The future of the Phoenix Suns

[elindholm]

at least he's admitting we're probably going to miss the playoffs again.

I know you're just quoting the letter, but the fact that he thinks he needs to "admit" that at this point is hilarious. And also that he considers it merely "likely," rather than an obvious certainty.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I know you're just quoting the letter, but the fact that he thinks he needs to "admit" that at this point is hilarious. And also that he considers it merely "likely," rather than an obvious certainty.

I was nice understatement. The biggest news in the letter is his clear support for Ryan.

 

[iLLmatiC]

Maybe he wrote it at the beginning of December and forgot to post it to the Suns site till now..

 

[Catlover]

I'm sure he has no doubt that we're not making the playoffs but I see nothing wrong with the words he chose. What kind of message does it send throughout the organization all the way down to the players and even the fans if he gives up even one second before he has to?

Who knows, maybe Tucker will play every night like he did against the Grizzlies. And maybe the Chandler and Len pairing is dynamite, backed up by solid play from Leuer and Teletovic. Perhaps Booker will get over the rookie wall and accelerate his growth as a legitimate scorer in this league. Maybe the light will go on for Archie. Million to one probably but I don't believe you should ever fully shut the door until you absolutely have to.

 

[elindholm]

Million to one probably but I don't believe you should ever fully shut the door until you absolutely have to.

A million to one is generous. Even if the Suns win out -- which would be a 24-game winning streak, mind you -- they'll get to only 38-44. There's brave-faced optimism, and then there's disconnect with reality. We're talking about the latter.

 

[Catlover]

A million to one is generous. Even if the Suns win out -- which would be a 24-game winning streak, mind you -- they'll get to only 38-44. There's brave-faced optimism, and then there's disconnect with reality. We're talking about the latter.

No, I did the math, it really is a million to one. You forgot to consider that there a few teams that are on or just below the playoff line that will likely opt to tank rather than face the Warriors or the Spurs. And there's at least 2 teams in the mix that will lose their first round picks if they make the playoffs. So yeah, exactly a million to one.

 

[elindholm]

No, I did the math, it really is a million to one. You forgot to consider that there a few teams that are on or just below the playoff line that will likely opt to tank rather than face the Warriors or the Spurs. And there's at least 2 teams in the mix that will lose their first round picks if they make the playoffs. So yeah, exactly a million to one.

I guess you're being funny, but you're evading the point, which is that some things that are technically "possible" are so very far beyond the range of any conceivable likelihood that it's misleading to imply otherwise.

 

[Catlover]

I guess you're being funny, but you're evading the point, which is that some things that are technically "possible" are so very far beyond the range of any conceivable likelihood that it's misleading to imply otherwise.

Yes I was being whimsical. But my point was accurate and it felt like you had decided to nit-pick. Is it mathematically possible? Yes. And is it unlikely in the extreme? Absolutely. It's fairly common to just call that a million to one and wait for the Jim Carrey-esque response. Regardless, our disagreement centers around the reasonableness of not throwing in the towel (or acknowledging you're throwing in the towel) until there is no other option. I think it's reasonable.

And one part of my earlier response had nothing to do with humor. It's been speculated in the press often that several other teams that are currently in playoff contention (notably the Rockets and IIRC the Blazers) will join the tanking party because of the reasons I stated.

 

[elindholm]

It's fairly common to just call that a million to one and wait for the Jim Carrey-esque response.

Yes, except that in this case, it can be calculated (approximately), and it's literally worse than a million to one. If you give the Suns a 50% chance of winning each of their remaining games -- which is surely high -- then it's about 840,000 to 1. And that's to get to a record that probably wouldn't be good enough anyway. How much a couple of other teams lose in the meantime is irrelevant.

Regardless, our disagreement centers around the reasonableness of not throwing in the towel (or acknowledging you're throwing in the towel) until there is no other option. I think it's reasonable.

Yes, that is our disagreement. I think one loses credibility when clinging to a hope so minuscule as to be negligible. It suggests a failure to assess the situation rationally.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I know you're just quoting the letter, but the fact that he thinks he needs to "admit" that at this point is hilarious. And also that he considers it merely "likely," rather than an obvious certainty.

Cmon, E. The word "likely" is simply used as a matter of polite understatement. This is really nit picking.

 

[Mainstreet]

Chad Ford has the Suns drafting two PFs and a center respectively at their projected draft slots in his latest mock draft.

See RealGM link below.

3. Phoenix Suns: Dragan Bender

12. Phoenix Suns: Deyonta Davis

28. Phoenix Suns: Damian Jones

I'm liking the size.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...lieve-Ben-Simmons-Remains-Consensus-No-1-Pick

 

[SirStefan32]

Chad Ford has the Suns drafting two PFs and a center respectively at their projected draft slots in his latest mock draft.

See RealGM link below.



I'm liking the size.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...lieve-Ben-Simmons-Remains-Consensus-No-1-Pick

Please, please, please, don't draft Tskitishvilli 2.0

 

[Phrazbit]

I'm strangely optimistic that we're going to get a top 2 pick. Just the way the league works and the draft often feeling like its rigged, it feels like we're a once proud franchise at its lowest point, so the Lakers (to keep them on the map post Kobe) and us are going to get the top 2 picks, Sixers get screwed.

 

[Mainstreet]

Please, please, please, don't draft Tskitishvilli 2.0

I'm guessing you are referring to Dragan Bender?

He is reportedly a hard worker but he would be a project.

 

[GatorAZ]

I'm strangely optimistic that we're going to get a top 2 pick. Just the way the league works and the draft often feeling like its rigged, it feels like we're a once proud franchise at its lowest point, so the Lakers (to keep them on the map post Kobe) and us are going to get the top 2 picks, Sixers get screwed.

It's all luck. Philly could very easily have Andrew Wiggins plus Karl Anthony-Towns and they'd look like a smart franchise instead of incompetent.

 

[gmabel830]

NBADraft.net has us taking these guys in their current mock:

#3 - Dragan Bender - PF - Croatia
#12 - Furkan Korkmaz - SG - Turkey
#28 - Anthony Barber - PG - 'Murica
#33 - Ivica Zubac - C - Croatia

That draft would sure excite the apathetic fan base!

 

[Chaplin]

NBADraft.net has us taking these guys in their current mock:

#3 - Dragan Bender - PF - Croatia
#12 - Furkan Korkmaz - SG - Turkey
#28 - Anthony Barber - PG - 'Murica
#33 - Ivica Zubac - C - Croatia

That draft would sure excite the apathetic fan base!

NBADraft.net doesn't take into account team's needs. It's basically a "power rankings" for the players making no difference which team is set up to pick them.

 

[Mainstreet]

NBADraft.net has us taking these guys in their current mock:

#3 - Dragan Bender - PF - Croatia
#12 - Furkan Korkmaz - SG - Turkey
#28 - Anthony Barber - PG - 'Murica
#33 - Ivica Zubac - C - Croatia

That draft would sure excite the apathetic fan base!

Anthony Barber is out of NC State unless I'm missing something.

 

[SirStefan32]

I'm guessing you are referring to Dragan Bender?

He is reportedly a hard worker but he would be a project.

Yeah, the kid is talented, but people are going crazy over him because he dominates under-18 competition. I'd much rather add Jaylen Brown or trade down a couple of spots.

 

[elindholm]

NBADraft.net doesn't take into account team's needs. It's basically a "power rankings" for the players making no difference which team is set up to pick them.

And furthermore, they do a random shuffling every so often solely to generate more page loads. It's a useful site to get a sense of what players are in the pool, but the slotting is meaningless.

 

[sunsfan88]

I'm guessing you are referring to Dragan Bender?

He is reportedly a hard worker but he would be a project.

Yea I've seen him compared to rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis.

Still a huge risk imo and I'm not sure its one that I'd be willing to take.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yea I've seen him compared to rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis.

Still a huge risk imo and I'm not sure its one that I'd be willing to take.

The two main draft sites have Bender 3 or 4 in their mocks. There must be something there but I feel it is a risky pick as well. Maybe it's because he needs to add more weight and strength to compete.

 

[GatorAZ]

Yea I've seen him compared to rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis.

Still a huge risk imo and I'm not sure its one that I'd be willing to take.

Bender is more than two years younger than Porzingis IIRC.

 

[Phrazbit]

European bigs were out of style for a couple years because so many teams got burned. Porzingis comes in and lights it up, now you'll probably see a return to teams reaching for Euro bigs. This guy might be good but I'd be weary. I certainly wouldn't base anything about him or make comparisons to Porzingins.

 

[gmabel830]

Anthony Barber is out of NC State unless I'm missing something.

He is the one player from the United States.. hence my Murica reference and basic point that even if that mock draft is useless those results would on the surface not do much to energize the fan base (Porzingas's impact in NY not withstanding).