The Keepers

[mojorizen7]

Len and Warren

 

[mojorizen7]

An alternate poll that would be as amusing would be "Which players do you DEFINITELY not want to see on the Suns much longer?".

All the guards

 

[BC867]

All the guards

Plus brothers.

Plus a team "leader" who sets bad examples.

Plus a Front Office with tunnel vision.

Plus a coaching staff who can't lead.

And that will leave us with a YMCA basketball team.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's interesting to note, the Suns have not waived Danny Granger. Maybe there is a possibility he might fit in the Suns future if he gets healthy.

Paul CoroVerified account ‏@paulcoro

Danny Granger is building a home in PHX for retirement. He is encouraged by what #Suns trainers did for Grant Hill & could do for his knee.

https://twitter.com/paulcoro/status/575008272354168833

 

[Covert Rain]

I said only Len and Warren because I think they could develop into something. I didn't vote for Bledsoe or Knight even though I might pick one because I wanted to see how the rest of this season plays out. I think they are redundant players so you only need to keep one.

Also, the Granger thing is interesting. If we could get the old Granger back thanks to our medical staff....that would be huge but I am not counting on it.

 

[95pro]

I said only Len and Wright because I think they could develop into something. I didn't vote for Bledsoe or Knight even though I might pick one because I wanted to see how the rest of this season plays out. I think they are redundant players so you only need to keep one.

Also, the Granger thing is interesting. If we could get the old Granger back thanks to our medical staff....that would be huge but I am not counting on it.

I don't think we have anyone like Warren.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't think we have anyone like Warren.

Ooops. That's who I meant. Not Wright. I fixed it.

 

[95pro]

Suns fans on this board are probably producing a trend on the poll that in general, needs to be followed by the FO decisions.

If this poll were done on, let's say Facebook, the polls would show Green ahead and calling for more playing time for him.

 

[Errntknght]

Summary after 45 voters.
202 total votes so 4.5 per per voter on average
The average number of votes per player 15.5
Players ranked by votes
Alex Len.....44
Warren.......32
Knight........29
Goodwin.....26
Bledsoe......23
Wright ......16
PJTucker....12
Markieff.....12
Bullock.......3
Green........2
Marcus......2
Barron.......1
Thornton...0

 

[95pro]

Makes you wonder who voted for the bottom 5

 

[AzStevenCal]

Makes you wonder who voted for the bottom 5

I can account for one of the strange votes. I meant to pick Markieff but somehow I ended up selecting Marcus. I'm going to blame it on a lack of coffee and save the senior moment excuse for something more important.

Steve

 

[SweetD]

I went with:
Bled, Knight, Len, Goodwin, Warren, & Wright.

If I had to choose between Bled and Knight, I am thinking I would go with Knight. I would keep the Morris around if there is no upgrade options at PF.

 

[BC867]

I would keep the Morris around if there is no upgrade options at PF.

Comments from the media say they are both gone before next season. I agree.

The Suns share the blame for the outrageous things they have done by giving them unique political power in the clubhouse and on the court.

That doesn't even take their inconsistent game performances into account.

 

[devilalum]

Summary after 45 voters.
202 total votes so 4.5 per per voter on average
The average number of votes per player 15.5
Players ranked by votes
Alex Len.....44
Warren.......32
Knight........29
Goodwin.....26
Bledsoe......23
Wright ......16
PJTucker....12
Markieff.....12
Bullock.......3
Green........2
Marcus......2
Barron.......1
Thornton...0

IMO keep the bold, add a big in the draft and maybe another in free agency, see what Granger can do and this is the 15/16 Suns.

I know it lacks glamour but there is also a lot to be said for continuity. Its especially hard for a young team to come together when you're continuously changing the key parts.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Oh my how the worm has turned with Len.

Are all the people who were so vociferous in their calling him a bust a year in been properly forced to eat crow? I dont spend much time in this forum so asking for a friend

My choices are Bledsoe, Len, and Warren

 

[elindholm]

Are all the people who were so vociferous in their calling him a bust a year in been properly forced to eat crow?

I'm getting there, but I'm not sold on him yet. He has shown flashes, more than I thought were possible. But lots of big men show flashes, so whether he can sustain it is still an open question.

He's the top keeper, but that's more because the rest of the roster is dreadful rather than him being a hot prospect.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I have been an optimist with Len, but I sure would like to see him be more consistent. We have seen this before. Flashes with big men who never do quite gain consistency--Robin Lopez, Miles Plumlee etc.

I assume the big men who do turn out show flashes first, on the way to being more consistent. But he is far from a guarantee at this point.

 

[BC867]

I have been an optimist with Len, but I sure would like to see him be more consistent. We have seen this before. Flashes with big men who never do quite gain consistency--Robin Lopez, Miles Plumlee etc.

I assume the big men who do turn out show flashes first, on the way to being more consistent. But he is far from a guarantee at this point.

Len needs to be mentored by big-man coaches with more rounded backgrounds than Mark West who played in foul trouble throughout his career and Kenny Gattison (6'8"-225) whose best scoring / rebounding stats were 12.7 / 7.1.

Unfortunately, the Suns are not the team to develop him. Right through his latest game, Len is constantly in foul trouble right from the start.

Whether it is the Suns small-ball reputation or Alex's limitations, it doesn't matter. We're not seeing upward progress.

The same as during the formidable years of Lopez and Plumlee. Just as with raising a child, those years form the foundation of habits and reputation.

One of the not-so-obvious drawbacks of a team whose overwhelming focus is small-ball. It is like trying to build and test a Lincoln in a Ford Focus plant.

 

[Errntknght]

Once he left the Suns Robin was more consistent... we lost patience with him, I guess... I know I did. I suspect his nose was out joint from have to share the C spot with Gortat. I won't be shocked if Plumlee comes around, too, down the road

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have been an optimist with Len, but I sure would like to see him be more consistent. We have seen this before. Flashes with big men who never do quite gain consistency--Robin Lopez, Miles Plumlee etc.

I assume the big men who do turn out show flashes first, on the way to being more consistent. But he is far from a guarantee at this point.

I beg to differ. I've never seen this before. Len hasn't just "shown flashes" IMO, he's played very well. He has shown flashes of brilliance but he's been at least solid almost every moment he's been on the court. The kid came to the game late and he's still just 21 years old. Even if the only thing that changes for Len is his ability to play 30 minutes a night, we're already looking at the best true center we've ever had (for any period of time) since Neal Walk. Health notwithstanding, he's very much a guarantee AFAIC. I don't see him as a project in any way, just someone very early on a timetable.

Steve

 

[Joe Mama]

Once he left the Suns Robin was more consistent... we lost patience with him, I guess... I know I did. I suspect his nose was out joint from have to share the C spot with Gortat. I won't be shocked if Plumlee comes around, too, down the road

Plumlee is not nearly as long as these other guys. On top of that I've never seen someone built like him who played so softly. He'll never be anything more than a below average starter or average backup center.

Joe

 

[sunsfan88]

Len needs to be mentored by big-man coaches with more rounded backgrounds than Mark West who played in foul trouble throughout his career and Kenny Gattison (6'8"-225) whose best scoring / rebounding stats were 12.7 / 7.1.

Unfortunately, the Suns are not the team to develop him. Right through his latest game, Len is constantly in foul trouble right from the start.

Whether it is the Suns small-ball reputation or Alex's limitations, it doesn't matter. We're not seeing upward progress.

The same as during the formidable years of Lopez and Plumlee. Just as with raising a child, those years form the foundation of habits and reputation.

One of the not-so-obvious drawbacks of a team whose overwhelming focus is small-ball. It is like trying to build and test a Lincoln in a Ford Focus plant.

Agreed. The Suns have been terrible at developing bigs for over a decade now, would like to see them bring in someone to coach these guys.

 

[Covert Rain]

I beg to differ. I've never seen this before. Len hasn't just "shown flashes" IMO, he's played very well. He has shown flashes of brilliance but he's been at least solid almost every moment he's been on the court. The kid came to the game late and he's still just 21 years old. Even if the only thing that changes for Len is his ability to play 30 minutes a night, we're already looking at the best true center we've ever had (for any period of time) since Neal Walk. Health notwithstanding, he's very much a guarantee AFAIC. I don't see him as a project in any way, just someone very early on a timetable.

Steve

Yeah...don't agree with you here. His stats are very pedestrian. I think he nailed it. He has shown flashes but "played very well"? We must be watching two different players. Don't get me wrong..I have seen flashes and think he is young as you said. I think he has potential but this team has had a ton of big men through here who could put up 6 and 6. As of right now, he is nothing more than a potential guy.

I like him and definitely want to keep him because I still think he could develop into something special.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah...don't agree with you here. His stats are very pedestrian. I think he nailed it. He has shown flashes but "played very well"? We must be watching two different players. Don't get me wrong..I have seen flashes and think he is young as you said and has potential but this team has had a ton of big men through here who could put up 6 and 6.

I'm not talking about his stats, I'm talking about his impact on the defensive end. Tonight was a perfect example of what we've seen from him this season. We dominated the game while Len was on the court and we got our butts kicked when he was on the bench.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm not talking about his stats, I'm talking about his impact on the defensive end. Tonight was a perfect example of what we've seen from him this season. We dominated the game while Len was on the court and we got our butts kicked when he was on the bench.

Steve

I get that. However, I have seen him get burned or miss a rotation or get picked and play bad defense just as many times as I have seen him play good defense. He looks lost out there sometimes. His opponent per isn't great despite having some really good looking defensive games on occasion.

Don't get me wrong. I think at his age and point in development he is probably where he should be which is a mixture of good and bad. When your team is as thin upfront as we are it's no wonder things fall apart when even someone resembling a competent body goes to the bench.