Trade talks & rumors

[slinslin]

Where is your team chemistry meter? And where is your proof that Dragic is the reason for positive chemistry?

If you want to find a reason for perceived positive chemistry you might want to start with being predicted as a sub-20 win team before the season and outperforming expectations compared to this year when expectations are much higher.

 

[3rdside]

Bledsoe is touching the ball LESS than he did last season and less than Dragic last season

Isaiah Thomas is getting the ball because he is playing well offensively. He is actually scoring efficiently in the halfcourt, something Dragic is not. IT has been much more effective in most play situations.

Besides Dragic's usage is not even that much down compared to last year as overly dramatic Dragic fantatics would like everyone to believe.


Sidenote:

Bledsoe+IT on the court => Suns +4.9
Bledsoe+Dragic on the court => Suns +4.4
Dragic+IT on the court => Suns +1.7

Stats are surely misleading when it comes to Thomas - for all the positive stats he has generated, the cost to the team in terms of chemistry can't be defined easily other than by taking note of the obvious.

 

[slinslin]

Stats are surely misleading when it comes to Thomas - for all the positive stats he has generated, the cost to the team in terms of chemistry can't be defined.

Which is just an assumption on your part because you obviously simply don't like Thomas and what to use him as a scapegoat for Dragic's shortcommings.

 

[3rdside]

Which is just an assumption on your part because you obviously simply don't like Thomas and what to use him as a scapegoat for Dragic's shortcommings.

Wrong - I actually like Thomas; he's the perfect 6th man for the right team. I just don't like the chemistry issues we've got which, most likely, arise from him being brought into the team in the first place. But that's largely RMcD's fault, even though we don't know the exact reasons why RMcD did it in the first place.

 

[Phrazbit]

Best attitude guy in this case means "of all the guards we have, Goran is the one that, if given the reins to the team, is the one by far the most likely to create the best team chemistry via his style of play and personality".

I don't blame him for sulking in view of how RMcD / Hornacek have managed him and this team to date.

As I mentioned, the sulking is not a new thing for Goran. He been quick to put on that hang dog look his entire career when the going gets tough. Its just who he is.

I like Goran, I think with Goran and Bledsoe we've got a strong back court pairing, but he is certainly the lesser of the two and he is absolutely not a leader in any way I can think of.

 

[Mainstreet]

Is Zoran's deal guaranteed next season? If the team moves Goran I doubt Zoran is a part of the youth movement. He plays SG/SF but is kind of small to play SF in the NBA. I would assume that Warren, Goodwin, & Bullock would be ahead of him in the depth chart though. I don't believe he's been assigned to the D-League at all this year either while Goodwin, Ennis, Warren, and Bullock have been going back and forth most of the season. If they saw Zoran as a player who could develop and fit into plans for the future you'd think they would be treating him the same instead of just using him as a seat warmer. If the Suns do trade Dragic this season will Zoran be thrown in or released outright?

Zoran's salary is guaranteed for $1,756,500 next season. I do not think Zoran stays with the Suns if Goran is traded no matter how this is accomplished. Ideally the Suns would move both players in a package.

 

[3rdside]

As I mentioned, the sulking is not a new thing for Goran. He been quick to put on that hang dog look his entire career when the going gets tough. Its just who he is.

I like Goran, I think with Goran and Bledsoe we've got a strong back court pairing, but he is certainly the lesser of the two and he is absolutely not a leader in any way I can think of.

Bar averaging 20 and 6 while leading (yep) a 'hopeless' team to 48 wins last year.

 

[Mainstreet]

I can't prove anything - bar looking at his play, stats, and team chemistry from last year, but, post trade to the Rockets, let's see how he goes.

Dragic averaged 11.7 points and 5.3 assists when he played for the Rockets in 66 games.

 

[Phrazbit]

Bar averaging 20 and 6 while leading (yep) a 'hopeless' team to 48 wins last year.

The team struggled to play .500 ball without Bledsoe, and the year before (with no Bledsoe at all, but with a stronger front court) they were absolute rubbish.

 

[3rdside]

The team struggled to play .500 ball without Bledsoe, and the year before (with no Bledsoe at all, but with a stronger front court) they were absolute rubbish.

Beldsoe's a good player - which team wouldn't be worse without him? Again, I agree he's not the ' leader' but he influences (leads) the team via his style of play. Whatever he averaged with rockets before he came here will be nothing compared to what he'll average with Harden playing off him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

And each of our three point guards played pretty well when Len was able to put in decent minutes. Our struggles have come since he hit the rookie wall or before he had worked his way up to 20 + minutes. I know it's not going to happen given our chemistry issues and the probability that Goran will out price us but keep this team mostly intact for a couple of years and many of our problems go by the wayside. We'd hopefully add a quality backup power forward through the draft and a starting lineup of Bledsoe, Dragic, Warren, Keef and Len backed up by Ennis, IT, Goodwin, New Guy and Wright could easily become a legit contender.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

And each of our three point guards played pretty well when Len was able to put in decent minutes. Our struggles have come since he hit the rookie wall or before he had worked his way up to 20 + minutes. I know it's not going to happen given our chemistry issues and the probability that Goran will out price us but keep this team mostly intact for a couple of years and many of our problems go by the wayside. We'd hopefully add a quality backup power forward through the draft and a starting lineup of Bledsoe, Dragic, Warren, Keef and Len backed up by Ennis, IT, Goodwin, New Guy and Wright could easily become a legit contender.

Steve

I'd love to keep Dragic but I see Goran going the way of Steve Nash. The Suns are not going to pay him the money he wants and deserves.

I agree with you about Len.

 

[Mainstreet]

Paul Coro on twitter is referring fans to the Dan Bickley article only 2 hours ago. I believe Paul Coro must be feeding him the information. Why else would Coro perpetuate what Bickley is writing.

http://azc.cc/1E61ICv

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'd love to keep Dragic but I see Goran going the way of Steve Nash. The Suns are not going to pay him the money he wants and deserves.

I agree with you about Len.

If you're talking a max contract, I certainly don't think he "deserves" that kind of money. With or without Bledsoe, no way do I spend 20 million a year on an offense only guard that's got nowhere to go but down. I don't know when his decline will start but it's unlikely he's going to find another level at his age.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

If you're talking a max contract, I certainly don't think he "deserves" that kind of money. With or without Bledsoe, no way do I spend 20 million a year on an offense only guard that's got nowhere to go but down. I don't know when his decline will start but it's unlikely he's going to find another level at his age.

Steve

I'm not talking about the max, however, Dragic is likely to demand and receive close to Bledsoe type money from someone. I don't see the Suns paying it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not talking about the max, however, Dragic is likely to demand and receive close to Bledsoe type money from someone. I don't see the Suns paying it.

I'm not so sure. I think if his agent said, yes, Goran will stay in Phoenix if you match Eric's deal - I just don't believe we'd trade him now. Maybe a year or two down the road but I think the fear of losing him is driving our reported desire to trade him mid-season.

Steve

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not so sure. I think if his agent said, yes, Goran will stay in Phoenix if you match Eric's deal - I just don't believe we'd trade him now. Maybe a year or two down the road but I think the fear of losing him is driving our reported desire to trade him mid-season.

Steve

It would be nice but I don't think the Suns will pay Dragic the type money paid to Bledsoe. I would have to think Dragic's agent has already covered this ground. Maybe the Suns originally had a vision that Goran would accept less money if they brought his brother over sort of like putting the Morris twins together. However, this is a totally different situation and it appears the Suns have been slow to realize it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It would be nice but I don't think the Suns will pay Dragic the type money paid to Bledsoe. I would have to think Dragic's agent has already covered this ground. Maybe the Suns originally had a vision that Goran would accept less money if they brought his brother over sort of like putting the Morris twins together. However, this is a totally different situation and it appears the Suns have been slow to realize it.

Well, the recent rumors about 20 million per year would seem like perfect motivation for parting company. As I said before, I think that rumor started with Goran's agent rather than the Lakers and it says a lot about their mindset if so.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

I don't think the Lakers will actually offer $20M/yr to Goran.

 

[Hoop Head]

At $20m a year I think he'd help the Suns get the Lakers pick next season. They'd be paying about 2/3 of the cap for Kobe & Dragic. Doesn't the Lakers pick drop to just top 3 protected in 2016? I think they'll manage that with Dragic and Kobe for a 1/4 of the season. They'll have to round out their roster with a bunch of castoffs and D-Leaguers like this season, Dragic is better than he was in 2012-13 when he led the Suns to 25 wins. Maybe they get 30 next year with that lineup?

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't think the Lakers will actually offer $20M/yr to Goran.

Who knows but with the expected rise in the cap, a lot of agents are positioning their clients in much the same way that Lebron James did in Cleveland.

Most of the more sought after players that enter FA this year or the next are expected to take short term deals (2 year with a player option) so that they can become free agents again when the cap takes its huge jump. I think most smart front offices are preparing themselves for that feeding frenzy. If you can't sign your free agent to a long term deal this offseason, you might be better off going a different direction unless you're already a contending team.

Steve

 

[Errntknght]

If he doesn't play great from now until the end of the season Goran will be lucky to get offered 36/3 - and I'm not sure the Suns would match if they still have IT on the roster. I love Goran but his age and wear and tear are against him on a team that's probably three years away from contention. (And we are not a lock to be in contention then by any means. There's not one player on our roster that's a lock to be starter on a contending team without significant to major improvement.)

 

[95pro]

If he doesn't play great from now until the end of the season Goran will be lucky to get offered 36/3 - and I'm not sure the Suns would match if they still have IT on the roster. I love Goran but his age and wear and tear are against him on a team that's probably three years away from contention. (And we are not a lock to be in contention then by any means. There's not one player on our roster that's a lock to be starter on a contending team without significant to major improvement.)

There's always those teams that overpay

 

[SunsFan89]

Will Goran Dragic Stay With The Phoenix Suns?

 

[devilalum]

Will Goran Dragic Stay With The Phoenix Suns?

inquiring minds want to know