2021-22 Season Discussion and Speculation

[Saberestar]

Steph Curry. Now that's what a true star guard looks like. Man he's just unbelievable.

Hands down the second best PG in the history of the game. And he is closing the gap between him and Magic.

[Revived]

I like this Wainright signing. He looks like he can be a good small ball 5 for the Suns and that will be needed against many teams.

Like I said before, McGee will make a very good impact for the Suns but he’s not playable every night depending on matchups. We mainly need him against teams like the Bucks who have Portis as the backup big.

Denver used Jeff Green as the backup C. Warriors tonight used Otto Porter as the backup C.

These are matchups that McGee can’t play in because they will cook him on the offensive end drawing second defender and then kick out for better looks. And McGee isn’t talented enough offensively to make them pay for it on the other end.

I think Cam Johnson could end up playing some backup 5 minutes for the Suns this season as well.

Yeah, not having a reliable backup big didn't really hurt us until we got to the playoffs and unfortunately ran into two of the biggest teams in the LAL and MIL (which we were ok against until they went with 3 bigs in Portis, Giannis and Brook). Saric would be decent against those guys. Thad would actually be perfect though as a small ball backup. Crowder maybe too....just sub him out first and back in when Ayton goes out.

Funny thing is I think Portis just happened to have a lucky series. I don’t even know if he will ever play that well again. Regardless McGee will be good, cheap insurance to have.

Yeah I like Thad Young for that role too.

I’d like them to play Jalen Smith more so we can see if perhaps he can be it. He showed decent mobility in the preseason and good rebounding.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Giannis got stopped by the Heat so it can be done.

Thad Young DNP in a 30 point blowout, Jalen Smith didn't play for us either.

[Bogyo]

Giannis got stopped by the Heat so it can be done.

Thad Young DNP in a 30 point blowout, Jalen Smith didn't play for us either.

If we played Giannis like the Heat did he would have had 25 free throws...

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I'm with bw on Ayton. I think I'd feel less insulted by the extension talks than by the way this team is utilizing him. He's our most efficient scorer and yet he never gets the damn ball. If Monty wants ball movement, start by killing them down low and forcing the double team. Ayton's a quick and willing passer, he just needs a chance.

The other thing is, our defense is much better when we can slow the game down and make them take the ball out of the basket - not these long carom rebounds off missed threes, leading to fast breaks. If "who we are" means Ayton averages 14 PPG, we're going to lose him. And the Spurs won't make this mistake.

[bwgood77]

Steph Curry. Now that's what a true star guard looks like. Man he's just unbelievable.

Hands down the second best PG in the history of the game. And he is closing the gap between him and Magic.

KInd of hard to compare them. He's more like a SG. I'd almost say hands down the 2nd best SG in history. Would be hard to pass Jordan though.

[Saberestar]

Steph Curry. Now that's what a true star guard looks like. Man he's just unbelievable.

Hands down the second best PG in the history of the game. And he is closing the gap between him and Magic.

KInd of hard to compare them. He's more like a SG. I'd almost say hands down the 2nd best SG in history. Would be hard to pass Jordan though.

He has played always as a PG, a shooting PG.

2nd best SG in history...everyone has an opinion and I love to read about it, but IMO is easily Kobe Bryant. Probably even Curry himself would agree about it.

[bwgood77]

Giannis got stopped by the Heat so it can be done.

Thad Young DNP in a 30 point blowout, Jalen Smith didn't play for us either.

If we played Giannis like the Heat did he would have had 25 free throws...

Well the Bucks did sweep them in the playoffs with an avg margin of victory over 20...so there is also that. Giannis kind of steps up in the playoffs, as we know.

[bwgood77]

Hands down the second best PG in the history of the game. And he is closing the gap between him and Magic.

KInd of hard to compare them. He's more like a SG. I'd almost say hands down the 2nd best SG in history. Would be hard to pass Jordan though.

He has played always as a PG, a shooting PG.

2nd best SG in history...everyone has an opinion and I love to read about it, but IMO is easily Kobe Bryant. Probably even Curry himself would agree about it.

Well I'm just saying he's incomparable to Magic because they are different types of players. Curry is more like those SG types even though you can call him a PG due to size (though Draymond plays point a lot).

It's weird you say closing gap on Magic but not Kobe though considering an avg best list has Magic top 7 or so and Kobe maybe 12-14.

But you are right, defined traditionally, you have MJ, Kobe, Wade, etc. Some would say Harden though some consider him a PG now.

Probably the best way to characterize Steph is as the best shooter ever, in a category with Reggie Miller, Ray Allen, etc.

It's also kind of difficult to compare him to other legendary PGs like Stockton. Magic was kind of like a point forward too, kind of like Ben Simmons and LeBron and Giannis in some ways. He had smaller guards like Byron Scott as the shooters who would guard the point guard.

[bwgood77]

I'm with bw on Ayton. I think I'd feel less insulted by the extension talks than by the way this team is utilizing him. He's our most efficient scorer and yet he never gets the damn ball. If Monty wants ball movement, start by killing them down low and forcing the double team. Ayton's a quick and willing passer, he just needs a chance.

The other thing is, our defense is much better when we can slow the game down and make them take the ball out of the basket - not these long carom rebounds off missed threes, leading to fast breaks. If "who we are" means Ayton averages 14 PPG, we're going to lose him. And the Spurs won't make this mistake.

The more Ayton is a threat, the better others will play as well. Do you remember when Book's efficiency suddenly skyrocketed in year 4 where his midrange game took off and his 2pt% went from like 46% to near 54% then above? It's not a coincidence that was Ayton's rookie year. Ayton averaged over 12 shots a game and over 16 ppg as a rookie, and then over 14 shots and 18 ppg as a 2nd year guy. Last year his shots dropped to 10....Booker's efficiency took a slight dip, but Bridges and Paul were also suddenly big threats along with Crowder. But with no Ayton, no one would have nearly the open looks. It seems last year and this year our goal is to get Ayton going early to make their defense adjust to double and/or triple him and then take advantage with others open...which is fine, but you should still get it to him when you can. He does get open later and lets them know raising his arm (and it's not to say hello as Keith would have you think). He can be a lot more than a rebounder/finisher.

Book's stat/fg% progression and jump with the arrival of Ayton, as mentioned:

Spoiler:

[Ghost of Kleine]

Giannis got stopped by the Heat so it can be done.

Thad Young DNP in a 30 point blowout, Jalen Smith didn't play for us either.

Didn't get a chance to watch that game, But I'd assume it was primarily Adebayo and his strength and mobility that played a big factor?
Or would you say it was more of a strong defensive team effort with them ( help/ weakside defense) collapsing around him to restrict his movement?

[Frank Lee]

I'm with bw on Ayton. I think I'd feel less insulted by the extension talks than by the way this team is utilizing him. He's our most efficient scorer and yet he never gets the damn ball. If Monty wants ball movement, start by killing them down low and forcing the double team. Ayton's a quick and willing passer, he just needs a chance.

The other thing is, our defense is much better when we can slow the game down and make them take the ball out of the basket - not these long carom rebounds off missed threes, leading to fast breaks. If "who we are" means Ayton averages 14 PPG, we're going to lose him. And the Spurs won't make this mistake.

And so it begins… manufacturing disgruntledness

[Jdiddy701]

Guys…… hold on tight. Please go to Twitter. I think our time has finally come.


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[BobbieL]

Guys…… hold on tight. Please go to Twitter. I think our time has finally come.


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Read on Twitter

If true, why didn't he sell to the Jazz guy and get paid

[King4Day]

Guys…… hold on tight. Please go to Twitter. I think our time has finally come.


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Much as I want him out, I'd rather be that he just wants out and not something that will ruin him like this.

EDIT: Sorry, I don't mean just him. Obviously, whoever he's wronged is getting the worst of this story. I was meaning that I'd rather it not be something controversial. Just go quietly.

[BobbieL]

Guys…… hold on tight. Please go to Twitter. I think our time has finally come.


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Much as I want him out, I'd rather be that he just wants out and not something that will ruin him like this.

Makes me wonder why he wouldn't have sold to not be tainted by this stuff. Unless his ego is so out of control, he didn't realize what he did. The league probably would have kept it quiet, with NDAs and what not - if he sold to make it go away quietly as possible.

I wouldn't be surprised if true

[Jdiddy701]

Just thinking ahead, what happens to our practice facility if he’s out? Does Booker/CP3 request out in Phoenix? Who takes over? If true, and the league allows him to stay the owner, our future is dark.

I really wish we didn’t have a game today on national TV!


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[RaisingArizona]

That Schultz guy is not reliable at all. Could be true but hard to get our hopes up that Sarver could be out (not that I condone that type of behavior or CC in general). Someone alluded to this possibility years ago. Crazy how things happen.

[Ghost of Kleine]

https://arizonasports.com/story/2861473/jerry-colangelo-wait-contract-part-suns-deandre-aytons-growth/

Jerry Colangelo: Wait on contract part of Suns C Deandre Ayton’s growth

Oct 22, 2021, 8:32 AM | Updated: 8:42 am
BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN
Arizona Sports

https://omny.fm/shows/arizona-s-morning-news/phoenix-sports-mogul-jerry-colangelo-talks-about-h

Jerry Colangelo understands how the business world works, and the former owner of the Phoenix Suns also knows first-hand that professional athletes might have to learn that the hard way.

With that perspective, Colangelo doesn’t have a steaming opinion of how the Suns have handled the contract situation of fourth-year center Deandre Ayton. In fact, Colangelo has an optimistic view of the team failing to agree with Ayton on a contract extension before the 2021-22 season began, making the big man a restricted free agent next offseason.

“First of all, I don’t ever second-guess anyone else in terms of making decisions. They’re intelligent, they know what they’re doing, they’ve weighed the pluses and minuses of stepping into that right now or waiting it out,” Colangelo told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Friday.

“That’s part of the business today. The money is so big, (the Suns) have to be 100% sure they want to move forward. I think probably it’s all going to work out at some point and it’ll be part of Deandre Ayton’s growth in terms of a business man to understand this is how the world really plays.”

Phoenix holds significant control moving into next season.

The team can extend a qualifying offer to make Ayton a restricted free agent. He can attract offers from other teams, any of which the Suns can match. Phoenix can also offer him more money and more years (up to five) than any other team.

A third option for Ayton would put him at extreme risk: He could sign the qualifying offer of $16.4 million for one year, keeping him in Phoenix before he becomes a restricted free agent in the 2023-24 offseason.

But that would leave likely hundreds of millions of dollars on the table. No player contending for max dollars has ever gone that route.

In short, the Suns can get another full-year look at Ayton and still offer him the money and a multi-year deal they reportedly weren’t sure about handing out this offseason.

Clearly, the team and Ayton’s agents had less-than-ideal negotiations.

Suns general manager James Jones said Ayton’s representatives would only consider a five-year maximum contract, while his agents told The Athletic’s Sam Amick that the team never put a three- or four-year contract offer squarely on the table.

Ayton said he is “disappointed” a deal did not get done.

“Really one thing about me throughout my whole life, I’ve always learned to control what I can control,” Ayton told reporters Wednesday after the season opener. “At the same time, obviously I’m disappointed but I’m still trying to get us back to the Finals.

“I still have to represent the team and myself as well. And I’m just a competitor, man. I just like to compete to the best and every time I’m between them lines that’s what you’re gonna see outta me, nothing else.”

[King4Day]

Just thinking ahead, what happens to our practice facility if he’s out? Does Booker/CP3 request out in Phoenix? Who takes over?

I really wish we didn’t have a game today on national TV!


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I imagine whoever buys the team will buy the facility from him too (assuming he owns it).