Suns pick up option for Robin Lopez

[Chaplin]

... and decline the option for Earl Clark. Both are for the 2011-2012 season.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...phoenix-suns-robin-lopez-contract-option.html

 

[Mulli]

:championship:

 

[Mainstreet]

Not much of a surprise about Clark.

 

[Griffin]

Not picking up Clark's option actually seems like the bigger news. Does that mean the Suns have given up on him and he will not get a chance to play this season? Or will the Suns let him prove that he belongs and then try to re-sign him should Clark inexplicably succeed?

 

[Mainstreet]

Not picking up Clark's option actually seems like the bigger news. Does that mean the Suns have given up on him and he will not get a chance to play this season? Or will the Suns let him prove that he belongs and then try to re-sign him should Clark inexplicably succeed?

IMO, if Clark did not have a guaranteed contract this season he would have already been waived. Maybe his contract can be thrown into a trade to make it work if possible.

 

[elindholm]

I'm a bit surprised about Clark. To pull the plug on a lottery pick after only two years is pretty unusual. I would have thought they'd pick up his 2011-12 option, then decline his fourth year if he still hadn't shown anything by a year from now. I'm pretty sure this means that he'll be a UFA this summer, which means that the Suns have basically zero interest in him at all.

 

[Chaplin]

IMO, if Clark did not have a guaranteed contract this season he would have already been waived. Maybe his contract can be thrown into a trade to make it work if possible.

Yep, he's only with the team because of the guaranteed year. He has had ample opportunity to step up and he hasn't. He won't be resigned next summer because 1) there will be a lockout (probably a pretty long one) and 2) he's not going to have enough opportunity during the season to change the Suns' minds.

 

[Folster]

I'm a bit surprised about Clark. To pull the plug on a lottery pick after only two years is pretty unusual. I would have thought they'd pick up his 2011-12 option, then decline his fourth year if he still hadn't shown anything by a year from now. I'm pretty sure this means that he'll be a UFA this summer, which means that the Suns have basically zero interest in him at all.

Two years? One year. He was drafted last summer. I know after this season it will be two, but right now he's only played one season, a season in which he rarely played. Dragic and Lopez both looked awful after one season as well, but their options were picked up. Clark must really be bad if we are giving after a season where he hardly played. Maybe this will motivate him.

Time to look at the draft board from that year and play "we should've drafted ________".

 

[Mainstreet]

Time to look at the draft board from that year and play "we should've drafted ________".

I still say project center Byron Mullens should have drafted and developed by the Suns. He came out of college after only one season at Ohio State. Clark had a reputation for being passive.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not much of a surprise about Clark.

The only surprise is that it took this long. This was an epic failure by the scouting department. One pre-draft phone call to his college coach and we wouldn't be counting the days till he was gone.

Steve

 

[elindholm]

Two years? One year. He was drafted last summer.

Well, right, I meant he'll be under contract only two years. But by the way, this is a great example of how the financial commitment to first-round picks is really pretty minor. Clark's salary was decent because he was taken in the middle of the round, but for late first-rounders, they make only $1 million or so for each of their first two years, and if you don't like them, you cut them loose.

Clark must really be bad if we are giving after a season where he hardly played.

As I was saying all along, there were reasons that he wasn't playing. Nonetheless, I'm surprised that he hasn't done enough in practice to convince the coaching staff that he's worth keeping around, "just in case."

Maybe this will motivate him.

Yes, and then possibly he could rise to the 5th SF on the depth chart, instead of only the 6th.

 

[Superbone]

Yes, and then possibly he could rise to the 5th SF on the depth chart, instead of only the 6th.

He's slotted in the PF spot only.

 

[elindholm]

He's slotted in the PF spot only.

Yes, by default, but his natural position is SF. It was sort of a joke.

 

[Errntknght]

My guess is that its a desperate motivational move... it may work, you never know.

 

[Chaplin]

Clark has been given a lot more freedom to become the player we all hoped he be than Robin and Goran got last summer. And it's not like Clark had Terry Porter screaming at him that he sucks--he's had Alvin Gentry his entire career, and if he couldn't show one single redeeming value in Summer League (where he should have DOMINATED), then what's the point? Waste the roster spot this year and then move on next summer. Hell, I'd rather have had Dwayne Jones take up Clark's roster spot. I hope Gani gets more minutes than Clark.

 

[Yuma]

Lopez's stats are right in line with what we need at center with two exceptions: 1) he needs to average 10 rebounds a game. 2) he needs to log more minutes a game. Lopez needs to be on the floor more for us to be effective, which may take care of the rebound totals. He needs to prove he can stay out of foul trouble.

 

[BC867]

Lopez needs to be on the floor more for us to be effective, which may take care of the rebound totals. He needs to prove he can stay out of foul trouble.

And, hopefully, say healthy.

 

[Yuma]

And, hopefully, say healthy.

I'm worried about that, too.

 

[Errntknght]

I pretty much agree with you Chap, though if Clark earns more minutes than Gani, thats good for Clark.

I still think the right move, assuming we don't sign a useable 'big', is to put the best of Lawal, Siler or Clark at the PF spot on the second unit and hope like Hell he develops fast over the course of the year because we may scrape into the playoffs with a wimpy 2nd unit frontcourt but we will not get deep. Its a gamble and it might keep us out of the playoffs altogether but, the way I look at the game, its close to a no-brainer.

If we had a powerhouse frontcourt for the first unit it wouldn't be as good a gamble but we can't be getting killed on the boards all game long. Obviously the team is demonstrating even worse problems right now but I'm assuming those things will get righted in fairly short order. If not, even the regular season will be sorry to watch.

 

[cly2tw]

Players like Clark need to be on a lottery team to get a lot of times to mature. Wait, I don't understand why not to extend him now... Are we again doing the same saving moves like when we dumped KT's contract while handling one the Banks one? Weird!

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Time to look at the draft board from that year and play "we should've drafted ________".

DeJuan Blair seems to have done okay for San Antonio.

 

[AzStevenCal]

DeJuan Blair seems to have done okay for San Antonio.

I can't fault the Suns for passing on a player like Blair. Everyone knew he would be effective in the NBA (for the games he played) but most teams were unwilling to take the risk. The NBA is such a grind it seemed foolhardy to take someone that had already suffered serious knee damage.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

Players like Clark need to be on a lottery team to get a lot of times to mature. Wait, I don't understand why not to extend him now... Are we again doing the same saving moves like when we dumped KT's contract while handling one the Banks one? Weird!

I don't see how playing on a lottery team would have helped his maturity. In fact, that's usually the worst thing that could happen to a kid with a questionable work ethic and serious head issues on the court.

Look, Pitino was constantly frustrated trying to get Clark to play to his ability. The guy was a tweener in college by choice. Despite his poor shooting and despite being benched for it a time or two he still put up (early in the shot clock) fadeaway 20 foot jumpers. This guy has all the physical tools and none of the mental tools it takes to succeed in the NBA.

I remember hearing (maybe reading?) an interview of him when he was a freshman and in response to the standard "what are your favorite things to do" question, he answered "sleeping". That tells me all I need to know about the guy - he's either unmotivated or a lousy comedian.

There's always a chance the light bulb will go off for this guy but you don't get rich in the NBA betting on this kind of thing to happen. It rarely does.

Steve

 

[Chaplin]

I pretty much agree with you Chap, though if Clark earns more minutes than Gani, thats good for Clark.

That's the trick. I don't think there's any way Clark earns minutes over anybody, let alone Gani Lawal. Just by looking at the two players, can you see Gani relinquishing this kind of opportunity next summer? I can't. (Of course, that's assuming there will be something to play for next summer, and IMO there won't be)

 

[mojorizen7]

I'm a bit surprised about Clark. To pull the plug on a lottery pick after only two years is pretty unusual. I would have thought they'd pick up his 2011-12 option, then decline his fourth year if he still hadn't shown anything by a year from now. I'm pretty sure this means that he'll be a UFA this summer, which means that the Suns have basically zero interest in him at all.

I'm not surprised at all. EC was a pick made by Kerr with a different vision than the current accountants running things in the FO.

The kid has struggled obviously,but rather than thrown into last years fruitfull playoff-bound rotation he was basically stashed for future considerations.....namely to get ousted because he isnt ready this year either.

Isn't ready. Gee,i wonder why......

I would like someone to explain how the SUNS are building anything here. <------------honest question.