Now about the pf position. . .

[JCSunsfan]

Assuming that Gortat and Lopez will split time at Center, what pf fits best.

Frye: He actually looks pretty good at a pf spot. He can defend the position pretty well, at least he has done it in spurts. He does have a slashing game when he chooses to use it. He also can be a decent weak side shot blocker. His shooting spreads the floor.

Warrick: He is not as good an option as Frye because his shooting does not need to be respected like Frye's does. He is a great slasher, and a decent dive player on the pick and roll. But with Gortat, that is not as important anymore.

What we need: A player like Amare. Needs to hit the mid-range jumper with consistency, be explosive to the rim and (unlike Amare) play acceptible defense. We also need a player that can run the floor. The problem is that neither Frye nor Warrick do ALL of these things.

Suggestions?

 

[BC867]

Assuming that Gortat and Lopez will split time at Center, what pf fits best. ... Suggestions?

Unless we get an Amar'e-like PF, I do see Frye staying in the starting lineup (where I expect to see Gortat soon -- to be alongside the 3-point shooter PF). With Frye playing 23 feet from the basket on offense, we need the more sure-handed Gortat down low.

And with Lopez behind Gortat in having developed an offensive style, the dynamic scoring Warrick (who can ignite a crowd with his activity above the rim) would best fit alongside Lopez with sub's minutes.

I hope Gortat earns his way into the starting lineup very quickly.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Beasley would have been a nice pick up. Josh Smith would be great too.

 

[sunsfan88]

Funny how everyone says Frye has done a good job defending the PF position but yet all the PFs we have played recently has put up good numbers.

I think Frye should take his girly *** to the bench or go start for the PHX Mercury.

Gortat & Lopez should solve our problems of the others team big man always dominating us!

 

[AzStevenCal]

Funny how everyone says Frye has done a good job defending the PF position but yet all the PFs we have played recently has put up good numbers.

I think Frye should take his girly *** to the bench or go start for the PHX Mercury.

Gortat & Lopez should solve our problems of the others team big man always dominating us!

Lopez has looked a little better recently but Frye has played MUCH better than Robin so far this season. It makes sense to pick apart both these guys but it makes no sense to rip Frye in comparison to Lopez. Robin, IMO, has been an even bigger disappointment this season than Hedo was. And THAT is saying something.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Lopez has looked a little better recently but Frye has played MUCH better than Robin so far this season. It makes sense to pick apart both these guys but it makes no sense to rip Frye in comparison to Lopez. Robin, IMO, has been an even bigger disappointment this season than Hedo was. And THAT is saying something.

Steve

I wouldn't argue the point in bold other than to say at least Robin fills a need.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I wouldn't argue the point in bold other than to say at least Robin fills a need.

I wouldn't argue that point either unless you're excluding Frye when you say it. It does help this offense when Frye sets up at the 3 point line and oftentimes it pulls at least one big guy from down low. Regardless, my point isn't that we don't need Lopez, we do. However, we haven't "needed" the Lopez we've seen to date (for the most part).

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I wouldn't argue that point either unless you're excluding Frye when you say it. It does help this offense when Frye sets up at the 3 point line and oftentimes it pulls at least one big guy from down low. Regardless, my point isn't that we don't need Lopez, we do. However, we haven't "needed" the Lopez we've seen to date (for the most part).

Steve

I'm not one of the posters who fill the need to knock Frye. The Suns definitely need all their front line players to be a good team. Hopefully Gortat makes the Suns front line a whole lot tougher.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not one of the posters who fill the need to knock Frye. The Suns definitely need all their front line players to be a good team. Hopefully Gortat makes the Suns front line a whole lot tougher.

Yeah, Frye is far from perfect but we don't have the luxury of moving on without him. It would be nice if we could get a hold of someone like Javale Mcgee as Frye would be much less of a liability with that guy behind him. I do like the fact that Frye is obviously trying to fill whatever role the team wants of him, even when it exposes his weaknesses.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

I think we need a superstar type at pf and there is no point in picking up more journeyman types. Use picks, work trades, maybe the draft, but we really need to be looking for a top-level type pf.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah, Frye is far from perfect but we don't have the luxury of moving on without him. It would be nice if we could get a hold of someone like Javale Mcgee as Frye would be much less of a liability with that guy behind him. I do like the fact that Frye is obviously trying to fill whatever role the team wants of him, even when it exposes his weaknesses.

Steve

Although some Suns like to knock Frye, he was an excellent acquisition. I often like to compare Frye to TT because of his 3 point shooting except, like you say, Frye has worked hard to expand his role.

 

[sunsfan88]

Let Gortat work on his mid-range jumper and he can be the guy.

RoLo is already starting to knock down that 10-15 jump ft pretty consistently.

And Dragic needs french Frye more than Nash does.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Let Gortat work on his mid-range jumper and he can be the guy.

RoLo is already starting to knock down that 10-15 jump ft pretty consistently.

And Dragic needs french Frye more than Nash does.

Really? Just how many 15 foot jumpers has he made in his career? Five? Ten? It's a little premature to label his recent success from mid-range as "consistently" IMO. It's been good to see but I want to see how he does over more than just a game or two especially once the opposing teams start to respect his shot.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

Really? Just how many 15 foot jumpers has he made in his career? Five? Ten? It's a little premature to label his recent success from mid-range as "consistently" IMO. It's been good to see but I want to see how he does over more than just a game or two especially once the opposing teams start to respect his shot.

Steve

Maybe consistently isn't the right word yet but yea the past two games he hasn't missed when he takes the jumpers.

If he can continue doing that, and Gortat can be a good pick & roll player for Nash, I don't see why they can't both start together.

Frye is like a SF. Yea people respect his 3, just like people respect Dragic, Pietrus and Dudley's 3pt shooting.

Does that mean we should just go with a lineup of Nash, Dragic, Carter, Pietrus and Dudley?

 

[sunsfan88]

Lopez has looked a little better recently but Frye has played MUCH better than Robin so far this season. It makes sense to pick apart both these guys but it makes no sense to rip Frye in comparison to Lopez. Robin, IMO, has been an even bigger disappointment this season than Hedo was. And THAT is saying something.

Steve

Maybe because of his injury but at least he helps us defensively and provides a presence in the paint which we haven't had this WHOLE season.

Frye gives us another 3pt shooter....yay. Its not like we have a lot of 3pt shooters right?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Maybe because of his injury but at least he helps us defensively and provides a presence in the paint which we haven't had this WHOLE season.

Frye gives us another 3pt shooter....yay. Its not like we have a lot of 3pt shooters right?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if Frye was a true big, playing down low like a Tim Duncan. But, it ain't never gonna happen, not never, no way. He is what he is, but, he does have value inside this offense.

When you put a 6-5 guy out at the 3 point line the opponents close out with a similar sized guy and oftentimes that closeout will take away the shot. That happens much less when you have a 3 point shooter that's 6-10. Unfortunately, Frye loses his confidence and subsequently his shot way too easily. I don't blame Frye for the problems this causes us, I blame the coaching staff for not sitting him when his shot isn't falling.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if Frye was a true big, playing down low like a Tim Duncan. But, it ain't never gonna happen, not never, no way. He is what he is, but, he does have value inside this offense.

When you put a 6-5 guy out at the 3 point line the opponents close out with a similar sized guy and oftentimes that closeout will take away the shot. That happens much less when you have a 3 point shooter that's 6-10. Unfortunately, Frye loses his confidence and subsequently his shot way too easily. I don't blame Frye for the problems this causes us, I blame the coaching staff for not sitting him when his shot isn't falling.

Steve

I understand what your saying but considering our struggles, I just don't think we should give up size just so we can put another 3pt shooter on the floor.

Check out this article. I like Gentry's idea of maybe playing all 3 of them together but I am glad he's considering starting them both.

http://arizona.sbnation.com/2010/12...-robin-lopez-create-the-great-wall-of-phoenix

 

[AzStevenCal]

I understand what your saying but considering our struggles, I just don't think we should give up size just so we can put another 3pt shooter on the floor.

Check out this article. I like Gentry's idea of maybe playing all 3 of them together but I am glad he's considering starting them both.

http://arizona.sbnation.com/2010/12...-robin-lopez-create-the-great-wall-of-phoenix

I'm sure he'll try a few different combinations with those guys but I doubt we'll see much of them on the court together, at least not until they put together an offense that isn't designed around Nash. Even then, I don't see it working unless one of them can really play the PF and I don't think that will ever be Robin. I'm anxious to see what Gortat can do. I've heard some incredibly positive things about him along with a couple of real concerns. Time will tell.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

I'm sure he'll try a few different combinations with those guys but I doubt we'll see much of them on the court together, at least not until they put together an offense that isn't designed around Nash. Even then, I don't see it working unless one of them can really play the PF and I don't think that will ever be Robin. I'm anxious to see what Gortat can do. I've heard some incredibly positive things about him along with a couple of real concerns. Time will tell.

Steve

Yea Lopez isn't quick enough to be a PF but I think Gortat is.

Anyway like you said, we'll wait & see.

 

[elindholm]

Really? Just how many 15 foot jumpers has he (Lopez) made in his career? Five? Ten?

Many more than that, I'm sure. It really is an effective weapon for him. It should not come as a big surprise, since he is a fairly good free-throw shooter by big man standards (71% career).

I'm reminded of the Barkley days when the Suns were desperate for a center who could hit that shot, because they needed to create room for Barkley to operate. The best was Joe Kleine, but he still made fewer than half, I'd guess. They also tried Danny Schayes and he wasn't any better. Of course, with no true PF on the current Suns team, Lopez's ability to hit a straight-on 16-footer doesn't pay the same rewards, but who knows who the next surprising acquisition will be.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Many more than that, I'm sure. It really is an effective weapon for him. It should not come as a big surprise, since he is a fairly good free-throw shooter by big man standards (71% career).

I'm reminded of the Barkley days when the Suns were desperate for a center who could hit that shot, because they needed to create room for Barkley to operate. The best was Joe Kleine, but he still made fewer than half, I'd guess. They also tried Danny Schayes and he wasn't any better. Of course, with no true PF on the current Suns team, Lopez's ability to hit a straight-on 16-footer doesn't pay the same rewards, but who knows who the next surprising acquisition will be.

Really? We'll see about that. I'm going to go back and watch every game that Lopez has played in the NBA and count the baskets he's made from 15 feet and we'll just see who's right. Actually, now that I think about it, that sounds like a lot of work. Maybe I'll just concede. Still, I can't remember him making all that many shots from that far out until the last two games. Prior to that I thought his range was pretty consistently inside of 12 feet.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

I understand what your saying but considering our struggles, I just don't think we should give up size just so we can put another 3pt shooter on the floor.

Check out this article. I like Gentry's idea of maybe playing all 3 of them together but I am glad he's considering starting them both.

http://arizona.sbnation.com/2010/12...-robin-lopez-create-the-great-wall-of-phoenix

hmmm. In certain situations it could work, especially against bigger slower pfs like boozer and Love. Could Grant Hill play the 2 in those situations?

 

[sunsfan88]

hmmm. In certain situations it could work, especially against bigger slower pfs like boozer and Love. Could Grant Hill play the 2 in those situations?

I'd assume Hill isn't in the game because everyone else would be strict 3pt shooters so Nash & Carter would be the two wings.

I just noticed today that the Timberwolves start Beasley as the SF, Millic as their C and Love as their PF. NO WONDER THEY LEAD THE NBA IN REBOUNDS!

But unlike Beasley, Frye is a good 3pt threat which can help us if he were to play SF.

 

[overseascardfan]

I think PHX will do another trade before the deadline with their target being a PF. Many on the board are throwing out names like Smith, Landry, Thompson. If they do not end up with any of those guys, then the 2011 NBA draft has some intriguing bigs such as: PF Tristan Thompson, Perry Jones, PF Trey Thompkins, PF/C Enes Kanter, PF/C Jared Sullinger etc. So they do have options.

 

[jagu]

I think PHX will do another trade before the deadline with their target being a PF. Many on the board are throwing out names like Smith, Landry, Thompson. If they do not end up with any of those guys, then the 2011 NBA draft has some intriguing bigs such as: PF Tristan Thompson, Perry Jones, PF Trey Thompkins, PF/C Enes Kanter, PF/C Jared Sullinger etc. So they do have options.

Thompson would be great, but what will we give up for him?