Markieff to Wizards

[WuRaider]

https://twitter.com/MGortat/status/700422811739942913

https://twitter.com/JaredDudley619/status/700519064788021249

https://twitter.com/Espo/status/700519159633809414

Haha, Kief must have really been a punk to the local and in house media for Espo to say that.

 

[elindholm]

Is Gortat using the "constipated" emoji?

 

[sunsfan88]

https://twitter.com/MGortat/status/700422811739942913

Meanwhile Pistons are working on building the '14-'15 Suns with Marcus, Tolliver, Bullock and now Thornton lol.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Meanwhile Pistons are working on building the '14-'15 Suns with Marcus, Tolliver, Bullock and now Thornton lol.

Wrong end of that horse.

 

[Catlover]

No. Because the bellyaching about being the worst franchise in the league and ownership and management would be just intolerable. The thing about tanking is that you really should only have to do it once or twice.

Not in today's NBA, the landscape has changed in so many ways. For one, the top players are often more gamble than sure thing so you can't be certain you're drafting a franchise player even if you hit it big in the lottery. And then there's the fact you're in a lottery in the first place.

Look at Philadelphia, this is their third year with a full-on tank job and they might not be done yet. And Jerry recently was quoted saying he hoped they'd be able to compete within 3 years from now (and I think he meant compete for a playoff spot). I think, once you decide to tank, you do it until you're confident that you have at least one star in the making.

We might be able to just tank this season and build from there but it's quite possible that won't be enough. We might have our core already with Booker, Len and Warren plus a top 5 pick this draft and then again, we might still need 4 more starters and an improved bench.

 

[Catlover]

I'm with you on this but I'm not sure that Sarver has learned that you cannot rush rebuilding - and he may well not keep McD longer than one more year, so Ryan would be forced to rush, too. I'm not even sure that McD isn't still believing in his and Jeff's original plan and will try to go with Bled and Knight as dual point guards. We all seem to believe Booker and a real PG is an obvious move but nothing he's said or done really indicates that is his thinking.
Lets face it, one starter grade player from the draft and we're about as good as last year so he'd again believe we can make the playoffs - and we probably could if Bled and BK stayed healthy all year. That would be about the ceiling for that team but he might not care.

I don't think he's changed his thinking about what he wants from his guards in any way. And I don't think he should. But that doesn't mean we have the right guards in place with or without Booker. The league in general is moving towards guards that can help run an offense and play off the ball too.

I agree though, the big question is Sarver. I'm hoping the influx of TV money will give him the financial cushion he needs to exercise some patience here. He has to know that a big part of our current situation stems from his unwillingness to take a more methodical approach to building a contender.

 

[devilalum]

IMO it all depends on who they get in the draft this year. If they get a future All Star they'll be ready to make a push for the playoffs next year with Bledsoe back and Booker. Trade Knight for a similar quality player that actually fits the system and its gonna be hard to lose the number of games necessary to get a good pick.

 

[BC867]

LOL, we're not going to get rid of Bledsoe so that Chandler can have better performances. That's ridiculous.

That is indeed ridiculous! Especially with you omitting my reference to Booker as well as Chandler (the inference being 'and everyone else in between').

So, how about we get rid of Bledsoe (and Knight) so that all of the Suns on the court can have better performances on offense. Booker, Warren or Tucker, our Power Forwards (whoever that will be) and Chandler/Len as well as the bench crew.

Clearly Bledsoe and Knight are turnover prone and not very skilled or creative in setting up the rest of the offense efficiently. Not throughout the game and not in second half of the 4th quarter with the game on the line.

Jumping in the air with no idea to whom they're passing the ball or waiting until the shot clock is almost expired or just not passing to them at the right time and place for them to have a good shot defy the concept of having the responsibility of running the Point. It is an art and Bledsoe and Knight are not talented artists in that regard.

 

[devilalum]

So, how about we get rid of Bledsoe (and Knight) so that all of the Suns on the court can have better performances on offense. Booker, Warren or Tucker, our Power Forwards (whoever that will be) and Chandler/Len as well as the bench crew.

.

Swaggy P Syndrome : Any mediocre player can average 18 a game if they play for a horrible team.

 

[Chaplin]

That is indeed ridiculous! Especially with you omitting my reference to Booker as well as Chandler (the inference being 'and everyone else in between').

So, how about we get rid of Bledsoe (and Knight) so that all of the Suns on the court can have better performances on offense. Booker, Warren or Tucker, our Power Forwards (whoever that will be) and Chandler/Len as well as the bench crew.

Clearly Bledsoe and Knight are turnover prone and not very skilled or creative in setting up the rest of the offense efficiently. Not throughout the game and not in second half of the 4th quarter with the game on the line.

Jumping in the air with no idea to whom they're passing the ball or waiting until the shot clock is almost expired or just not passing to them at the right time and place for them to have a good shot defy the concept of having the responsibility of running the Point. It is an art and Bledsoe and Knight are not talented artists in that regard.

I'm curious to know how much of Bledsoe you've actually seen. Even with Booker playing well, Bledsoe is far and away our best player and will remain so for a long time.

 

[Catlover]

That is indeed ridiculous! Especially with you omitting my reference to Booker as well as Chandler (the inference being 'and everyone else in between').

So, how about we get rid of Bledsoe (and Knight) so that all of the Suns on the court can have better performances on offense. Booker, Warren or Tucker, our Power Forwards (whoever that will be) and Chandler/Len as well as the bench crew.

Clearly Bledsoe and Knight are turnover prone and not very skilled or creative in setting up the rest of the offense efficiently. Not throughout the game and not in second half of the 4th quarter with the game on the line.

Jumping in the air with no idea to whom they're passing the ball or waiting until the shot clock is almost expired or just not passing to them at the right time and place for them to have a good shot defy the concept of having the responsibility of running the Point. It is an art and Bledsoe and Knight are not talented artists in that regard.

No, not "clearly" and even acknowledging that it's true to an extent, it's not as simple as you make it out to be. Okay, so to you and a few others here, poor play by the guards is the reason our front-court was bad? But it only works one way? Our guards had no one to work with, what do you expect them to do? And what is "clearly" is that we are a far lesser team without Bledsoe. How you've completely rewritten the script to ignore that fact is beyond me. I'll bet that the front office is thinking, wow, Eric is even better than we realized.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yeah, the two biggest takeaways so far this year is that Booker looks to be an absolute stud and that Bledsoe was propping up a gigantic turd heap from being the worst team in the NBA.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Yeah, the two biggest takeaways so far this year is that Booker looks to be an absolute stud and that Bledsoe was propping up a gigantic turd heap from being the worst team in the NBA.

Quite hilarious that some here still want to get rid of Bled - he was clearly the difference between fighting for the 8 seed, and likely the worst record in the NBA since his injury.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Quite hilarious that some here still want to get rid of Bled - he was clearly the difference between fighting for the 8 seed, and likely the worst record in the NBA since his injury.

I'm not one of those guys who want to see him shipped out of town... However, I do wonder when we can say that he's not just a guy keeping a team out of the basement, but a guy who is playing a huge role in putting the team in contention for a Western Division title... because truth be told, I think he's not that guy.

 

[Errntknght]

For the record I didn't advocate getting rid of Bledsoe. I like him in a backup role and playing fewer minutes so he doesn't have conserve energy when he is on the floor - which he has done quite consistently since he's been here. He has to in order to play starter's minutes. He does get cranked up to full speed against Westbrook but that's about it. He's also somewhat less likely to get injured playing 23 minutes/game versus 32.

 

[Catlover]

I'm not one of those guys who want to see him shipped out of town... However, I do wonder when we can say that he's not just a guy keeping a team out of the basement, but a guy who is playing a huge role in putting the team in contention for a Western Division title... because truth be told, I think he's not that guy.

And maybe he's not but honestly, who cares? Why can't a good player just be a good player, why does he have to be good enough to carry a ragtag group of players to the conference title? By the end of his contract there will be MANY non-starters earning more money than he is so it's not like the money demands it. Bledsoe is no superstar but how many conference titles do you think superstar Durant would lead that OKC team to if his teammates were Tucker, Morris, Len and so on?

 

[82CardsGrad]

And maybe he's not but honestly, who cares? Why can't a good player just be a good player, why does he have to be good enough to carry a ragtag group of players to the conference title? By the end of his contract there will be MANY non-starters earning more money than he is so it's not like the money demands it. Bledsoe is no superstar but how many conference titles do you think superstar Durant would lead that OKC team to if his teammates were Tucker, Morris, Len and so on?

Yea... I don't disagree. I guess I was more frustrated with the fact that Bled hasn't had the chance to lead a good enough team to contention. I hope it happens sooner versus later!

 

[Catlover]

Yea... I don't disagree. I guess I was more frustrated with the fact that Bled hasn't had the chance to lead a good enough team to contention. I hope it happens sooner versus later!

For me the frustration with Bledsoe is how bad he is at some basic things considering how good he is in so many other ways. I think the balance sheet is well in his favor but it's disappointing that it's really a lack of fundamentals that keeps him from being a great player.

 

[sunsfan88]

I wonder if Bledsoe can ever survive a full season being the main PG. The only season in which he played all 82 games (last season) was when he had both Dragic and IT to help him in terms of usage, minutes etc.

His knees are a huge issue.

 

[82CardsGrad]

For me the frustration with Bledsoe is how bad he is at some basic things considering how good he is in so many other ways. I think the balance sheet is well in his favor but it's disappointing that it's really a lack of fundamentals that keeps him from being a great player.

Fundamentals... BBall I.Q. Yea... Very, very frustrating...

 

[SirStefan32]

Far be it from me to defend Bledsoe, but he made a lot of progress since last year. He still does stupid stuff- hero ball, jump and then figure out where to pass, etc, but he was much better this year than last.

 

[Catlover]

Far be it from me to defend Bledsoe, but he made a lot of progress since last year. He still does stupid stuff- hero ball, jump and then figure out where to pass, etc, but he was much better this year than last.

I'm still very much in his corner but there's no denying he has some major flaws. I don't know that he'll improve them very much but hopefully, at the minimum, our next coach will limit his minutes to whatever he can handle while still going all out on defense. If so he'll be one of the better players in the league (top 10/top 20?) even with his shortcomings.

 

[SirStefan32]

I'm still very much in his corner but there's no denying he has some major flaws. I don't know that he'll improve them very much but hopefully, at the minimum, our next coach will limit his minutes to whatever he can handle while still going all out on defense. If so he'll be one of the better players in the league (top 10/top 20?) even with his shortcomings.

And that's my problem with Bledsoe fans. There is no chance in hell Bledsoe sniffs the top 20, let alone top 10. If you exclude everyone from any team other than GSW, SA, and OKC, he might come close to top ten, but that's three teams.

 

[Catlover]

And that's my problem with Bledsoe fans. There is no chance in hell Bledsoe sniffs the top 20, let alone top 10. If you exclude everyone from any team other than GSW, SA, and OKC, he might come close to top ten, but that's three teams.

He's shown glimpses of being a great defender in the past. If he could do that nightly (which, granted, he's never done) and played offense as he did earlier in this season why wouldn't he be a top 20 player? He wasn't that far off of it just on the strength of his offensive game this season, he was probably no worse than top 40 all things considered. Just so we're clear, are you saying there's no way he'll ever play defense at that level or are you saying that even if he were a great defender he'd still be somewhere well below 20th best?

 

[sunsfan88]

The day that Bledsoe becomes a top 10 player is likely also the day that I marry Kate Upton.

Not gonna happen.

He should first worry about staying healthy rather than rankings. Nobody gives a damn if he even averages 40/15 but only plays in 10 or 20 games a season. Not to mention another knee injury for him after this could be a potential career ender.