Suns, Eric Bledsoe Far Apart In Talks

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think it's a given. Green is a better fit at SG than SF (and the Suns are logjammed at SF anyway), and the team is trying to develop Goodwin. Playing Dragic at SG gets in the way of both of those priorities. It's much cleaner if Bledsoe leaves, Dragic gets most of his minutes at PG, and once in a while we see a Thomas/Dragic lineup.

The bottom line is that the Suns have too many people for the small positions (SF, SG, PG). There are only 144 minutes to go around. If you keep Bledsoe and start penciling in numbers of minutes for people, the only way it can work is if someone gets really short-changed or you play hyper-small lineups.

Leaving the Bledsoe side of this out of the conversation, I still would want to play Dragic alongside either a pure point guard or a scoring guard. He and Thomas would probably work fine but defense is going to be a concern.

As for your Green comment, are there some statistics you've seen that support your statement that he's a better shooting guard than small forward? Our lineups were so non-traditional last season that I really wasn't sure who was playing which position most of the time so I really don't know whether I agree or disagree. He seems to lack some of the traditional strengths of a shooting guard but that's probably true for the wing forward spot too.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Leaving the Bledsoe side of this out of the conversation, I still would want to play Dragic alongside either a pure point guard or a scoring guard. He and Thomas would probably work fine but defense is going to be a concern.

As for your Green comment, are there some statistics you've seen that support your statement that he's a better shooting guard than small forward? Our lineups were so non-traditional last season that I really wasn't sure who was playing which position most of the time so I really don't know whether I agree or disagree. He seems to lack some of the traditional strengths of a shooting guard but that's probably true for the wing forward spot too.

Steve

I agree, leaving Bledsoe out of the equation, the Suns need another shooter/scorer at the SG position. I think Green would suffice as one of them. Goodwin is not ready. I would view Thomas as the backup for Dragic. I don't think the Suns can afford to play both together except for short stretches as the Suns would be lacking the third rotation PG. Ennis does not appear ready to play.

 

[elindholm]

Leaving the Bledsoe side of this out of the conversation, I still would want to play Dragic alongside either a pure point guard or a scoring guard. He and Thomas would probably work fine but defense is going to be a concern.

Weren't you advocating a Thomas/Bledsoe/Dragic lineup just a little while ago? So Dragic is an okay defender at SF, but inadequate at SG?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Weren't you advocating a Thomas/Bledsoe/Dragic lineup just a little while ago? So Dragic is an okay defender at SF, but inadequate at SG?

I don't remember advocating that lineup although I do believe it will be used and even effective in short stretches. It's not something I'd want to see much of. And depending on the opponent, with that trio on the court, I'd think it would be just as likely that Bledsoe defended the three as Dragic.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Anyone here Sarver on the radio today. He called gambo and publicly disagreed with his open letter. Said players have short careers so they are trying to get what they can. He just sees this as negotiations. He believes they have made a fair offer but understands that others don't agree. He denied ever saying that he would match ANY offer. He said the suns would welcome Bledsoe back whether it's a one, four or five year deal.

It was supposed to be an impromptu call in be seemed staged. I wonder if Gambo's open letter did damage. The one comment about 1,4,or 5 was an aside but significant. The suns are willing to let Bledsoe take the QO rather than get tied into a deal they don't like.

He made a lot of Bledsoe being a good character guy and a Professional.

I didn't hear it on the radio but it is very interesting. Generally Gambo and Sarver are on the same wavelength. Maybe McDonough or Babby had some influence on the call by Sarver. Also Sarver saying he would not match any offer perplexes me a bit. This has been the company line barring a sign and trade. I think the one, four or five statement says the Suns want him back.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Leaving the Bledsoe side of this out of the conversation, I still would want to play Dragic alongside either a pure point guard or a scoring guard. He and Thomas would probably work fine but defense is going to be a concern.

As for your Green comment, are there some statistics you've seen that support your statement that he's a better shooting guard than small forward? Our lineups were so non-traditional last season that I really wasn't sure who was playing which position most of the time so I really don't know whether I agree or disagree. He seems to lack some of the traditional strengths of a shooting guard but that's probably true for the wing forward spot too.

Steve

Is Bledsoe not a "scoring guard"? I mean the guy can score about 20 ppg efficiently and he plays good defense on top of that. Isn't he essentially just the right type of player to play along side Dragic?

 

[Mainstreet]

Is Bledsoe not a "scoring guard"? I mean the guy can score about 20 ppg efficiently and he plays good defense on top of that. Isn't he essentially just the right type of player to play along side Dragic?

I think the caveat is "Leaving the Bledsoe side of this out of the conversation." Clearly Bledsoe and Dragic work.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Is Bledsoe not a "scoring guard"? I mean the guy can score about 20 ppg efficiently and he plays good defense on top of that. Isn't he essentially just the right type of player to play along side Dragic?

I think so. I don't really know what label to put on Eric or Goran. As pure point guards, they are lacking. But they are excellent basketball players. Dragic is a little further advanced on offense and Bledsoe is something special on defense.

Steve

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I think the caveat is "Leaving the Bledsoe side of this out of the conversation." Clearly Bledsoe and Dragic work.

Fair enough. I never claimed that reading comprehension is one of my strong suits.

 

[Mainstreet]

Fair enough. I never claimed that reading comprehension is one of my strong suits.

Same here.

 

[BC867]

You completely missed it--Dragic is the hybrid shooting guard. That is a given. So why do you lock him in as one of the 3 point guards there is no room for? That makes no sense and is once again part of your antiquated view of what the NBA and the Suns should be. And unfortunately, it just isn't like that anymore. Not saying it's good, not saying it's bad, but it is the reality of the present that some people need to acknowledge.

Because Dragic is our best Point Guard. And Isaah Thomas is now our second best Point Guard. Bledsoe is the hybrid. That is my opinion.

With more good Point Guards in the NBA than there have ever been at one time, do you really think the position is antiquated? I disagree.

The few teams that have true superstars at other positions might make it work, but not the majority or the average teams. The Suns, at best, are an average team.

Now let's see if you can respond, if you care to, without sarcasm and personal insults to try to support your opinion.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Because Dragic is our best Point Guard. And Isaah Thomas is now our second best Point Guard. Bledsoe is the hybrid. That is my opinion.

With more good Point Guards in the NBA than there have ever been at one time, do you really think the position is antiquated? I disagree.

The few teams that have true superstars at other positions might make it work, but not the majority or the average teams. The Suns, at best, are an average team.

Now let's see if you can respond, if you care to, without sarcasm and personal insults to try to support your opinion.

Despite missing arguably their best player for half the season AND playing in the much tougher Western Conference, only 10 of the 30 teams finished above them. I don't think that's "average at best".

As for best point guard, I think that's arguable. I'm really not sure which of our three will be the best. If point guard is only an offensive position and if it's only measured by how well a player involves his teammates, it probably goes to Dragic but just barely. But none of our three point guards are true point guards IMO.

Steve

 

[BC867]

Despite missing arguably their best player for half the season AND playing in the much tougher Western Conference, only 10 of the 30 teams finished above them. I don't think that's "average at best".

I thought about that before I typed it, then decided that missing the playoffs, once we were in contention, is average at best. Ten teams in the group above us and ten teams in the group below us.

Yes, the West is tougher than the East, but that is what we have to deal with. Unless you want the Suns to move to New Jersey.

I would hope that Suns management looks at it the same way and acts accordingly.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I thought about that before I typed it, then decided that missing the playoffs, once we were in contention, is average at best. Ten teams in the group above us and ten teams in the group below us.

Yes, the West is tougher than the East, but that is what we have to deal with. Unless you want the Suns to move to New Jersey.

I would hope that Suns management looks at it the same way and acts accordingly.

There are 30 teams total in the NBA and there were a total of 10 teams above us (and 1 team tied with us). I'll admit, most of my knowledge of math and science came from Calvin and Hobbes but I'm pretty sure your math doesn't add up.

Steve

 

[BC867]

There are 30 teams total in the NBA and there were a total of 10 teams above us (and 1 team tied with us). I'll admit, most of my knowledge of math and science came from Calvin and Hobbes but I'm pretty sure your math doesn't add up.

Steve

That is up for interpretation, Steve. If we were not in the Top 10 out of 30 and didn't make the playoffs, I still call that average at best. Even if we tied for the top of that category.

The alternative would be that 14 or 15 teams were above average, 14 or 15 were below average and only one team out of 30 would be considered average.

I believe that, mathematically, it makes more sense to break up the Division into thirds for purposes of this conversation.

We finished among the best of the "average". As a Suns fan, I am looking for better than that, especially once we exceeded early expectations. And also since it looks like we might be in that grouping next season.

For various reasons, not the least of which is financial to a team, being the best of the non-playoff teams and being the worst of the playoff teams are a big difference.

 

[asudevil83]

That is up for interpretation, Steve. If we were not in the Top 10 out of 30 and didn't make the playoffs, I still call that average at best. Even if we tied for the top of that category.

The alternative would be that 14 or 15 teams were above average, 14 or 15 were below average and only one team out of 30 would be considered average.

I believe that, mathematically, it makes more sense to break up the Division into thirds for purposes of this conversation.

We finished among the best of the "average". As a Suns fan, I am looking for better than that, especially once we exceeded early expectations. And also since it looks like we might be in that grouping next season.

For various reasons, not the least of which is financial to a team, being the best of the non-playoff teams and being the worst of the playoff teams are a big difference.

so we are officially upper middle class?

 

[devilalum]

Tell me this isn't a major issue in the current standoff?

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[Mainstreet]

Grade the Suns on a percentage. Problem solved.

 

[Chaplin]

Because Dragic is our best Point Guard. And Isaah Thomas is now our second best Point Guard. Bledsoe is the hybrid. That is my opinion.

With more good Point Guards in the NBA than there have ever been at one time, do you really think the position is antiquated? I disagree.

The few teams that have true superstars at other positions might make it work, but not the majority or the average teams. The Suns, at best, are an average team.

Now let's see if you can respond, if you care to, without sarcasm and personal insults to try to support your opinion.

Again, you are limiting Dragic. You are limiting him to a positional designation that does not need to be permanent. Why does he HAVE to be our PG in your eyes? Why can't he be a SG/PG? Do you think he has no shooting guard skills? I would venture to say that it's arguable that he is a better shooting guard than he is a point guard half the time.

I don't care about true superstars on other teams, why do you? Here's the thing--the point guard POSITION will always be there because that is how the game defines it. However, positions on the floor are extremely fluid now. Even Isaiah Thomas played more like a shooting guard than a point guard for a horrible team like Sacramento. Today's game allows for Dragic to be a shooting guard, and as we have seen, EFFECTIVELY. I'm not sure why you are so against it. You also imply that Dragic himself is against it, and there is nothing to support that theory either.

 

[devilalum]

This whole position debate is going to get even more confusing this year with Thomas in the mix.

 

[Chaplin]

This whole position debate is going to get even more confusing this year with Thomas in the mix.

I agree. And yet, for those of us that believe that positions are fluid in the NBA, it's not that difficult. It's the traditionalists like BC that will have the hardest time accepting.

 

[elindholm]

Tell me this isn't a major issue in the current standoff?

You'd think The King could afford to get his homies some better threads.

 

[Folster]

Is Bledsoe wearing knee pads in that pic? So that's what it takes to hang with LeBron.

 

[Superbone]

You'd think The King could afford to get his homies some better threads.

At least some newer ones without holes in them.

 

[Phrazbit]

You'd think The King could afford to get his homies some better threads.

Sadly, I would imagine they paid a combined 4,000 dollars for that "Savers" look.