He did go on to say how much he appreciated Doncic.
“Luka Doncic was a big part of my coaching career and growth, he said. “He did an unbelievable job for Slovenian National Team. He will be a hell of a player in this league. So, good memories of Luka. I wish him nothing but the best. But Deandre is my son right now.”
I thought this was really cool. Kokoskov knows Ayton was raised by a single mother and never had a father figure in his life so it's pretty cool to see him try and fill that role for Ayton. Of course there is a strong chance that Kokoskov's success as a coach will be tied to Ayton's development as a player so it definitely makes sense to help Ayton physically, mentally and emotionally as well in any way he can.
Pretty awesome to see Kokoskov say this, looks like the Suns finally may have a gotten a HC hire right for the first time in more than a decade.
That is not even remotely true. We have one of the most unique cultures in the United States. Just don't come to experience it during the summer. The high temperatures plus humidity makes for brutal weather.
Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.
Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.
Sarver’s cheap. He doesn’t want to be able to add an extra 20 million in payroll.
Seriously though I don’t think either side wants to risk anything at this point. Just get him locked up.
"I'm a Deandre Ayton guy."--Al McCoy, September 21, 2022.
Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.
Sarver’s cheap. He doesn’t want to be able to add an extra 20 million in payroll.
Seriously though I don’t think either side wants to risk anything at this point. Just get him locked up.
I think the "Sarver is cheap" bullshit needs to stop. They're doing it now because they're terrified he's going to leave. Booker's doing it now because he's been on a cheap ass rookie contract while playing like a star for the last three years and he wants the money and respect that comes with it around the league.
Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.
Sarver’s cheap. He doesn’t want to be able to add an extra 20 million in payroll.
Seriously though I don’t think either side wants to risk anything at this point. Just get him locked up.
I think the "Sarver is cheap" bullshit needs to stop. They're doing it now because they're terrified he's going to leave. Booker's doing it now because he's been on a cheap ass rookie contract while playing like a star for the last three years and he wants the money and respect that comes with it around the league.
But Booker doesn't get the money this year anyway. Or am I missing something? I think if Booker is going to leave it will hapen because the team is not good enough, and this extension seems to make that more likely, not less.
Correct, but he's guaranteed the money. What if we wait till next year and he tears his achilles? Or blows out his knee? Would we still offer the max? What if McD gets fired and the new guy isn't a big Booker fan? We can make plenty of cap space next year, that's not Booker's concern, he should lock in that max contract as soon as possible.
Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.
Sarver’s cheap. He doesn’t want to be able to add an extra 20 million in payroll.
Seriously though I don’t think either side wants to risk anything at this point. Just get him locked up.
I think the "Sarver is cheap" bullshit needs to stop. They're doing it now because they're terrified he's going to leave. Booker's doing it now because he's been on a cheap ass rookie contract while playing like a star for the last three years and he wants the money and respect that comes with it around the league.
Agreed. My Sarver comment was mostly tongue-in-cheek, thus my “Seriously though...” explanation which followed.
"I'm a Deandre Ayton guy."--Al McCoy, September 21, 2022.
I don't understand why we'd want to wait before signing the Booker contract. It won't kick in yet, anyway. And we're 100% going to want to give him that money, so I see no reason to beat around the bush and not agree to give it to him. That "cap space" is his anyway.
The hold up on the Booker extension is apparently that he wants a player option for the last season.
If the Suns are willing to show good faith by giving him the full 5 year designated player max then he needs to return the favor and do away with the player option or take somewhat of a $3/4M/yr discount if he wants the player option that badly.
I don't understand why we'd want to wait before signing the Booker contract. It won't kick in yet, anyway. And we're 100% going to want to give him that money, so I see no reason to beat around the bush and not agree to give it to him. That "cap space" is his anyway.
His cap hold next year is 10 million...if we wait to use all our cap space next season before signing him to the max, we get 15 million more in space.
Get ready for a whole lot of negative (as usual) from me:
1) Ariza signing makes zero sense. He's a three. We have lots of threes. It was the one position where we already incredibly over-saturated. There was already questions as to how TJ Warren fits in. This feels like Dragic/Bledsoe/IT times five.
Further, the "championship pedigree" stuff is garbage. He won a championship because he was on a team with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol that was coached by Phil Jackson. What "veteran leadership" or "role model" do they think they are getting with him that they arent getting from Jared Dudley or Tyson Chandler? The only positive stuff I've heard is "well its only one year".
2) Tyreke Evans got a one year, 12 million dollar deal with Indiana. He's 28 and could probably share play-making duties well with Booker and Knight. He also plays one of the two positions we were incredibly weak at. Wasted opportunity.
Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.
Sarver’s cheap. He doesn’t want to be able to add an extra 20 million in payroll.
Seriously though I don’t think either side wants to risk anything at this point. Just get him locked up.
I think the "Sarver is cheap" bullshit needs to stop. They're doing it now because they're terrified he's going to leave. Booker's doing it now because he's been on a cheap ass rookie contract while playing like a star for the last three years and he wants the money and respect that comes with it around the league.
When Sarver actually pays his staff at least average salary for what their peers make in the NBA, the “Sarver is cheap” bullshit will stop. Until then it will continue.
Why is it that Gentry, Hunter, Hornacek, Watson, Triano, Blanks and even McD all were among the least paid for their position in the NBA?
Weren’t there rumors that salary was the reason Budenholzer passed on the Suns so Sarver can sign a rookie HC which is normally lot cheaper than guys with HC experience?
It depends on the ump.
