Steve Kerr Hates Phoenix. Here's Proof.

by Corndogg on Jun 27, 2008 11:23 AM EDT Comment 3 comments

It's like hiring a PETA-card toting, Vegetarian to run McDonald's.

Not to mention that Terry Porter looked like he had just shot kidney stones the size or Robin Lopez's kneecaps out his urethra when he was being interviewed by Stu Scott. Lopez is a slow, offensive-less player who as a "big time rebounder," couldn't even pull down 6 a game against Pac-10 competition. Just what the doctor ordered in Phoenix.

Then, in the second round, they miss on a super-duper athletic kid like Bill Walker so they can get perpetually underachieving Malik Hairston, who was consistently rated 10-15 spots behind Walker on lots of draft boards. If D.J. Strawberry can't get off the bench, what is Hairston gonna do? Oh, I know, go play with the Mercury!

Instead of Hairston, Kerr cut a deal with Phoenix's best friend and completely honest competitor, the Spurs. They got some Euro who may be their point guard in a few years. Yeah, those years. Eons into the future. I bet Hairston turns out to be the next Scottie Pippen.

R.I.P. Steve Nash. Good thing you don't care about getting a ring. Cause this draft just cemented that declaration.

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Hairston

was traded to the Spurs for Goran Dragic and a 2009 2nd round pick.

We’re all Dragic fans.

Purchasing my Dragic jersey

by rosewood on Jun 27, 2008 12:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Meanwhile, over in Sunsland...

...we’re a little more up on this pick than the RU crew.

We are all painfully aware of how old the Suns and Steve Nash are getting. The problem is that thanks to ~~Mike D’Antoni’s~~ the organziation’s unwillingness, inability or lack of opportunity (draft pick fire sale, anyone?) to develop youth, our bench is a mess. And what youth we have (DJ Strawberry and Alando Tucker) are unknown quantities. And now, to a certain extent, so is our head coach and his rogue’s gallery of assistants.

What I’m trying to say is, “Did you really have to suck what little joy we’re getting out of this offseason already?” Phoenix wasn’t going to solve all of its problems (or, really, any of them) with the #15 and #48 picks in the draft. In Robin Lopez, the Suns got a serviceable back-up to Shaq, and with any luck, a potential starter in the Mark West mold.

And while I’d like to see Dragic in purple and orange sooner rather than later, I think it’s not a bad pick. I’m hoping he comes over for some Summer League burn and is good enough the Suns decide to part with some cash to bring him over this season.

In closing, we as Suns fans have had to endure the loss of Joe Johnson, the loss of Shawn Marion, the loss of several dozen draft picks (Rajon Rondo, Sergio Rodriguez, Rudy Fernandez, Luol Deng) for cash considerations which will be paying Shaq’s alimony for the next 2 seasons, the loss of the winningest coach in Suns history, and repeated Mortal Kombat-style fatalities at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs. It’s draft day and we have our highest first round pick we’re planning on keeping since 2002.

For the first time since then, it’s hoping time. Please, please, let us have our hope.

by Mike Lisboa on Jun 27, 2008 1:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Robin Lopez over Roy Hibbert. That's interesting...

I’m sorry Mike Lisboa, but there’s not that much reason for hope. Lopez is supposed to be a terrific rebounder/defender and backup center for Shaq, but Pheonix passed up a much better center in Roy Hibbert.

Per 40 minutes Hibbert averaged:
21.3 points on 60.9% shooting, 10.2 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and a 1.1 A/TO ratio
Per 40 minutes Lopez averaged:
16.6 points on 53.3% shooting, 9.2 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 0.4 A/TO ratio

Hibbert scored more points on much better shooting even though Robin Lopez had his brother taking most of the defensive focus. Brook missed 9 games this season. In those games, Robin shot 44.1% from the field. That’s really bad, and that shooting came against weak nonconference competition.

Hibbert’s weakness is his lack of quickness and athleticism, but he outrebounded Lopez and was pretty close in blocks despite Georgetown playing a slower pace.

I don’t understand this pick. Other better centers were available at 15th: Hibbert, Kosta Koufos, JaVale McGee, and even 2nd round picks like Shawn James, DeAndre Jordan and Alecks Maric. Even in a weak field of centers, Robin Lopez doesn’t stand out.

by Miguel90 on Jun 30, 2008 8:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs