Suns among teams interested in Eric Gordon

[SirStefan32]

Yeah, but he won some contest and they pay for him to travel with the team to games. I have seen him courtside at Hornets games many times.

Well, I understand that. He has become somewhat of a team mascot over the last two or three years, but I am fairly sure he doesn't have any kind of "inside information."

 

[HooverDam]

I was OK with the idea of Gordon if Nash was going to stay, or if the Suns were going to make other interesting/aggressive moves to try to stay good right away.

Obviously neither of those things are going to happen, so why pay for him? Just spend as little money as you can on short contracts and keep stockpiling draft picks for the next few years. It sucks, but there's not much else that the Suns can do it seems.

What good does signing Gordon do the Suns now? With Gordon and Gortat the Suns would remind me of those mediocre "G Unit" D'backs teams of Glause, Gonzo and Green...heck maybe they could even revive the moniker.

Plus I don't know why Gordon would want to leave NO now. Playing with Davis should be fun, and if Rivers can indeed become a PG (big if), thats a heck of a trio to build around.

 

[sunsfan88]

The Suns have $23 million in salary-cap space but are trying to retain space for other pursuits, which appears to include a large offer to restricted free agent Eric Gordon. New Orleans traded Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza this week to create more salary-cap space, and new owner Tom Benson is expected to want to match an offer for the shooting guard. Gordon could command at least $12 million annually.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/articles/20120629steve-nashs-career-pheonix-suns-nears-its-end.html#ixzz1zFTwT4cG

I hope the Suns are at his door step on July 1st 12:01 AM if they want him in Phoenix.

 

[sunsfan88]

I live in New Orleans. This is not happening. Williams has this crazy idea that he can turn Rivers into a PG. They're gonna pay Gordon even if it's a max deal.

Actually the idea is even crazier...he thinks he can turn Gordon into a PG!

http://videos.nola.com/times-picayune/2012/06/new_orleans_hornets_coach_mont_93.html

That's one of the reasons I can see Gordon leaving if he wants to play his true position while not having to deal with any ball hogs.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I was OK with the idea of Gordon if Nash was going to stay, or if the Suns were going to make other interesting/aggressive moves to try to stay good right away.

Obviously neither of those things are going to happen, so why pay for him? Just spend as little money as you can on short contracts and keep stockpiling draft picks for the next few years. It sucks, but there's not much else that the Suns can do it seems.

What good does signing Gordon do the Suns now? With Gordon and Gortat the Suns would remind me of those mediocre "G Unit" D'backs teams of Glause, Gonzo and Green...heck maybe they could even revive the moniker.

Plus I don't know why Gordon would want to leave NO now. Playing with Davis should be fun, and if Rivers can indeed become a PG (big if), thats a heck of a trio to build around.

This. Paying Gordon the max would be the height of stupidity. He's definitely not worth it.

Regardless, why the hell would Gordon want to come here? To play with Channing and the *****? He actually has some talent to build around in NO.

 

[sunsfan88]

They're gonna pay Gordon even if it's a max deal.

You still offer Gordon the max just to hinder NO in the future, hey are in the WC...So what they match...make them do it, do not let them off of the hook, call their bluff. Either way, we get Gordon at "overpaid" price (we need a bandaid who cares the cost) or they get Gordon at max playing with Rivers....... That is trouble for them

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[Folster]

https://twitter.com/#!/Chris_Broussard

Chris Broussard ‏@Chris_Broussard Gordon, the New Orleans Hornets' restricted free agent, is seeking a max, 4-year, $58 million deal, sources say.

Sounds reasonable. Easy for NOLA to match.

 

[TJ]

Broussard tweet - Gordon is visiting PHX next week amongst others:

Chris Broussard ‏@Chris_Broussard Eric Gordon will visit Indiana Sunday, Houston Monday & Phoenix Tuesday. He will also meet with Portland & perhaps Charlotte & Dallas.

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[JS22]

If the Suns can bring Nash back and pair him with Gordon it'd be interesting. The Suns have been lacking a true scorer and Gordon would definitely fit the role. If they can slightly upgrade the PF spot (Illyasova?) I think they'd at least be able to make another run.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Hmm. 4 years isn't as big of a risk. i would be ok with a big contract for Gordon. He can score with the best and he plays d. He's and injury risk yes, but he does not have degenerative knees like Amare. We still would have money to sign someone else.

If we get an early pick in the draft, we would be happy to get a player as productive as Gordon.

Not married to the idea, but not opposed.

Cant see how NOLA wont match though.

 

[TJ]

Hmm. 4 years isn't as big of a risk. i would be ok with a big contract for Gordon. He can score with the best and he plays d. He's and injury risk yes, but he does not have degenerative knees like Amare. We still would have money to sign someone else.

If we get an early pick in the draft, we would be happy to get a player as productive as Gordon.

Not married to the idea, but not opposed.

Cant see how NOLA wont match though.

I would love to have Gordon on this team. Guy is a flat our scorer. The only reason he was traded from the Clippers last season was to get Paul. There were many Clips fans who bemoaned the deal because they had to get rid of Gordon, but in order to become relevant, the team needed a familiar name. The deal was less about talent than it was about building a brand.

With the free agent market the way it is and his talent, he is worth a max contract, IMO. He just doesn't get the recognition he deserves because he has never played on a winning team with any notoriety. He is excellent from the perimeter. He's also not a liability on defense. In the past, Gordon is almost always assigned to guard the team's best perimeter player, one-on-one. Good for a team who regularly plays against Chris Paul, Kobe, Westbrook, Parker, etc.

In addition, he's only 23 years old. It's not like the money would go to a has been like we're accustomed to. For a player who is going to give more than 20 ppg from the 2 guard spot, I would do the deal in a heartbeat. The problem is New Orleans will most likely match any proposed deal.

 

[JerkFace]

Tweet:

Sam Amick ‏@sam_amick

Not to spoil the fun for suitors of restricted free agent Eric Gordon, but source says N. Orleans will match max offer if he gets one.

 

[Folster]

Tweet:

Sam Amick ‏@sam_amick

Not to spoil the fun for suitors of restricted free agent Eric Gordon, but source says N. Orleans will match max offer if he gets one.

Yeah, we're wasting our time with him. Even if we manage to sign him out of the ten or so teams that are vying for him, New Orleans will just match.

 

[MakeItNashty]

Broussard tweet - Gordon is visiting PHX next week amongst others:

Suns are worse than all those teams imo. Maybe the Bobcats but even them with Kemba and MKG seem to be legit.

Rockets are interesting cause they just drafted Jeremy Lamb and they have tendered Courtney Lee. They would have a huge log jam at the wing positions and they already have a log jam at in the front court.

Hopefully we can pry Gordon away from the Hornets....there is speculation that they won't offer him the max so if we up our offer then who knows....

 

[Griffin]

I think this is just the Suns trying to appear as if they are active pursuing top tier free agents when in fact they very well know they have no chance at all at signing him.

There are several teams with enough cap space to give him as much as Phoenix, and Suns aren't likely to be the highest bidders. There is no reason at all why Gordon should pick Phoenix over those teams if Nash is gone. There will be no opportunity for him to win now, or to win later, as Phoenix won't have any other stars or even potential stars to build around.

And if the Suns did somehow manage to get Gordon to sign his name on that offer sheet (and I can't imagine what that would take) NO will likely just match that offer and keep him.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think this is just the Suns trying to appear as if they are active pursuing top tier free agents when in fact they very well know they have no chance at all at signing him.

There are several teams with enough cap space to give him as much as Phoenix, and Suns aren't likely to be the highest bidders. There is no reason at all why Gordon should pick Phoenix over those teams if Nash is gone. There will be no opportunity for him to win now, or to win later, as Phoenix won't have any other stars or even potential stars to build around.

And if the Suns did somehow manage to get Gordon to sign his name on that offer sheet (and I can't imagine what that would take) NO will likely just match that offer and keep him.

Agree. I hope the Suns don't keep their FA money tied up while other players slip away.

 

[carey]

I would love to have Gordon on this team. Guy is a flat our scorer. The only reason he was traded from the Clippers last season was to get Paul. There were many Clips fans who bemoaned the deal because they had to get rid of Gordon, but in order to become relevant, the team needed a familiar name. The deal was less about talent than it was about building a brand.

Uh, whut? Whenever you can trade an undersized oft-injured shooting guard for one of the best 2-way PGs in the game you do it immediately. Any Clipper fan that bemoaned that deal is dumb as a rock.

 

[TJ]

Uh, whut? Whenever you can trade an undersized oft-injured shooting guard for one of the best 2-way PGs in the game you do it immediately. Any Clipper fan that bemoaned that deal is dumb as a rock.

For the most part I agree, but the motivating factor of the deal was to attempt to gain relevancy in the league and get out of the Lakers' shadow once and for all. The Lakers tried to get the same player but obviously did not need the recognition the Clippers needed for sustainability. The team sold out the season hours after it acquired Paul, but all indications here were that the Clips were unwilling to let go of Gordon at first and it almost cost them the deal entirely. The point is Gordon is one of those talented players who has been penalized for playing for some of the bottom feeders of the NBA. He does not get the recognition he deserves.

Obviously, I'd rather have CP3, but Gordon is way underrated, IMO.

 

[JS22]

Yeah, we're wasting our time with him. Even if we manage to sign him out of the ten or so teams that are vying for him, New Orleans will just match.

The suspicious side of me thinks that this is exactly why PHX would go after him.

"Welp, we tried. But NO matched."

Great way to look like you're willing to spend without actually doing so.

 

[devilalum]

"Welp, we tried. But NO matched."

IMO that will increase season ticket sales 0%.

 

[sunsfan88]

I pity the team that pays Gordon max money, he is certainly not a max player. If he's you're third best player, fine, but he sure as hell isn't a top 2 player on a team, and max money is just insane.

Luckily he is restricted, so even if we do something stupid, the Hornets can follow it with something even more stupid.

Sinking big money in players who wouldnt even make this team a playoff lock seems like the worst thing we could possibly do.

Gordon is not a center piece player. And if they pay him big cash they wont be able to sign a legit franchise player should one become available, and they also will probably be a 30-40 win team which would preclude them from having a decent shot to land one in the draft.

Take a page out of Sam Presi's book. Dump your big contracts, dont sign any new big contracts, load up on picks, even late round ones. It will mean some lean years, but the fans are more likely to support a young and (hopefully) exciting 20 win team than an old and expensive 30 win team.

You guys still feel the same way?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

You guys still feel the same way?

Uh, yes. What has changed? Has he suddenly grown 4 inches and stopped being injury prone?

 

[sunsfan88]

I said he's not a good rebounder, he's an average playmaker and he's a liability at 6'3 on defense...

Jerry Colangelo: Eric (Gordon) is just a pit bull on the defensive end.

Eric Gordon the Defender

I'm more excited by Eric Gordon, the defender, than I am by Eric Gordon, the scorer. This was, a year ago, a chillingly strong individual defensive player on the perimeter.


Gordon's strongest aspect of isolation defense was his hands. Opponents turned the ball over to Gordon on almost 25% of the 97 instances that he was isolated defensively. Gordon's a gambler in this sense, but in a very different fashion than we've been accustomed to. Where Chris Paul gambled for steals at the expense of penetration, Eric Gordon very rarely swiped unless he was completely set in front of an offensive player and able to react laterally if he missed. His gambling came more in the form of personal fouls; while his overall foul count (2.3 pf/36 minutes) was tiny, the majority of his more egregious fouls came in this setting. Ultimately, Gordon's rate of a foul and a half per steal was a tradeoff worth making, even if it's worth keeping an eye on in late shot clock situations going forward.


As with everything defensive, it all starts with foot speed, evident here against the Suns' Steve Nash.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MblJhxUkICA&feature=player_embedded


He shifts Nash towards one side, presumably the one from which help is scheduled to arrive, but even when it doesn't, he's easily able to keep Nash away from the rim.


Follow that up with one my favorite defensive sequences by any player ever:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG-9sDHfqgw&feature=player_embedded



When he was healthy last season, Gordon routinely matched up against the best opposing perimeter players - Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Martin, Monta Ellis, and so forth. Gordon was as close to becoming a lockdown, first choice perimeter defender last season as he was a top-level scoring option. In isolation situations, opponents shot 15 for 60 (25%) and in spot-up scenarios, they shot 47-161 (29%).


And that's what makes the 2012-2014 New Orleans Hornets so damn intriguing defensively if they can land a game changing big in the draft. In Gordon and Trevor Ariza, the Hornets potentially have two lock-down perimeter defenders in the starting lineup. If they can pair Emeka Okafor with a strong defensive presence this summer? That currently impossible looking jump to +6 suddenly becomes a lot more realistic. Jarrett Jack, sizable enough to be switched off regularly, can easily be hidden in the presence of two elite isolation defenders.


Eric Gordon the defender is equally as valuable as Eric Gordon the scorer; for players seeking max deals coming off rookie contracts, it's a rare trait.

http://www.atthehive.com/2012/1/25/2731871/eric-gordon-hornets-extension

^^That's actually a really good read for anyone interested in learning more about Eric Gordon's game. There's more to it but I didn't wanna post the whole thing.

 

[Phrazbit]

You guys still feel the same way?

Yes, I absolutely feel the same way. The Suns current moves place them another 4 years away from even attempting to construct a legit contender.

They are blowing a lot of money to construct a 30 win team.

 

[SweetD]

Looks like we pulled out everything on Gordon's visit. "The Cornerstone"

http://www.nba.com/suns/video/suns-recruit-eric-gordon