New York Daily News: Suns want Gordon?

[George O'Brien]

Lottery breakdown

New York Daily News: Emeka injury has teams backing off

Emeka Okafor

Some years, the NBA lottery is a Powerball drawing. Other years, the teams might as well be handed Bingo cards before the drawing.

After the Cavaliers hit the jackpot by winning the draft rights to LeBron James last May, we're back to church-hall Bingo Wednesday. Not that there isn't some intrigue about what will happen with the top draft pick this June. We've already got some fascinating plot lines developing involving a few lottery teams:

Orlando has the best chance (25%) to finish with the first pick. The Magic hasn't had a dominant big man since you know who. But even nearly a decade since Shaq bolted for L.A., Orlando has to have questions about Emeka Okafor's back.

The UConn star is nearly everybody's No. 1 pick. But he still is recovering from a back injury and has been limited to riding a stationary bike since winning the NCAA Tournament. Because Okafor isn't working out, several GMs are starting to wonder if this is another T.J. Ford situation. Last year before the draft, Ford was red-flagged by several teams because of a spinal condition. Going in, doctors told teams that Ford would likely require surgery if he reinjured himself. The Bucks knew that, but drafted Ford anyway, at No. 8, and sure enough, he took a spill and missed the final two months because of an injury that required surgery.

Orlando has been discussing Okafor and what to do in case his injury is more than just a temporary condition.

"The real problem here is that you're going to be taking a guy who is a limited offensive player, who is a 6-9 center with no face-up skills, and who has an existing back problem," said one Eastern Conference GM. "If I had the No. 1 pick, I'd have to be more than a little concerned."

Bickerstaff was joking about making a big deal about Okafor's back on the hope that maybe he would drop to the #4 slot. I guess other guys have picked up on playing the same game.

If the lottery holds to form, Phoenix will get the No. 7 pick overall. The Suns would love to move up a few spots, presumably to take Ben Gordon to be their point guard of the future. They are one of several teams (along with Portland, Golden State, Seattle, the Clippers and Chicago) that are slated to attend Gordon's workout Tuesday in New York.

In remodeling their team after they traded Stephon Marbury to the Knicks, the Suns have come to the conclusion that Marbury's replacement, Leandro Barbosa, is a shooting guard. That's why they'd like a shot at Gordon. If they can secure Okafor's ex-UConn teammate, then they can address their other needs in free agency. They'll have enough cap space to make a run at Kobe Bryant, but he's not on their wish list. All indications are that they are targeting Detroit's Mehmet Okur, who can leave the Pistons if he gets a dollar more than the mid-level exception from another team. Okur wants to get away from the Wallaces and Larry Brown. With Rasheed all but certain of being re-signed and Ben not going anywhere, Okur sees that he'll never get any playing time. He likes the idea of relocating to Phoenix, according to several teammates.

Don't you love New York papers? Gordon is not a proven point guard, only the Clippers are likely to take him early and they are looking at other guys, and the Suns have never shown the slightest indication of being interested in Okur. Okur may be interested in Phoenix, but that's not the same thing.

The Clippers have a 10.5% chance of finishing first, but they'd love to stay right where they are, in the fifth slot. They are looking for a point guard and Sebastian Telfair is one they're targeting. Telfair was scheduled to go to L.A. on Friday for a workout, along with Jameer Nelson.

The Clippers are also interested in Gordon and have discussed making a run at Minnesota's Troy Hudson, who is going to opt out this summer to become an unrestricted free agent. Coming off surgery to repair torn cartilage in his ankle, Hudson expects to field other offers from Phoenix, Atlanta and Utah, among other teams. Considering how old Sam Cassell has looked, the Timberwolves would do well to re-sign Hudson. But they did themselves no favors when they went public with their opinion that Hudson should have waited until after the season to have surgery. Fact is, he could hardly walk.

 

[elindholm]

If the lottery holds to form, Phoenix will get the No. 7 pick overall. The Suns would love to move up a few spots, presumably to take Ben Gordon to be their point guard of the future.

George O'Brien: "Don't you love New York papers? Gordon is not a proven point guard..."

Not only that, but it isn't possible for the Suns to "move up a few spots" in the lottery. The minimum number of spots they can move up (if they do move up) is four. Maybe we should refer this writer to George's latest article!

It's amazing how many people who follow the NBA still can't master how the lottery works. I'll bet most of the fans of teams in the #9-#14 range are thinking that maybe they can get lucky and move up a spot or two.

 

[PhxGametime]

He could've meant a trade? Gordon would be good value in Draft, a top rated PG but with Vujanic possibly coming aboard - unless Vujanic was part of trade to move up?

 

[slinslin]

Gordon would be a good pick. He will be a good player.

 

[elindholm]

He could've meant a trade?

Ah, that's true, he could have. The comment came immediately after, "If the lottery holds to form, Phoenix will get the No. 7 pick overall," so that implied to me that he was discussing the possibility of the Suns moving up in the lottery. But I might have been reading too much into it.

In any case, I think it is extremely unlikely that the Suns will make a trade in order to move up in this draft. I think it's much more likely that they will move down or trade away the pick altogether. Basically, it seems as though the players available when the Suns pick (even if they win the lottery) aren't likely to help as much as would the additional cap space plus whatever else is gained in a trade.

 

[Chaplin]

That article is idiotic.

So Barbosa is now pegged as a shooting guard and Ben Gordon pegged as the "point guard of the future". Huh? Am I missing something? Isn't Gordon more of a shooting guard as well?

Personally, I am vehemently against drafting a point guard (assuming we keep the pick)--there's no reason IF Vujanic comes over and we still have JJ. There are much bigger needs than that. But if the Clips want Gordon or Telfair, go right ahead, that just helps our need list more.

Kobe Bryant not on our wish list. Riiiiight.

 

[sly fly]

Gordon is one of those freaks.

I still can't figure out what position this guy is going to play in the NBA?

I know he can take most defenders off the dribble any time he wants. And, I know he hasn't ever met a shot he didn't like.

However, I'm not 100% sure this guy is going to end up being a PG in this league.

Definitely a scoring SG/PG in the same mold as Bobby Jackson/Gilbert Arenas.

 

[George O'Brien]

Gordon is one of those freaks.

I still can't figure out what position this guy is going to play in the NBA?

I know he can take most defenders off the dribble any time he wants. And, I know he hasn't ever met a shot he didn't like.

However, I'm not 100% sure this guy is going to end up being a PG in this league.

Definitely a scoring SG/PG in the same mold as Bobby Jackson/Gilbert Arenas.

It's really simple. If you are under 6'5", you must be a point guard. How many times did the Sixers try to turn Iverson into a point guard?

Next season, the Suns are expected to have three short guys under contract: Barbosa, Vujanic, and Eisely. All three have more experience at PG than Gordon.

 

[slinslin]

Gordon will be at worst a Jason Terry I think. Not a bad thing at all especially when you have Joe Johnson. That's the kind of big guard that Atlanta was looking for all the time.

 

[George O'Brien]

Gordon will be at worst a Jason Terry I think. Not a bad thing at all especially when you have Joe Johnson. That's the kind of big guard that Atlanta was looking for all the time.

Atlanta will take Dwight Howard.

 

[F-Dog]

Don't you love New York papers? Gordon is not a proven point guard, only the Clippers are likely to take him early and they are looking at other guys, and the Suns have never shown the slightest indication of being interested in Okur. Okur may be interested in Phoenix, but that's not the same thing.

I thought one of the AZ papers said that Okur was the Suns' second choice after Kobe...if so, that might qualify as a "slight indication".

Atlanta will take Dwight Howard.

You think Howard will still be there at #6?

 

[Joe Mama]

It's really simple. If you are under 6'5", you must be a point guard. How many times did the Sixers try to turn Iverson into a point guard?

Next season, the Suns are expected to have three short guys under contract: Barbosa, Vujanic, and Eisely. All three have more experience at PG than Gordon.

So what? I thought that Ben Gordon was a capable point guard that was forced to play shooting guard because of the other guys on that Connecticut team. I think he will be a good scoring point guard for some team.

Joe Mama

 

[Joe Mama]

That article is idiotic.

So Barbosa is now pegged as a shooting guard and Ben Gordon pegged as the "point guard of the future". Huh? Am I missing something? Isn't Gordon more of a shooting guard as well?

Personally, I am vehemently against drafting a point guard (assuming we keep the pick)--there's no reason IF Vujanic comes over and we still have JJ. There are much bigger needs than that. But if the Clips want Gordon or Telfair, go right ahead, that just helps our need list more.

Kobe Bryant not on our wish list. Riiiiight.

Perhaps the Suns are unimpressed with Vujanic. Perhaps they do not see him coming here next season. I disagree that Barbosa is a shooting guard. He's a point guard. He's just not very good at creating shots for his teammates at this point. He's a combo guard. He can do a lot of the ballhandling for the team, but you don't want to count on him to break down the opposing team's defense in the half quart set.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

So what? I thought that Ben Gordon was a capable point guard that was forced to play shooting guard because of the other guys on that Connecticut team. I think he will be a good scoring point guard for some team.

Joe Mama

Geez, how the heck did you come up with THAT? Seriously, Joe, are you an agent, because something smells really fishy... Between you and slinslin, we have 2 of the most expert basketball prognosticators in the world!

 

[George O'Brien]

Everyone says that Gordon is a good passer. That is not the same as describing him as an experienced point guard. Hinrich was not a point guard his last two years at Kansas, but played the position for a couple of years before.

Does that mean Gordon can't do it? Hardly. But it means have three guys learning how to be a point guard rather than just two. If you are going to convert a player who who had a lot of assists but didn't play point, you might as well try to do it with Iggy.

 

[Joe Mama]

Geez, how the heck did you come up with THAT? Seriously, Joe, are you an agent, because something smells really fishy... Between you and slinslin, we have 2 of the most expert basketball prognosticators in the world!

Yes, I am an agent for Ben Gordon and several other draft prospects. I figured the best way to pump up their value would be to hang out on a Phoenix Suns message board and make things up about them.

I'm not sure why you are singling out slin and I. I think it is because a good part of the time our ideas conflict with yours. I've read and heard so much crap about several of these players and I'm not sure where it got it anymore. I believe this stuff about Gordon being capable of playing point guard was talked about several times during the UConn basketball broadcasts on TV.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

I'm not sure why you are singling out slin and I. I think it is because a good part of the time our ideas conflict with yours.
Joe Mama

Don't flatter yourself. Why is it that people have to always make this personal?

 

[Joe Mama]

Don't flatter yourself. Why is it that people have to always make this personal?

You must be joking. Please tell me this is sarcasm. If not, take a second, read the post that I responded to, and then tell me who started making things personal first. Classic Chaplin.

Joe Mama