Goran Dragic plans to test free agency; blames struggles on 3 PG system

[Sci Fi]

They have no one to blame but themselves. Make your best player play second fiddle (or third, in some cases) and I guarantee you that you will lose that player. Hopefully they come to their senses, send Bledsoe packing, and put the ball in Goran's hands.

Hear, hear! Could not agree more.

I'm going to keep saying this until there is sufficient data to either prove me wrong or right.

This team will go nowhere with Eric Bledsoe as its PG. The ball must be turned over to Dragic! Doesn't mean Bledsoe doesn't have value. He very much does just not as the main guard.

 

[Sci Fi]

That is one point of view.

The other is that an NBA team with three Point Guards (our three best players) sharing one position (especially the facilitator on the court) has more than a "kink" to work out. Time and passivity are not going to solve this dilemma.

I am thrilled that Goran went public with this. And did it early enough for the Front Office to take action before losing him.

I am also thrilled that most of the posters on this thread support the feeling that it was a bad plan from the start.

It was bound to alienate at least two of the three Point Guards. Eventually all three. Whether each is outspoken or laid back, they are three millionaires with a limited shelf life.

Now it is up to the General Manager to swallow his pride and work out a solution or be recognized as a one-trick pony whose gimmick was too cockeyed to work.

Goran has raised the debate to a new level. I believe he has done it for the good of the players, the team and the fans.

Wise words but I still think the guards can work together with the right balance. There's more than one way to skin a cat but you can't do it with the wrong tools.

 

[sunsfan88]

I think Dragic was gonna opt out of his contract regardless.

However, I think the original plan was for Dragic to resign with the Suns.

Now it looks like Dragic (like many other Suns fans) aren't a fan of the 3 PG system and may leave to go play for some other team in which there aren't a million PGs on the roster.

 

[BC867]

I think Dragic was gonna opt out of his contract regardless.

Why would you think that? I totally disagree.

The Suns brought him back, gave him the ball and said "It's your team".

And when the mistake of adding Bledsoe to his position resulted in Eric spending half of the season in street clothes, Goran shined. In Phoenix. With the Suns.

 

[Mainstreet]

Goran has a player option for next season for only $7,500,000. Of course he will opt out and the Suns are fully aware of this. They understand they will have to pay him market value to keep him.

 

[elindholm]

Do you really think the rest of the league has completely forgotten what Goran did last year, or Bled or IT for that matter?

Dragic has been so erratic from year to year that his value is hard to peg, but I agree that the league still probably thinks highly of him. Bledsoe missed half of last season, and I'm sure the league remembers that, but that is not to his advantage (or the Suns'). Thomas would be easy to move if he keeps up this level of play.

 

[elindholm]

I think other NBA teams know the value of the Suns rotation PGs. They are proven commodities.

I'm sorry, but no, Bledsoe really isn't a proven commodity. The Suns gave him a big contract based on what he might become if he can stay healthy. So far he's healthy but has shown no improvement over last season. He's not a proven commodity at all.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

I still believe Gorans not going anywhere. It certainly wont be via trade and I doubt very strongly that he'll leave via free agency. Before the season he said next year he'll test the FA market the same as he's saying he will now but I believe Goran is posturing for a fatter contract from the Suns. Gorans smart. He knows what he's worth and all this is part of his business plan. Create a threat of possibly testing the waters next year. Sometime during this season the Suns will trade one of their PGs and by next season Goran will have the keys to the Suns again.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Why would you think that? I totally disagree.

The Suns brought him back, gave him the ball and said "It's your team".

And when the mistake of adding Bledsoe to his position resulted in Eric spending half of the season in street clothes, Goran shined. In Phoenix. With the Suns.

Because he declared it over the summer. There was something lost in the translation (the interview was during international play with the Slovenian press IIRC) though as one source reported that he was opting out to re-sign with us and the other implied he was opting out to explore the market.

Steve

 

[BC867]

They understand they will have to pay him market value to keep him.

The Suns will have to do a lot more than pay him market value to keep him, don'tcha think?

They will have to give him his job back. The one where he earned All-NBA status.

Dragic backed up by Thomas, with Dragic playing a some minutes at the "2" to keep up his endurance, sounds ideal.

Buh bye, Eric. Three cooks spoil the broth! And gets us in hot water.

 

[sunsfan88]

Why would you think that? I totally disagree.

The Suns brought him back, gave him the ball and said "It's your team".

And when the mistake of adding Bledsoe to his position resulted in Eric spending half of the season in street clothes, Goran shined. In Phoenix. With the Suns.

He would opt out to sign a longer deal with the Suns.

It makes no sense to sense for him to opt in and play under limited contract.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns will have to do a lot more than pay him market value to keep him, don'tcha think?

They will have to give him his job back. The one where he earned All-NBA status.

Dragic backed up by Thomas, with Dragic playing a some minutes at the "2" to keep up his endurance, sounds ideal.

Buh bye, Eric. Three cooks spoil the broth! And gets us in hot water.

Definitely the Suns will have to keep Dragic happy in his role as well.

 

[sunsfan88]

So I came up with a solution to fix our guard problem....

It has been reported that Nuggets are having a fire sale and that all their players on the trading block.

Trade Bledsoe + Green to the Nuggets for Afflalo and trade fillers.

Afflalo was a very good defender before he was asked to shoulder the scoring load which led to him to being less effective on the defensive end.

Bring Afflalo to PHX and he can focus on just the defense. Now in case we need him to be a scorer for us in a game, he's welll capable of being that as well.

Now Bledsoe by himself may not be able to net a guy like Afflalo but with Green, yes it's very possible. Green is a scoring machine when he's on and is on a cheap expiring contract.

If they want more, then throw in a lottery protected 2016 Suns first rd pick.

Now if the Nuggets don't want Bledsoe and Green because they already have Lawson, then we need to find a 3rd team to make this work.

Suns starting lineup:

Dragic
Afflalo
Warren
Kieff
Len

6th man = Isaiah Thomas

Afflalo and Warren's ability to move without the ball and score without dominating the ball will be key to making this lineup work.

What do you guys think?

 

[SirStefan32]

So I came up with a solution to fix our guard problem....

It has been reported that Nuggets are having a fire sale and that all their players on the trading block.

Trade Bledsoe + Green to the Nuggets for Afflalo and trade fillers.

Afflalo was a very good defender before he was asked to shoulder the scoring load which led to him to being less effective on the defensive end.

Bring Afflalo to PHX and he can focus on just the defense. Now in case we need him to be a scorer for us in a game, he's welll capable of being that as well.

Now Bledsoe by himself may not be able to net a guy like Afflalo but with Green, yes it's very possible. Green is a scoring machine when he's on and is on a cheap expiring contract.

If they want more, then throw in a lottery protected 2016 Suns first rd pick.

Now if the Nuggets don't want Bledsoe and Green because they already have Lawson, then we need to find a 3rd team to make this work.

Suns starting lineup:

Dragic
Afflalo
Warren
Kieff
Len

6th man = Isaiah Thomas

Afflalo and Warren's ability to move without the ball and score without dominating the ball will be key to making this lineup work.

What do you guys think?

I think you overvalue Affalo. Frankly, I'd rather have Green than Affalo.
Chandler and Mozgov are the only players on that roster that interest me, and that's because they can be off the books at the end of the season.

Bledsoe to Lakers for Hill and something else (doubt they'd include Randle) is a better option. He can play 4 and 5, and can hit an open mid-range jumper.

 

[sunsfan88]

I think you overvalue Affalo. Frankly, I'd rather have Green than Affalo.
Chandler and Mozgov are the only players on that roster that interest me, and that's because they can be off the books at the end of the season.

Bledsoe to Lakers for Hill and something else (doubt they'd include Randle) is a better option. He can play 4 and 5, and can hit an open mid-range jumper.

Afflalo is a much, much better ball handler and defender than Green.

And Hill was available for a 2nd rd pick last season.

Plus I would rather develop Len than have Hill come and take up his minutes.

 

[elindholm]

And Hill was available for a 2nd rd pick last season.

Doesn't it bother you to keep repeating things that aren't true?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Why would you think that? I totally disagree.

why would we think that? Dragic was 3rd team All-NBA and is only making 7.5 million bucks and would be one of the top prizes in FA where he could make a ton more money. he wasn't just going to sit back and get paid a lower salary just because he likes us. no player does that right in the middle of the prime.

 

[BC867]

why would we think that? Dragic was 3rd team All-NBA and is only making 7.5 million bucks and would be one of the top prizes in FA where he could make a ton more money. he wasn't just going to sit back and get paid a lower salary just because he likes us. no player does that right in the middle of the prime.

'Sorry. I confused opting out of his contract with wanting to leave the Suns.

 

[devilalum]

Bledsoe, 36 minutes, 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 blocked shot.

 

[hcsilla]

Bledsoe to Lakers for Hill and something else (doubt they'd include Randle) is a better option. He can play 4 and 5, and can hit an open mid-range jumper.

Hill is a nice complementary bigman on an expiring contract (no team will pick up his option for next season at 9 mil.).

I really really doubt that Bledsoe's value is that limited.

 

[sunsfan88]

Doesn't it bother you to keep repeating things that aren't true?

Except it is...

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/232058/Lakers-Seek-2nd-Round-Pick-For-Jordan-Hill

 

[cly2tw]

Can Dragic and Suns work out an extension to keep him here long term? As to moving Bledsoe, what about to NYK for Shumpert, salary fillers and maybe a pick?

 

[overseascardfan]

Can Dragic and Suns work out an extension to keep him here long term? As to moving Bledsoe, what about to NYK for Shumpert, salary fillers and maybe a pick?

I would try and use Bledsoe to some how get Sullinger from BOS.

 

[JustWinBaby]

It is really amazing what dregs you guys would accept in return for Bledsoe.

I still maintain that our best lineups would include a guard rotation of Goran, Bledsoe and Green with IT on the Bench.

IT's numbers look good because he is generally playing against the other teams 2nd team with Green at the 2. When either Goran or Bledsoe are on the court with IT we generally are a mess.

I am not sure what we could get for IT in trade but he is who I would trade prior to any moves including Bledsoe or Dragic.

 

[elindholm]

I would try and use Bledsoe to some how get Sullinger from BOS.

The Celtics already have a turnover-prone PG who can't shoot and has a bad attitude.