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Finally! After an extended off-season, it's time to begin our season. No more excuses. Let's see what this team can do.


Image above courtesy of Kerrsed

Ayton's 2019-20 season sneak peek debut:


Last year highlights

Thanks for posting those game 1 highlights, Kerrsed. I almost forgot this dude was on our team!!

I wanna see this guy come and dunk on someone hard to say "I'm back". Even as someone who wanted Doncic and has posted many times about that, I think I'm sick of hearing about him and I just want Ayton to come out and use that 7 ft length and athleticism to dunk everything. Maybe he'll mix in those threes eventually, too.

But yeah, just come out and dunk everything like he did in game one and get us 20/10. And then I wanna see him use his quickness to keep up with Doncic, make him take some tough shots like he made guys like Giannis take, and then block Doncic good when he tries one of those finesse layups. Like when Curry tried to get cute on LeBron with those layups and LeBron just shut him down with his athleticism and size.

The below was a response looking at the names thrown around and trade ideas on the last page or two of the last thread.

Kaminsky is playing pretty well, as has Saric, particularly for two guys who have been screwed by Ayton being out as well as Baynes for awhile. Once Saric plays with Ayton, at least for awhile, it should make everything easy for him. And then Kaminsky has been playing really well the last few games..averaged 4 assists, shooting well....makes some very tough shots inside. Sure he makes mistakes, but so do other's who seem to get more often overlooked.

I think we really need to see how the team looks with Ayton before we decide to do anything, though I still don't think we will. Saric seems underrated. Frank got his early groove back, and now we have Ayton back.

We should have beaten the Spurs and Blazers without Ayton or Booker. Not that great of teams, but when you are missing your two best players, or at least two of your best, it obviously makes things tougher.

I expect nothing less than a playoff spot by the end of the season. This organization top to bottom better put up or shut up. We've watched both the Lakers and Mavs remake themselves from Suns standings into the top tier in two seasons. F that.

And Suns are now 1-5 in games decided by 3 pts or less. Ayton or Booker better become a closer or this teams ain't winning ****.

I'm gonna work on my photoshopping skills and make an image of Ayton in the ashes and then rising up like a Phoenix. I'll call it... The DominAyton Rise of Phoenix. Or something artsy...

All kidding aside, Ayton has gotten the Suns in quite a hole. I'm really excited to see what this team can do with him back. I think I'm in agreement with you Bdub, let's wait on things to see how this team looks with Ayton back. I guess you were right about Saric and his tortoise like starts, his last ten games he's averaging 14 points, 10 rebounds, 2.5 assists on 48/28/92. Yucky on the 3P%, but he's been solid everywhere else.

Western Conference Finals or bust!

I still think we are a playoff team, but I have to say this referee calls against us is a trend after 26 games and worries me.
I think we will have to win games by +10 to be safe we get the win, if not we are getting screwed by the NBA.

If Ayton is who I know he is he feels bad about letting his teammates down because they have playoffs on their minds. He sees what Trae and Doncic are doing. Ayton is going to play his heart out every night. He will be a 20/10 guy easy but I want to say he will be more like 23 and 12. Suns should be hard to beat. Even for the Clippers. If Booker plays I think Suns can steal another one against the paperclips.

I have to say, Rubio has been incredible. He's been our best player overall this season, totally transforming this team. While Booker's been out, he's been the centerpiece of our offense. The rest of the team feeds off his ball movement. Absolutely incredible. Kudos to the FO for targeting this guy. He's been a steal for the money. Might have to upgrade my FO grade.

Also, Cam. Wow. He's been making the transition to a deadeye shooter. And last night, he was doing a fair job guarding McCollum. Did not think he'd be able to guard 2's, as well as some 4's. Perhaps his ceiling his higher than I thought.

So while we've been losing these close games, there have been some positives. Baynes, strangely enough, has been one of the players hurting us in this little stretch.

I misvoted. Thought it meant how many total games the suns will win the rest of the year. I put 23 and under.
I'd go 36+

bwgood77 wrote:The below was a response looking at the names thrown around and trade ideas on the last page or two of the last thread.

Kaminsky is playing pretty well, as has Saric, particularly for two guys who have been screwed by Ayton being out as well as Baynes for awhile. Once Saric plays with Ayton, at least for awhile, it should make everything easy for him. And then Kaminsky has been playing really well the last few games..averaged 4 assists, shooting well....makes some very tough shots inside. Sure he makes mistakes, but so do other's who seem to get more often overlooked.

I think we really need to see how the team looks with Ayton before we decide to do anything, though I still don't think we will. Saric seems underrated. Frank got his early groove back, and now we have Ayton back.

We should have beaten the Spurs and Blazers with Ayton or Booker. Not that great of teams, but when you are missing your two best players, or at least two of your best, it obviously makes things tougher.

You're absolutely not wrong man!

And barring any unforeseen extension of the forearm injury to Booker, We should ( Fingers crossed!) Get to see a decent run of games with the team at full strength inevitably before even January 15th rolls around or the front office makes any potential roster considerations.
And to their credit, Both Kaminsky and Saric have been improved recently too! Saric with his efforts defensively, and with regards to rebounding! And Frank with his shooting numbers!


And although I'm still greatly concerned by their apparent lack of essential athleticism and defensive prowess, Mainly due to my additional concerns as to whether Ayton can be depended upon to be a defensive anchor and vocal leader for this team, again, The have stepped up somewhat and deserve recognition for that! So I'm anxious yet still excited to see if we can pull things together and get back above 500!

And although, I'm still greatly concerned about our defensive issues, both on the perimeter and at the rim, as well as the potential positional playoff implications of losing all of the close " giveaway games" and it coming back to haunt us as the season draws to a close and the race tightens measurably, I for my part, Will try to better temper my expectations and put any more potential trade ideas or ideas of improving the team and potential roster alterations on hold in interest of seeing what we can accomplish at full strength!

Again, FINGERS CROSSED!!!

The Phoenix Suns are another intriguing possible destination for Love. They've got Tyler Johnson's $19.2 million expiring salary and a handful of options for getting to the necessary $23.1 million. Johnson and Aron Baynes ($5.5 million) would give Cleveland maximum salary relief, though Baynes has played an important role in Phoenix this year. Alternatively, Frank Kaminsky is making $4.7 million with a $5 million player option for 2020-21 and might be pushed out of Phoenix's rotation if the Suns actually added Love.

Gallinari would be a lower-risk upgrade for Phoenix at power forward, as the Suns could deal Tyler Johnson for him straight up.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/28315198/which-nba-contenders-land-top-trade-targets

Not that I want Love, but we aren't giving them anything more than a protected first and expirings were we to get him.

Gallo will command more than Ty Johnson IMO

Its easy to see these tough losses - three games: Memphis, Portland and SA Spurs - and say "go get Love."

But I think - even those these are tough losses - they are good losses for a young team. They need to be in close games to learn how to win. Losing by 20 is fine for a veteran team - they just shake it off and play. But the Suns need these close games

Ayton back tonight; Saric and Frank I think will benefit a lot. See what happens. I am still positive about the team

King4Day wrote:I misvoted. Thought it meant how many total games the suns will win the rest of the year. I put 23 and under.
I'd go 36+

Given our 30% winning percentage since the Lakers game ( whenst I personally feel our slide into slow oblivion began) , I have us on pace to potentially end the season at 38- 44. And then find ourselves perhaps firmly in the 9-11 range of the lottery. But we'll of course have to see what impact Ayton will have, And if our team can gel accordingly and go on a run at the right time too!

I voted 32+, I'm a believer

King4Day wrote:I misvoted. Thought it meant how many total games the suns will win the rest of the year. I put 23 and under.
I'd go 36+

It is rest of year. But 23 would only put us at 34 wins total. 36 would put us at 47. I think we will likely fall in between there.

King4Day wrote:

The Phoenix Suns are another intriguing possible destination for Love. They've got Tyler Johnson's $19.2 million expiring salary and a handful of options for getting to the necessary $23.1 million. Johnson and Aron Baynes ($5.5 million) would give Cleveland maximum salary relief, though Baynes has played an important role in Phoenix this year. Alternatively, Frank Kaminsky is making $4.7 million with a $5 million player option for 2020-21 and might be pushed out of Phoenix's rotation if the Suns actually added Love.

Gallinari would be a lower-risk upgrade for Phoenix at power forward, as the Suns could deal Tyler Johnson for him straight up.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/28315198/which-nba-contenders-land-top-trade-targets

Not that I want Love, but we aren't giving them anything more than a protected first and expirings were we to get him.

Gallo will command more than Ty Johnson IMO

It's the money, man. If Love's contract were two years rather than three, I *might* be down. Three years takes us out of the running for 2021 free agents - and it also probably removes us from the conversation should any star become available for trade for at least this year and the next. In addition, trading for Love implicitly means we'd be losing Saric this offseason, because he won't come off the bench, and no way we'd be down for spending $48 mil per on Love/Saric.

Bottom line: even trading just expirings for Love is a bad deal. Adding a pick to the mix? No way!

King4Day wrote:I misvoted. Thought it meant how many total games the suns will win the rest of the year. I put 23 and under.
I'd go 36+

Good news, you now have the option of revoting!

Thought of a funny three team trade that had us getting Horford, Philly gets Love, and Cavs get Ty Johnson, Frank Kaminsky, protected 1st. Not sure why Philly trades Horford except I’ve seen stuff on the trade board that suggest he doesn’t fit their offense.