Post-Mortem: 2020-21 Phoenix Suns

[ElectricMayhem]

I thought this would be a good idea to do for all of the eliminated teams. Each day I will post one team that did not make the playoffs and any playoff teams that were eliminated that day. Answer as many of the following questions as you'd like:

GM: Change or keep?
Coach: Change or keep?
Relative to expectations, how did they fare this year?
Rising, falling, or treadmill?
If you were in charge, what would you do this offseason?

Notes:
Players under contract next year:
Devin Booker ($32m)
Deandre Ayton ($13m)
Jae Crowder ($10m)
Dario Saric ($9m)
Mikal Bridges ($6m)
Jalen Smith ($4m)
Cameron Johnson ($4m)
Jevon Carter ($4m)

Player Options:
Chris Paul ($44m) (Indicated will turn it down)

Free Agents:
E'Twaun Moore
Langston Galloway
Cameron Payne
Frank Kaminsky
Abdel Nader
Torrey Craig
Ty-shon Alexander

[Domejandro]

You are going to get a lot of insane takes tonight, might have to rerun this in a couple days for better responses.

In any case, Phoenix has to do everything in their power to run it back. I don't know if they will have another shot like this year, but they have to try.

[Dr Aki]

Time to blow it up

[ElectricMayhem]

You are going to get a lot of insane takes tonight, might have to rerun this in a couple days for better responses.

In any case, Phoenix has to do everything in their power to run it back. I don't know if they will have another shot like this year, but they have to try.

The RealGM bunch is a rational, cool-headed collective of folks, especially here on the General Board. I have complete faith in their ability to unlock their cages and not be prisoners of the moment.

[HeatIn5]

Do you give CP3 100M?! That’s the real question.

Other than that, everyone comes back. Get a good backup big (maybe Jalen Smith becomes playable).

They have a good young group and the core of Booker/Bridges/Crowder/Anton/Payne/Johnson will be back next year.

Monty is a great coach. They’ll be back

[schnakenpopanz]

they need some good back up bigs. saric, frank etc won't do it.

Gesendet von meinem SM-G780F mit Tapatalk

[Mr Puddles]

Hoping the Paul opts in and the Suns can retain their main free agents.

Suns desperately need another big. They struggled against bigger lineups all season, and rebounding really killed them. Jalen Smith was likely drafted for that reason by at this point we don't even know if he's an NBA player yet.

Only major trade I could see the suns making this offseason would potentially sign and trading bridges in an attempt to get bigger. With Cam Johnson emerging the Suns may feel comfortable enough giving him the starting small forward.

[DelAbbot]

Signing Chris Paul to a big 2 year deal would put a ceiling on this team.
PHI, BKN, MIL, LAC (with Kawhi), LAL are all better teams if not for injuries.

[GunnerWRX]

CP3 is looking for $100m and is 36.

Payne is a FA.

Ayton and Bridges are up for huge extensions right now.

The Suns will become a super expensive team quickly.

[JN61]

Myth of CP0 continues. This was their only real chance to win it all. I would be surprised if they make it even to 2nd round next year.

[RoyceDa59]

Resign Paul to a 3 year deal with mutual 3rd year team/player option.

Try to upgrade bigs so it doesn’t all fall on the shoulders of Ayton. Need more defenders and rebounders down low.

[Synciere]

I’m just waiting for that fan who says they should tank. There’s always one.

[ElectricMayhem]

I'm still not sold on Monty Williams as an above average coach in the league, but he's definitely a leader of men and there's no way you fire the guy after this season. He's as safe as safe can be. James Jones also did an amazing job building around Booker and Ayton. Bringing Paul in definitely paid off. Even if he leaves after this year, he didn't just give his team a fish, he taught them how to fish.

As people have already mentioned, Phoenix is in a really tough spot regarding keeping their team together. Do they pay Paul to keep him around? He has an amazing effect on the entire team, but his personal contribution was limited in the playoffs due to various injuries. That is not going to get better and he could suffer a huge drop off in play any season now. If you pay for him, you're hitching your wagon to a risky horse. If you abandon him, you're taking a huge leap of faith that Booker and Ayton have grown enough that they can reach similar heights on their own. I'm not sure the best route to take other than just taking a few minutes to bask in what this season brought this unlikely finals team.

[ropjhk]

Even if they regress in terms of wins next season due to a decline to Paul this is still a rising team of the future. One of the reasons why they lost was due to inexperience. The Bucks were at a higher tier of maturity and experience and NBA history tends to favour the experienced team over the newcomer. The experience the Suns gained from this title run should serve them well in the future.

Suns fans should remain excited for their future. The Suns have grown more than any other team during the pandemic. They've seen the most internal growth of any team these past two years and I see that continuing.

[pj0tr]

Resign Paul, ideally to a 2 year deal, and see if you can get Nerlens Noel in FA, then develop Jalen Smith.

I don't think they resign Payne, so they need to sign a backup PG for CP3.

[Bobbymcgee]

Unless Paul jumps ship, probably to the Lakers, the Suns are on the hook to pay him that 3 year 100 million dollar contract. Plus, Cameron Payne is going to want to get paid too. Yikes.

Booker, Ayton, and Bridges are the Suns core and future. The Suns should prioritize building around them. Even if that means taking a step back (letting Paul and Payne leave) to take two steps forward later down the line.

[DCasey91]

Suns fans Rejoice! I believe your team had the most successful season out of the 30 considering where the start was and what was to be expected. Blew that out of the water.

Bucks always had championship aspirations had the age/experience/perfect age bracket and the best player between the two teams.

You guys and the Hawks have the building blocks to rise and rise well. Kudos.

Who knows maybe SGA or an Ingram may fall into the lap that brings you over the top.

Either way young pups with years and years of play together to come.

[DCasey91]

Also moving Cam Johnson to the starting unit could be the go. Looks ready.

Gotta find a better backup big. Nance at the Cavs would be handy imo

[pj0tr]

Also moving Cam Johnson to the starting unit could be the go. Looks ready.

Gotta find a better backup big. Nance at the Cavs would be handy imo

Cam Johnson needs to put on a few more pounds IMO if hes going to start.

Crowder at this point is still the best option for them, unless they do some sort of move or trade in FA.

[iamworthy]

The good thing out of all of this is that Booker will probably stay for the long haul. They should run it back.