Do we have a deep bench?

[Sir Charles Barfbag]

Just wondering, because Jalen Rose, Jumaine Jones, Piatkowski, and Banks are hardly playing these days. Do they just not fit in? What's the deal? Seems they're now just dead weight rotting on the bench. Might as well trade them for pieces of the puzzle that fit better into our scheme.

What do you guys think?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

DA has always preferred as small a rotation as possible.

Rotation:

Nash
Bell
Marion
Diaw
Amare
KT
Leandro

Those are the top 7, and will always get the majority of the playing time (barring injury)

The rest of the bench is fighting for that eighth spot in the rotation, with it usually being James Jones. Somebody will have to step it up, whether it be Jr., Banks, or perhaps Jumaine Jones. Nobody else has a realistic shot at joining the rotation.

 

[Nasser22]

Jones and Banks are really not playing well and I was hoping that they'd play big roles on this team. I thought we finally had a decent backup point guard and James Jones can be a good contributor if he can just shoot like he did before. Hopefully at least one of them gets in that rotation and plays well. It scares me to only have 7 players on the team.

 

[Forrestham]

Jones and Banks are really not playing well and I was hoping that they'd play big roles on this team. I thought we finally had a decent backup point guard and James Jones can be a good contributor if he can just shoot like he did before. Hopefully at least one of them gets in that rotation and plays well. It scares me to only have 7 players on the team.

I think they need to play Banks extended minutes and let him sink or swim.
If hes not going to work they need to swing a deal for a backup pg. Hopefully someone with an expiring contract. If the twolves make a trade for Iverson and give up several players, Banks could go back there too

 

[CaptainInsano]

I think they need to play Banks extended minutes and let him sink or swim.
If hes not going to work they need to swing a deal for a backup pg. Hopefully someone with an expiring contract. If the twolves make a trade for Iverson and give up several players, Banks could go back there too

I would say banks has already pretty much sank.

He is no threat because he shoots horrible for 3, he can't run the offense at all, he prefers to slash regardless of an open lane and doesn't have anywhere close to the moves or athletics of say a tony parker in the lane (and he is undersized) so he rarely finishes. He makes bad mistakes leading to turnovers and wastes possessions.

 

[Sir Charles Barfbag]

Well, not saying we'd get much in return for these guys at the end of the bench - but ANYTHING would be nice and especially players that fit better into the scheme. I'd take Eddie House and Stephen Hunter back because we know THEY fit.

But we shouldn't have to take back those guys either. I just can't believe we keep getting guys in the off-season who don't really fit in. That's bad research if you ask me. How hard is it to find guys that should fit in with our scheme? Why is it the last 3 seasons, we've had 4-5 guys at the end of the bench being dead weight who can't help us?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Leandro and KT > House and Hunter.

 

[Louis]

Leandro and KT > House and Hunter.

House and Hunter were never on the same team though.

This year's bench is only better because the team is healthier. One injury to one of the starters and we're back to last season.

The bench is horrid past the front 7. James Jones has been very disappointing. Marcus Banks is pushing the bust term. Jalen Rose seems more like a pickup to prevent other teams from getting him more than anything else (not to mention the rumored knee troubles and not being in shape by Knick standards). The rest of those guys were a waste of ink.

 

[HooverDam]

Steven Hunted does NOT fit on the Suns, sorry. He is an athletic big, but he is so one dimensional. The ONLY thing he does well is block shots, he rebounds poorly, is average at defense at best, and his woeful offense means D'Antoni would keep him on the bench.

Do the Suns have a deep bench? Perhaps not, but it is deeper than it has been the last 2 years. I like that D'Antoni keeps giving Jr Jones minutes, even though he's struggling, hopefully he'll hustle his way out of a funk. I'd like to Jalen Rose used more...I'm not sure if its him, or the coaches, but when he's played, he's been around the perimeter too much. 3 pointers were never Rose's game, he needs to go to the basket, be a slasher.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

House and Hunter were never on the same team though.

This year's bench is only better because the team is healthier. One injury to one of the starters and we're back to last season.

The bench is horrid past the front 7. James Jones has been very disappointing. Marcus Banks is pushing the bust term. Jalen Rose seems more like a pickup to prevent other teams from getting him more than anything else (not to mention the rumored knee troubles and not being in shape by Knick standards). The rest of those guys were a waste of ink.

I never said they were. Seriously, find me a team that has a better backup duo than LB and KT in the NBA.

 

[Louis]

Other teams with good benches

Bulls - Nocioni, Duhon, Tyrus Thomas

Mavs - Stack, Johnson, Buckner, Diop

Pistons - Delfino, McDyess

Spurs - Finley, Barry

Jazz - Fisher, Harpring, Millsap

=========

No doubt LB and KT may be the best 2 reserves in the game today. But it doesn't mean the Suns have a deep bench. Past those 2 and our guys are in trouble. Hopefully they stay healthy this season.

 

[Ciani]

Bulls - Nocioni, Duhon, Tyrus Thomas

Duhon and Nocioni started 14 of the Bulls 20 games.

 

[PetryJr]

Pistons - Delfino, McDyess

Delfino? The guy is averaging 3.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game (in just over 13 minutes per game), and those are career-highs numbers. If you count him as a good bench player, might as well count Jalen Rose (4.1 points per game in 11mpg), too.

 

[Sir Charles Barfbag]

I'm not saying we should have Hunter and House over KT and LB. But if we could dump Banks, and both Joneses and get House and Hunter, I'd be all over that. Any PG from the CBA or overseas could probably do just as well as Banks at this point.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think the Coach whether he likes it or not better formulate somthing to get the bench involved. How many times has it been proven in the playoffs that most teams will run out of steam before reaching the finals without a bench? Coach D has got to realize this by now. He needs to figure out a way to get the bench involved or we might make it all the way to the WCF and have nothing left by the time we get there.

 

[Black Jesus]

Teams Usable Bench

Celtics-Not good team but Bench includes Jefferson, Delonte West, Gerald Green. All three of those players are better than Jr, and Jefferson and Green have world of potential. Not to mention other youngsters Leon Powe and and Rondo getting minutes. Banks was 9th man on this team during his stay...

Nets- Eddie House, Marcus Williams (dont get me started), Cliff Robinson, Antoine Wright,Hassan... Barbosa over all, and Kurt over cliff but, id rather have House or Williams than Banks, cause all i see in marcus is the bank we gave him.

Knicks- Jamal Crawford, David Lee, Nate Robinson
Hawks- Tyronne Lue, Childress, Williams, Stoudamire
Bobcats- Brezec, May, Carroll-real bad i know
Bulls- Gordon, PJ Brown, Sefolosha, TyThomas, Sweetney, Allen
Cavaliers- Jones, Marshall, Varejao, Gibson, Wesley
Mavs- Stackhouse, George, Johnson, Croshere, Diop
Nuggets- Boykins, Evans, NENE, Joe Smith, should have Kenyon
Detroit- Flip Murray, McDyess,
Warriors- T.Murphy, Dunleavy, Diogu, Foyle,
Hornets- Sucks
Magic- Arroyo, Dooling, Milicic, Ariza, Redick, Diener**Can we please get him?
76- S.Randolph, Korver, Green, Carney, Hunter
Blazers- Outlaw, Roy, Dixon, Aldridge, Magloire, Lafrentz, Przybilla
Kings- Salmons, A-Rahim, Hart, Gracia,
Spurs- Barry, Finley, Udrih, Elson, Horry
Sonics- Collison, Wilkins, Watson, Fortson
Raptors- Garbajosa, Nesterovic, Bargnani, Humphries
Jazz- Harpring, Brewer, Fisher, Millsap, Giricek
Wizards- Daniels, Haywood,
Rockets- Head, Snyder, Juwann Howard, B.Wells, Mutumbo
Pacers- Jasikevicius, Daniels, Foster, Armstrong
Clippers- TT, Maggette, Livingston, Ewing. Their Depth at Guard and Forward is amazing.
Lakers- Bynum, Farmar, Radmanovic, Cook, Evans, Vujacic
Grizz- Gay,D.Stoudamire, E.Jones, Lowry, Cardinal
Heat- Payton, Kapuano, Wright, Posey, Mourning
Bucks- C. Bell, Blake- their bench sucks too
T-wolves-Sucks

 

[Black Jesus]

Anyways.... I would rather have our bench of Barbosa, KT, JJr, Banks, and Rose than about half of these teams...

Barbosa is playing Amazing
KT- Great D, consistent 12 footer, Good hands
JJr- Needs to figure it out quick
Banks- How is this guy in the NBA?
Rose- Want to see more of him, just not sure he can run
Pike- Would like to see him get some minutes
Burke- Not even joking, id like to see him get 5 non garbage minutes a game and not let him shoot the 3 and see how he does
Jurmaine- Dont knowwhat he is even capable of.

8-10 spot figures it out at some point during the season, and we win a championship... Otherwise, Western Conference Finals again....

 

[Errntknght]

I'm not giving up on Banks but I'm glad he's stopped shooting so many jumpers of late. His defense is useful though not quite what we were hoping for and I like the way he takes the ball to the basket. He's not nearly as bad at running the team as most everyone portrays him - gradually he's learning who to look for. He seems quite alert to assisting LB and Amare, which is a good start. Compared to Leandro's early attempts at backing up Nash, he's not doing badly at all - how quickly people forget what a disaster that was. At the time I thought it was just LB's fragile psyche but since then Mike has made a shambles of every backup point thats been on the team, one way or another.

Based on that I said when we got Banks, D'Antoni will probably be his worst opponent. For example, Marcus did fine in his short stint against the Bobcats but then when D'A put the subs on the floor he let Banks sit - it was a perfect opportunity to get Banks some playing time and Mike muffed it. What in the world is the man thinking? I hope he'll turn Banks over to brother Dan to get some love... it seemed to work wonders for Barbs.

 

[msdundee]

"Marcus did fine in his short stint against the Bobcats but then when D'A put the subs on the floor he let Banks sit - it was a perfect opportunity to get Banks some playing time and Mike muffed it."

Right at that time EJ commented that putting SOME of the bench in along with some of the starters gives the subs a better chance to blend into a more typical rotation. In that other blowout game it was made pretty obvious D'Antoni can't empty the bench and expect five subs as a group to hold even a big lead.

Seems the focus is more on getting Banks comfortable working with the starters, or most of the starters -- Amare, Diaw, Marion, Raja -- that's how he'll be used when Nash takes those 5-7 minute breaks and that role will become more important as the season progresses. Banks did play well earlier in the game with Charlotte and looks to be settling down some. They're willing to give him the time to adjust and if you watch him on the bench he's doing his homework. Several players (Raja, KT) have said it took them time to get used to the Suns' system and Steve is a tough act to follow. It's too early for everyone to give up on Banks.

Or maybe I just prefer to think they know what they're doing.

 

[Ronin]

Teams Usable Bench

Mavs- Stackhouse, Johnson, Diop

Spurs- Barry,

Fixed
Barry is the probably the only bench player that has been playing good for the spurs this season.

As bad as the James Jones has played for the Suns, Michael Finley has been worse for the spurs.

Robert Horry has been playing bad for the spurs also, but he's probably saving it for the playoffs.

Udrih is a question mark, you never know what you're going to get what you're going to get from him.

Elson has about the same value as Udrih

 

[CaptainInsano]

Sorry but I am out on banks, you at least have to basically be able to shoot the 3 (period) for me to really consider him as a backup pg.

Right now they can literally back off him, making it impossible for his overbearing thrashes to the basket to have much of a chance to work.

Really hard to make plays when opponents play him from a good distance also.

If he wasn't on such a large contract he could be a project like Barbosa was but with his 4-5 million per he is taking up too much cap space while providing very little to be worth it.

 

[Sir Charles Barfbag]

I'd be willing to dump Marcus Banks and James Jones for just about anything that would help us out this year. Hey, how about for Iverson we give them................nah, just kidding. But on a serious note, we need something better to backup Nash before Steve goes kaput and is on fumes come playoff time.

 

[CaptainInsano]

James Jones didn't look too bad this miami game, if we can keep him for cheap he could become a project like Barbosa was or even how Joe Johnson was.

If he turned out well enough he could actually be a mini-Joe Johnson if he can find a way to get his shot back.

Banks on the other hand plays like a 1st year rookie. A bad one.

-He constantly makes bad decisions leading to turnovers yet he has been in the league for long enough now he shouldn't be playing like a sloppy rookie.
-He can't shoot the 3. Period.
-Can't distribute worth a damn.
-He is undersized and yet prefers to slash, and basically cannot finish well like the strong slashers such as Devin Harris or Tony Parker, so why does he slash IN THE FIRST PLACE!
-His "Great Defense" is basically him going for steals, which can hurt just as much as it helps when he takes a gamble for a risky steal and people get by him. Otherwise I watched people breeze by him near the paint.

Unfortunately unless some team is stupid we are going to need to do a Banks + 2nd rounder for expiring contract deal soon so we don't take the hit in the luxury tax next year.

 

[panfolk]

I'm not giving up on Banks but I'm glad he's stopped shooting so many jumpers of late. His defense is useful though not quite what we were hoping for and I like the way he takes the ball to the basket. He's not nearly as bad at running the team as most everyone portrays him - gradually he's learning who to look for. He seems quite alert to assisting LB and Amare, which is a good start. Compared to Leandro's early attempts at backing up Nash, he's not doing badly at all - how quickly people forget what a disaster that was. At the time I thought it was just LB's fragile psyche but since then Mike has made a shambles of every backup point thats been on the team, one way or another.

Based on that I said when we got Banks, D'Antoni will probably be his worst opponent. For example, Marcus did fine in his short stint against the Bobcats but then when D'A put the subs on the floor he let Banks sit - it was a perfect opportunity to get Banks some playing time and Mike muffed it. What in the world is the man thinking? I hope he'll turn Banks over to brother Dan to get some love... it seemed to work wonders for Barbs.

Great post! I had deja vu when reading the first two lines and was slipping back to early LB days.

 

[panfolk]

Anybody out there think Milwaukee is in a desparate enough situation to part with Blake?