NBA Rumors Round-Up
NBA Rumors: Goodwin Losing Patience With Suns?
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated16 Oct 2023
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The Suns have a logjam at the guard position that isn’t making anyone happy. Phoenix got Isaiah Thomas in a sign-and-trade with the Kings last summer, adding him to a group that already included Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic and Gerald Green. It drafted Tyler Ennis, signed guard Zoran Dragic (Goran’s brother) and recently added another wing, Reggie Bullock, in a trade with the Clippers.
The moves puzzled Goodwin.
“I don’t know what they’re doing,” he said. “Honestly, I really don’t. I guess they know what they’re doing — I can just play ball and let them make the decisions. I don’t know what the purpose is for it, but there is nothing I can do about it.”
He expects his chance to come next year. If not, he might not be in Phoenix much longer.
“If it don’t come next year, I’m not going to take it,” Goodwin said. “That’s basically what it’s going to come down to. But that’s not for me to worry about, that’s for my agent to talk to those guys about.”
When the Suns added so many backcourt players over the summer, many people questioned the moves. While head coach Jeff Hornacek wanted to play with multiple guards on the floor (including three point guards at times), it just seemed like a recipe for disaster since it didn’t appear there would be enough minutes and touches to go around for everyone.
Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas expressed their frustration with the situation earlier this year, but neither were as candid as Archie Goodwin was in this Sporting News interview.
Goodwin basically questioned the front office’s decisions and even went so far as to say that if he doesn’t get an opportunity to play next year, “I’m not going to take it.” He’s under contract for next season and the Suns have a team option for the following year after that, so he would have to demand a trade if he wants to play elsewhere due to his limited role.
Goodwin was the 29th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and he is clearly upset about his lack of playing time this season. He has been the odd man out in Phoenix’s backcourt, and he was recently sent down to the D-League to play three games with the Suns’ affiliate – the Bakersfield Jam. He averaged 23.3 points and looked excellent, proving that he feels he should be playing for the Suns rather than toiling in the D-League.
This is certainly a situation worth keeping an eye on, as I’m sure the Suns won’t like Goodwin’s comments and it remains to be seen how they’ll affect the 20-year-old’s standing with the team.
The Houston Rockets, where he had his first breakout season, would love to bring the Slovenian star back for a second go-round, and Rockets general manager Daryl Morey has tried to no avail to land Dragic via trade this season.
Last month, reports surfaced that the Rockets were attempting to trade for Goran Dragic and this report suggests that Daryl Morey continues to pursue the Suns veteran point guard.
Houston has been aggressive in trying to bolster their roster this season, adding Corey Brewer and Josh Smith midseason. It’s clear that with the Western Conference as competitive as ever, teams are trying to make moves in order to have a shot at winning the conference.
Dragic to the Rockets was something that I suggested in this video back in October. It seemed like a no-brainer since Houston wanted a point guard to put alongside James Harden, and it would give them the third star they are looking for.
With as many point guards as the Suns have (see the above entry), Dragic is somewhat expendable. The fact that he continues to publicly say that he’ll weigh his free agency options when he hits the market this summer could scare the Suns as well.
They want to keep Dragic long-term, but if they feel like he may be planning to walk as an unrestricted free agent, they may decide to trade him to get something in return for him.
Phoenix is currently 25-18, which puts them in the West’s eighth seed. Meanwhile, Houston is 29-13, which is good for the fourth seed.
The Milwaukee Bucks have signed forward/center Kenyon Martin to a second 10-day contract, General Manager John Hammond announced today.
via Bucks press release
Kenyon Martin appeared in three games for the Bucks during his first 10-day contract and averaged 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.1 minutes per game. Martin signed his initial 10-day contract on Jan. 9.
The second 10-day contract isn’t a surprise, considering the Bucks parted ways with a young asset in Nate Wolters in order to bring Martin in. It was pretty obvious that they viewed him as someone who would stick around and help the team for awhile.
After this 10-day contract is completed, the Bucks will have decide if they want to sign Martin for the remainder of the season (and it seems likely they will).
Martin gives the Bucks an interior presence and veteran leadership, which is important on a young team that is fighting for a playoff spot. Milwaukee is currently 21-20 and in the Eastern Conference’s sixth seed, which is much better than anyone expected the Bucks to be this season. Martin is a veteran who can help them win now while continuing to teach the young players that make up Milwaukee’s core.
Jason Kidd and Martin played together on the Nets back in the day, so it’s no shock that Kidd has a bond with Martin and sees the value in having the veteran big man around his young group.
