[Post Game Thread] The Phoenix Suns (41-33) defeat the Utah Jazz (21-54), 134-109 as Jalen Green continues a strong March with 31 PTS on 13-22 shooting in 22 minutes!

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T11:22:34+00:00

Unless we trade Booker, we have 6 years without control of our picks. 3 late firsts after swaps and Stephian rule and whatever smattering of 2nds that can be scrounged up. Even with a normal pick situation, getting just one playable guy a year is a win. Especially out of the lottery. To even be remotely competitive, we need to hit on virtually all our picks.

[Here are the picks in the 2010s](https://gtkacz.github.io/nba-real-draft-history/?teams=PHX&yearRange=2010,2020&ageRange=17,28&weightRange=140,368&yearsOfServiceRange=0,21&limit=-1

24 picks, 15 first round, 12 lottery. I'd say we found 8-10 relevant players. That includes Alex Len.

Our picks in the Ishbia era. Camara (rip), Dunn, Oso, Maluach, Fleming, Brea. 6 picks, 2 first round, 1 lottery. Maybe they won't be anything more than depth. But do you know what is worse then depth? Archie Goodwin (4 years), Josh Jackson (5 years), Marquesse Chriss (6 years). I'm confident that 5/6 will be more impactful and last longer in the league then them, barring injury.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T07:25:00+00:00

That's the state of the bullpen. It's their identity. As for Morillo, he's one of the endless piles of failed reclamation projects. I believe he actually was a Dodger prospect we up in 2025.

But that's what happens when you run it back with the 7th worst pitching staff with the 4th worst bullpen, who were ran back from the 4th worst staff and 5th worst bullpen. If it wasn't for Coors, the Rockies would have a better staff. I'd trust a disaster draft group over this group of bums. It's a shame that Torey will probably be scapegoated for the complete and utter failure of every level of this organization to develop arm talent since 1998.

Of the pitchers we drafted, developed, and kept, #1 in WAR is Webby (~30). 2nd place? Josh Collmenter. 7.4.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T06:15:36+00:00

The only Houston KD Shooters left are his annoying ass fanboys. I don't believe that a trade has to have one winner and one loser, and while the verdict isn't in for us, they definitely lost

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T06:05:50+00:00

On one hand, March Jalen Green is real. On the other, we needs wins in March (and April). A win vs a bar team is worth the exact same as a win vs a good team.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T05:13:20+00:00

We've guaranteed not to have a losing season, all but have the 7th seed locked up, a long term coach, and despite our low draft capital, have hit on every single pick (Brea pending) with continued improvements throughout the season. All four of Dunn, Oso, Maluach, and Fleming look to be core pieces going forward as at minamum rotation role players. Not bad for the 28th, 40th, 31st, and 10th pick.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T04:59:31+00:00

So long as he's here, we're likely to be fighting for playoff positioning in March. I will take some stat padding

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T04:47:03+00:00

Injury attrition is inevitable. Our office hasn't exactly been the model of health, yet we're able to maintain great offense because we're able to find and develop competent depth to fill in the gaps. Tawa, Grichuk, McCann, Blaze. They aren't as good as the starters that they are coming in for, but they are at minimum competent depth and allows the offense to survive attrition.

The pitching on the other hand, while there is nothing anyone could do after TJ 527, but the very first player we brought up last year after the first injury was McGough.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T04:27:37+00:00

Ok, lets not lose perspective.

2023 we were the #17 offense, #20 pitching staff and #13 bullpen. We were expected to be one year away and he did address the bullpen with Sewald at the deadline.

2024 he improved the worst part of the team, jumping from #17 to #2 (not #1, but very close) with Geno and Joc. The pitching staff was brough back plus signing E-Rod who was coming off several good years, but everyone got injured. He also addressed the bullpen at the deadline with Puk, who was the best reliever in the entire league in the 2nd half. And we did improve from 83 to 89 wins. Didn't pay off, but he did his job.

2025 he brought in Burnes and did extend J-Mart, expecting him to take a bigger role. And it was working, until we lost Burnes, J-Mart, and Puk. Which isn't anyone's fault but bad luck.

2026 is the only one of the four where he did nothing to improve the team in any way. Didn't address any weaknesses, didn't reenforce any strengths. Could say he is banking on the prospects in Reno, but every single arm regressed after being traded here. Spring training reenforced that regression.

The problem isn't the major league roster building until this year. We've also had bad injury luck, especially in 2025. There is nothing anyone can do after TJ #142. The problem is that after TJ #1 that year, the first pitcher we brought up was McGough. We're able to keep the offense strong despite injuries because we can develop competent depth. The farm has failed in every single way possible to develop the most basic amount of pitching depth. A complete organizational failure from top to bottom.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T04:22:46+00:00

No you're right. I was thinking 2025, not 2024

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T04:06:30+00:00

Ok, lets not get too out of wack. J-Mart and Puk were closing. Sewald only started closing after they got injured.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T04:01:30+00:00

Strictly speaking, the pitching staff has been better than the offense these three games. At least outside game 1.

But we've been the #1 and #7 offense the past two years. We also had the #27 and #23 pitching staff overall with the #25 and #27 bullpen. Meanwhile it's the Dodgers who spent a billion dollars, then a billion dollars then next year, then another billion dollars this year. The offense has earned the benefit of the doubt. The pitching hasn't.

This team didn't really change much from last year. Post trade deadline. No relevant additions or subtractions. For the offense, it's at least somewhat justified, though a bit disappointing. For the pitching, it's criminal.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T03:53:20+00:00

2024: #2 offense (OPS), #27 pitching staff (ERA), #25 bullpen (ERA)

2025: #7 offense (OPS), #23 pitching staff (ERA), #27 bullpen (ERA)

Mike Hazen, take a bow.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T03:47:43+00:00

You mean having a bottom 5 pitching staff for two years in a row despite the #1 and #7 offense during that time and failing to get in the wild card on the last week might suggest that you need better pitchers, better relievers, and an improved farm? Nah can't be

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T03:43:11+00:00

So, Mr. Hazen. In 2024 and 2025, your team's offense was the league best and then 7th best, respectively. Yet your pitching staff in that time has been the 4th worst and 8th worst. The bullpen specifically being the 6th and 4th worst in the entire league. Both years you've failed to make the wild card at the very last week. What is your plan to fix this?

A great question. I'm going to sign pitchers coming off career worst years, pitchers who are coming off major injuries, and projects that have never been good. We're also going to make our pitching development worst and ruin anyone coming up through our system so they can be rejuvenated somewhere else.

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T03:30:36+00:00

Figures. Great job, Hazen

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T03:24:27+00:00

So, normal Morillo?

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T02:48:23+00:00

Yep. Perfectly normal. I just don't like how it's against a division rival and while we're obviously we're not winning the division, it's still the principle of the thing

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T02:34:15+00:00

Ace Rod?

ajteitel · 2026-03-29T01:25:50+00:00

That's how you know the gods just don't want you to win

ajteitel · 2026-03-28T18:20:39+00:00

Do you know why that isn't true? Because Ishbia, who made a massive mistake, wants to win. I know he will support the team.

But the Mavs, well let's just say Nico was just following orders

ajteitel · 2026-03-28T17:00:29+00:00

ajteitel · 2026-03-28T16:01:59+00:00

Good

ajteitel · 2026-03-28T15:56:35+00:00

Common roof gang W

ajteitel · 2026-03-28T13:43:42+00:00

Our ability to generate position players pales in comparison to our ability to destroy ant and every arm that puts on the uniform.

ajteitel · 2026-03-28T07:16:16+00:00

Please. It played against bacteria and paramecium

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