2018 Suns Offseason News

[UglyTruth]

Listening to this made me kind of sad when they asked him about what his favorite childhood memories are (2:55 mark) and he basically didn't have any favorite memories from his childhood so he hesitated at the question.

Sometimes you see the smile, glamor and money and truly forget the rough upbringings some of these kids had.

https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1014270718165508096

[Hermen]

Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.

You know Booker doesn’t live in a cave right? He just saw what happened to DeMarcus Cousins and him losing out on countless MILLIONS of dollars because of his Achilles injury.

If Booker suffers an Achilles injury next season, is someone gonna personally offer to pony up the $$ to make up for the difference in the crappy offers he will get next summer?

It would be such an idiotic risk for Booker to take especially after seeing firsthand what just happened to Boogie Cousins. And seeing how McD conducts his business, Booker is educated enough to know that he will get kicked to the curb immediately if he suffers a similar or worse injury.

You described why Booker should accept the max contract a year early. That part is obvious. But the team doesn't gain anything except a bit of goodwill, which I doubt will help a lick if we are stll bad ~2 years into the contract.

[TOO]

The Suns need some goodwill tbh, I know spending big on vets is one thing, but that doesn't resonate with fans. Locking up the face of your franchise ASAP sends a decent message.

[JeremyG]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

[Hermen]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

He cannot leave next summer.

[JeremyG]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

He cannot leave next summer.

That’s what they told us about RFA Joe Johnson.

[Hermen]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

He cannot leave next summer.

That’s what they told us about RFA Joe Johnson.

No team can offer Booker more than the max.

[JeremyG]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

He cannot leave next summer.

That’s what they told us about RFA Joe Johnson.

No team can offer Booker more than the max.

Sarver ended up offering JJ the max and JJ still begged him not to match.

Even if it’s not over money, something could happen to make him want out (look at recent Suns history). And being a restricted free agent makes that easier/more likely than being locked up as the face of the franchise.

[Hermen]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

He cannot leave next summer.

That’s what they told us about RFA Joe Johnson.

No team can offer Booker more than the max.

Sarver ended up offering JJ the max and JJ still begged him not to match.

Even if it’s not over money, something could happen to make him want out (look at recent Suns history). And being a restricted free agent makes that easier/more likely than being locked up as the face of the franchise.

Fair. I just think being bad is a bigger concern. Especially since you can have a max offer for him ready all season and he signs it right after the moratorium ends. It just gives you a few days to get agreements from other FAs and then order the signings so they work.

[da_suns_fan]

The new NBA has three positions: Lead guard (1), wings (3 or 2), and big (1 or 2).

Lead guard: Knight, Okobo, Harrison, Booker
Wing: Booker, Ariza, JJ, TJ, Bridges, Daniels, Bender
Big: Ayton, Chandler, Chriss, Bender

Given that model, the depth chart is fairly well balanced. We just need a better starting pg.

I think you have to often play two "bigs" unless you have Shawn Marion who is the size of a wing but rebounds like a big (Ariza doesnt come close...his rebound rate is half of Marion's a la 2006).

Looking at those four bigs and three "lead guards" (I wont count Booker), I see one player (Ayton) that will probably be in the league in three years. I count five wings on your list who will probably still be in the league in 2021.

What's Bender's rebound rate?

About the same as Ariza's which makes Bender an extremely poor rebounder for a big (thus far):

https://www.boxscoregeeks.com/players/3 ... gan-bender

Here is Marion:

https://www.boxscoregeeks.com/players/62-shawn-marion

[INFORMER]

C'mooooon go get Damian Lillard.

According to Stephen A. Smith, Lillard isn't 100% locked on getting out of Portland, but if Portland can't get him help, he'll only want to go to the Lakers or Knicks.

[da_suns_fan]

Not much faith in Okobo, Harrison, Knight, Chriss or Bender do you.

Knight will be in the league a long time. I think all those will be in the league with maybe the exception of Harrison.

Who knows.

For some reasons thinking about Knight made me remember Michael Redd in his brief stint here. Remember that? Nice guy.

[INFORMER]

The facts are out there. I call it a start.

I didn't see anything come out about Igor receiving a substantial salary.

[da_suns_fan]

After all we’ve seen as Suns fans, I can’t believe anyone would want to risk seeing Booker leave next summer.

He cannot leave next summer.

That’s what they told us about RFA Joe Johnson.

No team can offer Booker more than the max.

Sarver ended up offering JJ the max and JJ still begged him not to match.

Even if it’s not over money, something could happen to make him want out (look at recent Suns history). And being a restricted free agent makes that easier/more likely than being locked up as the face of the franchise.

You are mistaken. I am QUITE sure.

JJ got 5/70 from the Hawks. Suns initial offer in 2004 was 5/45. Their first offer in 2005 was 6/60. Their last offer was 6/75. At no point did the Suns offer JJ the max. After he agreed to terms with Hawks, he said he didnt want Suns to match but would come back and be professional if they did match.

Suns negotiated trade that was the catalyst for the dissolvement of the Hawks ownership group.

[Shabazz]

Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.

You know Booker doesn’t live in a cave right? He just saw what happened to DeMarcus Cousins and him losing out on countless MILLIONS of dollars because of his Achilles injury.

If Booker suffers an Achilles injury next season, is someone gonna personally offer to pony up the $$ to make up for the difference in the crappy offers he will get next summer?

It would be such an idiotic risk for Booker to take especially after seeing firsthand what just happened to Boogie Cousins. And seeing how McD conducts his business, Booker is educated enough to know that he will get kicked to the curb immediately if he suffers a similar or worse injury.

You described why Booker should accept the max contract a year early. That part is obvious. But the team doesn't gain anything except a bit of goodwill, which I doubt will help a lick if we are stll bad ~2 years into the contract.

If he ends up in restricted free agency another team can sign him to a 3-year deal with a PO after 2. Even if you match, you now only have him for 2 years instead of 4/5. That's a significant risk.

[Superbone]

The facts are out there. I call it a start.

I didn't see anything come out about Igor receiving a substantial salary.

You missed it then. Bordow tweeted it.

[INFORMER]

And Ariza is going to get most, if not all, of his minutes at the "4".

I really don't think that is a good thing. I just don't think Ariza has value as a full-time smallball 4. He just doesn't have the game for it.

What also bothers me is that he is only a good 3-point shooter. It would be different if he was knocking down 3s at over 40%. But he goes through some pretty awful stretches of poor shooting. So you're running a skinny wing that doesn't rebound, who is a streaky shooter, and isn't really an interior defender at the 4 full-time.

And all available cap space, including sacrificing Alan Williams, was used to get him. It's really frustrating, but also par for the course.

[INFORMER]

“Well, it speaks to the way our roster is constructed,” Vice President of Basketball Operations James Jones said. “We talk about Josh Jackson, Mikal Bridges, T.J. Warren. Those three guys in particular, Devin Booker as well, but those guys in particular will have to compete with this guy every single day. And it’s not a given, and he’s not going to give an inch. If anything, he’s going to force them to take it. So, for us, that’s the most critical piece of the development of a winner. Winners win, and in order to win you have to compete. You have to earn it. You have to expect that you have to earn it.”

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2018 ... gency-news

[UglyTruth]

Don't get me wrong, give Booker the max, but why is he getting an extension now? Isn't the team just throwing away half of the cap space next year? It's not like he will turn down the max contract next summer, and he's getting the same money anyway. As competitive as Booker appears to be, it seems like he could understand that extra $20M (I guess?) cap space helps greatly next year when everyone is a free agent.

You know Booker doesn’t live in a cave right? He just saw what happened to DeMarcus Cousins and him losing out on countless MILLIONS of dollars because of his Achilles injury.

If Booker suffers an Achilles injury next season, is someone gonna personally offer to pony up the $$ to make up for the difference in the crappy offers he will get next summer?

It would be such an idiotic risk for Booker to take especially after seeing firsthand what just happened to Boogie Cousins. And seeing how McD conducts his business, Booker is educated enough to know that he will get kicked to the curb immediately if he suffers a similar or worse injury.

You described why Booker should accept the max contract a year early. That part is obvious. But the team doesn't gain anything except a bit of goodwill, which I doubt will help a lick if we are stll bad ~2 years into the contract.

What if he demands a trade like Bledsoe did when the Suns wouldn't give him an extension last summer? Is it worth that? Is the $9M of additional cap space worth him possibly demanding a trade and Suns looking like the worst professional team in all of sports surpassing the Cleveland Browns?

[UglyTruth]

The facts are out there. I call it a start.

I didn't see anything come out about Igor receiving a substantial salary.

You missed it then. Bordow tweeted it.

ICBM but I'm pretty sure it was Gambo.