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Everything PJ Tucker

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  • Everything PJ Tucker

    I realize this isn't BIG news; but for anyone who remembers when the Raps drafted Tucker in the 2nd Round, it was pretty well assumed that Tucker would NOT have an NBA career longer than his Rookie year ... Well, he's now got a 2 year Contract with the Suns. Good for him!

    The Phoenix Suns have signed forward P.J. Tucker to a two-year contract.

    The Suns say the team's front office and coaching staff were impressed with Tucker's performance in the Las Vegas Summer League, leading to the signing.

    The 6-foot-6, 244-pound forward played the last five seasons internationally, with stops in Puerto Rico, Greece, Israel and Germany. Tucker was a second-round draft pick of the Toronto Raptors out of Texas in 2004, the 35th selection overall.

    Source
    Not sure what kind of games he had in Summer League, but they must have been GOOD!


    ADD Guess this should be in the NBA section.
    Last edited by Joey; Wed Aug 1, 2012, 06:09 PM.

  • #2
    Yeah, I saw that. Good for him. With the Suns rebuilding, maybe he'll get playing time and a chance to stick in the league for awhile.

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    • #3
      I'm not surprised, he was a project to begin with, but his game was undeniable.
      @sweatpantsjer

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      • #4
        Nice article on the pickup.

        PHOENIX — PJ Tucker’s signing with the Phoenix Suns is about relationships and about destiny.

        The former Texas Longhorn had been on Lance Blanks’ radar for quite a while; the Suns’ General Manager, remember, played for Texas himself. And following a short stint in the NBA after being taken 35th overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2006, Phoenix’s need for depth at the wing and Blanks’ role in filling it made the fit something close to perfect.

        In 2006, Blanks was with the Cleveland Cavaliers as vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager. After the Raptors snapped Tucker up, Blanks kept an eye on the forward who was more of a big man in a small forward’s body coming out of college.

        “We continued to observe him through the years,” Blanks said after the team officially inked Tucker on Wednesday. “He had a stint in the NBA, went overseas — Israel, Germany, Italy — and we brought him back this year, and wow, I think the whole staff was blown away by, one, the maturation, and two, the growth we’ve seen on and off the court. From that point, it was just the natural deal flow, and obvious we should have him here in our organization and in a Phoenix Suns jersey.”

        Tucker credits his return to the NBA after leaving the league in 2007 to maturity. He’s learned the business side of basketball to evolve from a guy who was admittedly not ready for the professional life after leaving Texas into a player whose role it will be to show a now young Phoenix squad the ropes.

        “It’s been a very long time coming,” Tucker said. “For me, it’s just coming in and working hard, being a help to guys in any way I can on and off the court, being there for young guys having been through it — being a younger veteran and really knowing how the business goes.”

        Tucker said he’s a new man since leaving the country. Since, he became a league MVP in the Ukraine and the league leading scorer in Israel. He was most recently with Brose Baskets in Germany, where he led the team and averaged 16.2 points and 7.1 rebounds a game.

        As for his return to the NBA, credit goes to growing up overseas.

        “I’ve been all around the world playing,” Tucker said. “At some point you have to take in account your actions, what you do and what it takes to be able to grow in this business, to be able to have people want to bring you in, have people want to always say your name, and having you be around in the topic of conversation.

        “So for that to happen — more than points, rebounds — it’s that this guy is a great guy on and off the court, great teammate, great guy in the locker room and guys like to play with him.”

        On the court, Tucker is known as a bulldog. That’s what earned him a two-year deal, the first year being a partial guarantee, according to Paul Coro. And as Coro notes, Tucker is taking a heavy pay-cut to take a second stab at playing in the most competitive league in the world.

        With the Suns’ Summer League team in Las Vegas, Tucker averaged 5.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, yet Phoenix already had heavily considered him as a roster addition prior to the performances, Blanks said.

        Learning a role he can play in the league has been key to Tucker proving to the Suns that he’s a legitimate 12th man in the NBA. Accepting that role was part of the learning curve that brought Tucker back to the NBA despite him finding success and comfort in playing in Europe and Puerto Rico. At 6-foot-6 and 224 pounds, Tucker’s build makes him an ideal candidate to add to Phoenix’s versatility defensively.

        How does he describe the role he’ll play?

        “Just being a reliable guy that you can always count on,” Tucker said, “tough defense, being able to be an option, always to be able to come in and guard anyone on the court — pretty much any position. And be a great teammate.”

        And offensively, Tucker shouldn’t hinder Phoenix’s ability to stretch the floor, something that became obviously problematic with defensive stopper Josh Childress in the past few seasons. Tucker shot 47.5 percent from the FIBA three-point line in 44 games with Brose Baskets last year.

        The fit looks good on paper for both Tucker and the Suns. Behind the wing rotation of Jared Dudley, Shannon Brown and Wes Johnson, the Suns new 12th man will be waiting for his second shot in the NBA.

        “(There’s) great opportunity here … for me to be able to be a part and kind of be a glue guy to help the transition,” Tucker said. “There are a lot of good players here. I think it could be a successful team.”

        http://valleyofthesuns.com/2012/08/0...#ixzz22Koykn8q

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        • #5
          It would seem that he really matured and realized that none owed him anything, he had to go out and earn it. I wish him well, maybe he can be another Anthony Parker, come back from Europe and finish off with a solid few years in the NBA.
          Twitter @WJ_FINDLAY

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          • #6
            Good for him. I guess he made a great impression.

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            • #7
              ceez wrote: View Post
              I'm not surprised, he was a project to begin with, but his game was undeniable.
              Too bad his game is best suited for someone big enough to play PF.

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              • #8
                WJF wrote: View Post
                It would seem that he really matured and realized that none owed him anything, he had to go out and earn it. I wish him well, maybe he can be another Anthony Parker, come back from Europe and finish off with a solid few years in the NBA.
                Seems like the same transformation that James Johnson could use. PJ Tucker felt like he was owed minutes etc. sounds like JJ.

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                • #9
                  WJF wrote: View Post
                  It would seem that he really matured and realized that none owed him anything, he had to go out and earn it. I wish him well, maybe he can be another Anthony Parker, come back from Europe and finish off with a solid few years in the NBA.
                  I think this is a result of poor development in the North American system. Seems like from a young age, they start to develop a strong sense of entitlement and then enter into the NBA well before they are mentally mature enough to fit into a team system made up of players who ALL think they could be "the man".

                  People who often have longevity in the NBA are people who are able to define, accept and flourish in a role that is helping the team to win.

                  So many players refuse to accept they are just another cog in the machine.
                  Walking like I'm already there.

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                  • #10
                    CT2010 wrote: View Post
                    Seems like the same transformation that James Johnson could use. PJ Tucker felt like he was owed minutes etc. sounds like JJ.
                    +1
                    Twitter:@coachclement

                    The best way to predict your future is to create it - Peter Drucker

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                    • #11
                      CT2010 wrote: View Post
                      Seems like the same transformation that James Johnson could use. PJ Tucker felt like he was owed minutes etc. sounds like JJ.
                      I actually disagree with this. The difference being that James Johnson felt he had EARNED those minutes.
                      As opposed to feeling ENTITLED to them. Theres a big difference.

                      And I would say that he was somewhat right in feeling that.

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                      • #12
                        Everything PJ Tucker



                        Welcome home PJ
                        I'm back. I no longer worship joe johnson

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                        • #13
                          I wonder if there was an old thread on PJ? Can't remember when he left the first time...

                          Anyways, welcome back PJ!

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                          • #14
                            Not getting too crazy about it. But he's not Sully so he'll actually get some minutes and hopefully he'll be useful.
                            Two beer away from being two beers away.

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                            • #15
                              Mack North wrote: View Post
                              I wonder if there was an old thread on PJ? Can't remember when he left the first time...

                              Anyways, welcome back PJ!
                              Back in 07' lol! Bienvenue PJ!

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