Why we should root against the Suns...

by The Graduate on Mar 17, 2008 11:26 AM PDT

In the upcoming draft, the Blazers will give up their own second round pick (result of the Telfair trade) but receive three second round picks from Memphis, New York, and Indiana. Right now, those picks are slotted at #33 (Memphis), #35 (New York), #53 (Indiana).

If you are wondering why Indiana's pick is so late, it is because they have a choice as to which pick they want to send us. They can either send us their own pick (#38 right now) or the pick they are owed from Phoenix (ironically, they picked up this pick when they sent James Jones to the desert). Well, obviously they would send us the later pick.

Yet, if Phoenix missed the playoffs (Denver is four games behind them), that pick would drop nine spots from #53 to #44, a rather significant difference. And before anyone says that these picks in the 40s are of little value, remember that the Blazers traded the #42 pick and cash to move back into the late first round last year (Petteri Koponen).

Anyway, as we root for the Blazers to pull off a miracle and make the playoffs, let us also root for the Suns to fall out of playoff contention- starting tomorrow night.

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We don't know

if Koponen is good though.

Oden '08 Worth the Wait

by JTDuck22 on Mar 17, 2008 11:50 AM PDT reply actions

Koponen

He may not pan out, but my point was that with little outside resources (relative to Paul Allen) that 40s pick became a first rounder. Now imagine if we kept the 33rd pick and packaged the 35th, 44th, and perhaps some cash- we could possibly get back into the low 20s (and last year, that was Fernandez).

by The Graduate on Mar 17, 2008 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions

good point

Oden '08 Worth the Wait

by JTDuck22 on Mar 17, 2008 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions

money talks...

9 levels in the late second round walks.

I don't think the draft pick had as much to do with the trade as the money did. The Suns sold their late first round draft pick last year for cash only.

by mrwonderfull on Mar 17, 2008 7:00 PM PDT up reply actions

true for Phoenix

But, that might not have been the case for the Sixers.

by The Graduate on Mar 17, 2008 7:49 PM PDT up reply actions

oh he's good

how good is the question, but he's shelved like cj Bruton was too, no big loss either way

Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. -- Homer

by bow4meow on Mar 17, 2008 4:36 PM PDT up reply actions

good call

DOWN WITH PHEONIX!!! More ammo for Kp's gun, I have a feeling he is shooting to kill this offseason...

Rudy > MJ

by myemic23 on Mar 17, 2008 12:19 PM PDT reply actions

I've always been against the Suns

so it's all good.

by Eventine on Mar 17, 2008 12:48 PM PDT reply actions

I like phoenix

I root for them in all games except when they're playing us. And with Shaq, their games are even more enjoyable.

by Bruno on Mar 17, 2008 3:07 PM PDT reply actions

its an obligation

to root against the suns anyways

Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel. -- Homer

by bow4meow on Mar 17, 2008 4:35 PM PDT reply actions

I think a better thing to root for is atlanta not

making the playoffs. Their draft pick would be in the #8 to #10 range. Pheonix owns that pick and has traded a first round pick for money and one year money and a trade exception. They seem to not want to pay rookie scale. Maybe KP and Penn could take it off their hands.

by mrwonderfull on Mar 17, 2008 7:04 PM PDT reply actions

Nah...

Rooting against Phoenix doesn't help us a whole lot. On the other hand, Seattle would win big since they own their unprotected 1st round pick. That would be a funny scenario if Phoenix's pick ends up being better than Atlanta's pick because of the conference disparity.

Anyway, rooting against Phoenix would really just be rooting against Phoenix considering the costs and benefits. With Shaq there, it wouldn't be completely wrong to just do it though.

by poster on Mar 17, 2008 8:38 PM PDT reply actions

2010 pick is unprotected

The 2008 pick is actually protected (see nbadraft.net), therefore, an aging Phoenix team would keep its lottery pick. In fact, a lottery pick for Phoenix this year may mean that the team won't fall completely into oblivion by 2010, that way the 2010 unprotected pick would turn out not to be too high for a likely strong Seattle team.

All this being said, Phoenix falling out of the playoffs is still not very likely.

by The Graduate on Mar 17, 2008 8:53 PM PDT up reply actions