Free agency and trade ideas: Which wings do we go after this summer?

[Gorilla Warfare]

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I always wanted my very own ninja turtle.

[King4Day]

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I always wanted my very own ninja turtle.

You know news is slow when they are citing Reddit who cites an unnamed OKC radio source.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Isn't Tyler Johnson the vet PG?

He's definitely the veteran backup guard, If were at all successful in trading for or signing a starting caliber veteran guard.

But all kidding aside, If we're to read into things and speculate, I'd still say that both Warren and Tyler Johnson are going to be used in a trade for a high caliber guard. Very possibly Conley or Lowry. But my money is on Conley personally.

It just makes far too much sense, And is a great fit for what we need. As well as in setting us up in the future in terms of cap space.

Conley would make sense but it would probably also require a pick to make it worth Memphis' time. I think if Zion isn't available, that pick is on the table to try and nab a guy like Conley or Jrue. Conley is expensive but he played extremely well this season and only on the books for one more season after this one. Of the supermax deals out there, he's expiring the soonest I believe.

I think Conley would be a great fit next to a young but talented core that we have.

Lowry I believe( if espn is correct) expires at the same amount one year earlier, But of course I would prefer Conley of the 2, Mostly due to attitude, and ability to potentially lead our young team back to a playoff birth and relevance.

[alamin330]

We know he's had one good playoff run and has been pretty average at best the rest of his career.

The Kyrie Cavs were horrible but if you look at the roster, it's entirely understandable. He was also just starting to come into his own those first few seasons. His early career trajectory mirrored Booker's. Good scorer/distributor with poor defense that was the sole offensive threat on a team with a pretty poor roster. Blows my mind that you're connecting the Cav's poor record with a 19-21 year old Kyrie's. Hey dude, young players generally don't make teams better until they've gained some experience.

The Celtics didn't play a team as good as the current Bucks last playoffs though. Last season they played a pretty middling Bucks team that was coached by Kidd and only won 44 games with Giannis giving them everything he had. Then they played a 1st time playoff team in the Sixers who were inexperienced and got to the 2nd round on pure talent alone. They didn't play a halfway legit team until they met the Lebron Cavs in the ECF. They were a more cohesive team last season because everyone knew their role and some of their young guys (including Rozier) were playing out of their minds. This season they had to reintegrate Hayward who never really found consistency while trying to find time for their young guys who really stepped up last season. I don't think they ever found the consistent flow and it's unfair to put it all on one player. Yes, he's the leader of that team and he does take some blame for their early exit but it's a bit ridiculous to pin it all on him.

I think his genius talk makes him look incredibly dense.

There’s only a certain few people on here I can take seriously. Not saying you’re not one of them but you say we can’t blame 19-21 year old Kyrie but at the same time a bunch of people here were looking to trade booker this year. So many people saying young ayton is a bust. Minority of people here giving young Josh jackson a chance. Let’s stay consistent. If our young players are “busts” because they don’t live up to your expectations right now then young Kyrie shoulders the blame for the early Cavs years.
I don’t think the Celtics were playing out of their minds last year I just honestly think they don’t like Kyrie and they don’t have chemistry. So many excuses being made for Kyrie. He shot less than 40% in the 2nd round. He’s their star he’s their leader he deserves 50% of the blame 25% to coach 25% for everyone else. He played awful. So bad he wasn’t even in the game for most of the 4th quarter of game 5. His b-ball IQ is not up there with other stars who we claim him to be equivalent too. Just my opinion and evaluation of his talent. You don’t have to agree. I just think he’s more like a flashy scoring guard who doesn’t make his teams better. Kind of like Bledsoe. When he was on the suns he wasn’t so flashy but he was a scorer and high intensity guard who didn’t make his teams better.

And I don't blame Booker for the way our roster has been contributed. I don't blame him for having to take over (unsuccessfully) more often than he should. I don't blame him for wanting to come back even though he's not fully healthy because this team needs him. And I don't blame him for the way our past draft picks (ie the building blocks for a future contender) didn't pan out. Basketball is a team game and few players in history can carry a team on their back and it's really not a negative to say player X can't carry a team on their own. You seem to be saying the same thing about the people you ridicule for wanting to trade Booker because he hasn't impacted winning as much as expected. You are talking about a very small minority think Ayton is a bust or that Booker should be traded and you're in the similar group of fans who think Kyrie should've made the lottery Cavs even better. If we're talking about consistency, you're consistent with that minority.

I didn't say the C's were playing out of their minds. I said some of their young players were playing out of their minds. No one really expected a 19 year old Tatum to step up from an already solid regular season to being an almost 19ppg in the playoffs. Likewise with Brown who was an efficient 18ppg scorer in the playoffs. No one is making excuses for Kyrie. He had an incredibly POOR 2nd round of the playoffs when everyone including his team expected him to step up. He didn't do that. But is winning and losing solely on his hands? No, because again, it is a team game. Where was the C's highest paid player in that series? Where was last season's wunderkind in Tatum? Why was Morris jacking up those ill-advised 3's? Where's your boy Rozier? Why wasn't super coach Stevens able to reign his team in they weren't playing as a team?

Kyrie needed to play better, no one can argue against that but I'don't agree that he alone should be blamed for their 2nd round loss. I don't even agree he deserves 50% of the blame.

I think you’re misunderstanding what I’m saying and overthinking everything. I never said Kyrie should’ve made them a playoff team as a youngster. Although it’s the east and a lot easier than what Booker is dealing with. I said Kyrie is overrated and he shouldn’t be considered elite. He is in the same tier as Eric Bledsoe. A good nba player all- star level but not an elite superstar player who you can count on to win games. I’m not saying the same thing as people who wanted to trade booker. You’re not reading correctly. Kyrie has experience now and championship under his belt and he played the way he played. He folded under the pressure and that’s fine. That’s what separates elite nba players from just good nba players. I used to think he was elite but after this season and playoffs I realize he’s not. He’s not going to lead an nba team on his own. He’s a sidekick. A 2 or 3 option. That’s not bad to be it just means he’s not in the same tier as lillard and Steph. More like same category as kemba and Bledsoe. Booker is young but the difference is he has even younger teammates. That’s the difference between him and Kyrie. The games lebron didn’t play on Cleveland and Kyrie did he loses games. Research his W-L record when he played without Lebron. It’s a losing record.
Moral of the story: you can’t be an elite type nba player if you fold under pressure. Isn’t that one of the pre-requisites to being elite? Being clutch and dependable?

[BobbieL]

What bout this trade if Jones thinks he has options in Free Agency?

Tyler Johnson Bucks pick
For
JR Smith
Zizic

Suns waive and stretch JR

Cap savings of 16m
Two more years of cap hits of 1.3m

[WeekapaugGroove]

Something that should be noted with Memphis and Conley is if any team 9-14 jumps into the top 4 then their pick moves to 9 and will convey to Boston this year. This could impact how they deal with conley because it would both take them out of this draft and also free them up to go young right now and tank without fear of giving a good pick to Boston next summer.

In this scenario I'm sure Memphis would take the suns 1st for Mike but I'm not sure I'd do that. But I wonder if they would consider something like 32, bucks 1st, Johnson, one of Okobo or Melton and Jackson for him. That's a nice little asset haul with multiple swings at young guys to start a rebuild around JJJ.

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[Ghost of Kleine]

Something that should be noted with Memphis and Conley is if any team 9-14 jumps into the top 4 then their pick moves to 9 and will convey to Boston this year. This could impact how they deal with conley because it would both take them out of this draft and also free them up to go young right now and tank without fear of giving a good pick to Boston next summer.

In this scenario I'm sure Memphis would take the suns 1st for Mike but I'm not sure I'd do that. But I wonder if they would consider something like 32, bucks 1st, Johnson, one of Okobo or Melton and Jackson for him. That's a nice little asset haul with multiple swings at young guys to start a rebuild around JJJ.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

I guess IF they do lose their pick to Boston, AND WE LAND IN THE RANGE OF 5-7, Then I'd absolutely still move the pick for Conley.

But with that consideration, I'd also alter the package a bit due to change in returning value, To be Warren/Johnson/ Jackson / Our pick in the range of 5-7.

( We're also clearing more cap space for free agency this summer by including both Jackson and our pick in the trade too).

And then the right to swap picks in 2020( No protections or conditions)

***Also we keep our Milwaukee pick, And look to package it with our 32nd pick in order to move back up into the first round.

IF there happens to be a targeted value player that we like in the mid to late first round??

***As even though We'd be giving up our lottery pick this year, I strongly believe that Memphis would be a top 7 lottery team at the very least next year, Without Conley. Especially with them being in the West.

That would give us back our lottery pick, But in what looks to be a much better and deeper overall draft.

[BobbieL]

Something that should be noted with Memphis and Conley is if any team 9-14 jumps into the top 4 then their pick moves to 9 and will convey to Boston this year. This could impact how they deal with conley because it would both take them out of this draft and also free them up to go young right now and tank without fear of giving a good pick to Boston next summer.

In this scenario I'm sure Memphis would take the suns 1st for Mike but I'm not sure I'd do that. But I wonder if they would consider something like 32, bucks 1st, Johnson, one of Okobo or Melton and Jackson for him. That's a nice little asset haul with multiple swings at young guys to start a rebuild around JJJ.

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I would do that deal in a heartbeat. Not the top pick of course. But the Bucks pick , 2nd round with TYler and Josh.

I wonder if the Suns get 2 and the Grizz still have a pick if they would want Ja , Josh, Tyler and MeltonOkobo for Conley and there too pick.

[darmani]

Why the hell would anyone want Mike Conley on this team?

Trading anything of value for a 32-years-old Mike **** Conley and his albatross of a contract is absolutely insane. He's massively overrated and overpaid, old as dirt and injury prone. Even though he played with a great bigman in Marc Gasol (and other very solid role players), the Grizzlies were never all that great. They fought for the #8 seed until the last game of the season almost every year. He's not a good leader and he doesn't inspire his teammates and the fans. He's literally the most boring player in the league. If Conley were a free agent this summer, he wouldn't get more than a 2yr/$25-30M contract. He's owed almost $70M... I'd rather trade for Lowry's overpaid, fat ass than Mike **** Conley. At least Lowry's contract will expire next summer.

The Jazz didn't want to trade a stinky turd known as Dante Exum for Mike Conley last February and some people in here want to trade OUR PICK PLUS MORE for him?! Unbelievable.

[King4Day]

In the event Oubre is snatched away from us, has anyones opinions changed on Butler? Seems like he's proving his worth more.

[Kerrsed]

In the event Oubre is snatched away from us, has anyones opinions changed on Butler? Seems like he's proving his worth more.

No.

The issue everyone had with Butler wasnt basketball related, but more so his attitude and the way he carries himself.

He quit on 2 teams. He trashed teammates after he left...but even worse WHILE THEY WERE STILL ON THE SAME TEAM!

He just carries himself like he is gods gift to basketball and treats everyone else like they are beneath him with his piss poor attitude. He is what i like to call a Grade A Douche-Canoe.

But he can play some great basketball.

[WeekapaugGroove]

In the event Oubre is snatched away from us, has anyones opinions changed on Butler? Seems like he's proving his worth more.

No.

The issue everyone had with Butler wasnt basketball related, but more so his attitude and the way he carries himself.

He quit on 2 teams. He trashed teammates after he left...but even worse WHILE THEY WERE STILL ON THE SAME TEAM!

He just carries himself like he is gods gift to basketball and treats everyone else like they are beneath him with his piss poor attitude. He is what i like to call a Grade A Douche-Canoe.

But he can play some great basketball.

Totally agree and I'm someone has a little soft spot for Jimmy because Marquette is my favorite college team so have been following him for years. His attitude on a young team like this is a recipe for disaster. Plus at like $30mil per year for 4 years that contract has a chance to age poorly. As we're seeing with Chris Paul right now it can go quickly when you're older.

Plus the booker and towns thing matters, they are close friends and I think towns legitimately hates butler so it would be a little weird from the start. Then you factor in butler coming in and impeding on Booker's alpha dog role on this team as another wing who likes the ball in his hand and this could go sideways fast. I think booker would take a secondary role to some guys but butler might not be one that it would be an easy thing for him.

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[blee732]

Read on Twitter

Nice to see there's another Suns fan here in Socal

[BobbieL]

In the event Oubre is snatched away from us, has anyones opinions changed on Butler? Seems like he's proving his worth more.

I like Oubre but if his salary gets sideways, the Suns would have 9.6m . That should get a couple players

[King4Day]

In the event Oubre is snatched away from us, has anyones opinions changed on Butler? Seems like he's proving his worth more.

No.

The issue everyone had with Butler wasnt basketball related, but more so his attitude and the way he carries himself.

He quit on 2 teams. He trashed teammates after he left...but even worse WHILE THEY WERE STILL ON THE SAME TEAM!

He just carries himself like he is gods gift to basketball and treats everyone else like they are beneath him with his piss poor attitude. He is what i like to call a Grade A Douche-Canoe.

But he can play some great basketball.

Totally agree and I'm someone has a little soft spot for Jimmy because Marquette is my favorite college team so have been following him for years. His attitude on a young team like this is a recipe for disaster. Plus at like $30mil per year for 4 years that contract has a chance to age poorly. As we're seeing with Chris Paul right now it can go quickly when you're older.

Plus the booker and towns thing matters, they are close friends and I think towns legitimately hates butler so it would be a little weird from the start. Then you factor in butler coming in and impeding on Booker's alpha dog role on this team as another wing who likes the ball in his hand and this could go sideways fast. I think booker would take a secondary role to some guys but butler might not be one that it would be an easy thing for him.

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Great points!

[Walt_Uoob]

Something that should be noted with Memphis and Conley is if any team 9-14 jumps into the top 4 then their pick moves to 9 and will convey to Boston this year. This could impact how they deal with conley because it would both take them out of this draft and also free them up to go young right now and tank without fear of giving a good pick to Boston next summer.

In this scenario I'm sure Memphis would take the suns 1st for Mike but I'm not sure I'd do that. But I wonder if they would consider something like 32, bucks 1st, Johnson, one of Okobo or Melton and Jackson for him. That's a nice little asset haul with multiple swings at young guys to start a rebuild around JJJ.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using RealGM mobile app

I guess IF they do lose their pick to Boston, AND WE LAND IN THE RANGE OF 5-7, Then I'd absolutely still move the pick for Conley.

But with that consideration, I'd also alter the package a bit due to change in returning value, To be Warren/Johnson/ Jackson / Our pick in the range of 5-7.

( We're also clearing more cap space for free agency this summer by including both Jackson and our pick in the trade too).

And then the right to swap picks in 2020( No protections or conditions)

***Also we keep our Milwaukee pick, And look to package it with our 32nd pick in order to move back up into the first round.

IF there happens to be a targeted value player that we like in the mid to late first round??

***As even though We'd be giving up our lottery pick this year, I strongly believe that Memphis would be a top 7 lottery team at the very least next year, Without Conley. Especially with them being in the West.

That would give us back our lottery pick, But in what looks to be a much better and deeper overall draft.

Getting Conley and the right to swap 2020 picks with a Conley-less Memphis team would be tremendous and is my favorite of all the many variations on this plan you've posted. I'd be interested in that if we fall anywhere where we can't get Zion or Morant.

Conley-Booker-Oubre-Someone-Ayton next year, then use the Memphis pick to grab our future PG from what's expected to be a good and deep PG class (as a pale ginger Suns fan I'm partial to Nico Manion), then a year of Conley mentoring that new PG, then a bunch of cap space. Count me in!

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[Ghost of Kleine]

Why the hell would anyone want Mike Conley on this team?

Trading anything of value for a 32-years-old Mike **** Conley and his albatross of a contract is absolutely insane. He's massively overrated and overpaid, old as dirt and injury prone. Even though he played with a great bigman in Marc Gasol (and other very solid role players), the Grizzlies were never all that great. They fought for the #8 seed until the last game of the season almost every year. He's not a good leader and he doesn't inspire his teammates and the fans. He's literally the most boring player in the league. If Conley were a free agent this summer, he wouldn't get more than a 2yr/$25-30M contract. He's owed almost $70M... I'd rather trade for Lowry's overpaid, fat ass than Mike **** Conley. At least Lowry's contract will expire next summer.

The Jazz didn't want to trade a stinky turd known as Dante Exum for Mike Conley last February and some people in here want to trade OUR PICK PLUS MORE for him?! Unbelievable.

Whilst I of course respect your opinions man, I must disagree with your assertions on Conley and his value in terms with what he'd bring to our team.

First, 31 or not, He's still ( even after his injury been putting up near all star numbers. Check out his stats for this last season:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/conlemi01.html.

He's averaging- 21.1 points/ 3.4 rebounds/ and 6.4 assists. With percentages of: 2 point FG% 48.3/ 3 point % 36.4/ Free Throw % 84.1/ and a per of 21.5.


So he clearly would be an upgrade over anything that we currently have on our roster at the guard position.

Now which rookie guard in this draft ( with the exception of probably Morant) has the potential to produce close to those numbers in their first or 2nd year??

- Next, With respect to your concerns over him only being able to lead his team recently to around an 8th seed in the playoffs.

You really need to consider exactly how impressive that truly was, Given the mediocre roster that he's honestly had over the past few years.

Also, He accomplished this in the WESTERN CONFERENCE, The toughest conference in the entire NBA. That's obviously still impressive, 8th seed or not. When was the last time WE as a franchise even sniffed the playoffs???

- With respect to him being a poor leader and boring. I have to disagree, in that he's obviously a really good veteran leader IF again, he's able ( and has the reputation in the league) For leading his team consistently to the playoffs.

Also, it's a well known fact that he's got high characters and a great attitude. There's never been any reports of him being a malcontent or bad teammate, So he'd be a great influence on our young locker room obviously.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.grizzlybearblues.com/platform/amp/2019/5/3/18527960/value-of-mike-conley-part-iii-western-risers-los-angeles-phoenix-nba-trade-memphis-grizzlies .


Next, with respect to his injuries, yes he suffered a terrible injury (ACL), However Again, He's still been producing at near all star levels. As well as him leading his team (despite losing Gasol) to a better record than what we currently have.

- With respect to his massive Contract, He's only got two years before it expires, So that in itself helps negate any level of risk for us. As well as it allows us to ( by the numbers) move Warren and Jackson, OR Warren and Tyler Johnson.

But basically helps us clear up the congestion at the wing position. And better balance the roster too.

And also, His contract, When it becomes an expires, affords us upwards of 30+ million that we can use for the ridiculously loaded 2021 free agency.
Finally, with respect to using our pick, Pretty much the majority of trades that I've proposed, where offers with Warren/Tyler Warren/Tyler Johnson's expiring/ A pick swap ( contingent upon us not being able to draft or trade back up for Morant) and a future conditional first.

And again, in the event that we land outside of the top 3 or so picks, For us to still acquire Conley for a package of say.......Warren/Johnson's expiring/ Jackson ( and our lotto pick in this draft) for their unprotected lottery pick in next year's much deeper draft is easily a win for us prior to free agency.

And that's still not factoring in the close to 10 million in additional cap space acquired that we can add to our current 8-9 million for this summer's free agency.

Giving us close to around 17 million or so in cap space to use for a power forward and additional veteran roster additions.


So in those aspects, He absolutely has value to our franchise......Obviously.

[Qwigglez]

In the event Oubre is snatched away from us, has anyones opinions changed on Butler? Seems like he's proving his worth more.

I like Oubre but if his salary gets sideways, the Suns would have 9.6m . That should get a couple players

Quality over quantity. Would much prefer to keep Oubre (and Bridges). Oubre brings a lot of energy and grit to our team, and his chemistry with Booker is great too. He’s really blossomed in the short amount of time he’s had with us and I’d hate to lose him. I’m hoping if we sign him it’s a similar contract that Gordon got with the Magic, where his salary decreases per year (not the total amount though).

[King4Day]

Why the hell would anyone want Mike Conley on this team?

Trading anything of value for a 32-years-old Mike **** Conley and his albatross of a contract is absolutely insane. He's massively overrated and overpaid, old as dirt and injury prone. Even though he played with a great bigman in Marc Gasol (and other very solid role players), the Grizzlies were never all that great. They fought for the #8 seed until the last game of the season almost every year. He's not a good leader and he doesn't inspire his teammates and the fans. He's literally the most boring player in the league. If Conley were a free agent this summer, he wouldn't get more than a 2yr/$25-30M contract. He's owed almost $70M... I'd rather trade for Lowry's overpaid, fat ass than Mike **** Conley. At least Lowry's contract will expire next summer.

The Jazz didn't want to trade a stinky turd known as Dante Exum for Mike Conley last February and some people in here want to trade OUR PICK PLUS MORE for him?! Unbelievable.

Whilst I of course respect your opinions man, I must disagree with your assertions on Conley and his value in terms with what he'd bring to our team.

First, 31 or not, He's still ( even after his injury been putting up near all star numbers. Check out his stats for this last season:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/conlemi01.html.

He's averaging- 21.1 points/ 3.4 rebounds/ and 6.4 assists. With percentages of: 2 point FG% 48.3/ 3 point % 36.4/ Free Throw % 84.1/ and a per of 21.5.


So he clearly would be an upgrade over anything that we currently have on our roster at the guard position.

Now which rookie guard in this draft ( with the exception of probably Morant) has the potential to produce close to those numbers in their first or 2nd year??

- Next, With respect to your concerns over him only being able to lead his team recently to around an 8th seed in the playoffs.

You really need to consider exactly how impressive that truly was, Given the mediocre roster that he's honestly had over the past few years.

Also, He accomplished this in the WESTERN CONFERENCE, The toughest conference in the entire NBA. That's obviously still impressive, 8th seed or not. When was the last time WE as a franchise even sniffed the playoffs???

- With respect to him being a poor leader and boring. I have to disagree, in that he's obviously a really good veteran leader IF again, he's able ( and has the reputation in the league) For leading his team consistently to the playoffs.

Also, it's a well known fact that he's got high characters and a great attitude. There's never been any reports of him being a malcontent or bad teammate, So he'd be a great influence on our young locker room obviously.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.grizzlybearblues.com/platform/amp/2019/5/3/18527960/value-of-mike-conley-part-iii-western-risers-los-angeles-phoenix-nba-trade-memphis-grizzlies .


Next, with respect to his injuries, yes he suffered a terrible injury (ACL), However Again, He's still been producing at near all star levels. As well as him leading his team (despite losing Gasol) to a better record than what we currently have.

- With respect to his massive Contract, He's only got two years before it expires, So that in itself helps negate any level of risk for us. As well as it allows us to ( by the numbers) move Warren and Jackson, OR Warren and Tyler Johnson.

But basically helps us clear up the congestion at the wing position. And better balance the roster too.

And also, His contract, When it becomes an expires, affords us upwards of 30+ million that we can use for the ridiculously loaded 2021 free agency.
Finally, with respect to using our pick, Pretty much the majority of trades that I've proposed, where offers with Warren/Tyler Warren/Tyler Johnson's expiring/ A pick swap ( contingent upon us not being able to draft or trade back up for Morant) and a future conditional first.

And again, in the event that we land outside of the top 3 or so picks, For us to still acquire Conley for a package of say.......Warren/Johnson's expiring/ Jackson ( and our lotto pick in this draft) for their unprotected lottery pick in next year's much deeper draft is easily a win for us prior to free agency.

And that's still not factoring in the close to 10 million in additional cap space acquired that we can add to our current 8-9 million for this summer's free agency.

Giving us close to around 17 million or so in cap space to use for a power forward and additional veteran roster additions.


So in those aspects, He absolutely has value to our franchise......Obviously.

I'm a fan of the idea but just don't see Memphis giving an unprotected 1st next year when (assuming it doesn't already go to Boston), it'll be extremely valuable.

[LukasBMW]

Westbrook won't happen, but if all it took was #3 + TJ + Tyler + Okobo + the Bucks pick...Sign me up!

We roll into next year rocking:

Westbrook
Booker
Bridges/JJ
Oubre
Ayton/Holmes

Add some vets at the 4 and 2 and we are set.

Westbrook and Oubre would really bring the fire.