Last season, the Phoenix Suns surprised everyone when they almost won 50 games and secure a playoff spot in the brutal Western Conference. This season, the expectations are high for the young, talented Suns but so far they have not lived up to the hype.They have already lost 5 of their last 12 games and while the offense has shown potential, the team still isn't clicking on all cylinders and Goran Dragic happens to know the reason why:
"Because there's only one ball and we're all point guards," Dragic said, via AZCentral.com. "That's an easy answer. It's hard. That' sacrifice. If (Isaiah Thomas is) playing well, he's going to stay in. Me and Eric (Bledsoe), it depends who is playing better and who is going to be on the court. The other guy is going to be on the bench. It's the way it is. We need to embrace that."
Playing a fast, small line-up that features three point guards was a thoughtful experiment although many are suspecting that it won't last more than a season. The Suns need some more fortification in their front court - they need a threat in the post - and it would make sense for them to deal one of their guards. And among the trio of guards in the roster, Dragic is the most likely to be moved, given his contract situation HNGN. Bledsoe just signed a five-year extension while Thomas's deal doesn't expire until 2018 and Tyler Ennis is on a team-friendly rookie scale contract.
And their is also the threat of Dragic walking away in free agency leaving Phoenix with nothing in return. Before the three headed monster point guard rotation, Dragic might have wanted to resign with Phoenix but now his mind has changed now that he shares the back court with two guards that want the ball in their hands.
Per The Sporting News:
In September, Suns point guard Goran Dragic told a reporter during the FIBA World Cup that it was his intention to opt out of the final year of his contract this summer and become a free agent - but that he would only do so with the intention of quickly re-signing with Phoenix.
While that might have been the idea at that time, that's not the case now, as Dragic will have an "open" free agency, league sources told Sporting News. When Dragic opts out and becomes a free agent next July, he will be a sought-after commodity, and while Phoenix would get the first hearing, Dragic will have options.
Goran Dragic will surely demand a lot of money when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer and its unlikely that Phoenix will give him what he wants. And instead of letting him walk away for nothing, it would be in the Sun's best interest to trade him before February for either a promising big man or for draft picks to build with in the future.
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