Draftness

The draft is finally here! Excitement! Amidst all the hype and mock drafting, I read a harrowing story about Len Bias. Something makes me think all the doubts about Beasley being a risk for being a funny 19-year-old kid pale in comparison.

Sorry I didn't post a mock draft for you. I hate the thought of writing something that would be proven dead wrong within a few hours and I was too busy watching football. BTW, I heard most of the world missed the end of the Turkey/Germany match. It was f-ing awesome but heartbreaking for the Turks. They may be in the Final but Germany doesn't impress me. If the Turks hadn't lost so many starters to yellow yards, the outcome would have been different but they still attacked the Germans with their B-team and nearly pulled off another miracle. Hopefully their exciting run erases the lingering effect of Midnight Express. But I digress...

After the Russia/Spain match, hopefully I can find the draft on Swiss or Portuguese TV. If not, internet to the rescue. That won't be quite as fun though and that kills the drinking game scenario...

So here's a draft drinking game.

1 drink every time you hear the words 'upside', 'character issues', 'explosiveness' or 'motor'

2 drinks every time someone wears a white suit; David Stern mispronounces a players name; video footage looks like it's from youtube; or someone from your school gets drafted.

3 drinks if the Suns pull a trade.

10 drinks if the Suns sell a draft pick.

You can substitute bong rips or water if so inclined.

I'll write a profile of whomever the Suns draft. Let's get some talent Steve Kerr!

UPDATE: Robin Lopez was the pick at 15. I didn't see much of him this year but from what I've read, he's a scrappy big who rebounds, defends well and blocks shots. I like it. It's 3 am here. I'll check back in the morning...

UPDATE 2: Here's a some thoughts on our two picks...

#15 Robin Lopez, Center, Stanford, 7', 255 lbs.

On paper, I love the pick. I wanted an energy big. I though we'd get that in the 2nd round but we got a quality player in the first. I like Lopez for a couple reasons.

1. He can play right away. The developed aspect of his game are defense, rebounding, shot blocking and hustle. He makes plays on defense. His numbers are decent but don't forget he played with a big man (his twin) that was just as big and a little more skilled. His current skills translate to the NBA.

2. His potential is what makes me like it more. His brother has always gotten more attention. Robin is hungry. For the first time he won't have to share the spotlight. He can develop and he's got some great teachers. He gets to battle Shaq in practice and learn from Bill Cartwright. That's 7 rings (as players) combined. That's a great situation for a young big man. Just because he's a backup role player now doesn't mean that's his ceiling. Plus if he develops into a Marcus Camby type player, I would gladly take that at the five if Amare continues to be an unstoppable beast at the four.

Plus this pic is a classic...

#45 Goran Dragic, Point Guard, Union Olimpija (Slovenia), 6' 4", 180 lbs. (acquired from San Antonio Spurs for rights to #48 Malik Hairston)

Once again on paper I like the pick. Apparently the Suns LOVE the pick. They celebrated when the trade went down because they had Dragic rated as the second best point guard in the draft. I've read through a few scouting sites and found a couple of youtube vids. Word is, Dragic (gotta love that name) is a slashing, penetrating point guard who is a solid if not excellent defender. His weakness is his jumper at this point. He may be able to come over this year if he can get his main team to release him (he plays for three teams). If not, he has a buyout next year. The club sees him as the eventual replacement for Steve Nash. Hopefully he can make it over sooner than later to get some practice time against Nash, get familiar with the organization and get some D-League playing time if necessary.

Here's a couple of highlight vids from youtube. One with a rock soundtrack and another with hip hop stylings. Enjoy...

Phoenix Suns new coaching staff

Head Coach: Terry Porter
Porter was the head coach in Milwaukee from 2003-2005. He was let go in what many saw as a raw deal. He was the lead assistant to Flip Saunders in Detroit the last two seasons. He played for Rick Adelman, Saunders, Pat Riley and Greg Popovich. Porter played with GM Steve Kerr under Popovich in San Antonio. He says his approach will be uptempo with an emphasis on defense. Porter was the starting point guard the Portland Trailblazers 1990 and 1992 NBA Finals teams.
Good info: One Two

Lead Assistant: Alvin Gentry
Gentry decided to stay in Phoenix rather than join Mike D'Antoni in New York. He reportedly loves Phoenix and the group of players the team has. From the Republic, "I really like our team. I still think we have a lot of winning to do. You can look back to the San Antonio (playoff Game 1) and if Tim Duncan misses the 3-pointer or if we finish it off. This team will come back as hungry as ever, and Terry will do a great job. Mike did a great job, and it'll be tough to follow his footsteps. Terry will demand respect."
Good info: One

Assistant Coach: Bill Cartwright
Cartwright will be a big presence on the bench. He was the starting center for the Chicago Bulls 91-93 Championship teams. He was an assistant coach for two more Bulls Championships. He coached the Bulls during their rebuilding years from 2001-2004. He was an assistant in New Jersey prior to joining the Suns. He'll work with the big men and his five rings should carry some weight. One of my middle school coaches played high school ball with Cartwright and remained friends with him. I've heard tons of positives about him since I was 12 years old.
Good info: One Two

Assistant Coach: Igor Kokoskov
Igor Kokoskov brings a lot of NBA and international experience to the table. He's previously worked with the Clippers and Pistons- including during their 2004 title run. He was an assistant coach of the Serbia and Montenegro team in the 2004 Olympics. He's been coaching since his early twenties after injuries from a car accident ended his playing career. His specialty is player development, which bodes well given how ready the young Pistons were in the playoffs.
Good info: One Two

Assistant Coach: Dan Majerle
Dan Majerle's first coaching job will be hands-on player development. He steps out of the broadcast booth and will teach a hard-nosed professional approach to our younger players. Majerle annually gives out a hustle award and hopefully we'll see some of the traits he brought to the Suns in players like DJ Strawberry, Alando Tucker and whomever we bring in this summer. Seeing Majerle's face on the Ring of Honor should carry some additional cred. Majerle started at guard for the 1993 Suns NBA Finals team. He played with Porter in Miami under Pat Riley.
Good info: One Two

Lakers lose in NBA Finals

Congrats to Eddie House. Sun Devils everywhere are proud.

Now on to the draft!

Around the L (*Terry Porter notes at bottom)

Been a while since I've written anything. Much like the Suns my offseason began a little early...

Yeah, so I'm not watching the Finals. Not due to any sort of personal boycott, I'm in Switzerland and I'd much rather sleep than stay up til 3 am to watch Lakers vs Celtics. The history aspect is cool but let's not kid ourselves. The battles of the 50's and 60's are ancient history. The 80's matchups were so loaded that we'll never see the likes of them again. In the 1987 Finals both teams brought All-Time greats off the bench in addition to arguably having the best starting fives EVER. The hype in this series is all about the jersey rather than the talent. Kobe is a monster and the new Big Three are interesting but it doesn't mean much to me personally. I started watching hoops in 1988. That Pistons/Lakers epic is still the best I've ever watched. Plus being here for the Euro Cup will dwarf anything late night hoops can provide...

So this coaching search is dragging on a bit. I'm kinda glad because some candidates Kerr is looking at were on playoff teams. I think Terry Porter is the guy. He got an ok team to overachieve and make the playoffs and got a raw deal when the Bucks fired him to move to Terry Stotts (um, yeah). The other finalists Elston Turner, Tyrone Corbin and Mike Budenholzer are all solid. Of that group Budenhozer is the wild card having been in San Antonio during all their title years. Kerr said of him, "He had a great vision for our future and our team, and it didn't surprise me. It's the reason we brought him in."

I think we'll have a new coach next week and from there the rest of the staff should take shape...

As far as the draft goes, I think we should pick up a wing player. I alluded to that in the previous post and I still think that way. The team is bringing in lottery-caliber guys as they are looking to move up similar to last year (to no avail). New York, Memphis and Seattlependinglawsuits are reportedly listening to offers and this may be the chance to move a vet like Diaw or Barbosa to a young team who isn't interested in prolonged rebuilding. If we stay in the 15 spot: Brandon Rush looks like an athletic Shane Battier, Joe Alexander is an athletic freak with upside and Chris Douglas-Roberts is a steal regardless of what the mock drafts say...

Have you listened to the Joe Dumars' press conference where he announces the firing of Flip Saunders? Wow. He puts his whole team on blast and the Pistons will not be the same. The best part is where a reporter mentions rebuilding. Dumars is like "as long as I'm in this seat, I expect us to always be good." I bring this up because I'm sick of fans saying this team needs to dump Nash or Amare now and save money for LeBron of Dwyane Wade. Give me a break. You don't build a culture of success by tanking and rebuilding. Dumars refers to Boston as a fluke because they got a former MVP without giving up any depth. Which is strangely true despite the 7 for 1 trade...

I think these Finals are a testament to shrewd front office moves continuing a trend since the 2006 Miami Heat. That team was a playoff surprise in '04, traded for Shaq and blew Game 7 of the ECF in '05, then overhauled the roster and Pat Riley coached them to a title in '06. Riley surrounded his stars with role players who flamed out as stars elsewhere and got a ring with his last great motivational job. Mitch Kupchak and Danny Ainge made good trades, drafted well and have the perfect role players for their stars. Additionally Ainge got the perfect assistant for Doc Rivers in Tom Thibodeau, the best defensive coach in the NBA. The Suns will make a good coaching hire but the details are in the draft, trades and free agency as they attempt to put a team on the floor built to win a title. The team's recent success has shown they have the talent but they've lacked the depth and approach to beat championship level teams. It's time to develop that approach now and when Nash and Shaq are ready to retire, the Suns can continue to compete at the elite level by adding another superstar in 2010...

A thought about football, proper football. The Euro Cup hasn't even started but I haven't seen the type of passion for a sport that I've seen here for the Euro Cup. There are flags flying everywhere. Heated debates over teams. My in-laws are Portuguese and the satellite television coverage of the national team is amazing. The rallies, the 'man on the street' interviews, the coverage of the teams departure, practices and coaching strategy. Cristiano Renaldo has had an awesome year with his clubs winning the English Premier League and the Champions League (why don't basketball teams do this). All eyes will be on him for the next few weeks as the Portuguese have a legit shot to avenge their flameout in 2004.

UPDATE: After reading Bill Simmons' preview of the Finals, I'm thinking twice about watching it. The games will be re-aired on tape delay here.

UPDATE 2: Terry Porter is the new coach of the Suns. There will be more news later as his staff comes together. A few thoughts...

There are concerns about Porter and Steve Kerr being tight but I think the positives outweigh the negative. Kerr knows Porter's strengths firsthand from playing with him and analyzing him on TV. It doesn't stink of the Michael Jordan nepotism and doesn't feel like a retread hire. Kerr trusts Porter to guide his team.

The Suns signed Porter before he even interviewed in Detroit. They gave him decent money, $7 million for three years. D'Antoni made more but got a raise in 2005 after the Suns exploded and another when GM duties were added. Detroit is an interesting situation because they are in many ways what Kerr wants the Suns want to be. Detroit was a one dimensional team (a championship level one) that has added more balance to their attack and managed to stay elite while developing younger players. This is what Porter has been selected to do. Alando Tucker and DJ Strawberry can contribute meaningful minutes to this team. Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash can be better team defenders. I think it's kinda absurd that PRACTICING is going to be something new for this team. Porter has a challenging job in a brutally competitive conference but he's been successful through hard work so I think it bodes well for the team.

Here's a link to a Porter interview that provides some insight as to his coaching experiences with the Pistons.