Suns News: Week 2 (10/24-10/30)

[INFORMER]

that would consider trading rosters

I don't really see that as a legitimate basis of evaluating whether a team should tank. That is more a question of preference than anything else.

[INFORMER]

I still think they are a likely team to tank. I think they’d sell off Hayward in a heartbeat and wouldn’t be surprised to see Oubre and Plumlee moved.

Moving those payers doesn't mean tanking. Hayward makes huge money and can't stay healthy. That is reason enough to move him. If they can better position themselves for free agency this summer or get an asset for him, of course they should pull the trigger.

If they don't plan on resigning Oubre, then they should get what they can for him now if a team offers them a piece that Charlotte would want to build with.

Ditto for Plumlee.

They’d be better off winning 28 games than 38 games. Doesn’t have to be a tear down, but another high level piece in the lottery could do a lot for them.

Which they may be able to achieve without even trying to lose or give away talented players.

[INFORMER]

Kai Jones and Jalen McDaniels are also solid prospects that they have. I like Cody Martin. JT Thor was intriguing but is still super raw. Nick Richards has flashed for them. They have a steal of a two-way player in Maledon who was tremendous tonight. They have future picks coming from the draft day deal they made. Again, I'm not saying they have an awesome roster, but they have plenty going for them to not be thinking about going for the number one pick.

Now, they could be hit by injuries, Clifford may lose the team, etc. and the season goes down the drain. But if that happens, again, they won't have to try to tank.

Management there is going to stay the course, and they should. They have a future superstar, draft capital, cap flexibility.

[Shabazz]

I just mean everything should be on the table. This is a wasted year for them so moves they make should be with an eye towards the future. Maybe moving Rozier doesn’t align with that, but if they can get a Dejounte-style package for him, they should strongly consider it.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Yeah, what history? He was fabulous in the bubble and his first full year and rough last year. There is no trend to glean from.

He's demonstrated inconsistency and Paul's age mean we need a viable backup at PG. We're crazy to be putting all our faith in Payne as our one insurance policy vs. Chris...not snagging a solid back up is foolish.

Love what Jock has brought, hope that continues...I'd love to see some time with him and Ayton on the floor...I also think not giving Biyombo some minutes with him is a mistake.

[Indy]

that would consider trading rosters

I don't really see that as a legitimate basis of evaluating whether a team should tank. That is more a question of preference than anything else.

Thinking 28 of 30 teams have a better roster than you isn't a reason to tank?

[ShelC]

[ShelC]

Don't have a subscription but it looks like Jock is getting some love

[AmareIsGod]

Don't have a subscription but it looks like Jock is getting some love

$47,500.

That’s the amount Australian center Jock Landale is guaranteed this season, and the only reason it’s even that high is because the San Antonio Spurs needed to adjust it to include him as a throw-in in the Dejounte Murray trade with Atlanta. Certainly the Hawks weren’t clamoring for his services; they almost immediately served him up on a platter to the Phoenix Suns in a trade for cash considerations (league sources tell The Athletic it was $110,000, the minimum amount allowable in an NBA trade).

One could see the logic for Phoenix even if Landale never played a minute; he only made the minimum and was very lightly guaranteed, so at some point in the season, the Suns could waive him and leave their 14th roster spot open for up to two weeks, minimizing their luxury-tax hit.

But Landale won’t be getting waived anytime soon. And he might be getting a big raise next summer. After a forgettable first season in San Antonio, the 27-year-old Saint Mary’s product has become a key part of the Suns’ second unit … to the point that Phoenix was running offense through him for a good stretch of the second half of Tuesday’s win over the Golden State Warriors. You know, the world champion Warriors. Landale finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and a sparkling plus-27 mark.

Check out these hands:

It’s only four games, so let’s see if Landale keeps it up. But check out these numbers: 30 points and 17.7 rebounds per 100 possessions, despite a cold start from the 3-point line (just 2 of 10) from a player whose stretch game is one of his strengths. Landale’s combination of pick-and-pop floor spacing, post-up viability against switches and short-range shot making make him an offensively threatening backup five. As long as he can hold up in drop coverage (he swatted a Jordan Poole drive on Tuesday), he’ll help a Suns team that had a glaring need at this spot.

The point today, however, isn’t to overreact to small samples but to highlight some players like Landale who you might be surprised to learn have any sample at all. None of these guys came in with much hype, and they’re not playing in glamorous markets, but so far, they’ve held up well in bigger-than-expected doses of playing time.

Landale is the captain of the squad, an undrafted Ausralian toiling in obscurity as a bit player for the league’s most anonymous team last season. Suddenly, he has claimed a key role on a team that won 64 games last year and made the 2021 NBA Finals. This guy might really matter in May and June. Life comes at you fast.

[Mori Chu]

So, the play here is to wait until Dec 15 and then trade Ayton and Crowder for KD, right? That's not bad value for a team that needs to blow it up.

Starting 5: Paul, Booker, Bridges, KD, Landale
Bench: Payne, Shamet, Craig, CamJ, Biyombo, ..., Saric, Wainwright, etc.

[Split T]

Hard to ask for more than KD, but I’d try to pick off a guy like Claxton too.

Ayton, Crowder, CamJ, 4 1sts for

KD and Claxton

[Superbone]

I don't know if I would do it anymore. Call it recency bias if you want but dude was missing a bunch of shots when I was watching against Dallas and he is old. And we are playing well as is.

[AmareIsGod]

I don't know if I would do it anymore. Call it recency bias if you want but dude was missing a bunch of shots when I was watching against Dallas and he is old. And we are playing well as is.

Agreed. I don't know how much closer to a chip KD gets you by losing a guy like Ayton who's content being very valuable while not requiring a bunch of touches or dominance on offense.

[Split T]

You guys are crazy, KD is averaging 33 points a game on a 66% TS. We’re good, but we’re not winning a title. We could win a title with KD

[JeremyG]

You guys are crazy, KD is averaging 33 points a game on a 66% TS. We’re good, but we’re not winning a title. We could win a title with KD

Or if James Jones would just upgrade the roster we have, by using some of those picks and expiring contracts.

[JeremyG]

So, the play here is to wait until Dec 15 and then trade Ayton and Crowder for KD, right? That's not bad value for a team that needs to blow it up.

Starting 5: Paul, Booker, Bridges, KD, Landale
Bench: Payne, Shamet, Craig, CamJ, Biyombo, ..., Saric, Wainwright, etc.

It's January 15. And Ayton has a no-trade clause.

[AmareIsGod]

You guys are crazy, KD is averaging 33 points a game on a 66% TS. We’re good, but we’re not winning a title. We could win a title with KD

Okay but who's your starting center and replaces the other production from the inevitable key pieces included with Ayton you trade away? Booker isn't playing at an MVP level either if you're having to now figure out how to get KD his touches. You also have to hold out hope that his health lasts 82 games (or 60ish because of the required rest he now needs during the season) and into the playoffs. I'm glad KD has a 66% TS and is averaging 33 points through 5 games for a 1-4 team.

We're already griping about depth on the roster. Gutting what is there for KD doesn't help that weakness at all.

[Split T]

You guys are crazy, KD is averaging 33 points a game on a 66% TS. We’re good, but we’re not winning a title. We could win a title with KD

Okay but who's your starting center and replaces the other production from the inevitable key pieces included with Ayton you trade away? Booker isn't playing at an MVP level either if you're having to now figure out how to get KD his touches. You also have to hold out hope that his health lasts 82 games (or 60ish because of the required rest he now needs during the season) and into the playoffs. I'm glad KD has a 66% TS and is averaging 33 points through 5 games for a 1-4 team.

We're already griping about depth on the roster. Gutting what is there for KD doesn't help that weakness at all.

Well my suggestion was KD/Claxton for Ayton/Crowder/CamJ.

We just literally replace Ayton and CamJ with Claxton and KD in the rotation. We don’t lose any depth as Crowder isn’t even playing. Our bench is still the same, but the KD/Booker duo would be lethal. We’d also have 2 open roster spots and be the prime buyout team.

[Split T]

You guys are crazy, KD is averaging 33 points a game on a 66% TS. We’re good, but we’re not winning a title. We could win a title with KD

Or if James Jones would just upgrade the roster we have, by using some of those picks and expiring contracts.

Depends on what we can get, but ya there is potential there.

[TOO]

You guys are crazy, KD is averaging 33 points a game on a 66% TS. We’re good, but we’re not winning a title. We could win a title with KD

Or if James Jones would just upgrade the roster we have, by using some of those picks and expiring contracts.

Depends on what we can get, but ya there is potential there.

I believe this is wishful thinking.