The Official 2024 Offseason Thread Part 2

[mkot]

Jones - Harden
O'Neale - Leonard
Booker - Mann
Durant - Jones
Nurkic - Zubac

I like the defensive matchups balance

Are you expecting Beal as a bench player?

Not happening. They have already said that Tyus, Beal and Book will be a three-headed monster.

Because we have had such a great success with three-headed monsters.

We are not stopping anyone anyway so might as well go small and gun

[Jesus_H_Macy]

Jones - Harden
O'Neale - Leonard
Booker - Mann
Durant - Jones
Nurkic - Zubac

I like the defensive matchups balance

Are you expecting Beal as a bench player?

Not happening. They have already said that Tyus, Beal and Book will be a three-headed monster.

Agree, the only way Beal will be coming off the bench to start the season would be if he directly asked for it to happen (he won't) or if he's injured (definitely possible). It'll be interesting to see what happens when he inevitably gets hurt for a stretch though. I hope there aren't other significant injuries at the time so we'll get a sample of what the squad would look like without Beal in the equation at all, if we'd be better or worse off. If he was injured for long enough, and we played well enough without him, I could see him ending the season on the bench. But even if that were to happen I still feel like they'd try to move him back into the starting lineup for the playoffs, just because.

For this Clips game specifically, I wonder if it isn't better to start Beal anyways. It will probably require Booker and Durant to guard Kawhi a fair amount, which isn't great, but Beal can be pesky on D when he's locked in. If we have whichever of Beal/Booker/Durant that Kawhi is guarding on each possession attack him, and we just try to pester him on D, maybe we can get him in foul trouble and/or wear him out so he's less effective on both ends? With O'Neale starting it feels like it would be easier for Kawhi to hide on D.

[garrick]

We can start Beal like 5 mins or so to begin the 1st but then sit him play him off the bench once Book comes out for a rest similar to how we had Javale start games and finish games on the bench.

Small ball should work during the regular season depending on the matchup but now that the secret is out the teams that can play big and physical will beat up on us similar to how the Wolves play.

If we have to play big we'll continue to struggle until we can find a solution for our big man woes.

[lilfishi22]

I really feel like anyone who expects/hopes Beal comes off the bench is just setting themselves up for disappointment....for no reason. You just don't pay a good and healthy NBA player $50m to come off the bench at the start of the season with a new coach, new PG and a new system. You throw everything at the wall to see if it works before you bring him off the bench, which we may at some point in the season if nothing works but to project Beal coming off the bench now is kinda crazy

[Mulhollanddrive]

Jones - Harden
Beal - Mann
Booker - Jones
Durant - Leonard
Nurkic - Zubac

No team is fearing our defensive matchups

Maybe we average 35 points in the 1st and it won't matter

[lilfishi22]

Jones - Harden
Beal - Mann
Booker - Jones
Durant - Leonard
Nurkic - Zubac

No team is fearing our defensive matchups

Maybe we average 35 points in the 1st and it won't matter

No one feared our defense last season either despite arguably playing above our defensive talents so unless we had something like a 50% roster turnover in favour of defensive players, we weren't going to change that in any notable way. But I think more importantly, no one feared our offense last season either because they knew they could get blown out for 36min and still have a chance in the final 12 to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

What we did do this offseason was to bring in the right people to not let that second part happen. Not only to disallow 4th quarters to be our Achilles Heel but also not let our overall offense look so pedestrian and disjointed for a roster with this much offensive talent. The addition of Tyus Jones, Monte Morris and Bud should on paper change our outlook on offense and any (if at all) defensive improvements would be a bonus.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

[bwgood77]

We can start Beal like 5 mins or so to begin the 1st but then sit him play him off the bench once Book comes out for a rest similar to how we had Javale start games and finish games on the bench.

Small ball should work during the regular season depending on the matchup but now that the secret is out the teams that can play big and physical will beat up on us similar to how the Wolves play.

If we have to play big we'll continue to struggle until we can find a solution for our big man woes.

Yeah, this is the plan I'm sure. The good thing about starting him is more rest time between time playing. No use resting one of your top players to start the game. He may still basically be like a 6th man, but start and finish. It would be fine having him as a 6th man, but give him the rest time after he plays a bit instead of before he plays at all. Makes more sense. Even if only like 3 minutes.

[Mulhollanddrive]

The issue for me is Jones and Beal have the worst opponent FG% on our team and they'll both be starting together undersized.

O'Neale had the best out of our wings but may only get 15 mins off the bench.

[lilfishi22]

The issue for me is Jones and Beal have the worst opponent FG% on our team and they'll both be starting together undersized.

O'Neale had the best out of our wings but may only get 15 mins off the bench.

It wouldn't be unexpected to me if KD/Book end up playing fewer minutes, opening up the way for more minutes for the other guys. If you look at Book's career when he wasn't playing with much talent, he was basically averaging about 36-37mpg then when we had a competent team where he didn't have to create as much, he didn't need to play the same minutes and dropped down to about 34-35mpg

Book MPG over the last 5 seasons:
2019: 35.9mpg (Rubio but only 33.8mpg in the 8-0 with a competent Payne)
2020: 33.9mpg (CP3/Payne)
2021: 34.9mpg (CP3/Payne)
2022: 34.6mpg (CP3/Payne)
2023: 36.0mpg (NA)

KD playing 37.2mpg last season wasn't ideal and I think a lot of people recognise that but it was kind of a necessary evil. Grayson won't see the 33mpg from last season but it shouldn't be drastically down because he'll be playing a decent chunk of the EG minutes (27.8mpg) with Royce picking up the remainder of that (on top of his own allocated minutes). I also don't envision Jones playing typical starter minutes (30mpg+).

Ultimately, I think what we need to keep in mind is that those fewer minutes played are really an ideal situation where everyone is healthy and healthy for most of the season. For example, I don't have any issues with Royce playing fewer minutes than expected if it's because everyone is healthy and effective. Unfortunately in the NBA, a very healthy season is more the exception than the norm so you will see guys playing more minutes than expected because of an injury to someone else ahead of them in the depth chart. That's why I'm not at all fussed that Monte may only play 10-15mpg on a fully healthy squad or Royce only plays 15mpg.

As much as I loved watching Grayson bomb away for 33mpg last season, at the end of the day, the primary goal isn't to give Grayson Allen 33mpgs but to reduce the minutes of the stars, and still win games

[Mr Puddles]

Read on Twitter

Funny enough, this is exactly how I've been spending my summer, but on a bigger yacht ofcourse.

[Cutter]

Read on Twitter

I wonder who that blonde girl talking to Booker is? I read somewhere recently that his girlfriend was a small Thai girl named Sumi, very pretty. Book seems to have bit of "player" in him, be smart young man you've got life by the tail and you can truly have it all.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

I wonder who that blonde girl talking to Booker is? I read somewhere recently that his girlfriend was a small Thai girl named Sumi, very pretty. Book seems to have bit of "player" in him, be smart young man you've got life by the tail and you can truly have it all.

Not sure if serious lol.

You are talking about Suni Lee (american gold medalist) and they just took a picture together.

[Cutter]

Read on Twitter

I wonder who that blonde girl talking to Booker is? I read somewhere recently that his girlfriend was a small Thai girl named Sumi, very pretty. Book seems to have bit of "player" in him, be smart young man you've got life by the tail and you can truly have it all.

Not sure if serious lol.

You are talking about Suni Lee (american gold medalist) and they just took a picture together.

Haha! Totally serious, but I was totally wrong! Thanks for the update.

[Mr Puddles]

Yabusele's deal with Real Madrid includes a $2.5 million NBA buyout. That amount reportedly jumped up from $1 million on July 15. An NBA team can put up to $850,000 towards the buyout for the player. That amount is then reflected in the player's cap hit.

.

I don't see dancing bear putting up close to 2 mil out of his own pocket to sign a vet min in Phoenix this season. That being said, if Tyus has a breakout season with us and ends up cashing in next summer when his contract expires, I do see Phoenix as a very desirable destination. We could 'promise' him a rotation spot, and with back-to-back role players having had career years (and, more importantly, subsequently getting a big pay bump) we might be able to convince Yabusele that playing next to our big three is going to inflate his stock significantly. Also, with Nurk coming off the books that following year, we might be the team that retains him in the end.

[sunsbum]

I really feel like anyone who expects/hopes Beal comes off the bench is just setting themselves up for disappointment....for no reason. You just don't pay a good and healthy NBA player $50m to come off the bench at the start of the season with a new coach, new PG and a new system. You throw everything at the wall to see if it works before you bring him off the bench, which we may at some point in the season if nothing works but to project Beal coming off the bench now is kinda crazy

Beal not coming off the bench is about a big brained as running no point guard for an entire year. Someone in this front office needs to throw their baby arm on the table. The ****, how are suns fans cool with this? I can’t believe people are getting paid to make these ridiculous decisions.

[sunskerr]

I really feel like anyone who expects/hopes Beal comes off the bench is just setting themselves up for disappointment....for no reason. You just don't pay a good and healthy NBA player $50m to come off the bench at the start of the season with a new coach, new PG and a new system. You throw everything at the wall to see if it works before you bring him off the bench, which we may at some point in the season if nothing works but to project Beal coming off the bench now is kinda crazy

Beal not coming off the bench is about a big brained as running no point guard for an entire year. Someone in this front office needs to throw their baby arm on the table. The ****, how are suns fans cool with this? I can’t believe people are getting paid to make these ridiculous decisions.

Was gonna wait and see with how Beal goes with the starters but mate I've had a few beers and let me tell you you're spot on it's some galaxy brain tactics to have Beal out there with the starters being essentially a 4th option from a touches standpoint.

Beal is gonna be sitting in a corner after Tyus brings the ball up and Booker and KD get the lions share of shots. And Nurk is pretty good at operating with the ball passing out of the low and high posts.

And then you look at how trash our bench scoring looks if Beal is in the starters like who the hell is gonna make any buckets and shot create off the bench?? We wanna have Grayson Allen and Morris taking step back jumpers and attacking the rim??

Jesus Christ

[Mr Puddles]

I really feel like anyone who expects/hopes Beal comes off the bench is just setting themselves up for disappointment....for no reason. You just don't pay a good and healthy NBA player $50m to come off the bench at the start of the season with a new coach, new PG and a new system. You throw everything at the wall to see if it works before you bring him off the bench, which we may at some point in the season if nothing works but to project Beal coming off the bench now is kinda crazy

Beal not coming off the bench is about a big brained as running no point guard for an entire year. Someone in this front office needs to throw their baby arm on the table. The ****, how are suns fans cool with this? I can’t believe people are getting paid to make these ridiculous decisions.

Was gonna wait and see with how Beal goes with the starters but mate I've had a few beers and let me tell you you're spot on it's some galaxy brain tactics to have Beal out there with the starters being essentially a 4th option from a touches standpoint.

Beal is gonna be sitting in a corner after Tyus brings the ball up and Booker and KD get the lions share of shots. And Nurk is pretty good at operating with the ball passing out of the low and high posts.

And then you look at how trash our bench scoring looks if Beal is in the starters like who the hell is gonna make any buckets and shot create off the bench?? We wanna have Grayson Allen and Morris taking step back jumpers and attacking the rim??

Jesus Christ

The only way Bradley Beal comes off the bench is:
1. Beal gets an early season injury, the Suns starters play great in his absence but the bench misses fire power. To ease Beal back, the Suns bring him off the bench and the results are excellent, the team wins and the bench unit is purring. The coaching staff convinces Beal that keeping him with the second unit gives the team the best chance to win a championship.
2. The Suns start the season cold and know that a drastic adjustment needs to be made. The logical choice is to tinker about with the line-up and ultimately leading to Beal getting moved to the bench.

[ChuckS]

I'm conflicted. I cannot make up my mind about bringing Beale off the bench without seeing what we have this year because of some critically important improvements over the summer. I believe the starting lineup last year was small, but that should have been somewhat mitigated by the offensive potential. I anticipate (or maybe it's more hope) that that potential can be realized with the additions of Bud and Jones.

It seems probable that we are replacing the 6'4" Allen with a 6'6" wingspan with the 6'1" Jones albeit with a near 6'5" wingspan. So if everything else stays the same we would be somewhat smaller. They averaged nearly the same PPG but having a point guard should improve the offense. Booker and Beale are 6"6" and 6"4" but both with 6"8" wingspans, though at less than 210 lbs, Both can defend either the two or three. Bringing Beale off the bench could improve starting defense and size. With he and Allen we would also lose little going to the bench. I'm just concerned about the affect on the scary offensive potential with the big three.

We also have limited alternatives. I like Royce with his length, bulk, and proven ability to also guard the four while providing clutch three point shooting, I could even live with Dunn in spite of the shooting questions, if he can somewhat neutralize some guys who killed us last year. Bol has awesome length with scoring ability if he is ready. Other than that it's a crap shoot.

In summary, I'm going to have to trust what the coaches come up with in early practice, at least until the preseason games.

[bigfoot]

Booker showed the key to winning in the Olympics. Beal simply needs to do the same and play defense first, rebound, hit threes. As a starter scoring 20+ per game doesnt matter for Beal. Can he be a glue guy?