Worst Expecations

[Duke of Oysters]

In many ways we Suns fans are spoiled. We enter the 2009-10 season with the worst expectations since the beginning of the 1987-88 season when they
(when they traded midseason for KJ, Corbin, and West). That's a LONG time.

The only competition would be before the 2002-03 season when we drafted Stat. Think every other year we were considered pretty much a lock for the playoffs.

 

[Mainstreet]

In many ways we Suns fans are spoiled. We enter the 2009-10 season with the worst expectations since the beginning of the 1987-88 season when they
(when they traded midseason for KJ, Corbin, and West). That's a LONG time.

The only competition would be before the 2002-03 season when we drafted Stat. Think every other year we were considered pretty much a lock for the playoffs.

They also received a first round pick from Cleveland in the Nance trade which turned out to be Majerle.

 

[boisesuns]

I'm not expecting a whole lot from this season. Well get bounced in round 1 anyways

 

[mojorizen7]

I'm not expecting a whole lot from this season. Well get bounced in round 1 anyways

Lets see...just off the top of my head.

1)Lakers
2)Spurs
3)Mavs
4)Jazz
5)Trailblazers
6)Hornets


At 7and 8 ?
Clippers?
Rockets?
Suns?
Thunder?

Boise you are correct sir.

 

[Duke of Oysters]

Lets see...just off the top of my head.

1)Lakers
2)Spurs
3)Mavs
4)Jazz
5)Trailblazers
6)Hornets


At 7and 8 ?
Clippers?
Rockets?
Suns?
Thunder?

Boise you are correct sir.

There's a team in Denver I hear is pretty good, too.

 

[mojorizen7]

There's a team in Denver I hear is pretty good, too.

Good call, looks like the top of my head needs dusting off.
Point further established that the SUNS will have to be pretty good to even get in this season.

 

[dodie53]

worst:
a star gets injured because of trying to hard to win

 

[Black Jesus]

Spurs
Lakers
Nuggets
Trailblazers
Mavericks
Jazz
Suns
OKC

Hornets, Clippers, and Rockets just miss.

 

[Phill11]

Spurs
Lakers
Nuggets
Trailblazers
Mavericks
Jazz
Suns
OKC

Hornets, Clippers, and Rockets just miss.

No way is OKC an 8 seed, especially above the Hornets who just aquired Okafor.

It will go like this in the West...

Lakers
Mavericks
Spurs
Trailblazers
Nuggets
Jazz
Hornets
Suns

 

[elindholm]

No way is OKC an 8 seed

That's correct. The Thunder will be better this year, but they won't be 20+ games better, which is what they would need to contend for a playoff spot. (Nonetheless, I expect them to be a fashionable preseason playoff pick among national writers wanting to attract attention to themselves.)

NOR/PHX/HOU will battle for the last two spots, probably in that order.

 

[boisesuns]

worst:
a star gets injured because of trying to hard to win

Like Amare needing another Micro fracture? The october 18th date of 4 years since the last one keeps looming in the back of my mind.

 

[elindholm]

It's important to understand that if Stoudemire needs microfracture again, it won't be because of a "reinjury." The pseudocartilage created by microfracture is a patch with a limited lifespan. It will break down, more quickly than regular cartilage would -- the only question is when.

 

[boisesuns]

It's important to understand that if Stoudemire needs microfracture again, it won't be because of a "reinjury." The pseudocartilage created by microfracture is a patch with a limited lifespan. It will break down, more quickly than regular cartilage would -- the only question is when.

That's true. I remember the original time line was 4-5 years, in most cases. Maybe he'll beat that, but this season is right in the middle of that estimate, so i'd be worried if he was my star player. All I know is that when he needs another one, it could be two full seasons or recovery depending on the timing of it. It would suck either way, but it would especially suck if he was a Max player.

If you go on the medal estimations and the fact that it's fake cartilage in there, I wouldn't sign him long term and i'd trade him before his value went from decent to zero.

 

[arwillan]

No way is OKC an 8 seed, especially above the Hornets who just aquired Okafor.

It will go like this in the West...

Lakers
Mavericks
Spurs
Trailblazers
Nuggets
Jazz
Hornets
Suns

Seems like some of you are holding Dallas up pretty high. I don't think they'll be all that much improved, myself. I say:

Lakers
Spurs
Nuggets
Mavericks
Blazers
Jazz
Hornets
Suns/Rockets/Etc.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

look, even steve nash knows this team ain't winning squat. from bickley's article today:

"Granted, there will be no such ending for Nash. Unless he is traded, he will join the fraternity of impact players who never won a title, a list that includes Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton and Patrick Ewing. That notoriety will follow him for the rest of his life, and on some level, it has to sting.

'You know what? I enjoy life too much to look back a lot,' Nash said of the past five years. 'I have too much to look forward to each day, too much left to accomplish and work for. Yeah, it's a shame and it hurts, if I take a minute to stop and think about it. But I don't really have any regrets, and I look forward to continuing to improve and being part of a great environment and a great team.'"

by saying "yeah, it's a shame and it hurts, if i take a minute to stop and think about it" pretty much sounds like he's conceding that he will never win a championship. if that's not a scathing indictment of the makeup of this team, i don't know what is. again, as i've stated before there are two types of teams the league SHOULD have - contenders and those building towards contention. unfortunately we fall into category three - mediocrity with no chance at a championship (absent some ridiculous mid-season gasol deal) and no gameplan for the future. yay!

worst expectations? i say we lose amare for a good chunk of the season and finish with 25 - 35 wins and give the thunder yet another beautiful pick in the lotto.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

again, as i've stated before there are two types of teams the league SHOULD have - contenders and those building towards contention. unfortunately we fall into category three - mediocrity with no chance at a championship (absent some ridiculous mid-season gasol deal) and no gameplan for the future. yay!

Exactly. This is definitely the most annoying aspect of the current situation. Either you are great, or trying to be great...because either way, at least you have hope. Being locked into mediocrity is the worst thing you can do.

 

[Mainstreet]

I admire Grant Hill and Steve Nash for holding onto the Suns. I'd rather keep these two players than see what else the Suns could drag in. I really question every move the Suns FO makes anymore. Let's face it, the Suns problems rest with ownership and the GM position. The problem will likely not be fixed until the Suns are sold. IMO, Sarver and Kerr do not have the expertise to rebuild the Suns... even if they had chosen to go this direction.

 

[Covert Rain]

In many ways we Suns fans are spoiled.

Lakers fans are spoiled. The Bulls fans were spoiled. The Celtics of old were spoiled.

Suns fans?

I guess if you count mediocrity, zero titles or the ton of fun teams we have put on the floor that resulted in nothing...as a basis for us being spoiled....well....then my cup runneth over.

 

[Duke of Oysters]

Lakers fans are spoiled. The Bulls fans were spoiled. The Celtics of old were spoiled.

Suns fans?

I guess if you count mediocrity, zero titles or the ton of fun teams we have put on the floor that resulted in nothing...as a basis for us being spoiled....well....then my cup runneth over.

You're right, too.

If you want to compare ourselves against Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Rockets, and Piston franchises, we aren't doing so hot.

But against every other franchise in the NBA, most franchises would kill for our "success" over the past 20 years.

 

[JCSunsfan]

You're right, too.

If you want to compare ourselves against Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Spurs, Rockets, and Piston franchises, we aren't doing so hot.

But against every other franchise in the NBA, most franchises would kill for our "success" over the past 20 years.

Nah, the Sonics, Blazers, etc would take their championships, even old ones over good runs with no rings.

 

[hafey]

The Suns have the 4th highest winning percentage of all active franchises in the NBA. We can debate what "successful" means to different people, but the Suns have won and won frequently.

 

[Duke of Oysters]

Nah, the Sonics, Blazers, etc would take their championships, even old ones over good runs with no rings.

I carefully made sure to add "in the past 20 years".

But as one person said, people have different ways of viewing and defining success.

Plus, I'm trying to look at the bright side of our situation.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

i'd take one championship over the 50 wins every season for the next 15 years. but i guess i'm just more competitive than a lot of fans who are happy to just make the playoffs. that's nothing to me if you don't eventually win the ultimate prize. never once have we gotten to finish a season just totally euphorically happy. even after great seasons we've always had a "what if" . . . i'd like to see what the other side feels like.

i can say unequivocably that the dbacks single world series has kept me at bay from their poor seasons for years. and i'm not even a big baseball fan. i can only imagine how long an nba title would satiate me . . . a loooong time.

 

[Covert Rain]

i'd take one championship over the 50 wins every season for the next 15 years. but i guess i'm just more competitive than a lot of fans who are happy to just make the playoffs. that's nothing to me if you don't eventually win the ultimate prize. never once have we gotten to finish a season just totally euphorically happy. even after great seasons we've always had a "what if" . . . i'd like to see what the other side feels like.

i can say unequivocably that the dbacks single world series has kept me at bay from their poor seasons for years. and i'm not even a big baseball fan. i can only imagine how long an nba title would satiate me . . . a loooong time.

I agree. Give me one championship every once in a blue moon with miserable teams in between over a 50 win team every year that will never win a title.

 

[mojorizen7]

I agree. Give me one championship every once in a blue moon with miserable teams in between over a 50 win team every year that will never win a title.

Thirded.