Doom and gloom (NBA Future Power Rankings)

[Neo]

Once again ESPN has ranked us as 29th in the Future Power Rankings, with only Charlotte having a dimmer future than the Suns. Of note we were ranked last in players, 29th in management, and 25th in projected salary cap situation and willingness to exceed the cap and pay luxury tax.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/FuturePowerRankings-6-130530/26-30

 

[AzStevenCal]

Once again ESPN has ranked us as 29th in the Future Power Rankings, with only Charlotte having a dimmer future than the Suns. Of note we were ranked last in players, 29th in management, and 25th in projected salary cap situation and willingness to exceed the cap and pay luxury tax.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/FuturePowerRankings-6-130530/26-30

The good news, that ranking can change quickly. The bad news, it's pretty accurate. At least, it's accurate unless and until our management can prove them wrong.

Steve

 

[Griffin]

I don't think I would have ranked them higher. They have the least talented roster in the NBA with the fewest assets other than draft picks, they change management every few years, and have shown zero willingness to spend above the salary cap, never mind the LT. Their entire future success now rests in their ability to beat the odds and draft a franchise changer this year or next.

 

[Sleepy]

Not surprised one bit.

 

[elindholm]

and have shown zero willingness to spend above the salary cap

I agree with everything except that. The Suns have shown plenty of willingness to spend; they just aren't smart enough to spend wisely.

 

[HooverDam]

I'm a bit surprised they ranked the Suns ahead of Charlotte.

The Bobcats pick ahead of the Suns this year and may screw the Suns out of the last "star" in the draft (or they may not, it's a crapshoot). They also have 2 young players with upside, MKG & Kemba, the Suns only have 1, Dragic.

Though Charlotte does have more of a reputation for futility, so perhaps that explains it.

 

[Errntknght]

Who really cares about what they think... its not like they know anything we don't. I hope they're right about us being the 29th best team so we get a high pick next year. To be on the safe side we should jettison Scola, O'Neal and Gortat for whatever futures we can get. I mean we don't want to ****** Haddadi's development. We should draft for defense this year, too. We could improve quite markedly and still not win many games if we have no post scoring.

 

[SirStefan32]

That seems accurate, but not really surprising. Six first-rounders in the next 3 drafts, along with plenty of cap space two years from now can change this pretty quickly, but the fact of the matter is that the Suns are probably 2 seasons away from being at all relevant.

 

[chickenhead]

Not necessarily bad news if they rebuild properly. I guess I'd rather hope this pans out than have them ranked #20 because of a couple of pieces that will allow them to compete for the 8th seed and not much else.

 

[Errntknght]

How's this for a depressing scenario... and not too improbable. Gortat doesn't get traded and since he's playing for his next contract he gets his head out of his you-know-what and plays all out. We wind up drafting C.J. and not much else of note. We trade Scola for a future pick but O'Neal signs on again. Lets say we work a deal with Houston for Thomas Robinson. Other than that we stay intact but Beasley is chained to the bench. Horny, being a good coach gets about the best out of the players - but no one substantially overachieves from what we've seen from them before. They execute quite well at both ends.

This is an average team which means we're in the hunt for the eighth seed and a mid-teen draft pick.

 

[elindholm]

How's this for a depressing scenario... and not too improbable. Gortat doesn't get traded and since he's playing for his next contract he gets his head out of his you-know-what and plays all out. We wind up drafting C.J. and not much else of note. We trade Scola for a future pick but O'Neal signs on again. Lets say we work a deal with Houston for Thomas Robinson. Other than that we stay intact but Beasley is chained to the bench. Horny, being a good coach gets about the best out of the players - but no one substantially overachieves from what we've seen from them before. They execute quite well at both ends.

This is an average team which means we're in the hunt for the eighth seed and a mid-teen draft pick.

Even with all of those hypotheticals, it's well short of an average team, but I agree that they'd win too many games to be leading lottery contenders.

 

[95pro]

We need to tank this year. Let our new GM get a solid draft pick next year, along with expirings we should be in better shape to make better moves next year.

 

[Errntknght]

Its our new GM who has to engineer the tank job... the question is how should he go about it. The point of my little scenario is that its easy to slip up. Drafting a prolific perimeter scorer is probably not a good idea. A center/pf who's a good defender but raw offensively suits our goal better. Trading Gortat should be a high priority.

 

[SirStefan32]

Its our new GM who has to engineer the tank job... the question is how should he go about it. The point of my little scenario is that its easy to slip up. Drafting a prolific perimeter scorer is probably not a good idea. A center/pf who's a good defender but raw offensively suits our goal better. Trading Gortat should be a high priority.

Suns are so terrible that they have to draft the best player available regardless of position. I do agree that trading Gortat should be a high priority, though.

 

[TucsonDevil]

With Wiggins and Parker on the NBA Draft board for 2014, I hope and pray The Suns tank this year. Just gather assets - hope that Dragic suffers a prolonged injury, and nobody picks up any slack.

If I were Coach Horny, I would make up illnesses and lingering injuries for the starters when playing the lower tier teams (Sacramento, New Orleans, Minnesota, all of the Eastern Conference sans Miami) and only start full strength when facing playoff contenders.

The Suns Need a Superstar. Personally, I think Parker and/or Wiggins will achieve that level.

 

[Superbone]

With Wiggins and Parker on the NBA Draft board for 2014, I hope and pray The Suns tank this year. Just gather assets - hope that Dragic suffers a prolonged injury, and nobody picks up any slack.

If I were Coach Horny, I would make up illnesses and lingering injuries for the starters when playing the lower tier teams (Sacramento, New Orleans, Minnesota, all of the Eastern Conference sans Miami) and only start full strength when facing playoff contenders.

The Suns Need a Superstar. Personally, I think Parker and/or Wiggins will achieve that level.

OK, I understand what you're trying to accomplish but you don't wish prolonged injury on your players.

 

[Phrazbit]

Its our new GM who has to engineer the tank job... the question is how should he go about it. The point of my little scenario is that its easy to slip up. Drafting a prolific perimeter scorer is probably not a good idea. A center/pf who's a good defender but raw offensively suits our goal better. Trading Gortat should be a high priority.

With Wiggins and Parker on the NBA Draft board for 2014, I hope and pray The Suns tank this year. Just gather assets - hope that Dragic suffers a prolonged injury, and nobody picks up any slack.

If I were Coach Horny, I would make up illnesses and lingering injuries for the starters when playing the lower tier teams (Sacramento, New Orleans, Minnesota, all of the Eastern Conference sans Miami) and only start full strength when facing playoff contenders.

The Suns Need a Superstar. Personally, I think Parker and/or Wiggins will achieve that level.

Take the best guy on the board now, if in a year you are looking at a stud at the same position then fine, you deal with that then. I'd rather have the "problem" of two young talents at the same spot than drafting for a need and ending up with a stiff. Making draft choises this year because you are thinking about who is going to be one the board a year from now is crazy.

A year ago Shabazz was supposed to be a future superstar, two years ago Perry Jones, Austin Rivers and Harrison Barnes were supposed to be guaranteed studs. These guys are 17 and 18 years old, they've never had to compete at a consistent level, most have never lived away from home and some are not even finished growing. They might get hurt, they might get in trouble, they might end up being a massive disappointment or they just might stay an extra year in college.

The draft lotto is unpredictable enough, to try and plan not only around a 25% chance to win the pick should we be horrible but also be planning on a guy who is a year away from being eligible is just crazy. Its very rare that one of these high school stars lives up to the billing. I can go on and on and on about guys who flopped after looking like a superstar against 16 year olds. For every LeBron James there are about 200 Darius Miles.