Is Markieff Morris the Suns MVP?

[Phrazbit]

I am surprised that Len is twice as effective and Plumlee is just as effective, the only two who are when Markieff is on the bench.

What would you say the cause is?

Spacing. Only one opposing big man is in the interior.

 

[Hoop Head]

According to 82games.com, Phoenix has three positions giving it positive net production, as determined by subtracting the player efficiency rating allowed to the opposition from the PER earned by the team at that spot in the lineup. The point guards lead the team (net PER of 4.2), but the shooting guards (2.1) and small forwards (1.6) have been positive contributors as well. Meanwhile, the power forwards are at minus-1.0, and the centers have a putrid net PER of minus-7.4.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...phoenix-suns-to-fix-point-guard-logjam/page/3

This is interesting, I know PER isn't everything but if you want to throw advanced stats into the conversation then it looks like Kieff is far from our MVP based on it. He is the starting PF and closing C in the majority of our games. I know that stat lumps him in with Plumlee, Tolliver, and Len but he's getting the most of minutes of anyone on the team at the PF & C spot. You can't blame that completely on the other while giving Kieff a pass. IMO he's best as a reserve with his brother but he's making too much really to be the 6th man or 7th man, behind IT or Green, since we'd probably lose one of those two while making a move for a better option at PF.

 

[BC867]

Quote of the day

Markieff Morris -- "Sometimes, I'm a little small for the power forward spot so I need that." (Referring to his asking the Guards to do more rebounding.)

Sigh!

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...-to-bail-out-the-suns-on-the-boards/21240539/

 

[Mainstreet]

Markieff Morris -- "Sometimes, I'm a little small for the power forward spot so I need that." (Referring to his asking the Guards to do more rebounding.)

Sigh!

http://www.azcentral.com/story/spor...-to-bail-out-the-suns-on-the-boards/21240539/

I see you read the same article. The Suns rebounding percentage is the fourth worse in the league. It's hard to take the Suns seriously until the Suns beef up their front court. I'm still waiting for a trade or a new coaching philosophy. One can quibble about why the Suns are playing 3 PGs but Hornacek is making that decision.

 

[BC867]

I see you read the same article. The Suns rebounding percentage is the fourth worse in the league. It's hard to take the Suns seriously until the Suns beef up their front court. I'm still waiting for a trade or a new coaching philosophy. One can quibble about why the Suns are playing 3 PGs but Hornacek is making that decision.

But playing 3 PG's in the first quarter and with the game on the line (as they have been doing) makes the front course even weaker, with Goran pushed to SF, Tucker or Marcus or even Green to PF and Kieff to C, especially against opponents with traditional lineups during those periods.

If the Suns beef up the roster, but go tiny throughout the game and in the 4th quarter, nothing much will change. Hornacek will have to be on board with "where's the beef?"

 

[Mainstreet]

But playing 3 PG's in the first quarter and with the game on the line (as they have been doing) makes the front course even weaker, with Goran pushed to SF, Tucker or Marcus or even Green to PF and Kieff to C, especially against opponents with traditional lineups during those periods.

If the Suns beef up the roster, but go tiny throughout the game and in the 4th quarter, nothing much will change. Hornacek will have to be on board with "where's the beef?"

This is what I'm saying, Hornacek is making the coaching decisions. Maybe your beef about the Suns playing three PGs is with him.

 

[BC867]

This is what I'm saying, Hornacek is making the coaching decisions. Maybe your beef about the Suns playing three PGs is with him.

Horny may be obsessed with small ball, but if the Front Office either accommodated him or he is accommodating them, they seem to be in this together.

And we can't overlook that our Suns have been obsessed with small ball through most of their 4 1/2 decade history. The ghost of Jerry Colangelo lingers on.

Haven't we read that JC still has some input with the team?

I have posted for decades that Jerry was a great promoter, but a mediocre General Manager.

 

[Mainstreet]

Horny may be obsessed with small ball, but if the Front Office either accommodated him or he is accommodating them, they seem to be in this together.

And we can't overlook that our Suns have been obsessed with small ball through most of their 4 1/2 decade history. The ghost of Jerry Colangelo lingers on.

Haven't we read that JC still has some input with the team?

I have posted for decades that Jerry was a great promoter, but a mediocre General Manager.

The only logical explanation to me is that the Suns are showcasing their talent at PG to make a trade or the three PGs are the Suns best three players. Actually I think it is both but I do not think McDonough is satisfied with the situation. IMO, he wants to make a significant trade to upgrade the roster. I'm not sure how Hornacek feels about the situation. I hope he is just doing the best he can until a trade happens.

Let's leave Jerry Colangelo and the past out of this. He is one of the most respected men in the NBA and a major reason why the Suns are still located in Phoenix.

 

[BC867]

Let's leave Jerry Colangelo and the past out of this. He is one of the most respected men in the NBA and a major reason why the Suns are still located in Phoenix.

As I said, Jerry was a great promoter, but a mediocre General Manager.

I, too, appreciate very much what he has meant to the Suns and to the Valley. And how he helped the Valley grow as a visible member of the Phoenix 40. That is a different topic than his history as a GM.

The Suns obsession with small ball began and lasted a long time with Jerry and continues to this day.

It is part of the team's heritage and identification and I believe it deserves mention on this thread about it by someone who would like to see us move forward.

 

[Mainstreet]

As I said, Jerry was a great promoter, but a mediocre General Manager.

I, too, appreciate very much what he has meant to the Suns and to the Valley. And how he helped the Valley grow as a visible member of the Phoenix 40. That is a different topic than his history as a GM.

The Suns obsession with small ball began and lasted a long time with Jerry and continues to this day.

It is part of the team's heritage and identification and I believe it deserves mention on this thread about it by someone who would like to see us move forward.

Of course you can say whatever you want but I do not think the Suns are doomed to fail by their past. However, I think with the hire of McDonough, Robert Sarver is trying to move in a different direction by winning a championship and building a new arena. My primary concern at the moment, is Jeff Hornacek the coach that can move them forward? I'd like the Suns to develop an inside presence as much as you do.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Horny may be obsessed with small ball, but if the Front Office either accommodated him or he is accommodating them, they seem to be in this together.

And we can't overlook that our Suns have been obsessed with small ball through most of their 4 1/2 decade history. The ghost of Jerry Colangelo lingers on.

Haven't we read that JC still has some input with the team?

I have posted for decades that Jerry was a great promoter, but a mediocre General Manager.

You did. And you were and are full of crap. And to think JC has ANYTHING to do with how this team is constructed now is lunacy.

Now to the topic of this thread. Keef has been playing pretty consistently, and who knows, may be the MVP so far. But I also believe that his lackluster rebounding is the the area where this team needs the most improvement. If I could replace one starter, I would replace Keef with a more defensive (rebounder) pf.

 

[devilalum]

He is the best passer on the team.

 

[Covert Rain]

The only logical explanation to me is that the Suns are showcasing their talent at PG to make a trade or the three PGs are the Suns best three players. Actually I think it is both but I do not think McDonough is satisfied with the situation. IMO, he wants to make a significant trade to upgrade the roster. I'm not sure how Hornacek feels about the situation. I hope he is just doing the best he can until a trade happens.

Let's leave Jerry Colangelo and the past out of this. He is one of the most respected men in the NBA and a major reason why the Suns are still located in Phoenix.

Not to mention he is the primary reason the Suns were able to clean up a major black eye and drug scandal, move on from it and helped put Phoenix in the national spotlight. The Suns and it's management were some of the most respected in the entire NBA. Good players used to talk about how great this organization was. Now? We are trying to rebuild that.

Sorry, that doesn't say mediocre GM to me. I have seen mediocre GMs in about every sport and some have trashed organizations or left them in a pit of despair.

 

[Mainstreet]

Not to mention he is the primary reason the Suns were able to clean up a major black eye and drug scandal, move on from it and helped put Phoenix the the national spotlight. The Suns and it's management were some of the most respected in the entire NBA. Good players used to talk about how great this organization was. Now? We are trying to rebuild that.

Sorry, that doesn't say mediocre GM to me. I have seen mediocre GMs in about every sport and some have trashed organizations or left them in a pit of despair.

We agree Jerry Colangelo stood far above mediocre. I wish he had stayed longer as the owner of the Suns.

 

[Phrazbit]

Sarver is coming around but IMO if Jerry had held onto the team for about 3-4 more years we win a title. Sarver's rep as being "cheap" is unfair, the Suns were one of the highest payroll teams when they were contending but Sarver was unwilling to break the bank, while we know Jerry had no hesitation about deficit spending if he thought a title could be gained.

He was a great owner and a very very good GM. The Suns run of success from the late 80s through late 2000s would not have been possible with a "mediocre" front office.