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The Suns also have shown interest in a bigger splash for Utah’s Al Jefferson or Gordon Hayward. Dudley could be a part of either of those deals with center Marcin Gortat likely needed to make one work for Jefferson, a 28-year-old power forward who makes $14 million and is averaging 17.4 points and 9.5 rebounds. Hayward, a 22-year-old swingman, is averaging 13.5 points in a reserve role.

in Arizona Republic

Hard to imagine Gortat in Utah for two reasons:

- They have Favors and Kanter waiting for big minutes. Their potential surpasses Gortat current ability.
- He is always abused when he plays against Utah. Seems like its his kriptonyte, Utah FO might be unimpressed if they do not follow other games of his.


Jefferson is not the big free agent we should seek, IMO. But I'd love to have Hayward here.

Jefferson? Some guys just want to see the world burn.

Yea, i don't get the Jefferson thing since the suns are rebuilding and are trying to become a better defensive team. That said, I would also love to have Hayward on the Suns.

Bulk wrote:

The Suns also have shown interest in a bigger splash for Utah’s Al Jefferson or Gordon Hayward. Dudley could be a part of either of those deals with center Marcin Gortat likely needed to make one work for Jefferson, a 28-year-old power forward who makes $14 million and is averaging 17.4 points and 9.5 rebounds. Hayward, a 22-year-old swingman, is averaging 13.5 points in a reserve role.

in Arizona Republic

Hard to imagine Gortat in Utah for two reasons:

- They have Favors and Kanter waiting for big minutes. Their potential surpasses Gortat current ability.
- He is always abused when he plays against Utah. Seems like its his kriptonyte, Utah FO might be unimpressed if they do not follow other games of his.


Jefferson is not the big free agent we should seek, IMO. But I'd love to have Hayward here.

Gortat has had some very good games against Utah in the past (including last 2). Also, you think a team will make a trade without doing some extensive research about a player?

Nay to Al Jeff, but Hayward would be awesome.

Which is why I don't see Utah letting him go.

It's just getting sadder.

Our front office is hell bent on making us the joke of the league. Al Jefferson makes no sense from an immediate acquisition or in our long-term plans, if we even have a long-term plan which it appears more and more likely that we do not. Hayward is going to cost a king's ransom, especially since his current team adores him.

It seems we are being associated with every tradeable free agent in the league which I can only attribute to our front office knowing they will get fired and are looking to make a splash move to bring excitement to the fans. However, these moves ever rarely work out and I have a bad feeling they are going to completely eff up our future by trading away draft picks for some marginal talent that will turn us back into a .500 treadmill team.

The sooner Babby and Blanks are fired, the better off I'll feel about our future.

SunZel wrote::lol: Yea, i don't get the Jefferson thing since the suns are rebuilding and are trying to become a better defensive team. That said, I would also love to have Hayward on the Suns.

We signed Scola while rebuilding so it wouldn't surprise me if we took him on somehow.

I like Jefferson. I like him alot. He's a beast! With that being said, i read this earlier this morning:

Latest word on Utah Jazz and who they'll keep vs. deal between Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap: Jefferson is the likeliest to stay right now, according to several opposing team executives. Consensus is the Jazz can't afford to keep both with Gordon Hayward soon to be eligible for an extension and the belief that Hayward is in the team's long-term plans.Ric Bucher

Jazz know they can keep both Jefferson and Millsap while also having the ability to re-sign Hayward. Hayward is in their future. As for the other guys, Jefferson >> Millsap and Favors >>Kanter, so it makes sense for them to keep Jefferson over Millsap.

I do like where they are looking at taking our team though. Shumpert, Smith, Jefferson, all defensive players.

I haven't checked his stats in Utah, but when Jefferson was in Minny/Boston, he was the worst big man defender in the entire league.

The reason I remember this so clearly is because somebody called Amare the worst big man defender in the entire league, and when I checked it out...he was 2nd to last. Ahead of Jefferson, lol.

If true...

Suns FO are pathetic....


Al Jefferson is not ideal for a team vying for a bottom 5 finish...
He is better to join a team contending for a playoff spot already.


These rumours may be to increase value for these guys but ya deeply worrisome since Suns FO are terrible.

The Suns can still tank for this year, but next year with the picks and free-agents signed (if any) Jefferson would add value to the team. I am the minority on this board who wanted Al on the team long ago. Everyone on this board said he is too slow for the ofense and would be a liability. In my opinion Al is the closest player in the league to Tim Duncan 4 or 5 years ago as far as post up game, he is a beast in the post. His size, strength, and post moves makes you have to double him down low against almost anyone not to mention he rebounds his posistion well. The fact that he isnt the best defender is offset by the fact that he can score so well for me, not like these other bums on the team are stopping anyone anyway. I would take Al for Gortat and fillers if the front office thinks they can re-sign him.

If for no other reasons I would take Al, his mid-range jumper is lights out, if you close out on him he still has the speed and smarts to get to the rim, and unlike Gortat, when he gets to the rim he FINISHES HARD!!! No weak little flip shots and lay-ups rolling off of the back of the rim. Al is a beast!!! Would be no more getting bullied and pushed around in the post like Gortat does.

If you guys haven't realized that the Hawks, Knicks and Jazz are using the Suns to boost their own players' values in the eyes of other teams yet, I don't know what to tell you....

Sun Scorched wrote:If you guys haven't realized that the Hawks, Knicks and Jazz are using the Suns to boost their own players' values in the eyes of other teams yet, I don't know what to tell you....

Maybe Hawks and Jazz, but it's definitely the Suns who are interested in Shumpert, not the Knicks trying to boost his value.

Sun Scorched wrote:If you guys haven't realized that the Hawks, Knicks and Jazz are using the Suns to boost their own players' values in the eyes of other teams yet, I don't know what to tell you....

Except that we are cutting down minutes for starters and playing the younger guys much more which in every major sport usually signals that a trade is coming, especially when Dudley only gets 8 minutes of playing time.

If you haven't realized that Babby/Blanks are just trying to acquire a big name free agent to keep their jobs than I don't know what else to tell you either.

RunSunRun wrote:

Sun Scorched wrote:If you guys haven't realized that the Hawks, Knicks and Jazz are using the Suns to boost their own players' values in the eyes of other teams yet, I don't know what to tell you....

Except that we are cutting down minutes for starters and playing the younger guys much more which in every major sport usually signals that a trade is coming, especially when Dudley only gets 8 minutes of playing time.

If you haven't realized that Babby/Blanks are just trying to acquire a big name free agent to keep their jobs than I don't know what else to tell you either.

Acquiring a big name free agent is one thing. Sending young players and picks for pending free agents in another - it's the kind of thing that gets you fired.

And giving more minutes to young guys is exaclty what we all knew would happen with Hunter at the helm - while trades may be brewing, these things are uncorrelated.

My thought in hearing those rumors is that the pipe dream is Phoenix would love to get Hayward--which isn't going to happen--but then were considering dumping non-expiring deals of Gortat ($7.7 mill next year) and Dudley ($4.25 mill for the next 3 years) for the expiring Al Jefferson.

Kerrsed wrote:do like where they are looking at taking our team though. Shumpert, Smith, Jefferson, all defensive players.

Not sure if serious...

Jefferson is terrible at defense.

Can somebody enlighten me why is Gordon Hayward so special? I really struggle to see enough upside there...

You are right, he isnt a strong defender, so you put defenders around him ala Bell and Marion with Steve and Amare. Draft and trade to put strong defenders around him, you know like Shumpert, Tucker, and Josh Smith.... all strong defenders now with a potent scorer big in Jefferson and a good (not great yet), Dragic running the asylum!!