2020 Offseason Speculation, free agency, summer trades (keep draft prospect talk in draft thread)

[bwgood77]

Monty just said in the press conf we haven't played this selfishly all season....not sharing the ball, and the last two nights are on him, and we haven't defended anyone either.

[Desertfox]

Trade everyone not named Ayton and Bridges... Starting with JJ.

[Keith_myath]

Touches reminds me so much of a Michael Carter-Williams, only better. Looks great on a bad team, but as soon as he's traded to a better run team, he's slowly be exposed and get less and less minutes. You can't get away with continually running down the shot clock and tossing up bricks or bad passes for rushed, unbalanced shots on good teams, yet he's allowed to do it continually for the Suns. This, along with his other flaws that other coaches play through, will become a problem that won't be fixed by Touches so his minutes will be gradually reduced.

I'd be very interested to see if Touches could be traded in a moneyball type situation? Instead of a Star for Star type trade, trade Touches to someone and in return get a couple of 16-18ppg players who consistently score their average, or shoot high percentage shots.

They may not have the fan-pulling power that a Valley Boyz has, but they'll aggregately score more than Touches and score them more efficiently. It will then allow the hot hands to remain hot as neither of them will need a predetermined amount of touches or shots, and, theoretically, make the team more efficient offensively, more versatile, and more likely to kill off the bad team.

Would you rather a Tracey McGrady/Melo type that scores heaps and brings in fans, but losses too; or would you rather a 2014 Spurs-like team of efficient scorers with minimal egos?

[bwgood77]

Poll seems fairly split.

[IzzyR]

The Pelicans are 6-3 since Zion had the minutes limit lifted. The 3 losses are to Houston, Milwaukee, and OKC. In that time, they’ve beaten Boston, Memphis, Portland (twice) and Indiana. They have the easiest SoS left of any team.

I think they have a legit chance, too.

Pelicans will get swept by the Lakers

I know you think LeBron doesnt belong in the GOAT conversation, but Warriors head coach Steve Kerr seems to think otherwise.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/06/09/steve-kerr-michael-jordan-lebron-james-two-best-players/687325002/

Kerr: "LeBron and MJ are the 2 greatest players of all time"
Same with 76ers coach Brett Brown, SVG, Brad Stevens, etc. (I can go on and on)

What do these coaches don't know that you do?

[bwgood77]

That is an interesting user exchange. Personal troll?

[Walt_Uoob]

Yahoo fantasy mentioned speculation that the sixers will try to trade Horford this summer. Haven't seen it mentioned here. Should we have interest? I love his game but he's another old (33) declining PF on a huge contract ($28m this year with three more years, slightly declining salaries). And he's not fitting well with Embiid. On the other hand, if we open up $20m in cap space, maybe he could be had for like Cam, Frank, and a pick.

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[King4Day]

How would people feel about making a run for Simmons? Straight up Booker/Simmons swap.
Booker gives them the shooting/scoring they need while Simmons gives us the playmaker/defender we need (long terms).

We would probably then have to move Rubio but that's where maybe we move him and our first for LeVert if the Nets would be interested.

Simmons
LeVert
Bridges
Oubre
Ayton

[King4Day]

Yahoo fantasy mentioned speculation that the sixers will try to trade Horford this summer. Haven't seen it mentioned here. Should we have interest? I love his game but he's another old (33) declining PF on a huge contract ($28m this year with three more years, slightly declining salaries). And he's not fitting well with Embiid. On the other hand, if we open up $20m in cap space, maybe he could be had for like Cam, Frank, and a pick.

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Given he's struggling this season, I'd prefer to avoid him. If we're gonna go after him, I'd rather it just be a salary dump exchange.
I'd probably go after Love instead since he has 1 less season on the contract.

Frank and our first (top 4 protected) for him. I'm not giving up Cam. He's becoming a valuable shooter and should improve over the next couple seasons.

[Desertfox]

How about Booker for Jrue Holiday or Beal? I would have tried to trade him for Klay Thompson, but the warriors already traded Russell. Then trade for Markanenn.

Rubio, Holiday, Bridges, Markannen, Ayton, should be pretty good.

[IzzyT]

The Pelicans are 6-3 since Zion had the minutes limit lifted. The 3 losses are to Houston, Milwaukee, and OKC. In that time, they’ve beaten Boston, Memphis, Portland (twice) and Indiana. They have the easiest SoS left of any team.

I think they have a legit chance, too.

Pelicans will get swept by the Lakers

I know you think LeBron doesnt belong in the GOAT conversation, but Warriors head coach Steve Kerr seems to think otherwise.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2018/06/09/steve-kerr-michael-jordan-lebron-james-two-best-players/687325002/

Kerr: "LeBron and MJ are the 2 greatest players of all time"
Same with 76ers coach Brett Brown, SVG, Brad Stevens, etc. (I can go on and on)

What do these coaches don't know that you do?

I think LeBron has a reasonable argument for number #2, but I would not personally put him there. I have Kareem there. He’s definitely in the conversation, though. Not sure why you think you know that I think otherwise, IzzyR.

He’s definitely a Tier 1 All-Time player.

There’s lots of players and coaches that say Kobe is the best ever. Or Wilt. Even Oscar. Bird. Magic. Opinions are divided. LeBron has earned a very legitimate place in the conversation. One coach saying he’s number XYZ or NOT Top 5 wouldn’t change my opinion much especially if no reasoning is provided.

[WeekapaugGroove]

What are we done with? Playoffs? That was done in December lol.

This training staff is a joke, we may be on pace to have most missed games due to injury in NBA history. And this is barely their 1st season on the job. Good lord...

Actually Phoenix is about middle of the pack when it comes to games lost by injury this season.

Read on Twitter

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How many of those games missed were due to severe/long-term injuries? Ours have been more of the nickel and dime variety. The kind a good training staff is suppose to help prevent.

I was just pointing out they have had about an average amount of injuries. It's common in sports where fans think their team is the only one with injuries but really they happen to most every team.

As far as the staff, as Ive said I have no idea of their quality. But you have to look at each injury separately. It's not like the staff has anything to do with a guy taking a hard fall and bruising a hip or stepping on an opponents foot and spraining an ankle. I know people love assigning blame but some injuries are just dumb luck. Now something like Rubio's back maybe that's something on the staff but maybe not.

The thing I will absolutely rip the suns for with injuries is their lack of transparency. They have been like this for years and I can't see what it helps and only seems to lead to people getting frustrated by not knowing what's really up with injuries or real timelines with returns.

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[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I was fortunate enough not to be able to watch last night's game against the Warriors.

Quick question. Does anyone here doubt that if Bender, Jackson, Warren and Chriss (or Melton) were still on this roster, we would still be losing games? And that we would be blaming them for our struggles?

Our transaction history over the last several years shows us consistently buying high (usually in the draft) and selling low. We've squandered endless draft picks, made poor free agency signings, and watched as our assets vanished, with very little to show for it.

Now, here we are with Booker, Ayton, Rubio, Mikal, Kelly, Cam, Ty, Frank's option, Saric's RFA rights, and Carter's RFA rights, getting blown out by castaways and G-Leaguers. It doesn't seem to matter who our coach is, or who we suit up, or even who seems to have a good game on any given night. The reasons we lose change every night - other teams get hot, we turn the ball over, we miss all our shots, we give up offensive rebounds - it's always something.

I'm down for Nance-ing Booker, just to get a fresh start. I don't think it'll happen unless Devin requests a trade. Hopefully he does it, quietly. I never loved him the way other fans did, so it's easier for me to suggest.

I strongly suspect that if we don't deal Booker, we'll be in the same position we're in today next year. Good for our '21 pick, I guess. There has to be a breaking point, right? We can't just keep blaming everyone but the Golden Boy.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

How about Booker for Jrue Holiday or Beal? I would have tried to trade him for Klay Thompson, but the warriors already traded Russell. Then trade for Markanenn.

Rubio, Holiday, Bridges, Markannen, Ayton, should be pretty good.

No go for me on those two Booker trade proposals. I want multiple players, including at least one good prospect, and picks. Call the Knicks.

[handsome salary]

Pels and Kings have jumped past the Suns now. Along with the Griz. But the Suns are the ones hampered by young players still needing to grow?

[JDJ26]

How about Booker for Jrue Holiday or Beal? I would have tried to trade him for Klay Thompson, but the warriors already traded Russell. Then trade for Markanenn.

Rubio, Holiday, Bridges, Markannen, Ayton, should be pretty good.

No go for me on those two Booker trade proposals. I want multiple players, including at least one good prospect, and picks. Call the Knicks.

This is the correct answer. The Knicks are desperate for a "star" and they are just as incompetent as the Suns. If not worse.

It also helps Booker's agent works for the team now.

[Sunsdeuce]

Suns still have the washer machine they got in return for TJ Warren and the 2nd? Wonder how that’s helping the team right now.

TJ Warren putting up a nice 18 PPG on a playoff team. And he is ironically an offensive player this team could really use right now. The mismanagement of assets the last two years is embarrassing.

[bwgood77]

How about Booker for Jrue Holiday or Beal? I would have tried to trade him for Klay Thompson, but the warriors already traded Russell. Then trade for Markanenn.

Rubio, Holiday, Bridges, Markannen, Ayton, should be pretty good.

No go for me on those two Booker trade proposals. I want multiple players, including at least one good prospect, and picks. Call the Knicks.

ATTL brought up the Wolves, mentioning Beasley. I think something like their 1st round pick (would have to be on draft night since they already traded their 21 pick), James Johnson, Culver, Beasley and Hernangomez could be an ok package. No real big names, but a few talented young players at different positions. Obviously it's not the phenomenal packages Kerrsed came up with but you know I found those unlikely.

It's hard for me to come to the conclusion to trade Booker though, but I guess it depends on the price. He's been a better player this season in multiple ways, but it just hurts when you know at any time, against any type of team, we can get out of the flow of good team ball and lose to the worst team in the NBA since we are not playing NBA level ball if we don't stick to a game plan.

I just want to hope the progress we have seen from him playing more team ball at times and putting more effort in defensively can continue.

[bwgood77]

Pels and Kings have jumped past the Suns now. Along with the Griz. But the Suns are the ones hampered by young players still needing to grow?

You just mean they have jumped past us in the standings? We have been behind them for awhile.

And last season we had 14 fewer wins than anyone else in the west (though of course the Grizz and Pels got the first two picks with the new lotto odds, despite each winning 33 games to our 19), so I don't think anyone feels like they are finally passing us.

We are not really taken seriously. Utah fans about losing at home to us probably feel about how we do losing to the Warriors or Pistons at home.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2019.html

[WeekapaugGroove]

Suns still have the washer machine they got in return for TJ Warren and the 2nd? Wonder how that’s helping the team right now.

TJ Warren putting up a nice 18 PPG on a playoff team. And he is ironically an offensive player this team could really use right now. The mismanagement of assets the last two years is embarrassing.

Would TJ be averaging 18 a game as Oubres backup? Would Bridges get out of his early season slump with no open minutes at the 3? Are they better off with a cheap PG vs Rubio? Or you have Rubio but have stretched Johnson and not traded for Baynes/ Jerome. So now you probably have a few more losses with the Ayton suspension and also $17 mil less in space this coming summer to improve the team.

There's a domino effect with all this.

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