Official: Brandan Wright to Phoenix

[Mykhyn]

Surprised another team didn't go after him like The Spurs he would be perfect there or Toronto or Atlanta. All 3 teams would have been better off with him.

Don't see the fit on the Spurs. He wouldn't even get minutes when everyone is healthy.

[RightToCensor]

He can run, jump, chew gum, block shots... What's the point if you have the exact same player already starting?

The fact that Cleveland couldn't manage to snag him shows Boston was potentially afraid of him long term next to Lebron and Love, which is smart. I honestly thought Boston could get better returns for Wright, but I guess they were simply protecting their future and keeping potential game-changers out their division and conference.

[FutureKnicksGM]

Good job OP

[thamadkant]

After trading Tolliver now the Suns have enough cap room to absorb Wright's contract:

Wright for MIN 2015 1st rounder (protected for selections 1-12 in 2015 and 1-12 in 2016; if Minnesota has not conveyed a 1st round pick to Phoenix by 2016, then Minnesota will instead convey its 2016 2nd round pick and 2017 2nd round pick to Phoenix)

The Suns obviously need frontcourt-help while the Celtics cashing in two high 2nd rounders for the expiring Wright who they don't need anyway.

assuming you didnt edit your OP, well done hcsilla !

[RightToCensor]

Also congrats OP on nailing a trade. Don't let Mods belittle this cool moment.

[HartfordWhalers]

Renamed trade to official (and added a poll)

Well done!!!!



Also, I think this is a steal for Phoenix, and that they shouldn't be spending assets on Wright, agreeing with everyone back in December. I think this one gets a Neither won vote from me.

[NaturalBuns]

It's a upgrade over Plumlee this dude has sucked since December of 2013. Bledsoe went down and he never found his game after that. I remember to many times last year Jeff hornacek had Plumlee only a extremely short leash.
Would always pull him in the 4th to put markieff or frye at the 5. Plumlee was just a liability on the offensive end. I thought maybe he would turn it around in a new season but he's still playing bad and now Len has passed him in rotation.

Wright finishes around the rim at a high rate the very exact opposite of Plumlee.
So he can stay on the court if Len gets in foul trouble which he does.

[Narf]

I think people underrate that Minnesota pick. Minnesota had a historically bad bench and top 5 starting 5 for the first 2/3rds of the season, until Shabazz and Dieng finally got playing time. Subtract all our bad bench players, add a competent GM, assume Young bounces back from his family tragedy this season, add a better coach (Flip wanted Joerger, so he's got a good eye there too), and the Wolves could easily be 9th in the west next year.

I like the top 3 players in the draft next year a lot, and think all 3 could help with a playoff push off the bench.

[GopherIt!]

Even next year w Okafor/Towns, we will struggle.

The best:
GS/SA/LAC/POR/HOU/MEM/DAL/OKC/PHX/NOLA

The rest:
SAC/Utah/DEN/LAL

We'd be super lucky to be a 11-12th seed in the West next year.
Our conference is just too stacked.

[arbsn]

Raptors lawst on this one... He was their guy...

[NavLDO]

I think people underrate that Minnesota pick. Minnesota had a historically bad bench and top 5 starting 5 for the first 2/3rds of the season, until Shabazz and Dieng finally got playing time. Subtract all our bad bench players, add a competent GM, assume Young bounces back from his family tragedy this season, add a better coach (Flip wanted Joerger, so he's got a good eye there too), and the Wolves could easily be 9th in the west next year.

I like the top 3 players in the draft next year a lot, and think all 3 could help with a playoff push off the bench.

But even if the pick translates to the #13 pick in the 2016 draft, a season and a half from now, this is still a fair deal for PHX. They were desperately looking for a solid bench 4/5. Plumlee has just regressed too far to be counted on in that role from game to game, and behind Markieff, they have...yeah, nothing unless you call Randolph a worthy 2nd string guy, and even if you do, at the 4 and 5 spots, they had Len, Plumlee, Kieff, and Randolph, with nothing else other than Marcus that "could" have played some 4 in a pinch.

Wright, for $5M, fit under the cap, and now they have his bird rights, that if he does well enough for them, they will have the advantage in signing him long-term if they so choose, in the off-season.

I think this was a fair deal for both sides. The Celtics are in the "acquiring assets" mode since trading Rondo, and Wright wasn't giving them solid minutes. They can probably package the Minny pick in a trade before next season, as the Suns did, before it for sure, becomes two 2nds. Minnesota could conceivably push for an 8th seed next year--stranger things have happened.

It's a case of two teams, each having an asset it didn't really need, and turning it into an asset they can actually use.

[nykballa2k4]

Alex Len is better than Wright.

Well he's different anyway. Don't think you can call him the better player yet. But he does provide some size that Wright simply doesn't have.

Can't beat the price for Phoenix as they get to try him out for essentially free. Seems like he could carve out some minutes at the 4/5. OTOH the Suns still seem to playing for next year in which case trading even an asset as meager as that pick probably isn't worth it for a rental.

I'd think Boston could get a better asset for Wright.

basically why I voted neither...
Wright is not a difference maker of playoffs/not playoffs (unless Len gets hurt I guess). Typically, Wright would be a piece added to a team ie LAC or CLE or MIA as a piece as insurance/depth for the playoffs.

Boston also lost because they gave up a center, that teams like Portland may be clamoring for come FEB for a couple of 2nd rounders which could be bought outright and will likely yield summer fodder.

[hcsilla]

After trading Tolliver now the Suns have enough cap room to absorb Wright's contract:

Wright for MIN 2015 1st rounder (protected for selections 1-12 in 2015 and 1-12 in 2016; if Minnesota has not conveyed a 1st round pick to Phoenix by 2016, then Minnesota will instead convey its 2016 2nd round pick and 2017 2nd round pick to Phoenix)

The Suns obviously need frontcourt-help while the Celtics cashing in two high 2nd rounders for the expiring Wright who they don't need anyway.

assuming you didnt edit your OP, well done hcsilla !

I did not, HartfordWhalers did.

[HartfordWhalers]

After trading Tolliver now the Suns have enough cap room to absorb Wright's contract:

Wright for MIN 2015 1st rounder (protected for selections 1-12 in 2015 and 1-12 in 2016; if Minnesota has not conveyed a 1st round pick to Phoenix by 2016, then Minnesota will instead convey its 2016 2nd round pick and 2017 2nd round pick to Phoenix)

The Suns obviously need frontcourt-help while the Celtics cashing in two high 2nd rounders for the expiring Wright who they don't need anyway.

assuming you didnt edit your OP, well done hcsilla !

I did not, HartfordWhalers did.

I just added the poll, and the official -- hadn't seen the other official one already.

Again, well done!

[phx#7]

Alex Len is better than Wright.

Well he's different anyway. Don't think you can call him the better player yet. But he does provide some size that Wright simply doesn't have.

Can't beat the price for Phoenix as they get to try him out for essentially free. Seems like he could carve out some minutes at the 4/5. OTOH the Suns still seem to playing for next year in which case trading even an asset as meager as that pick probably isn't worth it for a rental.

I'd think Boston could get a better asset for Wright.

basically why I voted neither...
Wright is not a difference maker of playoffs/not playoffs (unless Len gets hurt I guess). Typically, Wright would be a piece added to a team ie LAC or CLE or MIA as a piece as insurance/depth for the playoffs.

Boston also lost because they gave up a center, that teams like Portland may be clamoring for come FEB for a couple of 2nd rounders which could be bought outright and will likely yield summer fodder.

Len is only playing like 20mpg. Adding Wright certainly improves the team enough to make a difference when Len is not on the court.

[nykballa2k4]

Well he's different anyway. Don't think you can call him the better player yet. But he does provide some size that Wright simply doesn't have.

Can't beat the price for Phoenix as they get to try him out for essentially free. Seems like he could carve out some minutes at the 4/5. OTOH the Suns still seem to playing for next year in which case trading even an asset as meager as that pick probably isn't worth it for a rental.

I'd think Boston could get a better asset for Wright.

basically why I voted neither...
Wright is not a difference maker of playoffs/not playoffs (unless Len gets hurt I guess). Typically, Wright would be a piece added to a team ie LAC or CLE or MIA as a piece as insurance/depth for the playoffs.

Boston also lost because they gave up a center, that teams like Portland may be clamoring for come FEB for a couple of 2nd rounders which could be bought outright and will likely yield summer fodder.

Len is only playing like 20mpg. Adding Wright certainly improves the team enough to make a difference when Len is not on the court.

Wright is not going to be the difference between playoffs/non-playoffs. He likely will be overpaid this summer. Suns never overpay so..

[phx#7]

Wright is not going to be the difference between playoffs/non-playoffs. He likely will be overpaid this summer. Suns never overpay so..

Adding Wright may not guarantee playoffs but the Suns missed the post season by 1 game last year and the upgrade to their depth he represents could certainly account for 1 game.

[nykballa2k4]

Wright is not going to be the difference between playoffs/non-playoffs. He likely will be overpaid this summer. Suns never overpay so..

Adding Wright may not guarantee playoffs but the Suns missed the post season by 1 game last year and the upgrade to their depth he represents could certainly account for 1 game.

I don't see how added a long term asset for a 1 year rental with the hopes of being first round fodder (at best) is a "win" of a trade. if picks were moved for a b/u center who is under contract for a longer duration.. sure. This was a bad deal for the Suns, but a worse deal for the Celtics. Suns really are not/were not in a position where adding center depth is beneficial to their franchise... but w/e.

[Orens]

What long term asset? Second round picks?
At this point, the Suns has TOO MUCH youth. Not only this is one of the most inexperienced teams in the league, they have 3 talented first round prospects who could use some playing time, the Lakers pick (top 5 protected this year), as well as all their draft picks, AND Bogdan Bogdanovic who is supposed to join the team next summer.
That Minny pick is highly likely to end up as 2nd rounders in 2016--2017, which the Suns probably won't need.