Suns News: Week 6 (11/21 - 11/27)

[ShelC]

Last Week's Games
Mon, Nov 14 @ Miami LOSS 113-112
Wed, Nov 16 vs Golden State WIN 130-119
Fri, Nov 18 @ Utah LOSS 134-133
Sun, Nov 20 vs New York WIN 116-95

This Week's Games
Tue, Nov 22 vs Los Angeles Lakers 7:00pm MST/10:00pm EST TNT
Fri, Nov 25 vs Detroit 6:00pm MST/9:00pm EST BSAZ
Sat, Nov 26 vs Utah 6:00pm MST/9:00pm EST BSAZ

Suns Stories
Center of the Sun: Torrey Craig and Cameron Payne taking advantage of their opportunity
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2022 ... pportunity

Suns' Landry Shamet felt concussion symptoms before season-high 16-point burst at Minnesota
https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/ ... 665576007/

Suns commission designer to make custom Jordan 4s to match teal indigenous-honoring jersey
https://www.azfamily.com/2022/11/21/sun ... ng-jersey/

Power Rankings
NBA.com
https://www.nba.com/news/power-rankings-2022-23-week-6

#4 Suns
Record: 10-6

OffRtg: 116.7 (3) DefRtg: 109.7 (7) NetRtg: +7.0 (2) Pace: 97.8 (26)

Over their first five games without Chris Paul, the Suns allowed 120.4 points per 100 possessions, 4.1 more than they allowed in any five-game stretch last season. In Utah on Friday, the Suns had their second most efficient offensive game of the season (behind Devin Booker’s 49 points) … and lost. The defensive regression was all about opponent shooting, both in the paint and from beyond the arc. The Jazz had 58 points (on 60% shooting) in the paint, while also outscoring the Suns by 21 points (48-27) from 3-point range.

The Suns’ offense was good enough on Wednesday (draining a season-high 21 3-pointers, including 10 from the corners) to beat the Warriors a second time. And their defense finally had a good game on Sunday afternoon, holding the Knicks under a point per possession to secure the Suns’ first win (they were previously 0-3) against the Eastern Conference. That defense was mostly about bench minutes, though. The Suns’ current starting lineup (with Cam Payne and Torrey Craig in place of Paul and Cam Johnson) has now allowed 122.1 points per 100 possessions, the worst mark among 19 league-wide lineups that have played at least 100 minutes. Rebounding has been an issue.

The Suns have had just one back-to-back, and it was a two-game series in Phoenix against the Blazers (who were without Damian Lillard). Their second back-to-back is also two home games, Friday against the Pistons and Saturday against the same Jazz who just touched them up for 134 points. (The Jazz will also be playing the second game of a back-to-back.)

Yahoo.com
https://www.si.com/nba/spurs/news/nba-p ... -free-fall

Last Rank: 4
Phoenix has gone 4-5 since starting 6-1 on the season. They dropped a close one to the Jazz on Friday after Devin Booker dropped 49 points and 10 assists in that contest. However, the Suns are still one of six teams with a conference-best six losses after beating the Knicks on Sunday. They are 34-10 following a loss since the start of the 2020-21 season.

SI.com
https://www.si.com/nba/2022/11/21/nba-p ... ake-throne

4. Phoenix Suns
Record: 10–6
Previous ranking: 6

Phoenix came up just short twice last week. The first one-point loss can be credited to Jimmy Butler’s heroic block on Devin Booker’s would-be game-winning attempt, and the second came in crunch time against the Jazz. Even with two heartbreaking defeats, it wasn’t a bad week for Phoenix. It beat Golden State, again, on a night when Steph Curry finished with 50 and then demolished New York. Cam Payne has filled in admirably for the injured Chris Paul alongside Devin Booker in the frontcourt, and the Suns’ upcoming schedule is kind as they await the Point God’s return.

[Superbone]

[Split T]

Here’s what KOC said:

Reports last week suggested the Suns came close to acquiring veteran guard Eric Gordon from the Rockets in a three-way deal that would’ve sent Jae Crowder to the Bucks. But that trade still hasn’t happened, and The Athletic’s Shams Charania is reporting that Phoenix has also expressed interest in trading for Atlanta’s John Collins, Washington’s Kyle Kuzma, Sacramento’s Harrison Barnes, and Houston’s KJ Martin.

Charania is no doubt correct that the Suns have checked in on the availability of these players. But it’s a bit of an odd list:

• Martin is only 21 years old and has been one of the bright spots on a young Rockets roster, but he is largely unproven compared to the other names Phoenix is targeting in return for Crowder.

• The Kings are trying to make the playoffs and Barnes has been an integral part of those efforts, despite his slow start shooting 3s. It would be unusual if Sacramento decided to move off of him now.

• Unless the Wizards believe Kuzma is a flight risk (he has a $13 million player option next summer) it seems unlikely they’d move him now considering how well he fits and that the team is winning games.

• Charania said in his piece the Suns “appear uninclined to take on the long-term money of Collins.” And putting finances aside, Collins wouldn’t replace Crowder’s wing defense.

Since Crowder’s trade request became public in September I’ve consistently heard the Suns want to find a wing to replace him. But the other factor Phoenix needs to consider is the health of Chris Paul. Though his return seems near, his heel injury is tricky and has severely limited his play early in the season.

Devin Booker and Cam Payne have stepped up but the Suns could use one more player who can handle the ball as insurance for the 37-year-old Paul if he gets hurt again or can’t match his past production.

On last week’s episode of The Mismatch I reported that Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic is another target for the Suns.

League sources say Bogdanovic remains on Phoenix’s radar; he checks a lot of boxes as a shooter, ball handler, and rock-solid defender. But he hasn’t played yet this season while recovering from offseason knee surgery.

It’s important to remember that the Suns could potentially package Crowder’s $10.2 million deal with Landry Shamet ($9.5M), Dario Saric ($9.2M), and Torrey Craig ($5.1M), plus add draft picks as sweeteners. The Suns can get pretty creative to find an ideal return in multiteam trade scenarios involving a wide number of organizations that’ll be active in the coming months.

There’s no reason to rush, though. Crowder is long gone. The Suns should wait to see what they have in Paul once he returns before making a big decision that could determine their place in the championship race.

[ShelC]

[ShelC]

Gambo speaks

[Mori Chu]

Bogdan would be great. So of course he makes too much sense for us and we won't pursue him. I wonder if the team is still embarrassed that they gave away his rights for peanuts back in the day.

[Split T]

I feel like Gambo is pretty safe just saying no to everything.

[Split T]

[Flagrant Fowl]

Bogdan's knee issues are a major concern for me. $36M for this season and the next is pretty risky when he could suddenly be on the injured list for 6 weeks at any given moment.

[ShelC]

Blast from the past

[Split T]

Some very promising numbers…This is what Mikal has averaged in the 7 games CP3 has been out:

18.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.0 blocks, 1.3 turnovers and shooting 51/46/92 for a .617 TS%. That 46% from 3 is on 5 3s a game as well.

Sam stole my stat haha

[Split T]

Bogdan's knee issues are a major concern for me. $36M for this season and the next is pretty risky when he could suddenly be on the injured list for 6 weeks at any given moment.

Ya, I didn’t realize he hasn’t even played yet this year. If they took Shamet instead of Saric as the other salary marcher I’d consider it, but I’d want to see that he’s healthy first.

[Split T]

I listened to a Lowe podcast the other day talking about MVP candidates…they mentioned

1. Curry
2. Luka
3. Tatum
4. KD
5. Giannis
6. SGA
7. Mitchell
8. Embiid
9. AD
10. PG13
11. Jokic

Am I just being a suns homer getting upset that Booker didn’t even warrant a mention? Suns have the leagues best net rating…they’ve been down 1 major rotation player all season and 2 others for half the season. He’s putting up better numbers than last year when he was 4th…media just bored with the suns? I mean he’s 27/5/6 on a .589 TS% with all his advanced stats up from last year.

Don’t think he even needs to be top 5, but he’s not going to get a mention alongside PG, Mitchell, AD, etc? Dumb

[ShelC]

I don't keep track of the podcasters but I thought Lowe always forgets or talks down about the Suns? Book should definitely be top 10 IMO. SGA's putting up numbers but the Thunder aren't doing anything. Same with AD and the Lakers and during the offseason and training camp people were convinced we were on the way down.

Maybe like last year, his name will come up more and more. He wasn't even mentioned as All-NBA most of the season but got talked up at the end of the year enough to make 1st team.

[Split T]

Ya he mentioned he doesn’t care about records right now. Which I think is fine at this point, but Books numbers aren’t even that different from SGA/Tatum and he’s been better than PG. Lowe used to be good with the suns when everyone was down on them but he’s said he’s not that interested by them right now. Just thought he’d still mention Booker.

[In2ition]

I listened to a Lowe podcast the other day talking about MVP candidates…they mentioned

1. Curry
2. Luka
3. Tatum
4. KD
5. Giannis
6. SGA
7. Mitchell
8. Embiid
9. AD
10. PG13
11. Jokic

Am I just being a suns homer getting upset that Booker didn’t even warrant a mention? Suns have the leagues best net rating…they’ve been down 1 major rotation player all season and 2 others for half the season. He’s putting up better numbers than last year when he was 4th…media just bored with the suns? I mean he’s 27/5/6 on a .589 TS% with all his advanced stats up from last year.

Don’t think he even needs to be top 5, but he’s not going to get a mention alongside PG, Mitchell, AD, etc? Dumb

Just looking at this list and noticing that he has PG13, but not Book. I thought I would check out the stats for each. Book is having a far superior season, so this seems odd, especially when the Suns are better than the Clippers and Book is doing it without essentially 3 starters and a main bench guy.

[Shabazz]

I listened to that podcast yesterday. Pelton mentioned Booker on his honorable mention list and got an "uh huh" from Lowe before Lowe wanted to drill down on another player. I think that's because he spent time on the Suns a few podcasts ago.

[Split T]

I listened to that podcast yesterday. Pelton mentioned Booker on his honorable mention list and got an "uh huh" from Lowe before Lowe wanted to drill down on another player. I think that's because he spent time on the Suns a few podcasts ago.

I must have missed Pelton mentioning Booker

[Superbone]

[Superbone]