Almost off-season discussion! Trades/Free Agency Ep. 9

[Revived]

For a team that’s trying to start winning within the next 2 years, I feel like we’re better off going with a vet PG via free agency or trade rather than drafting one at #16.

PG is a really important position and the learning curve for rookie ones to adjust to the NBA is pretty extreme (hence why nearly every PG drafted last season struggled last season).

I’m not impressed with the guys that would be available to us at #16 either. I’m okay with them drafting another PG at 16 or 31 to be the backup and groom them along as they would probably present an upgrade over Ulis anyway.

[thamadkant]

John Wall is my ideal "Star" PG to go after... he will be so good with a fast lineup like Booker, Jackson, Chriss, Ayton

[NTB]

For a team that’s trying to start winning within the next 2 years, I feel like we’re better off going with a vet PG via free agency or trade rather than drafting one at #16.

PG is a really important position and the learning curve for rookie ones to adjust to the NBA is pretty extreme (hence why nearly every PG drafted last season struggled last season).

I’m not impressed with the guys that would be available to us at #16 either. I’m okay with them drafting another PG at 16 or 31 to be the backup and groom them along as they would probably present an upgrade over Ulis anyway.

Dragic

[Waylay13]

John Wall is my ideal "Star" PG to go after... he will be so good with a fast lineup like Booker, Jackson, Chriss, Ayton

John Wall is my nightmare of a player to go after. His salary is so high that it will remove the Suns from making any meaningful moves for years and may lead to some of our young talent walking.

[m1chal]

John Wall is my ideal "Star" PG to go after... he will be so good with a fast lineup like Booker, Jackson, Chriss, Ayton

John Wall is my nightmare of a player to go after. His salary is so high that it will remove the Suns from making any meaningful moves for years and may lead to some of our young talent walking.

...and he's injury prone and there were rumors about conflict with teammates. He's very good but not +M40/y for the next 5 years good. And he's Wizards franchise face and I don't know what it would take to get him but I would probably not want to pay it.

[BobbieL]

For a team that’s trying to start winning within the next 2 years, I feel like we’re better off going with a vet PG via free agency or trade rather than drafting one at #16.

PG is a really important position and the learning curve for rookie ones to adjust to the NBA is pretty extreme (hence why nearly every PG drafted last season struggled last season).

I’m not impressed with the guys that would be available to us at #16 either. I’m okay with them drafting another PG at 16 or 31 to be the backup and groom them along as they would probably present an upgrade over Ulis anyway.

Dragic

Dragic - for sure. Two years left on a contract that is not bad - $36m. The Heat probably want to start re-tooling and offload a contract to help with cap space starting in the summer of 2019. Might not be expensive to take on. The question is - are the Suns willing to take on any other contract add to a trade to get Dragic as with Daniels, Dudley, Chandler, to a degree Williams, House and Ulis but that minimizes the Suns other cap moves - Heat can get expirings, non guaranteed contracts

Olynuyk - Riley probably not doing for Chandler/Dudley/Ulis + 31st pick but I would - might even give them 16 instead of 31

Richardson - oh for sure - they would get the 16 I think

Johnson- hmm, not sure about this one - but he is a good player just a lot of years left

Waiters - keep walking Riles

whiteside - umm never

[Damkac]

For a team that’s trying to start winning within the next 2 years, I feel like we’re better off going with a vet PG via free agency or trade rather than drafting one at #16.

PG is a really important position and the learning curve for rookie ones to adjust to the NBA is pretty extreme (hence why nearly every PG drafted last season struggled last season).

I’m not impressed with the guys that would be available to us at #16 either. I’m okay with them drafting another PG at 16 or 31 to be the backup and groom them along as they would probably present an upgrade over Ulis anyway.

Dragic

Why not both? Dragic as starter and young PG to develop on the bench?

What would Dragic cost be?

[BobbieL]

For a team that’s trying to start winning within the next 2 years, I feel like we’re better off going with a vet PG via free agency or trade rather than drafting one at #16.

PG is a really important position and the learning curve for rookie ones to adjust to the NBA is pretty extreme (hence why nearly every PG drafted last season struggled last season).

I’m not impressed with the guys that would be available to us at #16 either. I’m okay with them drafting another PG at 16 or 31 to be the backup and groom them along as they would probably present an upgrade over Ulis anyway.

Dragic

Why not both? Dragic as starter and young PG to develop on the bench?

What would Dragic cost be?

The guy from the Miami paper speculating on moves the Suns could make would be Dragic for the 31st pick - but the Suns would have to make cap moves to free up 18m. Plus if the Suns did that - all of their cap space would be gone (assuming Peters Len and Payton are renounced and Williams, Ulis waived)

I prefer one of two scenarios which would leave the Suns a bit of cap space :

1) Dudley, Williams, House possibly even the 16th pick but for sure the 31st pick for Dragic - would save the Heat almost 8m on this years cap plus Dudley expiring or a buyout candidate more money next year plus a pick

2) Three team deal
Dudley to Minnesota - I bring this up as Minnesota is over the cap but the Aldrich contract is not guaranteed, save 2m so just trying to improve the Twolves with that contract. I am sure they have better options but since trying to help the Suns...

Cole Aldrich, Alan Williams and either Daniels House or Ulis, whatever makes the "math work" plus the 31st pick to Miami - - the lower pick because the Heat are getting major cap and dollar savings!

DRagic to the Suns

[SlovenianDragon]

Would you guys give Knight another shot here? He had a pretty rough go of it here in phoenix....

Knight 15 ppg
booker 20 ppg
JJ 15 ppg
Bender/Chriss 15 ppg
Ayton 15 ppg
Warren 15 ppg


I mean if all these guys play like we know they can play and Ayton lives up to the hype thats 95 ppg from these guys on average the league average is 106 ppg so we would just need the other 3 players (assuming a 10 man rotation) to score the remaining 11 points

And If anything the players I listed can score more than that JJ scored 19 ppg post all-star, booker averaged 25 ppg, warren averaged 20 ppg.... Hopefully Bender and Chriss improve.

Go with something like Okobo at 16 and allen at 31

Knight/Okobo
Booker/Allen
JJ/Warren
Chriss/Bender
Ayton/Chandler

I think would easily get us to the league average of 106 ppg night in and night out i mean realistically more than that because last year the suns averaged 103 ppg and just the addition of Ayton I believe will already improve that drastically...idk

Just speculating til draft night....

[Waylay13]

Would you guys give Knight another shot here? He had a pretty rough go of it here in phoenix....

Knight 15 ppg
booker 20 ppg
JJ 15 ppg
Bender/Chriss 15 ppg
Ayton 15 ppg
Warren 15 ppg


I mean if all these guys play like we know they can play and Ayton lives up to the hype thats 95 ppg from these guys on average the league average is 106 ppg so we would just need the other 3 players (assuming a 10 man rotation) to score the remaining 11 points

And If anything the players I listed can score more than that JJ scored 19 ppg post all-star, booker averaged 25 ppg, warren averaged 20 ppg.... Hopefully Bender and Chriss improve.

Go with something like Okobo at 16 and allen at 31

Knight/Okobo
Booker/Allen
JJ/Warren
Chriss/Bender
Ayton/Chandler

I think would easily get us to the league average of 106 ppg night in and night out i mean realistically more than that because last year the suns averaged 103 ppg and just the addition of Ayton I believe will already improve that drastically...idk

Just speculating til draft night....

I think that Knight is the most likely candidate for starting next year. to many of the trades that I am seeing is for a star player that likely will only have a couple years of playing time and their main strength is scoring and playing on the ball. I think we are going to continue to see the Suns run a motion offense with a lot of the movement within Bookers or Jacksons hands. So someone who can hit the 3 and move away from the ball looks to be our option.

[LukasBMW]

Can we get a drug test for Bibby??

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

TRT for sure. I bet he started to have "issues" and got himself a prescription. Probably told the doc to give him the max shot each month. TRT + heavy lifting + no more cardio/basketball + good food means GAINS. ALL KINDS OF GAINS. ALL KINDS!

[WeekapaugGroove]

Lakers reportedly love Zaire Smith and are trying to move up to grab him. Say he's there at 16 if you're the suns do you offer 16 and 31 for Kuzma? Would the Lakers consider that? Kuzma was good but if their plan is LeBron and PG that locks up their F spots and maybe he's expendable.

[dremill24]

Lakers reportedly love Zaire Smith and are trying to move up to grab him. Say he's there at 16 if you're the suns do you offer 16 and 31 for Kuzma? Would the Lakers consider that? Kuzma was good but if their plan is LeBron and PG that locks up their F spots and maybe he's expendable.

Don’t see Kuzma moving in a deal like that. I’ve seen the package of Josh Hart and 25 to move up into our range thrown around...not sure if that gets it done but I’m sure Kuzma is more valued than that.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Lakers reportedly love Zaire Smith and are trying to move up to grab him. Say he's there at 16 if you're the suns do you offer 16 and 31 for Kuzma? Would the Lakers consider that? Kuzma was good but if their plan is LeBron and PG that locks up their F spots and maybe he's expendable.

Don’t see Kuzma moving in a deal like that. I’ve seen the package of Josh Hart and 25 to move up into our range thrown around...not sure if that gets it done but I’m sure Kuzma is more valued than that.

You're probably right that they wouldn't want to move Kuz. I really liked Hart last year and was hoping he would fall to 32. 25 and Hart for 16 I guess is at least worth consideration but I'd probably lean towards just taking Smith and hope he develops.

[Kerrsed]

Read on Twitter

[Kerrsed]

Lakers reportedly love Zaire Smith and are trying to move up to grab him. Say he's there at 16 if you're the suns do you offer 16 and 31 for Kuzma? Would the Lakers consider that? Kuzma was good but if their plan is LeBron and PG that locks up their F spots and maybe he's expendable.

Don’t see Kuzma moving in a deal like that. I’ve seen the package of Josh Hart and 25 to move up into our range thrown around...not sure if that gets it done but I’m sure Kuzma is more valued than that.

Well they have to do something because Ball and Kuzma have been going back and forth dissing each other since the season has ended.

Watch on YouTube

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23785274/lonzo-ball-kyle-kuzma-asked-los-angeles-lakers-tone-social-media-jabs

[King4Day]

Read on Twitter

Nice! That means this will be an exciting summer!

[gaspar]

[BobbieL]

Lakers reportedly love Zaire Smith and are trying to move up to grab him. Say he's there at 16 if you're the suns do you offer 16 and 31 for Kuzma? Would the Lakers consider that? Kuzma was good but if their plan is LeBron and PG that locks up their F spots and maybe he's expendable.

Don’t see Kuzma moving in a deal like that. I’ve seen the package of Josh Hart and 25 to move up into our range thrown around...not sure if that gets it done but I’m sure Kuzma is more valued than that.

Well they have to do something because Ball and Kuzma have been going back and forth dissing each other since the season has ended.

Watch on YouTube

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23785274/lonzo-ball-kyle-kuzma-asked-los-angeles-lakers-tone-social-media-jabs

is it real dissing do you think - like they truly don't like each other

I said it earlier in the thread - if the Lakers want a pick to move Deng - NOT TO THE SUNS - I would give 16 for Kuzma yesterday

as for Kawhi - that would be a ShamShot - my guess ,he goes to the Knicks

[King4Day]

Question now goes back to, would anyone trade the #1 pick and cap filler for Leonard?
I won't offer more since he wants out and he is an expiring.