Suns among teams interested in Eric Gordon

[95pro]

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

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

haha they had a little number escort him around, that one in the dress.

was pretty cool to watch that, i think he sounds genuinly interested in coming here and being the #1 guy.

 

[devilalum]

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

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

I hope they put the same thought and effort into getting the Hornets cooperation. Otherwise this was a huge waste of time.

 

[Phrazbit]

A day left and still not a peep about a potential sign and trade?

Either the Suns and Hornets have the most tight lipped offices in the NBA or the Hornets are not bothering to negotiate and them matching is a done deal. Hope its the latter.

 

[Superbone]

The Hornets have repeatedly said they're matching.

 

[jlove]

A day left and still not a peep about a potential sign and trade?

Either the Suns and Hornets have the most tight lipped offices in the NBA or the Hornets are not bothering to negotiate and them matching is a done deal. Hope its the latter.

I'm still not sure the Hornets match the offer sheet. I read an article today that talked about Gordon and what the Suns and Hornets could do. It stated that if NO matches, they will be at the tax threshold by their "chiny, chin, chins", and they will only have 9 players under contract. A VERY thin team with those 9, and would only have the mins to get at least 3 more players under contract. So, I don't think they'd be smart to match and have to field a very thin team. If they don't match, then the Suns have to renounce Lopez QO or have to amnesty Chilly or Warrick to have the extra $2.15 mil to sign Gordon to that contract in the first place. If they work out a S&T, then as long as the Suns trade out $2.15 mil to NO, then they can sign everybody tomorrow.

So, my guess is they don't match. Either the Suns sign Gordon to the offer sheet and NO declines the match or they work a S&T for Marshall/Morris and picks.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm still not sure the Hornets match the offer sheet. I read an article today that talked about Gordon and what the Suns and Hornets could do. It stated that if NO matches, they will be at the tax threshold by their "chiny, chin, chins", and they will only have 9 players under contract. A VERY thin team with those 9, and would only have the mins to get at least 3 more players under contract. So, I don't think they'd be smart to match and have to field a very thin team. If they don't match, then the Suns have to renounce Lopez QO or have to amnesty Chilly or Warrick to have the extra $2.15 mil to sign Gordon to that contract in the first place. If they work out a S&T, then as long as the Suns trade out $2.15 mil to NO, then they can sign everybody tomorrow.

So, my guess is they don't match. Either the Suns sign Gordon to the offer sheet and NO declines the match or they work a S&T for Marshall/Morris and picks.

I agree. Matching doesn't make a lot of sense for the Hornets other than it will be like getting nothing from the Chris Paul trade. Is it more important to save face or have flexibility? Not to mention the PR disaster that could happen if Gordon stays in NO.

I think our best bet is to do a S&T. It gets the Hornets probably at least another draft pick and maybe a young player, and it clears some cap room for us. Seems like the best of the scenarios for both teams.

 

[mojorizen7]

The Hornets have repeatedly said they're matching.

Yep,but i'm sure they're frantically exploring all options possible for a S&T that makes sense right now.

I happen to think they'll get a deal done somewhere. Gordon tried really hard to burn that bridge with his comments last week.

 

[Superbone]

I'm taking what the Hornets say at face value but maybe you guys are right. We'll find out by this weekend.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Its funny, you go to Hornets message boards and they think that Demps walks on water. I don't understand that. Wasn't Demps the guy who had to be overruled by the league office to save them from one of the worst rip off trades in history (Lakers Christ Paul trade). They would be in salary cap hell right now if that thing had gone through.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I agree. Matching doesn't make a lot of sense for the Hornets other than it will be like getting nothing from the Chris Paul trade. Is it more important to save face or have flexibility? Not to mention the PR disaster that could happen if Gordon stays in NO.

i will be really surprised if there's a PR "disaster" in NO. This won't be the first time a team matches an RFA contract for a guy who wants to go elsewhere. He'll be butthurt for a little while, but we've seen nothing from him in the past to indicate he's a malcontent and I'd expect him to play ball once the whistle blows.

I think our best bet is to do a S&T. It gets the Hornets probably at least another draft pick and maybe a young player, and it clears some cap room for us. Seems like the best of the scenarios for both teams.

i just don't see how this is a good scenario for NO when they can keep him, get him playing alongside a couple other talented kids, hope he changes his mind and if he doesn't, then they're able to trade him when they don't have a barrel pointed at their head like they do know.

 

[Phrazbit]

i will be really surprised if there's a PR "disaster" in NO. This won't be the first time a team matches an RFA contract for a guy who wants to go elsewhere. He'll be butthurt for a little while, but we've seen nothing from him in the past to indicate he's a malcontent and I'd expect him to play ball once the whistle blows.



i just don't see how this is a good scenario for NO when they can keep him, get him playing alongside a couple other talented kids, hope he changes his mind and if he doesn't, then they're able to trade him when they don't have a barrel pointed at their head like they do know.

I hope New Orleans keeps him, but if I'm them and I could get a package like the Lakers 2015 1st, a Suns 1st with declining protections (something like lotto in 2013, top 8 in 2014, top 3 in 2015) and Morris or Marshall... I'd be all over it, and I think the Suns would take a risk and agree.

Gordon on a max deal is a huge risk, if he does not get significantly more durable then he will have the least desirable contract in the NBA, and that ignores him being a potential malcontent. Its not like New Orleans is going to contend for anything in the couple years anyway. They should keep stocking piling young guys and picks and retain their flexibility. Also, I dont see the Rivers/Gordon combo being harmonious. They both appears to have sensitive and large egos and play overlapping positions.

I hope the reason for the holdup is because Babby is unwilling to part with assets for the privilege of a huge gamble on Gordon.

 

[Joe L]

Ric Bucher ‏@RicBucher

Source: Hornets not scared off by Gordon's comments, will match Suns' 4-year, $58million offer and plan to keep him. No S&T.

https://twitter.com/RicBucher/status/222860060383133696

 

[Phrazbit]

There is no way they wouldnt push for a S&T, if they were to lose him it wouldnt be for nothing.

 

[devilalum]

If the Hornets just match I think the Suns front office has some explaining to do.

If their plan was simply to sign him to an offer sheet and HOPE the Hornets didn't match that is pathetic.

 

[SunsTzu]

If their plan was simply to sign him to an offer sheet and HOPE the Hornets didn't match that is pathetic.

But better than the alternative imo.

 

[carey]

If the Hornets just match I think the Suns front office has some explaining to do.

If their plan was simply to sign him to an offer sheet and HOPE the Hornets didn't match that is pathetic.

Why? I'm sure they offered what they thought was fair in a S&T deal for an injury riddled not-even-an-all-star SG that is still signing a max deal. Colangelo said it best himself when he said it was "interesting" that Gordon can't stay healthy yet is a Max player.

They probably offered them one of Dudley-Lopez, one of Marshall-Morris, and a future first. They then haggled over protection on the Suns 1st they'd be giving up, and the Suns probably rightfully refused when the Hornets balked at lottery protection over the next couple years.

 

[Mainstreet]

But better than the alternative imo.

I totally agree about not doing a sign and trade for Gordon. Worse case scenario the Suns walk away with CAP money and a bundle of draft picks. They could still be a player in facilitating other trades.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Why? I'm sure they offered what they thought was fair in a S&T deal for an injury riddled not-even-an-all-star SG that is still signing a max deal. Colangelo said it best himself when he said it was "interesting" that Gordon can't stay healthy yet is a Max player.

They probably offered them one of Dudley-Lopez, one of Marshall-Morris, and a future first. They then haggled over protection on the Suns 1st they'd be giving up, and the Suns probably rightfully refused when the Hornets balked at lottery protection over the next couple years.

The only way to avoid getting taken in every trade is to walk away from bad ones. Gordon is a gamble, you just have to let it go when the odds are just getting too long.

 

[slinslin]

Maybe the Suns did not offer anything in a S&T. Why would they do that to overpay for Gordon? They gave him a deal that imo is above market value. If New Orleans decides they want to overpay him to keep him against his will fine..

Who knows maybe the Suns just offered him the deal to force New Orleans to invest that caproom and will then sign Mayo. Since they have the same agent, it might just be that the agent said "ok sign Mayo but before help us get Gordon the max".

 

[Phrazbit]

Maybe the Suns did not offer anything in a S&T. Why would they do that to overpay for Gordon? They gave him a deal that imo is above market value. If New Orleans decides they want to overpay him to keep him against his will fine..

Who knows maybe the Suns just offered him the deal to force New Orleans to invest that caproom and will then sign Mayo. Since they have the same agent, it might just be that the agent said "ok sign Mayo but before help us get Gordon the max".

Bit of a stretch there... I could see us not bothering to negotiate a trade because the contract is risk enough, but not the conspiracy with the agent.

And when you consider Gordon's comments during the week, if he didnt REALLY want to come here then he went and did some serious damage to his rep in the Big Easy for no reason.

 

[Chaplin]

If it's such a no-brainer that New Orleans will match, and people are saying they WILL, not that they think they will, then why sign the offer sheet at all?

The only reason to do that from the Suns perspective then is to help Gordon get a 4 year contract from the Hornets. And why would we do that? Babby might be a nice guy and everything, but would that mean that if Gordon outright signed with NO they would offer less? This is a guy they have consistently said was "their best player". So much of this situation makes little sense.

 

[Mainstreet]

If it's such a no-brainer that New Orleans will match, and people are saying they WILL, not that they think they will, then why sign the offer sheet at all?

The only reason to do that from the Suns perspective then is to help Gordon get a 4 year contract from the Hornets. And why would we do that? Babby might be a nice guy and everything, but would that mean that if Gordon outright signed with NO they would offer less? This is a guy they have consistently said was "their best player". So much of this situation makes little sense.

The Suns already have a verbal agreement with Gordon for the max unless N.O. offers him the max and he decides to take it. I'm hoping N.O. signs him quickly so the Suns hands are not tied for three days.

 

[Chaplin]

The Suns already have a verbal agreement with Gordon for the max unless N.O. offers him the max and he decides to take it. I'm hoping N.O. signs him quickly so the Suns hands are not tied for three days.

Right, but we could always rescind it. If we know for a fact that NO will match, then why keep the offer on the table? For all we know, the Suns went into it assuming there would be some sort of S&T. No S&T and all reports saying they will match? Why waste two weeks for nothing? This is business--I wouldn't put to much stock into reneging on a verbal agreement, especially after talking to the player and telling him why we're pulling it.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Right, but we could always rescind it. If we know for a fact that NO will match, then why keep the offer on the table? For all we know, the Suns went into it assuming there would be some sort of S&T. No S&T and all reports saying they will match? Why waste two weeks for nothing? This is business--I wouldn't put to much stock into reneging on a verbal agreement, especially after talking to the player and telling him why we're pulling it.

that move would be a PR nightmare for the Suns. People already think they treat players in the league like crap. reneging on a verbal agreement would just make them look like even bigger idiots than they already are. can you think of another team that's ever done something like that?

 

[Chaplin]

that move would be a PR nightmare for the Suns. People already think they treat players in the league like crap. reneging on a verbal agreement would just make them look like even bigger idiots than they already are. can you think of another team that's ever done something like that?

Didn't some team do it just a few days ago? Forgot who it was.

EDIT: Portland and Hibbert? Ugh, don't remember.