Season Speculation, Free Agency & Trade Ideas: Our Johnson is finally working

[bwgood77]

In certain circumstances, that is.

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[KLEON]

Season Speculation, Free Agency & Trade Ideas: It's a good thing to have a Johnson

[Revived]

Lindsey Hunter had STEVE FREAKING NASH AND AMARE STOUDEMIRE. Our team is not trotting out multiple all-nba dudes.

Did you become a Suns fan in 2014?

Amare left like 2-3 years before and Nash the year before.

[grumpysaddle]

The Stockholm Syndrome in these parts is high.

Y'all are buying into "next season is when we turn the corner and start competing" again? In a year's time we will be right back here. We thought we hit rock bottom last season and the Suns "Hold my beer"ed us. I wouldn't at all be surprised if rock bottom isn't even this season. 5 wins next season? Can the Suns be the first team to go 0-82? Stay **** tuned.

[bigfoot]

I'll say it again: hiring Kokoskov was McD's biggest mistake.

SMH ... not even close. Koko would have rolled with Doncic. Not drafting Luka was his biggest mistake and will go down in Phoenix Sports history as the biggest goat-screw ever.

[Revived]

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Bring him in, improvement as a playmaker over what we have and good mentor for Okobo.

[darealjuice]

I'm not excited that we didn't make any significant improvements at the deadline, but who was moved at the deadline that would have been a solution for us? Players have to be available for you to trade for them lol.

You already know that if we gave up an asset for a stop gap like Jeremy Lin people would just whine about how we're ruining our draft position and making pointless moves when the season is over. Hell I'm already seeing people say we should shut people down when we're already a bottom feeder.

[bwgood77]

The Stockholm Syndrome in these parts is high.

Y'all are buying into "next season is when we turn the corner and start competing" again? In a year's time we will be right back here. We thought we hit rock bottom last season and the Suns "Hold my beer"ed us. I wouldn't at all be surprised if rock bottom isn't even this season. 5 wins next season? Can the Suns be the first team to go 0-82? Stay **** tuned.

At least we won't have McD telling us this year some BS like "That was the last year of the rebuild" and "We thought 3 years was enough" after 5 as we are going into the season with 4 rookies, no PG and no PF after telling us before the summer that he was going to "balance the roster" and then added two more small forwards after we had Jackson and TJ.

[bwgood77]

I'm not excited that we didn't make any significant improvements at the deadline, but who was moved at the deadline that would have been a solution for us? Players have to be available for you to trade for them lol.

You already know that if we gave up an asset for a stop gap like Jeremy Lin people would just whine about how we're ruining our draft position and making pointless moves when the season is over. Hell I'm already seeing people say we should shut people down when we're already a bottom feeder.

Yeah, there wasn't much out there that made sense unless we could trade Oubre for a PF on a rookie deal or something...or even a PG. I had looked at Dunn (not that I like him much) and saw a straight up trade would work but then they traded for Porter and then of course I was looking at Kings salaries and mentioning people when you let me know they just traded for Barnes.

But honestly, any PGs that would have been available might not have made sense given our current circumstance over just continuing to develop Okobo and Melton this year. Of course it would be nice in the sense of maybe getting Ayton better looks and taking pressure off of Booker.

Conley was kind of available but was obviously older, paid a lot, and they wanted quite a bit for him....and he may not have been happy here.

[suns12345]

In certain circumstances, that is.

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Anything interesting from that article that you can see with your access?

[bwgood77]

In certain circumstances, that is.

Anything interesting from that article that you can see with your access?

Just finished reading it. I'll clip it and then condense it here...

Spoiler:

“You play with the cards you’re dealt with,” said second-year wing Josh Jackson, whose name has been floated in rumors. “I feel like that’s what every guy here would do. Whatever team any of these guys end up on — or I end up on — we’re still gonna be friends, still gonna talk. “But just got to make the best of your situation. It’s a blessing to be able to play in this league, no matter where you are.”

Coach Igor Kokoskov and Anderson exchanged well wishes. Dragan Bender found out about the deal through Twitter while in his room. Jackson and star guard Devin Booker got the news while scrolling through their phones while eating lunch. Ayton, meanwhile, said he remains blissfully naive to the constant NBA news cycle because he has cut back on his social media usage.

“The only time I really hear it is guys talking amongst each other,” Ayton said. “I don’t know nothing about the trade deadline stuff or how it works.”

But interim co-general manager James Jones worked with one of his former teams to bring in Johnson, who is expected to join the Suns on Thursday in Phoenix. Though he is generally viewed as a combo guard, Jackson called Johnson a “pure point guard,” an obvious Suns’ need throughout this dreadful 11-45 season. Johnson, who is in his fifth NBA season, is averaging 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists over 44 games (10 starts). “I know he’s tough,” Jackson said of Johnson. “He can shoot the ball. People don’t know, but he’s really athletic. … (He’s) a guy who does a good job of seeing the floor and making the right passes.”

But if the Suns make a more significant move before Thursday’s deadline, it’s reasonable to expect one of their young wings to be included in the package. Jackson could be the most likely option of that bunch. If so, he would depart Phoenix playing the best basketball of his young career, scoring at least 25 points in three consecutive games for the first time. Against the Jazz, he tied his season-high with 27 points and added seven assists, five steals and four rebounds. “His athleticism is extraordinary,” Kokoskov recently said of Jackson. “The level that he plays, he can break the paint. But we want him to be a better 3-point shooter. … Just play-make for us. So it’s all of these things to take it to the next level.”

Kokoskov said he would address the trade deadline with his team on Thursday. But the cycle has already been spinning across the NBA for days, and players had trouble ignoring their phones while at the arena throughout a wild Wednesday.

[Son of Ra]

NY buying out Kanter. We should pick him up. That makes Ayton redundant and we can use him as an "asset" for off-season trades...
Yes, I'll never get over us taking a low motor, no balls big man over Doncic, a prototypical perfect player for today's league. At least he'll only be a bust relative to draft spot and players after him rather than a Bennett level bust. Bowie Jordan draft comp is accurate imo.

[JJ13]

NY buying out Kanter. We should pick him up. That makes Ayton redundant and we can use him as an "asset" for off-season trades...
Yes, I'll never get over us taking a low motor, no balls big man in today's league. At least he'll only be a bust relative to draft spot and players after him rather than a Bennett level bust. Bowie Jordan draft comp is accurate imo.

This might be the most absurd post I've read in 10+ years on this site. A rookie averaging a double double is a "bust"? What?

[bigfoot]

NY buying out Kanter. We should pick him up. That makes Ayton redundant and we can use him as an "asset" for off-season trades...
Yes, I'll never get over us taking a low motor, no balls big man over Doncic, a prototypical perfect player for today's league. At least he'll only be a bust relative to draft spot and players after him rather than a Bennett level bust. Bowie Jordan draft comp is accurate imo.

Yeah ... I think we should modify the title of this thread to say "It's a good thing to have a Johnson instead of an Ayton".

[Son of Ra]

NY buying out Kanter. We should pick him up. That makes Ayton redundant and we can use him as an "asset" for off-season trades...
Yes, I'll never get over us taking a low motor, no balls big man in today's league. At least he'll only be a bust relative to draft spot and players after him rather than a Bennett level bust. Bowie Jordan draft comp is accurate imo.

This might be the most absurd post I've read in 10+ years on this site. A rookie averaging a double double is a "bust"? What?

I said relative to draft spot and other players to be had. And I implied I was salty.
Besides I think in today's league these numbers are relative. Since he's always being compared to the golden era C's, that would've been 13&7 at best back then.
Bowie was a fine player only that Jordan was on another level. But now Bowie is considered a bust because of that.

Edit: and in case it wasn't obvious sarcasm, of course I wouldn't switch Ayton for Kanter. But after 8 years of this **** it's not easy to be at best lukewarm on the two franchise cornerstones and not really liking their game.

[thamadkant]

I'll say it again: hiring Kokoskov was McD's biggest mistake.

SMH ... not even close. Koko would have rolled with Doncic. Not drafting Luka was his biggest mistake and will go down in Phoenix Sports history as the biggest goat-screw ever.

Not really


Booker on the team would mean Doncic playing spot up and not getting the same touches and role he does in Dallas.

This is a big difference.

Ayton was the needed player and was the right pick based on on and off court needs.
And with his 16ppg 10rpg 2apg 1bpg 67% FG... He is doing fine for a center who started playing basketball in his mid teens. He is only going to get better and fast.

And I'm no a Doncic hater.. I wanted Suns to get pick 4


And I would trade Booker for Doncic right now no hesitation

[Young gun 6]

I really hope we don’t resign Oubre. Reckon if traded he had a bit of value so not trading him indicates we’ll resign him?

We don’t need him and Jackson and JJ has shown way more potential / is younger and has a much higher ceiling and potentially floor as well.

[PhxLax]

PF Terry & PG Evans still on the team? So confused on who is on the team today...

[bigfoot]

NY buying out Kanter. We should pick him up. That makes Ayton redundant and we can use him as an "asset" for off-season trades...
Yes, I'll never get over us taking a low motor, no balls big man in today's league. At least he'll only be a bust relative to draft spot and players after him rather than a Bennett level bust. Bowie Jordan draft comp is accurate imo.

This might be the most absurd post I've read in 10+ years on this site. A rookie averaging a double double is a "bust"? What?

A double-double doesn't mean crap when he plays like a lost child on the court. Emka Okafor averaged a double-double as a rookie ... see what I mean. Open your eyes and see Ayton for what he is right now. A softie who makes little impact on this team right now either offensively or defensively. That is a bad place to be.

[grumpysaddle]

I really hope we don’t resign Oubre. Reckon if traded he had a bit of value so not trading him indicates we’ll resign him?

We don’t need him and Jackson and JJ has shown way more potential / is younger and has a much higher ceiling and potentially floor as well.

How will Suns social media post pre-game "fashion" videos if they don't re-sign Oubre though?! Gotta keep the interest somehow.