The Bledsoe dilemma

[Errntknght]

It's obviously not killing us but Cleveland is the only team that gets fewer assists per game. From watching I'd say we get quite a few assists of guys going to the basket and also from spotted up 3 pointers - both of which are desireable assists while guys coming off screens are midrange or long 2's. I like most of our mid-range shots - coming from Markieff or Green or from Dragic pulling up - Bledsoe is starting to take those pullup shots now and hits them fairly well.

 

[JustWinBaby]

It's obviously not killing us but Cleveland is the only team that gets fewer assists per game. From watching I'd say we get quite a few assists of guys going to the basket and also from spotted up 3 pointers - both of which are desireable assists while guys coming off screens are midrange or long 2's. I like most of our mid-range shots - coming from Markieff or Green or from Dragic pulling up - Bledsoe is starting to take those pullup shots now and hits them fairly well.

I like both Goran and Bledsoe, what is not to like? Certainly they are not perfect but who is. IMO both play both ends of the court, both can get their own shot and both are good distributors.

Bledsoe and his agent have a heck of a case to make this off season. With only Goran in the back court the Suns won only 25 games. With Bledsoe being the biggest addition the Suns made the playoffs. Certainly Plumlee, Green, the Moris Brothers and a healthy Frye have been factors as well. However the biggest addition was Bledsoe. That is how his agent will play it at negotiation time.

The problem McDonough will have this summer is that if he gives Bledsoe 12 - 15 Million how will that sit with Goran and his 7.5 per year? I just do not think you can let Bledsoe walk out the door at this point.

I think we are in good hands with McDonough as our GM. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Maybe the best thing that has happened this season thus far has been Len's injury. It has given Plumlee a chance to flourish as well as making room for more minutes to both Frye and Markief. I really like the rotation that Hornacek has developed.

It really is amazing that we have been as good as we have been.

How much of that credit is going to go to Bledsoe?

 

[devilalum]

I like both Goran and Bledsoe, what is not to like? Certainly they are not perfect but who is. IMO both play both ends of the court, both can get their own shot and both are good distributors.

Bledsoe and his agent have a heck of a case to make this off season. With only Goran in the back court the Suns won only 25 games. With Bledsoe being the biggest addition the Suns made the playoffs. Certainly Plumlee, Green, the Moris Brothers and a healthy Frye have been factors as well. However the biggest addition was Bledsoe. That is how his agent will play it at negotiation time.

The problem McDonough will have this summer is that if he gives Bledsoe 12 - 15 Million how will that sit with Goran and his 7.5 per year? I just do not think you can let Bledsoe walk out the door at this point.

I think we are in good hands with McDonough as our GM. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

Maybe the best thing that has happened this season thus far has been Len's injury. It has given Plumlee a chance to flourish as well as making room for more minutes to both Frye and Markief. I really like the rotation that Hornacek has developed.

It really is amazing that we have been as good as we have been.

How much of that credit is going to go to Bledsoe?

The Suns are definitely greater than the sum of their parts. Bledsoe has been huge but how good would the Suns be if he was the only new piece on the roster from last year?

 

[Superbone]

Bledsoe and his agent have a heck of a case to make this off season. With only Goran in the back court the Suns won only 25 games. With Bledsoe being the biggest addition the Suns made the playoffs.

We did? Wow, are you from the future? Still a long way to go, buddy.

 

[JustWinBaby]

We did? Wow, are you from the future? Still a long way to go, buddy.

You are correct but it is hard to believe that any of the teams not in the top 8 will be ahead of us come playoff time. Of course it also was hard for a lot of people to believe we would win more that 19 games prior to the start of the season.

I know it is an assumption and not a given but I was using it as an part of what Bledsoe agent probably will have in his negotiating bag this summer.

I will be shocked if he does not get close to max offer from someone.

 

[Superbone]

You are correct but it is hard to believe that any of the teams not in the top 8 will be ahead of us come playoff time. Of course it also was hard for a lot of people to believe we would win more that 19 games prior to the start of the season.

I know it is an assumption and not a given but I was using it as an part of what Bledsoe agent probably will have in his negotiating bag this summer.

I will be shocked if he does not get close to max offer from someone.

I'm sure you're right and I'm still shocked we're as good as we are. Not only that, but we're at an easy part of our schedule if you can believe it. We're playing a stretch of sub-.500 teams.

I just don't want to get ahead of ourselves.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm sure you're right and I'm still shocked we're as good as we are. Not only that, but we're at an easy part of our schedule if you can believe it. We're playing a stretch of sub-.500 teams.

I just don't want to get ahead of ourselves.

Another way to look at it is we're only 2 home games away from embarking on a 5 game road trip that includes two sets of back to backs. But you're right, we only have one opponent during the next 18 game stretch (Indiana, twice) that is clearly out of our weight class. When the key to your success is intensity though, any game is up for grabs. I'd like to see us go 12 - 6 or better going into our February 5th game at Houston.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

Bledsoe and his agent have a heck of a case to make this off season. With only Goran in the back court the Suns won only 25 games. With Bledsoe being the biggest addition the Suns made the playoffs. Certainly Plumlee, Green, the Moris Brothers and a healthy Frye have been factors as well. However the biggest addition was Bledsoe. That is how his agent will play it at negotiation time.

In Dragic's defense, he was playing with guys like Michael Beasley, Shannon Brown etc. And was coached by Alvin Gentry and then Lindsay Hunter for half the season.

So much dysfunction with that Suns team last year that I don't think it would be fair to judge Dragic based off that.

 

[AzStevenCal]

In Dragic's defense, he was playing with guys like Michael Beasley, Shannon Brown etc. And was coached by Alvin Gentry and then Lindsay Hunter for half the season.

So much dysfunction with that Suns team last year that I don't think it would be fair to judge Dragic based off that.

In Gentry's defense, he was coaching guys like Michael Beasley, Shannon Brown etc. And was spied upon and perhaps sold down the river by Lindsay Hunter for half the season.

So much dysfunction with that Suns roster last season that I don't think it would be fair to judge Hunter based off that.
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Now, based on his career, I think he's ideally suited to be an assistant coach. He can survive for awhile as a Head Coach but he brings nothing special to the position.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

In Gentry's defense, he was coaching guys like Michael Beasley, Shannon Brown etc. And was spied upon and perhaps sold down the river by Lindsay Hunter for half the season.

So much dysfunction with that Suns roster last season that I don't think it would be fair to judge Hunter based off that.
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Now, based on his career, I think he's ideally suited to be an assistant coach. He can survive for awhile as a Head Coach but he brings nothing special to the position.

Steve

I feel the same way. Never really liked him as a head coach but he's a good assistant/player development coach.

 

[Superbone]

Another way to look at it is we're only 2 home games away from embarking on a 5 game road trip that includes two sets of back to backs. But you're right, we only have one opponent during the next 18 game stretch (Indiana, twice) that is clearly out of our weight class. When the key to your success is intensity though, any game is up for grabs. I'd like to see us go 12 - 6 or better going into our February 5th game at Houston.

Steve

Welp, tonight was one easy game down. 17 more to go.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Welp, tonight was one easy game down. 17 more to go.

Yeah, notice I said I hope we go 12 - 6 or better? No one is a cake walk for us, we're just not that talented. When we are at full strength and we go at full speed, we're a tough opponent but it's not likely we'll play that way every night.

Steve

 

[Superbone]

Yeah, notice I said I hope we go 12 - 6 or better? No one is a cake walk for us, we're just not that talented. When we are at full strength and we go at full speed, we're a tough opponent but it's not likely we'll play that way every night.

Steve

I'll take 12-6 or better any day. Let's hope they continue to learn from each loss as well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'll take 12-6 or better any day. Let's hope they continue to learn from each loss as well.

Me too. If we were one of the elite teams looking at our 18 game stretch we'd expect 16 - 2 probably but we're a pretty good team and that's a pretty good record for us. We also need to keep both of our point guards healthy or a 12 - 6 goal becomes more like a 6 - 12 reality.

Steve

 

[BC867]

What the Suns have accomplished so far is, as we know, amazing. But not only has it improved our record, it has raised our expectations.

I believe that the Suns roster has no margin for error, as illustrated in the "easy" game last night. And, yes, injuries, cold shooting, foul trouble, etc., are all part of the game.

I am an eternal optimist . . . but I am also a realist. I fear that the Suns, with its roster as presently staffed, will reach its level of incompetence down the stretch.

Frye as backup Center with the twins as backup Power Forward and Small Forward does not provide the balance up front, which will become more prevalent as we near the playoffs.

 

[AzStevenCal]

What the Suns have accomplished so far is, as we know, amazing. But not only has it improved our record, it has raised our expectations.

I believe that the Suns roster has no margin for error, as illustrated in the "easy" game last night. And, yes, injuries, cold shooting, foul trouble, etc., are all part of the game.

I am an eternal optimist . . . but I am also a realist. I fear that the Suns, with its roster as presently staffed, will reach its level of incompetence down the stretch.

Frye as backup Center with the twins as backup Power Forward and Small Forward does not provide the balance up front, which will become more prevalent as we near the playoffs.

This just doesn't make sense. You're saying that your expectations have been raised by this soft group of big guys and now you're disappointed in these same soft big guys for being exactly who they were when they raised your expectations? And, the proof of all this is an event that won't transpire for several months but you are all of a sudden able to pronounce us a failure in that event and yet you weren't able to do that a month ago when these soft players were busy raising your expectations? You don't see a huge hole in your logic here?

We aren't where we need to be, we all know that. But in addition to this, we played last night minus our greatest strength. Yes, injuries are a part of the game but you remove the single greatest aspect of any team and the vast majority of clubs flounder as a result. Our offense and our defense depend on the presence of both Dragic and Bledsoe. Take either player out of the equation and we are a 25 win team.

Steve

 

[BC867]

This just doesn't make sense. You're saying that your expectations have been raised by this soft group of big guys and now you're disappointed in these same soft big guys for being exactly who they were when they raised your expectations? And, the proof of all this is an event that won't transpire for several months but you are all of a sudden able to pronounce us a failure in that event and yet you weren't able to do that a month ago when these soft players were busy raising your expectations? You don't see a huge hole in your logic here?

We aren't where we need to be, we all know that. But in addition to this, we played last night minus our greatest strength. Yes, injuries are a part of the game but you remove the single greatest aspect of any team and the vast majority of clubs flounder as a result. Our offense and our defense depend on the presence of both Dragic and Bledsoe. Take either player out of the equation and we are a 25 win team.

Steve

I didn't spell it out, but I feel that as the season progresses and fatigue becomes more of a factor -- for all teams -- speed and the precision of making 3's will decline, two main factors that have led to our surprising success.

Realistically, I don't think that our rotation as it is currently made up will offset that as the season wears on. If our top draft pick Len could be a formidable backup Center, that could offset our fate, relegating Frye and Markieff to the Power Forward position instead of sharing the backup Center position. If Len or Okafor can't do it, someone has to be brought in to fulfill it.

Dragic and Bledsoe being healthy and allowing each other to play refreshed, as important as it is, won't determine our fate as much as giving help to Plumlee in the front court.

'Sorry I didn't state that specifically. And BTW, Jeff's leadership has raised all of our expectations. 'Just one missing piece.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I didn't spell it out, but I feel that as the season progresses and fatigue becomes more of a factor -- for all teams -- speed and the precision of making 3's will decline, two main factors that have led to our surprising success.

Realistically, I don't think that our rotation as it is currently made up will offset that as the season wears on. If our top draft pick Len could be a formidable backup Center, that could offset our fate, relegating Frye and Markieff to the Power Forward position instead of sharing the backup Center position. If Len or Okafor can't do it, someone has to be brought in to fulfill it.

Dragic and Bledsoe being healthy and allowing each other to play refreshed, as important as it is, won't determine our fate as much as giving help to Plumlee in the front court.

'Sorry I didn't state that specifically. And BTW, Jeff's leadership has raised all of our expectations. 'Just one missing piece.

I agree with all of this. I've said from the beginning that Plumlee is not big enough to be our only true big man. He takes too much of a pounding every night and they can run one big man after another at him wearing him down in the process. Also, he has clearly out produced all reasonable expectations but he still disappears for stretches.

I agree with the raised expectations but if a 19 - 12 record isn't delivering on raised expectations than I don't know what it would take. We need to upgrade at a couple of positions but we have the picks with which to do it over the next few years. Also, this team could improve considerably just by staying put and playing together for a few years. Regardless, this season and next we're likely to be a dangerous first round opponent but that's about it.

Steve

 

[BC867]

I agree with all of this. I've said from the beginning that Plumlee is not big enough to be our only true big man. He takes too much of a pounding every night and they can run one big man after another at him wearing him down in the process. Also, he has clearly out produced all reasonable expectations but he still disappears for stretches.

I agree with the raised expectations but if a 19 - 12 record isn't delivering on raised expectations than I don't know what it would take. We need to upgrade at a couple of positions but we have the picks with which to do it over the next few years. Also, this team could improve considerably just by staying put and playing together for a few years. Regardless, this season and next we're likely to be a dangerous first round opponent but that's about it.

Steve

Now I'll go back to being an optimist. If we were to have a legitimate backup Center in the rotation and could obtain a starting Power Forward stronger than Frye or Markieff (whether this season or next), do you agree that we could be better than just a dangerous first round opponent?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Now I'll go back to being an optimist. If we were to have a legitimate backup Center in the rotation and could obtain a starting Power Forward stronger than Frye or Markieff (whether this season or next), do you agree that we could be better than just a dangerous first round opponent?

Sure, there are scenarios that could have us moving on. Our biggest area to improve though might well come from the pairing of Bledsoe and Dragic. It's possible that they are just scratching the surface of what they could be out there and if that's the case we might not need to upgrade the 4 and/or the 5 to do some damage. I do think that one way or another we'll improve our backup center play. Hopefully it will occur as a result of Len getting healthy and learning the game. If Len can make an argument to be the starter by the time the playoffs roll around we could be a threat to any team in the west.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

Per Paul Coro, Bledsoe will be out at least a week:

Paul Coro ‏@paulcoro 29m

Hornacek said Bledsoe (right knee sprain) will be out at least a week. Green will start in his place. #SunsVsBucks

https://twitter.com/paulcoro

 

[devilalum]

If Len can make an argument to be the starter by the time the playoffs roll around we could be a threat to any team in the west.

I'd be thrilled with him just being able to spell Plumlee for 15-20 minutes a game. Plumlee can take more chances defensively and wreak more havoc if he doesn't have to worry as much about getting in foul trouble.

 

[devilalum]

Per Paul Coro, Bledsoe will be out at least a week:



https://twitter.com/paulcoro

At the end of this week he will have missed roughly a third of the games that have been played. Definitely another component of the "Bledsoe Delimma."

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'd be thrilled with him just being able to spell Plumlee for 15-20 minutes a game. Plumlee can take more chances defensively and wreak more havoc if he doesn't have to worry as much about getting in foul trouble.

I did a double take halfway through your first sentence.

Steve

 

[BC867]

I'd be thrilled with him just being able to spell Plumlee

That's P-L-U-M-L-E-E.