Timberwolves @ Suns 2-25-14

[Catlover]

I just don't think Minnesota without Pekovic and Martim are more talented than us. Love? Sure. But the rest of that T-Wolves team that played today is filled with players that I don't even recognize.

Dragic wasn't himself. Take Goran off this roster and yes, the Wolves minus half their team is still more talented than we are. Besides, no team plays their best every game. This was one of our weakest efforts. It doesn't mean that we don't play above our potential more often than not and far more often than most teams.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I just don't think Minnesota without Pekovic and Martim are more talented than us. Love? Sure. But the rest of that T-Wolves team that played today is filled with players that I don't even recognize.

this is the exact same thing EVERYONE who's not a Suns fan says about us.

have a little perspective.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I just don't think Minnesota without Pekovic and Martim are more talented than us. Love? Sure. But the rest of that T-Wolves team that played today is filled with players that I don't even recognize.

and you must not watch much basketball if you don't recognize Buddinger who started games for Houston, Corey Brewer who was a lotto pick and played big minutes for Nugget playoff teams, JJ Berea who's played a big role on Dallas' title team, Ricky Rubio...hell, even Shabazz Muhammad is recognizable having played at a high level in college.

 

[Catlover]

and you must not watch much basketball if you don't recognize Buddinger who started games for Houston, Corey Brewer who was a lotto pick and played big minutes for Nugget playoff teams, JJ Berea who's played a big role on Dallas' title team, Ricky Rubio...hell, even Shabazz Muhammad is recognizable having played at a high level in college.

Well, sure, but they're no Ish Smith.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, sure, but they're no Ish Smith.

or Miles Plumlee...or PJ Tucker...or even Gerald Green.

seriously, I'm a fan of this team and going into the season I had no clue who half of these guys were. Ish Smith? That doesn't even sound like a real person!

 

[slinslin]

I hope Frye and Tucker will be replaced this offseason.

Both are FAs I think, bother are 2 of the older players on our roster, Tucker just is not talented and Frye is way too inconsistent and losing us games right now.
Both will look to get paid more than what they will be worth during their next contract.

I think the Morri should be ready to take over from them. But that might not even be needed as we should look to upgrade both forward positions in the draft and free agency.

Not making the playoffs at least we get the #13 or #14 pick for the 4th time in 5 years. If we do miss it we just have to make sure that we let Minnesota jump us as well so we get:

#13 Suns
#14 Wolves
#17 Wizards
#27-30 Pacers

Certainly can work with 3 picks from #13-17 in a strong draft.

 

[Errntknght]

We're 5.5 games ahead of Minny now and their schedule is not as difficult as ours but it will still be hard for them to overtake us... unless we decide to make it a cooperative effort. With Bledsoe returning I don't see us lowering our sights. However, Memphis may well push us out of the playoffs with us doing our best to hang in there.

 

[slinslin]

if Memphis stays healthy is it likely that they will climb the standings and overtake us and Dallas.

If Minnesota stays healthy it is possible that they will have a better record over the remaining games, it could be enough.

 

[Mainstreet]

I hope Frye and Tucker will be replaced this offseason.

Both are FAs I think, bother are 2 of the older players on our roster, Tucker just is not talented and Frye is way too inconsistent and losing us games right now.
Both will look to get paid more than what they will be worth during their next contract.

I think the Morri should be ready to take over from them. But that might not even be needed as we should look to upgrade both forward positions in the draft and free agency.

Not making the playoffs at least we get the #13 or #14 pick for the 4th time in 5 years. If we do miss it we just have to make sure that we let Minnesota jump us as well so we get:

#13 Suns
#14 Wolves
#17 Wizards
#27-30 Pacers

Certainly can work with 3 picks from #13-17 in a strong draft.

Tucker is an expiring contract. His salary this season was only $884,293. He is great value for his current salary. It depends how much money he wants for the Suns to keep him. On a near minimum type salary, I'd keep him.

Fryes's salary is the one that hurts. Plus the Suns need a physical PF. He has a player option which he will surely exercise of $6,800,000. Maybe the Suns can include him in a trade. This would be the best option.

The players that are most likely to go are Kravtsov, Christmas and Barbosa.

The Morris twins make a nice bench crew.

Salary wise, the Suns have accrued 6 first round draft picks over the next two seasons and players on reasonable salaries to make a move this summer. It's interesting to see, most NBA teams value their first round draft picks in the coming draft and are reluctant to give them up. I'm glad the Suns have a bunch collected.

 

[slinslin]

Surely Tucker will get 4 years/12M$ at the worst from some other team. Probably more in the 16-20M$ range and we should not match that kind of offer.

 

[devilalum]

If the Suns draft 3 new players somebody has to go.

 

[Mainstreet]

Surely Tucker will get 4 years/12M$ at the worst from some other team. Probably more in the 16-20M$ range and we should not match that kind of offer.

Yup. I don't think this is going to happen.

 

[Chaplin]

I didn't see the game, but it was probably Channing Frye's fault we lost (as it always is), so please get rid of him.

 

[Absolute Zero]

I blame Archie Goodwin, 16 minutes, 10 points, 5 rebounds.

 

[Catlover]

I didn't see the game, but it was probably Channing Frye's fault we lost (as it always is), so please get rid of him.

I would imagine that's sarcasm but it probably was Frye as much as anyone. He and Goran both looked a step slow on defense and then you throw in a weak performance by Tucker and we were doomed. We were destroyed out there when the three of them were on the court. Blaming it on Frye isn't unreasonable but it could just as easily be blamed on Goran or PJ. And all three of them were big losers in the +/- column.

Channing was a liability the first 8 games of the season until he finally found his legs and his shot. From then until the end of December he played at an All Star level despite all the Frye hating on this board every time we lost. Since then though he's been very inconsistent and has really killed us in several games. I think the year and a half off has him hitting something like the rookie wall. His body simply isn't used to this much work.

 

[JS22]

I didn't see the game, but it was probably Channing Frye's fault we lost (as it always is), so please get rid of him.

Actually Frye played a pretty terrible game.

 

[sunsfan88]

We have the worst starting forwards in the West and maybe even the worst starting front court in the NBA.

It speaks volumes about how amazing our backcourt and bench is that we are still in playoff position despite that.

 

[Phrazbit]

Surely Tucker will get 4 years/12M$ at the worst from some other team. Probably more in the 16-20M$ range and we should not match that kind of offer.

Barring the Suns going on some crazy playoff run with Tucker locking guys down... he wont see anywhere near that kind of money.

I'm guessing 2 years 6 million, and I'd be perfectly fine with that.

 

[slinslin]

He is a starter on a team that will win close to 50 games. Someone will pay him, a bunch of teams will have capspace or exceptions to burn in the offseason.

 

[Neo]

He is a starter on a team that will win close to 50 games. Someone will pay him, a bunch of teams will have capspace or exceptions to burn in the offseason.

Kendrick Perkins and Mario Chalmers are starters on contending teams. They deserve big money.

 

[sunsfan88]

Plus Tucker is pretty old, undersized, no athleticism and he's a ball hog on fast breaks.

Great rebounder and good defender but I don't think that's worth more than like $2M/yr. I doubt other teams are stupid enough to offer more than that as well.

 

[devilalum]

The fates of everybody except Dragic and Bledsoe depend on who the Suns can attract in free agency and who they draft. If Frye and Tucker are key players on next years roster the Suns will have failed miserably.

 

[Catlover]

Plus Tucker is pretty old, undersized, no athleticism and he's a ball hog on fast breaks.

Great rebounder and good defender but I don't think that's worth more than like $2M/yr. I doubt other teams are stupid enough to offer more than that as well.

There are 270 players in the NBA making more than 2M/yr. Tucker is not good enough to start but there are nowhere near 270 better players in the league. He should be coming off the bench but someone will rightfully pay him a lot more than your number.

 

[Catlover]

The fates of everybody except Dragic and Bledsoe depend on who the Suns can attract in free agency and who they draft. If Frye and Tucker are key players on next years roster the Suns will have failed miserably.

Too wide-sweeping IMO. If they re-sign Bledsoe and if, for example, they turned our draft picks into a top 5 center I'd have no problem with the rest of the lineup remaining the same. I don't see a top 5 center on the horizon but as mentioned, that was just an example. No matter what they do though, if they try to solve all their problems this offseason they will likely fail miserably. Considering that Bledsoe is a question mark, we have 4 starting spots that we need to improve. I don't think it's reasonable to expect that to happen overnight.

 

[sunsfan88]

There are 270 players in the NBA making more than 2M/yr. Tucker is not good enough to start but there are nowhere near 270 better players in the league. He should be coming off the bench but someone will rightfully pay him a lot more than your number.

Your right, I think about $3.5M/yr with incentives to reach $4.5M/yr would be accurate for PJ.