Morris twins contract extension

[Mainstreet]

Yea but if we ever have to trade one away, Marcus contract won't be very appealing.

No worry. They only come in pairs.

 

[BC867]

No worry. They only come in pairs.

So if they are out of breath, they will be a pair of pants.

Or if they go up against taller players, they will be a pair of shorts.

Or if they become medics, they will be a paradox.

Or if their photos are on the wall, they will be paraphernalia.

I better stop there.

 

[asudevil83]

Interesting. I'm wondering if the Suns could use Okafor as an asset in a trade trade (to pay him more salary for another team) like they did with Steve Nash when he was a free agent.

http://www.nba.com/suns/roster/grid

His rights were renounced. We dont have the ability to S&T him or include him in any trades.

http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Phoenix-Suns/23/Transaction_History

 

[Superbone]

They avoided creating conflict between the brothers or with the team. Yeah it had to be within reason as far as the split. I wonder how the brothers decided. I bet it was based upon minutes.

My bet is the twins split it evenly no matter what the paycheck split is. Heck, they probably have a joint checking account!

 

[SirStefan32]

Hate to be the party-pooper, but these are atrocious contracts. Marcus is worth somewhere between zero and veteran minimum, and Markieff is a career backup with one decent season under his belt- hardly worth $8M per year. I am surprised Babby signed off on this.

 

[Chaplin]

Hate to be the party-pooper, but these are atrocious contracts. Marcus is worth somewhere between zero and veteran minimum, and Markieff is a career backup with one decent season under his belt- hardly worth $8M per year. I am surprised Babby signed off on this.

That is so off base, I'm quite surprised--you are usually more knowledgable and this is just baffling. I've never been a fan of the Morris twins, but I'm surprised you are so upset here. Especially with the cap going up significantly over the next two years.

Kieff was far and away a better player than Channing last season and yet you're upset he's getting paid the exact same? As I said before, if Kieff matches what he did last year, then 8m is a great number. If he did the same thing and we hadn't signed him to an extension, what do you think he'd get next summer? Probably a lot more than 8m per.

As for Marcus, I think 5m per is fine for a guy that averaged 10ppg/4rpg/1spg isn't bad. Especially if he can improve and there is nothing that says he can't because he improved significantly over the course of last season.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Hate to be the party-pooper, but these are atrocious contracts. Marcus is worth somewhere between zero and veteran minimum, and Markieff is a career backup with one decent season under his belt- hardly worth $8M per year. I am surprised Babby signed off on this.

Totally disagree. Markieff has been developing and should have started last year. He is a solid efficient two-way player. These are good signings.

 

[hsandhu]

When goran opts out next summer, how much is his cap hold before he signs a new deal. Trying to figure out if we still have money for free agency next summer, cap is supposed to be at 66/67 million.

 

[crisper57]

This teams just keeps getting better and better!

Oh wait. It continues to tread water.

 

[Chaplin]

This teams just keeps getting better and better!

Oh wait. It continues to tread water.

I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean. How is it treading water? Sure, they didn't get a superstar big man, but they locked up the important players they already have and added a few role players in the process (and IT, who is more than a role player).

I don't understand how people can assume we have to be a championship contender this year. It was never going to happen. But we made a HUGE leap last year, bigger than anything anyone thought. That counts for something. We also have the runner-up Coach of the Year (as well as ranked 6th in the NBA currently), a potential superstar in Bledsoe and Goran Dragic who is arguably a max point guard.

Take all that and look at the WINNING RECORD we got last season and I don't know how anyone could NOT be excited about this team and where it is heading. Even though they are not a finished product, it's still worth watching. 18 months ago this wasn't even a thought.

 

[Chaz]

This teams just keeps getting better and better!

Oh wait. It continues to tread water.

Maybe we can see how they play first before we determine that they aren't improved from last season. I seem to remember last year the conventional wisdom was that they would compete for the number 1 pick instead of a playoff spot.

But I am sure we have it all figured out. No need to even play right?
Without Love or LeBron they are doomed....DOOMED!!!!

Just chalk up a 9th place finish and call it good.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Maybe we can see how they play first before we determine that they aren't improved from last season. I seem to remember last year the conventional wisdom was that they would compete for the number 1 pick instead of a playoff spot.

But I am sure we have it all figured out. No need to even play right?
Without Love or LeBron they are doomed....DOOMED!!!!

Just chalk up a 9th place finish and call it good.

We might have no choice but to "call it good". We could well be improved and still finish in 9th place. The West looks to be even tougher this season. Other than (perhaps?) Utah, I don't think there's a team in the West that doesn't think it's not going to have a decent shot at the playoffs. I think we have a chance for home court advantage if the twins and Tolliver can offset the loss of Frye but very little would surprise me this season.

Steve

 

[crisper57]

So our big roster changes this year were to lose Channing Frye, the guy who actually spreads the floor, and sign Isaiah Thomas, yet another PG.

Other than that, this team looks almost identical to the 9th place team from last year, if not slightly worse.

Our only hope is that Bledsoe can play a full year and that is enough to earn 5-7 more wins and get us into a playoff spot. That might be good enough to be bounced out of the first round and end up with another useless middling draft pick.

Re-signing the guys who played over their heads all year and still didn't get it done isn't the way to improve a team.

 

[Chaplin]

So our big roster changes this year were to lose Channing Frye, the guy who actually spreads the floor, and sign Isaiah Thomas, yet another PG.

Other than that, this team looks almost identical to the 9th place team from last year, if not slightly worse.

Our only hope is that Bledsoe can play a full year and that is enough to earn 5-7 more wins and get us into a playoff spot. That might be good enough to be bounced out of the first round and end up with another useless middling draft pick.

Re-signing the guys who played over their heads all year and still didn't get it done isn't the way to improve a team.

Maybe I'm misreading here, but are you advocating tanking?

And I hate that "overachieving" bull that people spew. Maybe if they played like that for a month or two, but over a whole season? Come on now.

 

[AzStevenCal]

So our big roster changes this year were to lose Channing Frye, the guy who actually spreads the floor, and sign Isaiah Thomas, yet another PG.

Other than that, this team looks almost identical to the 9th place team from last year, if not slightly worse.

Our only hope is that Bledsoe can play a full year and that is enough to earn 5-7 more wins and get us into a playoff spot. That might be good enough to be bounced out of the first round and end up with another useless middling draft pick.

Re-signing the guys who played over their heads all year and still didn't get it done isn't the way to improve a team.

Well, sure it is or at least it can be. It beats the heck out of throwing them away and starting all over every year which is about our only other option. Let's just watch Minnesota, Phoenix and Philadelphia over the next few years and see which of the approaches works the best. Players don't hit their peaks over night, moving on from one to the next because the current version isn't great keeps you from ever developing a great player.

Steve

 

[crisper57]

Maybe I'm misreading here, but are you advocating tanking?

And I hate that "overachieving" bull that people spew. Maybe if they played like that for a month or two, but over a whole season? Come on now.

Not advocating tanking. But I have no faith that re-signing the same guys is a way to improve this team. They were a middle-of-the-road team last year and that's where they'll be again after this season.

Maybe they go from #9 to #8, but neither of those finishes will do much to attract a big time Free Agent in the front court, which is what this team desperately needs. Just being realistic.

And a team can overachieve an entire season. Just look at the 2011 Diamondbacks as proof.

 

[Chaz]

If you think that the players from last year will never improve and everyone played and was coached to their fullest potential then they are just treading water.
Keeping young players with potential on your roster with long term deals is moving forward.

 

[JCSunsfan]

So our big roster changes this year were to lose Channing Frye, the guy who actually spreads the floor, and sign Isaiah Thomas, yet another PG.

Other than that, this team looks almost identical to the 9th place team from last year, if not slightly worse.

Our only hope is that Bledsoe can play a full year and that is enough to earn 5-7 more wins and get us into a playoff spot. That might be good enough to be bounced out of the first round and end up with another useless middling draft pick.

Re-signing the guys who played over their heads all year and still didn't get it done isn't the way to improve a team.

What a ray of sunshine you are!

 

[JCSunsfan]

Well, sure it is or at least it can be. It beats the heck out of throwing them away and starting all over every year which is about our only other option. Let's just watch Minnesota, Phoenix and Philadelphia over the next few years and see which of the approaches works the best. Players don't hit their peaks over night, moving on from one to the next because the current version isn't great keeps you from ever developing a great player.

Steve

A little over a year ago, Phoenix and Philly were nearly at the same place. Philly was maybe ahead. Let's just see how it all works out.

 

[crisper57]

What a ray of sunshine you are!

I know. I've been down on this team ever since we squandered the off season.

We had all the pieces in the world to make some moves and not a single thing fell our way. I'm not saying it is the organization's fault, but the letdown still sucked. So we roll out there with the pieces we already had. Okay. If we were in the Eastern Conference, I think I'd be thrilled with our positioning. But the Western Conference is going to be a bloodbath.

All I can think is, "Did we do enough?" and I can't confidently answer "yes" right now. I hope I am wrong. I really do.

 

[Chaplin]

I know. I've been down on this team ever since we squandered the off season.

We had all the pieces in the world to make some moves and not a single thing fell our way. I'm not saying it is the organization's fault, but the letdown still sucked. So we roll out there with the pieces we already had. Okay. If we were in the Eastern Conference, I think I'd be thrilled with our positioning. But the Western Conference is going to be a bloodbath.

All I can think is, "Did we do enough?" and I can't confidently answer "yes" right now. I hope I am wrong. I really do.

What else could they have done? They went after the two, maybe three best players out there in free agency (don't know if they inquired about Bosh, but they certainly did with Lebron and KLove) and didn't get them.

I'm not sure what else they could have done that would have made you happy.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I know. I've been down on this team ever since we squandered the off season.

We had all the pieces in the world to make some moves and not a single thing fell our way. I'm not saying it is the organization's fault, but the letdown still sucked. So we roll out there with the pieces we already had. Okay. If we were in the Eastern Conference, I think I'd be thrilled with our positioning. But the Western Conference is going to be a bloodbath.

All I can think is, "Did we do enough?" and I can't confidently answer "yes" right now. I hope I am wrong. I really do.

I cannot imagine what more they could have done. I am very happy with this team right now. I honestly believe they are one player away from contending. That would be a superstar player, but everything else is in place.

I know it would be preferred to get the superstar and then build around. But if you can't get the superstar, you can still get everything else in place AND be ready to make the move if it becomes available.

They tried for LeBron. They tried for Melo (I think). They tried for Kevin Love.

I am sure they will make an effort to get Durant when the time comes. And who knows, with one of these draft picks, they might strike gold.

I cannot imagine what more they could have done. Keeping Channing Frye was not part of the road to a championship. Locking Bledsoe up was a step.

 

[crisper57]

What else could they have done? They went after the two, maybe three best players out there in free agency (don't know if they inquired about Bosh, but they certainly did with Lebron and KLove) and didn't get them.

I'm not sure what else they could have done that would have made you happy.

Pursuing Lebron and KLove was just kinda stupid. We never had a shot at those guys. Everyone knew it, so pursuing them (and waiting on their answers) was a waste of time and effort. Maybe they should have focused on the likes of Bosh as a more realistic target (if they didn't).

But to be clear, I am not saying the organization failed in any way. They did the best with an ultimately crappy situation. The reality of the League made it such that we had all the assets in the world to make some moves, but no one wanted to buy what we were selling. It happens.

So we hope for the best in what we have. I'm not upset about our pieces, just mostly indifferent.

 

[Chaz]

I think we need a little perspective and expectation management.
Two seasons ago was one of the worst in franchise history.

It is unrealistic to hit a home run every time. A series of base hits will get the job done while you wait for that perfect pitch.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Pursuing Lebron and KLove was just kinda stupid. We never had a shot at those guys. Everyone knew it, so pursuing them (and waiting on their answers) was a waste of time and effort. Maybe they should have focused on the likes of Bosh as a more realistic target (if they didn't).

But to be clear, I am not saying the organization failed in any way. They did the best with an ultimately crappy situation. The reality of the League made it such that we had all the assets in the world to make some moves, but no one wanted to buy what we were selling. It happens.

So we hope for the best in what we have. I'm not upset about our pieces, just mostly indifferent.

Once you get past the really big name, I'm not sure there was a better free agent signing than Isaiah Thomas. Better stats than Kyrie (including advanced stats) at 40% the cost, what's not to love? And when your roster is loaded with young players, you have to give them time to develop. I don't think you'll see our future change with a big name free agent over the next few years. We have assets, when the right star is available, we have a chance to be players in that deal. Considering where we were when the 2013 season ended, I'm thrilled with where we are today.

Steve