2021-22 Season/Offseason Speculation

[darealjuice]

CP3 really determines the offseason. I'd like to think it's a no brainer for him to stick around considering we just got to the finals with a lot of young players around him, he chose to come here, and it hasn't even been a year since he got here. He got here a month before the season started, I'm sure a full offseason and real training camp with him working with our team would yield some results.

He opts out and we're looking at a pretty good chunk of cap space with Booker being our only big contract. Wouldn't be easy to replace Chris Paul's impact though. I'm not sure where he'd prefer to go either. There's the idea that he could run to LeBron, AD, and the Lakers, but that's a lot of money to tie up in their combination of age and injury history.

[garrick]

I really don't think this team needs a lot of tweaks.

1. Resign CP3
2. Resign Cam Payne or another veteran PG
3. Sign a cheap veteran center
4. Trade Jalen Smith if not in the plans for the immediate future.

[cberry78]

CP3 really determines the offseason. I'd like to think it's a no brainer for him to stick around considering we just got to the finals with a lot of young players around him, he chose to come here, and it hasn't even been a year since he got here. He got here a month before the season started, I'm sure a full offseason and real training camp with him working with our team would yield some results.

He opts out and we're looking at a pretty good chunk of cap space with Booker being our only big contract. Wouldn't be easy to replace Chris Paul's impact though. I'm not sure where he'd prefer to go either. There's the idea that he could run to LeBron, AD, and the Lakers, but that's a lot of money to tie up in their combination of age and injury history.

LBJ isn't getting any younger (granted, neither is CP3), but with AD's repeated injury history, it just doesn't make sense for CP3 to go there to chase a ring when he made it to the NBA Finals with the super young squad he had this year. The only things that LA has over Phx is LBJ and his family....but Phx is only an hour by plane from his home in LA, plus he has a house here in Scottsdale/PV/whatever, and I'm sure if he resigns with the Suns Sarver will let him use his private plane whenever he wants. On top of that, the core of this Suns team is sooooo young, there is still so much room for Book, DA, Mikal, & CamJ to grow.

CP3's legacy may never end with a ring (just like Nash's), but his legacy could be the rebirth and revitalization of the Phoenix Suns, one of the winningest franchises in NBA history, and their culture of winning.

[AtheJ415]

I don't think we can afford to let Payne walk with CP3's age. He's only 26. He reads the offensive side well enough and his burst open up offense for others. He plays hard defensively despite not being a great defender.

Also, PF needs to be addressed in the worst way. I don't have much faith in Stix because he wasn't good enough to play at all and we desperately needed somebody with his physical traits. We need an athletic, switchable defensive big. I'd like Noel.

I think Crowder has to go. Same for Kaminsky and Saric. I would keep Craig because I don't think he'll have that high a market. He plays hard and can do a lot of what Crowder does at a fraction of the price. Those 3 salaries should open up better options.

Cam needs to be the starting 4 next year. Not sure Jae will be happy playing 20-25 minutes off the bench.

[bwgood77]

CP3 really determines the offseason. I'd like to think it's a no brainer for him to stick around considering we just got to the finals with a lot of young players around him, he chose to come here, and it hasn't even been a year since he got here. He got here a month before the season started, I'm sure a full offseason and real training camp with him working with our team would yield some results.

He opts out and we're looking at a pretty good chunk of cap space with Booker being our only big contract. Wouldn't be easy to replace Chris Paul's impact though. I'm not sure where he'd prefer to go either. There's the idea that he could run to LeBron, AD, and the Lakers, but that's a lot of money to tie up in their combination of age and injury history.

LBJ isn't getting any younger (granted, neither is CP3), but with AD's repeated injury history, it just doesn't make sense for CP3 to go there to chase a ring when he made it to the NBA Finals with the super young squad he had this year. The only things that LA has over Phx is LBJ and his family....but Phx is only an hour by plane from his home in LA, plus he has a house here in Scottsdale/PV/whatever, and I'm sure if he resigns with the Suns Sarver will let him use his private plane whenever he wants. On top of that, the core of this Suns team is sooooo young, there is still so much room for Book, DA, Mikal, & CamJ to grow.

CP3's legacy may never end with a ring (just like Nash's), but his legacy could be the rebirth and revitalization of the Phoenix Suns, one of the winningest franchises in NBA history, and their culture of winning.

They don't have the cap space. I don't know if he cares about a big contract but he's not opting out of $44 million to get what they can give him. I think they are operating over the cap anyway or have very limited cap space so it would have to be a S&T which we wouldn't do.

[bwgood77]

I don't think we can afford to let Payne walk with CP3's age. He's only 26. He reads the offensive side well enough and his burst open up offense for others. He plays hard defensively despite not being a great defender.

Also, PF needs to be addressed in the worst way. I don't have much faith in Stix because he wasn't good enough to play at all and we desperately needed somebody with his physical traits. We need an athletic, switchable defensive big. I'd like Noel.

I think Crowder has to go. Same for Kaminsky and Saric. I would keep Craig because I don't think he'll have that high a market. He plays hard and can do a lot of what Crowder does at a fraction of the price. Those 3 salaries should open up better options.

Cam needs to be the starting 4 next year. Not sure Jae will be happy playing 20-25 minutes off the bench.

Of course you don't let Payne walk. He was phenomenal all year. Our best 3 pt shooter. He learns from Paul a couple more years and keeps working, he can probably be our starting PG of the future...he's already basically a super 6th man (both Cams are).

Saric won't be tradable. I'd be kind of surprised if we traded Crowder.

[Ghost of Kleine]

I'm mostly interested to see what happens this off-season. Who stays and who goes? What the contracts will look like for Bridges and Ayton, along with Cam Payne. Probably the biggest thing is if CP3 wants to come back to Phoenix or if Lebron convinces him to go to LA. Trim the fat up, likely try and trade Jevon Carter for some cap relief to a bottom rung team. Craig, Nader, Moore, and Galloway I assume will be gone as well.

Suns need a bit more veteran presence, another shot creator. I'd like to go after Reggie Jackson if possible. Obviously another big body is on the list as well. Robin Lopez maybe? Dwight Howard or Alex Len? Jeff Green.

I hope to see some progression on Jalen Smith and hope he's a regular part of the Suns rotation next season after filling out his body some. He could be a huge difference maker next season potentially.

Very solid points overall. I'd love Jackson, And actually pushed for him when the Pistons released him. But I'm not sure the Clippers will let him go ( his budding friendship with George/as well as his production). Still, He'd be an awesome get! Otherwise I might look at trying to get Derrick Rose or Lou Williams if they become available?

Obviously another big body is on the list as well. Robin Lopez maybe? Dwight Howard or Alex Len? Jeff Green.

Dwight Howard I would actually love for some added post toughness and rebounding. I would still consider Hassan Whiteside for his size, length, intimidation and elite shotblocking at the backup 5 if we go with a cheap vet option opposed to a rookie scale option via the draft?

[bwgood77]

Read on Twitter

[Book1Nation]

Let's trade Monty for picks.

I've seen a lot of dumb posts on the internet. This might take the cake though.

[Puff]

I will be surprised if Chris Paul does not sign with the Lakers.

It makes too much sense. His family is in LA and his best friend is on the Lakers. The West is going to be a lot tougher next year and I think his only chance to win a ring is in LA with a healthy Lebron and Davis. That might piss off Crowder but I still think CP3 is a Laker sooner than later.

[Adrao]

This was a very close finals. I think all in all it came down to execution, mistakes, Giannis being incredible, and Jrue's defense. Middleton was unbelievable too in most of the games..Connaughton was what Cam Johnson maybe would have looked like if Crowder was injured...like DiVincenzo was.

No one for us was consistent at all. We have far less experience.

You'd expect us to lose knowing Giannis was fully healthy (and lets face, somehow, some way, he was.

Nice post, we are a team and everyone made mistakes. Let's learn from this and keep on building a strong team.

[Saberestar]

He also cost us the finals. A finals we were a big favorite in. A finals where we had a 2-0 lead.

Booker was 0-7 tonight from 3 in a game that was within 6 for most of the last 3 minutes. Should we trade him too? Did he not cost us the game?

James Jones didn't get us a back-up big in the buyout market. Should we fire him?

Mikal disappeared in several games for several stretches. Ayton couldn't establish himself in mismatch situations. Should we trade them?

We can go down the entire list of guys in this organization that "cost us the finals". Don't start blowing **** up. This isn't NBA2k. It was a weird year, with a short offseason. Expect improvement next season, and then see if large changes need to be made.

No. Monty made a number of strategic blunders throughout. My opinion on that is well documented throughout the game threads. He made nonsensical lineup decisions, took the Bucks bait to get away from sets that never stopped working, and failed to get the team to play with desperation until basically the last 6 minutes of Game 5 and today. All of those are on him. All of them. He more than anyone is responsible for the collapse from 2-0 to getting swept in 4.

Also, those guys are young and can improve. Not the same for coaches. There are a ton of very obvious things Monty stubbornly refused to do, even as simple as call a timeout or sub in your star when the other team is on a 16-0 run in like 3 minutes of gametime. He cost this more than any of the others. And he's also the most replaceable. So yes, I'd love to get picks for him.

Not happening.

Monty Williams has made some mistakes here and there, like every great HC does but he is unreplaceable and he is here to stay for years to come. He is a huge part of our culture, improvement and overall success.

[Adrao]

I will be surprised if Chris Paul does not sign with the Lakers.

It makes too much sense. His family is in LA and his best friend is on the Lakers. The West is going to be a lot tougher next year and I think his only chance to win a ring is in LA with a healthy Lebron and Davis. That might piss off Crowder but I still think CP3 is a Laker sooner than later.

I thanks CP3 for all this season but I won't cry if he goes.

[Saberestar]

We will know pretty soon who we want back and what CP3 is gonna do. This is a short offseason.

[AtheJ415]

Let's trade Monty for picks.

I've seen a lot of dumb posts on the internet. This might take the cake though.

Not as dumb as Monty's strategy in this series.

[LV-Suns]

OKC has our pick unprotected next year. If we lose CP3 for nothing, I am worried we are back to our old ways.

[Puff]

I will be surprised if Chris Paul does not sign with the Lakers.

It makes too much sense. His family is in LA and his best friend is on the Lakers. The West is going to be a lot tougher next year and I think his only chance to win a ring is in LA with a healthy Lebron and Davis. That might piss off Crowder but I still think CP3 is a Laker sooner than later.

I thanks CP3 for all this season but I won't cry if he goes.

I tend to agree. However I do not know who we could get as a replacement. I still am no convince on Payne as our starter for next year. I want him to prove me wrong because I like him.

[Ghost of Kleine]

We will know pretty soon who we want back and what CP3 is gonna do. This is a short offseason.

Do we know yet ( have a timetable) for when training camp is set to begin? How long is our shortened offseason theoretically?

[Adrao]

OKC has our pick unprotected next year. If we lose CP3 for nothing, I am worried we are back to our old ways.

It's not for nothing, you have a big amount of salary space to use.

[bwgood77]

I will be surprised if Chris Paul does not sign with the Lakers.

It makes too much sense. His family is in LA and his best friend is on the Lakers. The West is going to be a lot tougher next year and I think his only chance to win a ring is in LA with a healthy Lebron and Davis. That might piss off Crowder but I still think CP3 is a Laker sooner than later.

I thanks CP3 for all this season but I won't cry if he goes.

If he leaves, we will likely be no better than a fringe playoff team next year and it would be very unlikely we'd make it out of the first round (barring major injuries to stars).

Unless we replace him with someone like Lowry, but he still isn't quite as good.

I think it also would stunt the development of all our players, particularly Ayton and Payne as well.