Final roster spots

Griffin

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Oct 19, 2002
Posts
3,726
Reaction score
1
Location
EU
The Suns still haven't cut any of the four players still trying to make the roster. Those are the three bigs Jones, Diogu, Zeller and rookie PG Garrett. Coro is speculating that the Suns might keep Zeller and Garrett while cutting Diogu and Jones.

Garrett would be the Suns 4th PG and would likely spend most of the season in the development league. If the Suns keep him, it makes you wonder just how confident are they in Marshall, their first round selection this summer.

Zeller is a very poor man's Frye, but he has shot the ball poorly and doesn't rebound. Imo, both Diogu and Jones have outplayed him in the preseason and would offer more of an inside presence than Zeller. But, while all these players would only command a non-guaranteed veteran minimum contract, Zeller is a rookie and thus a little bit cheaper than either Diogu or Jones. In fact, the Suns can keep both Zeller and Garrett for just slightly more than what it would cost to keep either Diogu or Jones alone. Now the difference between keeping Zeller vs. Diogu or Jones is just around $400K, most of which is non-guaranteed, but apparently even such small amounts of money (in NBA terms) may factor into the Suns decision making in this case.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/173215
 
Last edited:

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
I like the idea of the Suns keeping Garrett for development. He has all the tools such as height, speed plus he works hard on his game. Telfair's contract expires at the end of the season so there is that. Also he provides some insurance for Marshall.

I'd definitely prefer to keep Jones or Diogu to give the Suns front line some added rebounding and strength. Zeller reminds me of Sean Marks as I have said before. A 6'11" player that like to shoot outside and does not rebound much does not excite me. For all the criticism Frye got for shooting the outside shot, he did collect 4.5 RPG for his career.

I understand the money argument about which players the the Suns keep. To me, keeping Garrett is a no brainer. IMO, keeping Zeller over Jones or Diogu is not the best choice unless one is strictly looking at the pocketbook. I do think Zeller plays smart.
 

elindholm

edited for content
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Posts
27,564
Reaction score
9,864
Location
L.A. area
The Suns' payroll is so low that I really hope they don't make decisions based on a few hundred thousand dollars. That would be very depressing.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
Last edited:

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
The Suns' payroll is so low that I really hope they don't make decisions based on a few hundred thousand dollars. That would be very depressing.

Sorry to bear bad tidings. I'm disappointed as well.
 
OP
OP
Griffin

Griffin

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Oct 19, 2002
Posts
3,726
Reaction score
1
Location
EU
Preseason stats (each player appeared in 3 games):

Diogu: 5.7 ppg on 70.0% fg, 4.3 rpg in 9.0 mpg ($854,389/year if signed)
Jones: 5.3 ppg on 54.5% fg, 4.3 rpg in 10.0 mpg ($854,389/year if signed)
Zeller: 4.3 ppg on 27.8% fg, 2.0 rpg in 16.3 mpg ($473,604/year if signed)

Zeller got the most minutes per game, did the least with them, shot the ball extremely poorly and will likely get a contract while Diogu and Jones will not.
 

SunsTzu

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Posts
4,866
Reaction score
1,674
I seriously doubt money had anything to do with it, otherwise why bother carrying 15 players when they only need to carry 13(as they have done in the past)?

I think the Suns stated focus of player development has more to do with going with the younger players.
 

Errntknght

Registered User
Joined
Sep 24, 2002
Posts
6,342
Reaction score
319
Location
Phoenix
I hope you're right SunsTzu - on the surface it looks like a really stupid move, even for the Suns.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
I seriously doubt money had anything to do with it, otherwise why bother carrying 15 players when they only need to carry 13(as they have done in the past)?

I think the Suns stated focus of player development has more to do with going with the younger players.

I think Zeller had the brother thing going for him so it was a lock. :)
 

elindholm

edited for content
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Posts
27,564
Reaction score
9,864
Location
L.A. area
I'm just remembering that Dr. Seuss book. If the Suns' season goes as badly as some are predicting, they'll have a ZELLER down with them in the CELLAR.
 

Phrazbit

ASFN Icon
Joined
Oct 10, 2011
Posts
20,401
Reaction score
11,524
I have no problem with this.

Diogu has had a putrid NBA career, he has had more "DNP coaches decision" than he has had games he took off his warmups, and whats while spending virtually his entire career on lotto teams.

This is the 14th and 15th man we are talking about here. If they want to roll with Zeller, who probably is stinks, for 450k, vs rolling with Diogu, who has spent 6 years proving beyond a doubt that he stinks, for 850k... then I think they made right right choice.

And it wouldnt be a Suns season if we didnt have some rookie big man's brother on our roster.
 

Chaplin

Better off silent
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
46,466
Reaction score
16,996
Location
Round Rock, TX
When looking at decisions for inactive bench roles, you have to look at ages as well. Both Diogu and Jones are "old" when it comes to those kind of roles, but Garrett and Zeller are young.

Jones and Diogu are what they are--they weren't that good against mediocre to below-average competition and are too old to consider developing.

Personally, I don't care who we keep as our bench warmers. If JO goes down and Zeller (God forbid) has to be our backup C, then so be it. Increases our chances for a high pick. We aren't going to be good, so what's the big deal about cutting those two guys? They weren't going to help a veteran team, let alone a young one.
 

Chaplin

Better off silent
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
46,466
Reaction score
16,996
Location
Round Rock, TX
This is from a comment Michael Schwartz (a fan blogger from Valley of the Suns) wrote today:

Michael Schwartz // Today at 2:39 pm (31 minutes ago)

@Scott
The Suns had a media lunch with Babby and Blanks today, and we learned that the team plans on keeping both Zeller and Garrett. Blanks called Zeller one of the best shooters in the world, and he spoke of how Dragic and Garrett can both be considered 1/2s due to how easily they can play the shooting guard position. I expect Zeller, Garrett and Marshall all will be spending a significant amount of time in the D-League.

I don't have much of an opinion either way on Blanks, but this just takes the cake. Huh?
 
OP
OP
Griffin

Griffin

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Oct 19, 2002
Posts
3,726
Reaction score
1
Location
EU
I don't have much of an opinion either way on Blanks, but this just takes the cake. Huh?
Well, Tyler Zeller is shooting 55% from the floor this preseason. Perhaps Blanks thought the Suns were signing him instead of Luke?
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
IMO, when Blanks used such high praise for Luke Zeller's shooting he devalues whatever skills he has as talent evaluator. However, I do like Garrett.
 

SunsTzu

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Posts
4,866
Reaction score
1,674
Blanks isn't the only one with a high opinion of Zeller's shooting ability. Dudley said in the Doug and Wolf interview below that Zeller almost never misses in practice(guess he saves all his misses for the games).

http://www.nba.com/suns/oct-23-2012-jared-dudley-arizona-sports-620s-doug-and-wolf


Ultimately I maintain this is more about putting as many young guys through their new player development program(whatever it may be) to see how effective it is.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
Blanks isn't the only one with a high opinion of Zeller's shooting ability. Dudley said in the Doug and Wolf interview below that Zeller almost never misses in practice(guess he saves all his misses for the games).

http://www.nba.com/suns/oct-23-2012-jared-dudley-arizona-sports-620s-doug-and-wolf


Ultimately I maintain this is more about putting as many young guys through their new player development program(whatever it may be) to see how effective it is.

Didn't the Suns have an infatuation with a near 7 footer some years back who was touted for his outside shooting and they hoped he would develop.

I can't place him at the moment, however, I believe he had blond hair. It's not Sean Marks either.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
119,707
Reaction score
60,227
Maybe it is Dan Langhi who I have rattling around in my mind.
 

elindholm

edited for content
Joined
Sep 14, 2002
Posts
27,564
Reaction score
9,864
Location
L.A. area
This is from a comment Michael Schwartz (a fan blogger from Valley of the Suns) wrote today:

Blanks called Zeller one of the best shooters in the world

I don't have much of an opinion either way on Blanks, but this just takes the cake. Huh?

Well he didn't say the best "how many." So if what he meant is that Zeller is one of the 2 billion best shooters in the world, I could probably go along with that.
 

sunsfan88

ASFN Icon
BANNED BY MODERATORS
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Posts
11,660
Reaction score
844
Zeller is gonna be Frye 3.0.

(Morris is already Frye 2.0)
 

slinslin

Welcome to Amareca
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Posts
16,855
Reaction score
562
Location
Hannover - Germany
Can't tell me the brother thing has no effect here, probably have Cody Zeller ranked on top of their early 2013 draft board.
I liked some of what Solomon Jones had shown in games, I saw nothing from Zeller.

Why they keep Garrett is hard to explain either when they have 3 PGs already on the roster. Also Garrett looks far from the advertised 6'5 big PG that Paul Coro loves to tell us about. Next to Marshall he clearly looked smaller to me.
 
OP
OP
Griffin

Griffin

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Oct 19, 2002
Posts
3,726
Reaction score
1
Location
EU
Zeller isn't really young. He is 25 already and will be 26 by the time this season is over. He has been trying to make an NBA roster since going undrafted in 2009, without any success. He was the 27th overall pick in the 2010 D-League draft. He's been on Bulls and Spurs summer league teams and was cut by the Spurs during pre-season last year after one game.

The only advantage for the Suns with Zeller is that they can send him down to the D-League unlike Jones or Diogu. However, Zeller has played in the D-League already for several seasons without generating much interest from NBA teams. I don't think that this is a project that the Suns should be wasting resources trying to develop.
 
Top