Season Speculation, Trade Ideas & Discussion Pt. 1

[AtheJ415]

I don't think we'll be major contenders in LeSweepstakes 2018. It doesn't really matter that the Lakers and Suns have a enough cap space for him, teams will find a way to clear cap space for Lebron to play there. He can go where he wants. Lebron wants to beat the Warriors, and we're hard pressed to do that without Booker looking like a legitimate all star; Chriss, Bender, and Jackson looking better than expected; Bledsoe staying healthy and playing well; and us clearing up cap space/trading assets to bring in at least one more star player with him.

I'll root and hope for it until the day he signs for another team, but the realist/pessimist in me thinks we don't have a snowball's chance in hell

Honestly it would take way more than that. Booker becoming an all star doesn't get us close to GS even with Lebron and even with substantial improvement from the other youngsters. We'd have to sign or trade for Paul George as well, and then probably add Cousins on top of that via trade, meaning we'd have to dump probably all of the rest of the youngsters and hope for a Bled, Booker, PG, Lebron, Cousins team with all 3 of the newbies and Bled taking discounts. That team, if it could field a solid bench, MIGHT have a shot at GS, and that's with Book becoming an all star.

GS has 4 hall of famers right now and their strength is the most important thing you can have on the court (shooting). Even with that crazy lineup I just put out there, they can't shoot anywhere close to GS level except for Booker and Cousins (at least in his time with NO last year, where his shooting spiked), and it all hinges on a 34 year old Bron with a crazy amount of mileage on him.

[collidingNeurons]

i have less interest in lebron being on the suns than i do kyrie, which is nearly 0. There's no way this team even in the best case scenario of lebron playing at the same level competes for a title against the warriors or even the Spurs or Rockets, most of the kids dont even know how to play the game yet, and all including Booker would have to have monumental improvement especially on defensive to even compete for a top 4 seed in the west.

Then there' the inevitable decline of Lebron, no one sees the decline happen til they hit, but they always do and his is fast approaching, it may be subtle but it happens to everyone and at 34 you are on borrowed time especially when you have logged the minutes he has.. and Lebron, Bledsoe and a bunch of developing kids aren't enough to beat a team of grown men with multiple all stars that have tons of playoff experience

so what would management do? The Pressure to follow Cleveland's example and get a bunch of marginal win now piece at the expense of talented youth to appease Lebron would be intense and expected. So then we have a declining all star and a bunch of guys like Richard Jefferson, Deron Williams, JR Smith and Kyle Korver and an aging superstar with a couple year window of opportunity and no youth, assets and probably draft picks. And as Bwgood points out a team with three all stars in their primes with a younger lebron than he would be by the time he got here, couldnt do it. It's short sighted and likely bound to fail just to give management a ticket seller and get the fans hyped for a year or two til the see it not working out. No thanks from my perspective.

[AtheJ415]

I'm seriously sceptical. I don't know who this guy is (verified or not) but I feel like he's just trying to connect dots to put together a story. Bledsoe and James Jones might be Lebron's mates I find it hard to believe he's going to a mid-sized market team while possibly wasting the last few seasons of his prime on a roster that even with exceptional improvement, still isn't ready to contend.

I'm really skeptical of why he would want to join the Suns at this point in his career too, but I was looking at cap space and stuff, and there really are not too many teams that could realistically fit him in. To be honest, I don't really want him all that much. I see our potential window later, and I don't see us beating the top teams in the west with him, especially GS, and I think it minimizes a guy like Jackson and others. I'm not an anti LeBron guy, and if we got him it would be fun to watch, but I'm not sure it's the type of situation overall for me for our long term situation. That's just me. Of course if he wants to come here you can't turn it down but I'd be fine without him if we are in the discussion.

I mean in the weaker east, with two other all stars in their prime, in Kyrie and Love (ok, not an all star but could be on another team) they finished with a record that would have been tied with the Clips and Jazz for the 4-5-6 seed, but the probably would have been the 6 seed in the west. With our squad and him, we finish worse.

This. I just don't see how we can contend with GSW in even the most positive permeation of rosters, absent someone key on GS getting hurt. If LeBron honestly wants to come here you have to sign him, but if he only wants to come here if he has control of the team and can dictate that we trade away guys to win now, then I would rather pass.

[AtheJ415]

And I'll also point out that it took a massive amount of good fortune for the Cavs to beat this GS team WITHOUT DURANT. Curry had a nagging injury and shot poorly, then capped that off by playing like a moron by doing things like attempting behind the back passes and chucking it out of bounds in decisive moments. Follow that up with Draymond refusing to stop kicking people in the wee ones.
Cap that off with Lebron playing maybe the greatest series ever and Kyrie thoroughly dominating, and that BARELY got them through and required the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA finals. Any one of those things goes differently and they lose. It was earned don't get me wrong, but there was a ton of good fortune for them to pull that out, and moreso than I have seen from any other single series in my lifetime.

And then on top of that the Warriors then added Durant.

I get wanting to win now, but I want us to be building towards a real shot at a title, and I don't see how people think this team has a shot at getting there in the next few years, which is why I don't understand the general push to go for older stars or trade all of the youth to become the equivalent (if all goes well), of the Clippers or Grizzlies.

[collidingNeurons]

And I'll also point out that it took a massive amount of good fortune for the Cavs to beat this GS team WITHOUT DURANT. Curry had a nagging injury and shot poorly, then capped that off by playing like a moron by doing things like attempting behind the back passes and chucking it out of bounds in decisive moments. Follow that up with Draymond refusing to stop kicking people in the wee ones.
Cap that off with Lebron playing maybe the greatest series ever and Kyrie thoroughly dominating, and that BARELY got them through and required the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA finals. Any one of those things goes differently and they lose. It was earned don't get me wrong, but there was a ton of good fortune for them to pull that out, and moreso than I have seen from any other single series in my lifetime.

And then on top of that the Warriors then added Durant.

I get wanting to win now, but I want us to be building towards a real shot at a title, and I don't see how people think this team has a shot at getting there in the next few years, which is why I don't understand the general push to go for older stars or trade all of the youth to become the equivalent (if all goes well), of the Clippers or Grizzlies.

exactly, let the kids develop see which ones can be part of the future and collect assets then go chasing the big FA, we are far too young at the moment and if we start trading the youth off now when they haven't proven anything we arent getting much value for them

[lilfishi22]

I'm seriously sceptical. I don't know who this guy is (verified or not) but I feel like he's just trying to connect dots to put together a story. Bledsoe and James Jones might be Lebron's mates I find it hard to believe he's going to a mid-sized market team while possibly wasting the last few seasons of his prime on a roster that even with exceptional improvement, still isn't ready to contend.

I'm really skeptical of why he would want to join the Suns at this point in his career too, but I was looking at cap space and stuff, and there really are not too many teams that could realistically fit him in. To be honest, I don't really want him all that much. I see our potential window later, and I don't see us beating the top teams in the west with him, especially GS, and I think it minimizes a guy like Jackson and others. I'm not an anti LeBron guy, and if we got him it would be fun to watch, but I'm not sure it's the type of situation overall for me for our long term situation. That's just me. Of course if he wants to come here you can't turn it down but I'd be fine without him if we are in the discussion.

I mean in the weaker east, with two other all stars in their prime, in Kyrie and Love (ok, not an all star but could be on another team) they finished with a record that would have been tied with the Clips and Jazz for the 4-5-6 seed, but the probably would have been the 6 seed in the west. With our squad and him, we finish worse.

It just doesn't make sense to me for Lebron to join this very young team (2nd youngest team last season) which is clearly not ready to be even in playoff contention. The only chance he has to turn this team around is if he plays GM and flips young players for vets but even then, it would be very difficult to crack the top 4 in the West.

If the Cavs with Love and Kyrie (two all-star level players already) can't take more than a game from the Warriors with Durant, what chances do we have with Lebron, Bledsoe and Booker (and a bunch of old vets)?

I don't know where he could realistically go but I don't really want any part of Lebron. Not because I don't think we're a better team with him (we are) or that I don't like him but in this era of the NBA, I think we need to think longer term.

[Damkac]

LeBron won't even think about signing with the Suns for 1 second anyway.

[kingstyyyle]

Here's a new twist

Clevland:
Out-Irving
In- Bledsoe, Jackson

Phoenix
Out- Bledsoe, Jackson, Unprotected Miami 2019 1st
In-KP, Frankie, Noah

NYC
Out-KP,Frankie,Noah
In-Irving, Unprotected Miami 2019 1st

[Banana Milk]

Here's a new twist

Clevland:
Out-Irving
In- Bledsoe, Jackson

Phoenix
Out- Bledsoe, Jackson, Unprotected Miami 2019 1st
In-KP, Frankie, Noah

NYC
Out-KP,Frankie,Noah
In-Irving, Unprotected Miami 2019 1st

Can't see NYK doing that. Not enough in it for them. KP is more valuable than Irving, the Miami pick will probably land lower than where French Frank was picked. Lot to give up to dump Noah...

[Fo-Real]

Here's a new twist

Clevland:
Out-Irving
In- Bledsoe, Jackson

Phoenix
Out- Bledsoe, Jackson, Unprotected Miami 2019 1st
In-KP, Frankie, Noah

NYC
Out-KP,Frankie,Noah
In-Irving, Unprotected Miami 2019 1st

I believe your angle and intent here is to see in hypotheticals how rabid and or stupid Suns fans would be to say no to KP but since he would never be on the table this trade is a moot point.

[Frank Lee]

So, Y'all can spout off every reason you can think of to not want James here and scoff at adding DMC, but If McD can afford it...do you really think he will just ignore his job and not try? He has created the cap room, and could trim more. Lil ryan hasn't been able to get much more than a Kiss in free agency. He's been left front stoop time and time again.... but he keeps asking the prettiest girls out. I'll give him that. Why do you think he changes his tactics next year? The big eared Kid wants to go to prom badly.

Its an option I'd believe our front office has contemplated. Connecting some dots that other teams do not have. It may have started out as plan 'D'.... but when ABC fizzle out...what do you do?

May be think of some good things that could happen with it.


(GodDamn... did I just blow a sunshine kiss?)

[Fo-Real]

I am positive we are going to throw the kitchen sink and first borns at Cuz in free-agency.

[King4Day]

We're gonna go through the LeBron sweepstakes again? Oh boy. Our team is much worse than it was in 2014 and we came in 3rd for him that time, even with Bledsoe. Seems like a pretty tough sell, regardless of our increase in young talent since.

I completely disagree that this team is much worse. Maybe not better but I'd put this team against that one any day.

[King4Day]

And I'll also point out that it took a massive amount of good fortune for the Cavs to beat this GS team WITHOUT DURANT. Curry had a nagging injury and shot poorly, then capped that off by playing like a moron by doing things like attempting behind the back passes and chucking it out of bounds in decisive moments. Follow that up with Draymond refusing to stop kicking people in the wee ones.
Cap that off with Lebron playing maybe the greatest series ever and Kyrie thoroughly dominating, and that BARELY got them through and required the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA finals. Any one of those things goes differently and they lose. It was earned don't get me wrong, but there was a ton of good fortune for them to pull that out, and moreso than I have seen from any other single series in my lifetime.

And then on top of that the Warriors then added Durant.

I get wanting to win now, but I want us to be building towards a real shot at a title, and I don't see how people think this team has a shot at getting there in the next few years, which is why I don't understand the general push to go for older stars or trade all of the youth to become the equivalent (if all goes well), of the Clippers or Grizzlies.

Like it or not, if LeBron is obtainable, there's 0 chance Sarver tells McD to just pass on him and stay the course.
It also wouldn't cost us much, if any, of our young talent to get him.
We could shed salary in Chandler and Dudley too and possibly sign Cousins as well.

Having a mix of youth with the star power of LeBron and Cousins....nobody should want to turn that chance down.

[Sreister]

And I'll also point out that it took a massive amount of good fortune for the Cavs to beat this GS team WITHOUT DURANT. Curry had a nagging injury and shot poorly, then capped that off by playing like a moron by doing things like attempting behind the back passes and chucking it out of bounds in decisive moments. Follow that up with Draymond refusing to stop kicking people in the wee ones.
Cap that off with Lebron playing maybe the greatest series ever and Kyrie thoroughly dominating, and that BARELY got them through and required the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA finals. Any one of those things goes differently and they lose. It was earned don't get me wrong, but there was a ton of good fortune for them to pull that out, and moreso than I have seen from any other single series in my lifetime.

And then on top of that the Warriors then added Durant.

I get wanting to win now, but I want us to be building towards a real shot at a title, and I don't see how people think this team has a shot at getting there in the next few years, which is why I don't understand the general push to go for older stars or trade all of the youth to become the equivalent (if all goes well), of the Clippers or Grizzlies.

Like it or not, if LeBron is obtainable, there's 0 chance Sarver tells McD to just pass on him and stay the course.
It also wouldn't cost us much, if any, of our young talent to get him.
We could shed salary in Chandler and Dudley too and possibly sign Cousins as well.

Having a mix of youth with the star power of LeBron and Cousins....nobody should want to turn that chance down.

Lebron, I don't think, would be keen on playing with a ball hungry low post big man. Nothing about Cousins game plays well with Lebrons. He'll get in his way and would butt heads with how Lebron plays. I want no part of Bron and Boogie together.

If we get Lebron, we need a younger star to add to keep the ride going and let Lebron take it easy. Late in his NBA years, Lebron needs to be the 2nd 'guy' while still retaining his leadership. I'm not seeing any names pop up that move that needle to add WITH Lebron next Summer. Probably have to pull off a trade to get it and, I just don't see it. But then again, I'm not making the big bucks so if we can do it, I'd be down for it McD!

[Fo-Real]

And I'll also point out that it took a massive amount of good fortune for the Cavs to beat this GS team WITHOUT DURANT. Curry had a nagging injury and shot poorly, then capped that off by playing like a moron by doing things like attempting behind the back passes and chucking it out of bounds in decisive moments. Follow that up with Draymond refusing to stop kicking people in the wee ones.
Cap that off with Lebron playing maybe the greatest series ever and Kyrie thoroughly dominating, and that BARELY got them through and required the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA finals. Any one of those things goes differently and they lose. It was earned don't get me wrong, but there was a ton of good fortune for them to pull that out, and moreso than I have seen from any other single series in my lifetime.

And then on top of that the Warriors then added Durant.

I get wanting to win now, but I want us to be building towards a real shot at a title, and I don't see how people think this team has a shot at getting there in the next few years, which is why I don't understand the general push to go for older stars or trade all of the youth to become the equivalent (if all goes well), of the Clippers or Grizzlies.

Like it or not, if LeBron is obtainable, there's 0 chance Sarver tells McD to just pass on him and stay the course.
It also wouldn't cost us much, if any, of our young talent to get him.
We could shed salary in Chandler and Dudley too and possibly sign Cousins as well.

Having a mix of youth with the star power of LeBron and Cousins....nobody should want to turn that chance down.

Lebron, I don't think, would be keen on playing with a ball hungry low post big man. Nothing about Cousins game plays well with Lebrons. He'll get in his way and would butt heads with how Lebron plays. I want no part of Bron and Boogie together.

If we get Lebron, we need a younger star to add to keep the ride going and let Lebron take it easy. Late in his NBA years, Lebron needs to be the 2nd 'guy' while still retaining his leadership. I'm not seeing any names pop up that move that needle to add WITH Lebron next Summer. Probably have to pull off a trade to get it and, I just don't see it. But then again, I'm not making the big bucks so if we can do it, I'd be down for it McD!

Well, playing the odds game it is staggeringly obvious that we would have a very very low chance at Bron coming here at all while I actually think Boogie would actually consider coming. That said, I throw the kitchen sink at Cuz first (I think he knows) and let Bron do whatever the hell it is he is gonna do.

[In2ition]

And I'll also point out that it took a massive amount of good fortune for the Cavs to beat this GS team WITHOUT DURANT. Curry had a nagging injury and shot poorly, then capped that off by playing like a moron by doing things like attempting behind the back passes and chucking it out of bounds in decisive moments. Follow that up with Draymond refusing to stop kicking people in the wee ones.
Cap that off with Lebron playing maybe the greatest series ever and Kyrie thoroughly dominating, and that BARELY got them through and required the greatest comeback in the history of the NBA finals. Any one of those things goes differently and they lose. It was earned don't get me wrong, but there was a ton of good fortune for them to pull that out, and moreso than I have seen from any other single series in my lifetime.

And then on top of that the Warriors then added Durant.

I get wanting to win now, but I want us to be building towards a real shot at a title, and I don't see how people think this team has a shot at getting there in the next few years, which is why I don't understand the general push to go for older stars or trade all of the youth to become the equivalent (if all goes well), of the Clippers or Grizzlies.

Like it or not, if LeBron is obtainable, there's 0 chance Sarver tells McD to just pass on him and stay the course.
It also wouldn't cost us much, if any, of our young talent to get him.
We could shed salary in Chandler and Dudley too and possibly sign Cousins as well.

Having a mix of youth with the star power of LeBron and Cousins....nobody should want to turn that chance down.

If LeBron wants to come to Phx next year, it shouldn't spell the end of #TheTimeline. You would have the plan in place, continue to execute the plan and build up the roster talentwise. The Suns will make decisions on the players that are currently on the roster and decide if they are still growing or if they need to cut bait. If JJ turns out to look like a future superstar along with Booker, Chriss, Bender and whoever start looking like high end starters or even further potential, and then they get lucky enough to add another potential superstar in the draft, they will continue this path with the expectation of winning in '18-'19. If LeBron likes the youth and talent level make up of the team and wants to join this to extend his career with winning and accentuating the talent and growth, we should all embrace him whole heartedly. It would start the timeline of being a contender for the next 10 yrs +, and even after LeBron falls off and retires. He would be the fuel to jump start what they are building. If Cousins is a part of the culture too, it's going to be an embarrassment of riches and our biggest worry will be if Sarver has changed his ways and be willing to pay to keep the team together.

[Walt_Uoob]

Next summer: Chandler for Deng and two future LA firsts. Deng is their biggest contract and has fallen off badly and plays the same position as LeBron and PG, and has an additional year at a higher salary than Chandler. So it's basically one pick for Chandler and one for taking on Deng.

[RunDogGun]

Next summer: Chandler for Deng and two future LA firsts. Deng is their biggest contract and has fallen off badly and plays the same position as LeBron and PG, and has an additional year at a higher salary than Chandler. So it's basically one pick for Chandler and one for taking on Deng.

LA is not giving us two first round picks again for an almost retired player.

[LukasBMW]

Next summer: Chandler for Deng and two future LA firsts. Deng is their biggest contract and has fallen off badly and plays the same position as LeBron and PG, and has an additional year at a higher salary than Chandler. So it's basically one pick for Chandler and one for taking on Deng.

LA is not giving us two first round picks again for an almost retired player.

It was rumored that LAL was ready to give up an unprotected pick this summer if anyone took Deng.

If they need cap space next summer, perhaps we can hold them for ransom and ask for 2 picks. Especially if the guys they want to sign are projected to move them out of the lottery.