Bill Simmons on Atlanta pick

[Hugh D'Man]

You do work for the front office don't you ?

perhaps my point has not been explained properly(or it falls on deaf ears) or maybe I just ramble too much....but there are some points here.

The Suns have made a habit to invest in players who are essentially a one and done with us (and the league in many cases) Leaving our cupboards bare each yr. (recent exeptions being Burke, Grant, and Pike inked up for 2 yrs....sheeeeesh) Sure, we have a solid first 6 when healthy, and Thomas. James Jones has been too inconsistant to count on, though his contract is atleast reasonable. But we have added ZILCH the past two yrs and counting. The only way we can improve is to give up 'core' pieces. I got involved in this marathon discussion questioning the comment of having only Thomas as an overpaid player. I feel we have several over paid players. This is a reason why we cannot trade and certainly not without adding draft picks. But I would gladly move Marion, Diaw, or Banks...thing is, their deals are too sweet for the candy store...so we got'em, might as well enjoy 'em..

I agree it is not easy to find FAs who will come in and contribute...but ELY is damn better than Burke, Oberto is just a lowly starting C for SanAnt...you knew that , right ( he plays with Ginob on Argentina's team) ... and Moore, well, we will see how much his value has risen when he inks up again. Thats crazy to say he has no trade value....same with Oberto. Blake was another who we could have given a shot. Again, hindsite...but just because a player is paid the minimum,does not mean he contributes the minimum. Dallas happened to pick up Buckner and AJohnson in their off season. Are they using them ?? maybe not nightly...but they DO have some value.

As far as the D-League goes, there is and will be talent found there. Give it some time. It is like a polished up financially stable CBA...(where your buddy Raja once dwelled) There must be 3 or 4 first rounders there now, developing their games. Dallas just plucked athletic Center Pops Bonsu from their 'D' team when Mdenga blew his knee...(He was undrafted, but Cuban wasn't afraid to pay a little in hopes of gaining something...they signed him and stuck him in the NBDL) but, you will say those guys are scrubs. atleast they are scrubs with upside. Believe me, Pops would be our first big guy off the bench after KT. Not that he is that good, it is more that Burke and Marks shouldn't be in the Big leagues.


If one continues to invest in depreciating assets
(ie. Jumaine, Jalen, Pike, Marks, Burke)

Eventually, your net worth will decline.


IMO, that is where we are Right Now.





BTW...here is a list of a few players on current NBA rosters who began careers in the D league :

Anthony Johnson
Bobby Simmons
Smush Parker
Ime Udoka
John Lucas
Micki Moore
Chuck Hayes
Matt Carroll

http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/alltimecallups.html



Now go ahead and poopoo this whole post. I can't keep up with your optimism and front office defence.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

Hugh D' Man,

If you wish to continue to post in this forum you will stop with the smack laden posts. You will stop deliberately changing other users names in some childish attempt to get a rise out of them. Make your post without trying to sound like you are on the Jim Rhome show.

This is your only warning.

What is smack ? Please clarify, for your removal of my entire post was unwarranted and disrupted a very good conversation/debate. Elindholm was beginning to wear me down with his logic and data recall.

I did not realize this site was operated under such rules, for none of my 'name changes' are fowl, profane, or intended to piss people off. Whats a little humor amongst fans ? Its not like I am trolling...perhaps you can be more specefic with my infractions. I mean, can I call someone CRAZY ?

Please restore the post you removed. All what the heck, E practically quoted the whole thing in his rebuttal.

 

[PetryJr]

You do work for the front office don't you?

Heh, I think this is the closest someone has come to calling Eric a homer around here. Definitely something you don't see every day.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

What is smack ? Please clarify, for your removal of my entire post was unwarranted and disrupted a very good conversation/debate. Elindholm was beginning to wear me down with his logic and data recall.

I did not realize this site was operated under such rules, for none of my 'name changes' are fowl, profane, or intended to piss people off. Whats a little humor amongst fans ? Its not like I am trolling...perhaps you can be more specefic with my infractions. I mean, can I call someone CRAZY ?

Please restore the post you removed. All what the heck, E practically quoted the whole thing in his rebuttal.

I believe you called Elindholm Elendberg or something to that nature. You had done something similiar in another post. It is done to be antagonistic, as was one of your other posts I removed. I won't be bringing them back. Moderator decisions are final and not up to public debate. If you don't like it, find another forum.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

Is it OK if I call you the SANDMAN ?

It is rather appropriate.

 

[F-Dog]

For Atlanta to wind up with a pick in the 4-to-6 range, they'll need a major injury. Joe Johnson is probably the one who'd have to get hurt.

 

[HooverDam]

Is it OK if I call you the SANDMAN ?

It is rather appropriate.

How about you just call people by their usernames or don't call them anything at all?

 

[Hugh D'Man]

Yeah, whatever, Mr Hoover Dam

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Yeah, whatever, Mr Hoover Dam

Whoopie, now you've got it!!!

 

[azirish]

Somehow the idiot Suns have managed to have the second best record in the NBA despite missing KT for well over a month, Nash for several games and Diaw for several games. If they were really smart, Nash would never get hurt!

One of the problems the Suns have in competing with the Mavs is that Mavs have a roster making $92 million this season (according to Hoopshype). This will drop all the way to $81 million next season if they don't re-sign Stackhouse (although some of this is not Luxury tax related since it includes $17 million for Finley). But even without the luxury tax implications, the Mavs pay an awful lot of money for their depth. Fortunately, the Mavs are paying for more pure stiffs than any team not named the Knicks:

Finley - $17 million (cut)
Bradley - $4.8 million (cut)
Eschmeyer - $3.7 million (cut)
Abdul-Wahad - $1.9 million (cut)
Podkolzin - $1.2 million (cut)

Of the guys remaining on the roster, there is

Croshere - $7.3 million (he's played in 33 or their 53 games - 9.4 minutes a game - 34.2% shooting from the field.)

The Mavericks have a good team, but their rotation is not really that deep

Dirk - 36.7 minutes a game
Howard - 35.5
Terry - 35.1
Stackhouse - 23.3
Dampier - 25.8
Harris - 25.6
Diop - 16.7

George 21.3
Bucker 17.4

George is shooting 39.1% and 36.3% for three
Buckner is shooting 42.2% and 34.5% for three

With those stats, neither George nor Buckner would get minutes on the Suns.

 

[JCSunsfan]

On the Atlanta pick. Everyone knows that we want Noah. Hopefully the pick is high enough or he falls to us. If not, we move up by

1. Trading picks. Of course.
2. Packaging Diaw to move up. Gm's around the league recognize his numbers have dropped because Amare returned. Noah's presence would cut his minutes more. It only makes sense to move Diaw or Thomas if we draft Noah.

Concerning KT. We could keep him around by convincing him to opt out and sign a 3 year 10 or 11 million deal. My hunch is that would prefer to earn his 8 mil next year and retire.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

On the Atlanta pick. Everyone knows that we want Noah. Hopefully the pick is high enough or he falls to us. If not, we move up by

1. Trading picks. Of course.
2. Packaging Diaw to move up. Gm's around the league recognize his numbers have dropped because Amare returned. Noah's presence would cut his minutes more. It only makes sense to move Diaw or Thomas if we draft Noah.

Concerning KT. We could keep him around by convincing him to opt out and sign a 3 year 10 or 11 million deal. My hunch is that would prefer to earn his 8 mil next year and retire.

Have the Suns EVER indicated who they wanted in a draft ? Didn't they also want Nene in the papers b4 amare? This affection for NOAH is a smokescreen and likely stems from Rambo and Gash asking insiders pro Noah questions and getting predictable responses.

"do you think Noah is a player who could succeed in the Suns system?'
"Yes, he has alot of the qualities we are looking for.'

Translation : SUNS COVET NOAH


and y'all ought to watch him play a little more. Sure, he can run and jump, but he absolutely cannot shoot, doesn't rebound all that well, and relies heavily on his superior athleticism (which will be negated in the NBA) to succeed. If he falls in our lap, fine. But trading picks/players to move up to get this kid will be a mistake. Just like picking him over his fellow Gators Horford and Brewer would be. Keep in mind too, they are all juniors.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

I'm tellin' ya....

We gotta go Horford....

I wouldn't be pissed if we did get Noah, though. He could serve a decent role on this team or he could be to us what Gadzuric is to MIL....

 

[Chris_Sanders]

It's Gambo and Ash. You are rapidly hitting my last nerve, and that doesn't speak well for your tenure here.

 

[elindholm]

It's Gambo and Ash. You are rapidly hitting my last nerve, and that doesn't speak well for your tenure here.

Fair enough, but I thought "Rambo and Gash" was pretty funny.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Have the Suns EVER indicated who they wanted in a draft ? Didn't they also want Nene in the papers b4 amare? This affection for NOAH is a smokescreen and likely stems from Rambo and Gash asking insiders pro Noah questions and getting predictable responses.

OK. Fair enough.

1. Yes. Gambo has been one that has been saying this. He has been the one person in all of the media who seems to have been most connected concerning the Suns drafts and trades in the past few years. Even when his prediction didn't happen, it was quite clear that the team was trying to make it happen and failed. The guy is an obnoxious __________ who gets his bball facts wrong all the time, but when it comes to Suns insider stuff, there is no one out there better.

2. Word on the Suns coveting Noah also comes from front offices around the league. They all have sources.

3. It makes sense. Noah is big, mobile, creative, energy, shot-blocker etc.

I guarantee we won't take Horford over Noah.

 

[hcsilla]

OK. Fair enough.
I guarantee we won't take Horford over Noah.

I guarantee nobody will.

 

[elindholm]

Even when his prediction didn't happen, it was quite clear that the team was trying to make it happen and failed.

You mean like last summer, when he said the Suns were "48 hours away" from a trade with an Eastern Conference team for a big and a PG?

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=74908

Or more recently, when he announced "like it was fact" that Banks would be gone by the deadline?

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showthread.php?t=82992&page=6

As I said before, there's a lot of selective memory going on. No one seems to remember the times that he's wrong, and the times that he's right, it's either (a) old news, or (b) a vague enough "prediction" that all kinds of things can be interpreted as having satisfied it.

He's the Nostradamus of Suns roster moves.

 

[hafey]

As I've said before, I too think horford is a better prospect then noah. I go back and forth on this because I do beleive Noah would be a very successful in the Suns system. However, Horford will be a stud. He's like an Amare starter kit. Not quite as athletic, but stronger. Good finisher, good rebounder, can shoot, can run, and I've been impressed with Horford's passing and court sense.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It's Gambo and Ash. You are rapidly hitting my last nerve, and that doesn't speak well for your tenure here.

that's what gets you chris? no offense man, but that's ridiculous. so he makes a play on names of radio personalities. lay off.

 

[Mulli]

that's what gets you chris? no offense man, but that's ridiculous. so he makes a play on names of radio personalities. lay off.

He also wants to call Chris, the Sandman.

 

[Mainstreet]

Have the Suns EVER indicated who they wanted in a draft ? Didn't they also want Nene in the papers b4 amare? This affection for NOAH is a smokescreen and likely stems from Rambo and Gash asking insiders pro Noah questions and getting predictable responses.

The Suns wanting Zarko was the most poorly kept secret that I can remember regarding the Suns. I can't remember what comments BC made concerning Zarko before the draft except everyone knew the Suns were going to draft him if he was there. This is about as close as a team will come to disclosing there intent unless they hold the number 1 pick.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

He also wants to call Chris, the Sandman.

But I haven't Mulli...and if it upsets you I wont...obviously I'm on thin ice with my flippant behavior.....but I am trying (to be 'Post-ically' Correct).

honest, I didn't know Gambo and Nash posted here.

 

[Hugh D'Man]

The Suns wanting Zarko was the most poorly kept secret that I can remember regarding the Suns. I can't remember what comments BC made concerning Zarko before the draft except everyone knew the Suns were going to draft him if he was there. This is about as close as a team will come to disclosing there intent unless they hold the number 1 pick.

You are right on that MainST. But they weren't tootin the Zarko horn 3-4 months prior were they? I just think all this NOAH-ossity is spin off hype from actually, rather, likely, HAVING a good pick in what is considered a GOOD draft. The disappointment from the past 4 has created a buzz about this one coming up, and those two S U N S broadcasters mentioned earlier are as giddy as we are.

Seriously....watch Noah play more, I have seen him a dozen times, and he is often nuetralized...where as Mr Complete Game Horford does the same thing night in night out. He reminds me of Brand

 

[Mulli]

But I haven't Mulli...and if it upsets you I wont...obviously I'm on thin ice with my flippant behavior.....but I am trying (to be 'Post-ically' Correct).

honest, I didn't know Gambo and Nash posted here.

I didn't upset me in the least. I would love to have a professional wrestling moniker.

I was just saying.

No worries, Hoody Man.