2020 Preseason Speculation - Lineup battles underway

[matt131]

So sad

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[Slim Charless]

So we are grabbing Gallinari here right? That means Saric is gone?

If we really have 17 million to spend then Grant has to be the #1 option unless Paul wants Gallo to come. But Grant is younger, a MUCH better defender who can gives starters mins and allows Cam to be a super 6 man off the bench. Idk if 17 will get him, hopefully Booker and Paul can get in his ear. He would give us a switching, young big that can hit the 3 at a nice clip and won't clog the lane for Ayton.

[Desertfox]

Can CP restructure his contract? Like Ryan Anderson did?

[ThunderBolt]

Is Lecque anything worth getting excited about?

Absolutely insane dunker, not much else there yet to excited about.

Watch on YouTube

I remember seeing that. Dude has some hops.

[Fo-Real]

Well done James Jones. I was worried he would buckle, but that's about as good as he could have done in the circumstances.

Top 12 protection on the pick is good. We have our pick this year and the next to load up on more talent as needed. Should be fine in 2022.

Now let's just pray that Paul remains healthy.

*silently excited about playoff basketball again*

Rickey wasn't the healthiest player this year and Kelly ended the season hurt (meniscus). They have to worry about health also.

[BobbieL]

So we are grabbing Gallinari here right? That means Saric is gone?

I guess it depends on how much Saric wants in Free Agency and how much Gallo will want. There is a market for Gallo -- meaning the Heat. But one year deal last year -- My guess Riley still wants a clean cap in 2021 free agency

I am actually good with this trade. Jerome and Leque - whatever. Paul is an upgrade over Rubio. Oubre - well...
it wasn't Cam or the 10th pick

The Suns had leverage. Also a reason to hold off on the trade, the Thunder might want to move Oubre or Rubio.

Thanks Oubre

Thanks Ricky -

Welcome CP3

[KL2]

Congrats. Incredible trade for y’all.

[Flying Colors]

Well it happened, so we have about 17 mill of capspace to use before this trade right? CP better be getting on the phone and convincing other players to come here now

[RedIndian]

Minor point but I would assume the suns are keeping Nader. Otherwise no reason for him to be in this deal because it wasn't needed for matching purposes.

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Nader is not a total bum. Serviceable player, and we needed some wing depth. 6'7 with a 7'1 wingspan and a decent athlete.

[Saberestar]

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LETS FUCFKING GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

OMG, I HAVE A BONER RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

[Qwigglez]

Jerami Grant is definitely preferred over anyone else IMO, I just thought Gallinari was the easier target to acquire since he and CP3 seem to enjoy each other's company in OKC.

[alamin330]

Suns are officially contenders again.

[starbosa10]

It's a risky trade but if CP3 can stay relatively healthy it'll be a great trade. He should do wonders for our young core. I really want to see him light a fire under Ayton

Not to mention it shows Book we mean business about contending again which cant be understated. He is desperate for playoffs and rightfully so, we've been out of it for too long

[Walt_Uoob]

That $17m of cap space is only if we renounce both Baynes and Saric as I understand it. We can open up something like $10-12m if we renounce Baynes and Kaminsky and re-sign Saric to something starting at $8m. So that's not big money but it's just above the MLE, for what that's worth.

[WeekapaugGroove]

Love the basketball fit. Run a little 3 man action at the top of the key with Paul, Booker and Ayton with Cam and Bridges in tbe corners.

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[Sunsdeuce]

Welp James Jones has boxed himself into a 2 year window. It’s either win in that span or get fired and start the rebuild after two years.

That’s not a bet I would have made as a GM but hey Jones got some balls.

[stormi]

Congrats y'all omg who y'all want at pick 10

[BobbieL]

Jerami Grant is definitely preferred over anyone else IMO, I just thought Gallinari was the easier target to acquire since he and CP3 seem to enjoy each other's company in OKC.

I think a lot depends on two things
1) will the Suns be an over the cap team or do they wait until after Sunday

2) Are the Suns bringing back Saric as that eats into the 18m of cap space.

If Saric is back, hard to think they have money for Grant unless a guy like Cam Payne is not back.

[bwgood77]

My take on the Booker aspect of this. I've been one to downplay that in the past because frankly with the length of his deal he didn't have leverage, and at 4 years he really still doesn't. Plus before last year he wasn't actually accomplished or good enough to have that leverage. BUT every year that changes, when he hits the two years left point he absolutely will have the leverage to make things uncomfortable. So the next two years are important. Now the **** secret of star players playing GM is if they get it wrong they still end up leaving.

The main reason I like the potential Paul deal is I truly think it's a wonderful basketball fit. A three man game with booker Ayton and Paul with shooting around them would be a thing of beauty that could succeed against good teams. Plus no small issue is they HAVE to understand what they really have in Ayton and I think Paul helps with that. This is an important season for Deandre because he's extension eligible next summer and if there's any doubt after this year they might have to quietly explore trades.

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I like the fit, but if he can stay healthy I would not look to trade him after this year...we can't keep shuffling the point guards and continuity and one reason Paul agreed to come here is to be close to his family, and heck, they might move to Scottsdale for all we know.

I think you hope he stays healthy and hope you find that PG of the future. Perhaps if he is healthy, he even sticks around one more year on the cheap...but I imagine he will be about done at 37....or at least 38...I think that would be two more years after this contract.

Also, there is a chance Booker learns from Paul how important the competitiveness and play on the defensive side of the ball is more important than the offensive side, because, as coaches always say, your shots won't always fall, but you can be consistent with the defensive pressure to give other teams' problems.

I think that is one big way Paul helps teams is helping set the tone on defense. I think Ricky was good at this too, but Paul is better.

My main reasoning to mention this, I think with defense AND watching Paul's IQ as primary ball handler after watching Ricky, there is a pretty good chance we won't need that PG in the future, or at least what you would consider a regular primary ball handling smaller guard to guard other PGs, but Booker can be the primary ball handler, or work as the PG, while we have 3 defensive shooting wings along with Ayton, post Paul.

[Jesus_H_Macy]

I can live with this deal. It's probably better for OKC than it is for us (unless CP3 stays very healthy and very productive) but Presti didn't bend Jones and Bower over like I was worried about. I really hope Rubio finds a good home on a contender (who knows, maybe he'd come back after his deal is up?) and I hope Oubre gets his $$$ somewhere (glad it wasn't with us, even though there is much to like about his game). I think Jerome can turn it around and be a productive player, but not worried about him or Lecque being thrown in here at all. I think a top shelf FO wouldn't have needed to include that pick, but with the protections it's not so bad (at least I say that now...).

Regardless, what's done is done. Giddy up boys, how long has it been since we could all get this excited about an upcoming Suns season? If we get Gallo or Grant (Bertans is just a bench role guy IMO), we keep Saric, we shore up backup playmaker a bit (don't want us to be counting on Payne bubble performance as our fallback plan for an injured CP3), and we have a healthy year....I don't want to jinx it so I'll just say I'm very much looking forward to this season.