| 05 October 2009
Robin Lopez has never been a fan favorite here at www.sunsstufft.com but we didn't wish him any harm. No, despite his play being a statistical nightmare - a total of 189 points last season and about a rebound every six minutes - we were always hopeful that Lopez would grow into a real crowd pleaser. And there was the possibility - slim though it was - that Robin would challenge Channing Frye for the Suns' starting center gig. Now that is all in the past until at least Christmas.
While the team heads for Belgrade and their first pre-season game tomorrow night, Robin Lopez - the Stanford star who hit the skids during his rookie year with our Suns last season - is preparing for a test all his own. And it comes in the form of surgery on the broken fifth metatarsal in his left foot. Essentially a Yao Ming-style operation that should take Lopez off the court for 6 - 8 weeks. That assumes all heals well and we pray that it does.
Please click "Read More" to continue this article --
That said, where do the Suns stand in the center department - you know the Number 5 Slot, the Big Man on Court (BMOC), our Andre' the Giant so to speak??
Well we sent Shaq the Sluggish One to Cleveland in an overdo move - one season was more than enough in our eyes. That leaves us with Channing Frye. Who??
A four year veteran, Frye started his pro career with two seasons at the New York Knicks racking-up an average of 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds during about 25 minutes per game. But during his two most recent years the 6'11" bean pole was at the Portland Trailblazers and saw his minutes drop off a cliff. You know, that look out below kind of stuff. Last year he slipped below 12 minutes per game - less than half the playing time he started with back at Madison Square Garden. That makes it pretty hard to maintain any type of decent rhythm and Fry ended up with an average of just 4.2 ppg.
Alright - get off the ledge. We don't want you to jump.
No, we were just putting all that dismal stuff on the table first as a disclaimer for what we are about to say - Frye is good. Frye is what the Suns need. His drop in minutes was a quirk - you know one of those Star Trek inspired worm hole effects that resulting from his being on the same team with the beloved Blazer LaMarcus Aldridge. Our man Frye was destined to be unappreciated despite his 3-point percentage actually improving as he played fewer minutes.
But along with hitting one-third of his outside shots last season, Channing Frye has seen the bench warming abyss that his career could become in Portland and he didn't like it. Frye knows that being a starting center for a play-off bound team like the Suns - we do indeed believe - could be his breakthrough moment and he has already shown flashes of near brilliance on the court.
There are the 25 points he nailed and seven rebounds he grabbed on Feb.25 against the San Antonio Spurs. Then we have the 14-points and four rebounds he racked-up against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 19. Lest we forget, Frye also hit his stride last Nov.26 against Miami when he went 7-for-11 from the field and hit 17 points. None of this is bad for a benchwarmer.
So now is the time and - with Robin Lopez out for a looong while - Frye is the man.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
