The Trade Thread: All Eyes Toward The Offseason

[Qwigglez]

I truly believe Booker has saved McDonough's job. No doubt. If Booker was not doing what he is doing, see ya later McDonough. Especially since McDonough's free agency moves the past two years have been a disaster. And I do not trust his vision. The whole dual point guard thing for three years is the dumbest idea in basketball and everyone knows it. Yeah let's get two undersized point guards who both want the ball and see how it works out each year. What a joke.

Bledsoe/Knight aren't undersized for PG's but I get your point.
McD has swung for the fences in free agency and struck out every time. But... all we need is that one homer. He's hit one in the draft, and a couple of doubles but maybe he lands that one huge trade over the summer. That's really the best we can hope for besides getting a top 2 draft pick.

[nevetsov]

With the core of Bled/ Book/ TJ/ Len already in place, I can see us trading the pick (along with other pieces) for a good young PF if we don't like anyone in the draft as a PF fit or with the talent to become a stud.

McD has shown he can pull a franchise guy from the mid first round so he'll probably back himself, but for the sake of argument, who do you think would be a good PF fit on this team?

Or taking a step backwards, who do you think the top 5-10 PFs will be in the league in 3-4 years time? And which could be targeted now?

Portis
Dray Green
Griffin (maybe just past prime)
Antetokoumpo (point F next to Jabari)
Portzingis
Gordon
Vonleh
Aldridge (declining)
Favors

Slim pickings. How many of these does Bender project to be better than?

[LukasBMW]

I agree 100% that good PF's are not very common now. If prime Amare (pre microfracture Amare that attacked the rim) was in the league now, he'd probably be right behind Curry in MVP voting.

If we can't get Ingram or Simmons, I'd consider trading our pick + tucker and Knight for Blake. He may be a d-bag, but dude has game. He'd be a perfect fit for us.

Bledsoe/FA
Booker/Bogdon
TJ/FA
Blake/Teletovic
Len/Chandler

Draft another big at #12
Throw max money at Batum for our SF
Sign a FA PG
Bring over BB or possibly sign a vet SG

[bwgood77]

With the core of Bled/ Book/ TJ/ Len already in place, I can see us trading the pick (along with other pieces) for a good young PF if we don't like anyone in the draft as a PF fit or with the talent to become a stud.

McD has shown he can pull a franchise guy from the mid first round so he'll probably back himself, but for the sake of argument, who do you think would be a good PF fit on this team?

Or taking a step backwards, who do you think the top 5-10 PFs will be in the league in 3-4 years time? And which could be targeted now?

Portis
Dray Green
Griffin (maybe just past prime)
Antetokoumpo (point F next to Jabari)
Portzingis
Gordon
Vonleh
Aldridge (declining)
Favors

Slim pickings. How many of these does Bender project to be better than?

I don't see any of those being attainable. Possibly Vonleh, but if you look at that list, all but him were drafted by the team they are on. That's they way to build and that's the way we should build. Shortcuts usually backfire. He needs to draft another Book type talent at the PF position....or swing for the fences on two (Bender/Chriss), or swing on one and take a semi safe one on two (Bender/Sabonis).

I wish we had seen more of Labissiere this year, because I guess he has range out to the 3...that combined with his shot blocking is another swing for the fence guy. If no Bender, then it's a toss up what will happen. Most here seem to want Dunn or Hield, and on the original poll, Brown, but I don't know if that has cooled or people less enthused about him. Then there is Ellenson who I have no idea what to think of at this point.

The best thing for trade is to find an underutilized guy stuck on the bench behind a star, and develop him. Not sure who that could be, but there has to be someone out there. Many guys blossom after moving because they were raw and developing on their first teams (Jermaine O'Neal and many others).

[saintEscaton]

With the core of Bled/ Book/ TJ/ Len already in place, I can see us trading the pick (along with other pieces) for a good young PF if we don't like anyone in the draft as a PF fit or with the talent to become a stud.

McD has shown he can pull a franchise guy from the mid first round so he'll probably back himself, but for the sake of argument, who do you think would be a good PF fit on this team?

Or taking a step backwards, who do you think the top 5-10 PFs will be in the league in 3-4 years time? And which could be targeted now?

Portis
Dray Green
Griffin (maybe just past prime)
Antetokoumpo (point F next to Jabari)
Portzingis
Gordon
Vonleh
Aldridge (declining)
Favors

Slim pickings. How many of these does Bender project to be better than?

Bender is probably two years from being two years away so we may not even know by then, too early to tell he may only do the bare minimum pre-draft, might not be willing to participate in individual team workouts that could lower his stock. The only acquirable PFs from that list are Vonleh/Portis who I'm not that high on enough to overpay, would rather roll the dice with our own pick. Also some of you are overvaluing a 4th/5th pick in a historically bad class, where the talent drop off isn't that big after the Top 2

[AtheJ415]

I think we're going to trade Knight and I think people will be surprised with what we get for him. How he plays is frustrating but people with his talent are still rare at his age, and that gives him upside regardless of how many feel here.

As in, a bad haul?

Opposite.

[Mulhollanddrive]

I think our best strategy is to funnel talent around Devin Booker's peak 23-30, that starts from 2020.

In 2020 Chandler will be 37, Tucker 34, Bledsoe 30, Knight 28. That would be terrible planning if that was the supporting cast we ended up with because we wanted to keep chasing the 8th seed for the next 2-3 years.

[DirtyDez]

I think our best strategy is to funnel talent around Devin Booker's peak 23-30, that starts from 2020.

In 2020 Chandler will be 37, Tucker 34, Bledsoe 30, Knight 28. That would be terrible planning if that was the supporting cast we ended up with because we wanted to keep chasing the 8th seed.

Those guys will be off the books by then except for Knight. He'll be gone this summer.

The Suns plan of attack next year should be putting together a really nice season like the Jazz or Blazers. We will look attractive to FA's and have cap space assets to acquire someone thru trade and via FA. That's best case.

Next summer will be another year closer to the Miami pick being relevant so that will help.

[saintEscaton]

We need to tank for another year IMO, especially if we get no favors and miss out on the crown jewels

[DirtyDez]

We need to tank for another year IMO, especially if we get no favors and miss out on the crown jewels

If half the team gets injured again I'd agree.

[asudevil]

I think that with the assets the sun's have right now, and if the market allows it, they have a potential to land 2 top players via trade. Looking back over the past 15 years, there have been quite a few big name guys who have been traded. If you look at the trade board, star trades are absolutely absurd. And if history proves, gutting your picks and youth does not work. Only stupid GM's go out on a limb and gut a roster for one guy. The vast majority of star trades end up being for the most part underwhelming.

Ray Allan - Top5 pick, young guy, filler
Garnett - 1st, Top Prospect, young guy, filler
Shaq - 1st, Prospect, established vet, filler
CP3 - 1st, Top Prospect, filler
Gasol - 2 1sts, Euro prospect, filler

And then you have the overpays:

Deron - Top Prospect, established vet, 2 firsts
Melo - 3 Top prospects, 1st, 2 2nds

I've seen plenty of trades that involve the suns sending out Knight or Bledsoe/Booker/4 Firsts for ONE GUY. Realistically, it's not going to happen.

[bwgood77]

We need to tank for another year IMO, especially if we get no favors and miss out on the crown jewels

I think we will likely again unintentionally tank, however, given how we have been competing tough with some teams of late, who knows?

[King4Day]

Given Bledsoe was having a breakout year, the likelihood that Warren takes the next step, and Booker playing alongside EB, barring injury, I see no way we don't compete for a playoff spot.

[Damkac]

Several teams called the Chicago Bulls at the deadline about the availability of Jimmy Butler.

The Boston Celtics were one of the teams to call the Bulls and were rebuffed.

Several teams are expected to try again on trading for Butler in the offseason.

The Orlando Magic are a team that several executive identified as capable of dealing for Butler.

Butler is in the first season of a five-year, $95 million contract that contains a player option after Year 4.

Wonder if Suns were one of those teams. I want to rebuild through draft but if we have to trade for a star I would definitely take Butler over guys like Love, Irving or even Harden.

[LukasBMW]

Booker can be our Butler.

I bet the Celtics were trying to pick up Love and Butler at the deadline. They seem intent on building a new big 3 just like us.

[jcsunsfan]

Howabout we draft Buddy Hield in this draft, then sign Hassan Whiteside this summer. We can then draft Sabonis with the 12th pick. Knight and the other picks can be used to fill out the roster.

Bledsoe, FA pg
Booker, Hield
TJ, Bogdan, PJ
Len, Sabonis
Whiteside, Chandler

I am pondering this one.

[bwgood77]

Howabout we draft Buddy Hield in this draft, then sign Hassan Whiteside this summer. We can then draft Sabonis with the 12th pick. Knight and the other picks can be used to fill out the roster.

Bledsoe, FA pg
Booker, Hield
TJ, Bogdan, PJ
Len, Sabonis
Whiteside, Chandler

I am pondering this one.

We could not guard small ball fours or even a lot of 4s with that. Len needs to play center for the most part. I wouldn't mind signing Whiteside, but I think it's improbable he signs here.

I don't know if you read Lowe's article (regarding Cleveland), but there was a little blurb in there that said sources around the league think LeBron needs to be surrounded with defensive role players and not Irving and Love. I thought that if they could unload those guys and add guys like Bledsoe, Tucker and Chandler, it might be the type of players that work better around him, however, it would have to be a bigger deal, because I think Irving could go elsewhere and possibly we could net Love with that kind of deal.

I bring this all up because I think if we were going to go after a guy like Whiteside, we need to get rid of Chandler. I'd still go after any difference maker we could in the offseason, but maybe in that case we draft Dunn, and go after another pg in FA or trade, like maybe Teague. I don't know if Atlanta would want Knight, but if we could somehow deal them Knight in some sort of package that brought back Teague and do a deal I mentioned above, then....

Teague, Dunn
Booker, Jenkins, Bogdanovic
Warren, Bogdanovic
Love, Sabonis
Whiteside, Len

That is very poor defensively, and off the cusp right after signing in and reading your post, so I haven't put a lot of thought into it, but it would be fun offensively with a great pair of rebounders and a shot blocker.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Given Bledsoe was having a breakout year, the likelihood that Warren takes the next step, and Booker playing alongside EB, barring injury, I see no way we don't compete for a playoff spot.

Strongly disagree.

Bledsoe, Booker, Warren, Len, Chandler is no better than Milwaukee's team today.

Overrating your playoff chances leads to recruiting Chandler or Knight or Gay or Jefferson or Monroe or Rondo, being a bad rebuilding team for a decade and having to rely on accidentally getting something right like getting a Booker or Giannis as a late lotto pick.

[SC923]

I have high hopes for this offseason but would be satisfied with drafting Hield and Chriss/Sabonis at 12 then signing Ryan Anderson.
Bledsoe/Knight/Price
Booker/Hield/Goodwin
Tucker/Warren
Anderson/Chriss/Sabonis
Len/Chandler

As much as I hate Knight I think a trio of him Hield and Warren can lead one of the best bench units in the NBA. Pretty good starting group too. We really are not as far away from the playoffs as everyone thinks.

[SC923]

I have high hopes for this offseason but would be satisfied with drafting Hield and Chriss/Sabonis at 12 then signing Ryan Anderson.
Bledsoe/Knight/Price
Booker/Hield/Goodwin
Tucker/Warren
Anderson/Chriss/Sabonis
Len/Chandler

As much as I hate Knight I think a trio of him Hield and Warren can lead one of the best bench units in the NBA. Pretty good starting group too. We really are not as far away from the playoffs as everyone thinks.

Forgot about Bogdan too