Suns 2022 Off-Season Thread

[Flagrant Fowl]

Oh man, if you're tired of Ayton's inconsistencies, you really don't want to go through the Christian Wood experience.

[Drewsprocket]

The Suns' mistake has always been blowing up a team too quickly instead of sticking with it and having continuity. Stop with the panic button.

Do you have an example?
We rode Nash and Amare all the way. Kept Barkley till it was clear we weren’t winning anything.

Other than that, they made dumb moves like driving Dragic away with the The 3 pg crap. Dragic should have been there when we drafted Book.

1995: Lost in the second round, traded Majerle and pissed off Barkley.

2005: Lost in conference finals, traded JJ & Q-Rich. AFTER ONE YEAR.

2007: Lost in second round, traded Marion during the next season.

2010: Lost in conference finals, ended the Nash/Amare era by refusing to resign Amare.

2010- we knew Amare’s knees wouldn’t hold up. He played one year of good ball after that.
2007- marion was sick of the suns. But I agree it was a stupid trade.
2005- should have kept JJ. I’ll give you it there.
95’- dude we weren’t winning with Barkley or Marjele.

[JeremyG]

1995: Lost in the second round, traded Majerle and pissed off Barkley.

They had 3 seasons together and choked twice against the same team. Majerle's numbers went down significantly after the '94-'95 season.

And Hot Rod made us a better team? Even Colangelo admits he screwed up. And you’re still defending it? The trade pissed off Barkley, and just like that the Barkley era was destroyed.

2005: Lost in conference finals, traded JJ & Q-Rich. AFTER ONE YEAR.

JJ forced a sign and trade. Q was overpaid and they needed perimeter defense which he couldn't provide. They thought Barbosa could make up for the shooting and Bell fit better as a starter.

JJ said he would come back to the team and be a good teammate if they matched.

2007: Lost in second round, traded Marion during the next season.

Steve Kerr was desperate after the Suns failed time and time again to make it out of the West. This wasn't like they blew it up after one disappointing season.

“Time and time again…” You mean twice with a healthy Amare and Nash? Again, continuity was undervalued.

2010: Lost in conference finals, ended the Nash/Amare era by refusing to resign Amare.

Not resigning Amare that summer was one of the best decisions the Suns ever made in the Sarver era. He had approximately 8 more months of his normal self after that season.

One more year may have been worth it. And with our training staff, he may have lasted two more years. How exactly were we better off without him? By wasting money on Childress, Warrick, and Turkoglu?

[JeremyG]

Also, re: 1995: we lost Manning for the playoffs and he was coming back the next season.

[Drewsprocket]

Whatever happens I think we can all agree, worst thing JJ can do is make some desperate move with moderate upside and a terrible risk to the future.
With all the expiring contracts + popularity of Book among other stars, JJ will have some decent opportunities to improve the roster.

[virtual9mm]

Oh man, if you're tired of Ayton's inconsistencies, you really don't want to go through the Christian Wood experience.

He would fit a need, a role actually. I'd rather have LeBron as long as we're not trading away more than Cam Johnson, Cam Payne, Bossman, and fillers.

[Shabazz]

LeBron isn’t the Laker I could be talked into trading for.

[virtual9mm]

LeBron isn’t the Laker I could be talked into trading for.

Westbrook? No way. Davis? Hmmmm...

[Gladiator]

It’s hard to see that starting five playing together again. I think we need to add some more bounce and athleticism into the starting five - and the PG and Crowder’s spot are the most obvious ((Ayton using his athleticism a bit more to explode to the hoop would help too but that’s a different conversation).
I’d be ok with cutting our losses with CP3 - doesn’t need to be for a superstar PG but someone with some length, speed, decent court vision and shooting.

I love Jae but would we be better off with a bit more offense and height there and sacrificing some of his defensive smarts? 27 points in the first half says maybe yes.

Ayton I would roll with again unless it was a swap for KAT. Yes he’s maddeningly inconsistent but as a young big still improving, it would be worth seeing what he can do with a less ball dominant back court. He will retain a level of trade value regardless.


As horrendous as tonight’s loss was, at least there is no sugar coating it and will make the front office (hopefully) make some tough, decisions - hopefully smart as well.

[Flagrant Fowl]

1995: Lost in the second round, traded Majerle and pissed off Barkley.

They had 3 seasons together and choked twice against the same team. Majerle's numbers went down significantly after the '94-'95 season.

And Hot Rod made us a better team? Even Colangelo admits he screwed up. And you’re still defending it? The trade pissed off Barkley, and just like that the Barkley era was destroyed.

When did I say anything about them being a better team? The point was they needed to make a change.

2005: Lost in conference finals, traded JJ & Q-Rich. AFTER ONE YEAR.

JJ forced a sign and trade. Q was overpaid and they needed perimeter defense which he couldn't provide. They thought Barbosa could make up for the shooting and Bell fit better as a starter.

JJ said he would come back to the team and be a good teammate if they matched.

I have a bridge to sell you if you really believe this.

2007: Lost in second round, traded Marion during the next season.

Steve Kerr was desperate after the Suns failed time and time again to make it out of the West. This wasn't like they blew it up after one disappointing season.

“Time and time again…” You mean twice with a healthy Amare and Nash? Again, continuity was undervalued.

Sure.

2010: Lost in conference finals, ended the Nash/Amare era by refusing to resign Amare.

Not resigning Amare that summer was one of the best decisions the Suns ever made in the Sarver era. He had approximately 8 more months of his normal self after that season.

One more year may have been worth it. And with our training staff, he may have lasted two more years. How exactly were we better off without him? By wasting money on Childress, Warrick, and Turkoglu?

Two-thirds of a season was not worth paying Amar'e $100 million. The guys they replaced him with were just as bad, so I guess that's something.

[Shabazz]

LeBron isn’t the Laker I could be talked into trading for.

Westbrook? No way. Davis? Hmmmm...

If the medical staff signs off on it….

Not saying I’d do it, but there are arguments to be made.

[virtual9mm]

LeBron isn’t the Laker I could be talked into trading for.

Westbrook? No way. Davis? Hmmmm...

If the medical staff signs off on it….

Not saying I’d do it, but there are arguments to be made.

Well, Lakers fans seem willing to swap LeBron for the Cams plus expirings galore. Also can get Davis with the same package, which would be crazy -- Davis at 4, Ayton at 5. Let's get a deal done.

[Flagrant Fowl]

What if they gave all of Ayton's money to Jalen Brunson and traded Chris Paul?

[ShelC]

It's one thing if you trade away DA or let him walk, but you'd better make sure you have a viable replacement. If you don't get a comparable big back in the deal and JaVale and Biz walk in the offseason, you've got a big hole at the 5spot. Even if DA leaves and we re-sign one or both, you're depending on them to start and play major roles throughout the season.

I thought we did a good job getting ahead of any possible DA situation by drafting Stix, but we royally screwed the pooch on that one. Now we don't have an athletic, defensive minded young big on a rookie deal on the roster as a possible replacement.

[Gladiator]

https://www.theringer.com/2022/5/16/230 ... rise-again

Ringer article on the Suns’ early off season, laying out the main things they have to work through. This quote from Jones interested me, and points to us prioritising the now over building long term (kinda understandable)

“Our team has continued to progress and the hope is to keep the team together in the future,” Jones says. “But most importantly, the focus for us is now, because these things change quickly in this league and players improve quickly in this league and injuries happen. So trying to forecast what we look like in three or four years. Luck, guess work, so many different factors that come into it. Only thing you can do is live in a moment and plan for the near necessity.”

[Split T]

You can’t trade Ayton for Lebron, man. Come on. I’d love for Lebron to be on this team but you can’t double down on old ass players who break down at the end of the season. You just can’t. CP3 and Lebron will both 38 by the end of next next season.

If you can’t trade Ayton for a star then you might as well pay him and trade him later. That’s really the only two paths I see for him. Like it or not.

This team is all in on right now. LeBron kills the future, but opens the window for next year. It’s the ultimate all-in move.

That's insane to break up your young core and years of future success to go all in to try to win with a 38-year old point guard who breaks down in the playoffs. Lol.

I’m only moving Ayton…that’s not breaking up the young core. I’m done with him.

Lol, without Ayton you don’t have a young core that can be successful after Paul.

Booker-Bridges-Cam

Ayton would be great at 20 million…he puts a 2nd round ceiling on our team at the max. My done with him take was probably too harsh, but I’m done with him as a potential cornerstone. He’s Jarrett Allen, Clint Capela, Myles Turner, etc. He’s not Jokic, Embiid, or even KAT.

[Uncle_Gene]

Oh man, if you're tired of Ayton's inconsistencies, you really don't want to go through the Christian Wood experience.

That part.

[TOO]

What if they gave all of Ayton's money to Jalen Brunson and traded Chris Paul?

He's not a PG

[Split T]

You guys think Charlotte would have any interest in an Ayton-Bridges swap? Do they still have reservations about maxing him? I’d max him before I maxed Ayton. Feel like they could probably get a C and keep Bridges.

What about Ayton for PJ Washington, Bouknight, and Plumlee? That seems kinda meh unless you believe in Bouknight. I do like Washington as an actual PF that can play small ball 5 and he shoots. Might be a good fit on the 2nd unit with Payne.

[ShelC]

I think Miles is a nice player, but overrated. Hornets aren't looking to get rid of him. PJ Washington may be more attainable, but not for DA.