Roster and Rotation

Veggamattic · Post #1 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:05 pm

I am having trouble figuring out how the Suns line up might be used next year.

First of all I don't have any info on Brandon Knights status. I like Knight and think he is still a good PG if he returns healthy and hasn't lost any skills or athleticism.

Is Payton a goner for sure? Even if there is no PG moves and we do keep Knight what does the rotation then look like?

Having said that is it possible to figure out a rotation or should we assume there are so many moves to come and it is a useless exercise.

Golanator · Post #2 » by **Golanator** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:17 pm

Veggamattic wrote:Having said that is it possible to figure out a rotation or should we assume there are so many moves to come and it is a useless exercise.

This. They will surely get rid of some wings, maybe a big like Chriss, maybe Dudley/Chandler, probably Ulis/Sauce, and bring other guys in.

Just not enough minutes to go around right now to even attempt a rotation. There are 144 minutes to go around between SG/SF/PF and Booker, Daniels, Reed, Warren, Jackson, Bridges, Bender, Chriss, Dudley, King on the roster. Good luck trying to figure that out, lol.

gaspar · Post #3 » by **gaspar** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:19 pm

Payton won't be back next year.
Only Booker and Ayton are guaranteed to be starters next season. The rest - too early to tell.

nashrambler13 · Post #4 » by **nashrambler13** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:20 pm

This is the most pressing question for us--it'll decide where the offseason goes from here. I feel like the Bridges acquisition really throws a real wrench into everything (a good wrench, but a wrench nonetheless)--it makes us very versatile but also gives us somewhat of a logjam depending on how good we think Bridges will be starting out. Bender starting in all of these is an assumption I'm making that might not be popular--I just don't think we'll go full small ball in our starting lineup, and he is our nominal PF right now.

To answer your questions, most Suns fans assume Payton is gone for sure. Knight is a real mystery--I strongly think we have to organize our roster so he is coming off the bench, but it might be difficult to convince him that it makes sense. The idea of starting Booker at the 1 is intriguing, so as of right now, I'd be trying to judge whether or not this lineup would work:

Booker / Elie
Bridges / Knight
JJ / Warren
Bender / Chriss
Ayton / Tyson

There are a lot of options though--it would certainly behoove us to find an ALL DEFENSE point guard to put next to Booker in FA :

FA / Elie
Booker / Knight
JJ / Bridges
Bender / Warren / Chriss
Ayton / Tyson

Or we could (gulp) start Knight:

Knight / Elie
Booker / Bridges
JJ / Warren
Bender / Chriss
Ayton / Tyson

There are a ton more options too if we decide we can start Bridges or Warren at the 4 though--or we make another move for a 4 and things get even more wild.

Veggamattic · Post #5 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 4:33 pm

Certain players in the league seem to only perform optimally when they are the starter or the alpha dog. I think Knight is like this and usually seems to play better as a starter. I really would like to see him in game action. I'd love it if he were voluntarily to play summer league. I still don't think he is a bust yet unless the injury really hurt him.

Veggamattic · Post #6 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:03 pm

So who would you all say would be more effective guarding the 4 Warren, Jackson or Bridges.

NTB · Post #7 » by **NTB** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:12 pm

Veggamattic wrote:So who would you all say would be more effective guarding the 4 Warren, Jackson or Bridges.

Even though Bridges is thin I think he would be the most successful one. Stronger Jackson also might be a good option. Definitely not Warren.

WalterBenjamin · Post #8 » by **WalterBenjamin** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:16 pm

Do you have any concerns that none of your guys is a primary ball handler?! Not a question of roles but skills.

gaspar · Post #9 » by **gaspar** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:16 pm

WalterBenjamin wrote:Do you have any concerns that none of your guys is a primary ball handler?!

We have Brandon Knight and Swaggy E!

Veggamattic · Post #10 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 5:51 pm

So let's say Knight comes back in great form and tears up the pre-season, solidifying his job as the starting PG...what would be the most likely player type to target for free agency or in a trade? Maybe a Kevin Love if Lebron leaves?

Walt_Uoob · Post #11 » by **Walt_Uoob** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:11 pm

nashrambler13 wrote:Knight / Elie
Booker / Bridges
JJ / Warren
Bender / Chriss
Ayton / Tyson

There are a ton more options too if we decide we can start Bridges or Warren at the 4 though--or we make another move for a 4 and things get even more wild.

Yeah I think we can pencil in that rotation, with occasionally shifting to small ball with Bender/Chriss to the 5 and more-than-occasionally shifting to Booker at PG. The combination of those two things should create enough minutes to go around for our wings. Doesn't really matter if Dudley/Daniels/Reed/etc get meaningful minutes.

But I also agree this is somewhat pointless because there are likely to be more moves, though personally I'd be fine with going into the season with the roster we have for the most part and continuing to develop organically.

MrMiyagi · Post #12 » by **MrMiyagi** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:31 pm

Veggamattic wrote:So let's say Knight comes back in great form and tears up the pre-season, solidifying his job as the starting PG...what would be the most likely player type to target for free agency or in a trade? Maybe a Kevin Love if Lebron leaves?

I don't think so. I think Cleveland wants to keep Love, at least until he puts up those Minnesota numbers.

49erhokie · Post #13 » by **49erhokie** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:35 pm

Read on Twitter

?s=21

Veggamattic · Post #14 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:03 pm

MrMiyagi wrote:
Veggamattic wrote:So let's say Knight comes back in great form and tears up the pre-season, solidifying his job as the starting PG...what would be the most likely player type to target for free agency or in a trade? Maybe a Kevin Love if Lebron leaves?

I don't think so. I think Cleveland wants to keep Love, at least until he puts up those Minnesota numbers.

Love was just an example. The question was more about what position do the Suns target and who.

NTB · Post #15 » by **NTB** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:04 pm

I think if Knight comes back strong we will focus on acquiring a vet PF.

YouTube · Post #16 » by **Kerrsed** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:05 pm

Its going to be interesting.

While i have thought for months now that we would be going after a PG in FA, i am no longer so sure of it. Just listened to the McD interview on the Doug and Wolf show (Click Here), and about 10 minutes in they ask about Knight, and McD was really talking him up. Says he looks great, has really come into his own and changed for the better, has had some of our players go down to Florida (Where he resides) and work with him, along with trainers, FO members and agents, said a lot of people are telling him not to sleep on Knight. McD made it really sound like Knight will be a solid part of this team going forward. I think that he may damn well be our starting PG.....and if things dont work out will end up being a more-than-solid back-up PG.

Im starting to think we will have a "Fluid moving" line-up. It might be Knight/Booker/Jackson/??????/Ayton one night, and Booker/Jackson/Bridges/??????/Ayton the next night. It all depends on the opposing teams and match-ups. If we think we need more defense, then go with line-up #2. If its a more run-and-gun game, go with #1.

I also believe that the final move will be us going after a PF in trade or FA. I dont think that Bender or Chriss will be our solution unless they take a major step forward in their development. I think we will se times that Jackson covers the 4, but dont know if he can handle that duty full time. In my eyes, if one goes than Bender will be the odd man out. I think Chriss can play the back-up C role quite a bit better and i think that will eventually be his spot (Playing backup PF and backup C). I just cant see Bender being able to bang with the big boys like Chriss can. I can see Bender playing a backup SF/PF role though, and think TJ could be the key to all this. Trade TJ for a starting PF. TJ and the MIL pick.

Booker/Knight/Okobo/Ulis
Bridges/Daniels/Reed
Jackson/Bender/Dudley
??????????/BenderOrChriss
Ayton/Chriss/Chandler

Veggamattic · Post #17 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:31 pm

Kerrsed wrote:Its going to be interesting.

While i have thought for months now that we would be going after a PG in FA, i am no longer so sure of it. Just listened to the McD interview on the Doug and Wolf show (Click Here), and about 10 minutes in they ask about Knight, and McD was really talking him up. Says he looks great, has really come into his own and changed for the better, has had some of our players go down to Florida (Where he resides) and work with him, along with trainers, FO members and agents, said a lot of people are telling him not to sleep on Knight. McD made it really sound like Knight will be a solid part of this team going forward. I think that he may damn well be our starting PG.....and if things dont work out will end up being a more-than-solid back-up PG.

Im starting to think we will have a "Fluid moving" line-up. It might be Knight/Booker/Jackson/??????/Ayton one night, and Booker/Jackson/Bridges/??????/Ayton the next night. It all depends on the opposing teams and match-ups. If we think we need more defense, then go with line-up #2. If its a more run-and-gun game, go with #1.

I also believe that the final move will be us going after a PF in trade or FA. I dont think that Bender or Chriss will be our solution unless they take a major step forward in their development. I think we will se times that Jackson covers the 4, but dont know if he can handle that duty full time. In my eyes, if one goes than Bender will be the odd man out. I think Chriss can play the back-up C role quite a bit better and i think that will eventually be his spot (Playing backup PF and backup C). I just cant see Bender being able to bang with the big boys like Chriss can. I can see Bender playing a backup SF/PF role though, and think TJ could be the key to all this. Trade TJ for a starting PF. TJ and the MIL pick.

Booker/Knight/Okobo/Ulis
Bridges/Daniels/Reed
Jackson/Bender/Dudley
??????????/BenderOrChriss
Ayton/Chriss/Chandler

Great news about Knight. I also like your idea of 2 situational starting line-ups but I think most coaches are too frightened to try such a thing...it may be possible with this team though because they are all babies and there isn't the same type political hierarchy and ego handling like most teams have.

If I am the GM...I look hard this year for the right piece but I also have patience and don't do anything to short sighted considering the cap room and the extra 1st rounder available next year. Imagine adding 2 max players to this young team next year once they have blended and matured a little.. That would be a title contender.

Veggamattic · Post #18 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:47 pm

I'd like to target KAT next year. I like him and Ayton as a 1-2.

Ayton/Chris
Towns/Bender
Jackson/Warren
Booker/Bridges
Knight/Okobo

saintEscaton · Post #19 » by **saintEscaton** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:51 pm

Veggamattic wrote:I'd like to target KAT next year. I like him and Ayton as a 1-2.

Ayton/Chris
Towns/Bender
Jackson/Warren
Booker/Bridges
Knight/Okobo

Yeah no way the Wolves are doing that for whatever limited assets we have available now that we have dealt the unprotected 2021 MIami pick to Philly. Also that could be possibly be the worst defensive frontcourt duo in the league.

Veggamattic · Post #20 » by **Veggamattic** » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:56 pm

saintEscaton wrote:
Veggamattic wrote:I'd like to target KAT next year. I like him and Ayton as a 1-2.

Ayton/Chris
Towns/Bender
Jackson/Warren
Booker/Bridges
Knight/Okobo

Yeah no way the Wolves are doing that for whatever limited assets we have available now that we have dealt the unprotected 2021 MIami pick to Philly. Also that could be possibly be the worst defensive frontcourt duo in the league.

He is a free agent next year. I did notice the defensive issue but the offense may make up for it I think.