bwgood77 wrote:ChuckS wrote:thamadkant wrote:
Troy Brown from Nuggets said it best when they defeated Suns... he described the suns as not a good team. KD and Booker played a two man game team be damned. Ayton averaged 13fga before KD which was already low and his fga went down to 7fga... look it up. His averages as well as CP3'S drastically went down post KD.
Kevin Durant played only eight regular season games, so his in season affect on anyone was minimal. Ayton averaged 18 points per and CP3 13.9.
In the playoffs is when Ayton went from 18 points and 10 boards to 13.4 PPG and 5 rebounds, on 2 less shots per (13.2 to 11.1). I remain convinced that his problem was Jokic, who averaged 34.5 points and 13.2 rebounds, not Devin or KD.
Chris Paul was less affected. He only dropped from 13.9 to 12.4, but with 2 more shots per. But he, too, had his hands full with Murray who went from 20 in season to 26.1.
I think it is consistent, but beyond disingenuous, to fault the the team's only two great performances -- Books' 33.7 PPG and KD's 29 per. I believe the real world, as do most Suns' fans, know who are the best players.
Did you watch the team before the KD trade?
Actually, I did. I followed Iguodala from my former home team, which became the Sixers, and became a GS fan, because I just couldn't "trust the process". I thought the Suns were quite good. I believed the KD trade might hurt their future, but that they would be contenders for enough time to recoup picks, because Durant was that much better than Mikal and Cam (both of whom I still like, having enjoyed them as a New Yorker). And yes I think that that team was much better than today's because of this team's overall makeup and current lack of size and a point guard.
But that's because after the KD trade they then also left themselves with no point guards by trading CP3 and strangely letting Payne go. They also began their center carousel, trading Ayton which today has them even smaller and weaker. Then came the final blow, realizing what was the 2d apron. They did get Allen, which helped, because today they are left pretty much with only KD, Booker, O'Neale, Allen, and Beal, that a contending team would want. They can recover with a couple of good additions if they decide not to tank, and it is possible if not easy. But I've lived tanking and can't recommend it.
So I know I seem, or am, a contrarian, But it's not because I give a damn if anyone is traded to get better, or if anyone dislikes a player. I just think it is profoundly questionable to pull some nebulous crap out of one's ear to demean great, good, or even acceptable players, who IMO are not responsible for today's situation. I particularly am opposed when the obviously best players, especially the great or exceptional, are so ostracized.
