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Didn't see a thread for Phoenix. They cam close - what helps them get over the hump next season?


Idea #1:

Bulls in: Dario Saric, Jalen Smith, PHO 2021 1st round pick (#29)

Suns in: Thaddeus Young


Proposed this before sans pick, but with Saric likely out for the year I think I'd still do it if the Suns add their first. Bulls get two young pieces in Smith and the pick. Saric can rehab for the season and the Bulls would have his bird rights when he becomes a free agent.

Young gives the Suns improved big man depth. Young brings defense and low-post scoring/play-making to Phoenix. He can play at the 4 or be a small ball 5. Suns had nothing behind Ayton, Young could be that reliable player off the bench for Ayton in the playoffs. Young won the NBA Hustle Award this year - awarded to the player who makes the energy and effort plays to help his team win. Winning the award says a lot about how fellow NBA players view Young, and what he'd bring to the Suns.

I think the Suns are in a similar place as the Hawks. Really good young team with a great nucleus to build around that had a great playoff run (partially due to injuries and other circumstances) but if we’re being brutally honest, probably a step behind the truly elite teams in the conference.

Thing the key is don’t overreact to the run and try to go all-in on the next 1-2 years. Build a sustainable team around your core guys and you’ll be one of the top 3-4 teams in the conference for the next decade.

Absolutely try to keep Paul if he hits your number ($ and years) but if not thank him for a great year and let him walk. Don’t take back bad contracts just to avoid “losing him for nothing”

Move on from Paul and miss the post-season next year.

drosestruts wrote:Bulls in: Dario Saric, Jalen Smith, PHO 2021 1st round pick (#29)

Suns in: Thaddeus Young

Thad is a fine bench big but even with Saric’s injury I think he might fetch Smith or the pick, not both.

Im targeting Sabonis:

To Phoenix
-Domantas Sabonis

To Indiana (Trade Sabonis, Warren)
-Dario Saric or Jae Crowder
-Cameron Johnson
-Jalen Smith
-#35
-2024 Phoenix 1st
-2025 Option to pick swap with Suns
-2026 Phoenix 1st
-2027 Option to pick swap with Suns

To OKC (Trade #35)
-T.J. Warren
-2022 Phoenix 1st (unprotected) - changed from 1-12 protected

Bentley1225 wrote:Im targeting Sabonis:

To Phoenix
-Domantas Sabonis

To Indiana (Trade Sabonis, Warren)
-Dario Saric or Jae Crowder
-Cameron Johnson
-Jalen Smith
-#35
-2024 Phoenix 1st
-2025 Option to pick swap with Suns
-2026 Phoenix 1st
-2027 Option to pick swap with Suns

To OKC (Trade #35)
-T.J. Warren
-2022 Phoenix 1st (unprotected) - changed from 1-12 protected

Sabonis alongside Ayton?

Bentley1225 wrote:Im targeting Sabonis:

To Phoenix
-Domantas Sabonis

To Indiana (Trade Sabonis, Warren)
-Dario Saric or Jae Crowder
-Cameron Johnson
-Jalen Smith
-#35
-2024 Phoenix 1st
-2025 Option to pick swap with Suns
-2026 Phoenix 1st
-2027 Option to pick swap with Suns

To OKC (Trade #35)
-T.J. Warren
-2022 Phoenix 1st (unprotected) - changed from 1-12 protected

I question both the value and the fit for PHX here. I think Sabonis/Ayton poses some of the same issues that Sabonis/Turner does, and that seems like a really steep price for Sabonis. Also feels like OKC is siphoning off value.

gswhoops wrote:I think the Suns are in a similar place as the Hawks. Really good young team with a great nucleus to build around that had a great playoff run (partially due to injuries and other circumstances) but if we’re being brutally honest, probably a step behind the truly elite teams in the conference.

Thing the key is don’t overreact to the run and try to go all-in on the next 1-2 years. Build a sustainable team around your core guys and you’ll be one of the top 3-4 teams in the conference for the next decade.

Absolutely try to keep Paul if he hits your number ($ and years) but if not thank him for a great year and let him walk. Don’t take back bad contracts just to avoid “losing him for nothing”

I think the greatest trap for teams like them is to start overspending and overpaying now. The Suns are in a pretty good situation with only Payne and Kaminsky expiring and CP3 already earning too much. But still it might be tempting to keep this squad together at all costs. I think the Spurs I'm the previous decade showed that besides your core players everyone can be relatively easy replaced.

Run it back, continue the development of Ayton and Bridges, convince Paul not to opt out, extend him in 2 years for 26 + 24, this way he makes the most money before Ayton/Bridges extension kicks in, and he gets paid 100/3, max Ayton, and offer bridges 100/4.
Their young core is very good, elite defensive anchor with good off ball offense, a very good young perimeter scorer, elite 3&D player, excellent combo forward off the bench.

Hope Booker and Ayton learn from their postseason run.

Resign Payne if he is 8-10M.

Resign Paul if he opts out.

Hope Smith becomes playable to replace Frank.

They should trade Bridges if they dont want another Otto Porter situation on their hands.

If the Suns keep CP3 I would target someone like Larry Nance Jr who would be a compliment to Ayton, Booker, and CP. Not sure if the Cavs would trade him but PHX is the other team his father played for back in the day.

Draft day trade assuming the Cavs select Mobley with their pick:

To PHX: Nance

To Cavs: Saric, C. Johnson, #29 (the Suns would have to make the pick for Cavs since OKC owns all the picks incl the PHX 2022 FRP).

Tukkerwolf wrote:

gswhoops wrote:I think the Suns are in a similar place as the Hawks. Really good young team with a great nucleus to build around that had a great playoff run (partially due to injuries and other circumstances) but if we’re being brutally honest, probably a step behind the truly elite teams in the conference.

Thing the key is don’t overreact to the run and try to go all-in on the next 1-2 years. Build a sustainable team around your core guys and you’ll be one of the top 3-4 teams in the conference for the next decade.

Absolutely try to keep Paul if he hits your number ($ and years) but if not thank him for a great year and let him walk. Don’t take back bad contracts just to avoid “losing him for nothing”

I think the greatest trap for teams like them is to start overspending and overpaying now. The Suns are in a pretty good situation with only Payne and Kaminsky expiring and CP3 already earning too much. But still it might be tempting to keep this squad together at all costs. I think the Spurs I'm the previous decade showed that besides your core players everyone can be relatively easy replaced.

And the other trap is focusing on building the nucleus while on the cusp. Ala the Celtics. Celtics have always had draft picks for years, Tatum and Brown as all stars, but what do they have now? The draft picks lost their value and the nucleus isn’t looking like a championship group. It goes both ways

I propose a three way!


Lakers trade THT (3 years 30M with PO 3rd year), Schroder (3 years max, small guarantee 3rd year so 3/110 (75M guaranteed ~35 annually), Trez Harrell, LAL '2027 FRP(top 10 protected)
for CP3.
Lakers finally get CP3 after all these years. LeBron and CP3 become the story of the year. LeBron, CP3, AD are on a collision course with KD, Kyrie, Harden.

Suns trade CP3, Saric, lotto protected FRP for THT (3/30 which I believe is his max) and Kemba. Saves 10M which can roll into keeping Bridges and Payne. Paul is a loss, but having Kemba will be helpful.

Thunder trade Kemba, cap space for Schroder, Trez, Saric, LAL '2027 FRP(top 10 protected), Suns FRP

Keep the wheel turning. Get picks, Schroder and SGA play together again for a season. Saric recovers. Harrell plays for a bigger pay day.

If I'm the Suns I largely run it back. The only thing id look to do is try to add a bigger body tweener PF/Center. They have tons of 2/3/4 type players, but they are largely too small to match up against the Giannis of the world. Someone to basically eat Kaminsky/Saric minutes.

I like the idea of packaging Saric/Smith/1st and trying for someone like Thad. Great idea OP. Or maybe that player is Smith and he just needs time to progress?

Booker, Bridges, Ayton, Johnson are all getting better. Don't make a huge change, but try to improve around those guys and Crowder/CP3/Payne

RipPizzaGuy wrote:I like the idea of packaging Saric/Smith/1st and trying for someone like Thad. Great idea OP. Or maybe that player is Smith and he just needs time to progress?

I like the idea, but I have that too much value for Thad Young with one year remaining. I'd aim higher or spend less assets.

Texas Chuck wrote:

RipPizzaGuy wrote:I like the idea of packaging Saric/Smith/1st and trying for someone like Thad. Great idea OP. Or maybe that player is Smith and he just needs time to progress?

I like the idea, but I have that too much value for Thad Young with one year remaining. I'd aim higher or spend less assets.

Oh I agree. Smith/Saric is arguably an overpay depending on what people think of Smith.

I'm just saying someone like that who would be available.

Seems like about the right value for Young. Maybe if the money going back weren't completely dead money like Saric is, but as is I think you'd have to pay a 1st to get out of his contract and then it's Smith for Young which seems at least close. Wasn't particularly high on Smith (would've ranked him as an end of 1st guy, think Phoenix reached and I believe that was the sentiment around the league) to start with and he did nothing his rookie season.

nykballa2k4 wrote:I propose a three way!


Lakers trade THT (3 years 30M with PO 3rd year), Schroder (3 years max, small guarantee 3rd year so 3/110 (75M guaranteed ~35 annually), Trez Harrell, LAL '2027 FRP(top 10 protected)
for CP3.
Lakers finally get CP3 after all these years. LeBron and CP3 become the story of the year. LeBron, CP3, AD are on a collision course with KD, Kyrie, Harden.

Suns trade CP3, Saric, lotto protected FRP for THT (3/30 which I believe is his max) and Kemba. Saves 10M which can roll into keeping Bridges and Payne. Paul is a loss, but having Kemba will be helpful.

Thunder trade Kemba, cap space for Schroder, Trez, Saric, LAL '2027 FRP(top 10 protected), Suns FRP

Keep the wheel turning. Get picks, Schroder and SGA play together again for a season. Saric recovers. Harrell plays for a bigger pay day.

I do not see why Phoenix would even consider this. They are paying to downgrade from Paul and strengthen a division rival while doing it?

Bentley1225 wrote:Im targeting Sabonis:

To Phoenix
-Domantas Sabonis

To Indiana (Trade Sabonis, Warren)
-Dario Saric or Jae Crowder
-Cameron Johnson
-Jalen Smith
-#35
-2024 Phoenix 1st
-2025 Option to pick swap with Suns
-2026 Phoenix 1st
-2027 Option to pick swap with Suns

To OKC (Trade #35)
-T.J. Warren
-2022 Phoenix 1st (unprotected) - changed from 1-12 protected

so a bunch of pennies for a Sabonis and Warren? Pacers need Bridges back if Sabonis is involved.