Suns 2022 Off-Season Thread

[Indy]

I feel like we are getting bizarrosauce this week.

Your Lukarection has been so large for 3 years that you’ve been unable to see DA in any other light except “could’ve been Doncic.”

Again, I’m not even advocating keeping DA. I’m just saying don’t trade him for washed, used to be elite parts or salvage yard parts that never will even have a potential to be great

Not taking sides, but the word "Lukarection" gives me the giggles.

Same! Except I am taking sides.

[Split T]

LeBron can play defense when he wants to…there was no reason to last year.

?? You have what to back that up

I've seen him do it. His defense and the Lakers defense in general was pretty good against us last year in the playoffs. His defensive issues are 100% about selective effort, not ability.

[Drewsprocket]

I wont be disappointed if we end up with Jerami Grant for Ayton. He’ll give the suns a better look at the 4 than Crowder. He won’t have to do as much as he did with Detroit and still get up 13-15 shots per game, probably improve his 3pt % which is already nearly 36%. And he’s athletic. He can use some of his energy towards being a defender and doing small things.

[Split T]

I’d need #5 coming back too in that case. I like Grant, but he’s a 3rd option at best and wants to be the guy. He’s on an expiring and I’m worried he’d leave after 1 year like he did to Denver. I also think we could get him for Crowder/Craig and a 1st

[JeremyG]

I love all these "Ayton is garbage but we can trade him for a star" scenarios.

Personally, there's only one player in the NBA that I would trade Ayton for.

James Harden? That would be a lot of guards in our backcourt. I don't know how I feel about that.

No. Giannis Antetokounmpo.

You would turn down Luka? Tatum? Ja?

I can't stand Luka. I wouldn't trade anyone for him.

Ja Morant? His team is better when he doesn't play.

Trading Ayton for Tatum may not be a horrible trade, I just personally wouldn't do it. I would prefer a big man in return. I would take Embiid if I could know he would stay healthy.

I'm coming from a position of thinking that Ayton is totally worth the money he will make, and I see no reason to move him.

[JeremyG]

For those that are Flex truthers(I don’t know what to think about him personally, but everything he says is good for the suns so it at least makes me feel good, even if he’s making it way bigger than it is):

Anyways, he did a podcast, it’s an hour long and I didn’t listen to all of it, but basically:

1. Supposedly there are 2 superstars who’ve let it be known through back channels they’d like to be in Phoenix. He says he won’t say names, but they did spend the podcast talking about KD, LeBron, and Embiid. He pretty strongly hinted at one point that KD is one of them.

2. Though he also kinda backtracked that and just connected dots from other reports(kd not talking to nets, Nets not wanting Kyrie, KD liking Booker) and said KD would ask out and said that would create a unique opportunity for the suns…pretty sure unique opportunity to get a superstar was his wording in the original tweet, so that’s pretty much nothing.

3. He was pretty focused on the fact that the suns would trade Ayton first and use the assets from that deal to acquire the superstar. Ayton wouldn’t be a part of a direct sign and trade for said superstar.

4. Seemed like he was trying to get fans to not be dissapointed when we get some Poeltl based package. He also mentioned Indy and Detroit, so maybe he just knows who has cap space.

5. As I was writing he definitely talked back the unique opportunity tweet basically saying it’s due to having expiring contracts, draft picks, and young talent on cheap contracts, plus the ability to get more through Ayton. Doesn’t sound like he had much info on a specific player with that tweet.

6. Though he did then reaffirm unequivocally(his word) that there are two people(stars) that want to play with Booker.



Link if interested

The two "stars" that Flex has "heard" want to play with Booker:

1. Karl-Anthony Towns

2. D'Angelo Russell

[Indy]

Is this your guess, or something you confirmed? Because nobody thinks of Russell as a star.

[Indy]

I love all these "Ayton is garbage but we can trade him for a star" scenarios.

Personally, there's only one player in the NBA that I would trade Ayton for.

James Harden? That would be a lot of guards in our backcourt. I don't know how I feel about that.

No. Giannis Antetokounmpo.

You would turn down Luka? Tatum? Ja?

I can't stand Luka. I wouldn't trade anyone for him.

Ja Morant? His team is better when he doesn't play.

Trading Ayton for Tatum may not be a horrible trade, I just personally wouldn't do it. I would prefer a big man in return. I would take Embiid if I could know he would stay healthy.

I'm coming from a position of thinking that Ayton is totally worth the money he will make, and I see no reason to move him.

Embiid and Tatum are light years ahead of Ayton (even ahead of Booker). Like you probably couldn't get either for Booker and Ayton unless they told the Celts/76ers they were leaving and they had to trade them.

[TOO]

Is this your guess, or something you confirmed? Because nobody thinks of Russell as a star.

Russell does.

His end game decisions are god awful, i want him nowhere near this team. He sucks.

[Indy]

Is this your guess, or something you confirmed? Because nobody thinks of Russell as a star.

Russell does.

His end game decisions are god awful, i want him nowhere near this team. He sucks.

lol. true. And he was an all-star one year.

[ShelC]

I've been thinking KAT's less likely to want to be moved now since Minny looks like it's on the rise. They lost to the Grizz, but kind of found themselves and their identity. KAT's the unquestioned franchise guy while DAR's star has faded since going there. I wouldn't be surprised if DAR were unhappy and wanted out but KAT would be a bit of a shocker for me at this point.

[Uncle_Gene]

Another rumor out there is that the Charlotte Hornets are interested in DeAndre Ayton.

Watch the Suns make a trade bringing LeBron to Phoenix, then a separate trade with Orlando Magic to bring in Mo Bamba.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't think we need to spend any time considering KAT or DeAngelo Russell. They're not the types of players James Jones values.

[Superbone]

I love all these "Ayton is garbage but we can trade him for a star" scenarios.

Personally, there's only one player in the NBA that I would trade Ayton for.

James Harden? That would be a lot of guards in our backcourt. I don't know how I feel about that.

No. Giannis Antetokounmpo.

You would turn down Luka? Tatum? Ja?

I can't stand Luka. I wouldn't trade anyone for him.

Ja Morant? His team is better when he doesn't play.

Trading Ayton for Tatum may not be a horrible trade, I just personally wouldn't do it. I would prefer a big man in return. I would take Embiid if I could know he would stay healthy.

I'm coming from a position of thinking that Ayton is totally worth the money he will make, and I see no reason to move him.

You agree that Ayton has weaknesses, right? What do you see as his weaknesses? What do you envision from him three years from now? Do you think he will be worth the Super Max by his next contract after this next one?

[specialsauce]

Another rumor out there is that the Charlotte Hornets are interested in DeAndre Ayton.

Watch the Suns make a trade bringing LeBron to Phoenix, then a separate trade with Orlando Magic to bring in Mo Bamba.

Disgusting

[The Bobster]

You agree that Ayton has weaknesses, right? What do you see as his weaknesses? What do you envision from him three years from now? Do you think he will be worth the Super Max by his next contract after this next one?

He tends to drift and defer more than he should. that's the biggest problem.

He's an excellent shooter, rebounder and defender, but he could be a better shot blocker.

Athletically, he's big, strong, runs the court well, and has good lateral quickness for his size.

Offensively he's got a very good midrange game, is a good offensive rebounder and is a very efficient scorer. His critics would contend that he doesn't look to shoot enough when he has the ball around the basket, and doesn't go to the basket with authority.

I think his strengths are understated and his faults do get magnified here. But he's the centerpiece for their defense and will probably be a 20/10 player for for the next 10 years. There's a lot of value in that.

[specialsauce]

You agree that Ayton has weaknesses, right? What do you see as his weaknesses? What do you envision from him three years from now? Do you think he will be worth the Super Max by his next contract after this next one?

He tends to drift and defer more than he should. that's the biggest problem.

He's an excellent shooter, rebounder and defender, but he could be a better shot blocker.

Athletically, he's big, strong, runs the court well, and has good lateral quickness for his size.

Offensively he's got a very good midrange game, is a good offensive rebounder and is a very efficient scorer. His critics would contend that he doesn't look to shoot enough when he has the ball around the basket, and doesn't go to the basket with authority.

I think his strengths are understated and his faults do get magnified here. But he's the centerpiece for their defense and will probably be a 20/10 player for for the next 10 years. There's a lot of value in that.

Blasphemy

[Split T]

Another rumor out there is that the Charlotte Hornets are interested in DeAndre Ayton.

I’ll take Miles Bridges please

[Superbone]

You agree that Ayton has weaknesses, right? What do you see as his weaknesses? What do you envision from him three years from now? Do you think he will be worth the Super Max by his next contract after this next one?

He tends to drift and defer more than he should. that's the biggest problem.

He's an excellent shooter, rebounder and defender, but he could be a better shot blocker.

Athletically, he's big, strong, runs the court well, and has good lateral quickness for his size.

Offensively he's got a very good midrange game, is a good offensive rebounder and is a very efficient scorer. His critics would contend that he doesn't look to shoot enough when he has the ball around the basket, and doesn't go to the basket with authority.

I think his strengths are understated and his faults do get magnified here. But he's the centerpiece for their defense and will probably be a 20/10 player for for the next 10 years. There's a lot of value in that.

I think that’s a pretty good assessment. As far as rebounding, I think he gets his mostly with athleticism. I wish he’d box out better as he could be even better. And as far as the magnification, I think that’s because of the salary he expects he should get.

[JeremyG]

Is this your guess, or something you confirmed? Because nobody thinks of Russell as a star.

That was my attempt at a joke directed towards Flex.