Split said signing Tyus Jones was very threadworthy. Welcome to the thread!!

[Mori Chu]

I have a feeling that we may not win that many more games, but we'll win the ones we do with less effort. No more of those 20 point come back against the Kings on our home floor to win by 1 games. Fewer 4th quarter melt downs. Less wear and tear on our stars.

That is an insightful observation, and I think you may be right. Wouldn't surprise me if we win almost the same number of games as last year (maybe 3-4 more or some small improvement), but it will "feel" easier to get those wins, guys won't have to carry the team offensively / bring us on a big comeback as much, we might weather injuries better, etc.

[Charlie Smithy!]

I'm mostly feeling better about next year's team than last year's. But I do worry that we may have acquired new guys whose helpful new production will be countered by a drop in production of existing guys who gave us good production last year. In particular I'm worried that Grayson Allen could have a big regression to the mean, and/or that Nurkic may not have as much of a role now that we have a real PG facilitator. I'm also still worried that we didn't totally address our size and defense issues. But again, I still like this team better.

Nah, I think he's gotten counseling since his Duke days. No worries here.

[ShelC]

I'm trying to remain optimistic and I think we'll be better but will still be held back trying to work around the logjam due to Beal. I don't hate Beal by any means, he just doesn't fit. And I think when he's gone we'll look back and say, "wow, it's weird that we had Beal on the team at one point". Like when we had guys like Vince Carter, Luis Scola or Aaron Brooks. Some guys just don't feel right in a Suns jersey.

I also think trying to rationalize Beal's fit and how things could work with him is kinda like last season when everyone said we didn't need a point guard because Book could play point guard. Yea, Book can play point guard, but is that really serving him or the team in the best way? It's like pointing to Book, Beal and KD's 3pt percentages and saying we'll be fine because we have them as shooters. Well yea, those guys can shoot, but is that what they do best? They're scorers who can shoot. Maybe Bud will find a way to make it work but even then, I don't think it'll be the best version of what the team could be so long as we're obligated to Beal. I'd even be willing to bet that our best lineups will be without Beal and instead be some version of Morris/Jones, Book, Allen/O'Neal, KD and Nurk. But Beal's not going to come off the bench and other guys who maybe should be getting more minutes won't be because he'll need his 30+ minutes a night.

[Charlie Smithy!]

I'm trying to remain optimistic and I think we'll be better but will still be held back trying to work around the logjam due to Beal. I don't hate Beal by any means, he just doesn't fit. And I think when he's gone we'll look back and say, "wow, it's weird that we had Beal on the team at one point". Like when we had guys like Vince Carter, Luis Scola or Aaron Brooks. Some guys just don't feel right in a Suns jersey.

I also think trying to rationalize Beal's fit and how things couldwork with him is kinda like last season when everyone said we didn't need a point guard because Book could play point guard. Yea, Book canplay point guard, but is that really serving him or the team in the best way? It's like pointing to Book, Beal and KD's 3pt percentages and saying we'll be fine because we have them as shooters. Well yea, those guys canshoot, but is that what they do best? They're scorers who can shoot. Maybe Bud will find a way to make it work but even then, I don't think it'll be the best version of what the team could be so long as we're obligated to Beal. I'd even be willing to bet that our best lineups will be without Beal and instead be some version of Morris/Jones, Book, Allen/O'Neal, KD and Nurk. But Beal's not going to come off the bench and other guys who maybe should be getting more minutes won't be because he'll need his 30+ minutes a night.

I still wish we'd kept Sam Cassell. And in hindsight, it seems like we helped Kickstart the Lakers Dynasty by giving them Robert Horry for a washed up Cedric ceballos.

[Mori Chu]

Beal will be helpful when we have injuries. Both Book and KD are putting a bunch of miles on their bodies all summer. One or both of them are probably going to miss some games, and when they do, Beal can be ready to fill in. He's overpriced for that role, but it's a nice luxury to have, and he's shown willingness to be that 3rd guy and not gripe about his role or his stats.

[AmareIsGod]

Folks already disappointed about the upcoming season.

[TOO]

I'm pretty excited about the seasons, I'm a big Tyus Jones fan, love a good steady PG.

[Superbone]

Folks already disappointed about the upcoming season.

Huh? Who?

[Vladimir_Taltos]

I'm trying to remain optimistic and I think we'll be better but will still be held back trying to work around the logjam due to Beal. I don't hate Beal by any means, he just doesn't fit. And I think when he's gone we'll look back and say, "wow, it's weird that we had Beal on the team at one point". Like when we had guys like Vince Carter, Luis Scola or Aaron Brooks. Some guys just don't feel right in a Suns jersey.

I also think trying to rationalize Beal's fit and how things could work with him is kinda like last season when everyone said we didn't need a point guard because Book could play point guard. Yea, Book can play point guard, but is that really serving him or the team in the best way? It's like pointing to Book, Beal and KD's 3pt percentages and saying we'll be fine because we have them as shooters. Well yea, those guys can shoot, but is that what they do best? They're scorers who can shoot. Maybe Bud will find a way to make it work but even then, I don't think it'll be the best version of what the team could be so long as we're obligated to Beal. I'd even be willing to bet that our best lineups will be without Beal and instead be some version of Morris/Jones, Book, Allen/O'Neal, KD and Nurk. But Beal's not going to come off the bench and other guys who maybe should be getting more minutes won't be because he'll need his 30+ minutes a night.

How do you know? Do you have a crystal ball? I think we may find that having a strong second unit that Beal is the anchor scorer is our most effective, beside gassing Book at times. If that wins...you're assuming Beal can't adjust. Perhaps you're wrong...

[TOO]

I don't think there is any shot they put Beal on the bench, especially just to put lesser players out there.

[Split T]

I don’t think it happens, but if Beal ends up coming off the bench it’s because someone like Ryan Dunn turns out to be playable offensively. Grayson is great, but he doesn’t offer much that Beal doesn’t do.

[Cap]

I don’t think it happens, but if Beal ends up coming off the bench it’s because someone like Ryan Dunn turns out to be playable offensively. Grayson is great, but he doesn’t offer much that Beal doesn’t do.

It’s not about making the starting lineup better. It’s about staggering the Big 3 so we can keep up the pressure every minute, instead of letting up a bit when we go to the bench like most teams. Beal still gets more minutes than Gray despite Gray starting and Beal not.

[Cap]

Speaking of minutes, here’s a possible minutes distribution in a close game where we maximize the use of the stars and have no garbage time:

PG Tyus 30, Monte 18
SG Allen 12, Beal 36
SF Book 36, Allen 12
PF KD 36, Bol* 12
C Nurk 30, Mason 18

*Depending on matchups

Typical lineup in the first three quarters consists of two of the Big 3, Tyus or Monte, Nurk or Mason, and Gray (if KD is on the floor) or Bol/Royce/whoever (if Book-Beal is on the floor).

That looks like a really solid rotation. Then again, I thought the same thing about our signings last year.

[Kryptonic]

Speaking of minutes, here’s a possible minutes distribution in a close game where we maximize the use of the stars and have no garbage time:

PG Tyus 30, Monte 18
SG Allen 12, Beal 36
SF Book 36, Allen 12
PF KD 36, Bol* 12
C Nurk 30, Mason 18

*Depending on matchups

That looks like a really solid rotation. Then again, I thought the same thing about our signings last year.

I likey

[Split T]

I don’t think it happens, but if Beal ends up coming off the bench it’s because someone like Ryan Dunn turns out to be playable offensively. Grayson is great, but he doesn’t offer much that Beal doesn’t do.

It’s not about making the starting lineup better. It’s about staggering the Big 3 so we can keep up the pressure every minute, instead of letting up a bit when we go to the bench like most teams. Beal still gets more minutes than Gray despite Gray starting and Beal not.

You can just pull Beal early and accomplish the same thing though. If I’m benching Beal it’s to get an elite perimeter defender on the court.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Speaking of minutes, here’s a possible minutes distribution in a close game where we maximize the use of the stars and have no garbage time:

PG Tyus 30, Monte 18
SG Allen 12, Beal 36
SF Book 36, Allen 12
PF KD 36, Bol* 12
C Nurk 30, Mason 18

*Depending on matchups

That looks like a really solid rotation. Then again, I thought the same thing about our signings last year.

I likey

I think you have to have time for Dunn, Ighodaro and for that matter O'Neale.

[Split T]

Ya Royce for sure will play

[Mori Chu]

I appreciate the work to come up with a suggested minutes distribution. But are we really going to play Devin Booker 36 minutes a night at small forward? He is a shooting guard. Not a PG, not an SF!

[Split T]

There’s not really a difference between the 2 and 3 anymore.

[TOO]

I appreciate the work to come up with a suggested minutes distribution. But are we really going to play Devin Booker 36 minutes a night at small forward? He is a shooting guard. Not a PG, not an SF!

He's a wing. There is no SG/SF anymore.