Season Speculation, Trade Ideas & Discussion Pt. 1

[Mulhollanddrive]

Sports Betting has Irving exactly 50/50 to stay v go by opening night.

[jcsunsfan]

Step 1: Continue to play youngsters/Lose games (Get a high top 4 draft pick).
Step 2: Draft one of Bagley/Porter/Ayton/Bamba
Step 3: Sign FA Cousins
Step 4: With Bledsoe/Cousins/Booker in tow (Plus a top draft pick) sign Lebron.
Step 5: ????????????
Step 6: Profit!

Even after Step 3 that team would be amazing, although might have to trade one of Chriss or Bender down the line... if the Suns draft Ayton. Might have to package one of them to clear Knight out.

2018-2019 Lineup.

C: Cousins / Chandler / Ayton / Williams
PF: Chriss / Bender / Williams / Cousins
SF: Jackson / Warren / Bender
SG: Booker / Reed / Jackson
PG: Bledsoe / Ulis / FA


then

2019-2020 Lineup.

C: Ayton / Cousins / Williams
PF: Cousins / Chriss or Bender
SF: Jackson / Warren / Bender
SG: Booker / Reed
PG: Bledsoe / Ulis / FA

Those teams are both lacking in guard depth and glutted in depth in bigs. And I just don't see Cousins fitting into that line up very well.

[darealjuice]

Even after Step 3 that team would be amazing, although might have to trade one of Chriss or Bender down the line... if the Suns draft Ayton. Might have to package one of them to clear Knight out.

2018-2019 Lineup.

C: Cousins / Chandler / Ayton / Williams
PF: Chriss / Bender / Williams / Cousins
SF: Jackson / Warren / Bender
SG: Booker / Reed / Jackson
PG: Bledsoe / Ulis / FA


then

2019-2020 Lineup.

C: Ayton / Cousins / Williams
PF: Cousins / Chriss or Bender
SF: Jackson / Warren / Bender
SG: Booker / Reed
PG: Bledsoe / Ulis / FA

Those teams are both lacking in guard depth and glutted in depth in bigs. And I just don't see Cousins fitting into that line up very well.

I think we'd be alright at the guard spots. Booker will be a 35+ minute per game guy and Bledsoe will likely be around 30 minutes per game. That leaves around 15-20 minutes for Ulis and 10-15 for Reed (or whomever fills the back up 2 role well), which feels about right. I also think that first lineup would be fine for Boogie, although I really don't like Boogie at the 4 in the second line-up with the heavy pace-and-space direction the NBA is taking.

Agreed about the glut in the front court though. At that point I'd think that we'd look into consolidating assets into a reasonably young upgrade at PG (or whatever position looks to be the weak link).

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I don't want to add Cousins to this group. Barkley was (a) better, (b) less of a locker room problem and (c) probably most importantly, being added to a veteran group that had already been to the WCF.

Wait a few years and try to add AD instead. Or Gobert or Giannis after that. I'm a solid no on DMC.

[Frank Lee]

Yeah.... pass on that big dude entering his prime. Last thing we need is a dominating player.

Stay the course... extend the timeline. Good things are bound to happen in 3-4 years....

[In2ition]

Yeah.... pass on that big dude entering his prime. Last thing we need is a dominating player.

Stay the course... extend the timeline. Good things are bound to happen in 3-4 years....

If we keep waiting we won't be able to have any cap space to sign anyone. Yay! Extend #TheTimeline Eventually, good things will happen if the Suns keep sucking.

[suns91fan]

I'd rather go for DJ next summer. There's a reason why all good teams don't have a DMC-type center on their rosters.

[Sreister]

I'd rather go for DJ next summer. There's a reason why all good teams don't have a DMC-type center on their rosters.

Wait, Deandre Jordan? Are you really arguing that DJ is more preferable than Cousins? I don't want either, but if you held a gun to my head and forced me to pick, DC >>>> DJ. I get the premise, don't want a black hole down low, but DJ is overpaid now, let alone when someone gives him another Max, when he's a year older. Yuck.

[suns91fan]

I'd rather go for DJ next summer. There's a reason why all good teams don't have a DMC-type center on their rosters.

Wait, Deandre Jordan? Are you really arguing that DJ is more preferable than Cousins? I don't want either, but if you held a gun to my head and forced me to pick, DC >>>> DJ. I get the premise, don't want a black hole down low, but DJ is overpaid now, let alone when someone gives him another Max, when he's a year older. Yuck.

Yes, i'd rather have DJ than DMC. All-NBA selection in each of the last three years, All-defense twice in the last three years. There's a reason he is so highly regarded. We probably have zero chances of landing him though, since every team with cap space will throw max at him, and i doubt Suns will be on the top of his list.

[jredsaz]

Yeah.... pass on that big dude entering his prime. Last thing we need is a dominating player.

Stay the course... extend the timeline. Good things are bound to happen in 3-4 years....

This guy... I love this guy!

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[jredsaz]

I'd rather go for DJ next summer. There's a reason why all good teams don't have a DMC-type center on their rosters.

Wait, Deandre Jordan? Are you really arguing that DJ is more preferable than Cousins? I don't want either, but if you held a gun to my head and forced me to pick, DC >>>> DJ. I get the premise, don't want a black hole down low, but DJ is overpaid now, let alone when someone gives him another Max, when he's a year older. Yuck.

Yes, i'd rather have DJ than DMC. All-NBA selection in each of the last three years, All-defense twice in the last three years. There's a reason he is so highly regarded. We probably have zero chances of landing him though, since every team with cap space will throw max at him, and i doubt Suns will be on the top of his list.

DMC is the far better player in just about every facet of the game outside of rim protection. And DMC isn't bad at that. I like DJ a lot but in the end paying max money to a guy who can't be on the floor at the end of a close game just can't happen. His FT shooting is such a liability.

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[suns91fan]

Wait, Deandre Jordan? Are you really arguing that DJ is more preferable than Cousins? I don't want either, but if you held a gun to my head and forced me to pick, DC >>>> DJ. I get the premise, don't want a black hole down low, but DJ is overpaid now, let alone when someone gives him another Max, when he's a year older. Yuck.

Yes, i'd rather have DJ than DMC. All-NBA selection in each of the last three years, All-defense twice in the last three years. There's a reason he is so highly regarded. We probably have zero chances of landing him though, since every team with cap space will throw max at him, and i doubt Suns will be on the top of his list.

DMC is the far better player in just about every facet of the game outside of rim protection. And DMC isn't bad at that. I like DJ a lot but in the end paying max money to a guy who can't be on the floor at the end of a close game just can't happen. His FT shooting is such a liability.

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His FT% last year was close to 50%. That's enough not to be a last quarter liability. He has also improved his FT% in each of his last three years, so it's possible it'll go over 50% next season. From what i've heard, he's working a lot on his shooting this summer. I also don't at all agree that DMC is better at almost everything than DJ. Maybe 1 vs 1, but basketball is a team game. Put a decent PG (it doesn't have to be CP3) next to DJ, and he makes more damage offensively and contributes far more defensively than DMC. Also, rebounding... You can't actually pick DMC here, especially considering how inferior he is as an offensive rebounder.

[jredsaz]

Yes, i'd rather have DJ than DMC. All-NBA selection in each of the last three years, All-defense twice in the last three years. There's a reason he is so highly regarded. We probably have zero chances of landing him though, since every team with cap space will throw max at him, and i doubt Suns will be on the top of his list.

DMC is the far better player in just about every facet of the game outside of rim protection. And DMC isn't bad at that. I like DJ a lot but in the end paying max money to a guy who can't be on the floor at the end of a close game just can't happen. His FT shooting is such a liability.

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His FT% last year was close to 50%. That's enough not to be a last quarter liability. He has also improved his FT% in each of his last three years, so it's possible it'll go over 50% next season. From what i've heard, he's working a lot on his shooting this summer. I also don't at all agree that DMC is better at almost everything than DJ. Maybe 1 vs 1, but basketball is a team game. Put a decent PG (it doesn't have to be CP3) next to DJ, and he makes more damage offensively and contributes far more defensively than DMC. Also, rebounding... You can't actually pick DMC here, especially considering how inferior he is as an offensive rebounder.

I feel like if DMC were asked to do what DJ can do and only that (rim run, protect the rim, and rebound) he would be better at it. Cousins plays inside and out, passes very well, handles the ball, defends the interior and the perimeter in addition to those things. I don't think they are the same caliber of player.

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[LukasBMW]

One more year of tanking. It will be worth it.

And by tanking, I mean playing Ulis/Booker/Jackson/TJ/Chriss/Bender each 30 plus minutes. Throw em in the fire and see who is cut out for this league.

[ryanball]

I'll say this about Cousins.

He has essentially done nothing except be a loser who puts up very good numbers. If he were really that great I'd expect at least a couple of playoffs. So he doesn't apparently have that quality of inspiring his team or making those around him better that people talk about. Instead he is a bit of a drama queen, and alienated coaches and the team to the point where they get rid of him for relatively little in return.

His usage is higher than Irving by the way, who some people here and elsewhere call a selfish player. Only Westbrook had a higher usage than Cousins this past year. Westbrook at least took his garbage team to the playoffs. While again, Cousins has been proven incapable of doing that.

[Frank Lee]

Who is the best player DMC had with him in Sactown ??? Rudy Gay ? That was a dumpster fire up there, and it wasn't all because of Boogie.

[lilfishi22]

Yes, i'd rather have DJ than DMC. All-NBA selection in each of the last three years, All-defense twice in the last three years. There's a reason he is so highly regarded. We probably have zero chances of landing him though, since every team with cap space will throw max at him, and i doubt Suns will be on the top of his list.

DMC is the far better player in just about every facet of the game outside of rim protection. And DMC isn't bad at that. I like DJ a lot but in the end paying max money to a guy who can't be on the floor at the end of a close game just can't happen. His FT shooting is such a liability.

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His FT% last year was close to 50%. That's enough not to be a last quarter liability. He has also improved his FT% in each of his last three years, so it's possible it'll go over 50% next season. From what i've heard, he's working a lot on his shooting this summer. I also don't at all agree that DMC is better at almost everything than DJ. Maybe 1 vs 1, but basketball is a team game. Put a decent PG (it doesn't have to be CP3) next to DJ, and he makes more damage offensively and contributes far more defensively than DMC. Also, rebounding... You can't actually pick DMC here, especially considering how inferior he is as an offensive rebounder.

I wouldn't consider "close to 50%" or "over 50%" as not being a last quarter liability. Even 65% is iffy down the line.

I'm also skeptical about DJ's offensive development. He's essentially the same player offensive he was as a rookie, just more efficient.

[AtheJ415]

DMC is the far better player in just about every facet of the game outside of rim protection. And DMC isn't bad at that. I like DJ a lot but in the end paying max money to a guy who can't be on the floor at the end of a close game just can't happen. His FT shooting is such a liability.

Sent from my SM-N920V using RealGM mobile app

His FT% last year was close to 50%. That's enough not to be a last quarter liability. He has also improved his FT% in each of his last three years, so it's possible it'll go over 50% next season. From what i've heard, he's working a lot on his shooting this summer. I also don't at all agree that DMC is better at almost everything than DJ. Maybe 1 vs 1, but basketball is a team game. Put a decent PG (it doesn't have to be CP3) next to DJ, and he makes more damage offensively and contributes far more defensively than DMC. Also, rebounding... You can't actually pick DMC here, especially considering how inferior he is as an offensive rebounder.

I wouldn't consider "close to 50%" or "over 50%" as not being a last quarter liability. Even 65% is iffy down the line.

I'm also skeptical about DJ's offensive development. He's essentially the same player offensive he was as a rookie, just more efficient.

Also, a TON of DJ's offense came from Chris Paul and Blake Griffin drawing his man for easy alley oops. That likely won't be there on another team. I like DJ, but in no world am I taking him ahead of Cousins, particularly for the salary he will command. Cousins demands double teams and has a skill level that will allow him to be very effective even if his athleticism leaves him. DJ is all athleticism with no skill, while also being older. If we truly need that rim protector type of big, then just draft Ayton or Bamba, both of whom have that potential given their athleticism and wingspans, and play Cousins at the 4.

[Foliohattu]

Even though I would rather have Cousins, DAJ is a superior defensive player (even if Jordan is a bit overrated defender, DMC fell of a cliff last few years), better rebounder (both are obviously great rebounders) and probably the best roll man/rim runner big in the league. DMC is clearly the better overall talent, but DAJ basically is great at all those "big man things" you would want from your center, rim protection/rebounding/rolling to the basket. Then again DMC is a far superior as a passer and as a shooter.

[Frank Lee]

Why even compare the two. The only chance we have at signing DMC is because of Bledsoe and there is virtually no reason for Jordan to even consider us. All we have is cap space to offer, and we wont be the only ones. Furthermore, can you see the Clips letting another high level talent go, after investing the supermax in Griffin?

This team(Suns) has to show some promise else once again, the FAs will bypass us and go to a squad who is much closer to actually competing and playoff-ing. At least we have an 'in' with Boogie and Bled being buds. We'll likely see the same path next yr as this... McD will get some meetings, there will be chatter about the big names/talent.... then they'll sign elsewhere. We'll get the TIMELINE panacea as the FO circles the wagons around a draft pick and our Benjamin Button approach to rebuilding. When will that 'feel' like a treadmill? Thats what happens to <30 win teams.

IMO, no way we will pass up a chance to get Cousins. The reasons are too obvious. And you can be sure McD is tired of being on the FA sidelines.