Random Poll: Where is the Suns Roster the Weakest?

by Seth Pollack on Nov 17, 2009 4:13 PM MST in Phoenix Suns Commentary

Consider this your totally random question of the day.

After reading some comments about wanting Raja Bell back or not being able to get an early 2nd round draft pick that could have been used on Blair or Budinger, it got me thinking - just what are the biggest holes on the Suns roster?

Is it the back up point guard where the Dragic / Barbosa combination still leaves questions?

Is it the power forward depth where Lou is good but still....?

Or obviously is it at center where Robin Lopez has yet to play a game and is still a big "?"

In fact it is so obviously at back up Center that we will run this poll without that option.

Poll

Other than backup Center, what roster position are the Suns most weak?

Back-up point guard - Dragic and Barbosa just aren't enough

39 votes

Shooting guard depth - Behind JRich only LB and Tucker

13 votes

Small forward - With Grants age not sure Dudley and Clark are enough

15 votes

Power Forward - if Amare goes down is Lou really a starter?

167 votes

Mascot - What would the Suns do if The Gorilla is injured???

66 votes

300 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 1 recs |

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Comments

Gotta be

The frontcourt.

by Toon Army Sun on Nov 17, 2009 4:17 PM MST reply actions

I voted at PF

The fact is – if Lou is forced to start for reasons that won’t be spoken by my tongue, he can score… but he can’t SCORE. And he can defend… but he’d pick up 6 fouls playing circa 40 minutes until the refs give him a little respect, which I’m hesitant to say will happen until either a) he stops biting on every head fake, or b) he cuts his beautiful flowing ponytail.

We’ve got 2 PG’s, 2 SG’s who can handle the ball and assume point duties, and heck even a SF in Grant who can sufficiently run an offense. We could use more height and length in our front court to battle the bigs. But I again hesitate to say we NEED it, until I see what kind of production we can expect nightly from RoLo!

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Nov 17, 2009 4:21 PM MST reply actions

Voted for PG

While Lou is hardly a replacement for Amar’e, I think he would at least perform the PF position adequately. He knows his game and would give the team what they know he’s capable of.

Same with small forward to a certain extent. Dudley would be a serviceable starter and while Earl Clark is still getting his NBA sea legs, he’d basically be getting promoted to 7th or 8th man which isn’t a horrible place for a mid-first rounder to be in terms of pressure to perform.

PG on the other hand…? At this point in his career, Goran Dragic hasn’t figured out who he is in the NBA. If he were forced into the starting position, I think we’d see a whole lot of “Yikes!” It would be trial by fire and he hasn’t reacted well to that kind of pressure in the past. And I think Barbosa is kind of a bust at the point. While he’s certainly a better player than Dragic, his forays at point guard haven’t been the stuff that dreams (or assists) are made of.

Contributor: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @MikeLisboa

by Mike Lisboa on Nov 17, 2009 4:23 PM MST reply actions

+1

I voted PG too…we’ve seen that Dragic struggles against heavy pressure (both mental and on the court) and at this point we’ve seen him almost give up play making a lot of time and resort to using his 3-point shot (which is fine because it’s falling) off of others playmaking. As for LB, he has improved every year at the PG spot but we all know that he’s a 2 – more comfortable and better skill set for that position. If Nash goes down there’d be a lot of gut wrenching going on.

That being said, I think our success in the post season depends A LOT on Amare staying healthy and performing on both ends of the floor.

by watdogg10 on Nov 17, 2009 4:33 PM MST up reply actions

-1

Haven’t there been two or three games already that Nash has not played and Dragic started and the Suns won the game, less my aging memory is failing me, it was last year when the Suns were on the last gasp push to make the playoffs too that ultimately fell short. There was a game this year against the Hornets where Dragic put up Rondo-like stat line (near triple double with points, assists, rebounds) and actually played more minutes and more impressive stat line than Nash.

If I was an NBA GM, I’d take 14 pts 7 assts 7 rebounds from my PG and be happy.

http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/basketball/nba/game/Hornets_Suns/2009/11/11

by eagleheart on Nov 19, 2009 6:17 AM MST up reply actions

Let me rephrase Phoenix Stan's question as I see it:

Which starter’s absence would be most deeply felt given who’s behind them on the depth chart? For me it wasn’t a question of how deep the Suns are at point guard, but how much drop in play we’d see.

Contributor: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @MikeLisboa

by Mike Lisboa on Nov 17, 2009 4:29 PM MST reply actions

I feel it

While I agree that Dragic hasn’t quite come into his own yet in the NBA — I’ll disagree that Dragic can’t adequately perform at PG if he were forced to start. In the first preseason game (granted it was against a euroleague team) Dragic stepped up in a starting role and ran the team with surprising efficiency. He has played well all year so far with the exception of two games.

If the question were about the absence of a starter and how it would affect the team – there is no doubt this team would be in a VERY UGLY situation if Nash were to go out – he is the best player on the floor this year and no doubt to me he is the best PG in the league. You can’t quite replace that very easily.

But if the question is about where holes are in our team’s depth as it stands – it is all about our front court.

They say "don't swim with the sharks", but I'm faster than sharks so it's not a big deal...

by Eutychus on Nov 17, 2009 4:35 PM MST up reply actions

If that were the Question, I'd vote PG too....

Without Nash, the Suns wouldn’t be the Suns…….!

but as the question stands, the big man rotation could use more help beyond Jarron Collins….

Whats up doc?

by RottPhiler on Nov 17, 2009 5:03 PM MST up reply actions

Jarron Collins is a center though..

And thats not one of the options. Getting another PF doesn’t really do us much good. We have enough power forwards that we even have one playing center for us.

by brian13 on Nov 17, 2009 5:38 PM MST up reply actions

well heck..

why don’t you post your own poll then if your question is so fancy… :)

Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @phoenixstan

by Seth Pollack on Nov 17, 2009 5:43 PM MST up reply actions

That's me.

Fancy Pants McGee!

Contributor: Bright Side of the Sun Twitter: @MikeLisboa

by Mike Lisboa on Nov 17, 2009 5:52 PM MST up reply actions

PF

I voted for PF because as much as we all love Lou he’s just not good enough. The guy is terrible on offense and lacks the size to guard good big men. He’s great when playing with the second unit but if he ever had to start that would be a huge hole in the lineup. Maybe Clark can develop as an untraditional PF but right now the PF position and, in general, the frontcourt, his our weakest position.

by Lorenzo Franceschi Bicchierai on Nov 17, 2009 4:35 PM MST reply actions

Lou has as good a chance starting at PF if Amare goes down as Goran would if Nash did

If we lost Nash, I think it would be Barbosa taking his place starting. If we lost Amare, I would think that we’d move Frye to PF and start Lopez (if he’s back) or go small and start Dudley or Barbosa and slide Hill to PF.

by brian13 on Nov 17, 2009 5:42 PM MST reply actions