SportingNews.com: Suns Sign Dragic

[Shzm13]

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My thoughts exactly!!

 

[Andrew]

interesting...

 

[Irish]

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/PaulCoro/30126

Not so fast, part II


Paul Coro Blog

Earlier in the week, there were overseas reports saying Goran Dragic was going to play the coming season with Tau Ceramica. Dragic's own words about staying in Europe were either misunderstood or he was speaking with political correctness, much like a player who knows he's going to be traded but talks of his current team as if he's going nowhere.

Today, the rush to judgment comes from the other side of the pond and the other side of the Dragic choices. Sportingnews.com reported that the Suns are "ready to sign" Dragic and that Dragic is "intent" on signing a deal with Phoenix. Both assertions have been known for a while but that has not got a deal done in the six weeks that have passed since the draft.

What apparently prompted the confidence that Dragic is coming to Phoenix was the same event that prompted the Dragic-to-stay reports in Slovenian and Spanish stories earlier this week. Remember when Dragic made the comments about staying to Slovenian reporters and they were picked up by Spanish media? It turns out Dragic was coming out of the offices of Geoplin Slovan, his original Slovenian club (not the one that Tau loaned him to last season). He was there to sign a release document that allows Tau to negotiate a buyout with Dragic.

That action is prompted by the court case that Geoplin Slovan won earlier this summer in Slovenia, where it was ruled that Dragic was under contract to play there when he signed his contract with Tau. That ruling has enabled Geoplin Slovan to negotiate for a percentage of any buyout Dragic agrees to signing with Tau. That is just one of the "red tape" hurdles that we've been hearing about to slow the process of Dragic coming to the Suns.

The release document is a significant step toward Dragic getting an early buyout from Tau, where his contract did not have a buyout until next summer. However, terms of that buyout still need to be negotiated between Dragic and Tau and a contract with the Suns would then need to be done, although the latter is more of a formality if the first part gets done. Tau has a Euroleague point guard in mind to take Dragic's place as Tau's backup point guard.

All that said, this is much like when a sportsillustrated.com report came out after elimination night that Mike D'Antoni would not return as coach of the Suns. It wasn't true at the time with meetings still to come but it probably was going to prove to be right. It's the same deal here. There are plenty of indications that Dragic will wind up in Phoenix on a multi-year deal and that a buyout could be finalized this week. Phoenix can contribute $500,000 to Dragic's buyout, meaning he will need to make nearly $2 million in the first year of a multi-year deal with the Suns.

None of the reporters have discussed the role of the Slovenian court cases in the position of Tau. I'm guessing, but it looks like Geoplin Slovan might have enforced their rights to have Dragic returned to them, but would have a hard time enforcing it. Instead they would settle for cash, but that would require Dragic coming to the Suns in order to get money from Tau. To keep Dragic, they'd have to pay Geoplin Slovan out of their own pocket.

 

[Dan H]

This is getting to be the second coming of the Big Jake mess . . .

Hopefully Dragic is better than Tsakalidis . . . or Vujanic . . . or Rusconi.

 

[Irish]

We'll never know with Vujanic who ended up with a couple of ACL injuries before getting here.

 

[Cheesebeef]

i'm still scratching my head over people being really excited about this guy. Could he be good? I guess, but the way people have been following this story and seemingly "hope, hope, pray, pray" that he comes here... well, I just don't get it. this guy was a mid 2nd rounder who's stock dropped the last couple years, who's already 22, right? i'm not saying he's going to stink... i just don't get how so many people would get stoked at this news, especially considering the personnel decisions made by the team so far under the Kerr reign.

 

[Chaz]

I don't understand some people's need to get all worked up and ride the roller coaster of whether or not he is coming this year.

I like what I have seen of his game and I hope he comes over this fall but it is still summer.

I don't bother to get hyped on all this propaganda posturing in the press because until it is decided it is just talk. I prefer to let the lawyers and execs do their jobs and wait and see what is going to happen.
Fans need something to talk about I guess.

I will get excited when the Suns announce something officially.

 

[cepstrum]

i'm still scratching my head over people being really excited about this guy. Could he be good? I guess, but the way people have been following this story and seemingly "hope, hope, pray, pray" that he comes here... well, I just don't get it. this guy was a mid 2nd rounder who's stock dropped the last couple years, who's already 22, right? i'm not saying he's going to stink... i just don't get how so many people would get stoked at this news, especially considering the personnel decisions made by the team so far under the Kerr reign.

I don't get the hype either. The mass hysteria around here surrounding this guy is unreal. What is more unreal is that we are willing to pay him 2+ mill per year. Lopez is going to be paid at most ~1.5 mill/year during his contract. This whole situation is weird.

 

[mjb21aztd]

I wen't to realgm and saw nothing about this being offical yet has anyone seen another site besides sportingnews and hoopshype confirm this? IF we signed him that is real good but if we didn't I wouldn't be upset eaither beacause he could work a little more on his game in europe for another year.

 

[carey]

I like what I have seen of his game and I hope he comes over this fall but it is still summer.

8 Weeks till the first preseason game actually. So 6 weeks till TC opens? I couldn't find the exact date.

 

[Chaplin]

I don't get the hype either. The mass hysteria around here surrounding this guy is unreal. What is more unreal is that we are willing to pay him 2+ mill per year. Lopez is going to be paid at most ~1.5 mill/year during his contract. This whole situation is weird.

I don't think it's as much about Dragic the player as it is about signing a backup PG.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I don't think it's as much about Dragic the player as it is about signing a backup PG.

yeah, but it's a backup PG who's a) a rookie b) a mid 2nd round pick and c) a guy no one has ever seen play. I could understand people being excited and waiting on pins and needles if this guy was just tearing it up in Europe or was a stud in college or was a stud in the NBA and was signing with us, but he's none of those things. It's like just because Kerr said he could be the heir apparent to Nash that people believe it, without seeing anything from their own eyes.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The reason is that the SUNS are touting him as the heir apparent to Nash. That's something that teams just don't do with 2nd round picks. He might be a flop, but the team comments make you want to pay attention.

BTW. I emailed Sean Deveney about this. Here is my email and his response

From: Sean Deveney [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 3:18 PM
To: Kevin
Subject: Re: Local radio contradicting your story

It's going to happen. The Suns contract is not done, but everything else is in place.

Sean Deveney



On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 2:57 PM, Kevin wrote:
Sean,

Our local radio station is saying your story is incorrect. They say that all that has been agreed upon is a deal between Tau and the Slovenian team on what percentage each of them will get of a Dragic buyout if there is one. Can you confirm your source and story. I really want this to be true but am a bit pessimistic at this point.

Kevin

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think it's as much about Dragic the player as it is about signing a backup PG.

Thank you Chaplin.

 

[Chaz]

8 Weeks till the first preseason game actually. So 6 weeks till TC opens? I couldn't find the exact date.

That means there are probably 4 more weeks of hand wringing, announcements, pronouncements, and rumour before we know anything for sure.

And 12 to 16 weeks before we know if he is actually any good even if he does come.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

My excitement comes from the fact that the lead scout for the Pistons who does extensive international work said he is the real deal. This man benefits in no way but every report shows he is some so of underkind and you have to admit the measurables, video, and small bad o work are somewhat exciting.

Of course if he was really that good why wasn't he a sure first round pic like a Bargnani or even that garbage russian player the Clips took a couple years back at #12?

Are our scouts that much better then everyone else and we saw something in that work out where others didn't?

I am not sure what to think. But I can tell you from Robin Lopez's summer games that I think we have a solid rotation big.

Not sure I can say the same for Dragc quite yet. Although Kerr sure is amped about him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The reason is that the SUNS are touting him as the heir apparent to Nash. That's something that teams just don't do with 2nd round picks. He might be a flop, but the team comments make you want to pay attention.

I guess I just don't hold the SUNS opinions very highly anymore. I mean, yeah, the teams comments about a variety of thing have made me pay attention, but it's the wrong kind of attention:

We're gonna rest Nash 12 games this season, meanwhile we're lowballing potential backup PGs...

We think we have a really good shot at Brent Barry...

The Shaq trade was a success...

And the best, after losing KT, saying Sean Marks is really gonna surprise people.

After those ridiculous comments (amongst others I'm sure) if anything, at this point, I'd think the very fact that the Kerr spoke would give people pause for thought rather than just jump on his bandwaggon. And one year after our last two picks never saw the floor, people just assume Kerr knows what he's doing re: player talent evaluation?

I can see why someone who doesn't really follow the Suns or sports all that much would be so excited. But for those of us (pretty much ALL of us) who are diehards and read everything we can on the team and have seen the FO bungle so many different things and say so many relatively ridiculous statements, it just puzzles me that y'all still have that much faith in them.

 

[Mainstreet]

Of course if he was really that good why wasn't he a sure first round pic like a Bargnani or even that garbage russian player the Clips took a couple years back at #12?

Are our scouts that much better then everyone else and we saw something in that work out where others didn't?

I think the answer lies somewhere between the Pistons scouting staff and the Suns scouting staff. As to why he wasn't drafted earlier is becoming clearer by the day. It seems he was entangled with three different teams and contracts involving two different countries. I suspect the only reason the Suns pursued him was because of their contact with his agent. I probably would have written off all this as hype by the Suns except they used two draft picks and $500,000 to go after him in the second round. Somebody believes.

 

[shazaam6]

I don't think it's as much about Dragic the player as it is about signing a backup PG.

We know Nash could use a break after 4 years.

I don't understand, that some don't understand, that this is very important.

 

[shazaam6]

I guess I just don't hold the SUNS opinions very highly anymore. I mean, yeah, the teams comments about a variety of thing have made me pay attention, but it's the wrong kind of attention:

We're gonna rest Nash 12 games this season, meanwhile we're lowballing potential backup PGs...

We think we have a really good shot at Brent Barry...

The Shaq trade was a success...

And the best, after losing KT, saying Sean Marks is really gonna surprise people.

After those ridiculous comments (amongst others I'm sure) if anything, at this point, I'd think the very fact that the Kerr spoke would give people pause for thought rather than just jump on his bandwaggon. And one year after our last two picks never saw the floor, people just assume Kerr knows what he's doing re: player talent evaluation?

I can see why someone who doesn't really follow the Suns or sports all that much would be so excited. But for those of us (pretty much ALL of us) who are diehards and read everything we can on the team and have seen the FO bungle so many different things and say so many relatively ridiculous statements, it just puzzles me that y'all still have that much faith in them.

My problems were with D'antoni and his stubborn set ways. Sarver was behind some of the bad moves. Kerr has done a good job IMO. I am excited that Nash may have a back up. Why be so negative?

 

[passenger]

this is very good news,the kid can play and he will be useful as a back-up PG,he will develope a lot under Nash's wings.

Did ESPN or an arizona paper confirm this?

 

[Irish]

WHY DID GRAGIC FALL?

• The Suns are going to end up paying Dragic a lot more than they could a pick out of the top three. This is a really complicated contractual siutation and no one else were prepared for the complications.
• The Suns have an enormous need for a PG who is not just a fill-in and were willing to risk waiting a few years to get the guy they wanted. Only the Spurs do that and even they have troubles making it work (Sprinter is staying in Spain)
• Dragic's agent has a lot of Suns contacts and got him over to Phoenix for a workout. To the best of my knowledge, no one else had him in for a workout.
• This was a deep draft with a lot of decent guys in the early second round, so a lot of teams were not prepared to gamble

In general, I think the reasons for why no one took him seems fairly straight forward. Does that mean he's the next Christ Paul? We can dream, but I'd be happy with someone who can run the offense and play some D.

 

[Cheesebeef]

My problems were with D'antoni and his stubborn set ways. Sarver was behind some of the bad moves. Kerr has done a good job IMO. I am excited that Nash may have a back up. Why be so negative?

I'm not gonna touch the notion that Kerr has done a good job at this point because it's not worth going into again, but can you show me where I'm being negative in regards to Dragic? Have I said Dragic is going to suck? Have I said it's a bad thing if we get him? No. I simply question why people have just seemingly given their opinions over to the Suns and why there's such a fuss about him considering none of us have ever seen him play and he was a mid 2nd round pick.

Then again, a lot of this same board thought DJ and Tucker were both gonna be guys who could give Parker and Ginobli fits, so I guess I should have expected this. Some people just have blind faith (which I may not understand but I don't think there's anything wrong with it) and others are show-me types. I guess I'm a show-me type, especially with the blunders I think this team has made over the last couple years.

 

[Cheesebeef]

WHY DID GRAGIC FALL?

• The Suns are going to end up paying Dragic a lot more than they could a pick out of the top three. This is a really complicated contractual siutation and no one else were prepared for the complications.

• 
  
  no one else was prepared for the complications? Can you say this with ANY degree of certainty?
  
  

  [*]The Suns have an enormous need for a PG who is not just a fill-in and were willing to risk waiting a few years to get the guy they wanted. Only the Spurs do that and even they have troubles making it work (Sprinter is staying in Spain)
  [*]Dragic's agent has a lot of Suns contacts and got him over to Phoenix for a workout. To the best of my knowledge, no one else had him in for a workout.
  [*]This was a deep draft with a lot of decent guys in the early second round, so a lot of teams were not prepared to gamble

In general, I think the reasons for why no one took him seems fairly straight forward.

not withstanding your first point, the above is certainly plausible, but on the other side of the coin, if a player is THAT good, it's also possible that teams would gamble and find a way to get them or at least draft them (Rudy Fernandez, Petteri Kopponen, Splitter as last year's examples of guys who people knew weren't coming last year but were good enough to gamble a first round pick on). It could just be that he wasn't that highly thought of as a prospect and he would be difficult to sign.

 

[dodie53]

so,
does this mean there will be no trades in for the Suns?