Suns News: The Offseason (2016)

[Split T]

Knight was better when he didn't have to play pg that much. At least I don't remember being as frustrated with him before Bledsoe got hurt.

[carey]

I'm just saying.

Ho-lee she-it. $30M/yr? For Mike fuckin' Conley? I already hate the new salary cap.

[OE32]

I'm just saying.

Ho-lee she-it. $30M/yr? For Mike fuckin' Conley? I already hate the new salary cap.

Someone want to tell me again that we overpaid for Chandler, Knight and Bledsoe?

[Ring_Wanted]

Legacy contracts attached to productive players are going to become real assets soon enough, there was little doubt about it once the figures of the TV deal started to be announced. Money was not the issue, at least to me (not once deemed Bledsoe & co bad contracts or bitched about the deals), but given the outcome of these past two seasons, it does little good to the franchise overall in terms of creating a winning product. The ugly and the dumb still remain. Maybe you'll be able to turn those players into future assets if you want but they are not going to attract any star to Phoenix (and cap space has proved it won't either).

[Mori Chu]

I know Conley is saying he wants to leave Memphis. But I actually think that team is not in such a bad position. They still got the 7 seed despite being a total skeleton crew and missing half their team, and they put up a surprising amount of fight with the players they do have. Z-Bo is still a beast, and they have a lot of sneaky decent guys like JaMychal Green, Vince, Matt Barnes, and Farmar. If Gasol were healthy and Conley resigned, along with maybe one FA signing and a draft pick, I think that team marches right back into the playoffs again next year. And they can pay Conley much more than anybody else (as R_W says above). And they have a great coach. If I were him, I would consider resigning.

[Ring_Wanted]

I know Conley is saying he wants to leave Memphis. But I actually think that team is not in such a bad position. They still got the 7 seed despite being a total skeleton crew and missing half their team, and they put up a surprising amount of fight with the players they do have. Z-Bo is still a beast, and they have a lot of sneaky decent guys like JaMychal Green, Vince, Matt Barnes, and Farmar. If Gasol were healthy and Conley resigned, along with maybe one FA signing and a draft pick, I think that team marches right back into the playoffs again next year. And they can pay Conley much more than anybody else (as R_W says above). And they have a great coach. If I were him, I would consider resigning.

They are not in a bad position, but besides money and roots, Memphis can't make Conley a better offer than many other teams with significan cap space.

They are capped at a #5 seed at best, second round tops. They are not beating GSW, SAS or Thunder unless historically lucky. If this was an up and coming team with potential but little experience it would make sense pursuing this path, but they are actually the opposite, and Marc's injury represents a question mark the size of a franchise. They have depth issues and have always lacked consistent starters at the wings (that Courtney Lee trade was so absurd). They have neglected the draft and as a result their youth is Jordan Adams, PJ Hairston and Jamychal Green. They get to keep their '16 pick but it's traded in '17 (top5) or '18 (unprotected).

[Indy]

No way he gets a max offer, right? Right?!

[Indy]

I'm just saying.

Ho-lee she-it. $30M/yr? For Mike fuckin' Conley? I already hate the new salary cap.

Someone want to tell me again that we overpaid for Chandler, Knight and Bledsoe?

Considering we are clamoring to get rid of them, it is clear they are not good for this team (regardless of the contract). And if the contracts were so good, wouldn't there be a line of suitors waiting to give up something in return?

[OE32]

I'm just saying.

Ho-lee she-it. $30M/yr? For Mike fuckin' Conley? I already hate the new salary cap.

Someone want to tell me again that we overpaid for Chandler, Knight and Bledsoe?

Considering we are clamoring to get rid of them, it is clear they are not good for this team (regardless of the contract). And if the contracts were so good, wouldn't there be a line of suitors waiting to give up something in return?

Pretty sure we offered Bled for #4 last summer, and the Knicks countered with Bled + #13, which we rejected. His injury makes his value substantially less, obviously.

Knight and Chandler I'm sure could fetch us a solid return this summer. The question is whether what is offered makes any sense for this team. I don't expect McD will give anyone away.

[ShelC]

I think the Knicks or Nets would look at Knight this offseason. Question is then, can we really rely on Bledsoe to stay healthy long term as our starting PG? I might even consider throwing in the 13th pick to move with Knight to just get rid of him - addition by subtraction (and maybe take back Calderon's ending deal or O'Quinn from the Knicks). I'd see if Chicago had any interest in Chandler for their 14th since Noah and Gasol are FAs and not expected back.

[Superbone]

That new max is beyond ridiculous!

[Aztec Sunsfan]

That new max is beyond ridiculous!

This figures are so crazy, that it took me a moment to understand the image, I couldn't see right away that they were the annual amounts of a new Max Contract.

[Split T]

I think Cleveland should go after Conley. He's a better fit than Irving. Would Memphis agree to an Irving/Conley sign and trade?

[Ring_Wanted]

I think Cleveland should go after Conley. He's a better fit than Irving. Would Memphis agree to an Irving/Conley sign and trade?

No way if I am CLE (leaving aside the crazy money). Conley is a very well rounded guard but Irving gives you an 'unstoppable factor'. I wouldn't be opposed to move Irving but I need back something equally potent on offense (doesn't need to be a PG). LeBron can't carry any more load on that team. Breaking down the dollar for depth, real proven veteran in prime depth, would be a temptation but I don't think LeBron-Love wins you a chip. In this case I'd actually turn Love into smaller pieces.

But first you need to see what they can actually do in the playoffs when healthy. Last year both sidekicks got injuried, maybe this year their fortune is reversed. Curry just went down...

[TOO]

I think Cleveland should go after Conley. He's a better fit than Irving. Would Memphis agree to an Irving/Conley sign and trade?

Memphis would take this offer, run til nobody could find them, then just giggle hysterically til the world ends.

[Superbone]

Good article about future plans:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/n ... /83412486/

When Suns coach Earl Watson became Phoenix's interim head coach in February, he borrowed “embrace the process” from San Antonio, made team rules for “no excuses” and changed the NBA lexicon of a franchise to a “program” for a communal feel. One term did not survive into the offseason.

“The process is over,” Watson said. “Moving forward throughout the summer, whatever happens with this program has to be done with purpose. You have to rise out of the process. No excuses. So our program can right the wrongs and turn it into a positive.”

“We really value guys at different sizes who can play multiple positions, who can create good shots for themselves and have some versatility,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough said. “That’s the hardest thing to find. I think we have a few of those guys on our roster already and hopefully we’ll be able to add one or two more in the draft.”

The Suns also will get away from a lineup pairing 7-footers Chandler and Len, used out of necessity after trading Markieff Morris. Lineups pairing Chandler and Len were outscored by 13.7 points per 48 minutes.

[carey]

Concrete proof that playing Len and Chandler together is dog poo. -13.7 per 48? Egads that's awful.

[OE32]

Concrete proof that playing Len and Chandler together is dog poo. -13.7 per 48? Egads that's awful.

I think it can be used situationally. Most of that minus can be attributed to our relying on Alex for too much offense (and confusion between Len and Chandler over whether they should go chase shooters off the perimeter or stay down for the rebound). He needs to master that jumper of his. Don't understand why he's so streaky and more specifically why, when he's off, he's reeeeeally off.

[ShelC]

Everything I've seen from Len, he has a very nice touch and form on that jumper 16-18 feet out. And he's already a solid FT shooter, which is always a good sign. I think it's just consistency and know when he should shoot it.

I don't love him at the 4 spot because he's probably too bulky now. Early on as a rook, I thought he had the agility and athleticism. Now, not so much.

With regards to Watson, we'll see if all this talk leads to something. Plenty of coaches talk the talk and end up being fool's gold. Cheerleading only gets you so far.

[OE32]

Everything I've seen from Len, he has a very nice touch and form on that jumper 16-18 feet out. And he's already a solid FT shooter, which is always a good sign. I think it's just consistency and know when he should shoot it.

I don't love him at the 4 spot because he's probably too bulky now. Early on as a rook, I thought he had the agility and athleticism. Now, not so much.

Len can jump. I've seen it. He just refuses to do so most of the time. I think he's (rightly) afraid of injury. He's a different player when he decides to move laterally on offense, which is also not an every game phenomenon.