Phoenix Suns Face Bleakest Future, ESPN Analysts Opine
by Seth Pollack on Feb 14, 2012 9:18 AM MST
in Phoenix Suns News
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PrintNo surprises here, the Phoenix Suns future is not so bright. According to a couple of ESPN "analysts" the Suns are 29th on their "Future Power Rankings". And just to be clear, that's on a scale of 1 to 30 so 29 is bad but not quite as bad as the Bobcats.
ESPN's NBA Future Power Rankings: 26-30 - ESPN
Besides Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley, every other player on the roster who gets significant minutes has a PER below the league average.
At the end of the day, who really cares where these guys ranks the Suns on their fancy list. 29th. 27th. 23rd. That doesn't matter. What matters is the core truth exposed revealed reminded by this ranking.
This Suns team has a) a few questionable long-term contracts thanks to Robert Sarver's panic spending in the wake of Amare's departure b) only one real prospect on the roster (Markieff Morris) thanks to some questionable drafting (Earl Clark, Robin Lopez) and c) one fewer first round pick and one fewer young point guard thanks to a failed trade last year.
Oh, and Happy Valentines Day! Try not to let this "news" get you down. Try eating some chocolate, that's often helps.
Also try and remember that these things have a way of turning around sometimes.
Remember how bad things looked for the Diamondbacks in July 2010? Remember last week when the Knicks didn't have a point guard and Mike D'Antoni was about to get canned?
There's a couple of truths in life for situations like this: Things change in unexpected ways and ESPN Analysts aren't all-knowing gods.
For more exclusive content, follow us on Twitter @Brightsidesun and "Like" us on Facebook.
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Take THAT Bobcats!
No longer trying to light Vince Carter on fire.
by Scott Howard on Feb 14, 2012 9:28 AM MST reply actions 8 recs
Poor Paul Silas...
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Read my thoughts on Creighton University athletics at Creightonian.com
I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.
Really no suprise.
All the poor moves made by the Sarver front office is well documented, hashed and then rehased a million times.
Also another factor is the shake up in the front office and rumors of the difficulty of working with Sarver.
So the future really looks bright.
So what you're saying is that we don't gotta wear shades.
No longer trying to light Vince Carter on fire.
by Scott Howard on Feb 14, 2012 9:35 AM MST up reply actions
shades are sooooo ’80’s
Twitter me at: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 14, 2012 9:40 AM MST up reply actions
Kanye begs to differ.
Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.
Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.
I can't remember that band, have the tune in my head.
Just remember Corey Hart and “Sunglasses at Night”
"The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" by Timbuk 3
…why do I remember this? Maybe ’cos of the stupid band name? (“Sunglasses at Night” is miles better, anyway.)
I'm not clear on why Toronto was better for the younger Colangelo
than Phoenix.
Where's soco?
by NASCARbernet on Feb 14, 2012 9:55 AM MST up reply actions
Bryan's clearly done a better job in Toronto than Sarver has done in Phoenix....
Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.
Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.
Clearly…the Raptors are incredible
Twitter me at: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 14, 2012 10:19 AM MST up reply actions 5 recs
What a run they've been on.....
No longer trying to light Vince Carter on fire.
by Scott Howard on Feb 14, 2012 10:19 AM MST up reply actions
Basically, yeah.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Read my thoughts on Creighton University athletics at Creightonian.com
I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.
Uhh because sarver offered to pay way more than the team was worth
When jerry sold the team it was extremely inflated and sarver figured it would only go up. Jerry bought the tram for cheap so thr profit was to good to turn down from an idiot willing to pay that much for and nba(which we all know is one of the worst investments to make, lack of parity- to many teams in the league, bad cba, etc)
"Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose"
by phxpurple on Feb 14, 2012 10:22 AM MST via Android app up reply actions
uhhh...
Professional sports leagues are one of the only monopsonies allowed to exist in the United States, by law. Buying a franchise is like buying a business where you control all of your competition. From a business perspective there is no better opportunity. As to the problems you brought up at the end as examples of a bad investment, those issues don’t override the fact that as a franchise, you are protected from failure. The league will always work towards viability, and we saw that in the CBA negotiations.
by Michael A. Xidis on Feb 14, 2012 5:14 PM MST up reply actions
Actually
only baseball is excluded from anti-trust through a strange Supreme Court decision which determined that baseball isn’t a business.
Where's soco?
by NASCARbernet on Feb 14, 2012 5:45 PM MST up reply actions
which has been...
applied to the other major sports leagues in the United States in Labor Negotiations.
by Michael A. Xidis on Feb 14, 2012 6:05 PM MST up reply actions
im not an expert, but i knew this team would stink this year, it wasnt a hard conclusion to make
REBUILD PLEASE. FREE STEVE NASH
Question
Does the article suggest that the Suns look bleak just for this year, or for the forthcoming yearsss?
"We never tried Amar'e, Nash, and a live Grizzly bear." -Scott Howard, January 18, 2010
"All they’re fighting for is to stay as obscenely rich as they are now, based on their ability to bounce a ball and throw it in a hole." East Bay Ray, October 10, 2011
"the players and owners are squabbling over how to divide the pie that WE BAKE FOR THEM." East Bay Ray, October 31, 2011
I think it is a three year projection.
Fan of the TEAM not a player.
by Suns Fan For Life on Feb 14, 2012 11:16 AM MST up reply actions
So, you're saying theres a chance.
Fan of the TEAM not a player.
by Suns Fan For Life on Feb 14, 2012 11:16 AM MST reply actions 3 recs
all we need is one lucky draft pick and one quality free agent signing
and we’ll be right back in the mix again.
of course, given our history, neither of those outcomes is likely (but you never know)
Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it."
~Jack Burton, "Big Trouble in Little China"
It's just another ploy in their ongoing efforts to pressure the Suns...
to give Nash to a more ratings-favorable team. They want a couple of superteams to hype and our stubborn refusal to sacrifice our best player is interfering with the fulfillment of that goal
They can kiss my ass.
I'm Michael Beasley's imaginary friend.
by suns68 on Feb 14, 2012 11:21 AM MST via mobile reply actions 6 recs
Beautifully, poetically said.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
Both times.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
This team is going nowhere
Nash could be worth two to three outstanding players whom could turn things around quickly. I refer to the Larry Nance for Kevin Johnson, Ty Corbin, Mark West trade (which later netted someone named Dan something or other). If the right deal is there, the Suns would be stupid not to take it.
Where's soco?
by NASCARbernet on Feb 14, 2012 5:47 PM MST up reply actions
Larry Nance was 29 when that trade happened.
Nash is 38. Apples to watermelons.
Blogging Suns basketball for Bright Side of the Sun from California wine country.
Twitter: @EastBayRaymundo
by East Bay Ray on Feb 15, 2012 10:26 AM MST up reply actions
It's hard to argue with, though.
Price and Telfair would drag the Heat to the bottom.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
Others
Regular losers in the western conference have much brighter futures than us such as the Timberwolves with Rubio and K. Love. Clippers have Blake and CP3. Houston has KMart and Dragic. Sacramento has Cousins and Evans. Memphis has Gasol and Randolph.
Who do we got? Eleventy-one year old Grant Hill and Old Nash. Younglings? Not so much, Morris aspires to be a quality backup yay! And that’s it. Price is decent but not exactly a fresh face.
Remember when the Jazz were good, then they were bad, then they were good again?
Remember when the Pacers were good, then they were bad, then they were good again?
Cycles Happen. It’s not the end of the world.
Twitter me at: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 14, 2012 12:03 PM MST up reply actions
We should trade Nash for Ellis
Draft the next Amar’e, trade Dudley for the next Joe Johnson, make the playoffs for 1 season, then trade Ellis for capspace and in the following summer, sign the next Steve Nash. Gortat can be our Marion. We’ll just repeat the process and hope this time around the results are better.
Don't trade Dudley!
Why don't we...
just trade for Lebron, Dwight, Blake, CPaul, and Kobe and take a run at the title for the next few centuries…
by Michael A. Xidis on Feb 14, 2012 5:15 PM MST up reply actions
ESPN Analysts aren’t all-knowing gods.
straight up truth.
Blogging Suns Basketball. Twitter: @willcantrellphx
by Wil Cantrell on Feb 14, 2012 12:14 PM MST up reply actions
What a shock...
It does not take a genius to figure out that the Suns do not have single starting quality player on the roster besides Nash and Gortat. And they also do not have a single player with potential to become a starter.
So among the 2 starters, Nash is 38 and Gortat is an unconventional center who is mainly productive because of the pick and roll and at least partially a product of the pick and roll system with Nash.
We need Anthony Davis badly
Gortat is no spring chicken either
Gortat’s 28 in 3 days; he’s at his peak now, it’s all downhill after that as far as BBall is concerned. Just ask my wife.
by smeagolheart on Feb 14, 2012 1:45 PM MST up reply actions
jeremy lin
Maybe new york will trade Jeremy Lin for Hak. It works in trade machine. groan our team’s future sucks!
It took 34 comments for someone to mention Jeremy Lin?
I’m shocked.
Blogging Suns basketball for Bright Side of the Sun from California wine country.
Twitter: @EastBayRaymundo
by East Bay Ray on Feb 14, 2012 2:25 PM MST up reply actions
I am already
Starting to get sick of this talk. Every time I turn on TV or radio it is what I hear. AHHHHHHHHHHHH.
I guess it is just the world we live in these days. All this talk is making me go Linsane. Okay, that’s enough of that now.
"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!
It makes me long for Tim Tebow hype to come back instead.
Nah, just kidding. If Tebow vanished from the face of the earth, never to return or be spoken of again, I’d dance for joy. I hope I don’t grow to feel that way about Lin.
Blogging Suns basketball for Bright Side of the Sun from California wine country.
Twitter: @EastBayRaymundo
by East Bay Ray on Feb 14, 2012 2:39 PM MST up reply actions
I was going to say
Nothing could make me want that back. I just wish the media would stop beating stories to death.
"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!
If Tebow vanished from the face of the earth, never to return or be spoken of again, I’d dance for joy.
When is the rapture supposed to come again?
BAMF goes HAM.
When is the rapture supposed to come again?
Based on the mood around this place, you’d think it’s already begun.
Just because Steve Nash has that "dirty hipster" look doesn't mean he's in need of a shower. Steve Nash bathes in the tears of his victims on a nightly basis.
Mark of a Beast, baby. Mark of a Beast.
by NashMV3 on Feb 14, 2012 3:00 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
where do you think I've been...?
Let's do this...!
by Daryl Ray on Feb 14, 2012 4:31 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
You BOTH get recs for that exchange.
"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
"In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip."
of Course
Of course we have a bleak future….Look no further than Robert Sarver he is a one man wrecking crew.
Agree. Babby and Blanks need to go too, money guys not BB smart
Nash is the only reason to watch the SUNS.
No team would trade anyone decent for him. Although an All-Star, there is his age. If a team did trade for him, our prescient front office would likely take cash and another forward who can’t shoot, and/or a 35 + year old.
Steve Ker could have told you where the SUNS were headed, that’s why he left. If they recover in 3 years it will be a miracle.
How can you call from Blanks and Babby to be fired already?
They had nothing to do with the Frye/Warrick/Chill/ offseason. They turned gold out of the terrible Turkoglu contract. That is all I can really come up with because we were going to keep our cap flexibility, hence all the 1 year deals.
And no, that is not why Steve Kerr left.
"If Gortat pulls off a real Dream Shake in-game this year I will shave my head.
Mark my words." Piotr Szczesniak 12/12/11 2:12 PM
Cardinals, Suns, D-backs for life!
Childress and Hedo were both former Babby clients
and his grubby little fingerprints are all over those contracts.
Voted most likely to say "I told you so"
Well yeah, but.....
As an agent. And an agent getting his client a bigger than deserved contract is a sign of his effectiveness.
Ergo, Babby’s a genius and we should all be filled with optimism!
Blogging Suns basketball for Bright Side of the Sun from California wine country.
Twitter: @EastBayRaymundo
by East Bay Ray on Feb 14, 2012 4:32 PM MST up reply actions
Tried to write that with a straight face
But couldn’t.t
Blogging Suns basketball for Bright Side of the Sun from California wine country.
Twitter: @EastBayRaymundo
by East Bay Ray on Feb 14, 2012 4:32 PM MST up reply actions
You should buy tickets, and not in the upper deck..
Chilly’s salary is apparently going up $1/2 million each year until 2015, to $7 1/2M or so. Babby still gets a piece of it doesn’t he? As agent? We went from 5 year deals with 2nd rate players, to 1 year deals. I guess it is an improvement. We were better with the Turk and JRich whether the Turk liked it here or not, and the Goren trade was a epic fail. I also don’t think letting the tough D Pietrus go was smart, he added toughness to the D, which is why Boston picked him up.
On a positive note...
According to the ESPN prediction, the Suns should be knee deep in top 5 picks before we know it. :)
In all earnestness, this isn’t much of a bombshell. Even though people who regularly prognosticate a bleak future on this forum receive their share of castigation, the view of an NBA where the Suns don’t shine is shared by the overwhelming majority of pundits.
Sometimes its hard to gauge a situation from a great distance, but propinquity and impartiality aren’t always conducive to each other, either.
Sometimes predicting tragedy isn’t pessimism, it’s reality.
The Brightside slant:
Optimistic – disposed to take a favorable view of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome disposed to believe in fantastic and outlandish possibilities regarding future events despite the fact that there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that such occurrences are even remotely possible.
Negativity aside, I would have probably gone closer to 20ish.
It was only called the mildly irritated house on McDowell until I showed up.
We’re going to suck for a long time because we aren’t good enough to get to the playoffs but not bad enough to get a draft pick that will turn our franchise around. Once Nash leaves why will people want to come here..Hey come play with Gortat and Morris..I wish they had the amnesty clause in 2010 because I know we would have resigned Amare..Amare and Gortat would have been nasty in the paint. That Dallas team could have easily been us, we weren’t very far.
by Lebrontophx2010 on Feb 14, 2012 3:32 PM MST reply actions
So I get that you guys have a strong dislike for ESPN "analysts"
but they seem to be right here. We have one good player in Gortat, and maybe 1 or 2 role players in Dudley and Morries. Steve is probably leaving; even if he doesn’t the future is still bleak, maybe bleaker than if we lose him.
Oh, there’s no reason to dispute that. All I’m saying is that predictions aren’t prophecy.
Twitter me at: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Feb 14, 2012 3:43 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
Merriam Webster and I would disagree.
Prediction – An act of predicting. An instance of this; prophecy.
Prophecy – The foretelling or prediciton of what is to come.
Would you now care to retract that last statement? :)
It was only called the mildly irritated house on McDowell until I showed up.
by Jim Coughenour on Feb 14, 2012 3:53 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
The difference is that if you prophecy
and it doesn’t come true, they stone you to death.
Voted most likely to say "I told you so"
by jc79 on Feb 14, 2012 4:07 PM MST up reply actions 1 recs
or make you a sports analyst...
Let's do this...!
by Daryl Ray on Feb 14, 2012 4:32 PM MST up reply actions 3 recs
In the east
always sets in the west, must explain our terrible conference record.
"I don't lift weights because they are heavy, and I don't run because it makes me tired." - Charles Barkley
and how we always dominated the Eastern Conference during our 7SOL years.
Maybe we should change our name?
The Phoenix…
Don't trade Dudley!
that's a tired hope aint it?
The phoenix will rise from the ashes!!!!*
*you just need to wait another thousand years.
I shoot blanks.
Although it may never happened....
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7yxnr6s
what do you guys think?
throw in our...
1st rounder and you might have something there…
by Michael A. Xidis on Feb 14, 2012 5:37 PM MST up reply actions
I am
convinced that Colangelo and Stern hatched a plan to get the best of the mid-2000’s PHX to the big market of NYC, and part of that plan was selling the team to Sarver, therefore putting it under the worst management imaginable…
by Michael A. Xidis on Feb 14, 2012 7:22 PM MST reply actions
Mike D'Antoni and a 60 percent version of Amare were the best of the mid 2000s Suns?
No longer trying to light Vince Carter on fire.
by Scott Howard on Feb 15, 2012 9:14 AM MST via mobile up reply actions
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