Steve Nash’s Successor Joins the Suns
Goran Dragic (photo. Matt Costa)How long have the Suns needed to find a legit backup point guard for Steve Nash? For the last eight years (before he got to Phoenix, too), Nash has logged more than 33 minutes per night for an average of 79 games each year. And that doesn’t include the playoffs. No wonder he’s drained by the time May rolls around.
And now that Tyronn Lue bolted to join three-point platoon in Milwaukee along with Luke Ridnour and Ramon Sessions, Phoenix desperately needed to add someone who could spell Nash when he needs a breather. But it turns out that they got more than some jabrony who can give Nash five minutes off before being rushed back on the floor.
Slovenian guard Goran Dragic, who the Suns drafted at No. 45, was pegged as Nash’s successor since Phoenix secretly flew him in four days before the draft for a private workout. But they weren’t sure that Dragic would be able to make the trip to the U.S. for good until 2010 when his buyout with the Spanish club Tau Ceramica would be much less financially taxing.
Terms were not disclosed, but it is known that the June draft’s 45th pick would need a buyout greater than the $1.5 million buyout his Tau contract stipulated for 2009. The Suns will contribute the maximum $500,000 to his buyout but needed to offset his buyout cost by paying him like a lottery pick.
Whatever the cost, Phoenix paid up. And now they’ve got an electric guard who straps up on D, and has a Nashian knack for the break.
“No question, he can,” said his agent Rade Filipovich. “He’s anxious to play behind Nash and play for Terry Porter, a true point guard. Both are All-Star players. He couldn’t ask for more. It’s like when Steve came in behind Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson.”
“He’s unusual,” Suns Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin said in late June. “He’s left-handed and very athletic. He attacks the rim with a sort of abandon and is polished with a good feel of the game. He can be erratic as a shooter but is mechanically sound and we feel we can work with him on the rest.”
Source: AZ Central
August 21st, 2008 at 10:02 am
doc says:
Let the hype began.I’ll believe it when I see it.Straps up on D,Nashian on the break.Wow.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:03 am
darko says:
i’m from slovenia and i watched dragic for three years now. he’s a very nice,modest guy, he won’t be a problem in a locker room. they won’t even notice him:) otherwise, he’s a very good penetrator and very quick. he has nice hands, but he doesn’t assist a lot, he hardly finds players. his shooting is very poor, last year in euroleague he didn’t score five baskets other than lay ups or dunking. but he is hard working and eager to learn so i think he will develop very quicky with right guidance.
(sorry for my english:) )
August 21st, 2008 at 10:20 am
Michorizo says:
This sucks! I wanted the next Steve Nash to be black!
August 21st, 2008 at 10:24 am
shake&bake says:
Send him the the Thunder Dan Shooting School with Alando.
August 21st, 2008 at 10:54 am
Brown says:
@Darko
Your english is a lot better than some of the posters on here.
It sounds like his game is very unpolished. I fail to see how this guy is some kind of saviour for the backup PG spot. He’s never played in the NBA, doesn’t have a good jumper and doesn’t get a lot of assists. Sounds like Strawberry may have a chance to crack the lineup after all.
I’m with doc, I’ll believe it when I see it. I will NEVER get hyped over a European coming to the NBA. Just look at the track record of hype vs. production.
One thing I will point out is Dragic sounds a lot like Jose Calderon when he first came to the league, but he didn’t have an All-Star and two-time MVP to learn from, and he’s panned out pretty well.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:01 am
Kobeef says:
Speaking of international signings the NBA is now cleared to sign players from Iran so it looks like that Iranian Center is going to go to the Grizz (can’t remember his name)
August 21st, 2008 at 11:26 am
daquest?on says:
ill believe it when i see it…wtf is up now a days, everyone from europe is getting soooo much hype and they all suck
August 21st, 2008 at 11:58 am
darko says:
Brown, you’re right. His game is unpolished and because of that he didn’t play one game for strong Tau Ceramica team. One year he was loaned to Murcia (first spanish league) and one year to Union Olimpija (euroleague team). In my perspective he has potential and will improve…it just question if Phoenix will be enough patient to let him develop properly, it’s strange to me that they already expect him to be second pg :s
greetings:)
August 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
P..just hand over the GOLD says:
seen him once and all i remember was his Handle…and thinking he could be nice..
August 21st, 2008 at 12:08 pm
sancopansa says:
And of course when darko goes out jogging in his red T-shirt … man oh man which NBA team wouldn`t want him… the soft step, always nice looking hair, blue eyes… mmmm dreamy …
i believe phx would be better of with darko in their team … a real motivator, strong perception of game in tight situations and most of all a real eye catcher ;D
with best regards
SP!
Free willy and peace in midle east!