Lakers @ Suns 2-15-17

[Hoop Head]

Finishing with a worse record doesn't ensure we get a better pick. The top 3 picks are decided by lottery so all we can do is put ourselves in a good position to get the top pick. It's not sending the right message to anyone if we just benched guys like Bledsoe so we can lose a couple more games. If it was April, then maybe, but not before the All Star Break.

 

[Hoop Head]

I don't think the #1 overall pick is that important this draft either as there isn't just 1 player who is drawing all of the attention at the top of the draft. There are 3-4 really good players at the top though and so long as we get draft in the top 3 we should be fine.

Who are we missing out on by picking #2 or #3? If we're that enamored with a player that is likely to be selected ahead of us we can swing a trade to move up a spot or two, if the price is right. We don't need to go full 76er's though and trade away any player worth a damn right now.

 

[pokerface]

This better be a BUSY trade deadline... McD?

 

[AzStevenCal]

The way to really hurt the Lakers is by LOSING. The ultimate revenge is the Suns getting a top two pick and the Lakers not collecting on their pick at all

That would be great but giving away assets would more than offset what that would gain us. If we don't trade Bledsoe, the Lakers will pull away from us in this race and it won't be close. The absolute only reason we're even in the conversation for worst team in the west is because we continue to play Knight. If we trade or bench him, we won't picking in the top 8, let alone 2nd, without getting lucky with the ping pong balls.

We simply aren't as bad as our record so these unrealistic expectations are just noise at this point, IMO. If we can find a motivated buyer and trade Bledsoe, Tucker and Chandler, we'll have a legit shot at a top 3 pick, otherwise luck is our only hope.

 

[hsandhu]

We've been doing a good job tanking so far, 1 win won't hurt, especially since I never expected to have a worse record at the end than the lakers.

Its kind of amazing we were worse than them this long, we have more talent and are easily better.

BTW, marquese chriss is coming, you can see it recently. They never used him in the pick and roll before, now they are starting to and he is really effective. He can be devastating in the pick roll in the coming years

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think the #1 overall pick is that important this draft either as there isn't just 1 player who is drawing all of the attention at the top of the draft. There are 3-4 really good players at the top though and so long as we get draft in the top 3 we should be fine.

Who are we missing out on by picking #2 or #3? If we're that enamored with a player that is likely to be selected ahead of us we can swing a trade to move up a spot or two, if the price is right. We don't need to go full 76er's though and trade away any player worth a damn right now.

I just don't think that's going to happen. Bledsoe was a step slow and out of it the first month of the season, now he's playing great ball. Booker was struggling with a sprained ankle and turf toe to start the season and now seems fairly healthy and is playing much better. Chriss was a human sacrifice and now is almost covering his position and continues to improve every month.

Knight is still the worst minutes eater in the NBA but I'm not even sure he's bad enough to keep us down the rest of the season. We are not tanking if we don't trade multiple players and there will be several teams that will actually go into tank mode following the all star game. On top of that, we've played a much tougher schedule when compared to what we have remaining. We are poised to move up several spots in the rankings unless the front office takes steps towards changing our immediate future.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We've been doing a good job tanking so far, 1 win won't hurt, especially since I never expected to have a worse record at the end than the lakers.

Its kind of amazing we were worse than them this long, we have more talent and are easily better.

BTW, marquese chriss is coming, you can see it recently. They never used him in the pick and roll before, now they are starting to and he is really effective. He can be devastating in the pick roll in the coming years

He's also becoming more aware defensively. He has a long ways to go, he's still more liability than asset out there but the improvement is obvious.

 

[pokerface]

That would be great but giving away assets would more than offset what that would gain us. If we don't trade Bledsoe, the Lakers will pull away from us in this race and it won't be close. The absolute only reason we're even in the conversation for worst team in the west is because we continue to play Knight. If we trade or bench him, we won't picking in the top 8, let alone 2nd, without getting lucky with the ping pong balls.

We simply aren't as bad as our record so these unrealistic expectations are just noise at this point, IMO. If we can find a motivated buyer and trade Bledsoe, Tucker and Chandler, we'll have a legit shot at a top 3 pick, otherwise luck is our only hope.

Yeah... Reality is setting in but I'm not giving up hope. McD is a GM I respect despite what some may think of him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah... Reality is setting in but I'm not giving up hope. McD is a GM I respect despite what some may think of him.

I'm still hopeful that we'll move both Chandler and Tucker, putting us in a position to grab a second pick around 10th but I don't see us in true competition for a top 3 pick.

It's too bad we lost Bender to injury. Had we not, I could see us playing Len, Chriss, Bender and Ulis major minutes after the deadline which might have given us a chance at a top 3 spot.

 

[Hoop Head]

Bledsoe is playing really good. I'm not against trading him but he's playing at an All-Star level. If the Suns had a more complete team and was fighting for a playoff spot I think he would have been an All-Star this year.

 

[Hoop Head]

Bledsoe with the triple double. He usually puts up really good numbers in a losing effort, glad to see him post a triple double in what should be an easy win, at this point.

 

[pokerface]

I'm still hopeful that we'll move both Chandler and Tucker, putting us in a position to grab a second pick around 10th but I don't see us in true competition for a top 3 pick.

It's too bad we lost Bender to injury. Had we not, I could see us playing Len, Chriss, Bender and Ulis major minutes after the deadline which might have given us a chance at a top 3 spot.

Ahh it is what it is. It's a solid draft and the top 5 should net us a very good player. I just wanted maximum leverage with the least amount of risk...If that makes sense. Trading Bledsoe could fix a lot of things....But keeping him has its upsides as well. Like you said... Some kind of Chandler/Tucker trade could have a desired impact.

 

[GatorAZ]

I never thought the Suns would end with a worse record than LA but Orlando will probably pass us too. I'm thinking 4th or 5th worst record depending on Embiid coming back.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It was especially great because there was even a D Jones Jr sighting, scoring 3 points in garbage time.

 

[pokerface]

I never thought the Suns would end with a worse record than LA but Orlando will probably pass us too. I'm thinking 4th or 5th worst record depending on Embiid coming back.

Ugh!

 

[AzStevenCal]

I never thought the Suns would end with a worse record than LA but Orlando will probably pass us too. I'm thinking 4th or 5th worst record depending on Embiid coming back.

That would be nice. Unless we make trades or suffer injuries though, I think we'll win close to half our remaining games. I thought we would do this from Mexico City onward but just about everyone on and near the team came down with a cold or flu between the out of country trip followed by that trip to the east coast. Our only hope now is that we make trades and play Knight, a lot IMO.

 

[GatorAZ]

That would be nice. Unless we make trades or suffer injuries though, I think we'll win close to half our remaining games. I thought we would do this from Mexico City onward but just about everyone on and near the team came down with a cold or flu between the out of country trip followed by that trip to the east coast. Our only hope now is that we make trades and play Knight, a lot IMO.

I would probably sign up for 4th right now. The Suns can get hot offensively and put a win streak together.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I would probably sign up for 4th right now. The Suns can get hot offensively and put a win streak together.

Yeah I'd be thrilled with 4th too but I doubt it happens. The other teams that will be looking at their position and opting to focus on player development and the draft have far easier paths to making that happen. We'd have to trade Bledsoe, at a minimum, and probably Chandler and/or Tucker. Or really load the minutes up for Chriss, Ulis, Jones Jr, Warren, Len and Bender if he comes back. Even then, we'll still probably drop to 5th or 6th.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Based on tonight's game it's clear that if they re-did the draft, the Lakers would select Jones or Ulis instead of Ingram. Of course, they'd probably take Zubac over him too.

 

[GatorAZ]

Based on tonight's game it's clear that if they re-did the draft, the Lakers would select Jones or Ulis instead of Ingram. Of course, they'd probably take Zubac over him too.

They should go further back in time and take The Unicorn over Russell. Dude will never make it big with those scrawny knees.

 

[Hoop Head]

At least the team is watchable now. Week two during the season through December was pretty ugly but the team shows promise now. I know it's in opposition to our draft position but it's much easier to watch the games now and see Ulis, Chriss, Warren, Booker, and Len. Len looked good tonight, although it was against a frontcourt that is probably as bad as ours.

 

[AzStevenCal]

They should go further back in time and take The Unicorn over Russell. Dude will never make it big with those scrawny knees.

Yeah, I was kidding about the Ingram draft but certainly the previous year was a huge mistake. And I never thought it would happen either. I really assumed all the top teams had been scared away from Russell after the way Arizona exposed him in the Tourney.

 

[slinslin]

Brandon Ingram looks so bad man.

He airballed two freethrows already and was supposed to be a shooter. At this point the Lakers have to be happy if Ingram turns into the next Otto Porter.

Some Suns fans are continously trashing Marquese but he is having a much better year than Ingram.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

I don't think anyone is "trashing" Chriss. He has a lot to learn on defense, as does the entire team, but I think that fans see his athleticism and talent for being such a young (age-wise and basketball-wise) player.

 

[slinslin]

I don't think anyone is "trashing" Chriss. He has a lot to learn on defense, as does the entire team, but I think that fans see his athleticism and talent for being such a young (age-wise and basketball-wise) player.

On realgm they have Suns mods literally posting that Chriss is trash and that Chriss is the worst starter in the NBA, both absurd statements but still stuff regularly posted.