Phoenix Suns

[dimeforepps]

I see that Ulis and Booker are each having another good game against Dallas....but also Knight and Bledsoe havent been playing much lately. Is there a reason such as injury, or just losing time to others playing better than them? Just curious if anyone knows.

 

[KA4Prez]

Knight and Bledsoe haven't played in a month or more. Shut down to rest the remainder of the year. Knight is likely on his way out of town.

 

[GonzoCat90]

Bledsoe and Knight have been a little banged up and the Suns are trying to be awful on purpose and get all their young guys some reps.

 

[Montana81]

The Suns have essentially built their team around Bledsoe and shut him down a few weeks ago to avoid risking injury when they had nothing to play for but a draft pick.

Knight's been passed up by every guard on their roster. I'm actually kind of surprised they're not playing him more right now in hopes of building some trade value. He was one of the most inefficient guards in the league when he was getting clock. Or maybe he had one of the worst +/- I just remember seeing a really bad stat on him shortly before he stopped getting playing time. Ulis, Bledsoe and Booker are all just better guards period. Which says a lot when you take into account this is knights 6th year in the league. He has a huge contract too for a guy hardly playing.

 

[dimeforepps]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[AnarchoNeoLuddite]

Saw some mocks with Suns taking Ball as their pick. I do believe the Suns would select yet another PG regardless of having one stud pg, one pg that is looking to be really good and one pg that could/has been really good.

 

[KA4Prez]

The Suns really don't have a huge pressing need, so the mock is probably them taking BPA. I think Josh Jackson is the best fit.

 

[awf]

Bledsoe and Knight have been a little banged up and the Suns are trying to be awful on purpose and get all their young guys some reps.

They are actually losing themselves into a lottery position.

 

[Lovebaskelball]

The Suns will probably try to trade Bledsoe and should get a good return. He was healthy this season and his contract has 2 years left at $14.5 and 15 million, which is a cheap contract for the talent. The Suns wants picks.

 

[Rupp'sRunt]

The Suns have essentially built their team around Bledsoe and shut him down a few weeks ago to avoid risking injury when they had nothing to play for but a draft pick.

Knight's been passed up by every guard on their roster. I'm actually kind of surprised they're not playing him more right now in hopes of building some trade value. He was one of the most inefficient guards in the league when he was getting clock. Or maybe he had one of the worst +/- I just remember seeing a really bad stat on him shortly before he stopped getting playing time. Ulis, Bledsoe and Booker are all just better guards period. Which says a lot when you take into account this is knights 6th year in the league. He has a huge contract too for a guy hardly playing.

I wish I could get in on that action

 

[EMMCAT]

Thanks for the replies.

Phoenix is tanking deliberately while using the protective coloration of resting players who legitimately have been injured. They will hope to get Jackson or the Latvian kid from Arizona in the draft then trade Knight to someonelike Sacrament who needs a guard that can actually score. Phoenix could get vey good very quickly with some deft roster management, some draft order luck and time for players like Bender to mature. God knows they have some guards l

 

[Blueaz]

Thanks for the replies.

Watson tried to play knight about two weeks ago.., he suddenly developed back spasms. He hasn't even been on the bench.
Attended the warriors game the other night. Suns are going to be a tough team in two or three years.

 

[YourPublicEnemy]

Watson tried to play knight about two weeks ago.., he suddenly developed back spasms. He hasn't even been on the bench.
Attended the warriors game the other night. Suns are going to be a tough team in two or three years.

Hope so. Love Booker and Ulis. They're so much fun to watch. Hope they stay together.

 

[Blueaz]

Hope so. Love Booker and Ulis. They're so much fun to watch. Hope they stay together.

It is really cool in person.

 

[Col. Angus]

tanking... or at least trying to.

 

[jwhite123]

They need a big desperately.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Booker is on his way to being an elite scorer. Tyler Ulis might not become the scorer Isaiah Thomas is but he's holding his own in the NBA. He will be as good of a floor general as anyone. Almost had a triple-double recently. Had he played most of the year instead of getting garbage minutes at the end of the game, who knows how much further along he'd be. Suns will have to keep Ulis around if they want to keep their prized shooter in Booker. Want to make him happy so he won't want to jump ship as a free agent. The Suns are better than what their record shows, currently 24-57. 2nd worst overall record in the NBA. They get a high lottery for sure.

 

[420grover]

The Suns really don't have a huge pressing need, so the mock is probably them taking BPA. I think Josh Jackson is the best fit.

A team with the second worst record in the league doesn't have any pressing needs?

 

[KA4Prez]

A team with the second worst record in the league doesn't have any pressing needs?

Oh, they do, but what I meant is they have a player who can be a future starter at every position. Now, that doesn't mean they will, but it's not like they are say the Kings or Knicks where there is a clear void at certain spots.

The Suns could draft a PG, but they have Bledsoe and Ulis.
The Suns could draft a SG, but they have Booker (and Knight)
The Suns could draft a SF, but they have Warren/Chriss
The Suns could draft a PF, but they have Chriss/Bender
The Suns could draft a C, but they have Len/Williams

Basically, they have invested huge draft capital on most of these guys and as I said, I think the best pick for them is Josh Jackson.

 

[Blueaz]

Oh, they do, but what I meant is they have a player who can be a future starter at every position. Now, that doesn't mean they will, but it's not like they are say the Kings or Knicks where there is a clear void at certain spots.

The Suns could draft a PG, but they have Bledsoe and Ulis.
The Suns could draft a SG, but they have Booker (and Knight)
The Suns could draft a SF, but they have Warren/Chriss
The Suns could draft a PF, but they have Chriss/Bender
The Suns could draft a C, but they have Len/Williams

Basically, they have invested huge draft capital on most of these guys and as I said, I think the best pick for them is Josh Jackson.

Their pressing need is some strength at PF. IMO Chriss and Bender are (ar best) stretch fours Williams is tough, but undersized for center. Len is the intriguing one.
My hope WAS knight. Len and swap 1st rounds for DMC.
They need another veteran player down low. The rebounding margin was very poor. JIMO

 

[KA4Prez]

If that's the case, they should trade back. There isn't a PF with those skills worth taking in the top 5. Tatum and Isaac are both in the same mold as Chriss.

 

[wromanp7]

They should keep their pick, draft BPA, and then make moves. No better trade bait than great young talent on a cheap contract.

Or they trade Bledsoe.. but I wouldn't.

 

[WildMoon]

Watson tried to play knight about two weeks ago.., he suddenly developed back spasms. He hasn't even been on the bench.
Attended the warriors game the other night. Suns are going to be a tough team in two or three years.

we have to wait and see if they'll be tough team in 2-3 years.

 

[LukaszObrzut]

Suns were set back when their plan to acquire LMA failed

 

[Bluegrass79]

Id trade Bledsoe and Kinight for the best possible players available. Ulis and Booker is meant to be my friends. I'd build around those two with defensive players in the post and a superstar 3 man.

 

[Nuke99m]

You might see a team like Phoenix trade down and draft a foreign player who they can develop either overseas or in the D-league.

Of course if they get the second pick and Jackson is there then I bet they take him.

I still think Boston takes Jackson if they have the first pick.

 

[LeonThe Camel]

Most bad teams put in the reserves this time of year, if they are young. It is a chance to season them a bit and see what they can do with extended time.

Bledsoe and Knight have been rumored to be traded most of the year. No one wants Knight, that is the reason he is not on the bench. Bledsoe could easily be Avery Bradley/Bradley Beal type.

 

[1war]

They should keep their pick, draft BPA, and then make moves. No better trade bait than great young talent on a cheap contract.

Or they trade Bledsoe.. but I wouldn't.

Bingo, always go bpa especially this high in the draft.

 

[EMMCAT]

Bingo, always go bpa especially this high in the draft.

They're crazy if they do not take Jackson. Having Bledsoe, Booker and Jackson would be exciting to watch. They have other assets to trade for a top flight center or wait until next year and see who's available.They are a team on the rise with lots of young really talented players and more to come.

 

[Optimus Prime321]

The Suns need a legit center more than anything else. Alex Len is not a long term answer for any team that wants to be successful. Alan Williams is really fun to watch but he will always be an energy guy off the bench.!

 

[Blueaz]

we have to wait and see if they'll be tough team in 2-3 years.

I assume they stay the course...

 

[BoulderCat]

Hey, their getting paid to play basketball. At the lowest of levels. The money can't cover that up. The Suns are one of, perhaps the worst professional basketball team on the planet.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

I was hoping Terrence Jones would have gotten picked up by Phoenix when the Pelicans waived him. He is a good complementary 4 to a dominant center with a perimeter shot. Phoenix at the bottom would have been a good destination for him to maybe find himself. Now he's barely seeing the court in Milwaukee. He's better than what the Bucks are playing him at. Career averages off the bench of 10.5 PPG & 5 RPG. Possible the reason being he can in late but they're headed no where in the playoffs. I'd have gotten him up to par sooner.

 

[WitnessGreatness]

I think they go for a wing player, or C. I can see them drafting a pg too

 

[Optimus Prime321]

Hey, their getting paid to play basketball. At the lowest of levels. The money can't cover that up. The Suns are one of, perhaps the worst professional basketball team on the planet.

That's a very astute observation 81 games into an 82 game season.

 

[bobby elvis]

Tatum would be perfect. They have to shop Knight. Bledsoe has a huge contract

 

[Lovebaskelball]

I was hoping Terrence Jones would have gotten picked up by Phoenix when the Pelicans waived him. He is a good complementary 4 to a dominant center with a perimeter shot. Phoenix at the bottom would have been a good destination for him to maybe find himself. Now he's barely seeing the court in Milwaukee. He's better than what the Bucks are playing him at. Career averages off the bench of 10.5 PPG & 5 RPG. Possible the reason being he can in late but they're headed no where in the playoffs. I'd have gotten him up to par sooner.

Jones has been waived by the Bucks.

 

[kywildcatsfannumber1]

Jones has been waived by the Bucks.

I didnt know, guess I missed that then. Still, he has something to offer NBA teams with his skill set.

 

[greymatters4]

Ulis had 20/10 vs Dallas. I'd definitely take him over Yogi.

 

[AnarchoNeoLuddite]

Ulis's D will what might hold him back, the law of physics are in play no matter how big his heart is.