Zach Lowe: Suns a viable place for Lebron James

[SDC]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/surve ... landscape/

There’s a near-zero chance of this happening, but Phoenix should be a viable landing spot if LeBron wants to earn his actual max on an up-and-coming team with a smart new head coach who favors an exciting style of play.

The Suns have so much cap flexibility, they might be able to sign LeBron to the max, re-sign Eric Bledsoe at close to his (lower) max, and still have max-level cap room in the summer of 2015. They’re flush with extra first-round picks, meaning they’d have weapons to land another star player over the next couple of years.

In the short term, LeBron can take some of the ballhandling duties from Bledsoe and Goran Dragic, give the team the killer low-post threat it lacks on nights Markieff Morris’s midranger isn’t falling, and seal up a below-average defense. The Suns’ two most important rotation big men, Morris and Channing Frye, can shoot from the outside, giving LeBron free rein to occupy the post when he wants.

Having full access to one of the league’s best training staffs is a nice bonus for any player approaching 30 with nearly 28,000 minutes under his belt.

This is one of those ideas that won’t happen simply because it’s too far out of the box. Players don’t have a ton of affection for Robert Sarver, the team’s owner, a lockout hard-liner who went through a draft pick–selling spree in the mid-2000s. (In fairness, the Suns also paid a bit of tax during three separate seasons late in the Nash era.) But wouldn’t this be fun?

[Captain Marv-el]

shazam

[iLLmatic]

Dreaming's free.

[Charlie Smithy!]

Said it before, but I'd have a hard time rooting for the Bron.

[TOO]

You just root for the Suns regardless of Bron Bron.

[Superbone]

Said it before, but I'd have a hard time rooting for the Bron.

I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[Ring_Wanted]

The Suns make plenty of sense for him, like in Love's case. But the superstar players probably can't see it.

Today you have to show the real stars that you have something for them. If you don't have the sidekicks and the team success they are not coming here to save you.

[Cap]

It would certainly make for a hell of an exciting team. However, if LeBron leaves Miami, I'm sure he'll look for a team with an excellent chance to win the championship next year. The fact that we have beau coup draft picks and cap room in 2015 is unlikely to be a major factor in his decision.

I wonder if he's looking at the Lakers. If Kobe and Nash return healthy and they get something good with their lotto pick, that could be a scary team. They'd have to let Gasol go to make cap room, though, so I'm not sure what kind of team they'd be able to put around a Big Three of LeBron-Kobe-Steve.

[TOO]

Thats not a big 3, thats a big 1.5 and Nash, thats worse than whats in Miami. Nash is a 20mpg player now, Kobe will never be explosive again, so its just a lesser Heat with in a harder conference. No way he does that, I think he stays out east, easier road to the finals.

[Superbone]

Nash is a 20mpg player now...

In his dreams! Too bad it's only 1 out of every 20 games if last year's pattern holds.

[TOO]

I was being a tad generous because I still like the guy..

[Mori Chu]

Lebron would never go to the Lakers. For so many reasons.

[Phoenix219]

Nash is a 20mpg player now...

In his dreams! Too bad it's only 1 out of every 20 games if last year's pattern holds.

With the last year of rehabbing and rest, I think Nash is due for a comeback season, to be honest. It wouldn't surprise me if he still put up good numbers in 25mpg or so.

[Superbone]

Nash is a 20mpg player now...

In his dreams! Too bad it's only 1 out of every 20 games if last year's pattern holds.

With the last year of rehabbing and rest, I think Nash is due for a comeback season, to be honest. It wouldn't surprise me if he still put up good numbers in 25mpg or so.

Believe me, I'd love to see it. (Well, maybe not for the Lakers.)

[Mori Chu]

With the last year of rehabbing and rest, I think Nash is due for a comeback season, to be honest. It wouldn't surprise me if he still put up good numbers in 25mpg or so.

I disagree. He's 41. He desperately wanted to stay on the court last year and just couldn't do it. I think his body is just no longer able to handle the rigor of being an NBA player.

[ShelC]

It's a pipedream but LeBron make a ton of sense here. He's supposedly close with Bledsoe, could slide right in at at the 3, we have the stretch 4s in Kieff and Marcus (Frye notwithstanding) and at least a viable big in Plumlee (with Len still a wildcard). We'd have Goodwin, Green and at least 2 other picks off the bench which could give us one of the most explosive, well rounded and deepest rosters in the league.

[Phoenix219]

With the last year of rehabbing and rest, I think Nash is due for a comeback season, to be honest. It wouldn't surprise me if he still put up good numbers in 25mpg or so.

I disagree. He's 41. He desperately wanted to stay on the court last year and just couldn't do it. I think his body is just no longer able to handle the rigor of being an NBA player.

unofficial bet for this season? on friendly terms, of course.... I think Nash is well conditioned enough, and has enough tricks, and knows his own body, and could still bring a solid vet presense off the bench this season. I think it just took him longer then usual to rehab. Of course, now that they got rid of MDA, they may not even use him properly, so it may be a whole lotta nadda. On the right team, I think Steve could still produce, at least.

[Flagrant Fowl]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/surve ... landscape/

There’s a near-zero chance of this happening,

..and then I stopped reading.

[Mori Chu]

unofficial bet for this season? on friendly terms, of course.... I think Nash is well conditioned enough, and has enough tricks, and knows his own body, and could still bring a solid vet presense off the bench this season. I think it just took him longer then usual to rehab. Of course, now that they got rid of MDA, they may not even use him properly, so it may be a whole lotta nadda. On the right team, I think Steve could still produce, at least.

What exactly is the bet on? How many games he plays? Minutes? Points, assists?

[Phoenix219]

10/5 in 20-25 minutes should be a breeze, bare minimum.