Bledsoe out for the year?

[Suns_fan69]

Listed as a question mark as I haven't seen any confirmation:

Marc Stein @ESPNSteinLine
Story going online now: ESPN sources say Suns G Eric Bledsoe out indefinitely after team determines Bledsoe needs surgery on right knee

The Barbosa signing makes a lot more sense now.

 

[drk3351]

damn this is not good.

 

[drk3351]

So Ish Smith will now get major minutes. I worry about the Suns bench esspecially with Green now starting.

 

[JS22]

Aaaaaaaaannnnddddd sh*t!

 

[sunsfan88]

So Ish Smith will now get major minutes. I worry about the Suns bench esspecially with Green now starting.

No he won't. Once Barbosa gets a hang of the offense, he will run point with Goodwin as SG off the bench.

And frankly, I think Ish is actually improving slightly. He's getting a better hang of things.

 

[Superbone]

I just hope this is a fluke year and not a pattern. I'd hate to have a Derrick Rose/Brandon Roy type situation on our hands.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Hearing torn meniscus according to Gambo.

Shouldn't affect his long term outlook, but the timing is unfortunate. With his contract year coming up I don't think he'll be back this season. This is pure speculation on my part.

 

[hsandhu]

nice run first two months of the season, shows us what we can have with a healthy bledsoe in future.

now go back to original plan, and tank the hell out of the season.

 

[JS22]

nice run first two months of the season, shows us what we can have with a healthy bledsoe in future.

now go back to original plan, and tank the hell out of the season.

It's too late for that. And I'm sure the players, coaches, GM, ownership, etc are saying, "Welp, Eric is out. Time to lose a bunch of games!"

Even without Bledsoe they're probably good enough to get in. At this point purposely shipping off assets and trying to lose games would send a terrible message to the players / fans.

And I think they'd have to go on a historically bad run to make it worthwhile at this point.

 

[Phrazbit]

nice run first two months of the season, shows us what we can have with a healthy bledsoe in future.

now go back to original plan, and tank the hell out of the season.

We've already won too many games. The East is so terrible that even if we "tank the hell" out of the season it will only end up being a 12th or 14th pick. So making the playoffs as a low seed or "tanking" will probably only be the difference of picking around 12-14 or picking 14-18.

Might as well keep trucking for the playoffs, hope Bledsoe recovers by April (meniscus can meet that time frame depending on how bad it is) and let this team get some valuable post season experience.

If it really is torn though I hope they opt for the surgery to repair it rather than remove it. Removal allows guys to come back fast but most guys who have had it done said they really regretted it down the road.

At least some small positive can be taken from this as Bledsoe is probably a cheaper extension this summer.

 

[Superbone]

The Suns wouldn't be signing Barbosa if their goal was to tank.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Agree with the general sentiment, tanking should not be an option. However, it's probably less likely now that they pull off a trade to acquire assets for the playoff run.

 

[Cheesebeef]

well...crap.

this sucks...we won't be good enough/nor really build as unit with him out and we've already won too many games to really tank.

this sucks.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Agree with the general sentiment, tanking should not be an option. However, it's probably less likely now that they pull off a trade to acquire assets for the playoff run.

Okafor and the two least desirable 1st round picks should be the only assets on the table for a trade. Well, for most trades anyway. For a real stud I'd consider the possibility of including the twins or Archie but I really don't see that as a likelihood.

Steve

 

[JS22]

well...crap.

this sucks...we won't be good enough/nor really build as unit with him out and we've already won too many games to really tank.

this sucks.

Which will put them in a familiar place. 14-18!

 

[Suns_fan69]

At least some small positive can be taken from this as Bledsoe is probably a cheaper extension this summer.

This really depends on how the Suns do the rest of the year. If things go downhill for the Suns and they miss the playoffs (unintentionally) Bledsoe all of a sudden has a lot of negotiating power.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Which will put them in a familiar place. 14-18!

yup...stuck in limbo.

freaking sucks.

 

[HooverDam]

Well this is unfortunate timing if he's out for the year. Its too late to tank and I imagine the Suns will likely still make the playoffs. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Minny jumps us.

On a happier note, this likely makes Bledsoe more affordable. If he played great for a whole year he might demand some huge contract. Now, he got just enough of a taste of winning in PHX and saw playing w/ Dragic can work and is fun. I imagine he'd like to come back, but he'll perhaps be cheaper.

 

[sunsfan88]

I think there's a lot of uneducated people in this thread...even if it's a torn meniscus, expect him to out til All Star break, that's it.

I can almost guarantee that he will be playing ball in March and most likely before March if a torn meniscus is all there is.

He isn't out for the season. Please change thread title.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i wouldn't be surprised if Bledsoe doesn't get the deal he's looking for that he just signs the RFA tender and plays out the string. is someone really gonna give him bukoo dinero after two really good months, coming off injury?

actually...the answer to that question is probably yes. no way he signs for just one year.

THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!

 

[Cheesebeef]

It's too late for that. And I'm sure the players, coaches, GM, ownership, etc are saying, "Welp, Eric is out. Time to lose a bunch of games!"

Even without Bledsoe they're probably good enough to get in. At this point purposely shipping off assets and trying to lose games would send a terrible message to the players / fans.

Without a 19 ppg/6 dimes guy, I'll be surprised if we get into the playoffs. although, the West is weaker then in year's past, so maybe we squeak in there without him...but to what end? to get crushed in the first round? blegh.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think there's a lot of uneducated people in this thread...even if it's a torn meniscus, expect him to out til All Star break, that's it.

I can almost guarantee that he will be playing ball in March and most likely before March if a torn meniscus is all there is.

He isn't out for the season. Please change thread title.

You could be right but the guy already missed a month because of an owie. Okay, it was only about a week but how many people were shocked he missed more than a hour of practice for that knee bruise? We're also Phoenix Suns fans. We've lived through similar reports on Amare and Penny. We've learned that the worst case scenario is a far better bet than the best case.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

You could be right but the guy already missed a month because of an owie. Okay, it was only about a week but how many people were shocked he missed more than a hour of practice for that knee bruise? We're also Phoenix Suns fans. We've lived through similar reports on Amare and Penny. We've learned that the worst case scenario is a far better bet than the best case.

Steve

I jus don't see any scenario where he can be out for the season though. If. Bledsoe was a player who has had prior knee trouble and tore the meniscus in tha same knee, then yes big concern. But I believe this is the first time right?

It depends on the severity of the tear too which none of us will ever know but even if that's extremely bad, I would say 8 weeks with good rehab. And that's worst case scenario.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Without a 19 ppg/6 dimes guy, I'll be surprised if we get into the playoffs. although, the West is weaker then in year's past, so maybe we squeak in there without him...but to what end? to get crushed in the first round? blegh.

I could care less if we get crushed in the first round nor would I be anything other than thrilled if we were to sneak in to the last spot. I don't think it's going to happen though. In fact, I wasn't all that confident we'd make the playoffs even with Bledsoe. Hopeful yes but not confident. But as it is - Denver, Minnesota and probably even Memphis pass us by. If Leandro can match Eric's offense we'd have an outside chance of hanging on but no matter what our defense is going to struggle.

I just want management to make good decisions. If they want to make a push for the playoffs, fine, just don't give away our future. If they want to call it a day and trade Dragic and Frye I'm fine with that too. But if they give away Goodwin and our four draft picks for an aging veteran that won't be part of the rebuild (Melo for exampe), I'm likely to be disconsolate for quite some time.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

I jus don't see any scenario where he can be out for the season though. If. Bledsoe was a player who has had prior knee trouble and tore the meniscus in tha same knee, then yes big concern. But I believe this is the first time right?

It depends on the severity of the tear too which none of us will ever know but even if that's extremely bad, I would say 8 weeks with good rehab. And that's worst case scenario.

The report I read was that they wouldn't know the extent of the cartilage damage until they get in there. That sentence has always meant bad things to us. I'm not predicting anything here, I'm just not going to get my hopes up until they give us a good reason too.

Steve