Around the League News - 2022 Offseason Edition

[INFORMER]

Thanks Split for taking the time to put that list together.

I think Bam and Jarrett Allen might be too high, but overall the list seems solid.

[Split T]

Didn’t think too much about the specific order, just the first ones that came to mind.

[JeremyG]

Yeah, I figured you wouldn't have Mikal 11th.

[Mori Chu]

I would say rather have Ayton on his new contract than Poole on his new contract. Poole is talented but can be inconsistent. In the playoffs it was Wiggins who emerged as the reliable scorer and starter to help Curry and Green, not Poole.

[Indy]

Funny to see a Suns fan complain about inconsistency when saying they prefer Ayton over someone else.

And Poole isn't coming for Wiggins' minutes; he is coming for Klay's. And he was a much better player than Klay in the playoffs.

[specialsauce]

I would say rather have Ayton on his new contract than Poole on his new contract. Poole is talented but can be inconsistent. In the playoffs it was Wiggins who emerged as the reliable scorer and starter to help Curry and Green, not Poole.

Poole is a bitch. Kelly Oubre with a moustache and no drip

[ShelC]

[pickle]

So much for trading Crowder for Hunter.

[Superbone]

So much for trading Crowder for Hunter.

Unfortunately, the other team has to agree to trade their players. They don't generally side with the other team's fans' wishes.

[JeremyG]

I would explore Crowder for Grant Williams, since Boston did not extend Williams.

[pickle]

So much for trading Crowder for Hunter.

Unfortunately, the other team has to agree to trade their players. They don't generally side with the other team's fans' wishes.

I know. That last post was a combo of me being facetious and me being an optimist homer.

[LazarusLong]

I would explore Crowder for Grant Williams, since Boston did not extend Williams.

I like Williams. He'd be great with the Suns.
But the thought of trading a 24 yr. old Williams for a 32 yr. old Crowder is risible from a Celtic standpoint.

[pickle]

I read that Williams and Celtics are far apart on extension numbers so they might want to use him as trade bait. And they may need a bit of what Crowder can offer given that they lost the Rooster and Time Lord is out and they just signed Blake to plug in the hole. But yeah I also can’t imagine the Celtics doing that deal.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't think Grant Williams is getting much better for the rest of his career. I guess there's a chance he could evolve into an approximation of Draymond Green, but he's not as athletic or physically gifted to do the elite stuff Draymond did in his peak years.

Plus there's been a lot of talk about Williams irritating his teammates. He's obviously not the first guy to be quirky in that way, but it seems like it's somewhat of a demerit on his evaluation.

[INFORMER]

I would explore Crowder for Grant Williams, since Boston did not extend Williams.

Just because they didn't extend him doesn't mean they don't want him. I don't understand this alternate reality that some are operating in that thinks it is inconceivable to allow a player to make it to free agency.

Besides, why deal for Crowder in that scenario when Crowder is older and heading to unrestricted free agency while Grant Williams is younger and will be a restricted free agent.

[JeremyG]

I would explore Crowder for Grant Williams, since Boston did not extend Williams.

Just because they didn't extend him doesn't mean they don't want him. I don't understand this alternate reality that some are operating in that thinks it is inconceivable to allow a player to make it to free agency.

Besides, why deal for Crowder in that scenario when Crowder is older and heading to unrestricted free agency while Grant Williams is younger and will be a restricted free agent.

It’s very possible they don’t see him as part of their future plans, and would rather have Crowder to win now.

[MightyMoog]

I think Grant Williams didn’t get extended for the same reason Cam didn’t. If Durant is still unhappy mid season, you want to have those trade pieces available.

[JeremyG]

How long is that going to go on? Are we still going to refuse to makes moves at the trade deadline because Durant might become available? How about next summer?

[ShelC]

Here's what Grant Williams had to say.

“It’s one of those things that, you never want to take a bad deal for no one around you,” Williams said. “The role that I play as VP of the player’s association, you understand where the league is going in the future and where the league is currently at. For me, it wasn’t a matter of life-changing money, it was a matter of value, not only for this year, but for years to come. I think that from both sides, we all negotiated from that point, and there was no ill will. There were no frustrations.

It was one of those things that you couldn’t come to terms,” Williams said. “It doesn’t mean that the deal doesn’t get done next year, it doesn’t mean that a deal won’t get done in the future. For us, it’s a matter of perspective. I want to make sure that not only this deal that I take is something I feel confident in, but it’s something that doesn’t mess up the market for guys that do the things that I do.

You look at the guys who didn’t take extensions, they’re pretty much in the same position,” And for me, that’s huge, that’s valuable, because I care about every single player in this league,” Williams said. “I care about every single player in each organization that has to deal with free agency, that has to deal with the issues that necessarily we have within in this league. So we’re on the right path. We’re on the right steps. So we just have to go out there and do what we do.”

[wpmiller42]

I wonder if guys who are currently negotiating contracts (and their agents) and are generally in the same "tier" try to get on the same page? Because for all the talk of the Suns not meeting Cam's number, does 72 million or 85 million really change his life all that much either? And maybe I'm off base with that because I would love to play basketball for 72 million. But I get Williams' argument about not messing up the market for other guys. And I wonder if Cam or Grant or Washington or any of those guys were together in not going below 85 million? And if that's the case, I totally get and respect that position.

Anyways, it would be interesting to know more about how this all really goes down.