What should the Suns do with Gortat this summer?

[sunsfan88]

(via Google translation)

Still unknown is the future of Marcin Gortat. Our center is preparing for Eurobasket, but all the time thinking about future in the best basketball league in the world. Pole in an interview with the Review of the Sports admitted that he is not sure whether you will be in the Phoenix Suns.

For a long time, it is speculated that Martin can change the color of the PHX decide to trade away our basketball. - I spoke with new head coach Jeff Hornacek, he said he counts on me so, but I feel I'm at the outlet of the Suns - said simply "Polish Hammer" to journalist "Sport Review".

Can performance in the September EuroBasket help change the club? - A good game in the European Championships can ... increase interest in me as a basketball player - said Gortat.

http://sport.wp.pl./kat,120290,titl...cie,wid,15794550,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=110eb3

It seems like he doesn't even want to be here. And weren't there people here who said that wasn't true and that Gortat wants to play for Phoenix etc? LOL

He even said it himself basically that he won't demand a trade cause he's doesn't want to look like a loser but then went on to essentially say that he still wants out but he won't be a coward and demand a trade.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He's just mentally trying to deal with the reality of the situation he is in. Blanks and Hunter made the whole clubhouse poison last year. Hunter was heir apparent from the start of the season and sitting in on practices. Gentry actually kicked him out in frustration. I cannot imagine working in that situation.

Gortat was frustrated about the situation of the franchise and then understands that he is a prime trade prospect. He is trying to put the best face on it.

 

[Phrazbit]

It still bugs me that we didnt trade him last summer. His value was at its peak and now its gone off a cliff. Once they decided to move on from Nash then then everything should have been torn down. Instead they just brought in more used parts.

Blanks was the worst of the worst.

 

[KloD]

Blanks was the worst of the worst.

The man failed in epic proportions. Amazing to me that he was at one time head of S.A. scouting. I can't imagine his ever getting another front office gig. He was supposed to have this great eye for talent, HA!

 

[AzStevenCal]

The man failed in epic proportions. Amazing to me that he was at one time head of S.A. scouting. I can't imagine his ever getting another front office gig. He was supposed to have this great eye for talent, HA!

Not that I'm saying this is what happened with Blanks but sometimes they get lost chasing their own reputation. When you have a reputation as a genuis for recognizing hidden talent you start looking for that next gem that will prove your label correct rather than just doing your job.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

How do you guys know that Blanks was responsible for some and that Babby was responsible for others?

For example, the Suns gained a ton of assets and cap space during the previous regime. That cap space, as said in one of Coro's articles, is what led to the Suns being able to take on Butler's contract. Also, the Suns traded Telfair for a pick...that pick ended up being one of the key parts of this trade too as that was sent to the Bucks in the deal.

The Suns gained 3 additional first round picks and 3 additional second round picks during the previous regime.

But of course, I have seen Suns fans say that Babby was the one behind those moves and praise Babby.

How is that we give Babby the credit for all the good moves and Blanks the hate for all the bad moves?

Even McDonough when taking over said that the Suns are set up in a good stage for rebuilding due to the draft picks, assets and cap space they have accumulated.

I didn't like Blanks either but I'm tired of people hating on him without giving him the credit when due. And of course, Babby gets a free pass through all this even though he was a part of it.

 

[Chaplin]

How do you guys know that Blanks was responsible for some and that Babby was responsible for others?

For example, the Suns gained a ton of assets and cap space during the previous regime. That cap space, as said in one of Coro's articles, is what led to the Suns being able to take on Butler's contract. Also, the Suns traded Telfair for a pick...that pick ended up being one of the key parts of this trade too as that was sent to the Bucks in the deal.

The Suns gained 3 additional first round picks and 3 additional second round picks during the previous regime.

But of course, I have seen Suns fans say that Babby was the one behind those moves and praise Babby.

How is that we give Babby the credit for all the good moves and Blanks the hate for all the bad moves?

Even McDonough when taking over said that the Suns are set up in a good stage for rebuilding due to the draft picks, assets and cap space they have accumulated.

I didn't like Blanks either but I'm tired of people hating on him without giving him the credit when due. And of course, Babby gets a free pass through all this even though he was a part of it.

And in that respect, why doesn't Sarver get any credit also?

Maybe the Blanks hate comes from his most highly visible screw-ups, i.e. the Beasley and Lynsey Hunter fiascos.

 

[Phrazbit]

How do you guys know that Blanks was responsible for some and that Babby was responsible for others?

For example, the Suns gained a ton of assets and cap space during the previous regime. That cap space, as said in one of Coro's articles, is what led to the Suns being able to take on Butler's contract. Also, the Suns traded Telfair for a pick...that pick ended up being one of the key parts of this trade too as that was sent to the Bucks in the deal.

The Suns gained 3 additional first round picks and 3 additional second round picks during the previous regime.

But of course, I have seen Suns fans say that Babby was the one behind those moves and praise Babby.

How is that we give Babby the credit for all the good moves and Blanks the hate for all the bad moves?

Even McDonough when taking over said that the Suns are set up in a good stage for rebuilding due to the draft picks, assets and cap space they have accumulated.

I didn't like Blanks either but I'm tired of people hating on him without giving him the credit when due. And of course, Babby gets a free pass through all this even though he was a part of it.

Telfair got moved for a 2nd round pick, it was hardly the "key" to the bledsoe trade. We could have easily provided a different one.

A ton off assets during the previous regime? We are arguable the most asset barren team in the NBA. And the Suns would have had MORE cap space if not for some stupid expenditures last summer.

It would be one thing to put the team in a "good position" to rebuild if Blanks had only been given one year and went about tearing things down. But in 3 seasons we had no success on the court and a roster covered in mediocre to bad players where virtually none had any potential.

Blanks was 100% awful, a complete disaster. It was his job to find talent through the draft and free agent targets and he was unfathomably bad at it.

I dont think anyone here is in love with Babby either, but McDonough appears to now be at the top of the pecking order.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Telfair got moved for a 2nd round pick, it was hardly the "key" to the bledsoe trade. We could have easily provided a different one.

A ton off assets during the previous regime? We are arguable the most asset barren team in the NBA. And the Suns would have had MORE cap space if not for some stupid expenditures last summer.

It would be one thing to put the team in a "good position" to rebuild if Blanks had only been given one year and went about tearing things down. But in 3 seasons we had no success on the court and a roster covered in mediocre to bad players where virtually none had any potential.

Blanks was 100% awful, a complete disaster. It was his job to find talent through the draft and free agent targets and he was unfathomably bad at it.

I dont think anyone here is in love with Babby either, but McDonough appears to now be at the top of the pecking order.

not only this, but they tried to completely blow our future by signing Gordon.

no one from the previous regime trifecta of Sarver, Blanks, Babby deserve kudos right now for what they "accomplished" together.

 

[sunsfan88]

Yes, a ton of assets. Blanks/Babby managed to get 4 picks for a UFA who we let go. We got another 1st round pick while getting a young player with potential that was still on his rookie contract in Wes Johnson. We traded Telfair and got a nice 2nd round pick.

IMO the only really bad choices that Blanks made was signing Beasley, the Hunter/Gentry/Majerle fiasco and drafting Marshall. But in his defense, the Suns did not have a PG on the roster at the time and they needed a SG really bad but all the potentially good ones (Beal, Ross, Rivers, Lamb) were all already taken.

 

[sunsfan88]

And in that respect, why doesn't Sarver get any credit also?

Maybe the Blanks hate comes from his most highly visible screw-ups, i.e. the Beasley and Lynsey Hunter fiascos.

Absolutely, Sarver deserves credit too.

I just hate reading that Blanks was the devil and that Babby should be praised for getting picks, cap space etc.

All three (Blanks, Babby, Sarver) should share the blame and fans equally IMO.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yes, a ton of assets. Blanks/Babby managed to get 4 picks for a UFA who we let go. We got another 1st round pick while getting a young player with potential that was still on his rookie contract in Wes Johnson. We traded Telfair and got a nice 2nd round pick.

IMO the only really bad choices that Blanks made was signing Beasley, the Hunter/Gentry/Majerle fiasco and drafting Marshall. But in his defense, the Suns did not have a PG on the roster at the time and they needed a SG really bad but all the potentially good ones (Beal, Ross, Rivers, Lamb) were all already taken.

not trading Gortat when his value was high and signing Gordon were idiotic moves that can't be defended.

 

[Mainstreet]

How do you guys know that Blanks was responsible for some and that Babby was responsible for others?

For example, the Suns gained a ton of assets and cap space during the previous regime. That cap space, as said in one of Coro's articles, is what led to the Suns being able to take on Butler's contract. Also, the Suns traded Telfair for a pick...that pick ended up being one of the key parts of this trade too as that was sent to the Bucks in the deal.

The Suns gained 3 additional first round picks and 3 additional second round picks during the previous regime.

But of course, I have seen Suns fans say that Babby was the one behind those moves and praise Babby.

How is that we give Babby the credit for all the good moves and Blanks the hate for all the bad moves?

Even McDonough when taking over said that the Suns are set up in a good stage for rebuilding due to the draft picks, assets and cap space they have accumulated.

I didn't like Blanks either but I'm tired of people hating on him without giving him the credit when due. And of course, Babby gets a free pass through all this even though he was a part of it.

Here is how I know. Blanks job as GM was scouting player personnel, not running the organization. All those bad player personnel moves were on Blanks. Babby was left with cleaning up the mess.

Do you think Blanks was responsible for your comment below?

The Suns gained 3 additional first round picks and 3 additional second round picks during the previous regime.

No it was Babby. He tried to make lemonade out of lemons. The Suns are still trying to get rid of Blanks poor personnel moves... Clark, the Morris twins Kendall Marshall, Beasley and throwing a first round pick to obtain Aaron Brooks. Even Sarver cast the deciding vote to bring Dragic back. I'm sure there are more poor personnel decisions that I'm not even mentioning.

 

[KloD]

Can't give credit for the Nash trade. Nash came to the Suns with it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Can't give credit for the Nash trade. Nash came to the Suns with it.

I won't deny this, but Babby had to negotiate the trade... not Blanks.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Absolutely, Sarver deserves credit too.

I just hate reading that Blanks was the devil and that Babby should be praised for getting picks, cap space etc.

All three (Blanks, Babby, Sarver) should share the blame and fans equally IMO.

Do you really see a lot of praise for Babby because I sure don't. I think most of us have pretty much decided Blanks was horrible but the jury is still out on Babby. I'd bet most of us lean more to the con than the pro side on Babby. The truth is we really don't know how the division of labors worked in our front office but from what's been said Lance appears to have been behind most of the blunders.

Steve

 

[Phrazbit]

Yes, a ton of assets. Blanks/Babby managed to get 4 picks for a UFA who we let go. We got another 1st round pick while getting a young player with potential that was still on his rookie contract in Wes Johnson. We traded Telfair and got a nice 2nd round pick.

IMO the only really bad choices that Blanks made was signing Beasley, the Hunter/Gentry/Majerle fiasco and drafting Marshall. But in his defense, the Suns did not have a PG on the roster at the time and they needed a SG really bad but all the potentially good ones (Beal, Ross, Rivers, Lamb) were all already taken.

4 picks, two of them in the second round, the other two projected as late first rounders (one of which ended up being the 30th pick) do NOT qualify as a "ton" of assets. Wes Johnson was a salary dump by the Timberwolves, nothing more, we didnt even pick up his option. And Blanks was not the guy pulling the trigger on trades anyway, by all accounts that was Babby's job. Blanks was there to target free agents and scout draft picks and he was HORRIBLE at it.

And as cheese pointed out, I didnt even mention Gordon, which was another obviously idiotic signing that would have nuked our cap space until 2017. And the ONE move most people like (signing dragic) went against Blanks because he wanted Raymond "Fat Ass" Felton.

So yes, besides that he sucked at finding talent in free agency, sucked at targeting players in the draft, embarrassed the franchise with a coaching hire... and did NOTHING well... Blanks did a real fine job. Blanks deserves every ounce of blame that has been directed towards him. He was an unmitigated disaster. The thing that I dislike most about Lon Babby is that he was somehow duped into hiring a buffoon like Lance Blanks.

Oh, I was just listening to Doug Franz on KTAR recount how Blanks didnt bother to follow college basketball...

To try and claim we had a "TON" of assets because of Blanks fine work is just... a staggeringly ignorant statement. The 2012-2013 Suns was one of least talented, least athletic teams in the NBA, and unlike the other horrible teams, our crap roster was made entirely of older players without even the upside crap teams can pin their slight hopes upon. In his 3 year tenure he did not bring in a single young player worth two turds.

 

[sunsfan88]

not trading Gortat when his value was high and signing Gordon were idiotic moves that can't be defended.

Signing Gordon to an offer sheet did not damage or hurt the Suns in anyway. I'm not going to do "what if" scenarios with it either cause there are just too many variables.

As for not trading Gortat, I agree. He should have been moves as soon as Nash left town.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Signing Gordon to an offer sheet did not damage or hurt the Suns in anyway. I'm not going to do "what if" scenarios with it either cause there are just too many variables.

no there aren't. it was a stupid move that would have destroyed the future if we werent saved by another team. That can't be denied. It's not a hypothetical. We saw Gordon continue to be injured and his salary would have been huge. It was a stupid move and just because the Pelicans were equally as stupid doesn't take away from the fact that it speaks to Blanks/Babby/Sarver's lack of basketball accumen.

 

[KloD]

I think most of us agree, Blanks was horrible at the job he was hired to do.

I was just watching the Bledsoe/Butler intro and it hit me that Babby is good with the media. Blanks was just awful. Maybe that contributes to it, but I can't find anything to like about Blanks as the Suns GM. He may be a great guy, who knows? But, we are only talking about him in his previous role with the team. McD is the opposite. He's a geek, but very likeable and good with the media. I don't believe Blanks was every really trusted by Babby/Sarver. He had a leash and McD seems to have their respect and confidence. He seems to have more of a traditional GM role than Blanks had.

 

[KloD]

I won't deny this, but Babby had to negotiate the trade... not Blanks.

Agreed. I like Babby, but he needs someone that knows basketball, that knows talent. I think he found that in McD. Babby can focus on what he's good at now and not have to attempt to do both jobs.

I'm not sold on every move yet, but I'm loving this offseason and excited again. We know the product won't be pretty this year, but I can't wait to see what's coming next.

 

[sunsfan88]

no there aren't. it was a stupid move that would have destroyed the future if we werent saved by another team. That can't be denied. It's not a hypothetical. We saw Gordon continue to be injured and his salary would have been huge. It was a stupid move and just because the Pelicans were equally as stupid doesn't take away from the fact that it speaks to Blanks/Babby/Sarver's lack of basketball accumen.

Ok you are really gonna make me play the if card so I will..I think with our training staff and with Gordon actually wanting to play for us unlike New Orleans, he likely wouldn't miss many games and wouldn't milk any injuries like he did in New Orleans.

 

[Phrazbit]

Ok you are really gonna make me play the if card so I will..I think with our training staff and with Gordon actually wanting to play for us unlike New Orleans, he likely wouldn't miss many games and wouldn't milk any injuries like he did in New Orleans.

A healthy Gordon is not worth that contract and as good as our staff is they are not Gods, they couldnt save Penny Hardaway, they couldnt save Amare, both had knee issues just like Gordon.

It was a terrible offer and deserves condemnations.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Ok you are really gonna make me play the if card so I will..I think with our training staff and with Gordon actually wanting to play for us unlike New Orleans, he likely wouldn't miss many games and wouldn't milk any injuries like he did in New Orleans.

Healthy or not (and he usually isn't), anyone who watches baskeball seriously knows that Eric Gordon is not worth a max contract. He not only would have destroyed our flexibility moving forward, but would take us from a bottom 3 team, to late lottery purgatory. (Assuming he actually played)

I guess like with many recent moves of the team, you'll find defenders of the most ridiculously awful moves. The idea of signing Gordon to a max deal is in competition for the worst.

 

[sunsfan88]

I guess like with many recent moves of the team, you'll find defenders of the most ridiculously awful moves.

Many recent moves? You think hiring McDonough was an awful move? You think drafting Len and Goodwin was an awful move? You think trading for Bledsoe was an awful move? Please feel free to leave at anytime.

A healthy Gordon is not worth that contract and as good as our staff is they are not Gods, they couldnt save Penny Hardaway, they couldnt save Amare, both had knee issues just like Gordon.

It was a terrible offer and deserves condemnations.

They did actually save Amare. He played his best years here and didn't miss nearly as many games as he did in NY ratio wise.

And I don't think the medical staff needed to be gods to save Gordon. His case wasn't that bad and I think the main reason he wanted to play for the Suns so bad was because he thought Aaron Nelson can prolong his career.

Also, when healthy, Eric Gordon is 22ppg+ scorer with good defense and efficiency and while improving his passing. Not to mention he's incredibly young and had been improving his game every season.

And the max contract isn't what it once was. Guys like Tyreke Evans, Nicolas Batum, Joe Johnson, Rudy Gay, Roy Hibbert plus many more make the max contract or close to it. So I don't think its such a tragedy to give Gordon, a young rising star a max contract.

That's my opinion on Gordon. We have had this discussion before and neither of us have changed our minds before so no need to try it now. You think giving Gordon a max deal was an awful idea, I don't.

I'm not gonna spend more time talking about that since its a move that didn't even happen. Let's focus on the future again, and go back to the topic at hand, what we should do with Gortat and when.