2021 Playoff and Offseason Speculation - the playoffs. PLAYOFFS????

[BobbieL]

We have some disposable salary to get better in a trade.

Saric, Smith, Carter $17m
Pick 29

I mentioned this earlier - I do not think the Suns can trade the pick now - but can they trade it post draft? They owe OKC a FRP pick, with protections, starting in 2022 so there is some question to me as to if they can trade this years pick - post draft.

That said, I don't want to attach a pick necessarily to move Saric for just cap space. But if there is a player that fits - not against it. As you said, that is 17m plus the pick to move for a player

I do want to keep Torrey Craig if they can - like that guy

A guy like Frank - probably the vet minimum - so thats easy

[Barkley6]

We might be in the ball park for Lauri Markkanen in a sign and trade (Saric, Smith, Carter, Pick 29).

Tony Snell $9m MLE.

Paul, Booker, Bridges, Markkanen, Ayton
Payne, Snell, Johnson, Crowder, Craig

If Chicago would take Saric, Smith, Carter and a 1st for Markkanen I'd bite their hand off to make that deal. Snell would be a decent pickup as well.

I'd kind of keep an eye out for some guys looking to make their way to Phoenix at a discount though.
Names like: Melo, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, James Johnson are ones I'd keep an eye on.

Not saying any of them should play big minutes, but if you went from Kaminsky to Melo, Howard or Johnson as a backup big that's a good upgrade. And I'd be willing to bet that CP3 could easily sell them on Phoenix and the project we have here.

[Bogyo]

We might be in the ball park for Lauri Markkanen in a sign and trade (Saric, Smith, Carter, Pick 29).

Tony Snell $9m MLE.

Paul, Booker, Bridges, Markkanen, Ayton
Payne, Snell, Johnson, Crowder, Craig

If Chicago would take Saric, Smith, Carter and a 1st for Markkanen I'd bite their hand off to make that deal. Snell would be a decent pickup as well.

I'd kind of keep an eye out for some guys looking to make their way to Phoenix at a discount though.
Names like: Melo, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, James Johnson are ones I'd keep an eye on.

Not saying any of them should play big minutes, but if you went from Kaminsky to Melo, Howard or Johnson as a backup big that's a good upgrade. And I'd be willing to bet that CP3 could easily sell them on Phoenix and the project we have here.

Good thinking! Now some of the vet min bigs or playmakers will more likely consider us than they did around the trade deadline and the buyout pickup stuff. Heck, even Austin Rivers was OK as a starter (ffs!!!) he could be good from the bench on any playoff team, and I actually hate the guy...

[NapoleonII]

When Lebron is 39/40 he'd actually fit with our guys if he took a discount.


Bron
Book
Bridges
Cam Johnson
Ayton

Payne
3D
Backup Center

[BobbieL]

We might be in the ball park for Lauri Markkanen in a sign and trade (Saric, Smith, Carter, Pick 29).

Tony Snell $9m MLE.

Paul, Booker, Bridges, Markkanen, Ayton
Payne, Snell, Johnson, Crowder, Craig

If Chicago would take Saric, Smith, Carter and a 1st for Markkanen I'd bite their hand off to make that deal. Snell would be a decent pickup as well.

I'd kind of keep an eye out for some guys looking to make their way to Phoenix at a discount though.
Names like: Melo, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, James Johnson are ones I'd keep an eye on.

Not saying any of them should play big minutes, but if you went from Kaminsky to Melo, Howard or Johnson as a backup big that's a good upgrade. And I'd be willing to bet that CP3 could easily sell them on Phoenix and the project we have here.

Good thinking! Now some of the vet min bigs or playmakers will more likely consider us than they did around the trade deadline and the buyout pickup stuff. Heck, even Austin Rivers was OK as a starter (ffs!!!) he could be good from the bench on any playoff team, and I actually hate the guy...

Agree about Austin Rivers

Also agree about the point above where CP3 might be able to bring in some veterans on the cheap if they see the Suns as the ascending team that they are.

[Mulhollanddrive]

Any interest in Marcus Smart?

Price might be Saric, Carter, 29.

[dremill24]

Any interest in Marcus Smart?

Price might be Saric, Carter, 29.

That would be highway robbery for us.

[BobbieL]

Any interest in Marcus Smart?

Price might be Saric, Carter, 29.

Not the best shooter though has improved. A few years ago when the talk was signing him in the offseason - somebody, maybe BWG, pointed out he was the worst shooter in basketball.

I like having shooters around Booker with Paul and Ayton.

But maybe there is a 3 team trade out there - where the Suns can use the above to get a player with Smart going to another team.

[King4Day]

Any interest in Marcus Smart?

Price might be Saric, Carter, 29.

That would be highway robbery for us.

Agreed. That won't get it done. Smith would def have to be in there and even then, Boston can probably do better. Saric and Carter don't really have positive value right now. Saric is probably a negative at the moment.

[King4Day]

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[King4Day]

So here's a question.
Had we drafted Doncic, do we still make the trade to get Bridges?

I'm not sure Bridges is seen as needed if we take Luka. Maybe we instead try making a move for SGA?

[irish22022]

Oh god not the free agent garbage hunt for a big again. This board is relentless with wanting to sign someone who is worse than what we have. Jalen Smith is not a trade able player right now. Saric holds no value.

You keep the kid that looks promising and can play stretch 5. You don't trade him for a player who isn't that.

[Slim Charless]

We might be in the ball park for Lauri Markkanen in a sign and trade (Saric, Smith, Carter, Pick 29).

Tony Snell $9m MLE.

Paul, Booker, Bridges, Markkanen, Ayton
Payne, Snell, Johnson, Crowder, Craig

If Chicago would take Saric, Smith, Carter and a 1st for Markkanen I'd bite their hand off to make that deal. Snell would be a decent pickup as well.

I'd kind of keep an eye out for some guys looking to make their way to Phoenix at a discount though.
Names like: Melo, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, James Johnson are ones I'd keep an eye on.

Not saying any of them should play big minutes, but if you went from Kaminsky to Melo, Howard or Johnson as a backup big that's a good upgrade. And I'd be willing to bet that CP3 could easily sell them on Phoenix and the project we have here.

Good thinking! Now some of the vet min bigs or playmakers will more likely consider us than they did around the trade deadline and the buyout pickup stuff. Heck, even Austin Rivers was OK as a starter (ffs!!!) he could be good from the bench on any playoff team, and I actually hate the guy...

He gets roasted alot but I'd take Howard on this team. I think he's about to prove his value to Philly and help them take down Atlanta (w/o Biid) in 6 or less.

I agree about CP3 helping get guys here too. I'd even take Taj Gibson, he's a tough minded defender to back up Ayton.

[Wilber85]

So here's a question.
Had we drafted Doncic, do we still make the trade to get Bridges?

I'm not sure Bridges is seen as needed if we take Luka. Maybe we instead try making a move for SGA?

Who gives a crap!!!!!!!!!!! What if the Suns drafted MJ?

We just beat the Lakers in the First Round and you still are asking what if's lol. STOP

[bwgood77]

Booker 32
Paul 28 ($84m over 3)
Ayton 12
Crowder 10
Saric 9
Payne 7 ($14m over 2)
Bridges 6
Johnson 4
Smith 4
Carter 4
Craig 2 ($5m over 2)

$118m for 10 players / $19m for 5 more players.

We can deal with 2023 when it happens as alot can change.

More or less this. I think Paul and Payne will make a little more than you estimated. But we'll have the MLE and BAE to continue to flesh out the roster. I expect Kaminsky and possibly Nader to come back on minimum deals.

Biggest needs from the bench are a scoring 2 guard and a big man. There is a GLUT of serviceable FA bigs this offseason (I think there are well over 10 out there who could definitely get decent minutes on a playoff team). In terms of the 2 guards...I can't see anyone getable that's better than Galloway. I'd love Fournier, but he should be a starter and don't think he's at the point in his career where he'd take a discount to ring chase, so I expect our draft choice to be a perimeter player. Derrick Rose is another guy we could try to target with the MLE to play some combo guard off the bench with Payne, but I get the feeling he's staying in NY. Maybe Kent Bazemore as an option? Not sure how I feel about that one.

You gotta add like $32 million the following year for Ayton/Bridges increase so we need to make major changes there...likely dumping Crowder and Saric before their last year or as early as next summer. Dumping Crowder might be ok if we can keep Craig for cheap.

Just adding $32 (with Paul and Payne making the above) that puts us at $150.

And if can dump Saric and Crowder we couldn't really take back salary.

[bwgood77]

Based on their interviews after the game, sounds like the Blazers players aren't super happy with their team. Shake up in Portland on the horizon?

Lillard said it - they lost to the Nuggets when Denver doesn't have Murray and Barton
thats not good - that group is not winning

CJ probably needs to go
Nurkic maybe
Collins needs to stay healthy

CJ is awesome though. Nurkic is solid if healthy. Their weakness is depth. Plus Denver is tough and they had them on the ropes in game 5 with a huge lead in game 6.

They may need changes but they might be careful what they wish for...doesn't mean they will get better.

[bwgood77]

We have some disposable salary to get better in a trade.

Saric, Smith, Carter $17m
Pick 29

Question becomes, what does that fetch for you? Very hard to see a deal that would make us significantly better shipping out only those guys, even with a pick attached.

You probably want an expiring. I wouldn't trade Smith though.

[WeekapaugGroove]

One thing that could help the suns is it's very likely the cap/lux tax line takes a decent size jump in the next couple years now that covid crowds are over and gambling money starts to come in.

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

[Sunsdeuce]

So here's a question.
Had we drafted Doncic, do we still make the trade to get Bridges?

I'm not sure Bridges is seen as needed if we take Luka. Maybe we instead try making a move for SGA?

Who gives a crap!!!!!!!!!!! What if the Suns drafted MJ?

We just beat the Lakers in the First Round and you still are asking what if's lol. STOP

Thank you. I’m done with the Luka talk. Luka is a fantastic Harden Clone but he sucks on defense. I’m perfectly happy with Ayton. Ayton is dominating and he doesn’t even get set plays on offense or gets to have the ball in his hand every single second. Ship has sailed!

[bwgood77]

We have some disposable salary to get better in a trade.

Saric, Smith, Carter $17m
Pick 29

I mentioned this earlier - I do not think the Suns can trade the pick now - but can they trade it post draft? They owe OKC a FRP pick, with protections, starting in 2022 so there is some question to me as to if they can trade this years pick - post draft.

That said, I don't want to attach a pick necessarily to move Saric for just cap space. But if there is a player that fits - not against it. As you said, that is 17m plus the pick to move for a player

I do want to keep Torrey Craig if they can - like that guy

A guy like Frank - probably the vet minimum - so thats easy

I think we need to keep Smith and #29 because we need some cheap guys with upside on the roster given how many huge contracts we will have. Will eventually need that backup big and PG too.

Can't take back a guy like Markkanen either...too much salary he'll need on next contract.