Phoenix Suns 2013-2014: Year In Review

[Superbone]

Well, we did it. 48 wins yet missed the playoffs. We tied Toronto and Chicago (3rd and 4th in the Eastern Conference) for the 11th best record in the league.

[Superbone]

I should also add that our 48-34 record ties us with Golden State for the modern day record for most wins without making the playoffs. This is since the 16 team format came to be. The Suns hold the all-time record with 49 wins in 71-72 when they just missed the playoffs in the old 8 team format.

[Shabazz]

INF, there's a bit of a catch-22 involved here when judging McD's draft. If he hadn't done such a good job with his other moves, then the team would likely have not been in a playoff race and would have given Len and Archie significantly more minutes to develop (and more opportunity for us to evaluate them).

[SDC]

I'm not quite sure how you say someone is executive of the yr and then say he isn't an asset...but it is what it is.

For me, he is definitely a big asset and major reason for our success this year. I'd give him a solid A after a year under his belt. I could see where he might get an incomplete for this year's draft but everything else has been highly competent. The only other question mark might be lack of action at the trading deadline but that is highly debatable and standing pat may very well have been the best course of action.

obviously, it's NOT.

[SDC]

How do we know he didn't draft well last year?

We don't. That's the point. That's why I said he gets an incomplete.

It doesn't help (me) that I didn't agree with either pick, and I haven't seen much to change my mind. Archie having a nice night tonight, and he had the 16 point performance a few months ago, so there's that.

who would you have taken at that time at the number 5. obviously we know for sure now athat trey burke and michael carter williams are good players, but those werent your guys initially right?

[TOO]

I'm not quite sure how you say someone is executive of the yr and then say he isn't an asset...but it is what it is.

For me, he is definitely a big asset and major reason for our success this year. I'd give him a solid A after a year under his belt. I could see where he might get an incomplete for this year's draft but everything else has been highly competent. The only other question mark might be lack of action at the trading deadline but that is highly debatable and standing pat may very well have been the best course of action.

obviously, it's NOT.

[SDC]

Ring-

I can understand wanting to make a move at the deadline. But I didn't want to give up a 1st for a rental on Gasol. I have no idea why the Lakers didn't trade him other than the fact that they were demanding a 1st. I'd rather not make a move then overpay...But I can understand the reasoning behind what you say with the team barely missing out.

Yeah, rentals are moves that have a bad reputation, but if it can make the difference between making the playoffs or barely missing I think you need to pull the trigger. It was obvious that the team was all in for the playoffs, but also that it could very well end up #9 in the West, with the brutal schedule remaining after the break, particularly April. I'm sure McD saw it as well, but he prefered to stay put and 'let the chips fall where they may'. I'm sorry but at the moment I felt that it was reckless and it actually showed to be a miscalculation, and a better pick doesn't make up for it, at leat to me.

my rule if you are gunning for a playoff spot and want to do a trade to help you in the playoffs is
a) the trade should help the suns in the SHORT TERM and
b) the trade DOES NOT HURT the suns in the long term (losing the indy pick wont hurt the suns one bit).

if you want long term success, my rule is
a) the trade doesnt have to help the suns in the SHORT TERM, see gortat, scola, evan turner, spencer hawes trade.
b) the trade should help the suns get a high lottery pick (or a franchise player.)

[SDC]

how can you say standing pat at the trade day deadline was the best course of action? r u blind or wut?

[SDC]

It was cool that the Suns became one of the most fun teams to watch league wide and they were a League Pass darling. You can bet that next year the Suns will figure heavily into the nationwide TV schedule.

the question to you and informer is:

will mcdo build on the success on this team? or deem this team not good enough and start a second tanking process again for next season ie trade green, dragic for more picks. the third option is trade for kevin love, but that will probably mean dragic at the minimum will be gone.

[TOO]

You have very extreme views on things, no gray areas.

[SDC]

You have very extreme views on things, no gray areas.

bledsoe, green, tucker, the morris twins, frye need to get paid soon. will mcdo build on what this team has accomplished and start PAYING them, or break it all up again for more picks and young players?

the third way is to get a kevin love, but i doubt mcdo can get it done, even if he gives up everything except bledsoe.

[TOO]

Nobody knows until the time comes, but its not like any of those guys is irreplaceable. Bledsoe might be the closest to that label, but if his price tag is too high, he might not be here next year. Frye is a nice story, but he's already overpaid. Green has another year I believe, not worried about him. Tucker could very well price himself out of here as well. McD wont spend money just for the sake of doing so, I think he'll make the correct decisions when the time comes.

Also, I'd absolutely trade Dragic in a Love deal if Bledsoe is McDs guy and vice versa, I'd move Bledsoe if Dragic is the guy

[SDC]

looking back, it was interesting/funny that many people on that other forum would rather have luol deng or rudy gay on trade day deadline.

I'm not quite sure how you say someone is executive of the yr and then say he isn't an asset...but it is what it is.

For me, he is definitely a big asset and major reason for our success this year. I'd give him a solid A after a year under his belt. I could see where he might get an incomplete for this year's draft but everything else has been highly competent. The only other question mark might be lack of action at the trading deadline but that is highly debatable and standing pat may very well have been the best course of action.

obviously, it's NOT.

[ Image ]

[INFORMER]

who would you have taken at that time at the number 5. obviously we know for sure now athat trey burke and michael carter williams are good players, but those werent your guys initially right?

I wanted Kelly Olynyk. Ideally I wanted to trade down.

[SDC]

who would you have taken at that time at the number 5. obviously we know for sure now athat trey burke and michael carter williams are good players, but those werent your guys initially right?

I wanted Kelly Olynyk. Ideally I wanted to trade down.

i do recall you pining for cj mccollum.

[INFORMER]

who would you have taken at that time at the number 5. obviously we know for sure now athat trey burke and michael carter williams are good players, but those werent your guys initially right?

I wanted Kelly Olynyk. Ideally I wanted to trade down.

i do recall you pining for cj mccollum.

I liked him too. And I really like Rudy Gobert too.

[SDC]

who would you have taken at that time at the number 5. obviously we know for sure now athat trey burke and michael carter williams are good players, but those werent your guys initially right?

I wanted Kelly Olynyk. Ideally I wanted to trade down.

i do recall you pining for cj mccollum.

I liked him too. And I really like Rudy Gobert too.

but you werent calling for olynyk or gobert to be picked at #5. it was oladipo (good choice) then mccollum.

[Sunsfan4life]

SDC,

I don't think there was anything obvious about trading at the deadline. You have no idea what was being discussed or who was being discussed. You don't trade 1st rd picks for guys who may help you get the 8th seed for 3months then leave. Especially when its an aging vet like Gasol. That is a receipt for disaster. The team was fun this yr, would of loved to of made the playoffs, but judging by what trades actually went down their were barely any moves made that effected the playoff race (Evan Turner and Hawes were probably the 2 most notable)

Maybe a Spencer Hawes or a Thaddus Young would of been a better course of action and could of been had for cheaper (in Hawes case) , but I think it was obvious that we had a long term plan and weren't budging from it just so we could scoop up the 8th seed this yr. I am perfectly fine with that.

It's the Aaron Brooks for Dragic and a 1st rd pick trades that set teams back.

[Ring_Wanted]

You also need to factor in that we have a crazy amoung of first round picks. The fact that we have a lot of them doesn't make the asset any less valuable, of course, but precissely the good thing about having an abundance of assets is that you can afford things. Flexibility, options, all the good stuff.

I get the phobia to trading draft picks. If all we had the next two seasons in terms of draft ammo was one single pick, I wouldn't even consider it (not that I'd be allowed by league rules, but yeah), but fortunately, that is not the case.

I won't just ditch the possibility of drafting something nice with the proverbial Indiana's pick, or its role in an eventual draft or summer trade, but at the same time nothing draft is ever guaranteed. And there is also that the roster is not infinite, nor can you play everybody.

Now it all belongs in the future past days, but who knows what kind of impact for the Franchise could have made actually making the playoffs?

[Sunsfan4life]

Yea I get your reasoning Ring, I really do.

It was more directed at SDC, because I don't think its as white and black as he is suggesting. There is a lot of Grey like what other teams are asking for, what said player helps us get, whether he'll be here long term, whether he is healthy ETC...

If we were talking about 2005-2007 I would agree, because a move could of help us contend for Ship