Who thinks Big Jake will be back?

[Chris_Sanders]

Does anyone else here thing there is zero chance Big Jake will be in a Suns uniform next year? Sure the guy isn't a superstar, but there are only so many 280 pound 7'2 guys. He is going to go somewhere else and actually be a NBA player, not a guy who has to yoyo from no playing time in two weeks to some minutes because we are playing Shaq.

HELLO??? If he can play Shaq, then he can play other teams as well. None of our big men roll to the basket like he does for Marbury. I don't know why, but Marbury and Big Jake seem to have the best screen/roll combo.

I still contend if Frank Johnson would just play a normal lineup, we would have a better record than we do now. He is obsessed with going small.

Last night we RARELY had a Center and a PF out on the floor at the same time.

 

[Wally]

Absolutely correct!
When JAKE & Amare were on the floor at the same time, we looked like a real NBA team. It was exciting but didn't last too long. I suspect there are many teams that would have JAKE starting and playing 30+ mins/game and he probably can't wait to get on one of them.

 

[JS22]

If Jake would play like he did last night, consistantly, he should be back. Anyone who can play that well against shaq should be able to hurt other teams. Im very tired of him having chance after chance though.

Next year is when we either call him a bust or he breaks out. After 4 years he should learn the NBA game.

 

[SweetD]

Originally posted by WastedFate
If Jake would play like he did last night, consistantly, he should be back. Anyone who can play that well against shaq should be able to hurt other teams. Im very tired of him having chance after chance though.

Next year is when we either call him a bust or he breaks out. After 4 years he should learn the NBA game.

He played consistanly against the best Center in the NBA. Just think what he could actualy do with more time and weaker centers to play against. Frank is making a big mistake by not playing Jake.

 

[Joe Mama]

Not to nitpick, but Little Jake is much better at rolling to the basket. Amare Stoudemire does it too, but Marbury can't ever get the ball to him.

Didn't the Suns already pickup the option for Big Jake's fourth year?

Joe Mama

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Maybe?

I thought they just extended him for this year.

And while Little Jake may be better at rolling to the basket, he doesn't seem to have the same rapport that Marbury has with Big Jake. Big Jake seems to set the better screen which causes both guys to chase Marbury. This frees up the big fella.

 

[Joe Mama]

Re: Maybe?

Originally posted by Chris_Sanders
I thought they just extended him for this year.

And while Little Jake may be better at rolling to the basket, he doesn't seem to have the same rapport that Marbury has with Big Jake. Big Jake seems to set the better screen which causes both guys to chase Marbury. This frees up the big fella.

The fourth year on Big Jake's rookie contract will be next year. That is the optional year. I believe they did pick up his option, but I'm not absolutely sure.

IMO Little Jake is probably the best player on the entire team at cutting to the basket without the ball. During the Timberwolves game the other day Cotton was even saying that he seems to be the best guy at running that pick and roll with Marbury. Actually, I think it was, Chambers saying that.

Of course I think part of the reason both the Jakes run that play well is that Marbury actually waits for this screen occasionally with those guys. With everybody else he takes off before the screen is even set all the way. I think the success, or lack thereof, with the pick and roll has more to do with Marbury than they guys running it with him.

Joe Mama

 

[SweetD]

IMO the Jakes are better at setting screens becouse they are slower. The time it takes one step and get planted Marbury has to wait longer. I agree that if Marbury just slowed down the pick and roll would work much better.

 

[SirStefan32]

Jake is a fool if he resigns with Phoenix once his contract is up. There are many teams that would love to have a 7'2 280lb center and acctually give him playing time. I am a big fan of Jake Tsakalidis, and for his sake I hope he signs with another team, where he is going to get the respect he deserves.

Stefan

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by SirStefan32
Jake is a fool if he resigns with Phoenix once his contract is up. There are many teams that would love to have a 7'2 280lb center and acctually give him playing time. I am a big fan of Jake Tsakalidis, and for his sake I hope he signs with another team, where he is going to get the respect he deserves.

Stefan

Slow down. You sure have the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse syndrome recently.

Yes, it's been frustrating at his lack of playing time, but I think he earned more last night. Plus, the guy had back surgery for gawd sakes!

I'd like to see YOU have back surgery and then go out and defend Shaquille O'Neal 2 1/2 months later.

 

[SirStefan32]

Originally posted by Chaplin
Slow down. You sure have the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse syndrome recently.

Yes, it's been frustrating at his lack of playing time, but I think he earned more last night. Plus, the guy had back surgery for gawd sakes!

I'd like to see YOU have back surgery and then go out and defend Shaquille O'Neal 2 1/2 months later.

What are you talking about Chap?

I am not 7'2, and 280 lb. Did Jake complain that he can't play?

If he was really hurt, he would not play against Shaq. The fact is that FJ doesn't want to play a real center. Therefore, Jake is a fool if he decides to stay in Phoenix and watch Bo Outlaw play center instead of going to NY, Orlando, or almost any other team and play 30 minutes a night.

Stefan

 

[elindholm]

Therefore, Jake is a fool if he decides to stay in Phoenix and watch Bo Outlaw play center instead of going to NY, Orlando, or almost any other team and play 30 minutes a night.

Remember that Outlaw is done after 2004-05, which is only one year after Tsakalidis's rookie contract is up.

I doubt Tsakalidis will ditch the Suns. He knows that they did a lot to bring him to the league and that his chances to play will be better on a team that is starved for a real center. Running away to another team is no guarantee to make things better. There are lots of slow unathletic centers in the league on teams where they thought they'd get regular playing time, but didn't once it turned out that they were no good.

In other words, the Suns aren't the only team in the league that is center-phobic. Far from it.

Heck, even the Lakers aren't immune. Didn't I see a lineup in last night's game (it might have been late in the third quarter) where their center was Robert Horry? Hmm, or was that in the Lakers-Grizzlies game? I know it was recent.

 

[elindholm]

To follow this up...

I don't think it's a huge shock that Tsakalidis isn't playing much. Right now, the Suns are defensively impaired, because two of their starters -- Hardaway and Stoudemire -- are extremely poor defensive players. Hardaway seems incapable of guarding someone without the ball, and Stoudemire is simply lost much of the time.

To compensate for this, the Suns are employing a scrambling, chaotic, doubling-and-switching defense which (presumably by design) is sometimes successful in upsetting what the other team wants to do offensively. It still doesn't make the Suns a good defensive team, but on a good day, they can be adequate. And, of course, like any other team in the league, the Suns can look like an excellent defensive team if their opponents miss all their shots.

But the point is, Tsakalidis is incompatable with the current defensive scheme. He would be useful in a setup where his teammates honor their one-on-one commitments and funnel opposing players toward the middle when they get beat. But the Suns' core personnel apparently can't play this kind of defense successfully.

The Lakers present a special case, because not only is O'Neal the largest center in the league, he's also one of the least mobile. By "mobile," I mean not only how quick he is, but how effective he can be away from the basket. Everyone knows that O'Neal is no threat at all outside of 15 feet, and there are few players in the league for whom that is so true. And yes, he's quicker than Tsakalidis, but he's nowhere near as quick as any of the pseudo-centers that most other teams use.

In other words, O'Neal has weaknesses as an offensive player, and those weaknesses happen to play into Tsakalidis's strengths. But for most "centers" in the league, Voskuhl (or even Outlaw) is really a better matchup.

And again regarding O'Neal, keep in mind that the Lakers are also a poor defensive team, and O'Neal is part of the reason. He has some of the same defensive weaknesses that Tsakalidis does. But, the Lakers have better one-on-one defenders than the Suns do. Also, because O'Neal and Bryant are such potent offensive weapons, the Lakers can afford to bench players who aren't cutting it defensively. By contrast, the Suns have to go with Hardaway and Stoudemire a fair amount of the time, no matter how much they're getting burned defensively, because they need them on the offensive end.

 

[SirStefan32]

That was a very good analysis. (Hey, I acctually red more than two paragraphs )

I agree with a lot of stuff you said, but I still think he will pursue other options. He has not been given a fair opportunity in Phoenix.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by SirStefan32
That was a very good analysis. (Hey, I acctually red more than two paragraphs )

I agree with a lot of stuff you said, but I still think he will pursue other options. He has not been given a fair opportunity in Phoenix.

I also think it might be too early to say, because there is a good possibility we will draft a big man, whether from the US or Europe, if this new rookie comes along faster than Jake, then this discussion wouldn't be such a big deal.

From what I understand, Jake still has at least one year left with us. So in about 8 months we'll see where we stand with him.

 

[SweetD]

Jake is under contact till 2003-20004 and then 2004-2005 season the option for a qualifying offer (Part of a rookie contract) @ $2,322,051.00. Jake is in the situation just like Ford is. We will not play you to prove you can make it in this league. Now I am not say Ford need playing time, but come on Jake has provin he can play in this league Last year and Frank is in charge an he wont even give him reasonable minutes.
:roll:

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Seriously now, this board gets all fired up so quickly. Jake has been back for what 13 games now? He played in 4 of them. 2 playing substantial mintues. Who would have thought that it would against Houston and LA right?? One of the games he didnt play in was his choice. (Sac for those who dont remember, he told FJ not to put him in when we were beating them up, he didnt feel comfterable).

I really dont think it is a slight towards Jake. I dont think there is any lost confidence. I think that the coaching staff is doing what they have said they would do since Jake went down. The center spot depends on the matchup. Jake simply doesnt matchup well against most teams. Now if jake doesnt start, and the other team throws a big body out there, the team is reluctant to put jake in because it takes him time to warm up. When we are running second string, our bench is usually weak and we cannot afford to have people trying to get warmed up. That is why Lil Jake and Bo are in there before Big Jake.

The guy is still young, still very new to the game. Don't you guys think he might have missed something in those 3 months he was gone? Don't you think his conditioning isnt that great because he couldnt do anything that entire period. I mean he was winded after playing like 35 minutes he said. And he hadnt played in like a week. We are in an extremely big hunt for the last playoff spot, therefor it is hard to justify putting him in when we dont need him, especially with the way Bo and Voskuhl have been lately.

I think that next year he will probably see constant minutes, maybe this year in the playoffs, especially if we wind up playing SA.

Last thought, it would be nice for us to start dictating the way other teams match up with us, but I do not think that throwing Jake out there against a small center would get us any more points then Bo and Lil Jake get cutting to the basket.

 

[Joe Mama]

This reminds me of all of the discussions about Shawn Marion leaving. I'd be pretty surprised if the Suns didn't pick up the option for Jake Tsakalidis fourth season. They may have already. I forgot how that works. After next year if they haven't worked out some sort of extension he will be a restricted free agent. They'll be a look to match any offer for him.

Basically, he isn't going anywhere soon unless the Phoenix Suns let him go.

Jake is slow and struggles to guard smaller, quicker centers in a man to man defense. I do think he can be an effective NBA center though. They'll just need to figure a how to use them against the smaller guys because so far he hasn't proven to be able to make opponents pay on the other end of the floor. He is much better this season at getting rebounding position and holding on to the ball.

Joe Mama

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

im almost positive they picked up the option in the beginning of the season.

hmm, well it isnt listed on our transactions page....

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teamtransactions?team=pho

 

[hcsilla]

I'm sure that I have read that Suns picked up the 4th-year option on Jake's contract in last October.

 

[jbeecham]

Both Jakes better be back next season. Unfortunately they are both under-utilized, but they're both needed.

 

[SUNSBG]

Would it be possible to sign Wang Zhi Zhi? He is FA this summer. I think he will fit perfectly with the Suns.

 

[SirStefan32]

I think he would be a very good fit for the Suns. Everybody should remember that he used to walk over Yao when they both played in China.

There is a problem with signing Wang though.
Wang broke the deal with the Communists, and the government in China will not want to have anything to do with the team that signs the "traitor." Whoever signs Wang, can forget about signing another player from China ever again.

Stefan