Suns release Canaan

[JCSunsfan]

I don’t think a trade is imminent. Whenever there’s action it seems everyone in this board assumes there’s a second shoe to fall . . . and it never does.

I was just thinking this.

However, something minor will probably happen--signing someone from the d-league or something.

 

[Proximo]

Took a minute to parse this statement, but are you questioning that Sarver wanted Igor to not play him and Igor was saying "Screw you, I am playing him"? That whole thing, from either side, seems like quite the stretch.

Yes I know that sounds crazy.

But with Sarver as the owner it seems anything is possible - and I just don't understand why you would cut a guy that has been getting 20 min a night out of nowhere - unless there is a trade upcoming or the franchise is having another seriously dysfunctional moment.

 

[overseascardfan]

Maybe Canaan was not as cool with being benched for Booker as Igor made him out to be, that and more time for Okobo would be my guess for the release. Doubt a trade is coming.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

The timing seems so weird.

The Suns play Canaan against the Pacers (instead of Okobo and Melton) and then suddenly decide to release him.

I think you are correct. Another move is in the works.

Maybe the game against the Pacers was his last chance to show he was worth keeping around. Instead he once again had a poor game and now he is gone.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The timing seems so weird. The Suns play Canaan against the Pacers (instead of Okobo and Melton) and then suddenly decide to release him.

I think you are correct. Another move is in the works.

It might not be as weird as it seems. They give him minutes and in those minutes it finally becomes clear that he is not going to be able to turn it around and be the player they need. So they move on. I do not know why giving him five or six DNPCD's and then cutting him makes the timing any better.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

He actually played well in the 3rd quarter - or at least wasn't as detrimental.

As for the minutes he has been getting - perhaps internally they viewed him as a placeholder until someone else was ready.

 

[Mainstreet]

Maybe the game against the Pacers was his last chance to show he was worth keeping around. Instead he once again had a poor game and now he is gone.

It could be. However, it seemed pretty clear to most Suns fans Canaan was not part of the their future so he only took away time from Okobo and Melton.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yes I know that sounds crazy.

But with Sarver as the owner it seems anything is possible - and I just don't understand why you would cut a guy that has been getting 20 min a night out of nowhere - unless there is a trade upcoming or the franchise is having another seriously dysfunctional moment.

Not really. They have three point guards on the roster (Crawford, Okobo, Melton) and a fourth functioning as a pg (Booker). This move seems fairly logical. That is especially true if Melton or Okobo are really starting to step up in practice.

 

[Proximo]

Maybe the game against the Pacers was his last chance to show he was worth keeping around. Instead he once again had a poor game and now he is gone.

The move to make when someone is on a cold streak is to bench them, not cut them. Unless he really was complaining loudly and messing with chemistry - but I don't think Canaan would do that.

 

[Sunburn]

It might not be as weird as it seems. They give him minutes and in those minutes it finally becomes clear that he is not going to be able to turn it around and be the player they need. So they move on. I do not know why giving him five or six DNPCD's and then cutting him makes the timing any better.

Usually it doesn't go that way though. Usually a player's minutes dwindle, then he's benched, then he's cut. This guy went straight from playing significant minutes to cut. It is odd.

 

[1Sun]

Yes I know that sounds crazy.

But with Sarver as the owner it seems anything is possible - and I just don't understand why you would cut a guy that has been getting 20 min a night out of nowhere - unless there is a trade upcoming or the franchise is having another seriously dysfunctional moment.

In my opinion, there was already dysfunction in a coach continuing to give him 20 min a night for no reason.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

It might not be as weird as it seems. They give him minutes and in those minutes it finally becomes clear that he is not going to be able to turn it around and be the player they need. So they move on. I do not know why giving him five or six DNPCD's and then cutting him makes the timing any better.

The timing kind of lines up with how Koko has been working so far this season. Once you are in the rotation he will allow you quite a few bad games in a row before he ultimately makes the decision to move on to someone else. Looks like the Pacers game may have been his last chance to show his worth and he wasn't able to. So instead of simply leaving him at the end of the bench sulking about losing his role they cut him and will bring in someone else to audition for his spot in the rotation.

 

[Proximo]

Not really. They have three point guards on the roster (Crawford, Okobo, Melton) and a fourth functioning as a pg (Booker). This move seems fairly logical.

I might agree with this if okobo or melton had been getting any playing time at all.

I suppose it could just be they came to the decision it is time to stop trying to win and just develop the young guys, but that totally contradicts what Igor said in an interview just yesterday. He said winning is the most important thing to develop the young core right now.

 

[1Sun]

The move to make when someone is on a cold streak is to bench them, not cut them. Unless he really was complaining loudly and messing with chemistry - but I don't think Canaan would do that.

Unless, of course, the coach refuses to bench him, in which case there is no choice...

 

[Mainstreet]

It might not be as weird as it seems. They give him minutes and in those minutes it finally becomes clear that he is not going to be able to turn it around and be the player they need. So they move on. I do not know why giving him five or six DNPCD's and then cutting him makes the timing any better.

I guess it took the Suns front office more time to see what most of us were already seeing.

 

[1Sun]

I might agree with this if okobo or melton had been getting any playing time at all.

I suppose it could just be they came to the decision it is time to stop trying to win and just develop the young guys, but that totally contradicts what Igor said in an interview just yesterday. He said winning is the most important thing to develop the young core right now.

In what universe is continuing to play Canaan despite his horrendous production (or lack thereof) "trying to win"?

In my opinion, this move signals that the Suns are finally STARTING to try to win.

 

[1Sun]

I guess it took the Suns front office more time to see what most of us were already seeing.

And what the coach STILL doesn't see.

 

[95pro]

Still trying to make sense out of this.

Oko and Melton playing time, yes. Then they're benched.

Canaan solid minutes. Then just cut.

So now bring the benched guys back???

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I guess it took the Suns front office more time to see what most of us were already seeing.

I doubt it. In our position it is easy to say after a couple bad games that someone should be cut or passed in the rotation, but for the people actually making the decisions they need to make sure they are making an informed decision and thus may even allow something to go on a little too long to make sure they are making the right one.

 

[1tinsoldier]

caning a guy who got about 35 minutes for 2 games straight 2 weeks ago doesn't reflect well on either the coach, GM, owner or how all 3 are working together

 

[JCSunsfan]

The timing kind of lines up with how Koko has been working so far this season. Once you are in the rotation he will allow you quite a few bad games in a row before he ultimately makes the decision to move on to someone else. Looks like the Pacers game may have been his last chance to show his worth and he wasn't able to. So instead of simply leaving him at the end of the bench sulking about losing his role they cut him and will bring in someone else to audition for his spot in the rotation.

I think this is exactly it--except for the sulking part. Rather than bury him at the end of the bench, they cut him so he can catch on to another team if he can. Canaan doesn't seem to be the sulking type.

The Suns promised him a shot. They gave him a shot--a significant one.

 

[Proximo]

Unless, of course, the coach refuses to bench him, in which case there is no choice...

Which is what I said I was worried about. Which would be very bad, because it would mean Igor is going to be fired soon, which would continue to make this team the joke of the league.

 

[1Sun]

I doubt it. In our position it is easy to say after a couple bad games that someone should be cut or passed in the rotation, but for the people actually making the decisions they need to make sure they are making an informed decision and thus may even allow something to go on a little too long to make sure they are making the right one.

This was a lot more than "a couple bad games". Canaan only had a couple GOOD games.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I might agree with this if okobo or melton had been getting any playing time at all.

I suppose it could just be they came to the decision it is time to stop trying to win and just develop the young guys, but that totally contradicts what Igor said in an interview just yesterday. He said winning is the most important thing to develop the young core right now.

Okobo and Melton have been practicing and playing in D-league. So there is more evaluating going on behind the scenes--which is how it should be.

 

[1Sun]

caning a guy who got about 35 minutes for 2 games straight 2 weeks ago doesn't reflect well on the either the coach, GM, owner or how all 3 are working together

Well, we still don't have a GM, and we know where the coach was with this, so it's pretty clear who made this call...