SI.com: Why the Suns are struggling to take the next step

correction.

 

Fair enough, though the 12 million was based on last season's production. He is a max player this season and we should have gone all out for him in the off season.

 

I hope he comes here, plays 35 minutes a game and averages 13/5/2 playing with legitimate NBA talent and CF can finally stop riding this guy's jock.

 

Me too

 

This SI article to me is why I would pass on Dragic. I would want the Alpha dog of the bunch to lead this team. I think if you bring Dragic to this team (which is totally different from the team he was on) he defers to Harden and Howard. This article is telling me that Dragic can't lead Thomas and Bledsoe ,so how will he lead this team which has way more talent and egos. This team lacks leadership from the point guard spot.

 

We already have an alpha dog--James Harden. We need someone like Dragic to be another playmaker so teams cannot just double Harden and grind our offense to a stop

 

almost? lol.

 

If he comes here and averages 13/5/2 to a CHAMPIONSHIP this 44 year old father of 2 will RIDE HIS JOCK ALL NIGHT LONG.

 

Despite bledsoes boneheaded play last night and history of I jury's, I want him I want him bad

 

Why do you think his price would be so high? I don't think his market value will be that high at the deadline. I don't think Dallas even gave up that much for Rondo. D-Mo is worth more than Brandan Wright and the Pelicans pick will be a lottery pick vs the late 1st round pick Dallas sent out.

I can't believe an expiring Dragic has higher trade value than Rondo. Rondo is definitely the bigger name. Most casual fans have never even heard of Dragic. He was third team All NBA, but he's never even been on an All-Star team.

I can possibly see including one or the other - but I'm not even sure that will be necessary. The Suns know they are losing Dragic in free agency regardless. They'll move him for the best package they can get rather than losing him for absolutely nothing.

I don't foresee many bad teams being interested in making offers (the Celtics, for example, have been mentioned in this thread as a potential trade partner) because Dragic isn't likely to re-sign with a sub .500 team. Maybe he'd consider staying with a team like the Lakers or the Knicks, but I don't see the Lakers being too interested in rebuilding around a 29 year old Dragic and I don't think the Knicks have much to offer.

So who is left that is interested? Obviously the Clippers, Warriors, Thunder, Trailblazers, Cavs, Mavericks, Spurs, Raptors, Wizards and Grizzlies are all set at point guard (though Dragic very much has the feel of a Spurs player). Chicago is probably not interesting in giving up on Rose yet. Atlanta is arguably set with Teague and Shroeder.

That leaves Milwaukee, Brooklyn, Miami and the Pelicans as the other teams over .500 who could possibly be interested?

Brooklyn has absolutely nothing to give; all of their picks are gone and all of their players are on undesirable contracts.

Miami doesn't have much to trade either; their most desirable piece is Shabazz Napier and acquiring him doesn't help the Suns with their glut at point guard (though I suppose a three team deal could be possible).

Has New Orleans given up on Jrue Holiday? Would Phoenix be interested in Eric Gordon or Tyreke Evans? I doubt it. I don't really see this happening.

Milwaukee would be most plausible in my mind. They definitely have a lot of a talent and a point guard like Dragic could help that team run. And it doesn't take much to go far in the East right about now. They also have a glut of young big men that Phoenix could possibly be interested in. But Henson and a 1st round pick is nowhere near D-Mo and the Pelicans pick.

Basically, if D-Mo and the Pellies pick is our offer I really can't see ANYBODY competing with that. But I hardly think it'll be necessary. It wouldn't surprise me if K Pap and Capela would be enough to get it done.

 

This... Almost felt sorry for them in their last game against OKC. Can't hope to win those close ones when you can't get a rebound. That's the real reason they are "struggling to take the next step".

 

This is basically all there is to it.

 

So you're comparing this year's Lowry to someone who is playing out of position. Lowry only fan accusing others to be fanboys, SMH...

 

I would honestly give up Motiejunas and Beverley (or one of the other guards) plus the NOP pick to get Dragic. We would have his bird rights to sign him to a nice contract, and we can throw the MLE at Josh Smith. We would have to trade or let go of other players to create cap space if we waited to sign him as a free agent.

 

If PHX doesn't trade him by February, their chance at resigning him is very high, so the situation is different than in Boston where Rondo would surely bolt after becoming FA. Boston was in lose-lose situation, Phoenix is not.

 

Kyle Lowry's stats from this year is very similar to what Dragics were last season. And Dragic's number from this season is pretty close to what Lowry produced last season. There numbers are very similar which is why I think Dragic will get a similar contract as Lowry. Add the fact that Dragic isn't young anymore so last season is pretty much the peak of what you can expect from him.

 

I think his price will be that high for a few reasons. First I don't think DMO has as much value as many posters on her. Beyond that, I think there are teams willing to trade for him as 6th man rental to make a push in the wide open West and even the East. I could see a team like OKC, CHI, SA or another playoff team decide he is worth a couple future firsts to make a run at going deep knowing Dragic won't be back.

Also it is well known that the Rockets want and need Dragic if they are going to go deep in the playoffs. Also there is some value for the Suns to let Dragic finish the season with him and if they make a large deal, can then resign him.

 

The only way I can agree with this is if Bledsoe is traded instead. It is well known Dragic is unhappy sharing time with Bledsoe and Thomas. If they don't move Bledsoe, Dragic is as good as gone.

Okay. You don't place a high value on a blooming young 7 footer with an array of post moves and a surprisingly good defensive presence. Fair enough. Let's, for argument's sake, say D-Mo has zero value.

The case you're presenting is that a team like OKC, Chicago or San Antonio will swoop in and trump our offer by offering multiple 1st round picks.

First, I'd argue that the Pelicans pick is worth more than two 1st round picks from any of those teams. The Pelicans pick is all but guaranteed to be a lottery pick. The Thunder is likely to be the 8th seed this year so their pick this year won't be too awfully high - but otherwise I think we can all agree that those teams are all offering picks destined to be in the 20-30 range. I think most GM's would prefer a single lottery pick to two late 2nd round picks. If the Thunder look like they'll pick 15th or 16th, I suppose they can't be ruled out entirely. One could definitely make the case that the Suns would prefer a combination of the 15th pick in 2015 and a late 1st round pick in 2016 to our single lottery pick, but in that case...

We still have a lot of second round picks. Including the Knicks pick that should be a very high 2nd round pick. Our lotto + early 2nd round pick would trump OKC's mid- 1st rounder + late 1st rounder easily. With Reggie Jackson on their squad, I really don't see a need for them to be so desperate as to give those picks up in the first place though. Reggie Jackson is also about to be a free agent, so even if they included them, the Thunder would still be in the exact same position they are in with Jackson in that they would be looking at how they re-sign a player who wants big dollars when they really don't have the cap room. They would have just spent a couple picks to be in that position. Meanwhile, the Suns would still have three point guards who demand a lot of minutes and somebody is bound to be unhappy (though at least they'd have a couple picks to show for it).

I just don't see it, man. To me, Milwaukee is the only team to worry about.

 

Bad logic. If he wanted to be traded, he would've actually played harder

 

Eric Bledsoe's contract fits perfectly into the TPE Boston received from the Rajon Rondo trade to Dallas.