Lon Babby is not the problem…Nope…Not a bit…Not at all…No….

Keep in mind when Lon Babby got the keys to the team he was given a plate of steaming hot pile of excrement. Before Babby was hired to be the head of the Suns basketball operations, the Suns had already made the Hedo Turkoglu trade, they’ve already signed Hakim Warrick to his multi-year deal, they’ve already signed Josh Childress to that senseless multi-year deal, and above all else Amar’e Stoudemire have already punched his ticket to the Broadway.

So when it’s all said and done, after all those asinine signings, the Phoenix Suns turned to Lon Babby like an eight-year old boy who broke his toy and telling his mommy to fix it for him. That’s essentially what the Suns organization did. They asked Babby to a broken toy that was all but beyond repair.

Jan. 24, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver in the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Clippers 93-88. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

We all know where the problem stems from in the valley of the Suns, Robert Sarver. Sarver is the culprit, not Babby. Sarver was the one who ran Jerry Colangelo out of town, he’s the one who essentially traded Loul Deng for a shiny penny, and he’s the one that created the mess that Babby now has to clean up.

I can rant about Sarver until the sun burns out(no pun intended)  but under these circumstances he’s not the only problem. The other elephant in the room is Lance Blanks.

Blanks communication issues has become common knowledge. I mean come on, the Suns have been losing all season, and out of all people, Blanks gets into a shouting match with Jermaine O’Neal? The leader in the locker room and the guys who’s been as solid as any player on the Suns this season? And the whole Dan Majerle situation, give me a break! The Majerle was one of the most mishandled situations in Phoenix Suns history!

Oh yeah, did I also mention that Lance Blanks drafted Kendall Marshall because Marshall was a quote on quote winner?

“He is a winner and I don’t think you can talk about that enough,” Suns General Manager Lance Blanks said on draft day. “This is a young man that is going to be able to right the ship in difficult times. Like Markieff (Morris) last year we felt he was much better than his draft position.”

No disrespect towards Kendall Marshall and Markieff Morris but Morris is in his second-year and thus far he has a career field-goal percentage of 40% as power-forward. Markieff Morris was better than his draft position? Then explain to all of us why Kawhi Leonard, Nikola Vucevic, Iman Shumpert, Tobias Harris, Kenneth Faried, and Chandler Parsons were taken after Morris. All six of those players has been far better NBA players than Morris.

As for Kendall Marshall, he’s averaging 2.7 assists per game, and 7.6 assists per 40 minutes. He may have been a winner in college but he’s got a zip code or two to go before becoming a starting caliber point guard and a winner in the NBA. Right the ship in difficult times? I’m sorry I forgot the Suns were atop the western conference. Oh wait! That’s right! We’re on the bottom!

Lance Blanks contract runs through the 2013-2014 season, but if Sarver has even one shred of wisdom in his body he’d give Blanks the pink slip at the conclusion of the season and begin the search for a new GM.

Jan. 24, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA: TNT announcer Charles Barkley court side prior to the game between the Phoenix Suns against the Los Angeles Clippers at the US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Clippers 93-88. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Barkley has made it known that he’d like to work for a team and if Barkley steps in as the Suns GM, maybe, just maybe the Suns can finally rise once again.

“That’s my hometown team,” Barkley said. “I live in Phoenix. I watch the Suns religiously. And I’m very disappointed in their direction. They’re not competitive. Even the really bad teams like Cleveland and Sacramento have players to build around. The Suns? Their best players are Goran Dragic and Marcin Gortat.”

Lon Babby has done a tremendous job since coming to Phoenix, not only has he freed up significant salary cap space but he’s also accumulated multiple first-round draft choices moving forward which are vital for any rebuilding process; the Suns could potentially have three first-round draft choices in this upcoming draft.

Babby may not have the best eye for talent but one could argue that Babby has been the only force that’s pushing the Suns in the right direction. Sarver certainly isn’t it, neither is Blanks. Babby can’t right the ship alone, he needs help. After all, even batman had Robin…

Jan. 30, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver during game against the Dallas Mavericks at the US Airways Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 122-99. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not shocking that all of the sudden, the Phoenix Suns are up all in the trade rumors. Given the Suns current situation of not having a superstar, not having a franchise player, not having any stability whatsoever, the Suns need to remain patient and avoid any irrational moves they’ll regret in the future; remember the summer of 2010?

Here’s my take on the Iman Shumpert rumor, why in the world would either team make this deal? It’s completely asinine!

Shumpert will be a good player in the future, possibly even an all-star caliber player some ways down the road but the Suns passed up on Shumpert in the 2011 NBA draft and drafted Markieff Morris. Now the Suns are trying to fix their old mistake by potentially making a new one. According to reports, the Suns will be surrendering Jared Dudley AND A FUTURE FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE!

Shumpert in this situation is also arugbly the Knicks best perimeter defender, and he’s still on his rookie-scale contract which makes him an absolute steal! Don’t see why the Knicks have any reason to trade Shumpert at this point.

Iman Shumpert was drafted 17th overall in 2011, and the Phoenix Suns led by the pure basketball genius that is Robert Sarver would rather surrender a quality player who’s working on a very fair contract in Jared Dudley and a future first round draft choice to acquire a player they passed on just two drafts ago, as opposed to scouting good prospects and do a good job drafting come June.

The attempt to trade for Iman Shumpert appears to me as a desperation move and that Robert Sarver and his Looney Toons squad are now throwing anything and everything at the wall hoping and praying to the heavens that SOMETHING WILL STICK!

Iman Shumpert is fresh off an ACL injury, and the Suns are willing to invest in Shumpert, the heart and soul of the team who’s Jared Dudley, along with a future first round draft choice. Does that come off as illogical to anybody else?

The best thing the Suns can do right now is to stay patient, scout well, and make some trades that will potentially haul in more draft picks.

The departure of Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash left a huge wound on the Suns which just about crippled the franchise, and now, the Suns as an organization needs to just let that wound heal instead of just slapping a band-aid on it by potentially making a bad trade such as one for Iman Shumpert.

My message to Robert Sarver: There is value in each and every draft idiot! Accept the fact that the Suns are a shell of what they were a few seasons ago and make smart decisions. That future first round draft choice that’s supposedly offered to New York for Shumpert could potentially become the next great player IF ENOUGH TIME AND EFFORT IS INVESTED INTO SCOUTING! Look at the way San Antonio beat every droop of value out of their draft picks; it’s nearly impossible to emulate them but at least try! Mr. Sarver, listen to the words of the great Jimmy Johnson “The key isn’t getting the picks, the key is picking good players with the picks.”

The Suns have double-digit draft choices between the 2013 NBA draft to the 2015 NBA draft. Mark my words, the Suns will not be salvaged by a free-agent but rather young basketball out there who may not even be playing in college yet. That young kid is out there, but when it’s all said and done, it’s up to Robert Sarver & co. to track him down and draft him.