Let's recap the Suns season

[BC867]

The Suns finished a disappointing season, being eliminated from the playoffs. Why? Were they tanking or just a dysfunctional team? It looks like the latter.

They made a pre-season trade to replace Amar'e Stoudemire at Power Forward with light Forward Hedo Turkoglu. It was a complete failure.

They then made another trade during the season to compensate for it. Gortat was a success at Center, enabling Frye to move to Power Forward. Pietrus was mediocre at best. And Carter as a strong guard and potential leading scorer and go-to guy was a total bust. Finally, Dudley was given the opportunity to do well.

Even with Frye's move and improvements, both he and Warrick were weak, one-dimensional Power Forwards. Frye with his inconsistent 3-point shooting and Warrick with his highlight slams, but little else.

Lopez was handed the Center position on a silver platter and showed the basketball IQ of a fire hydrant. He looked lost on the court and was finally reduced to playing six minutes per game in second quarters.

Hill kept discovering the Fountain of Youth at age 38 and was our best defender for the year. But he was still 38. Childress showed that he could be a decent backup at the Wing.

Steve Nash once again, at the age of 37, deteriorated as the season progressed and his backups (as in the past) couldn't run a system designed for his skills.

Despite all that disappointment, all we have to do is move Nash, Pietrus and Lopez and find a role-playing backup Center, a backup Power Forward and a backup Shooting Guard as a short term solution and we'd rejoin the Suns heritage of entertaining the fans and making the playoffs.

That is not unattainable, while we wait for Sarver to move on, so we can move up.

 

[Mainstreet]

Despite all that disappointment, all we have to do is move Nash, Pietrus and Lopez and find a role-playing backup Center, a backup Power Forward and a backup Shooting Guard as a short term solution and we'd rejoin the Suns heritage of entertaining the fans and making the playoffs.

Sadly I think you are underestimating the loss of Nash. The Suns will need a starting PG to replace him unless you see one on the roster. So add a starting PG to that list of needs.

 

[desertdawg]

No friggin way.

 

[Mainstreet]

This past season just went to the dawgs.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i'd rather masturbate with a cheese-grater.

 

[slinslin]

Despite all that disappointment, all we have to do is move Nash, Pietrus and Lopez and find a role-playing backup Center, a backup Power Forward and a backup Shooting Guard as a short term solution and we'd rejoin the Suns heritage of entertaining the fans and making the playoffs.

That is not unattainable, while we wait for Sarver to move on, so we can move up.

LOL!!!

1. If you want a role playing backup center why are you advocating to trade Lopez? As if you are going to find a better backup center easily.

2. We are going to get better by trading Nash and finding some new backups?

That is utterly ridiculous. Nash is the only player on this team that is good enough to be a starter on a good team.

The Suns could add abover average starters at SG to replace Carter and an above average PF to move Frye back to the bench. And if they got those 2 players without giving up anything they would STILL be fighting for the #8 or #7 seed at best.
Don't try to tell me that a lineup of Brooks/Dudley/Hill/Frye/Gortat with new backups on the bench even comes close to being entertaining or making the playoffs.

We should absolutely trade Nash and rebuild but to think that trading Nash makes this team more competitive is a joke. We should also trade Gortat if we can cash in valueable pieces to rebuild around like a high draft pick.

 

[AfroSuns]

Despite all that disappointment, all we have to do is move Nash, Pietrus and Lopez and find a role-playing backup Center, a backup Power Forward and a backup Shooting Guard as a short term solution and we'd rejoin the Suns heritage of entertaining the fans and making the playoffs.

Move Nash and you don't get a true PG, you can be dang sure your boy Gortat's offense is done for next season.
Unless he works on his offense in the off-season, you better add stocking up on xanax as part of the "To-Do" for next season

 

[Covert Rain]

1. If you want a role playing backup center why are you advocating to trade Lopez? As if you are going to find a better backup center easily.

A better back up then 6.4 points and and 3.2 rebounds per game he manged this year??????

LOL. There were 37 centers better at scoring and 64 centers better at rebounding. I think he is advocating because chances are you could get your hand on one of those players.

If you hang on to Lopez its because you think he has potential. Believe it or not I am non committal either way with Lopez. I wouldn't be against the Suns holding on to him a little while longer to see if he could evolve into a good backup. However, if they traded him tomorrow I don't think they would miss anything either.

2. We are going to get better by trading Nash and finding some new backups?

That is utterly ridiculous. Nash is the only player on this team that is good enough to be a starter on a good team.

Gortat not being able to start on a good team is utterly ridiculous. Just like before the trade deadline, I bet teams try and get Gortat this offseason. Even after we traded for Gortat, the Suns front office was called by playoff teams and non-playoff teams alike looking for a starting center and were asking for Gortat up to the deadline.

The Suns could add abover average starters at SG to replace Carter and an above average PF to move Frye back to the bench. And if they got those 2 players without giving up anything they would STILL be fighting for the #8 or #7 seed at best.

Don't try to tell me that a lineup of Brooks/Dudley/Hill/Frye/Gortat with new backups on the bench even comes close to being entertaining or making the playoffs.

The only pieces I like in that starting lineup are Dudley/Gortat. Brooks is not the answer, Hill has been very good but it's time to move on and Frye is soft and not a starting PF IMO.

We should absolutely trade Nash and rebuild but to think that trading Nash makes this team more competitive is a joke. We should also trade Gortat if we can cash in valueable pieces to rebuild around like a high draft pick.

It's interesting that you advocate against trading Lopez as a backup but advocate trading away Gortat. Centers are harder to come by. You don't trade legit big men unless you get one in return. So the Suns should absolutely not trade Gortat unless your getting a legit center in return or high enough draft pick that will net you a legit big man in the draft. You don't do it for "prospects", project players or non lottery picks. That is ridiculous.

 

[slinslin]

I advocate against trading Lopez because he is not worth anything right now.

It is basics: buy low, sell high..

 

[Covert Rain]

I advocate against trading Lopez because he is not worth anything right now.

It is basics: buy low, sell high..

You could probably find a team willing to take a chance on him. Usually there is at least one dumb team out there that thinks they know better then the team that had the player. I can't remember how much he makes but isn't it like 1.8 million next season? I would guess you could get one of the other centers on the list at around that. Having said that, he is cheap and something tells me bargain contracts is going to be a high priority for this franchise for some time.

 

[SirStefan32]

I still don't want to trade Lopez. He is way too young for the Suns to give up on him.

 

[Magnus]

In response to the 1st post, don't underestimate fire hydrants. I've seen them play better basketball than Robin Lopez.

Case and point

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NbEgWLKz1w

 

[BC867]

Don't try to tell me that a lineup of Brooks/Dudley/Hill/Frye/Gortat with new backups on the bench even comes close to being entertaining or making the playoffs.

I offered that as a short-term solution (for next season), because it is not realistic to expect replacing just about the whole team.

Obtaining a serviceable backup Center and Power Forward and Wing and making do with our two remaining Point Guards, while keeping Frye at PF and Hill at SF is accomplished rather easily.

Hoping for all or nothing in the way of reshaping the entire roster is likely to end with nothing.

A team of pro basketball players balanced with scoring (inside and outside), defense, rebounding, blocking, steals experience, youth and hustle can indeed provide entertainment and make the post-season (something I've not been satisfied with in the past, but will root for under current circumstances, not the least of which is an a$$hole of an owner).

At this point, the reality of the situation is the most important consideration. At least, for this fan.

 

[Trifecta]

Unless there is a team out there dumb enough to give up something decent for Robin, I say give him 1 more year to show something and if he keeps disappointing we can just let him walk.

If we can get a decent PF who could at least start for us without embarassing himself, we could have Frye as a 6th man PF/C and have Lopez as the 3rd C, and keep Siler I guess for insurance. I'd be pretty happy with that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Unless there is a team out there dumb enough to give up something decent for Robin, I say give him 1 more year to show something and if he keeps disappointing we can just let him walk.

If we can get a decent PF who could at least start for us without embarassing himself, we could have Frye as a 6th man PF/C and have Lopez as the 3rd C, and keep Siler I guess for insurance. I'd be pretty happy with that.

It won't work. It will take more than 1 year just to teach the guy HOW to walk. The guy went to Stanford and apparently can't even spell the word upright.

Steve