takers for Bledsoe?

[Chaplin]

Cleveland has lost 3 of 4– think Lebron is desperate for Bledsoe yet?

 

[Mainstreet]

Cleveland has lost 3 of 4– think Lebron is desperate for Bledsoe yet?

And think Lebron is tired of playing PG.

Yup. The Cavaliers should be ready.

 

[Finito]

Lebron is also leading his team in minutes by 10+

That's no good for them

 

[pokerface]

And think Lebron is tired of playing PG.

Yup. The Cavaliers should be ready.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Want to really shake it up?

Shumpert, Frye, IT, Zizic and the Nets pick for Bled, Chriss, and Chandler, plus a pick (Miami or a couple of second rounders)

 

[JCSunsfan]

Funny. Cleveland is hold that pick hostage. Word is that they won't trade it unless LeBron commits long term.

Cleveland has nothing else to trade really.

 

[Hoop Head]

Funny. Cleveland is hold that pick hostage. Word is that they won't trade it unless LeBron commits long term.

Cleveland has nothing else to trade really.

Figured that would happen. I'm glad we're in position to trade one of Lebron's friends for that pick though, you'd think he would sign off on that deal. The longer they're stuck with poor PG play the more valuable Bledsoe has to look for them. Meanwhile the better the Nets have played and the less value that pick has. If the Cavs got Bledsoe that would allow Cleveland to keep from having to pay IT in the offseason also, if they got Bledsoe.

FWIW, I saw something over the offseason about a charity game that Bledsoe organized a year or two ago and IT was one of the NBA players who participated. I didn't think anything of it at that point, especially since it was before the Irving trade. Now that I've been looking for it though I can't find it. I wondered how Bledsoe and IT got along though and I'd think if they're willing to play for each other's charity/fundraising events in the offseason that they get along well enough that there shouldn't be any issues reuniting them.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I simply think this discussion regarding the "top 4-5" is way premature to start with. First of all by draft time next year at least 1 or 2 of those guys stock may have slipped quite a bit and it is possible that pretty much none of them are quite as highly touted after they play a year in college. Lets see these guys take on the next level of competition for at least part of the college season before we jump off the deep end here. It could turn out to be essentially a 3 player draft at the top after the college season (for all we know), and we saw how us getting a top 3 pick worked out last year (despite having the 2nd worst record).

 

[pokerface]

I simply think this discussion regarding the "top 4-5" is way premature to start with. First of all by draft time next year at least 1 or 2 of those guys stock may have slipped quite a bit and it is possible that pretty much none of them are quite as highly touted after they play a year in college. Lets see these guys take on the next level of competition for at least part of the college season before we jump off the deep end here. It could turn out to be essentially a 3 player draft at the top after the college season (for all we know), and we saw how us getting a top 3 pick worked out last year (despite having the 2nd worst record).

Ok fair enough but here is the deal. The suns need to anticipate and think moves ahead...which I think they are doing. I mean they already know they are going to have a losing season... no matter what. Do they want to do moves to tank it further or wait and not trade vets? Meanwhile, other teams (like Dallas 1-6 already) are getting a jump start. You can't decide this stuff months in and try to play catch up later in the season.

You're right, we don't know how college will play out. Maybe there will only be three players that are highly coveted. But I want the suns to be one of those three teams to cash in. So what there is no guarantee...we have nothing better going on but to gamble.

I don't think it's "jumping off the deep end" to trade Bledsoe and Chandler and play the young players more. No one is advocating benching players at this stage of the season.

 

[pokerface]

Figured that would happen. I'm glad we're in position to trade one of Lebron's friends for that pick though, you'd think he would sign off on that deal. The longer they're stuck with poor PG play the more valuable Bledsoe has to look for them. Meanwhile the better the Nets have played and the less value that pick has. If the Cavs got Bledsoe that would allow Cleveland to keep from having to pay IT in the offseason also, if they got Bledsoe.

It's definitely getting interesting... especially the way you laid out the facts. Bledsoe's stock may be rising with them...the Brooklyn stock may be falling. They need a PG right 'now' and LeBron's good friend is available now. Plus maybe Bled could make LeBron want to stay in Cleveland??

 

[Hoop Head]

Back to trading Bledsoe, not sure if it's been mentioned but I just found out yesterday that Rich Paul was also Earl Watson's agent. Knowing that I find the Bledsoe hair salon tweet excuse even more nonsense. The comments by McD about Bledsoe getting bad advice makes more sense, although he shouldn't have said that to the media like he did. I'd rather McD come out and say Rich Paul sucks than how he's thrown Bledsoe under the bus. I would think most GM's around the league know the sort of agent that Rich Paul is and are able to read between the lines regarding Watson's firing and Bledsoe trade request. Unfortunately I don't think many players are able to do that, nor do I think players look to read between the lines, all they see is our coach was canned and Bledsoe wants out while our GM knocks Bledsoe for how he handled it. Watson was the only coach that Paul represented.

Here is a list of Rich Paul clients...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Paul

There isn't anyone on there that has been linked to the Suns in any way in the last few years except Shabazz Muhammad, who some fans wanted the team to sign but I can see why he wasn't given a better deal this last offseason now that I know he's represented by Paul. Paul's clients got shut out this last summer. He couldn't get Noel the max deal he was after and had him turn down the 4 year/$70 million offer that was extended to him before he took the qualifying offer. He was hired by Noel after he came up empty in the first month of free agency. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got a deal from LA but it was just a 1 year deal to keep them above the salary floor. He was after a max deal also and Detroit wasn't willing to pay it, they ended up rescinding their qualifying offer after they got Avery Bradley also so they really planned on moving on completely. There was no way he was getting the max from them. Muhammad also had to settle for a contract, only signing for the veterans minimum.

It's interesting to note that Shabazz turned down an extension that was offered during the 2016 offseason, hoping to cash in during the 2017 offseason when he was due to be a restricted free agent but with the moves the Wolves made they ended up rescinding his qualifying offer also so he got paid about $4 million less than he could have if he'd just signed right when the offseason opened. Of course he could have signed the extension and been getting paid for the next 4 years. Seems like Paul has been failing a lot of his clients as of late though.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...muhammad-returning-to-timberwolves/105544800/

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Ok fair enough but here is the deal. The suns need to anticipate and think moves ahead...which I think they are doing. I mean they already know they are going to have a losing season... no matter what. Do they want to do moves to tank it further or wait and not trade vets? Meanwhile, other teams (like Dallas 1-6 already) are getting a jump start. You can't decide this stuff months in and try to play catch up later in the season.

You're right, we don't know how college will play out. Maybe there will only be three players that are highly coveted. But I want the suns to be one of those three teams to cash in. So what there is no guarantee...we have nothing better going on but to gamble.

I don't think it's "jumping off the deep end" to trade Bledsoe and Chandler and play the young players more. No one is advocating benching players at this stage of the season.

Trading Bledsoe is a no brainer at this point and I would be very surprised if he plays another game for the Suns (that would require him crawling back and basically begging to play again). I am however against trading Chandler as I believe his role in helping with the development of the young guys is very important. If the goal is tanking than maybe they should simply start giving Len more and more of the C minutes. I don't know how effective that would be though as Len has been a difference maker in these past few games.

 

[3rdside]

You must be one of those guys that thinks all sports drafts and choosing investments is the equivalent to a blindfolded monkey throwing darts. The later picks are NOT as likely to hit big as the earlier. There’s a reason everyone wants higher picks instead of just any pick.

Just for some science, take a look at this link and look at the "Star" column - this shows the % of players drafted that turn into stars at each draft pick #:

http://www.82games.com/nbadraftpicks.htm

If we have the 8th pick (our own pick from a bad but not awful season) and the 14th pick (from Miami) we are statistically just as likely to find a star from these two picks than if we had the 2nd, 4th, or 5th pick.

Of course if we have the 2nd, 4th or 5th pick (our own pick from a horrendous season) AND the 14th pick (from Miami) our odds of finding a star go up, but that's not the point - the point is that by having multiple high, but not top 5, draft picks we're insured - to a certain extent - against over performing this season:

i.e. if we do over perform at least we'll have a 60% chance of finding a star anyway (and in a deep draft this % should go up), and that's before the benefits of not tanking are taken into consideration.

 

[pokerface]

The thing about Bledsoe and the suns...both sides are on the same page. Bledsoe wants out...the suns want him out. No way the suns give Bledsoe a max extension like he wanted. Now he wants to find it on another team and/or find a winning team.

The suns took Bledsoe's "hair sallon" excuse and used it to their own ends and benched him to force more tanking.. although it backfired

 

[pokerface]

Just for some science, take a look at this link and look at the "Star" column - this shows the % of players drafted that turn into stars at each draft pick #:

http://www.82games.com/nbadraftpicks.htm

If we have the 8th pick (our own pick from a bad but not awful season) and the 14th pick (from Miami) we are statistically just as likely to find a star from these two picks than if we had the 2nd, 4th, or 5th pick.

Of course if we have the 2nd, 4th or 5th pick (our own pick from a horrendous season) AND the 14th pick (from Miami) our odds of finding a star go up, but that's not the point - the point is that by having multiple high, but not top 5, draft picks we're insured - to a certain extent - against over performing this season:

i.e. if we do over perform at least we'll have a 60% chance of finding a star anyway (and in a deep draft this % should go up), and that's before the benefits of not tanking are taken into consideration.

I'll consider your view as a "backup plan"


I still want a top four dammit!

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

The thing about Bledsoe and the suns...both sides are on the same page. Bledsoe wants out...the suns want him out. No way the suns give Bledsoe a max extension like he wanted. Now he wants to find it on another team and/or find a winning team.

The suns took Bledsoe's "hair sallon" excuse and used it to their own ends and benched him to force more tanking.. although it backfired

I don't buy this at all. Bledsoe not trying was better for the tank than benching him and it was painfully obvious watching those first 3 games. If they were intending it as a tank move than they would still be playing him.

 

[pokerface]

I don't buy this at all. Bledsoe not trying was better for the tank than benching him and it was painfully obvious watching those first 3 games. If they were intending it as a tank move than they would still be playing him.

You really think they are benching him over some hair sallon "I want out" bs? If any other player said that he wouldn't get benched indefinitely...if at all. They used that as an excuse to keep him out of games. They benched him last season so that gives my theory a lot more cred.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

You really think they are benching him over some hair sallon "I want out" bs? If any other player said that he wouldn't get benched indefinitely...if at all. They used that as an excuse to keep him out of games. They benched him last season so that gives my theory a lot more cred.

No it is because he has quit on the team on the court and the tweet was simply icing on the cake. Also all we know is that after the tweet they had a meeting with him and then he was sent home. We don't know exactly what was said between both sides during that meeting. My guess would be that what went on in the meeting is the reason he is out "indefinitely".

 

[pokerface]

No it is because he has quit on the team on the court and the tweet was simply icing on the cake. Also all we know is that after the tweet they had a meeting with him and then he was sent home. We don't know exactly what was said between both sides during that meeting. My guess would be that what went on in the meeting is the reason he is out "indefinitely".

I don't know man... anything is possible...but benching him indefinitely?? Plus look at what is going on...more rumors about trading Chandler in addition to Bledsoe. Smells tankish to me. They sat him last season specifically to tank. It's all consistent with the draft in mind.

 

[Errntknght]

Trading Bledsoe is a no brainer at this point and I would be very surprised if he plays another game for the Suns (that would require him crawling back and basically begging to play again). I am however against trading Chandler as I believe his role in helping with the development of the young guys is very important. If the goal is tanking than maybe they should simply start giving Len more and more of the C minutes. I don't know how effective that would be though as Len has been a difference maker in these past few games.

Len is really the pivotal player in this drama... if he's truly a difference maker lets see lots more of him to the point that we are much less concerned about drafting a big next June. i'm far from convinced he's a solid starter and I don't think he'll be a good backup as that seems to rattle him. I like Sauce much more for that role. The next step for Len is to play well enough that Triano will be happy to start him over Tyson.

 

[Hoop Head]

Not everything is tank related. Bledsoe was sent home for conduct detrimental to the team basically. They weren't thinking about ping-pong balls or draft positioning. If anything they did it to help us win. Having a malcontent like Bled around could have turned more players against the organization so they wanted him away from our youth.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Not everything is tank related. Bledsoe was sent home for conduct detrimental to the team basically. They weren't thinking about ping-pong balls or draft positioning. If anything they did it to help us win. Having a malcontent like Bled around could have turned more players against the organization so they wanted him away from our youth.

Exactly. Throw in the fact he hears Watson is getting canned and blows up on the Suns brass at morning practice. It all adds up to a big cluster F as usual.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yes the tanking of players is of course subject to change but usually the ones that are considered to be top players, really top players, team-changers, don’t change. Just look at last year the top four (Fultz, ball, JJ, and Tatum) all went closely to where they were projected all season. Ben Simmons was lauded as the number one pick before that. Wiggins and Embiid similarly before that. One of the top five might drop or get jumped, but it’s still a bit unlikely.

And don’t get me wrong, this is a talented draft beyond the top 5, but I think those 5 offer a chance to make a major franchise leap. Bridges, carter, Robert Johnson, etc, there is definitely talent in this draft. That’s why I hope we have a top 5 pick and I’m excited to potential use the Miami pick.

 

[pokerface]

Not everything is tank related. Bledsoe was sent home for conduct detrimental to the team basically. They weren't thinking about ping-pong balls or draft positioning. If anything they did it to help us win. Having a malcontent like Bled around could have turned more players against the organization so they wanted him away from our youth.

Players of Bledsoes caliber just don't get benched forever over something that small without there being other reasons.

You guys can believe what you want

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media