Earl Clark sent to D-League

by aunt-B on Mar 15, 2010 5:26 PM EDT Comment 14 comments

Suns' rookie Clark sent down to D-league

11:21 AM ET 03.15 | For former Louisville star Earl Clark, the D in D-League stands for demotion. He will leave today to join the Suns' D-League affiliate in Iowa, where he will play three games. Clark has played the least of any active 2009 first-round pick except B.J. Mullens. "He just needs some minutes," said Suns General Manager Steve Kerr, who will attend two of the games in Iowa. "The best way to develop is to play. He's done a great job in practice, but we haven't had a lot of practice time."

Arizona Republic

Earl Clark, AP

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/168730

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Yikes

by Mike Rutherford on Mar 15, 2010 5:30 PM EDT reply actions

His season has been so bad his AP picture is watching someone dunk

Not a great rookie season

by cardscott5 on Mar 15, 2010 5:44 PM EDT reply actions

Unlike Thabeet, I'm not sure this one is based on talent.

The dude is on a team with a lot of good players and has the same position as Amare Stoudemeier. No rookie is going to get many minutes playing second fiddle to that. It’s one of the reasons I was hoping the Cavs were going to trade for Stoudemeier.

by CARD_G6 on Mar 15, 2010 7:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Not surprising

I remember all the tout and hype this guy had in his sophomore and junior seasons at Louisville. Sometimes I felt like I was the only one sitting around scratching my head wondering what in the world all the ‘experts’ were talking about. The only stand out skill I ever saw in the guy was rebounding. When he wasn’t cleaning up the glass he was more often than not shooting UofL out of games they could’ve won (like #1 UConn last year). He was a solid case of a guy frequently playing for the name on the back of the jersey rather than the front. To me, that’s his biggest weakness.

I can see how they want to develop him by getting him minutes. But, if he was as good as most spectators gave him credit for he’d be breaking out and improving amongst the pros like T-Will.

I wish him well, but again, not at all surprised by this.

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by LORD KAYOSS on Mar 15, 2010 8:31 PM EDT reply actions

Huge difference between T-Will's competition for playing time vice Clark's

by UL is my hot hot sex on Mar 15, 2010 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly.

I guarantee T-Will would be D-league if he was playing for somebody like the Cavs.

by CARD_G6 on Mar 16, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I was a "head-scratcher" too...

Clark so frequently didn’t appear to be trying. Then I began to realize that his stat line was fantastic almost every game, and I stopped scratching my head. He is so talented that he made it look way too easy. The competition where he is is too fierce to give him a chance to develop. I still think Clark will make a success of this if he doesn’t let it get him down. That’s his real problem – he goes into funks. There’s no Coach P around now to talk him through it.

by Loouhvul on Mar 15, 2010 8:59 PM EDT reply actions

Despite his demotion...

….did Clark make the wrong move going pro early? I don’t think so. He was a lottery pick and left on a high note on the #1 overall seed. I’m not sure that he could have increased in value much this year at UofL. Stinks that he didn’t play a lot in Phoenix, but he should have no regrets with his decision.

by Quinn1979 on Mar 15, 2010 9:06 PM EDT reply actions

On the other hand...

He probably would have been THE go-to guy with T-Will gone this year. Could’ve made a huge difference and been a big fish in a small pond.

I still don’t think it was a wrong choice, though. The guy went in the lottery and is making bank.

by CARD_G6 on Mar 16, 2010 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Yep; lottery/1st round = correct decision

See: Michael Bush

by UL is my hot hot sex on Mar 16, 2010 1:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Good.

He needs some playing time. He’s just not needed right now in the Suns rotation. I don’t really see this as a bad thing.

by CardinalDude on Mar 15, 2010 9:21 PM EDT reply actions

The crucial quote here

is Kerr talking about Clark doing well in practice, he’s just not getting the time. Seems to be that Earl’s attitude isn’t a problem, which is definitely good, he’s just needing more time to develop to the quick decision-making of the League.

by quiet cardinal on Mar 16, 2010 9:40 AM EDT reply actions

Hard to fault a guy for taking the money,

but sitting on the pine is often the price paid by guys who come out early. Clearly Earl has no attitude problem or Kerr wouldn’t have made the comment about his performance in practice. His money is in the bank; all that’s left for him to do is to work and get better.

He may surprise us all and become a real contributor in time.

theoldman

by theoldman on Mar 16, 2010 10:58 AM EDT reply actions