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NBA 2013 - 2014 Season


Ms. Spam
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I doubt it. He's a free agent, that's what they do.

 

From Grantland's Zach Lowe on he Suns aspect of the Suns/Clippers/Bucks trade:

This is a pure asset grab for Phoenix in nabbing the most valuable long-term player — Bledsoe. It will be interesting to see if the Suns extend Bledsoe before the October 31 deadline or watch him this season, in a larger role, to see if the improvements he made last season were anomalies or the start of long-term trends. Bledsoe shot 38 percent from 3-point range out of nowhere last season and cut his turnover rate from “disastrous” to “acceptable,” allowing him to function as one of the league’s best pick-and-roll ball handlers, per Synergy Sports.

But Bledsoe is still a low-volume 3-point shooter — he attempted just 78 all season — teams are happy to leave him alone, and he shot a very bad 29.5 percent on midrange jumpers, per NBA.com. I’ve long been bullish on him, but the Suns, in control of Bledsoe’s fate now, would be justified in waiting.

 

The rest of the Phoenix questions, including meshing Bledsoe with Goran Dragic, are nearly moot. It doesn’t help that Dragic’s deal is fully guaranteed for three more seasons, and that he hasn’t shown the ability to play shooting guard for extended minutes. But there aren’t all that many backcourts in the Western Conference that are terrifying to defend with a size disadvantage, and Dragic is a quality guy the Suns could move whenever. (They will talk publicly about Dragic-Bledsoe as the long-term fit they want, but that talk tends to change when offers start rolling in. And not offers like the horrid Rodney Stuckey–Charlie Villanueva pupu platter the Pistons are offering Toronto, without any sweeteners, for Rudy Gay.)

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Well, Evans must have decided maybe New Orleans wasn't such a bad idea, after all. Saw on NBA.TV's ticker earlier today that he signed an offer sheet.

 

As for Bledsoe, they need to just lock him up. It's far less risky than some of their recent moves. I'm not sure what to make of Dragic at this point. Actually, I am - he's OK, but that's probably all he'll ever be. What I'm not sure about is if the Suns should keep him or not. If they have any faith left in Marshall developing or even if they can just get a good offer, they should probably deal him away. Ideally, Marshall can develop at the point, because the problem with having Bledsoe there is: who's he going to pass it too? Small sample size or not, he's probably the best outside shooting guard they have at this point. Unless they do keep Dragic, they're probably going to need to split up the duties and basically have two combo guards at a time, so that way Bledsoe and Goodwin can both get some looks both attacking with the ball and on the move. Thank goodness Channing Frye is back, since we can then get some 3's out of our bigs, with him and the Morris brothers all being fairly decent from outside.

 

One thing that occurred to me last night is that the Suns may have a shot at finally being a good defensive team in the near future. Yesterday, they re-signed P.J. Tucker - a hard-nosed defender that was about the only bright spot defensively for the team last year. Bledsoe is a disruptive defender and from what I've read, Goodwin shows signs of being very good as well (his only year in college, he held his opponents to 31% shooting, just 26% on jumpers). Even if they move Gortat, they'll still have the 7'1" Alex Len guarding the rim, too. If they can keep adding similar pieces, they may be on to something. Not sure if a former shooter like Hornacek is the guy to get them to reach their defensive potential, but he does come from the Jerry Sloan tree, so hopefully he can at least get them to play together and build some good team defense.

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Lucas is not going to be thrilled.

 

I'm posting from my phone so I can't type too much but yeahhhh wow!

 

My buddy is a manager for Butler and called me right after their team meeting today pretty distraught. They really were like family there at Butler.

 

I'm upset he's not at Butler, but definitely not upset at him. Great for him.

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That went over my head.

 

Kings, Pelicans, and Blazers completed a 3-teamer.

 

Kings get Grevis Vasquez, trade away Tyreke Evans

 

Pelicans get Tyreke Evans (and picks/cash?), trade away Robin Lopez

 

Blazers get Robin Lopez, trade away picks and cash.

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I thought that was probably what you meant, but I didn't know if there was a joke that flew over my head too lol.

 

The Warriors are apparently trying to make cap space to sign Dwight Howard outright. I would imagine this is (partially) bad news for the Lakers, Rockets, and Mavs because I don't think they'd be trying to blow up a good chunk of their roster if he hadn't encouraged them too. Then again it is the Dwightmare we're talking about so who knows. I say partially because they need to clear like almost $30M off the books to sign him outright and that will be incredibly difficult- at least the contract that they'd be trying to move (Bogut, Jefferson, Biedrins) are all expiring so I guess it's not impossible.

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Pelicans get Tyreke Evans (and picks/cash?), trade away Robin Lopez

 

...and Greivis Vasquez. Still, not a bad deal...if Evans can actually be motivated to improve. Or, y'know, at least stop regressing. I figured the writing was on the proverbial wall for Vasquez when they traded for Holiday. Now, do they play Evans at the 3 or will they actually find someone to take Gordon? (And please, oh please, don't let that be the Suns!)

 

Blazers get Robin Lopez, trade away picks and cash.

Damn. I knew they wanted a center and was hoping they might be willing to part with a first-rounder for Gortat.

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I'd punch you in the face, but I figure Choc might want that for himself :D

 

Evans reportedly told the Pelicans that he'd even be willing to be the 6th man (but yeah he can play the 3 decently enough in spots). New Orleans has been adamant about not trading Gordon in the past week or so. I doubt he gets moved.

 

I just wish he could have gotten to be an unrestricted FA so the Pacers could have gotten him. Sigh.

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Well, if he can ever stay healthy, Gordon, Evans, Holiday, Ryan Anderson, and Anthony Davis are a pretty darn good starting five (or starting four and sixth man). If Doc's kid and some of their other young guys can develop enough to give them some bench support, this team should be significantly improved. (Which, as a Suns fan, I fully support.)

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Over $13M/year? Damn. Jefferson's good, but he hasn't had a dominating type of season in 5 or 6 years (and even then, his game still had holes in it). You would think that someone that seemed to have so much "basketball sense" on the court would have a bit more off the court, but Jordan has been pretty horrible.

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Well with Smith and Prigioni back the Knicks currently look like this:

 

PG-Ray Felton, Pablo Prigioni

SG-Iman Shumpert, JR Smith, Tim Hardaway Jr.

SF-Carmelo Anthony

PF-Andrea Bargnani, Amare Stoudemire

C-Tyson Chandler

 

The needs as I see them are

 

1-Another big man who can board, play D and intimidate

 

2-A swingman who can make threes.

 

3-Another backup PG, younger and more athletic

 

These aren't impossible to get things, so the team should end up well balanced. A bench with Amare and Smith could be pretty damn good offensively.

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The Knicks have no more 1st rounders left to trade until like 2067 I don't think.

 

So, big news while I was golfing:

 

1) Dallas has been informed that they are out of the Dwightmare Sweepstakes

 

2) Golden State signs Iguodala, making people presume they are out of the Dwightmare Sweepstakes

 

3) Golden State trades away Biedrins, Jefferson, 1st round picks in 2014 and 2017 (I might be missing a player, not Bogut) to Utah for some scrub without a guaranteed salary for this year and they're still trying to make moves which keeps them in the Dwightmare Sweepstakes

 

4) As a result of taking on these salaries, Utah must renounce the rights to Paul Milsap.

 

5) Despite all that, everyone seems to think that Dwight is headed to Houston still/again.

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So, Iggy is headed to California after all. Golden State just signed him for 4yr/$48M after clearing cap space by shipping Brandon Rush, Richard Jefferson, and Biedrins to Utah by also sending them multiple picks, including a 2014 1st rounder.

 

This is also good news for the Suns, as Utah had been recently rumored to be trying to get Bogut from the Warriors. Since he was not part of the deal, that means that the Jazz are still a possible place to trade Gortat. His contract is fairly close to Biedrins', so they could swap those two and send us one of their 1st round picks.

 

I have to wonder about another possible trade for Gortat maybe already being hammered out. I've come across a couple different sources saying that the Spurs really want him and the Suns were discussing possibly doing a sign-and-trade Splitter. Since the Spurs locked up Splitter a couple of days ago, it might mean the Spurs changed their minds - but it could also mean that the details are still being worked out.

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