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AP: 774b1c85-7736-448c-934e-29fb21272a89
Phoenix Suns' Goran Dragic, front, of Slovenia, spins around Washington Wizards' Trevor Booker during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
If we were making a list of the decisions that the Lon Babby/Lance Blanks regime got right…a full 8 ˝ by 11 sheet of paper would probably be too big. A post-it note would suffice.

They are all debatable with the exception of one. Goran Dragic.

(Ok, maybe two. If the Suns end up squeezing the Lakers' lottery pick from them this year if they don't make the playoffs, that's a major success. Right now, I wouldn't bet on them missing the playoffs. In fact, I bet Gambo just the opposite)

In a lost season filled with questionable effort, lost focus and waning desire, Dragic has been a steady rock and a great signing. Not great in the sense that he's leading the Suns to victories, but great in the sense that the Suns had a lot of choices this past offseason in the point guard market, and there were lots of question marks among those choices. They chose wisely.

He plays hard. He plays a lot of minutes. The website Brightsideofthesun.com pointed out on twitter this morning that in his 42 minutes vs. Washington, Dragic was a +8 over 42 minutes while John Wall was -10.

And he hasn't let the coaching change affect him one bit. In fact, since the All Star Break, he leads the league in double digit assist games.

Dave Burns, Co-host of Burns & Gambo
11 Comments   |   Join the conversation »
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  • Abuse
    mesa mad man wrote...
    Disagree
    March 21, 2013 2:03 pm
    Off the top of my head.. Gortat trade was a good one, Dudley extension, Dragic signing, PJ Tucker signing, Wes Johnson trade (with draft pick included), Scola signing was a bargain, I believe the Marcus Morris trade was a bargain and low risk. Sure they have made plenty of bad decisions as well, but if they could find that one star player, they could be a legit team. Look at what harden did for Houston
  • Abuse
    Guyinaz wrote...
    Take off the ROSE COLORED GLASSES!!!
    March 21, 2013 2:50 pm
    Good lord Mesa Mad Man, you are rattling off these moves by the front office, sounding giddy in the process. The only problem, the Suns ARE IN LAST PLACE! So how can you say the team has made good moves while they are still in LAST PLACE? Good moves means a team makes the playoffs or wins a championship. The Suns haven't made a single good move in nearly 10 years. Houston wasn't in last place when they got Harden - so spare me the "one player away" stuff
  • Abuse
    AZCrazy wrote...
    this is the rebuilding time
    March 21, 2013 2:59 pm
    They finally let happen what needed to happen three years ago. They are finally going to get a good draft pick. The last great player they drafted was Stoudemire, and that was the last time they had an early pick. If the FO has accomplished anything, they got a stable point and a good enough center, while filling out the roster with good role players and backups. Scola and the Morrises and Tucker are a good second team front court, but not stars. We need a star forward and a dead eye shooting guard who can defend. Then we'll compete again.
  • Abuse
    nlent wrote...
    Take of the narrow minded glasses
    March 21, 2013 3:06 pm
    Good Lord Guyinaz, so your saying that every team in the NBA that doesn't win the Championship has made bad moves for the last 10 years? How long ago was OKC in last place? The Suns are making good moves lately. Not selling draft picks for cash, investing in youth instead of 40 year olds, and having the cap space to sign a star when one is available. Unfortunately, in the real world, there aren't superstars available at every corner mart. Just in case you weren't aware, last place gets you a high draft pick. Do you know where Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Micheal Westbrook were drafted?
  • Abuse
    Guyinaz wrote...
    Never said that...
    March 21, 2013 4:37 pm
    I never said "that every team in the NBA that doesn't win the Championship has made bad moves for the last 10 years" I'm saying that THIS team is in last place shouldn't be trying to sell that fans that they are moving in the right direction. Yes, stars are drafted, however we sold several draft picks just to line $arver's pockets. We had Rajon Rondo, Luol Deng and Rudy Fernadez ALL SOLD or traded for money.
  • Abuse
    SunsDeuce wrote...
    Guyinaz is..
    March 21, 2013 4:51 pm
    ...completely right. And to counter Mesa mad man, dragic trade plus first round pick for brooks was horrible. As we're these deals: Beasley, brown, Morris twin trade, tucker will be out of the league in a year or two so forget that, hunter as coach, indecision on Nash, drafting Marshall, and drafting markieff.
  • Abuse
    mesa mad man wrote...
    @Guyinaz
    March 21, 2013 4:53 pm
    How were sarvers pockets lined when he doled out 21million to marcus banks to be the backup pg? Or they gave Diaw a 45 million dollar extension? Or gave frye 6 million a year? Just because we have made stupid signings doesnt mean he has been cheap. Babby and Blanks have not traded away a single one of their first round draft picks. When they were put in charge of a ship that was already sinking, they did what they could to salvage it. That didnt work, so this year they blew it up.
  • Abuse
    SunsDeuce wrote...
    Blanks can't evaluate talent
    March 21, 2013 4:55 pm
    Shows in his trading of dragic for brooks and drafting Morris and Marshall.
  • Abuse
    mesa mad man wrote...
    (cont)
    March 21, 2013 4:56 pm
    Rebuilding is tough and it is not done in a single off season. As much as you may think other wise i am not a Babby/Blanks apologist and I wouldnt be against a front office change. I do think however that they have been unfairly judged and not given a chance. The amount of criticism and hatred that is dumped upon them (and Sarver for that matter) is unreal considering how few actually horrible moves they have made. In reality, we have a team with some young talent, a ton of flexibility, and some draft picks.
  • Abuse
    movingaz wrote...
    What to do now.
    March 21, 2013 6:04 pm
    The Suns have a Roster full of Average Players and the Draft Picks in 2013 won't change the outcome for Wins/Losses next season by many. The Suns need to make a trade some how in the off season trade few of these Average Players. They may resign Wes Johnson although his price tag is going up daily, we will see.
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