In Amare S&T if not D. Lee, then Who?

[SideSwipe]

Sorry Miklo and other mods, I didn't see anyone take the bait to talk more about this, but I think it is a good topic for us to explore. If we get the S&T from NYK but lose out on Lee, who are the other targets out there that we might go after with the S&T space?

Jefferson?
Package from GSW?

Who else could help us fill the gaps, that PHX might have a semi-realistic shot at prying away?

[MaryvalesFinest]

Ike Diogu

[ruiner]

Hakim Warrick.

[TheMan44]

Nobody.

Suns stick to Warrick. Add Lawal and Reynolds to the roster. Then pick up Kurt Thomas veteran minimum contract. Perhaps explore a Barbosa trade for CAP space and turn around to sign a veteran shooting guard like Rasul Butler or Flip Murray.


G Nash/Dragic/Reynolds
G Rich/Barbs (or free agent if Barbs is traded)
F Hill/Duds/Clark
F Warrick/Kurt/Lawal
C Lopez/Frye

[Qwigglez]

The Suns could do a variety of trades with a TPE.
Al Jefferson
Andre Iguadala
Emeka Okafor
Josh Smith
LaMarcus Aldridge

All those guys seem to be expendable... somewhat.

[carey]

I would love Josh Smith. Last year he really turned his career around. More selective shots, better defense... I can only imagine what playing with the good guys of the Suns would do to him. And after signing JJ to 20M a season the Hawks are at a ridiculous 69M with only 9 guys right now. I'm sure they will want to ship out Williams and Zaza before Smith but if they are forced to I would take him in a heartbeat.

Don't beat me, but I think Frye has the potential to be as good as LMA... and at 1/2 the price.

Consider LMA played 37 min a game to Frye's 27, posted 18 & 8 to Frye's 11 & 5. Would a bump to 16 and 8 be out of the realm of possibility with 10 more minutes a game? In heavy minutes the last 2 games of the LAL series he pulled down double digit boards (small sample size obviously). Scoring wise, that's 1 extra 3 and a deuce per game... and he comes at 1/2 the salary. I don't know, whenever I think of Frye I think of LMA and not just because they played together. I guess really he's our Mehmet Okur. Though he shoots better than Okur and will have better stats for 3M LESS next year.

Heck no to Okafor, he'd die at the Suns pace. He can barely keep up with the Hornets who for some reason force CP3 to play in a 1/2 court set every time down the floor instead of running. I guess cause Posey, Peja, and Okafor are slow as hell.

AI's contract is to big and EC is our small forward of the future. I'd probably pass on AJ too. I don't like the injury history and although it'd be neat to have someone w/ a legit back to the basket game I'm not sure we'd know what to do if we ever had him. We haven't had anyone like that since Barkley.

[DirtyDez]

Ike Diogu

Sun Devil homer.

[MaryvalesFinest]

Ike Diogu

Sun Devil homer.

That didn't even come across my mind but now that you mention it, that would be interesting to have an ASU and UA guy on the team, didn't he and Frye used to battle against eachother?

[DirtyDez]

Ike Diogu

Sun Devil homer.

That didn't even come across my mind but now that you mention it, that would be interesting to have an ASU and UA guy on the team, didn't he and Frye used to battle against eachother?

Yes and Diogu was the much better player in college. He won Pac 10 Player of the Year in 05' and is now outta the league. If you wanna make it in the NBA play for Lute!

[SideSwipe]

Thanks Qwigglez and Carey for providing non-homer feedback. Josh Smith and Igoudala pop right out at me, with Iggy probably being the more attainable. I would give up Clark to get Smith I think for sure. That would give ATL some compensation other than straight cap relief, but this is serious pip dreaming to think Smith is coming here. It would probably need to start with Lopez to talk about getting Smith...and even then I am not sure we would have the pieces.

Jefferson, Iggy seem the most plausible after Lee. Anyone else have more thoughts out there? Interesting analysis on LMA/Frye. They don't look that far apart, though I will say that it becomes exponentially harder to average greater numbers the higher you get.

[DirtyDez]

The Suns could do a variety of trades with a TPE.
Al Jefferson
Andre Iguadala
Emeka Okafor
Josh Smith
LaMarcus Aldridge

All those guys seem to be expendable... somewhat.

I think Okafor is the only guy we could get for TPE but i don't see us paying him 50 mil over the next 4 years. All the other guys are borderline all-stars we'd need to give up some talent or picks to get them. I've been on the Iggy bandwagon for a while but i don't see em taking J-Rich swap. My 2 favs at PF would be Jefferson and Horford. Although they both play undersized center i like their rebounding and post-scoring. There's not a player other than Dragic, Lopez or Clark i'd give up for either AJ or Horford.

[RunDogGun]

Yes and Diogu was the much better player in college. He won Pac 10 Player of the Year in 05' and is now outta the league. If you wanna make it in the NBA play for Lute!

I was actually wanting Ike for the past few years. I thought he would be great coming off the bench for us. But his last two games last year for SAC was quite impressive. He finally got the minutes and had a 32/11 game and a 28/13 game.

I also thought Craig Smith would be a good backup PF. Oddly both are shorter PFs, but seem to play tougher and taller than they are.

[KJ7]

IIRC Ike has a 7'4" wingspan and due to that I thought he might make it in the league. I think he needs to start moulding himself into a role player (ie. concentrated on D and hitting the boards and develop a respectable 18 foot jumper).

I think his main problem is that he hasn't broken out of being the go-to guy in the post and he just isn't up to it on every/most possessions in this league. He'd prolly destroy most teams bench players but not their starters. Felt the same way about Sheldon Williams as well altho I was more certain Sheldon was a poor high draft pick.

[pidi]

i don´t know if this has been mentioned before, but accoring to the wiretap, the wolves have a strong interest in dlee. could we work on a 3 team deal involving ama´re, dlee and jefferson.

al wants to leave, not sure if he can run and gun but he would b a nice piece. let the others do the math..

[BobbieL]

How about takin g $10m of that remaining TPE and calling up a cash strapped team (supposedly if the ownership deal falls through) in the Big Easy and asking for David West.

Worth the phone call ifyou ask me. They can even use my minutes on my cell - I do have free long distance.

[KLEON]

Why do you people want Al Jefferson here, he doesn't fit the Sun's system

[GHillDrnksSpryt]

Why do you people want Al Jefferson here, he doesn't fit the Sun's system

not only that, hes not as effective since he started the subway diet.

[sunskerr]

Yep, Al Jefferson is slower than Shaq or Yao. Was there ever a more earthbound forward?

If not Lee...hmm... nah still want Lee.

[sunsbum]

I like Brandon Bass, he buried on orlandos bench and is probably expendable.

[grumpysaddle]

Jefferson would be AWFUL in the Suns system. People need to stop suggesting the Suns get him. The only player I really want the Suns to pick up would be David Lee. David West, I don't even care about him, overrated player, IMO. If the Suns could also somehow find a way to move Barbs in that CLE deal, then find a way to move J-Rich for Iguodala (pipe dream, I know).

Nash/Dragic
Iguodala/Moon(could maybe play SG, though I could be being an idiot here)
Hill/Dudley/Clark/Moon
Lee/Warrick/Lawal
Lopez/Frye

That would be an amazing team.