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I'm not saying everyone should be happy with the moves we made. They are debatable. But I would ask, for those not happy, what would you have done, from draft to free agency? Serious question as it'd be fun to compare what could have been a realistic possibility to what we have now.

What we have:

Rubio/TyJo/Ty Jerome
Booker/Okobo/Melton
Oubre/Bridges/Cam Johnson/Jackson
Saric/Kaminsky
Ayton/Baynes

I've left Okobo, Melton, and Jackson in there since they are technically still on the team.

I wouldn't change a thing tbh.... I would have done worse. A lot of people wanted White at 6.... imagine have another rookie PG instead of Rubio? I think we did well all things considered. Finally have a normal balanced roster.

With what we have cap space wise, I'm not sure I would've done much differently. I really wanted Brogdon and DLo (less) but I saw how difficult it would be to just get our name in the conversation. And I don't think it was because we didn't try either to move Jackson and Johnson. I'm perfectly fine with Rubio (until he inevitably goes on a 18% from 3 stretch of games) and I think Saric/Kaminsky is a solid stretch big rotation.

Only thing I would've really changed not take Cam in the draft.

I've been a proponent of drafting older players who can shoot and with high BBIQ so Jones was spot on this year in terms of the draft. Have been done with the uber-athletic, unskilled boneheads we've been drafting as of late.

Still not positive about moving Warren but certainly appreciate that we were able to get other quality veterans. I was worried about losing his three point shooting but realize it was a gain of five three point shooters which we needed badly.

DLO would have never been on my radar!

Suns whiners on the board

Draft Culver at 6 or Clarke , keep Warren , and sign DLo or Brogdon

DLo or Brogdon , ty johnson
Booker culver
Oubre , warren , Bridges
Nobody , nobody
Ayton, nobody

Wilber85 wrote:Suns whiners on the board

Draft Culver at 6 or Clarke , keep Warren , and sign DLo or Brogdon

DLo or Brogdon , ty johnson
Booker culver
Oubre , warren , Bridges
Nobody , nobody
Ayton, nobody

Then we would have development issues with Bridges . No shooters really . Culver isn’t going to be a lock as a shooter in the league .

Instead we have a smart team, balanced , and a good fit , with a gel fit

Rubio, Saric, Jerome , Cam, Baynes all got a need

Not given away TJ Warren and a pick for free
Not used the 11th pick to select Troy Daniels w/ high heels
Instead of using the 6th pick for a temporary forward (and Troy Daniels w/ high heels), package that to get rid of Tyler Johnson
Not give Frank the Wank anything more than vet minimum. (Especially when Richaun Holmes is making the same- WTF!)
Offer more $$ for Beverley/Brogdon/D'Angelo than what they are currently getting. Who knows what the Suns attempted. Perhaps even TJ Warren/Oubre/future picks could be a more alluring component in a S&T.
perhaps do a S&T with Oubre to get some assets back from a desperate team. I'd definitely prioritize Warren and his great contract over an overpriced Oubre. But who knows if Warren wanted out?? He's almost as emotionless as Kawhi.

I would have selected Rubio if the above PG options where exhausted. Not ideal, but kudos to the Suns for that.
The Baynes deal was decent, given that he has a very friendly contract and can be flipped/bought out. But he will serve as a nice Holmes replacement.

Would have absolutely did 6 for 11 and Saric because Ive long been a Dario believer. Probably would have taken PJ Washington 11.

I hadn't thought about Jerome much before the draft but I don't mind that move and I like baynes as the backup 5 assuming he stays. While I liked Holmes they needed a bigger dude for certain matchups and I think he can be a good influence on Ayton.

I would have been cool with Satoransky or Lamb and letting Booker play point but since they aren't I'm fine with Rubio considering how things played out with the other PGs. Wouldn't have wanted to give up a 1st and pay brogdon that much. Currious what tyus Jones ends up getting but now that Russell left them at the alter I assume the wolves match any reasonable offer.

Since I would have drafted Washington I wouldn't have needed kaminsky but whatever it's a fine pick up.

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Taking Cam at 11 made no sense to me, trade down again if you want him get another asset, or better yet don't trade for Saric who is gonna get paid next season, If you like White take him, if you don't 6 could have been traded for alot of PF in this league, (6 Milwalke first and TJ warren for Aaron Gordon ) trading the MIL pick for Baynes and 25 I don't like if you are also trading a pick to move warren. I would have found a team that wanted a decent scorer who could absorb him. I would have offered Rubio 4 million less a year, only 3 teams had more then 10 million in cap space left when we signed him and none of them needed a PG meaning he had no other options, he would not have turned down 3 years 39 million as no one could have paid him more.

I don't mind salary dumping TJ, but it shouldn't have taken our second round pick to do it. With that said, there wasn't anyone I was that high on in the second round, so I don't care that much. It's more disappointing that we couldn't get something for him, but who knows how he's valued after being constantly injured on an awful team.

I liked trading back and picking up Saric. I wasn't too high on Culver or White, and Saric has a chance at filling our power forward spot long term. I wanted Clarke or Doumbouya more at #11, but I understand not wanting to take on developmental players. Cam Johnson was a reach according to Mock Drafts, but supposedly he expected to go as early as New Orleans at 17. I don't get the Troy Daniels comparison, but I doubt he turns into Klay Thompson either. He'll find his way on the floor if he can be an average defender and the elite shooter he's expected to be.

I really liked the Ty Jerome trade. We ended up with a better pick than the Bucks pick will likely be, a good back-up center, and a guy I hoped would drop to 32. How Jerome's lack of athleticism limits his offense and defense remains to be seen, but he was a very good defender, shooter, and playmaker in college and has a great basketball IQ.

Like most, I would have preferred Brogdon and Russell. I'm not sure how Russell would have worked out, but it would have been something to be excited about. I don't think we would have been able to pull off the sign and trade for Brogdon though, and he probably wanted a more competitive team. Beverley turned down $10M more from Sacramento to stay with the Clippers, so he wasn't going to be any cheaper than Rubio. Rubio was honestly our best option outside of the top tier guys.

I would have looked elsewhere with our room exception, but Frank will help us stretch the floor. Not sure who I would have gone after though. I have a feeling most of the more established remaining veteran forwards will be looking toward contending teams for those contracts too.

I think if we wanted to be aggressive, we could have traded for Mike Conley. His price wasn't that high, and it would have been a bold move to immediately improve. I doubt he would have wanted to be here, but he was the best semi-realistic option at elevating this team to the playoffs. Thaddeus Young or Al-Farouq Aminu would have been nice pick-ups, but we needed our cap space for a point guard.

I feel alright about our offseason, but maybe that's because I try to keep my expectations realistic given our situation.

I am very happy with the moves we made. However I would do some of the moves differently. I am not saying they would be better moves though.

Saric trade was great. I would pick Clarke instead of Cam with the #11.

Ty Jerome pick was great.
Liked Baynes too.

Instead of Kaminsky I would go for Vonleh.
Instead of Rubio I would go for Brogdon.

Maybe they also have tried these but couldn't make it happen, we don't know. As I said I am still very happy with the moves we made and the direction we are at.

It is like if Brogdon move is A+ for me, Rubio is A. So not a bad offseason.

Brogdon/Jerome
Booker/Johnson
Oubre/Bridges
Saric/Vonleh/Clarke
Ayton/Baynes

I would have put deuce in charge and celebrated a 'ship this time next year.

Trying to replicate some of James Jones assumptions - good passers, experienced players, high IQ, good shooters, I would have:

1) Waited to dump TJ til after the draft/start of FA. Could at least have kept the Milwaukee pick, probably even gotten something better along the way.

2) I liked #6 for Saric + #11. But I would trade down again to the late teens, maybe getting another asset on the way. I'd also would have drafted Clarke instead of Cam, prioritizing interior defense over shooting, but I'm ok with Cam Johnson as a choice.

3) I'd have used these additional/not wasted assets to do the same S&T that the Bulls did with the Wizards for Satoransky, which offers 90% of what Rubio does, at 60% of the cost, with some upside potential. I'm assuming Brogdon and DLo were not an option, to begin with. Satoransky must have been, because if he signed with the Bulls, I don't see why he wouldn't sign with us.

4) I'm ok with the Ty Jerome/Aron Baynes acquisition.

5) If we drafted Clarke, I'm ok with Kaminsky. If we drafted Cam, I'd have gone with Vonleh as well.

It's a similar scenario to Kerrsed, although his I don't think we'd have the cap for (Brogdon + retaining TJo) nor do I think Brogdon wanted to come.

In my scenario we also have around $5M cap left, which can go to $14 if we drop JJax and do whatever move we'll do to clear the additional $2 we need to sign Rubio.

I think I would have spent draft day with some good Prosciutto, goat cheese and figs
And a bottle of Chianti

Free agency called for a twelver of 420 extra pale ale, a hunk of dried salami and a chunk of aged white cheddar... more of an all day affair

Oh yeah, wouldn’t change anything... cause we can’t

In totality, the moves make sense. I mean if we knew Sato was 3/30 and some second rounders - that might be preferable. But, the idea of either a rookie PG never made sense.

I like the Saric-11 for 6. And Cam makes sense if he is the best shooter. Korver or Dougie Buckets type.

I am okay with Baynes over Holmes for the same money.

With adding Saric, Cam and for Booker and Ayton, a true PG not combo guard (Cough Gambo couch) - Rubio makes a lot of sense.


The Kaminsky sign makes no sense to me. I think Vonleh or a more athletic defender - but will live with it.


Now about Oubre - just see what the market gives. I want him back but has to be smart.

I see a 34-36 win team but much more competitive

When you consider it took a future 1st to move Moe Harkless and his one year and $12 mil salary (by some advanced stats he had a better year than TJ last season) and it also took a future 1st to get off the last year of Iggy it sure looks like moving any money this summer was expensive. There werent really many space teams willing to take on money for free for even useful players. Miami couldn't give away dragic for free.

So looking back I don't think paying 32 to move TJs 3 years looks that bad in retrospect. I know people said wait until FA hit and flip him to a team that missed out on FA but we're 3 days into FA and the money is basically dried up because teams per usual spent like drunken sailors out on leave.

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thats true ... drunken sailors. These owners do it every time.
Might not have been the ideal exit /return for Warren... so may be Jones jumped at the chance. If anything, this was a favor to TJ as Jones clearly wanted a true PF and looks to be committed to Bridges at SF... Minutes were going to be hard to come by, just like now for Jackson. Is there one more sneaky move left ?

PS.... Saw the boys in ATL a couple days ago Weeka... they still can bring it, though it was a somewhat pokey show

Frank Lee wrote:thats true ... drunken sailors. These owners do it every time.
Might not have been the ideal exit /return for Warren... so may be Jones jumped at the chance. If anything, this was a favor to TJ as Jones clearly wanted a true PF and looks to be committed to Bridges at SF... Minutes were going to be hard to come by, just like now for Jackson. Is there one more sneaky move left ?

PS.... Saw the boys in ATL a couple days ago Weeka... they still can bring it, though it was a somewhat pokey show

Nice! It's been a few years since I've got to hang with the wooks and catch a show. Had some kids and got all domesticated

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With the 2020 draft supposedly having much more PG talent and with two developmental PGs already on the roster I would have held off on drafting another one. I do like the Saric and Baynes trades but only would have done them if other trades didn't work out first.

For PG:
a) Tried to trade for Jrue Holiday, maybe even throwing in multiple (protected) 1st round picks
b) Tried to trade for Dinwwidie (trade down?)
c) S&T for Brogdon (if he wanted to come)
d) S&T for Satorsnky
e) Trade for Dragic (for Warren and/or Jackson?)

Then signed TJ Mcconnell as a backup (especially if Tyler Johnson inc in a trade) while keeping Okobo and Melton (if not required for a trade) as third string PG/SG.

For PF:
Trade for Gordon or Kleber (S&T)
Trade/sign backup PF (Saric, Vonhle)
Draft PF (Clarke, Kabengele, etc)
Kept Bender

Plan would be to add a starter quality PG and PF, a veteran backup PG and PF, and keep/add two developmental PG/SG and PF/C.

TJ could slide over to backup SG if kept, Warren would stay only if Oubre lost, and a vet min backup C added to backup Ayton (Alan Williams?)

WeekapaugGroove wrote:

Frank Lee wrote:thats true ... drunken sailors. These owners do it every time.
Might not have been the ideal exit /return for Warren... so may be Jones jumped at the chance. If anything, this was a favor to TJ as Jones clearly wanted a true PF and looks to be committed to Bridges at SF... Minutes were going to be hard to come by, just like now for Jackson. Is there one more sneaky move left ?

PS.... Saw the boys in ATL a couple days ago Weeka... they still can bring it, though it was a somewhat pokey show

Nice! It's been a few years since I've got to hang with the wooks and catch a show. Had some kids and got all domesticated

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Gotcha.... It had been a while here too. But sneak out and catch one on the fall tour. For ol time sakes. Cant see it lasting much longer. Shakedown Street still bopping. Pleasantly surprised with the resiliency of the hard cores. I dont know where they go afterwards, like they seep back into the cracks of society.... but they was out in full force and prime regalia. FYI, grilled cheeses now 3 bucks

No time to hate.