Why do so many fans hate Hedo?

[Bert]

I really dont know anything about Hedo Turkoglu except that I saw him play well for the Magic a couple season ago in their playoff run. Why does he get boo'd everywhere we go? I thought it was just Toronto fans but they are booing him tonight in Portland too.

Why is that?

 

[azsportsfan01]

He had a deal worked out with Portland last season then last second took the Toronto deal. Portland hates him for it.

 

[Bert]

I'm feeling a lot in common with Raptor/Blazer fans right now. An inauspicious start for Hedo to say the least

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I'm feeling a lot in common with Raptor/Blazer fans right now. An inauspicious start for Hedo to say the least

Yeah, he looked worse than worthless. He's not a 4, and can't even fake it.

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Like I said in another thread, I didn't watch the game, but that Hedo had 5/5 in his debut is horrific. I remember Googs dropping 38/17 in his debut against the Clippers way back when. I also remember thinking, "Damn. I guess we'll be alright after all."

Not so much this time....

 

[SactownSunsFan]

If we play Hedo at the 4 all season, it's going to be a long, long season. Dude doesn't have the rebounding prowess to get it done there.

 

[Chaplin]

He did hold LaMarcus Aldridge to only 8 points.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

He did hold LaMarcus Aldridge to only 8 points.

Ha! He was playing Aldridge only a small portion of the time, and required constant double teams. And Aldridge is a middling low post threat. Wait until he has to guard real power forwards.

 

[Chaplin]

Ha! He was playing Aldridge only a small portion of the time, and required constant double teams. And Aldridge is a middling low post threat. Wait until he has to guard real power forwards.

Huh? He was defending Aldridge whenever both of them were in the game at the same time.

The FACT is that LA only scored 8 points. Take that as ammunition for or against Hedo, it's still a fact. And yes, he was always double-teamed, but it's also about ball denial as well, and LA wasn't doubled when being denied even receiving the ball.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

He did hold LaMarcus Aldridge to only 8 points.

I don't think that's so much an indication of Hedo's defense on LaMarcus so much as LA is just prone to the occasional low scoring game. Last season he scored 12 or less in 13 of his first 33 games.

I'm not one to panic, but I just don't see Hedo working at the 4. At all. He's a natural swingman. He's never averaged more than 5.7 rebounds in a season; even for a small forward that's not particularly good. I don't see him averaging more now that he's supposedly our power forward. Dude's not a banger; it's not his game.

Personally, I think the Suns give the Hedo experiment 5-10 more games before going with Frye at the 4... not that that'll be much better.

 

[JS22]

Hedo at the 4 is going to be a disaster that results in a 35-40 win season. Make him a part of the bench mob, move Warrick to the starting lineup, and prevent the season from being over before it has already started.

 

[Chaplin]

Grant Hill was virtually non-existant last night, I have no problem moving him to the bench and putting Hedo at the 3 where he'll be much more effective. I'd say start Frye at the 4, but we won't have a backup for Robin (unless we sign Dampier).

 

[SactownSunsFan]

Grant Hill was virtually non-existant last night, I have no problem moving him to the bench and putting Hedo at the 3 where he'll be much more effective. I'd say start Frye at the 4, but we won't have a backup for Robin (unless we sign Dampier).

Man, our front court situation is screwy. Why we let Amundson walk is beyond me.

 

[Mainstreet]

As I view it Hedo is too slow to guard a SF and not strong enough to guard PFs. That's why I suggest the Suns should play him at the top of the key as a high post center with the second unit where he can help run the offense and shoot the outside shot. A version of Alvin Adams or Brad Miller. The biggest surprise I find with Turkoglu is his lack of athleticism. As a second unit center he can at least hopefully draw out the opposing center on offense and at least have a chance of staying with a slower player. I'm sure Hedo and most fans do not want him to carry the label as a "center" so he can still be called a forward or whatever.

 

[Catlover]

Man, our front court situation is screwy. Why we let Amundson walk is beyond me.

Everyone knows Amundson is nowhere near good enough to be a starting PF in the NBA. He's a much better PF than anyone else on the roster. Those 2 statements lead to an instant controversy the Suns mismanagement team wanted to avoid.

 

[Chaplin]

Amundson is NOT "much better" than Hakim Warrick. AT BEST, he's just as good.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

Amundson is NOT "much better" than Hakim Warrick. AT BEST, he's just as good.

It's not a matter of as good or better, it's a matter of different skill set. Amundson brings defensive toughness and has the strength to keep guys off the offensive boards, something this team is now lacking. Amundson lead the team last year in rebounding percentage, both offensively and defensively, and his rate was 4 points higher than Warrick's rate has ever been.

Whether letting him walk was a mistake fully depends on if Gani Lawal can come in and contribute at some point. We shall see.

 

[Chaplin]

It's not a matter of as good or better, it's a matter of different skill set. Amundson brings defensive toughness and has the strength to keep guys off the offensive boards, something this team is now lacking. Amundson lead the team last year in rebounding percentage, both offensively and defensively, and his rate was 4 points higher than Warrick's rate has ever been.

Whether letting him walk was a mistake fully depends on if Gani Lawal can come in and contribute at some point. We shall see.

There's the wild card for me, Gani Lawal. I understand and somewhat agree with your point on Lou, but he also was a 10-15 minutes-a-game player. Even with that skill set, talent-wise he's still an 8th or 9th man.

To me, there is NO reason whatsoever to have Clark activated over Lawal.

 

[Mainstreet]

There's the wild card for me, Gani Lawal. I understand and somewhat agree with your point on Lou, but he also was a 10-15 minutes-a-game player. Even with that skill set, talent-wise he's still an 8th or 9th man.

To me, there is NO reason whatsoever to have Clark activated over Lawal.

But then Clark could not be the Suns PF.

 

[Proteus]

Grant Hill was virtually non-existant last night, I have no problem moving him to the bench and putting Hedo at the 3 where he'll be much more effective. I'd say start Frye at the 4, but we won't have a backup for Robin (unless we sign Dampier).

We've tried Hill coming off the bench before and he was very ineffective.

 

[Catlover]

We've tried Hill coming off the bench before and he was very ineffective.

He was very ineffective last night as a starter. It's too early to blame it on age but it's worth watching. Regardless, we have too many options at the same position to allow him to remain with the starters simply because he's struggled off the bench in the past.

 

[Chaplin]

We've tried Hill coming off the bench before and he was very ineffective.

And how effective was he last night?

What would you rather do, have Hedo as a non-existant power forward, or push Hill to the bench and put Hedo in his more natural position? The question is, which would help us win more? I love Grant, but I think the answer to that question is a no-brainer.

 

[JCSunsfan]

He had a deal worked out with Portland last season then last second took the Toronto deal. Portland hates him for it.

Portland lucked out of that one. They should thank him. He looks like he is mailing in the rest of this contract.

 

[JCSunsfan]

And how effective was he last night?

What would you rather do, have Hedo as a non-existant power forward, or push Hill to the bench and put Hedo in his more natural position? The question is, which would help us win more? I love Grant, but I think the answer to that question is a no-brainer.

Play Warrick and Hill. Leave Hedo on the bench until he decides he wants to produce.

 

[Covert Rain]

Play Warrick and Hill. Leave Hedo on the bench until he decides he wants to produce.

I am not there yet but man I keep this guy on a short leash. If you factor in his spiral down last season.....if he doesn't show up early, you have to bench him.