Let's say a team that is vying to compete for a championship. In what situation do you envision paying a very good but not great player 20 million and hoping to win it all?
Well I guess I would have a problem with the assumption that Dragic is just a good player. I think he's great and that last year wasn't a fluke. Even this year given everything he's still been one of the most efficient guards. Were he handling the ball more and getting more transition baskets and free throws he'd be just as efficient this year.
So to me he's in that group of guards below Curry that are all very close together. Bledose isn't in that group and I doubt very much he ever gets there. He just doesn't understand the game well enough, will likely never learn it and has insufficient shooting and ball handling skills to elevate himself.
When it comes to paying out that kind of money, it's a lot but since the yardstick is growing, I don't think people's perceptions have had enough time to adapt to the new yardstick. That's working against the general idea of paying Dragic and shouldn't be. Reality is, even if it's misunderstood.
Bottom line for me. Yup, you'd have to pony up to the market. Dragic is a top 8ish PG and you have to pay to get and keep those guys. You get very few cracks at them. For the Suns though, the game is over. Dragic doesn't want to play with Bledsoe so you have to move him. This situation is entirely McD's doing (well, plus a little on Hornacek.)
