Whenever a trade goes down I always try to think of what the teams are trying to do; and more importantly, who is better off in the future. One of the main things that helps me decide what's best for the future, is the contracts. So, here is a breakdown of contract information for the teams. Orlando sends: Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, this years first round pick, and cash to Phoenix for Turkadon't, J-Rich (great guy, gonna be missed), and Earl Clark. All the contract information that is provided in here is located at hoopshype.com. Vince Carter is getting paid almost the same as Jason Richardson ($14 mil. expiring this year) at $17 mil. this year. The Suns have a team option for next year with Carter where only $4 or $5 mil. is guaranteed. Gortat is making about $7 mil. through the year 2013. Pietrus is making $5.3 mil. for this year and has a player option for the same amount next year. The Suns got rid of Turkoglu's terrible contract making about $11 mil. with a player option for $12.5 mil. in the 2013 season. Earl Clark is a team option after this year and a likely cut, and J-Rich's $14 mil.
I'm gonna try something new and go over the press conference with Lon Babby and Lance Blanks while you listen to it (or you can just use it as a summary) to break down the implications from the recent Suns Trade. You can just click the name of this blog at the top of this post, and that will take you to the press conference with GM Lance Blanks and Lon Babby President of Basketball Operations.
It is a beautiful day in the Valley of the Suns for more than just the weather, but the climate too. The climate of a team that has changed dramatically with a series of solid moves. It started by brining these guys in, Babby and Blanks to take control away from Sarver and Gentry (mostly); you guys own and coach the team...let them run it.
Babby seems to see something in Vince Carter's perimeter D that I've never really seen saying he and Pietrus will, "give us great defense on the perimeter."
I like that Babby isn't shy to say, "I think we all recognize we had a need here for an increased interior presence in size and rebounding; and Gortat is someone we have had our eye on since we got here. I know (he) is well sought after by many teams in the league." AMEN! When Orlando, who has the most valuable Center in the League, matches a $7 mil/yr deal to keep you as a backup instead of starting in Dallas (who has to be pissed right now) you must be something special. Babby and Blanks are on the same page, that's why they came together, they wanted to work together on deals like this.
The Suns haven't been great in the first 20 games of the year, but these two know that and are working in order to move forward efficiently. They said they were going to be patient in evaluating talent and they echoed those sentiments in this press conference. The question was asked, "Have you sacrificed some offense here?" Babby started by saying, "It's hard to say you won't miss Jason Richardson." Blanks jumps in, to answer the question a little more precisely, "Offensively what we've found here in the 20+ games (that) we've evaluated the roster. Steve does a great job, still, of penetrating and drawing in defense's, creating lanes, and opportunities scoring wise. We feel like Marcin (Mar-seen) has great hands and will be able to finish around the rim and that's something that we've been challenged (in). Offensively we think we will be able to get easier baskets, Steve will have a big he can dump the ball off to...it doesn't look like we will be giving up a lot offensively."
Wow, Babby is being NICE to Sarver calling Turkoglu a, "nobel experiment!" I guess I agree though, it just was way off; keep in mind that Sarver and Gentry made that move...not these guys.He continues to talk about adjusting and changing the mold of the team on a continuous basis in order to improve.
Blanks, "We owe it to the fans...to do the best we can the be the best we can at every opportunity." Ok, you guys definitely know how to control the soft AZ media...I'm digging this press conference almost as much as the trade. "We evaluate this team in the short term and long term."
Lance was asked to talk about Gortat's role on the team. He talks about the, "double edge sword," this can be because he is in the front office and those decisions are made by the coaching staff. "He has been competing against Dwight Howard...wants more responsibility...has been competing for a world championship." Ok, that's a good start...tell me more about this big dude (6-11 240) from Poland. "He can run...pick and roll...he's not shy...he likes doing the dirty work...he is ECSTATIC to be here and we are as-well." OK. The Magic and the whole league seem to like this guy, I'm really happy because it looks like Ro-Lo is an ok back-up at this point in his career. Babby, "the first good sign this was a good trade is that our phone hasn't stopped ringing with people trying to get Gortat from us. That's always a good sign."
"They probably won't play until Thursday due to physicals," said Babby. Apparently VC and G-Hill get together really well; that's nice because VC can be a head-case but Grant will be there to ease any pains.
I hate dumb questions that provoke cliche answers, this is a great example of how Babby will challenge our media. When asked if this trade has any implications as to wether or not Steve Nash will get traded this season, Babby responds, "You know. That's an impossible question to answer, because no matter what I say it's going to interpreted in a fashion that is going to be misunderstood. So I'm going to answer that by saying Steve Nash is the Sun and the Moon and the Stars of this franchise and we appreciate that and we understand that. And if that doesn't convey the message then I have failed to convey the message of his importance to this franchise." TAKE THAT! I also like that he didn't say no...you notice that? Good Job, that's all we really needed to know...anything is possible but he is the franchise right now.
Babby, "I'm happy to say publicly with all these cameras here that I've got a great partner; and it's a joy to work with the group we've put together here." It's nice to have two guys running the front office that are completely on the same page and enjoying their jobs.
Alright boys. Sounds like a PLAN! Let's go forward.
This trade satisfies both elements of future and present. We have the opportunity to be much better this year with the addition of Pietrus' defense, he and Carter should fit in great on offense, and having Gortat as a legitimate starting Center should really help out Nash. It also helps our team be more flexible in the future, we dump a long contract for Turkoglu to take on Carter's deal next year ($4-5 mil guaranteed) and depending on how Pietrus plays here, he will take his $5 mil option next year if he plays poorly (doubtful), or he will seek an extension or look for a new long-term deal. The only thing we are committing money to is Gortat, and he is at a great rate for the role he is expected to come here and play. So in a few years we will have freed up around $35 million between Amare's contract, Turkoglu's contract, and (now) Carter's contract. That also includes the deals we have given to other players to stay on the team. This to me is the best thing to come out from this deal. Even if Blanks and Babby are wrong (and a lost of the NBA) and Gortat sucks and the other guys end up leaving, we will have nothing but cap space to work with in order to rebuild our loved team for another great decade.
All information and quotes/press conference thanks to:
www.nba.com/suns
www.nba.com/magic
www.hoopshype.com
12/14/2010
The Breaking of an Old Strategy
You just punted and you're down 8 with 3:41 to go. The opponent is at mid-field and you have 3 timeout's left. Do you call them before the 2 minute warning, or do you let 'em ride until after the 2 minute warning is over? That's the question I was asking myself all day long, for no good reason. That scenario is what happened in Houston last night vs. Baltimore, but they only had 1 timeout left. As I was watching the game, I started up the conversation with a couple of buddies and this is what we got out of it. Traditionally, teams use their TO's after the 2 minute warning so you basically lineup 4 straight TO opportunities (2 in Houston's case) if need be. I kept asking myself why a team would do that, instead of using them before the 2 minute warning. My friend Jeff said, "It's because if you don't stop them after the 2 minute warning, and you used your timeouts, the game is over," and that's the truth, the team could just take Victory Formation, and walk off the field. But, as we all know, sports are crazy, they aren't perfect, things DONT WORK OUT! It's a game mostly decided by humans = error. Teams make mistakes every second of every game, I wanna bank on that. This why in the next few years we are going to see teams shift to this outlook on the TO scenario, just like Houston did this Monday Night.
You call the TO's before the 2 minute warning because that gives you the most possible clock time with the ball in your hands; which in turn gives you control of the clock (killing it with passing plays/spikes). When you're on D, the other team is controlling what is going on with the clock (running the ball to burn it up), and you don't want that to be within 2 minutes. So if you call the TO's before the 2 minute warning, and you stop them before the 2 minute warning, you basically give yourself a free offensive TO, instead of watching the other team run down the clock to 1:58.
Houston only had 1 TO but it is still a great example of how much game time you can create for yourself by this different strategy (with 3 TO's you could create even more game time). It was 2-6 with 3:03 left, Houston only has 1 TO left, Baltimore ball, 4 yd run, 3-2 2:58, TO Houston. So, what does Baltimore do? Run the ball so that way they can kill most of the clock and possibly burn up the 2 minute warning on the punt? NOPE! They throw it trying to win the game right there, and Houston gets the stop! So now instead of being to within 2 minutes with no TO's left, they have the ball with 2:42 seconds on their own 5, good thing they saved those :42 seconds because they scored with only :21 left, and got the 2pt conversion to tie it. Houston had great clock management, and once they got the ball in their hands; they ran off 12 plays out of Shotgun with Schaub in 2:21 and even got an extra TO from Baltimore!
Like most things in life, it's still a contextual answer, it depends on what's going on in the moment. If the opponent you're facing is running the ball really well on you late, you probably want to wait until after the 2 minute warning...assuming your team won't get the stop like Houston; and you will need those TO's to try to get the ball back after the 2 minute warning. Right now, the status quo is to call your TO's after the 2 minute warning. Games like this will prove that calling your TO's before the 2 minute warning is your best bet.
You call the TO's before the 2 minute warning because that gives you the most possible clock time with the ball in your hands; which in turn gives you control of the clock (killing it with passing plays/spikes). When you're on D, the other team is controlling what is going on with the clock (running the ball to burn it up), and you don't want that to be within 2 minutes. So if you call the TO's before the 2 minute warning, and you stop them before the 2 minute warning, you basically give yourself a free offensive TO, instead of watching the other team run down the clock to 1:58.
Houston only had 1 TO but it is still a great example of how much game time you can create for yourself by this different strategy (with 3 TO's you could create even more game time). It was 2-6 with 3:03 left, Houston only has 1 TO left, Baltimore ball, 4 yd run, 3-2 2:58, TO Houston. So, what does Baltimore do? Run the ball so that way they can kill most of the clock and possibly burn up the 2 minute warning on the punt? NOPE! They throw it trying to win the game right there, and Houston gets the stop! So now instead of being to within 2 minutes with no TO's left, they have the ball with 2:42 seconds on their own 5, good thing they saved those :42 seconds because they scored with only :21 left, and got the 2pt conversion to tie it. Houston had great clock management, and once they got the ball in their hands; they ran off 12 plays out of Shotgun with Schaub in 2:21 and even got an extra TO from Baltimore!
Like most things in life, it's still a contextual answer, it depends on what's going on in the moment. If the opponent you're facing is running the ball really well on you late, you probably want to wait until after the 2 minute warning...assuming your team won't get the stop like Houston; and you will need those TO's to try to get the ball back after the 2 minute warning. Right now, the status quo is to call your TO's after the 2 minute warning. Games like this will prove that calling your TO's before the 2 minute warning is your best bet.
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