Suns Offseason Thread 2: The Hunt for a Blazer Continues!

[batsmasher]

Arron Afflalo, #Knicks agree on 2-year, $16M deal

Good contract, NYK at least with a good SG on their roster now.

Still can't believe they got a first (Jerian Grant) for THJ.

[Barkley6]

Does anyone know who LMA has slated for today?

Heard Dallas moved their meeting with him to yesterday, but heard no reports of how it went. I know NYK and Toronto were in the mix as well.

[King4Day]

Does anyone know who LMA has slated for today?

Heard Dallas moved their meeting with him to yesterday, but heard no reports of how it went. I know NYK and Toronto were in the mix as well.

I believe Dallas and NY are left. We've heard reports of him talking with LA, Houston, PHX, and Toronto so far.

[King4Day]

Saw this on the ESPN comment fields for one of the Aldridge stories that I thought was funny:

Lakers: Come to LA. We have Hollywood, Disneyland, Malibu, and many more wonderful tourist destinations. I can also assure you, we will pay you enough so you can afford water and not die of thirst.

Aldridge: But I can visit those places anyway, during my offseason, regardless if I play in LA or not. I'm here to play basketball, not to be a tourist. How will I fit in your system?

Lakers: What is a system?

Aldridge: You know, your offensive sets, plays... That kind of stuff.

Lakers: You mean Kobe? We have no plays. We have Kobe, and surely enough water to drink for all of your family.

Aldridge: Thank you for your time. (Leaves)

Lakers: Well, I think that went great.

[Barkley6]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/7/2/8881977/phoenix-suns-chandler-aldridge-cap-magic

This article on the cap options for the Suns was very informative. I'm leaning towards operating as an "over the cap" team because of the wealth of exceptions it would give us to pursue further free agents. Now the market is a little nuts right now, but having 5.8m MLE and 2.8m BAE would at least help us fill out the rest of our roster with quality talent instead of guys who are back and forth from the D-leauge. Once the dust settles and the big money is spent, those exceptions could net us solid players (which we'll need if we end up sending out $16m worth of players to bring in Aldridge and Chandler).

[Walt_Uoob]

Aldridge backup plans?

I bet we could get Landry from the Sixers for a 2nd as a stop-gap.
Horford will be a UFA next summer.
Would we just roll with a Kieff/Leuer/Len PF rotation for the year?

[Barkley6]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SeanSullivanNBA/status/616448142607695873[/tweet]

Reunited?

[BobbieL]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SeanSullivanNBA/status/616448142607695873[/tweet]

Reunited?

The only way that can happen is if the Mavericks agree to a sign and trade with the Suns and they get - I have no clue - Gerald Green maybe and draft picks. Wright is not an option. Marcus Thornton sign and trade possibly

I just don't see how the math works with just using the Morris twins, Leuer, Granger , Bullock and Goodwin

[BobbieL]

Aldridge backup plans?

I bet we could get Landry from the Sixers for a 2nd as a stop-gap.
Horford will be a UFA next summer.
Would we just roll with a Kieff/Leuer/Len PF rotation for the year?

David West possibly - he hasn't signed yet

Gallinari as a stretch four

[rsavaj]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/7/2/8881977/phoenix-suns-chandler-aldridge-cap-magic

This article on the cap options for the Suns was very informative. I'm leaning towards operating as an "over the cap" team because of the wealth of exceptions it would give us to pursue further free agents. Now the market is a little nuts right now, but having 5.8m MLE and 2.8m BAE would at least help us fill out the rest of our roster with quality talent instead of guys who are back and forth from the D-leauge. Once the dust settles and the big money is spent, those exceptions could net us solid players (which we'll need if we end up sending out $16m worth of players to bring in Aldridge and Chandler).

This is a MUST READ.

I repeat, if you want to have any idea of what it will actually take to land him, you have to read this.

No really...read it. The whole thing.

[BobbieL]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/7/2/8881977/phoenix-suns-chandler-aldridge-cap-magic

This article on the cap options for the Suns was very informative. I'm leaning towards operating as an "over the cap" team because of the wealth of exceptions it would give us to pursue further free agents. Now the market is a little nuts right now, but having 5.8m MLE and 2.8m BAE would at least help us fill out the rest of our roster with quality talent instead of guys who are back and forth from the D-leauge. Once the dust settles and the big money is spent, those exceptions could net us solid players (which we'll need if we end up sending out $16m worth of players to bring in Aldridge and Chandler).

I think the Suns have a Dragic TPexception for 5.5m. Send that to the Twolves for Mo Williams and include a second round pick in a sign and trade type deal

I am really not concerned with filling out the back of the roster if LMA comes aboard and the Suns lose the Morri, Tuck, Good, Bullock or Granger.

The Suns bench will be role players with specific identify and things to do:
Booker - shoot
Leuer - unless traded, stretch four
Ish Smith or other veteran PG like Luke Ridnour -
Patric Young - I think he makes the team for the effort, hustle, six fouls PF - a mini, very very mini, Tristan Thompson type role. Bang the board, hit the glass, hard fouls, run the floor

Mo Williams or other veteran shooter: experienced buy who can come off the bench and light it up every so often

[Barkley6]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SeanSullivanNBA/status/616448142607695873[/tweet]

Reunited?

The only way that can happen is if the Mavericks agree to a sign and trade with the Suns and they get - I have no clue - Gerald Green maybe and draft picks. Wright is not an option. Marcus Thornton sign and trade possibly

I just don't see how the math works with just using the Morris twins, Leuer, Granger , Bullock and Goodwin

It really depends on what the first year salary of Tyson Chandler's deal is. If, say, the Suns backloaded the deal, and he's only making $9-10m in year one, we have a little more flexibility.

[JJ13]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SeanSullivanNBA/status/616448142607695873[/tweet]

Reunited?

The only way that can happen is if the Mavericks agree to a sign and trade with the Suns and they get - I have no clue - Gerald Green maybe and draft picks. Wright is not an option. Marcus Thornton sign and trade possibly

I just don't see how the math works with just using the Morris twins, Leuer, Granger , Bullock and Goodwin

It really depends on what the first year salary of Tyson Chandler's deal is. If, say, the Suns backloaded the deal, and he's only making $9-10m in year one, we have a little more flexibility.

Anyone know what the allowable increases are and what the lowest 1st-yr salary could be for Chandler?

[bwgood77]

The only way that can happen is if the Mavericks agree to a sign and trade with the Suns and they get - I have no clue - Gerald Green maybe and draft picks. Wright is not an option. Marcus Thornton sign and trade possibly

I just don't see how the math works with just using the Morris twins, Leuer, Granger , Bullock and Goodwin

It really depends on what the first year salary of Tyson Chandler's deal is. If, say, the Suns backloaded the deal, and he's only making $9-10m in year one, we have a little more flexibility.

Anyone know what the allowable increases are and what the lowest 1st-yr salary could be for Chandler?

I think 4.5%, so if that's the case, he'd have to start over 12 (starting at 12 with those raises only gets to 51.338M)

[BobbieL]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/7/2/8881977/phoenix-suns-chandler-aldridge-cap-magic

This article on the cap options for the Suns was very informative. I'm leaning towards operating as an "over the cap" team because of the wealth of exceptions it would give us to pursue further free agents. Now the market is a little nuts right now, but having 5.8m MLE and 2.8m BAE would at least help us fill out the rest of our roster with quality talent instead of guys who are back and forth from the D-leauge. Once the dust settles and the big money is spent, those exceptions could net us solid players (which we'll need if we end up sending out $16m worth of players to bring in Aldridge and Chandler).

This is a MUST READ. I repeat, if you want to have any idea of what it will actually take to land him, you have to read this.

No really...read it. The whole thing.

It is a good read so here is my shot at what might happen.
1) seeing that Dallas could be a sign and trade team - maybe something happens where Green is signed by a team, that team sends something to Dallas and Dallas sends Chandler to Phoenix. Remember the Dudley-Bledsoe -Reddick deal, Reddick was a S&T to the Clippers from Milwaukee. So whether its Green straight to Dallas with a draft pick on a three year deal with the 1st year guaranteed or Green to the Clippers and DeAndre Jordan to the Mavericks and Chandler to the Suns (granted, the Clippers signed Pierce, they have Lance, they have no room for Green - but just an idea). That might help. Maybe Green goes straight to Dallas. But I am sure Ryan is trying to use Green to get a player or draft pick to Dallas that maximizes Greens earnings for an over the cap team while helping Dallas too.

2) Simple - the Morris twins to Portland for LMA plus a guy like Goodwin or Bullock. it would be nice ot keep Tucker.

I think the suns become an "over the cap" team and I think if they get LMA - they will get under the cap

I also think veterans like Amare or Mo Williams (Hornacek connection) will be right behind

[rsavaj]

Sounds like the Morris twins are going to be hard to trade. God, we might be on the precipice of landing our first star free agent in a decade and of course those two have to be messing it up.

Math-wise, it looks like it's more likely than not that Bledsoe might have to be shipped out, but given how vehemently Coro, Gambo and McD have said he's not being traded, McDonough MUST have a plan to free up all of that cap room(and it is a LOT of cap room).

[Barkley6]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/7/2/8881977/phoenix-suns-chandler-aldridge-cap-magic

This article on the cap options for the Suns was very informative. I'm leaning towards operating as an "over the cap" team because of the wealth of exceptions it would give us to pursue further free agents. Now the market is a little nuts right now, but having 5.8m MLE and 2.8m BAE would at least help us fill out the rest of our roster with quality talent instead of guys who are back and forth from the D-leauge. Once the dust settles and the big money is spent, those exceptions could net us solid players (which we'll need if we end up sending out $16m worth of players to bring in Aldridge and Chandler).

I think the Suns have a Dragic TPexception for 5.5m. Send that to the Twolves for Mo Williams and include a second round pick in a sign and trade type deal

I am really not concerned with filling out the back of the roster if LMA comes aboard and the Suns lose the Morri, Tuck, Good, Bullock or Granger.

The Suns bench will be role players with specific identify and things to do:
Booker - shoot
Leuer - unless traded, stretch four
Ish Smith or other veteran PG like Luke Ridnour -
Patric Young - I think he makes the team for the effort, hustle, six fouls PF - a mini, very very mini, Tristan Thompson type role. Bang the board, hit the glass, hard fouls, run the floor

Mo Williams or other veteran shooter: experienced buy who can come off the bench and light it up every so often

The only time you shouldn't be overly concerned with the last 3-4 guys on your roster is when you're legitimately competing for a championship. Even with LMA and Chandler, we're probably still not QUITE on that level, unless Danny Granger starts playing like 2009 Danny Granger. We need to make sure we have quality depth and might want to invest a little in some guys that can play for us. A championship is MOSTLY built from your star players, but it's also built from your role players. Imagine if the Suns had a deeper bench in 2005? Imagine if we ever found a legitimate backup to Nash? You try to find those guys now either to have in hand when the stars align, or to deal as an asset to a team that is competing.

[bwgood77]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2015/7/2/8881977/phoenix-suns-chandler-aldridge-cap-magic

This article on the cap options for the Suns was very informative. I'm leaning towards operating as an "over the cap" team because of the wealth of exceptions it would give us to pursue further free agents. Now the market is a little nuts right now, but having 5.8m MLE and 2.8m BAE would at least help us fill out the rest of our roster with quality talent instead of guys who are back and forth from the D-leauge. Once the dust settles and the big money is spent, those exceptions could net us solid players (which we'll need if we end up sending out $16m worth of players to bring in Aldridge and Chandler).

This is a MUST READ.

I repeat, if you want to have any idea of what it will actually take to land him, you have to read this.

No really...read it. The whole thing.

Yes, I was doing the match earlier in the cap room thread, and I just don't see how they can do it without trading away at least three players, and maybe more. But if no one wants the twins (or if they can't leave), what do you do?

[RaisingArizona]

Sounds like the Morris twins are going to be hard to trade. God, we might be on the precipice of landing our first star free agent in a decade and of course those two have to be messing it up.

Math-wise, it looks like it's more likely than not that Bledsoe might have to be shipped out, but given how vehemently Coro, Gambo and McD have said he's not being traded, McDonough MUST have a plan to free up all of that cap room(and it is a LOT of cap room).

Odds are McD has 10 different plans on how to make this work. No way we make this hard of a pitch to not be able to clear room without giving up essential pieces.

[Barkley6]

Sounds like the Morris twins are going to be hard to trade. God, we might be on the precipice of landing our first star free agent in a decade and of course those two have to be messing it up.

Math-wise, it looks like it's more likely than not that Bledsoe might have to be shipped out, but given how vehemently Coro, Gambo and McD have said he's not being traded, McDonough MUST have a plan to free up all of that cap room(and it is a LOT of cap room).

I doubt McD lets it get this far if he doesn't have at least a couple of suitors for the twins. If I'm LMA's agent, my very first question in the meeting is, "Where does the money come from?" McD had to have answered that question adequately for the Suns to be getting the consideration they seemingly are. Also, think about the backlash he would get if LMA said "I'm signing with Phoenix" and McD was like "Hmm, so about that...." I'm pretty sure there is a deal in place that is contingent on LMA choosing us.