Blake Griffin

[Catlover]

Davis and love don't produce wins though.

You still need talented players, just one won't win you much. I'd take Davis in a heartbeat over any other young player (health would be my only concern). Blake is a better player today but I'll be very surprised if Davis isn't fighting Lebron for MVP in the next five years. I'd trade our entire roster for him. We'd lose horribly the first few years until we were able to build around him but I'd still rather have arguably the best player in the game than two top twenty players.

Adding Blake to our roster would give us three potentially top twenty players which is fantastic but it's still easier to build a championship team around the best player in the game. Adding Love or Aldridge probably puts us in the same ballpark (that Blake would) where the final results will depend on a number of factors such as complementary players and luck.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Davis and love don't produce wins though.

Davis I can agree with about being better than Griffin. That guy has pretty much nothing around him. Love I don't see and one great season from Aldridge and a couple great playoff games doesn't make him better then Griffin, IMO.

 

[SirStefan32]

Davis and love don't produce wins though.

Davis and Love don't have the best PG in the NBA or outstanding defensive Centers playing next to them either. They don't have the supporting cast of Danny Granger, Jamal Crawford, JJ Redick, etc either. It's easy to produce win when you have Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan, along with Danny Granger, Jamal Crawford, JJ Redick, etc.

Replace Rubio with Paul and Pekovic with Jordan, and we'll see how many wins Love produces.

 

[SirStefan32]

Davis I can agree with about being better than Griffin. That guy has pretty much nothing around him. Love I don't see and one great season from Aldridge and a couple great playoff games doesn't make him better then Griffin, IMO.

What is one aspect of the game (other than dunking) where Griffin is better than Aldridge?

 

[Catlover]

What is one aspect of the game (other than dunking) where Griffin is better than Aldridge?

I only watch the playoffs and Suns games but from what I've seen Griffin gets the nod in several categories. Offensive rebounding, interior defense, consistency and toughness. Until this year, rebounding in general and the gap in consistency and toughness was greater. Consider also that Griffin is three and a half years younger than Aldridge.

 

[Cheesebeef]

What is one aspect of the game (other than dunking) where Griffin is better than Aldridge?

over their careers, he's a better rebounder 10.1 boards v. Aldridge's 8.2, pretty much doubles him in assists 3.7 v. 2.0, shooting percentage 52.8 v. 48.8 and scoring at 21.1 ppg vs. 18.9 ppg.

Now, before you say "he's got Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan" note that WITHOUT both of those guys, as a rookie, he still put up 22 ppg, 3.7 assists and 53% shooting and DeAndre Jordan has been all potential up until he broke out this year under Doc.

AND he's 4 years younger then Aldridge, which means he's still developing.

so, yes, Aldridge has had a great season, but Blake's been a force ever since he got into the league.

and as for the "he's surrounded by Reddick, Paul, Crawford"...Reddick missed over half the season, Paul missed 20 games and Crawford missed 13 games...and the Clippers pretty much didn't skip a beat because he carried them all season long. And I have to assume you haven't watched many Clipper games outside of when they played the Suns this year for you to have listed Danny Granger as a weapon. Dude's been a corpse for that team...when he's even healthy enough to actually get on the court.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

over their careers, he's a better rebounder 10.1 boards v. Aldridge's 8.2, pretty much doubles him in assists 3.7 v. 2.0, shooting percentage 52.8 v. 48.8 and scoring at 21.1 ppg vs. 18.9 ppg.

Now, before you say "he's got Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan" note that WITHOUT both of those guys, as a rookie, he still put up 22 ppg, 3.7 assists and 53% shooting and DeAndre Jordan has been all potential up until he broke out this year under Doc.

AND he's 4 years younger then Aldridge, which means he's still developing.

so, yes, Aldridge has had a great season, but Blake's been a force ever since he got into the league.

and as for the "he's surrounded by Reddick, Paul, Crawford"...Reddick missed over half the season, Paul missed 20 games and Crawford missed 13 games...and the Clippers pretty much didn't skip a beat because he carried them all season long. And I have to assume you haven't watched many Clipper games outside of when they played the Suns this year for you to have listed Danny Granger as a weapon. Dude's been a corpse for that team...when he's even healthy enough to actually get on the court.

Perfectly stated. Aldridge, like Love, is not a guy who prefers to play inside. They are both fine players, but especially considering the age gap, you take Griffin over both.

Anthony Davis would be the one exception, although he seems more like a C than a PF to me. He's the 3rd most valuable player behind Lebron/Durant.

I don't know who else would be ahead of Griffin at this point.

 

[Phrazbit]

Until this year I've always viewed Aldridge as Amare without the dunking. A dude with a great mid range game, weak defense and rebounding that comes and goes. This season he has clearly made a leap and become a much more focused and consistent player but I'd like to see it carry over before I say for sure he is better or even on the same level as some of these guys who have been doing it for years.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Until this year I've always viewed Aldridge as Amare without the dunking. A dude with a great mid range game, weak defense and rebounding that comes and goes. This season he has clearly made a leap and become a much more focused and consistent player but I'd like to see it carry over before I say for sure he is better or even on the same level as some of these guys who have been doing it for years.

agreed. one year does not a career make. he definitely took a major step forward this year, but so far, the year has been the exception to the rule. and while the rule has generally been good to very good, it's never been great.

 

[desertdawg]

Griffin's a good player, but he's a punk. I wouldn't want to see him in a Suns uniform. (But some of his commercials are funny.)

This

 

[Errntknght]

I doubt that Griffen will be available but if he is, I'd like to see the Suns pursue him - more so than K. Love. He likes to run so he would fit the team and he's a passable interior defender. Of all the guys mentioned, I'd take him over all but Davis.

 

[Covert Rain]

Seriously don't get the "punk" mentality of not wanting Griffin. People have called some of the greatest players with a ton of titles punks, dirty, and jerks. Give me those guys with some titles over some boy scout players that won't win us a damn thing.

 

[sunsfan88]

He's developed so much, he's such a skilled big man.

People say he's almost as good as prime Amare but imo he's already better than prime Amare. His passing ability, rebounding and the fact that he's isn't a liability on the defensive end allows him to surpass Amare.

 

[Cheesewater]

I'd rather not have Blake Griffin on my team.

He appears to believe he is better than he actually is.
He flops too much.
He complains too much.
His frequent staring down of opponents is poor sportsmanship.
I believe the reason he gets so much contact from opponents is that other players around the league don't like his demeanor. And they ought to know.

I'd rather have a good, likeable, and respected player than a great but unlikeable, annoying crybaby. Why? Because I don't have any illusions about the difference in skill between Kevin Love and Blake Griffin being what gets my team the Larry O'Brien Trophy. There are 82 games I want to watch and enjoy each year. I want to be proud of my team affiliation. I know that many pieces have to fall into place to win a championship and I'm willing to make that trade off of greatness for sportsmanship because it means I'll enjoy a full season of being a Suns fan and I don't have to apologize for fan hipocrisy.

It's rare to win it all. Enjoying the ride is much more important to me.

 

[Catlover]

I'd rather not have Blake Griffin on my team.

He appears to believe he is better than he actually is.
He flops too much.
He complains too much.
His frequent staring down of opponents is poor sportsmanship.
I believe the reason he gets so much contact from opponents is that other players around the league don't like his demeanor. And they ought to know.

I'd rather have a good, likeable, and respected player than a great but unlikeable, annoying crybaby. Why? Because I don't have any illusions about the difference in skill between Kevin Love and Blake Griffin being what gets my team the Larry O'Brien Trophy. There are 82 games I want to watch and enjoy each year. I want to be proud of my team affiliation. I know that many pieces have to fall into place to win a championship and I'm willing to make that trade off of greatness for sportsmanship because it means I'll enjoy a full season of being a Suns fan and I don't have to apologize for fan hipocrisy.

It's rare to win it all. Enjoying the ride is much more important to me.

Although I agree with your greater point (especially the last line in your post), I just don't put Blake Griffin on the other side of the line as you do. He isn't my favorite player but he's only marginally more annoying than Gerald Green and I have no problem cheering for him. Blake is not quite the "punk" that he was a couple of years ago so I believe there's growth there and I do believe he's capable of being the difference between winning it all or not winning it all. If he were Bruce Bowen on the court or Dennis Rodman off the court, I'd pass but he's not IMO.

 

[elindholm]

Although I agree with your greater point (especially the last line in your post), I just don't put Blake Griffin on the other side of the line as you do. He isn't my favorite player but he's only marginally more annoying than Gerald Green and I have no problem cheering for him.

The difference is that Green will be gone in another year or two, whereas Griffin would hopefully be a long-term fixture. Well, if one wanted him in the first place, that is.

If he were Bruce Bowen on the court or Dennis Rodman off the court, I'd pass but he's not IMO.

I would never have wanted Bowen on the Suns (heck, I had a hard enough time stomaching Ainge or Bell), but I would have loved Rodman. Those two are in vastly different categories, and not just because of skill level.

 

[slinslin]

What is one aspect of the game (other than dunking) where Griffin is better than Aldridge?

exactly none except passing maybe and face up moves.

Aldridge is a much better defender on his own than Griffin, better post moves and much better shooter.

And how is Love not better than Griffin? They both suck defensively, Griffin dunks better but Love is better at everything else.. passing, shooting ,rebounding..

 

[Cheesebeef]

The difference is that Green will be gone in another year or two, whereas Griffin would hopefully be a long-term fixture. Well, if one wanted him in the first place, that is.



I would never have wanted Bowen on the Suns (heck, I had a hard enough time stomaching Ainge or Bell), but I would have loved Rodman. Those two are in vastly different categories, and not just because of skill level.

I don't know how you can square the above? Rodman was one of the dirtiest players/punks in the league...sometimes to his own franchises.

 

[Catlover]

The difference is that Green will be gone in another year or two, whereas Griffin would hopefully be a long-term fixture. Well, if one wanted him in the first place, that is.



I would never have wanted Bowen on the Suns (heck, I had a hard enough time stomaching Ainge or Bell), but I would have loved Rodman. Those two are in vastly different categories, and not just because of skill level.

I would have taken the Detroit Pistons Rodman but not the one later in his career. Had he not ended up in a tightly controlled environment with personalities such as Jordan and Jackson, he would likely have been an unaffordable distraction. Without that perfect environment, I think most teams would have ended up with the Spurs version of Rodman and I have no interest in that player.

As for Green, I hope he finishes his career in Phoenix. He's capable of being the best player on the court almost regardless of opponent. There's not too many players in the league that you can say that about. You know he's not going to give you that level of play every night but he's the kind of player that can win a lot of games for you as long as you have a coach willing to sit him when he's not focused.

 

[Cheesebeef]

exactly none except passing maybe and face up moves.

exactly none...except those two? doesn't seem like none. And "maybe" passing. He doubles his assists over the course of his career? And what makes you think Blake's not a better rebounder? Is it the fact that he averages more then 2 more rebounds per game over the course of his career...or are you just content to think Aldridge's one career season obfuscates everything that came before it?

Aldridge is a much better defender on his own than Griffin, better post moves and much better shooter.

and yet Griffin still shoots better than 4% better then Aldridge and came into the league scoring 22 ppg on 50% shooting while playing without a great PG getting him the rock (which is better then any year Aldridge has ever had outside of this one).

 

[Covert Rain]

I'd rather have a good, likeable, and respected player than a great but unlikeable, annoying .

This is why we are one of the most winning franchises in all of sports without a title. For the longest time this organization has cared more about appearance and the entertainment factor while dipping our toes in the other end of the pool with the likes of Barkley.

Screw that. Dive full in.

 

[slinslin]

exactly none...except those two? doesn't seem like none. And "maybe" passing. He doubles his assists over the course of his career? And what makes you think Blake's not a better rebounder? Is it the fact that he averages more then 2 more rebounds per game over the course of his career...or are you just content to think Aldridge's one career season obfuscates everything that came before it?



and yet Griffin still shoots better than 4% better then Aldridge and came into the league scoring 22 ppg on 50% shooting while playing without a great PG getting him the rock (which is better then any year Aldridge has ever had outside of this one).

Look at the big picture, the only reason Griffin shoots a higher percentage is because he scores more easy baskets on the break. Aldridge is clearly the superior shooter by far and has actual range on his jumper.

Also who cares about their career average, Aldridge is a better player right now.

I wouldn't even say that Griffin is necessarily a better passer, the difference in assists is much more a result of different play styles. As Aldridge is more traditional while Griffin is a face-up player.

 

[Catlover]

Look at the big picture, the only reason Griffin shoots a higher percentage is because he scores more easy baskets on the break. Aldridge is clearly the superior shooter by far and has actual range on his jumper.

Also who cares about their career average, Aldridge is a better player right now.

I wouldn't even say that Griffin is necessarily a better passer, the difference in assists is much more a result of different play styles. As Aldridge is more traditional while Griffin is a face-up player.

Okay, I'm no expert but this is almost the opposite of what I've seen. I thought Aldridge had a strong face-the-basket game but if either of them were to be called traditional it would have to be Blake. He has multiple moves with his back to the basket and if Aldridge has that in his game he must hide them when he faces the Suns. Blake is like Shawn Kemp, Aldridge is more like Nowitzki. I'd be thrilled with either player but I think Griffin is the better player and he's still improving.

 

[Rivercard]

the only reason Griffin shoots a higher percentage is because he scores more easy baskets on the break. Aldridge is clearly the superior shooter by far and has actual range on his jumper.

So you're saying Aldridge doesn't run the break as well as Griffin? I'll take the easy basket over a long range jumper 9 days out of 10.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So you're saying Aldridge doesn't run the break as well as Griffin? I'll take the easy basket over a long range jumper 9 days out of 10.

seriously. I'll never understand the argument that so and so player isn't good because he repeatedly outworks everyone else on the court to get himself easy shots. The idea that his dunks for some reason shouldn't count as much as any other shot assumes he's just out there by himself...dunking the ball. The NBA is becoming more and more a transition game again and if one of your strengths is being able to get out on transition and punish opponents that way, not sure how that should be held against you.

Beyond the fact that Slin says "it's easier to get assists with a face up game" then down in the post. Huh? Barkley consistently got his assists out of the post, same as Hakeem, Shaq and pretty much anyone else who's got a dominant back to the basket game because people double down on them giving them opportunities to hit the open man. If anything, Aldridge should have more assists if this is really his game.

And anyone who watched even just last night's game can see Griffin's passing ability. Dude can throw alley-oops as well as 3/4 court perfect passes to a streaking Collison, leading him perfectly to the hoop. There's really no comparison between their passing ability.