Season Speculation, Trade Ideas and Discussion

[thamadkant]

Question for Suns fans here..

If Kings ask for one of Warren or Booker to be packaged with Knight and a future pick... who would you rather keep? AND the assumption is that Cousins says he WILL extend with the Suns.


Warren has proven he can score 25+ points if he gets enough shots... he can score inside with floaters and cuts, score outside at the perimeter and mid range.... complete offensive player IMO... and has proven he can be a pesky defender.

OR

Booker... only 20 years old, can score 25+ points also... but needs to be on fire from the mid or arc. Has a great looking shot but surprisingly doesnt go in as often as they should, but it will improve. He gets blocked easily though because he lacks explosion and athleticism. But he has proven he can create plays for others when required. But his defense is awful...

[Zelaznyrules]

I think you guys are getting way ahead of yourselves.. The quote by watson was saying trading a guy like drew gooden helped the team get better, who happened to be a #4 pick. Basically he was throwing the ole addition by subtraction story out there. I seriously 100% doubt they are talking about Bender or Chriss. Anyone with half a brain can see Bender is going to be special.

I never thought it was about Bender but this prolonged absence by Warren has me concerned. Now he's supposedly going to be out for weeks more and all we're told is "minor head injury"? I won't be shocked to learn we have a deal in place for another player that's not eligible for trade until the middle of December.

[Barkley_34]

Question for Suns fans here..

If Kings ask for one of Warren or Booker to be packaged with Knight and a future pick... who would you rather keep? AND the assumption is that Cousins says he WILL extend with the Suns.


Warren has proven he can score 25+ points if he gets enough shots... he can score inside with floaters and cuts, score outside at the perimeter and mid range.... complete offensive player IMO... and has proven he can be a pesky defender.

OR

Booker... only 20 years old, can score 25+ points also... but needs to be on fire from the mid or arc. Has a great looking shot but surprisingly doesnt go in as often as they should, but it will improve. He gets blocked easily though because he lacks explosion and athleticism. But he has proven he can create plays for others when required. But his defense is awful...

I think it would be worth something with Warren. Bender can play in SF and become a single player. Warren + Knight + Len and picks would be the maximum I would offer. Booker is 2 years younger than Warren, even potential offense and can improve on equal defense to Warren. Last season I remember some here complaining about Warren's defense. I honestly think that would be an excellent trade for the franchise. But that's my opinion, I respect those defending rebuilding by draft and having patience, is an excellent plan as well. What comforts me is that we are in an excellent position for the future, our gm showed that with few resources managed to bring stability and rejuvenate the team.

[AtheJ415]

Question for Suns fans here..

If Kings ask for one of Warren or Booker to be packaged with Knight and a future pick... who would you rather keep? AND the assumption is that Cousins says he WILL extend with the Suns.


Warren has proven he can score 25+ points if he gets enough shots... he can score inside with floaters and cuts, score outside at the perimeter and mid range.... complete offensive player IMO... and has proven he can be a pesky defender.

OR

Booker... only 20 years old, can score 25+ points also... but needs to be on fire from the mid or arc. Has a great looking shot but surprisingly doesnt go in as often as they should, but it will improve. He gets blocked easily though because he lacks explosion and athleticism. But he has proven he can create plays for others when required. But his defense is awful...

Booker doesn't lack explosion. He may not be the best leaper, but he's very quick. His shooting from inside the arc and around the hoop is great. It's actually his 3 ball that isn't this season so far.

Regardless, in this hypothetical you keep Booker no question. Age matters a ton. Booker in 3-4 years should be better than Warren.

Neither should be involved in a trade though. Trading either is just stupid.

[NBA Fiend]

This guy suggested the same thing.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1491645#start_here

[bwgood77]

I think you guys are getting way ahead of yourselves.. The quote by watson was saying trading a guy like drew gooden helped the team get better, who happened to be a #4 pick. Basically he was throwing the ole addition by subtraction story out there. I seriously 100% doubt they are talking about Bender or Chriss. Anyone with half a brain can see Bender is going to be special.

I never thought it was about Bender but this prolonged absence by Warren has me concerned. Now he's supposedly going to be out for weeks more and all we're told is "minor head injury"? I won't be shocked to learn we have a deal in place for another player that's not eligible for trade until the middle of December.

So that they are holding out Warren because the trading team doesn't want him to play or we want to avoid him getting injured? Can you trade draft picks before mid December? I know some free agent signings you can't but wasn't sure about draft picks. But I think some maybe already were traded so that's probably not right.

[bwgood77]

“I love Dragan,” Watson said. “I always want to try to find a way to get him into the game. I think Dragan is going to have amazing opportunities moving forward. We understand he’s a big part of our future as a cornerstone. But the NBA is not just as easy as playing guys you like. There’s a lot of things that go into it.”

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2016/11/24/rookie-tyler-ulis-slides-into-suns-rotation-smoothly/94385990/

That's really good to hear. I read that quote as meaning "I have to play the guys that we are looking to trade" or something along those lines....though it could mean a lot of things...provide energy in the right lineups, or a vet that's needed or whatever. Will have to read the whole article though.

[Frank Lee]

McD has positioned himself/us for a Cousins deal. All we have to do is move 7-8 million in contracts and can absorb Boogies 17 mil. Knight does not have to be involved. Warren and/or Chriss with a couple picks would do it, along with Tucker. Sactown then waives Tuck (and of course, San Ant picks him up)

There are many options, and I'd count on us being in the mix.

It's an easy one to figure. we'd still be a young team too, and you don't really think Sarver would pass on getting back into the playoffs do you? And there is no reason to think DMC would walk. (Of course we'd draft another KY player ...and hmmmm may be make a play for their coach?)

This would be the best team he's ever been on and IMO, and a load to deal with. Contender? It will be a close as we come in the next 5 yrs.

[kennydorglas]

Question for Suns fans here..

If Kings ask for one of Warren or Booker to be packaged with Knight and a future pick... who would you rather keep? AND the assumption is that Cousins says he WILL extend with the Suns.


Warren has proven he can score 25+ points if he gets enough shots... he can score inside with floaters and cuts, score outside at the perimeter and mid range.... complete offensive player IMO... and has proven he can be a pesky defender.

OR

Booker... only 20 years old, can score 25+ points also... but needs to be on fire from the mid or arc. Has a great looking shot but surprisingly doesnt go in as often as they should, but it will improve. He gets blocked easily though because he lacks explosion and athleticism. But he has proven he can create plays for others when required. But his defense is awful...

Booker doesn't lack explosion. He may not be the best leaper, but he's very quick. His shooting from inside the arc and around the hoop is great. It's actually his 3 ball that isn't this season so far.

Regardless, in this hypothetical you keep Booker no question. Age matters a ton. Booker in 3-4 years should be better than Warren.

Neither should be involved in a trade though. Trading either is just stupid.

Booker is trying to man up and play through injuries.
He's never been an amazing leaper but I never saw him getting blocked at the rim so easily.
DAR tried to do it too but Lakers already shut him down to heal... We need to do the same thing with Book.

Obviously even lingered by injuries he can still explode in some games, but it's painfully obvious that he's not even 80%.

[lilfishi22]

I don't understand why we don't shut Booker down for like another week so he can get the rehab and rest his body needs. Are stakes that high we need Booker to play through his injuries?

[ATTL]

I don't understand why we don't shut Booker down for like another week so he can get the rehab and rest his body needs. Are stakes that high we need Booker to play through his injuries?

Agreed. I think booker is trying to show his toughness and the front office is still trying to win for this season.

[AtheJ415]

“I love Dragan,” Watson said. “I always want to try to find a way to get him into the game. I think Dragan is going to have amazing opportunities moving forward. We understand he’s a big part of our future as a cornerstone. But the NBA is not just as easy as playing guys you like. There’s a lot of things that go into it.”

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2016/11/24/rookie-tyler-ulis-slides-into-suns-rotation-smoothly/94385990/

That's really good to hear. I read that quote as meaning "I have to play the guys that we are looking to trade" or something along those lines....though it could mean a lot of things...provide energy in the right lineups, or a vet that's needed or whatever. Will have to read the whole article though.

Maybe he meant PJ Tucker, in which case he would become my favorite Suns coach ever.

[TeamTragic]

How about this deal...
Suns get-
Seth Curry
Deron Williams (expiring)
Andrew Bogut (expiring)
2017 1st round pick (no protection)
2021 1st round pick (top 10 protection)

Mavs get-
Eric Bledsoe
Tyson Chandler

Cuban won't ever go through a full rebuild so he takes his chances on Bledsoe/Chandler along with Dirk/Wes/Barnes to lure top tier free agents over the summer. We double our chances on getting a top pick and even though this trade would likely put the Mavs back to fighting for the playoffs they still might end up being 9th place.
We waive D-Will/Bogut and Tucker if we can't find a suitable trade for him and start Ulis with Booker. Bender gets ample playing time in the high 20's at the 3/4 along with Warren/Chriss.

Dallas might just say **** it at this point. They aren't getting any younger or better.

[bwgood77]

I don't understand why we don't shut Booker down for like another week so he can get the rehab and rest his body needs. Are stakes that high we need Booker to play through his injuries?

I know, and even the Lakers do it with Russell and they still beat OKC.

[LukasBMW]

I said that I would be "all in" for Boogie if we were on the verge of making the playoffs.

So far, we have not played like a playoff team and unless we turn it around FAST, we are going to be looking at a top 5 pick again.

I'd still be down to acquire Cousins, but only for a bargain. No way am I trading any of our young pieces for a moody superstar that can walk in the summer of 2018 and leave us with nothing. Not even with a "promise" from him to resign because handshakes mean nothing these days. Even with Cousins, we still may not be a playoff team.

Boogie for Knight, Len, and a pick? (Maybe even 2 picks) Absolutely!

Boogie for multiple picks or one of our youngsters? Hell no!

Booker and Warren could be game changers. They already look like special players.

Ulis, Bender, and Chriss have too much potential.

[LukasBMW]

Following the SAS mold of sacrifice and family is a great model to follow. SAS has proven that small market teams can be perennial contenders. Therefore, I support the Watson strategy of building a team oriented culture of sacrifice.

I'm just not sure Watson is the right person to implement he strategy. Pop is/was/has always been A SON OF A BITCH.

Can Watson be a hardass? Can Watson be respected but also feared?

...and trading any of our youngsters this early due to concerns about attitude would be really stupid. It's one thing to avoid guys that have bad reps about the league OR getting rid of a player that is really (I mean REALLY) **** up in the locker room or off the court (drugs, assaults, domestic violence, lashing out at teammates constantly, etc). But quitting on a player for minor attitude reasons would be dumb.

[bwgood77]

The jury is still out on Watson, but he obviously has the team, and has built the unity and chemistry. I know I've been frustrated with the lack of Bender play when we have a healthy roster (which is abnormal for me because I usually don't expect rookies to play but this year thought we were embracing rebuilding) but that might just come down to us wanting to play Tucker, show what he can provide, and then trade him. Perhaps same goes with Knight for Ulis.

And I agree, I trade none of these young guys for Cousins. MAYBE if it could be Chriss, Knight, Tucker and a couple picks, and there was an absolute certainty he would re-sign. But there is no certainty and I'd rather hold onto Chriss and especially all the other young guys and our picks because we control them for a long time. And none of these guys have attitude problems. Cousins has gone through like 5-7 coaches and never led a team with guys like Gay and IT and other pretty good players to win more than 33 games or so.

[MathiasPW]

Playing Tucker for trade reasons is hard to swallow. He doesn't have much value to begin with and he is a FA at the end of this year.

Would you really sacrifice developing your core to improve his value from a late second rounder to a mid second rounder ?

[Damkac]

I hope Suns won't trade for Cousins. I'm not really sure if Suns with Cousins can make a playoffs. And playoffs shouldn't be the goal it should be championship. Are Bledsoe, (older) Booker and Cousins a core of a championship caliber team? I don't see this. Not to mention with Cousins you risk that he could destroy any chemistry on a team.
I would prefer to trade vets, get high pick in what looks like an awesome draft and build around youth.
Top 5 pick in 2017 draft, Booker, Warren, Bender, Chriss, Ulis looks more like a future contender than a team I wrote above.

[Skillmatic]

I hope the Suns don't make a big trade. Trade away Tucker for a pick and i am fine. I Love our young core. So let them develope and we will have a bright future. Booker and Warren can easily score 20-25 ppg. Chriss is very raw, but he has so much talent. Bender could be a very good defender and has a big bbiq. But one of my favourite players is Ulis. With him on the court, we are playing much better basketball. His court vision is amazing and i think he could be more than just a backup.

I am very high on Booker,Ulis,Warren,Bender,Chriss. This could be a very good team in the future.