Will Bender's option be picked up?

[Covert Rain]

I'm curious to see whether Ayton's free-throw shooting is sustainable. 85% for a rookie big man is unheard of. Malone was a terrible free-throw shooter for his first couple of years, and never broke 80% for a season.

The scary thing for Ayton is this is not as good as he is going to be. I mean, I see fundamental breakdowns in his game in almost every game. I see things he does wrong against other big men. He is not use to playing against this much size on a nightly basis.

His numbers for a rookie are not disappointing so far this early in the season. What happens if this guy locks downs those things and his confidence goes through the roof? I hope there is a higher ceiling and he is going to dominate for years and years in this league.

 

[95pro]

I'm curious to see whether Ayton's free-throw shooting is sustainable. 85% for a rookie big man is unheard of. Malone was a terrible free-throw shooter for his first couple of years, and never broke 80% for a season.

I think it is, his first instinct on offense is to take a face-up jumper so maybe its a little more natural for him.

 

[Mainstreet]

This on top of passing on Sabonis, Murray, and Hield.

Passing on Jamal Murray especially hurts.

 

[Mainstreet]

I would rather have players who are better than the lesser of two evils.

It is understandable that, after eight seasons of futility, fans set the bar so low.

That just plays into the hands of an ownership group that cares about two things -- money and ego.

I don't deny them that . . . as long as they also care about providing a proud franchise to the fans and community.

'Haven't seen it! It's been a year since the Suns were referred to as the laughingstock of the NBA.

So they begin this season by firing their GM a few games in. Scapegoat management following poor choices.

Whatever the Suns do, they should seek a boatload of cash into scouting.

 

[Ronin]

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[StreetTruckinTitan]

Should have kept Alan Williams. All he did before getting hurt was produce.

 

[Ronin]

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[taz02]

That kinda sucks. Its easy to lose sight of the fact that peoples lives often hang in the balance of these deals.

What if he responds and plays out of his mind

 

[Suns_fan69]

That kinda sucks. Its easy to lose sight of the fact that peoples lives often hang in the balance of these deals.

What if he responds and plays out of his mind

For him, that would be a great thing, that will likely give him options next year. For the Suns, it's just another notch in the posts of missteps along the way. I guess theoretically the Suns could still sign him, but there is no real incentive for Bender to do so other than familiarity I guess.

 

[95pro]

So we could have potentially blown about 12 million next year on Chriss and Bender?

 

[elindholm]

That kinda sucks. Its easy to lose sight of the fact that peoples lives often hang in the balance of these deals.

He'll have been paid $13 million to ride an NBA bench for three years. If that's not enough for him to get his life in balance, I have no sympathy for him.

 

[95pro]

He'll have been paid $13 million to ride an NBA bench for three years. If that's not enough for him to get his life in balance, I have no sympathy for him.

I'm with on athletes making all this money, way more than a lifetime of money than most in this world.

 

[Superbone]

He'll have been paid $13 million to ride an NBA bench for three years. If that's not enough for him to get his life in balance, I have no sympathy for him.

Set. For. Life.

 

[Superbone]

I'm with on athletes making all this money, way more than a lifetime of money than most in this world.

Yep, he's only 20 years old and he's already made more money than most of us will make in our lifetimes.

 

[Ronin]

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[taz02]

He'll have been paid $13 million to ride an NBA bench for three years. If that's not enough for him to get his life in balance, I have no sympathy for him.

Good point.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Well. He will be a free agent at the end of the year. If the Suns want, they can still make him an offer. Their max offer can only be as much as the value of the extension they declined. Any team that trades for him would be under the same restriction. Resigning with the Suns would be a very unlikely scenario, but it is theoretically possible. I guess he just plays this year and then sees where it will go.

I am not sure about the restriction regarding trading him. Can he be combined with another player in trade, for instance?

 

[sunsfan88]

Well, here are the uncomfortable truths. I would rather have Bender than Anderson. I would rather have Len than Chandler. I would rather have Harrison than Crawford. I would rather start Warren than Ariza.

Just to add to this, I would rather have Payton than Canaan.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Just to add to this, I would rather have Payton than Canaan.

With what I knew at the time, there are a lot of "rathers" in my book. I'd rather we re-signed Elfrid, extended Chriss and Bender, ignored Ariza and used picks to draft either Trae Young or SGA. But there's a lot I don't know, specifically about Payton, Dragan and Marquese.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Ayton > Morris Bros, Polish hammer, Payton, Bled, Goren and IT. I don't want any of them back. Next year the Sun will rise

 

[Yuma]

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Absolutely!

 

[BC867]

We all would. Unfortunately, there isn't a better option this year. Again, we live in reality, not fantasy where we can wish young John Stocktons and Karl Malones into existence and onto the Suns' roster.

Stef, there is a lot of space between all (Stockton and Malone) or nothing.

 

[SirStefan32]

Stef, there is a lot of space between all (Stockton and Malone) or nothing.

Give us specific names or stop complaining.

 

[BC867]

Give us specific names or stop complaining.

If a fan has to come up with how to build a team, what does that say about current leadership?

Why are you condoning the incompetent ownership team and their turnovers of General Managers and Head Coaches?

Are you pleased with the almost decade-long performance of the Suns?

The answer is not Stockton & Malone or bust. It is about putting together a balanced roster with experienced coaches.

Especially with our first ever top pick in the draft.

 

[SirStefan32]

If a fan has to come up with how to build a team, what does that say about current leadership?

Why are you condoning the incompetent ownership team and their turnovers of General Managers and Head Coaches?

Are you pleased with the almost decade-long performance of the Suns?

The answer is not Stockton & Malone or bust. It is about putting together a balanced roster with experienced coaches.

Especially with our first ever top pick in the draft.

Dude, nobody is condoning anything. Nobody is pleased with anything. Reality is that there is just no way to plug the PG and PF holes right now. You are like a broken record, complaining about something with no solution.