Our next superstar

[LukasBMW]

McDonough has made it no secret that the Suns are actively looking to acquire another "exciting" player.

This has many of us talking about possible players that may be available.

I'd suggest this player meet 1 of the 2 criteria below:

1. The player needs to be a top 15 NBA player. This means he is a perennial allstar and/or perennial all NBA team member. No guys who have made 2 or 3 all star teams or occasioanlly make the ALL NBA 2nd or 3rd team.

2. The player needs to be a young (4 years in league or less) with NO serious injury history. Why? Many young players show promise, get hurt, and are NEVER the same. Any young player that already has trouble with injuries is a no/no for our franchise guy.

[Kerrsed]

JAMES HARDEN!!!!!


Oh wait, that was last years.

I would target Westbrook. If we could pair him and Bledsoe up, that would be amazing. Gortat/Dragic/2014 Indiana 1st/ Whoever they want (excluding Goodwin/Len).

[SUN]

He's good....ish. - Ryan McDonalds

[TASTIC]

I think it's either Love or Westbrook...Maybe Cousins

[SUN]

I think it's either Love or Westbrook...Maybe Cousins

Cousins? Don't you mean twins?

[TASTIC]

I think it's either Love or Westbrook...Maybe Cousins

Cousins? Don't you mean twins?

ha, you must be butter. Cos you're on a roll

[DRK]

Lance Banks Logic:

Gortat, Morris, Dudley and a pick is too much for James Harden.

[phrazbit]

As much as I love to rip Lance Blanks, I dont think our roster optioned appealed to them anyway. Lamb was a better prospect than anything we could offer, Martin was a proven high level starter on an appealing contract that, in theory, could replace Harden and they got two first round picks, the Toronto lotto guaranteed one looking really appealing at the time.

Unless the Suns tossed at least one, if not two unprotected firsts, and i know no one here would have wanted to back then, we could not trump Houston's offer. But in a backwards way you can rip Blanks... because its his horrible GMing that led us to having almost no assets.

As for Westbrook. Why would OKC do that? When they traded Harden they made their bed. There is no chance they would trade Westbrook unless they got back another legit star to pair with Durant. No way in hell they'd ship him for a couple mediocre players and middling picks.

[SUN]

I think it's either Love or Westbrook...Maybe Cousins

Cousins? Don't you mean twins?

ha, you must be butter. Cos you're on a roll

well aren't you just the cutest thing

[SUN]

Lance Banks Logic:

Gortat, Morris, Dudley and a pick is too much for James Harden.

Wasn't it Blanks? (asians smh)

[Kerrsed]

I think Westbrook all the way.

He takes shots away from Durant. There also have been stories about those two (which they deny). OKC loves themselves some draft picks. Its how they built their team, and have continued to obtain decent draft picks to keep the team young and relevant. If they could pick up a decent PG (Dragic) to replace Westbrook, a good C (Gortat), and a draft pick or two, it would greatly help them, along with their payroll.

They have over $30M tied up in Durant & Westbrook over the next 3 years (Durant is signed for 3 & Westbook is signed for 4). According to Hoopshype in Durants final year (2015/2016), he will be making $21,221,850 and Westbrook will be making $16,744,218. Thats $38M on just two players. Add on Ibaka's 4 year deal ($12.25M every season), and thats $50M on 3 players in a small market. It doesnt give them much room to keep decent talent surrounding them. Thats one of the major reasons why the HAD to trade Harden. The cant afford all that.

Dragic is a good defender (which i think in the right situation could become a great defender), good assist man, and is a good scorer. Gortat is an instant upgrade over Perkins, and is probably the best C that OKC can actually get, and get at a good price, helping their cap situation. Adding a draft pick (1st round) will be a must. Maybe add in our 2014 2nd round pick as well.

The deal i would offer them is:

Dragic/Gortat/Brown/Marshall/Pacers 2014 1st/Suns 2014 2nd for Westbrook/Perkins.

They get a decent haul and get to dump Perkins. Brown gives them a scorer off the bench (like what Martin provided) but he is also an expiring. If they can get Marshall to reach his full potential, that would be great and do wonders for Durant and the rest of the Thunder.

Yeah we get stuck with Perkins awful contract, but it would only be until the end of next season, and maybe he could teach Len a thing or two about toughness.

Bledsoe/Westbrook/Wiggins/??????/Len

[Ryu]

Dunno, Bledsoe and Westbrook are too similar for my taste.

I`d be patient, develop Bledsoe, Len, Goodwin and Morris bros this season, get high pick next summer (and hope for one of Wiggins/Parker/Randle) and then see what we need.

[Revived]

OKC has already gotten so much heat for trading Harden, I can't see them trading Westbrook or Ibaka now.

Especially since they choose Westbrook as their guy over Harden.

[Revived]

As to this thread, I don't think the Suns will trade for their franchise player, I think it's gonna be a player that was drafted and developed by us.

[phrazbit]

kerrsed, I dont know that I could disagree strongly enough. That would be a laughable offer for Westbrook.

Brown and Marshall are worthless, so ignore them, you also can ignore the 2nd round pick, Gortat is due for an extension, so if this deal is about finances then trading for him does not help much. If they decide to extend Gortat at the 10+ mil a year he is expected to demand they're in an even worse financial bind than they would be with Westbrook.

Basically that offer boils down to: A one year rental of Gortat, a mediocre starter in Dragic and what will end up being a very late 1st rounder from the Pacers. Its a laughable offer. In a few years time Durant would have gone from being with Westbrook and Harden to playing along side Dragic and the 28th pick in next years draft. Durant would demand out about two minutes after hearing about the deal.

Even if the Thunder decide they will EVENTUALLY be in a financial crunch they still have several years to go before having to consider a trade, especially not one for pennies on the dollar. If you want to make a realistic offer I think at minimum its Len, Bledsoe and two protected 1sts or the Suns 2014 first unprotected. And honestly, I dont think they'd take it. They have two legit superstars in hand and are currently in good financial straights, they have to be completely blown away to mess with that, especially after the embarrassment of the Harden trade.

[Frank Lee]

To me ... DeMarcus is our best bet. The Kings look horrible.... and they may be so bad that Cousins won't re-sign any deal with them. Its not like Sactown is a great place to live either. He's a load on and off the court, which may play into a deal. Can he be reigned in if he was on a winning team and was happy ? Would GORTAT and a pick or two do it ? He's going to get some hay next yr.... but you gotta feed a horse like that.

I'd like to think we could get Love here... but thats a three team deal, and Love has to initiate it. Gasol/Picks to minny, Gortat + to LA.... Love to us ? I just don't see it.

and NUTS to any deal sending out Dragic. Let him peak here before we pack him up. The kid is in a prime setting to succeed.

PS.... mediocre starter ? come on Pzzbit..... though I agree with the rest of your OKC reaction. Kerrsed has had his trade machine set on them for the past yr. I'm just surprised he didn't include PJonesIII somewhere in there.

[nevetsov]

Has to be a forward - we either target Love during the season, or make Paul George a max offer in the offseason.

[gaspar]

Beasley.

[Ryu]

Has to be a forward - we either target Love during the season, or make Paul George a max offer in the offseason.

Paul George would look great alongside Bledsoe and Dragic but I cannot see him out of Indiana anytime soon.

[nevetsov]

Won't stop us (and many others) making him a max offer though.