Suns 2022 Off-Season Thread

[Superbone]

Assuming everyone is roughly the same as last year(assume slight improvements from the 25 and under guys, slight decreases from the 33 and older guys) answer these 2 questions.

1. Who making a leap would most benefit the team?
2. Who is most likely to make a leap?

1. I think it’s got to be Ayton. His ceiling is higher than anyone else. Though I think you could say Booker here. If he fully jumped into top 5 in the league status, that would be huge.

2. This is tough, I’m not sure anyone stands out though. I think I’m leaning towards Cam Johnson. I think regardless of what happens with Crowder that CamJ is starting and his offensive game is going to open up more this year.

even if we don't swing big for KD or something the next tier down, I think Jae is gone. Maybe not by training camp, but certainly before the trade deadline. And we are going to miss his defense.

But no longer have to defend his misses.

[Split T]

Ya I don’t think you can explain away any of Jae’s actions anymore. He’s clearly upset with the organization and wants out. I’m sure he’s caught wind that we want to move him and not just for KD. I think we’ve explored moving him(in case we don’t get KD and to see if we can get something Brooklyn wants from a 3rd team).

My favorite non-KD scenario is still for Harrison Barnes. I think Sacramento might value Jae and take the asset we’d attach to him to upgrade to Barnes. Sacramento wants to win though so not sure they’d be interested in any player downgrades. They’d need to see Jae as essentially equal to Barnes in their system. Jae is the better defender, but Barnes can do more with the ball and is a nice 3rd option. Though if they see Keegan Murray as their new 3rd option, maybe they like the defensive upgrade.

[Indy]

Ya I don’t think you can explain away any of Jae’s actions anymore. He’s clearly upset with the organization and wants out. I’m sure he’s caught wind that we want to move him and not just for KD. I think we’ve explored moving him(in case we don’t get KD and to see if we can get something Brooklyn wants from a 3rd team).

My favorite non-KD scenario is still for Harrison Barnes. I think Sacramento might value Jae and take the asset we’d attach to him to upgrade to Barnes. Sacramento wants to win though so not sure they’d be interested in any player downgrades. They’d need to see Jae as essentially equal to Barnes in their system. Jae is the better defender, but Barnes can do more with the ball and is a nice 3rd option. Though if they see Keegan Murray as their new 3rd option, maybe they like the defensive upgrade.

I assume we have been pretty direct with him about it, too. So he had some feels about that, then sees the local media saying he needs to be replaced, and then seeing all of Suns Twitter say the same. Can't feel good.

[JeremyG]

Or we told him Cam is starting and he's going to the bench, so he wants out.

[Indy]

Or we told him Cam is starting and he's going to the bench, so he wants out.

probably didn't tell him that considering we haven't extended Cam and his name has been widely connected to trade rumors, too.

[Split T]

Ya and I don’t really buy that he’d be super upset by that. CamJ is a very good player and Jae would still get plenty of minutes. I believe we moved him to the bench in his first year hear for awhile anyways. I remember in not going great as Crowder played better as a starter and CamJ played better off the bench…that was 2 years ago though.

[Split T]

Here’s the next article in this series

[Superbone]

[Superbone]

[Drewsprocket]

There’s plenty of room for growth from our front court players. Bridges, Cam, and Ayton each have plenty of ceiling. If there’s any messaging right now I hope it’s regarding their needed growth on getting buckets. That’s it, just straight up bucket getting.

[ShelC]

Dario vs Luka....Dario #9 manbunning his way to 18pts. 1:50 mark shows some pick and pop action for a 3; 5:30 a real slick backdoor pass to Hezojna; 6:16 another 3 off a kickout from the post (DA to Saric maybe?)

[ShelC]

Spot up shooting...Mikal just about dead center, Jae directly to the right, Landry in between and above them, Cam upper-right next to Batum.

[ShelC]

A team that never really was...and the play is in Denver coincidentally.

[Superbone]

Dario vs Luka....Dario #9 manbunning his way to 18pts. 1:50 mark shows some pick and pop action for a 3; 5:30 a real slick backdoor pass to Hezojna; 6:16 another 3 off a kickout from the post (DA to Saric maybe?)

Thanks for the time marks. Dario looks like he's moving pretty well. That backdoor pass was spot on. His shooting stroke looks as good as ever. It will be interesting to have him back.

[Superbone]

A team that never really was...and the play is in Denver coincidentally.

Man... Chapman to Manning who dishes the beautiful no look over-the-head, two-handed, directly back pass to McDyess for the Wham-Bam-Slam called by Al McCoy with color commentary from Cotton Fitzsimmons. Wow.

[Split T]

[Mori Chu]

I know those late-90s and early-2000s teams didn't achieve much and fell into the famous "malaise" ... But I quite enjoyed them. Lot of likeable guys on those squads, like Rex Chapman, Danny Manning, Cliff Robinson, Googs, Penny, KJ, J-Kidd, Rodney Rogers, ... and Shawn Marion shows up somewhere along the way, too. It wasn't all bad.

[Superbone]

I know those late-90s and early-2000s teams didn't achieve much and fell into the famous "malaise" ... But I quite enjoyed them. Lot of likeable guys on those squads, like Rex Chapman, Danny Manning, Cliff Robinson, Googs, Penny, KJ, J-Kidd, Rodney Rogers, ... and Shawn Marion shows up somewhere along the way, too. It wasn't all bad.

Well, J-Kidd was likable until he wasn't.

[Cap]

I know those late-90s and early-2000s teams didn't achieve much and fell into the famous "malaise" ... But I quite enjoyed them. Lot of likeable guys on those squads, like Rex Chapman, Danny Manning, Cliff Robinson, Googs, Penny, KJ, J-Kidd, Rodney Rogers, ... and Shawn Marion shows up somewhere along the way, too. It wasn't all bad.

Well, J-Kidd was likable until he wasn't.

Ditto KJ.

King Rex has had some minor scandals too.

[Superbone]

I know those late-90s and early-2000s teams didn't achieve much and fell into the famous "malaise" ... But I quite enjoyed them. Lot of likeable guys on those squads, like Rex Chapman, Danny Manning, Cliff Robinson, Googs, Penny, KJ, J-Kidd, Rodney Rogers, ... and Shawn Marion shows up somewhere along the way, too. It wasn't all bad.

Well, J-Kidd was likable until he wasn't.

Ditto KJ.

King Rex has had some minor scandals too.

Yep, but Rex has redeemed himself in my eyes. He had a real drug problem but he has come clean and he now has one of the most entertaining twitter accounts in the twitterverse. He also just seems like a great guy from what I've seen.