The 2018-2019 Around the NBA thread

[Hoop Head]

So glad the Morrii are no longer a Suns problem. We sold low on Marcus but I think they will get similar deals in free agency when they expire after this season and I would be surprised if either gets more than the mid level exception. Glad neither stepped their game up a good amount after leaving.

Marcus proved he was better than a salary dump but Markieff for a 1st, in the teens, I bet Washington would love to get that for him. Kind of weird how Marcus turned into the current stretch 4 teams want while Markieff's inside game and mediocre 3pt shooting kept him from becoming a sought after PF in such a short period of time. Their attitudes don't help either but Marcus appeared to get it together in Boston. Maybe he fell in line with their leadership. Markieff has sort of continued being a technical magnet.

 

[sunsfan88]

So glad the Morrii are no longer a Suns problem. We sold low on Marcus but I think they will get similar deals in free agency when they expire after this season and I would be surprised if either gets more than the mid level exception. Glad neither stepped their game up a good amount after leaving.

Marcus proved he was better than a salary dump but Markieff for a 1st, in the teens, I bet Washington would love to get that for him. Kind of weird how Marcus turned into the current stretch 4 teams want while Markieff's inside game and mediocre 3pt shooting kept him from becoming a sought after PF in such a short period of time. Their attitudes don't help either but Marcus appeared to get it together in Boston. Maybe he fell in line with their leadership. Markieff has sort of continued being a technical magnet.

The funny thing is that we used that pick plus Bogdanovic to draft a player with a similar attitude as Markieff’s.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The funny thing is that we used that pick plus Bogdanovic to draft a player with a similar attitude as Markieff’s.

I vote sad, not funny.

 

[1Sun]

I vote sad, not funny.

Ryan McDonough really has no business still being the GM.

 

[slinslin]

I dont get why Suns fans still bring up Bogdan.

We would have never signed him to that contract that was needed to bring him over. He makes almost 10M$ per year as a rookie. That would have killed our capspace.

 

[Chaplin]

Ryan McDonough really has no business still being the GM.

I'm guessing you have some reasoning, however flimsy. But congrats on a post that has nothing to do with point guards. Of course, you are probably inferring the reason he shouldn't be GM is because of our point guard situation, so...

I don't like Ryan, and thought he should have been gone after last season, however, the moves he made this summer has softened my stance on him and I'm willing to see where this takes us.

 

[1Sun]

I'm guessing you have some reasoning, however flimsy. But congrats on a post that has nothing to do with point guards. Of course, you are probably inferring the reason he shouldn't be GM is because of our point guard situation, so...

I don't like Ryan, and thought he should have been gone after last season, however, the moves he made this summer has softened my stance on him and I'm willing to see where this takes us.

As I mentioned before, the clincher for me was hiring Earl Watson on a non-interim basis without so much as conducting any due diligence on alternatives.

Add that to the Isaiah Thomas debacle, the Knight trade, the mishandling of the Dragic situation, the mishandling of the Morii, drafting Alex Len, drafting Tyler Ennis over Clint Capela, Rodney Hood and Gary Harris, drafting Bender and Chriss in the top 10 of the same draft (giving up assets for Chriss), the failed pursuit of Aldridge and Griffin and the mishandling of Bledsoe, and I don't even need to get to this summer and the failure to address the gaping hole at point guard.

 

[Chaplin]

As I mentioned before, the clincher for me was hiring Earl Watson on a non-interim basis without so much as conducting any due diligence on alternatives.

Add that to the Isaiah Thomas debacle, the Knight trade, the mishandling of the Dragic situation, the mishandling of the Morii, drafting Alex Len, drafting Tyler Ennis over Clint Capela, Rodney Hood and Gary Harris, drafting Bender and Chriss in the top 10 of the same draft (giving up assets for Chriss), the failed pursuit of Aldridge and Griffin and the mishandling of Bledsoe, and I don't even need to get to this summer and the failure to address the gaping hole at point guard.

Please. Let's really look at your list. Yes, the Knight trade, Earl Watson and drafting Len and Ennis were mistakes. However, drafting Ennis OVER other guys as if he (and you) knew they would be successful is a made up reason that you only say with 20/20 hindsight. Aldridge and Griffin? Please. What else could he have done with either of those guys? Aldridge was a near lock until his HOMETOWN team made essentially the same offer. And Griffin? The fact that we DIDN'T sign him is a win in my book.

You're a genius when using 20/20 hindsight, but you can't evaluate moves without understanding the context of the moves at the time. I've never ignored someone quickly, but you may take that billing sooner rather than later.

 

[1Sun]

Please. Let's really look at your list. Yes, the Knight trade, Earl Watson and drafting Len and Ennis were mistakes. However, drafting Ennis OVER other guys as if he (and you) knew they would be successful is a made up reason that you only say with 20/20 hindsight. Aldridge and Griffin? Please. What else could he have done with either of those guys? Aldridge was a near lock until his HOMETOWN team made essentially the same offer. And Griffin? The fact that we DIDN'T sign him is a win in my book.

You're a genius when using 20/20 hindsight, but you can't evaluate moves without understanding the context of the moves at the time. I've never ignored someone quickly, but you may take that billing sooner rather than later.

Actually, I called the Ennis pick a boneheaded decision when it happened. Hood and Harris were in play when the Suns picked Warren, and Capela was widely mocked to the Suns where they picked Ennis. There were several others that would have been better picks than Ennis, but consensus across the board at the time (NOT in hindsight) was that any of those three would have been much better picks.

Aldridge was a futile pursuit (and it was no secret his hometown team wanted him, which means we had no chance), was therefore a waste of time, and resulted in us handing Chandler a ridiculous contract just to attract a player who wasn't going to come here anyway. My understanding is that it also played a role in Watson being here, which makes that pursuit that much worse.

With Griffin, yes it worked out for us in that he merely used us to get a better deal from the Clippers. But it was ridiculous that we were seriously pursuing him in the first place. If anyone is using hindsight there, it is you by saying no harm, no foul.

Meanwhile, has McDonough won any trade since his first year as GM? Has he been better than a crap shoot at drafting? What has he done to actually earn the right to remain the GM after several years of failure?

 

[Chaplin]

Actually, I called the Ennis pick a boneheaded decision when it happened. Hood and Harris were in play when the Suns picked Warren, and Capela was widely mocked to the Suns where they picked Ennis. There were several others that would have been better picks than Ennis, but consensus across the board at the time (NOT in hindsight) was that any of those three would have been much better picks.

Aldridge was a futile pursuit (and it was no secret his hometown team wanted him, which means we had no chance), was therefore a waste of time, and resulted in us handing Chandler a ridiculous contract just to attract a player who wasn't going to come here anyway. My understanding is that it also played a role in Watson being here, which makes that pursuit that much worse.

With Griffin, yes it worked out for us in that he merely used us to get a better deal from the Clippers. But it was ridiculous that we were seriously pursuing him in the first place. If anyone is using hindsight there, it is you by saying no harm, no foul.

Meanwhile, has McDonough won any trade since his first year as GM? Has he been better than a crap shoot at drafting? What has he done to actually earn the right to remain the GM after several years of failure?

Don't make up history. We didn't pursue Griffin. He pursued us. That is WELL documented. McD has completed several decent moves (including drafting) that you conveniently ignore. Simply because you have some disturbing fascination with how terrible this team is because of the point guards.

 

[1Sun]

Don't make up history. We didn't pursue Griffin. He pursued us. That is WELL documented. McD has completed several decent moves (including drafting) that you conveniently ignore. Simply because you have some disturbing fascination with how terrible this team is because of the point guards.

I am not saying that McD has not had decent moves, such as Booker (though reports were that he was prepared to draft Trey Lyles over Booker, so the Jazz saved him from himself there), Ayton, Josh Jackson, and making the most of the bad situation he created by getting a couple of distant future draft picks (which he just spent to draft a prospect at an already overloaded position) for Dragic. It's just that the bad moves and even worse player relations far outweigh them, in my opinion.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Don't make up history. We didn't pursue Griffin. He pursued us. That is WELL documented.

I've had this discussion before and not once has anyone corroborated that he pursued us and not the other way around. People have made the claim repeatedly, making it seem like this was well documented, but I've yet to see a single legit source say the above.

All we know is he was scheduled for his first meeting with us. That's literally it. Tough to say that was all on him and we really didn't have any interest (which is what Steve and Poop Head have repeatedly said)... even though it was apparently our priority to meet with him on the first day of FA seems like revisionist history.

And I'm aware that the above cuts both ways... he made us his priority on his first day of FA as well. But considering that neither set of circumstances is backed up by anything concrete, I fail to see how it can't be well documented either way.

 

[Mainstreet]

Is that the one who didn't get drafted this year or the younger one? The one who didn't get drafted also got the shoplifting charges in China. Seems like he's much more trouble than he could ever be worth. I know the middle child, whatever his name was, was the one who everyone said would never make the NBA. Lonzo had talent and the youngest has shown flashes but was so young when Lonzo was at UCLA that you couldn't write him off yet, completely.

I'm am so glad @Ronin answered your question. I do not follow the Ball family nor the Kardashians.

 

[Ronin]

I'm am so glad @Ronin answered your question. I do not follow the Ball family nor the Kardashians.

@Russ Smith knows more about the ball family more than I do because of his UCLA ties.
if you follow college basketball, you know how it is hard to miss Lavar Ball making the news.

 

[Mainstreet]

@Russ Smith knows more about the ball family more than I do because of his UCLA ties.
if you follow college basketball, you know how it is hard to miss Lavar Ball making the news.

Lavar and Lonzo is about as far as I go on the subject.

I think Lonzo has a chance to become a good player but I could never deal with the family. I'll leave that to Russ.

 

[Russ Smith]

Is that the one who didn't get drafted this year or the younger one? The one who didn't get drafted also got the shoplifting charges in China. Seems like he's much more trouble than he could ever be worth. I know the middle child, whatever his name was, was the one who everyone said would never make the NBA. Lonzo had talent and the youngest has shown flashes but was so young when Lonzo was at UCLA that you couldn't write him off yet, completely.

Yep as ronin said he's teh youngest, I think he's 17. He plays for some "all star" team his dad put together since he can't play HS ball anymore let alone college. What an incredible waste. if you've seen the video, Melo is like 6'5" now, Lavar recently said 6'6" but Melo says 6'5" so he's close to the same height as Lonzo and the frame is now quite similar. I haven't seen him play in quite awhile now but he's allegedly more athletic now. If he were still in HS he'd have a chance to play college ball but instead he's playing in that farce that his dad is putting together and most likely still chucking up 35 footers because the one time he was going to get real coaching in HS, his dad pulled him out of school.

Not saying the kid was going to make the NBA, that was never a certainty, but Lavar has almost assuredly destroyed any chance he had. At some point he'll probably end up in something like the Globetrotters.

 

[sunsfan88]

Chriss really landed in the perfect situation for him.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[1Sun]

Chriss really landed in the perfect situation for him.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Kinda makes you wonder what he might have been here with a decent point guard, eh? Just saying.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Kinda makes you wonder what he might have been here with a decent point guard, eh? Just saying.

Oh get real, that's one freaking play. And he got plenty of alley oop opportunities here too and he even made some of them. He just lost his concentration often enough that passers eventually lost the desire to throw to him.

 

[1Sun]

Oh get real, that's one freaking play. And he got plenty of alley oop opportunities here too and he even made some of them. He just lost his concentration often enough that passers eventually lost the desire to throw to him.

I was actually responding to sunsfan88's "perfect situation" comment. I merely aspire to put our young core in a "perfect situation", or at least a palatable one.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I was actually responding to sunsfan88's "perfect situation" comment. I merely aspire to put our young core in a "perfect situation", or at least a palatable one.

You suggested all he needs is a good point guard. He might survive or even thrive in Houston but his struggles went far beyond point guard connection whether it was in Phoenix with Bledsoe or while at UW with Dejounte Murray.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think there is a possibility (albeit slim due to lack of playing time opportunities) that CP3 makes him look better than Bledsoe and Murray did.

Typically a good PG will make a player look better but he didn't fail in Phoenix because he lacked a decent PG. We had a "decent" PG, though not an elite one. But no PG is going to solve his inattention problems on both sides of the ball. But with the loss of their defensive coach, perhaps they'll revert to Dantoni style and his defense won't be a problem.

 

[Phrazbit]

He scored some spoonfed baskets... good for him.

He also had 5 turnovers and 5 fouls in a mere 15 minutes.

He's still Chriss. I don't doubt he will be more offensively efficient but ANYONE would get more efficient when 80% of their looks are at the rim and undefended.

I'd lay good odds that he gets in Mike D's doghouse and finds a permanent home there as soon as he has a bad stretch in a close game or 2.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Kinda makes you wonder what he might have been here with a decent point guard, eh? Just saying.

good lord... I'm with Ouchie at this point. This has to be performance art.

 

[Phrazbit]

good lord... I'm with Ouchie at this point. This has to be performance art.

Nah, I'm pretty sure we were a Raymond Felton type point guard from the semi-finals last year.