wise. Not to mention he is Amare's go-to-guy.....

I know! Whats this about wanting to "unload" KT....Might as well say you want to unload any interior defense for the Suns or unload one of the better centers the Suns have had in a while.

There are other guys we should get rid of before KT thats for sure.

 

[Goldfield]

if the suns dont get the 4th pick, then i would personally i would be shocked if the suns dont trade their pick along with clevelands and atlanta's pick to move up a couple spots to get the player that they want (noah).

I am with you...

 

[Goldfield]

KT brings ALOT to this team. Not alot of it shows up in stats, and yes he has no jump. But he is important...

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think that there is a lot of "unload" KT talk, is because most of our players are not overpaid. He is the only one who you could even come close. He is also the only one that makes that medium range salary. We are fortunate that we do not have any bloated contracts with players that do not produce.

 

[Goldfield]

The only other guy I think might be overpaid right now is Diaw. He is a good player but not sure if he will ever become agressive enough to use all his talents...

 

[pokerface]

I think that there is a lot of "unload" KT talk, is because most of our players are not overpaid. He is the only one who you could even come close. He is also the only one that makes that medium range salary. We are fortunate that we do not have any bloated contracts with players that do not produce.

I dont think he's overpaid at all when we want to spell Amare and our only other option is Burke.

Decent centers are hard to come by so they should get more money.

 

[CaptainInsano]

As useful as kt is right now I get the feeling after he plays out that last year for 8 mil he will be retiring, why not instead use that valuable expiring with a pick (for a team looking to open up cap space) to try and get someone?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I dont think he's overpaid at all when we want to spell Amare and our only other option is Burke.

Decent centers are hard to come by so they should get more money.

I agree that he is not overpaid. I am just trying to rationalize why others may think so.

 

[panfolk]

Is Budinger being played as a 2 or a 3 at Arizona?

KT's value to this team is not to be underestimated.

Said it before, will say it again: Trade Atlanta pick and Cleveland pick for Noah (I've cooled my jets on Diener )

Diaw's presence at Chicago would've meant a win.

 

[Muggum]

Give it up, guys. Atlanta is over .500 in their past 20 games, and they're consistently beating western teams on the road. Atlanta's pick isn't going to be anywhere near #4. Or #6. Try 10-15.

Oh, Atlanta won again tonight. In Los Angeles. And they're only getting better. They're going to threaten to make the playoffs.

 

[pokerface]

As useful as kt is right now I get the feeling after he plays out that last year for 8 mil he will be retiring, why not instead use that valuable expiring with a pick (for a team looking to open up cap space) to try and get someone?

I want to use KT every last minute we can. We really need him bad.