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It seems to me that Phoenix has enough offense and really needs to get a defensive anchor. Gasol and the Laters put up his worst defensive numbers in team history last month. It could be Gasol focusing more on offense last month or a further indication of what a poor defensive coach that D'Antoni is... but wouldn't a trade of Okafor and 2 firsts (ours and Indiana's) for Asik be a better deal. We need a defensive Anchor and Asik would be it.

plus he's much younger than Gasol and has more of a backbone on him. Seems like if Gasol didn't get cream on his coffee at starbucks he might be too upset to play well later that night.

There are two problems with asik. First adding him would take the suns out of free agency this summer. Second is I don't think you could play him and either Len or plumlee at the same time. With gasol you can in theory play him some at the 4.

Gasol. He better fits what we need. I do not believe Asik is a huge upgrade over Plumlee and he's got that weird contract. We need interior scoring. Gasol expiring is also a benefit.

That contract man, it's too cray cray

Stay away from both. Both Gasol hurts us less.

I mentioned this in one of the other threads.

First of all, we couldn't make the trade straight up.

It would have to be something like Okafor to Philly, Hawes to Houston, Asik to Phx. Hawes is someone who could fit what Houston needs...backup center and a guy that could also stretch floor with Dwight.

Philly gets a contract that is covered by insurance (maybe a 2nd rounder from us or something).

I think Asik would help a lot from a defensive standpoint.

The huge downside is that he takes away our cap flexibility for next year....plus the balloon payment. Though he might be a lot more tradeable next year when more teams actually want to compete and could use a great 7 ft rim protector/defender.

But it seems many people here don't care much for Asik.

Asik could be an asset come draft day.

Unless we can get love or young etc then we only make a move that doesn't hurt us in free agency where we will undoubtedly chase Hayward and others

Gasol keeps that alive, asik doesn't

Nuff said

I am not sure about Gasol, but I am pretty sure Asik would not be a good addition with Plumlee and Len playing his rol and he is way overpaid next year.

No to Gasol! No to Asik!

Saberestar wrote:I am not sure about Gasol, but I am pretty sure Asik would not be a good addition with Plumlee and Len playing his rol and he is way overpaid next year.

He's overpaid cash wise, but still only has an $8.3 million cap hit. Even though he makes more cash next year, I think his trade value will go up, because more teams will be trying to field competitive rosters instead of stripping down to go younger.

plumlee makes asik redundant. go 4 gasol.

No on Asik
Yes on Gasol if 1) Bledsoe is returning this season and 2) Gasol's injury is not serious.

I believe our starting unit of Dragic/Green/Tucker/Frye/Plumlee can compete against most other starting units.
A bench of Bledsoe/Barbosa/Marcus/Kief/Gasol would destroy other bench units.

A fourth quarter offensive finishing unit of Dragic/Bledsoe/Green/Frye/Gasol would be quite impressive
A fourth quarter defensive finishing unit of Dragic/Bledsoe/Tucker/Frye/Plumlee would be pretty decent

We would have a big 3 of Dragic/Bledsoe/Gasol with a bunch of great role players to try to make a push for a extremely deep playoff run.

No to Asik. We know he is one of the top rebounders and post defenders, and any team could use him Suns included, but he wouldn't help where we need it most. Besides, if you want a D+R big man specialist, I have to believe that there is something cheaper out there than Asik, especially if you have to deal with Morey.

I'd be interested in being a facilitator for a third team in an Asik deal tho.

Pau at least would offer a new dimension to our offense, and if nobody goes crazy, won't cost more than an expiring contract and a low pick although it's been reported that the Lakers want more than what the Suns are willing to pay and so the trade talks have been suspended.

Ring_Wanted wrote:No to Asik. We know he is one of the top rebounders and post defenders, and any team could use him Suns included, but he wouldn't help where we need it most. Besides, if you want a D+R big man specialist, I have to believe that there is something cheaper out there than Asik, especially if you have to deal with Morey.

I'd be interested in being a facilitator for a third team in an Asik deal tho.

Pau at least would offer a new dimension to our offense, and if nobody goes crazy, won't cost more than an expiring contract and a low pick although it's been reported that the Lakers want more than what the Suns are willing to pay and so the trade talks have been suspended.

what's with all the leaking and negotiating out in the open?

I think my main problem with Asik is what he's done in Houston. He got what some consider overpaid, and then showed he earned that money in the first year. Lots of buzz around him. Suddenly their GM tries to make the team better with him part of the plan and he starts to refuse to play games and work with teammates? I mean to me the chemistry in Houston just seems like it's a mess but I can't say I want that guy on my team. He's come off as an ass for months now.

I'm not sure if I want an aging, declining, less mobile Pau Gasol on my team either. However I'm also not sure if him being unable to fit into the Suns system is being underlooked or blown out of proportion.

How about we just start playing Len so he has time to get used to the game at this level before the playoffs.

SDC wrote:

Ring_Wanted wrote:No to Asik. We know he is one of the top rebounders and post defenders, and any team could use him Suns included, but he wouldn't help where we need it most. Besides, if you want a D+R big man specialist, I have to believe that there is something cheaper out there than Asik, especially if you have to deal with Morey.

I'd be interested in being a facilitator for a third team in an Asik deal tho.

Pau at least would offer a new dimension to our offense, and if nobody goes crazy, won't cost more than an expiring contract and a low pick although it's been reported that the Lakers want more than what the Suns are willing to pay and so the trade talks have been suspended.

what's with all the leaking and negotiating out in the open?

I don't know. One theory says that once stuff gets leaked to the media, the scenario is practically dead. Pau's injury could play a part too. Still, a lot can happen until the deadline.

PHX Maniak wrote:I'm not sure if I want an aging, declining, less mobile Pau Gasol on my team either. However I'm also not sure if him being unable to fit into the Suns system is being underlooked or blown out of proportion.

I think the coaching staff can easily make him fit him with what we do. Again, we usually start out games dumping the ball to Miles, for instance.

It would be a matter of actually using the player to his strenghts during his time on the court (which doesn't need to be say 35 minutes) instead of trying to force him to do what he can't, or alienating everybody else for his sake, like Porter did with Shaq.

I'd try him alongside Miles, mainly. Plumbs is mobile enough to guard PFs and on offense, he could be the one setting screens while Pau works his way in the paint. Or you could put Pau away from the basket, as a decoy waiting for a pass off a pick and roll by Miles and a guard.

Frye-Pau inspires me much less confidence on D, but on offense Gasol would have all the space he wants to play in the paint. Pau-Kieff would be interesting too if they could develop some kind of two man game. And if you want to go huge, you use Len and Gasol at the same time, with Len as the rim protector, although this season Len commits too many rookie mistakes to be trusted for long in that capacity.

There's also the possibility of going 4 outside one inside, which could be quite interesting given Pau's IQ and passing ability.

Personally, I believe Hornacek would be delighted to have him at his disposal.