Pacers @ Suns Saturday game thread 1-22-22

[JCSunsfan]

I would love to keep Biz for awhile. He is a seamless fit in the Suns offense. Also his personality fits as well.

It's sort of crazy, the team that was in always in need of a center has multiple. I just want to collect them all because it allows the Suns to play smaller, more versatile players at other positions.

The Suns may be awakening a new era of the center.

Got to give James Jones credit. We needed a pg for ages before he came. He went and got CP3. We needed big men. He gets McGee and Biz. He always seems to find a guy.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If he does, I would bring him off the bench for a game or two. Just so as not to jolt the chemistry.

That's the kind of move that seems likely to create turmoil, what's your reasoning? He's only been out the last 3 games (this time) so I don't see how chemistry is in jeopardy? Ask yourself, if Booker missed 3 games and we won them all would we bench him on his return? How about CP3?

 

[JCSunsfan]

Biyombo is in better shape than a lot of guys... much, much better shape.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

I am really really liking Boyimbo, not only as a player but as a person. I knew of him before, but not what he is like as a person. I hope we can keep him long term.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am really really liking Boyimbo, not only as a player but as a person. I knew of him before, but not what he is like as a person. I hope we can keep him long term.

I'm not sure how to put it but Ayton might want to return soon.

Biz looks like the player we want Ayton to be.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not sure how to put it but Ayton might want to return soon.

Biz looks like the player we want Ayton to be.

I think he's a terrific addition to this team but he's done this before, started out gangbusters and quickly came back down to earth. For his career, he's a pretty good backup center. Playing with CP3 will help his weakest area (offense) but if we're expecting stardom out of this guy nightly, I think we're going to be disappointed.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think he's a terrific addition to this team but he's done this before, started out gangbusters and quickly came back down to earth. For his career, he's a pretty good backup center. Playing with CP3 will help his weakest area (offense) but if we're expecting stardom out of this guy nightly, I think we're going to be disappointed.

The Suns can make centers look really good on this team. If I were Ayton I would be thinking about it going into free agency.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The Suns can make centers look really good on this team. If I were Ayton I would be thinking about it going into free agency.

Book is getting better at feeding the center but I think it's mostly the CP3 impact which goes away when he does. But no amount of player growth is going to turn Biyombo into an offensive force once he's no long playing with Paul but that's not necessarily true of Ayton. He has some real offensive skills. IOW, I think his financial future is set even if we were short-sighted enough to think we could replace him in the long run with the likes of Javale and Bismack.

 

[Mainstreet]

Book is getting better at feeding the center but I think it's mostly the CP3 impact which goes away when he does. But no amount of player growth is going to turn Biyombo into an offensive force once he's no long playing with Paul but that's not necessarily true of Ayton. He has some real offensive skills. IOW, I think his financial future is set even if we were short-sighted enough to think we could replace him in the long run with the likes of Javale and Bismack.

I've been a supporter of paying Ayton the max. This hasn't changed but I'm also aware of the flip side of the coin.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Mainstreet]

Heh! I was just thinking about how nice it would be to get Goran back as a backup. I think he wants to go to Dallas to reunite with Luka and Igor, but I do wonder if the ring is more appealing.

Every once in a while my mind wanders there as well even though I know it's highly unlikely to happen.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Every once in a while my mind wanders there as well even though I know it's highly unlikely to happen.

Goran left in such poor fashion. I guess maybe I am one of the few who are still bothered by that.

I guess he tried to make up

 

[Phrazbit]

Goran left in such poor fashion. I guess maybe I am one of the few who are still bothered by that.

I guess he tried to make up

Oh no, I am with you. I would be rather revolted if he ever played for us again. Few players have screwed the Suns over like he did.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Oh no, I am with you. I would be rather revolted if he ever played for us again. Few players have screwed the Suns over like he did.

Yup. He is right there with Bledsoe and Markieff IMO. After he got what he wanted he said " I really didn't mean it."

 

[Phrazbit]

Yup. He is right there with Bledsoe and Markieff IMO. After he got what he wanted he said " I really didn't mean it."

Yep, McDyess has long been loathed for screwing the Suns... but all he did was intimate that he wanted to stay and then went and signed with Denver, while Dragic basically demanded that we break up a team that was going to make the playoffs because he was too selfish to play off the ball... we did exactly what he asked and then he decided... "nah, not only do I not care that you just wrecked this team but I also am only willing to be traded to LA, NYC or Miami".

All he cared about was being in a bigger market. We gave up Thomas, for next to nothing, while Thomas was playing at an all star level because Dragic was bummed out that Thomas was doing the same role better, then we compounded the disaster by giving up assets for Knight to try to salvage something out of Dragic's reversal.

**** him. I never want to see Dragic play here again.

 

[Mainstreet]

Goran left in such poor fashion. I guess maybe I am one of the few who are still bothered by that.

I guess he tried to make up

For the record, this was the second stop for Dragic with the Suns. They had previously traded him to Houston for Aaron Brooks.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yep, McDyess has long been loathed for screwing the Suns... but all he did was intimate that he wanted to stay and then went and signed with Denver, while Dragic basically demanded that we break up a team that was going to make the playoffs because he was too selfish to play off the ball... we did exactly what he asked and then he decided... "nah, not only do I not care that you just wrecked this team but I also am only willing to be traded to LA, NYC or Miami".

All he cared about was being in a bigger market. We gave up Thomas, for next to nothing, while Thomas was playing at an all star level because Dragic was bummed out that Thomas was doing the same role better, then we compounded the disaster by giving up assets for Knight to try to salvage something out of Dragic's reversal.

**** him. I never want to see Dragic play here again.

I remember McDyess signed with the Nuggets in free agency and the Suns received nothing in return after trading a boatload to get him.

McDyess and Jason Kidd were supposed to be the Suns future.

Talk about loyalty.

 

[AzStevenCal]

For the record, this was the second stop for Dragic with the Suns. They had previously traded him to Houston for Aaron Brooks.

Yes, he'd just had a breakthrough season capped off by his playoff performance. Then, after re-signing Nash, Goran played half-heartedly until we gave up and traded him to Houston. He'd lowered his value enough that we had to include a first round pick just to get Aaron Brooks to replace him.

I don't think Dragic is a bad guy but he's burned us twice and even if we share some blame for the second time he burned us we'd be fools to give him another opportunity. And although he retracted his statement, lying on his way out the door the last time still sits poorly with me. Besides, he's almost 36 with too much year around basketball on those legs to have much left.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I remember McDyess signed with the Nuggets in free agency and the Suns received nothing in return after trading a boatload to get him.

McDyess and Jason Kidd were supposed to be the Suns future.

Talk about loyalty.

I blame it on sports talk radio and internet message boards. McDyess had no idea how to play the game and for the first half of the season Ainge would pull him frequently in an effort to teach him how to play the game (without getting into foul trouble) and idiot fans started calling the talk shows complaining about why him not getting enough minutes.

Before you knew it, some local media hacks ran with it and started accusing the Suns of disrespecting him (or keeping his minutes down so we could re-sign him cheaper) and after being asked about it a few million times I guess he started to believe it. It didn't matter that he progressed so well that he he trailed only Kidd in minutes played during the second half of the season, the damage had been done.

At least, that's my version of what happened the first time we lost McDyess. And adding to that there was also the impact of the lockout and the crap that John Lucas and Dan Issel pulled.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yes, he'd just had a breakthrough season capped off by his playoff performance. Then, after re-signing Nash, Goran played half-heartedly until we gave up and traded him to Houston. He'd lowered his value enough that we had to include a first round pick just to get Aaron Brooks to replace him.

I don't think Dragic is a bad guy but he's burned us twice and even if we share some blame for the second time he burned us we'd be fools to give him another opportunity. And although he retracted his statement, lying on his way out the door the last time still sits poorly with me. Besides, he's almost 36 with too much year around basketball on those legs to have much left.

I'm just reminiscing with my old friends. Dragic is not on my radar but I think the Suns had a role in his leaving for Miami.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm just reminiscing with my old friends. Dragic is not on my radar but I think the Suns had a role in his leaving for Miami.

A small one, that's what I was referring too when I said we shared some of the blame.

In truth (or maybe my opinion of the truth), it was a contract year and Goran believed his financial future depended on having PG next to his name. We were just starting to play great basketball when things fell apart with him (leading to the locker room tussle with Isaiah followed by the "trade me" demand) and it was mostly jealousy on his part because of how well Thomas was playing.

 

[Mainstreet]

I blame it on sports talk radio and internet message boards. McDyess had no idea how to play the game and for the first half of the season Ainge would pull him frequently in an effort to teach him how to play the game (without getting into foul trouble) and idiot fans started calling the talk shows complaining about why him not getting enough minutes.

Before you knew it, some local media hacks ran with it and started accusing the Suns of disrespecting him (or keeping his minutes down so we could re-sign him cheaper) and after being asked about it a few million times I guess he started to believe it. It didn't matter that he progressed so well that he he trailed only Kidd in minutes played during the second half of the season, the damage had been done.

At least, that's my version of what happened the first time we lost McDyess. And adding to that there was also the impact of the lockout and the crap that John Lucas and Dan Issel pulled.

Yeah, I'm not going through all the stories about McDyess ending up in Denver in free agency. There was a lot said and written about it. At least the Suns got something in return for Dragic.

Of course Tom Gugliotta was signed to replace McDyess but that's a another story which eventually leads up to the sell of the Suns by Jerry Colangelo.

 

[Mainstreet]

A small one, that's what I was referring too when I said we shared some of the blame.

In truth (or maybe my opinion of the truth), it was a contract year and Goran believed his financial future depended on having PG next to his name. We were just starting to play great basketball when things fell apart with him (leading to the locker room tussle with Isaiah followed by the "trade me" demand) and it was mostly jealousy on his part because of how well Thomas was playing.

It was messy.

I thought McDonough's acquisition of IT on the cheap was brilliant but I don't think think he understood the feelings of players as evidenced by the exit of Dragic, IT and Bledsoe under less than favorable circumstances.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It was messy.

I thought McDonough's acquisition of IT on the cheap was brilliant but I don't think think he understood the feelings of players as evidenced by the exit of Dragic, IT and Bledsoe under less than favorable circumstances.

IT was not the best locker room guy.

 

[Mainstreet]

IT was not the best locker room guy.

He didn't get much of a chance in Phoenix.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He didn't get much of a chance in Phoenix.

He got busy disrupting things very quickly.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He got busy disrupting things very quickly.

Did he? Do you have some examples? I know I heard a completely different version of what went down than this idea that Thomas was the disruptive force. I posted it a few minutes ago and then deleted it because it's back room stuff. It placed almost all the blame on Dragic.

Granted, the story came from someone that was friends with the Twins but I found it credible. And I know Thomas also clashed in Sacramento but that was mostly with the legend-in-his-own-mind Cousins.