Suns interested in Ben Gordon?

[Mainstreet]

hows this trade look

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/featur...56~3032&teams=21~4~21~18~4~21~18~21&te=&cash=

I like how the Suns make out like bandits with Lee and Hinrich. I don't think there is much to attract interest from the other teams. IMO, this trade would be a Suns fixer-upper.

 

[Irish]

I like how the Suns make out like bandits with Lee and Hinrich. I don't think there is much to attract interest from the other teams.

Why does everybody get this idea that the Bulls are going to trade Hinrich. They are vastly more likely to let Gordon go. Hinrich can play both #1 and #2; there is no experienced PG to backup Rose (Crawford has not proven to be a PG after several tries) and it far from clear that Rose is going to a superstar from day #1.

BTW, this should be in the trades forum.

 

[hafey]

Because Hinrich isn't very good?

 

[scXfreakX]

I just think that 9Mil for an amazing guy like Diaw isn't that much. If Mike D'antoni agrees, then that must be the case.

Seriously, I think we do overvalue him, but then again, he did show that he can play so its not like he totally sucks. I just think he can't be at his best while Amare is playing. And if thats the case, and they can't find a way for both, then bye-bye Diaw.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

hows this trade look

http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=3194~165~2772~2166~2167~1981~2456~3032&teams=21~4~21~18~4~21~18~21&te=&cash=

Like grand theft.

 

[Covert Rain]

Why is it that the Diaw-haters think he's absolutely worthless, but have no problem attaching a high value to him in trade suggestions?

Count me as a Diaw hater that thinks he doesn't have any high trade value. I think our best bet to trade the guy is for some team desperate for forward help. There probably isn't very many teams who think Diaw is worth that contract. Then again, I didn't think Detroit would sign Kwame for what they did.

I think ultimately we are stuck with him unless we can force him on someone by means of a trade for another player that also includes someone like Barbosa who has a great contract. It won't stop me from dreaming though that somehow we can move this guy without trading away a valuable piece without getting anything in return.

 

[jandaman]

Only some Suns fans will argue Gordon and Barbosa in the same sentence.

[1] Barbosa played for D'Antoni and the Suns system, Gordon with Skiles and the Bull's system.

[2] Barbosa has 2 gears, fast and very fast. And usually thats good, but against teams who play defense accordingly, Barbosa is very easy to stop that way. Gordon is a much more polished player in the offensive end, has many "gears" and more adaptable to various plays.

[3] Smarts, Barbosa relies on speed and other players finding him, not to mention his athletism. Gordon is a much smarter player who plays with purpose more often than not. Again, Barbosa will usually try to out quick his defender, Gordon has the ability to beat his defender in many other ways.

[4] Barbosa does not create for others, and in fairness, this is the only aspect where Gordon is at the same tier as Barbosa.

 

[dodie53]

imo,
LB << BG

 

[HooverDam]

Only some Suns fans will argue Gordon and Barbosa in the same sentence.

I don't think anyone is saying LB is as good or better than Gordon. However, when you factor in the money (and lets face it, the Suns are strapped for cash) and the fact that LB fits the 6th man role to a tee and Ben Gordon would have to start (meaning what, Raja Bell is your 6th man?), perhaps the balance swings in LBs favor. If you look at a production per dollar basis, the LB v Gordon comparison is much more apt.

 

[AceP]

Let's be most honest. We have a 7th man, Boris Diaw, making 9M a year. So, if Gordon's new contract starting at 8.5M for first year, I don't see any problem here.

Is Gordon the best possible trade? Probably not. But if we swap Diaw (the too expensive 7th man) with him. Then trade Barbosa for a true PF who is cheaper (such as Joe Smith), and use the saved money for a decent PG. Our new roster will be really balanced and deep.

Sorry, I'm really not a Barbosa hater. I just still have fresh memory about how badly LB performed against the Spurs. We just have to make one or two changes.

 

[Chaplin]

Let's be most honest. We have a 7th man, Boris Diaw, making 9M a year. So, if Gordon's new contract starting at 8.5M for first year, I don't see any problem here.

Is Gordon the best possible trade? Probably not. But if we swap Diaw (the too expensive 7th man) with him. Then trade Barbosa for a true PF who is cheaper (such as Joe Smith), and use the saved money for a decent PG. Our new roster will be really balanced and deep.

Sorry, I'm really not a Barbosa hater. I just still have fresh memory about how badly LB performed against the Spurs. We just have to make one or two changes.

Sorry, but when you talk about trading Barbosa for Joe freaking Smith, your credibility takes a hit. I don't care how much better you think Gordon is than Diaw (and if you think that, don't you think Chicago will as well?), LB still has value.

Everyone knocks on him like he's a consistently bad player. He's only bad against the Spurs. He has other limitations, sure, but so does every player. Trading LB would be a huge mistake--his positives far outweigh his negatives. It's not his fault he's not a point guard, he never has been a point guard and was forced into that role because he was the first guard off the bench.

You don't trade a dynamic scorer like LB who is making the kind of money he is. He's too valuable of an asset to YOUR bottom line.

 

[HooverDam]

^Maybe he meant Josh Smith? Though that wouldn't make much sense either sense he'll soon be making the big bucks.

 

[passenger]

I am not sure if Ben Gordon will be too much help for us after we got Barnes.I prefer a real PG or a big guy

 

[shazaam6]

Sorry, but when you talk about trading Barbosa for Joe freaking Smith, your credibility takes a hit. I don't care how much better you think Gordon is than Diaw (and if you think that, don't you think Chicago will as well?), LB still has value.

Everyone knocks on him like he's a consistently bad player. He's only bad against the Spurs. He has other limitations, sure, but so does every player. Trading LB would be a huge mistake--his positives far outweigh his negatives. It's not his fault he's not a point guard, he never has been a point guard and was forced into that role because he was the first guard off the bench.

You don't trade a dynamic scorer like LB who is making the kind of money he is. He's too valuable of an asset to YOUR bottom line.

I agree with Chaplin.

Also with a new coach = new roles.
Barbosa and Diaw could be used alot differently than they have been in the past. They could really be good on THIS team. We have a back-up point guard possibly coming over this year (almost for sure next).
Fill that spot with a cheap free agent. Get a free agent third string big man for the 4/5. Don't trade one or two possible starters for positions that will see less than 18 minutes a game and some DNP's.

I think Diaw will have a career defining year this year in a positive way (I hope.) Having one of our two seven footers with Diaw at the 4 is alot different than Skinner and Diaw, or Amare and Diaw.

Also we go huge with a legit lineup of

Hill
Barnes
Diaw
Amare
Shaq

 

[Irish]

I don't think Diaw is a PG. I do think he can play point forward with Barbosa at combo; but they need to modify the offense to make that work.

 

[shazaam6]

This is just a possibility when we play the Spurs or any team when we want to overpower them. I want to do this just to see what happens also Nash gets rest .

Hill ran point for Doug Collins team, right? He and Diaw can start the offense.
Diaw guards Parker, Barnes on Manure. Shaq on Duncan
What's not to like.

 

[SirStefan32]

I don't think Diaw is a PG. I do think he can play point forward with Barbosa at combo; but they need to modify the offense to make that work.

It could easily work, as we saw in the last 2 games of the Spurs series. Diaw is NOT a PG, but he can run the show from the low post. As long as Barbosa and/or Bell can bring the ball up and dump it to Diaw, it should be OK. I would still rather have a REAL point guard to back up Nash, but if we can't get one, Diaw running the show from the low post is probably the best option. It beats relying to Barbosa to generate offense for sure.

 

[sLapzsHaQ]

So, this team is still trying to compete with the spurs? Hmm...

 

[Proteus]

So, this team is still trying to compete with the spurs? Hmm...

Yah...let's forget about the Lakers, Hornets, and Jazz.

 

[mojorizen7]

I don't think Diaw is a PG. I do think he can play point forward with Barbosa at combo; but they need to modify the offense to make that work.

True but all the good coaches will find a way to snuff that strategy real quick....say right around the time the playoffs begin.

 

[leclerc]

This is just a possibility when we play the Spurs or any team when we want to overpower them. I want to do this just to see what happens also Nash gets rest .

Hill ran point for Doug Collins team, right? He and Diaw can start the offense.
Diaw guards Parker, Barnes on Manure. Shaq on Duncan
What's not to like.

I'd like to see them try this in a regular season game versus the Spurs. Maybe substitute Bell for Barnes in case Barnes can't shoot it like Bell can. I mean a lineup of Shaq, Amare, Diaw, Barnes and Hill have a lot of clunkers. It's gonna be ugly but if we can bump the Spurs I'd be all smiles for the entire summer.

 

[Irish]

So, this team is still trying to compete with the spurs? Hmm...

The Spurs got to the WCF and lost due to an injury to Manu. How many times have we been told to ignore regular season records when it comes to the playoffs?

For the past four years, the Suns have had a major matchup problem with the Spurs. During the regular season the Suns were having a problem with those other teams as well, which is why they traded for Shaq. But until they show they can beat the Spurs, the rest is almost beside the point.

 

[shazaam6]

Spurs knocked us out ...... again. We still owe them some pain for what they did to Nash. (Bowen knee and Horry) So I want to physically pound them at some point with a lineup like Hill Barnes Diaw Amare Shaq, where we are physically bigger and stronger at every position. We don't always have to play with a 3-point mentality. Ground and pound works too. We can alter our strategy and lineups in the same game now.

sLapzsHaQ
I think if this works we could use it against anybody. I'm not just focusing on the Spurs but they deserve some payback for all the dirty deeds they've done and for knocking us out 3 out of 4 years including last year. I don't know about other fans but that is enough motivation for me.

 

[Irish]

I'm sure Suns fans will choke on pounding oppoents, unless it works.

The Suns duo of Shaq and Amare present an interesting problem for most oppoents. Most teams have one offensive guy who scores and other who defends the opponent's best inside guy. This means the Oberto's of the world defend against Amare because he's got another guy like KT to back him up. But that puts Duncan in a position to guard Shaq and risk getting into foul trouble by UNINTENTIONALLY fouling him. But reversing means Duncan has to worry about Amare who he has not had luck guarding.

Do the Hornets use West on Amare or Shaq? Do the Lakers use Gasol on Amare or Shaq? Nobody can protect their offensive guy. If the Suns get the ball inside, their offensive guy risks getting into foul trouble like Amare has for his entire career.

Getting the ball inside is not easy. Every team tries to prevent opponents from doing it. Fronting, double teams, weak side help, etc. are just a few of the strategies. We know, because this has been a major issue for the Suns defense. Most teams have to assign a big defensive specialist who reduces the team's offensive power.

Can the Suns get the ball inside? Up until now the Suns have focused on spreading the floor rather than attacking the post. This will put pressure on the Suns to hit their three point shots, but it will be hard for opponents to defend the Suns shooters and stop both Amare and Shaq.

 

[Proteus]

The Spurs got to the WCF and lost due to an injury to Manu. How many times have we been told to ignore regular season records when it comes to the playoffs?

For the past four years, the Suns have had a major matchup problem with the Spurs. During the regular season the Suns were having a problem with those other teams as well, which is why they traded for Shaq. But until they show they can beat the Spurs, the rest is almost beside the point.

Even if we had beaten the Spurs, we would have lost to the Hornets.

I think this team has too much mental baggage to beat the Spurs in the playoffs.