Suns @ Cavaliers game thread 3-23-18

[AzStevenCal]

It's amazing that Dudley has managed to have an 11 year career in the NBA, 12 years when his contract runs out.

You left out his hands, he has great hands. And if he didn't use them to keep stealing tacos off the plates of others he'd probably still be a key rotation player if not a starter. He has slightly below average athleticism (for an NBA player) when he's at his ideal weight but he loses what little athleticism he has as soon as he adds a few pounds.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think players can get more aggressive as the gain more confidence. It is very hard to break laziness though. Maybe with the right coach next year some of these guys that are being lazy will start showing significantly more effort.

Hiring an experienced coach before the draft seems to be the Suns goal. The input of a new coach might help the Suns separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think that can be taught either but I do think a player can develop it on their own over time. I think Dragic is an example of that. He was super timid when he came into the league and it took a while for him to become assertive and really stand out. He always had talent but he didn't have the drive of a great player. He doesn't play with it all the time now either but he does for certain games and stretches. There are other players like that, I'm sure, but we got to see that with him on the Suns. He was a different player during his 2nd run here. Once he managed to tap into that and get that attitude he became an All-Star type player.

Dragic is a good example. Then he got too aggressive and demanded to be traded.

 

[SirStefan32]

If Bender had Goran's aggressiveness, the sky would be the limit.

 

[Mainstreet]

You left out his hands, he has great hands. And if he didn't use them to keep stealing tacos off the plates of others he'd probably still be a key rotation player if not a starter. He has slightly below average athleticism (for an NBA player) when he's at his ideal weight but he loses what little athleticism he has as soon as he adds a few pounds.

A 3 year contract, $30 million contract is not bad for one who likes tacos. I should be so lucky.

I am still puzzled by why the Suns guaranteed all 3 years of his contract.

 

[Hoop Head]

Also...

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That +- stat is crazy! I get that it's mainly because the starters have been getting destroyed and it's FAR from all Payton's fault, but still...

It is kind of interesting to note that Payton has also recorded 2 triple doubles in his limited time with the Suns also. If that doesn't say something about how empty of achievements those are then I don't know what else could. The only 2 triple doubles he's recorded this year were with the Suns and both were losses. He's recorded 10 triple doubles in his career and his teams record when he does is 3-7.

They're neat to see players get but after watching Westbrook average a triple double for an entire season where his team couldn't get out of the 1st round in the playoffs as the 6th seed showed that they don't equal team success.