2020 Preseason Speculation - Lineup battles underway

[bwgood77]

Looking towards the future, I wonder what this team will do once Paul is off the books, it will be the same year as Ayton’s extension, and if he plays to our expectations it will probably be a rookie max. That will most probably be the make or break year for this core.

Seems like most people's expectations around here are that Ayton won't be a max player...

BUT, I'm not sure how much cap space we will have that summer, especially if the 3rd year on Crowder isn't a team option...and Saric's is longer than 2 years. If that's the case we won't have much cap space even when Paul comes off the books. Just our draft pick for next year and maybe another MLE guy next summer but we will be approaching the tax with the increases in Paul and Booker's deals so may not use MLE next summer if it would put us in the tax.

[dremill24]

So we have Book, Bridges, Cam and Crowder for the starter and backup mins at SG and SF now.

Cam/Crowder will presumably play a decent amount of PF as well

[phx#7]

Read on Twitter

Full MLE. I wonder if they were able to get a team option on year 3.

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

If it's a TO on the 3rd year then it's a home run signing for the MLE. I guess we'll have to wait and see but in this market it seems unlikely.

[RedIndian]

I agree. It will either be taking on 8-10m or so with a Baynes S&T or signing somebody to the BAE. Not both.

Wanamaker with the BAE at this point.

McLaughlin, Wanamaker, Napier or possibly Teague or Jackson if they will take that little.

Hopefully McLaughlin. I think he showed some good promise to be a solid backup PG even though he’s on the shorter side.

I’d only want any of the other guys on the vet min. Teague, actually, I wouldn’t want at all.

McLaughlin is quite good, but he's really small. No chance you could play him alongside CP3, which is what you'd kinda want in your 3rd guard. Napier is similar - too small and you wouldn't be able to play him with CP3.

Forbes is bigger, and I could see him playing with both CP3 and Booker. Though he has the rep for being a pretty poor defender. That said, I think he's be really dangerous as an offensive weapon next to either Booker or Paul.

Wanamaker is big, and is a fairly stable guard, but I can't quite get excited about him. Not enough offensive firepower and I think we do need someone to give us some quick offense off the bench. We'd have Carter in any case as our defensive guard.

Reggie Jackson might actually be the most talented guard available, but he's always seemed one with character issues, so not sure if Jones would be in for him.

[bwgood77]

What happened to Batum last year? Did he die or was he hurt?

Seems like he's been hurt for about 3 years.

[Stix]

What happened to Batum last year? Did he die or was he hurt?

Seems like he's been hurt for about 3 years.

He's always hurt.

[Flying Colors]

Looking towards the future, I wonder what this team will do once Paul is off the books, it will be the same year as Ayton’s extension, and if he plays to our expectations it will probably be a rookie max. That will most probably be the make or break year for this core.

Seems like most people's expectations around here are that Ayton won't be a max player...

BUT, I'm not sure how much cap space we will have that summer, especially if the 3rd year on Crowder isn't a team option...and Saric's is longer than 2 years. If that's the case we won't have much cap space even when Paul comes off the books. Just our draft pick for next year and maybe another MLE guy next summer but we will be approaching the tax with the increases in Paul and Booker's deals so may not use MLE next summer if it would put us in the tax.

Woof that is not as good as I thought

[bwgood77]

Knew it..

Crowder was the guy Suns will end up signing. And yes I still think he's living off his reputation of 5 years ago... He's been bleh. But the contract is not terrible and he can at least pass on knowledge to the younger guys

Yeah, he'd been disappointing for a while until Miami. Hopefully he is rejuvenated. He was awful in Memphis last year.

Boston Jae was solid
Cleve and Memphis - not so much
Utah was I think okay
Bubble Jae was good

Just hope its somewhere betweenUtah and Bubble
I htink he was with the Mavs at one point too

Yeah, they drafted him and people were really high on him but they surprisingly traded him for Rondo trying to compete real quickly while Dirk was still around and Rondo basically didn't try in crucial games for them and is the most hated player ever in Dallas...he was pretty good in Boston and after that he just kind of kept declining. Is a pretty good energy guy/defender though...just not usually a good shooter except for with Miami/bubble.

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

At least we did this yesterday.

no fan of Frank and i hated the signing last year but if we end up with undrafted rookies, G leaguers and the such, he might have looked good in comparrison

I don't like it because it's a pure cost saving move. We are over the cap regardless, may as well keep him as salary filler in a potential trade since most of our guys are pretty cheap.

I want to believe we're just doing him a solid to get himself some of this money that is being thrown around, but it seems unlikely. Guess we'll see when he signs his next deal.

That is a good point...would be good just for trade salary filler.

[dremill24]

What happened to Batum last year? Did he die or was he hurt?

Seems like he's been hurt for about 3 years.

Yeah, but the couple years before that he was still serviceable (though obviously not what he once was or close to worth the salary). Last year he was just terrible.

I ask just cause the 18-19 Batum would be worth a look at the minimum. Solid shooter and playmaker with size. But if last year was just him being cooked then obviously not lol.

[bwgood77]

McLaughlin, Wanamaker, Napier or possibly Teague or Jackson if they will take that little.

Hopefully McLaughlin. I think he showed some good promise to be a solid backup PG even though he’s on the shorter side.

I’d only want any of the other guys on the vet min. Teague, actually, I wouldn’t want at all.

McLaughlin is quite good, but he's really small. No chance you could play him alongside CP3, which is what you'd kinda want in your 3rd guard. Napier is similar - too small and you wouldn't be able to play him with CP3.

Forbes is bigger, and I could see him playing with both CP3 and Booker. Though he has the rep for being a pretty poor defender. That said, I think he's be really dangerous as an offensive weapon next to either Booker or Paul.

Wanamaker is big, and is a fairly stable guard, but I can't quite get excited about him. Not enough offensive firepower and I think we do need someone to give us some quick offense off the bench. We'd have Carter in any case as our defensive guard.

Reggie Jackson might actually be the most talented guard available, but he's always seemed one with character issues, so not sure if Jones would be in for him.

I'm not really concerned with getting someone that can play with Paul, but moreso someone who can play when he sits or is injured. There is a good chance now with Crowder we can always have 2 guys in at 2 and 3 of Bridges/Cam/Crowder when Booker sits...so the 3rd guard wouldn't have to play with Paul.

[m1chal]

Reggie Jackson probably is the best PG of what's left on the market, he probably wouldn't accept BAE though.

[bwoolf2]

Reggie Jackson probably is the best PG of what's left on the market he probably wouldn't accept BAE though.

I would like to see us bring in Rondo, I have always hated the guy but he is a solid vet off the bench in the chris paul mold he is all about winning, and if his shot is there he is dangerous.

Paul
Crowder
Rondo

Talk about changing the culture of this team, and Ayton gets to see the work and attitude required in this league

[Fo-Real]

Reggie Jackson probably is the best PG of what's left on the market he probably wouldn't accept BAE though.

I would like to see us bring in Rondo, I have always hated the guy but he is a solid vet off the bench in the chris paul mold he is all about winning, and if his shot is there he is dangerous.

Paul
Crowder
Rondo

Talk about changing the culture of this team, and Ayton gets to see the work and attitude required in this league

Dude, Paul would meet Rondo at the airport to fight him!!! THEY AINT COOL!!

[darmani]

Assuming we bring Saric back and hopefully a guard that can shoot, i still see issues on the second unit scoring wise

Thats why I thought scoring guard off the bench was the highest priority

But there weren't any scoring guards available in free agency this year.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Not a fan of crowder, though i do like that we added toughness. I dont believe in his shooting at all. Im sure he was a little further down our list of mle targets than we were hoping to get.

Hope we do something positive with Baynes's contract to improve our depth at the 2/3. Hope we keep carter and saric. Hope we add another piece at a discount midseason. I hope i hope i hope.

[sunsbg]

Crowder's experience, defense and 3 PT shooting(hopefully), should fit nicely in the starting lineup. Cam can come off the bench and be a 6th man type instant offense. Playoffs, here we come!

[bigfoot]

So we have Book, Bridges, Cam and Crowder for the starter and backup mins at SG and SF now.

Cam/Crowder will presumably play a decent amount of PF as well

Yeah I don't see Crowder playing SG much at all. We've shored up our SF/PF rotation so that Dario can spend more time at backup PF & C.

Paul/Payne
Booker/Carter
Bridges/Crowder/Nader
Johnson/Saric/Crowder/Smith
Ayton/Saric/Smith

[bwoolf2]

Reggie Jackson probably is the best PG of what's left on the market he probably wouldn't accept BAE though.

I would like to see us bring in Rondo, I have always hated the guy but he is a solid vet off the bench in the chris paul mold he is all about winning, and if his shot is there he is dangerous.

Paul
Crowder
Rondo

Talk about changing the culture of this team, and Ayton gets to see the work and attitude required in this league

Dude, Paul would meet Rondo at the airport to fight him!!! THEY AINT COOL!!

Good, I think a bunch of multi millions can put **** aside

[BobbieL]

Assuming we bring Saric back and hopefully a guard that can shoot, i still see issues on the second unit scoring wise

Thats why I thought scoring guard off the bench was the highest priority

But there weren't any scoring guards available in free agency this year.

I was thinking of Moore. More of a combo guard I guess