Season Speculation, Trade Ideas & Discussion Pt. 6

[Saberestar]

Repeated talk about getting Gordon/Capela or any of the real stars in the league isn't happening through free agency since we don't have enough cap space to sign someone outright. It has to happen through a trade moving a couple of our big salaries (Knight, Dudley, Chandler, Warren) along with draft assets and/or young players. Obviously a reasonably-aged, playoff-tested, star PF or C would be a great acquisition this summer in a trade. Not sure who would be an "acquirable" target ... someone that's not a pipe dream.

Otherwise, in free agency the best we can hope for is to fill our bench with quality veterans on one year contracts by waiving a few of the young guys who aren't NBA caliber players.

But...but...but...hasn’t McDonough been telling everyone who will listen about how the Suns are among the top 5-6 teams with most cap space this summer? He said it again last week in that long interview with Arizona Sports.

We do, we have about $21 million if you renounce cap holds and don't guarantee contracts. That just shrinks with each circumstance. Want to keep Payton? Can't renounce his cap hold so that shaves $10 million off that cap space...or sign him for less and shave a little less off that $21. Keep Sauce? Guarantee his $5.5 million....so that brings the $21-$11 down to $5.5....keep Reed? Take off another $1.4....keep Ulis..take off another $1.5. Keep Peters?

Our cap space was kind of used on Payton if we keep him...particularly if we want to keep Reed, Ulis and Williams. Of course it largely depends on how much we pay Payton. But to clear enough space to sign Gordon most of those players or trading another guy like Chandler or Dudley which would require a pick would have to happen.

If we REALLY want to sign a player we will have the space to do it. We have a lot of assets to make that possible.

We need money to sign a player that wants to play for us and is a big upgrade? OK, trade Chandler + Miami pick + our second round pick to a team with salary space this summer ( or to another team on a three team trade). $13.5M out.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

No God please no

I am open to change - just not Jason Kidd. I realize he is not a newby but I also don't want Steve Nash. Or a guy with zero experience

Who would you like?

I also like Fizdale, JB Bickerstaff maybe, the two guys from the Spurs, maybe Majerle if they want sentiment

Sarver would have to be crazy to even interview Jason Kidd with all the domestic abuse stuff swirling around people Cuban employed and the heat he has taken for it. Colangelo traded Kidd when he was an all star pg because he had a domestic abuse incident. For the same organization to hire him to coach kids that would be a horrible look....and of course he's not a good coach.

Agreed. There's a reason that one of the best PGs of all time, who spent a good deal of his prime in PHX, will never have his name in the Ring of Honor. Hopefully Sarver understands that, as well as the fact that Kidd has not shown himself to be a quality NBA coach.

I don't get the Fizdale love. Don't know what he's shown, exactly. Would rather have Triano than either of those candidates, though I'm open to other suggestions.

[Saberestar]

Dream list

#1 pick - Obradovic
#2 - Budenholzer
#3 - Bennett/Wright/Marshall
#4 - Huggins/Few/Fizdale
#5 - Messina/Altman

Obradovic wants to coach in the NBA?

He would need a couple of years at least as a assistant to be an option as a HC.

[Djedefre]

Dream list

#1 pick - Obradovic
#2 - Budenholzer
#3 - Bennett/Wright/Marshall
#4 - Huggins/Few/Fizdale
#5 - Messina/Altman

Obradovic wants to coach in the NBA?

He would need a couple of years at least as a assistant to be an option as a HC.

9X EuroLeague champ with 5 different clubs in 25year span. He ain't gonna assist no one.

[sunsbum]

Scott Bordow is basically on point with this entire article regarding our future:

https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2018/02/22/suns-elfrid-payton-devin-booker-deandre-ayton-nba-draft/359655002/

He ends the article with this:

How would this starting lineup look in 2018-19: Payton, Booker, Jackson, Bender, Bamba, with Warren coming off the bench as a sixth man.

What's notable to me is how obvious it's become that Jackson will be the starter sooner rather than later. Kid has been incredible since January. I don't expect him to crack the All-Rookie first team due to his slow start and the incredible strength of this class, but I do expect him to be an All-Star in time.

How would that line up look? Like we drafted another project big when we should be going for Ayton or JJJ

JJJ is not a center and cant rebound. If we fall to 4 -7 and dont draft Ayton I will be upset as well. Good thing I dont have to worry about.

[BobbieL]

Dream list

#1 pick - Obradovic
#2 - Budenholzer
#3 - Bennett/Wright/Marshall
#4 - Huggins/Few/Fizdale
#5 - Messina/Altman

Obradovic wants to coach in the NBA?

He would need a couple of years at least as a assistant to be an option as a HC.

I forgot a name
Geno Auriemma - the only "college guy" I would want.

Though Few would be second person from college I would talk too.

[Waylay13]

I don't get the Fizdale love. Don't know what he's shown, exactly. Would rather have Triano than either of those candidates, though I'm open to other suggestions.

I have seen a great deal of improvement from the team and players since Triano took over. So I wouldn't have an issue with him staying but I would love to see us go out and get a head assistant that is a defensive focus.

[Waylay13]

JJJ is not a center and cant rebound. If we fall to 4 -7 and dont draft Ayton I will be upset as well. Good thing I dont have to worry about.

I do believe that JJJ can be played as a center in the NBA, however of the 3 big men (Ayton, Bamba and JJJ) I think the one that is going to have the hardest time moving into the NBA right now is JJJ. He has great skills but he has foul issues that is keeping him at around 22 minutes a game. this is an issue that I do see translating into the NBA and if you cant stay on the floor it doesnt matter what skills you have it is going to be hard to get playing time.

[bwgood77]

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[Desertfox]

What they should do instead is replace the lottery with a single-elimination tournament for the top 3 draft picks. That would eliminate tanking and non-playoff teams would be buyers during trading season as they try to build a team for the draft tournament...

[thamadkant]

JJJ has amazing ceiling when he does get stronger and polish his inside game.


Ayton is the safest pick.... Double double rookie year and high ceiling period.

[Saberestar]

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[LukasBMW]

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[NTB]

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[Damkac]

https://soccer.realgm.com/wiretap/5953/Steve-Nash-Likely-To-Join-Turners-Coverage-Of-Champions-League

[Waylay13]

What they should do instead is replace the lottery with a single-elimination tournament for the top 3 draft picks. That would eliminate tanking and non-playoff teams would be buyers during trading season as they try to build a team for the draft tournament...

Yea nothing like having the worst teams get worst due to the fact that they cant get good players in the draft. I remember watching the Spurs tank a whole season just to get Tim Duncan yet no one wanted to change the lottery due to them sitting David Robinson for the season.

[bwoolf2]

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Be nice to have Williams energy back on the floor its contagious. I also think Knight and Warren coming off the bench next year can provide a serious scoring punch. You add the draft pick and another year of all these guys playing together get back Williams and Knight this team can push for a playoff spot next year with no major free agent signings in my opinion.

[BobbieL]

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Be nice to have Williams energy back on the floor its contagious. I also think Knight and Warren coming off the bench next year can provide a serious scoring punch. You add the draft pick and another year of all these guys playing together get back Williams and Knight this team can push for a playoff spot next year with no major free agent signings in my opinion.

This is where I am at. Bring back Knight and hope he can be a scorer off bench; Sauce off the bench brings boards; Warren would score. Draft picks are more youth. Bender, Chriss, JJ should get better.

Ride it out with those expirings - and if somebody wants them and the player coming back is the RIGHT player - trade them. Otherwise, take the cap space

Payton at PG
young players getting better
more scoring off the bench
still not sure who is going to defend
but the team should make progress

[thamadkant]

If Knight comes back and embrace the 6th man PG role next to Warren as the 6th man SF role...suns would have a potent scoring duo off the bench assuming both are willing to cooperate.


But that's the coach's job... Hence a strong tactical coach is needed to make players accept their roles IMO... Suns have had way nice coaches... Heck Hornacek is only becoming "tough" now... Cannot believe he shoved Noah lol... Could have used that when Suns had the Morris twins.

[hollywood6964]

If Knight comes back and embrace the 6th man PG role next to Warren as the 6th man SF role...suns would have a potent scoring duo off the bench assuming both are willing to cooperate.


But that's the coach's job... Hence a strong tactical coach is needed to make players accept their roles IMO... Suns have had way nice coaches... Heck Hornacek is only becoming "tough" now... Cannot believe he shoved Noah lol... Could have used that when Suns had the Morris twins.

These aren't robots to manipulate, the coach can only do so much. Some players just won't be happy coming off the bench. And some outright refuse. We'll see what happens when bk is coming off the back again. Probably play like ****. Warren, idk. We'll see.