Suns News: 2019 Off-Season

[JeremyG]

Russell already took a bunch of nobodies to 42 wins and the playoffs. Imagine what he could do with Ayton and Booker.

That is a false narrative. Kenny Atkinson is doing a tremendous coaching job and has built a great culture there, and the Nets have gotten good play from like 10 guys. LaVert, Dinwiddie, Harris, Allen, etc. They all played well.

They played well, but Russell was their only star. The rest were role players. In fact, their second-leading scorer was their backup point guard. Russell would have much more talent around him here than he did there.

[Mori Chu]

Dudley had an interesting thing to say about why we shouldn’t go after DLo. We shouldn’t blow all our remaining cap room on one guy. He thought we should go after Pat Beverley.

I'm kind of shocked that he would weigh in on Twitter about the possible free agent destinations of his own teammate.

[ShelC]

By "star" I meant a #3 of a Big 3. You still may not agree but all it takes is one team to throw that offer sheet at him with those kinds of numbers.

Also, it's easy to say we should go after this veteran or that veteran, but let's keep Trevor Ariza in mind. Turns out, a lot of vets don't want to spend their prime or the last few years of their prime trying to help turn around one of the worst teams in the league. If Beverly wants to come here on a good deal, cool. I just think he might have better options.

[Hermen]

Russell already took a bunch of nobodies to 42 wins and the playoffs. Imagine what he could do with Ayton and Booker.

That is a false narrative. Kenny Atkinson is doing a tremendous coaching job and has built a great culture there, and the Nets have gotten good play from like 10 guys. LaVert, Dinwiddie, Harris, Allen, etc. They all played well.

They played well, but Russell was their only star. The rest were role players. In fact, their second-leading scorer was their backup point guard. Russell would have much more talent around him here than he did there.

This does not sound right. LeVert was clearly the leader of the team until he got hurt, and after that it was often Dinwiddie, especially at the end of games. It is true that Russell was their only all-star this year, but to say he was leading a bunch of nobodies is ridiculous.

[Indy]

"Ok Devin, take your pick - Kelly or D'Angelo".

Could you imagine Devin's reaction if we don't even make a play for Russell and then decide not to match Kelly.

We have to stop treating Devin with kid gloves and giving him agency in personnel decisions. He is simply not the level of player you give that power to.

This! You almost never do that for a player, and certainly not a player that hasn't got you to the cusp of a championship.

[Split T]

Dudley had an interesting thing to say about why we shouldn’t go after DLo. We shouldn’t blow all our remaining cap room on one guy. He thought we should go after Pat Beverley.

I'm kind of shocked that he would weigh in on Twitter about the possible free agent destinations of his own teammate.

Dudley is a FA as well

[specialsauce]

Dudley had an interesting thing to say about why we shouldn’t go after DLo. We shouldn’t blow all our remaining cap room on one guy. He thought we should go after Pat Beverley.

I'm kind of shocked that he would weigh in on Twitter about the possible free agent destinations of his own teammate.

Awful take.

We need to use our cap space on a star, not blow it on overpaid role players. Look at the Warriors model. Their stars make all the money and then they rotate through their role players on the cheap each year.now, you can argue Russell isn’t the right star. But I’d rather keep the money than blow half on Joseph and half on Hollis Jefferson and lose flexibility

[Superbone]

Dudley had an interesting thing to say about why we shouldn’t go after DLo. We shouldn’t blow all our remaining cap room on one guy. He thought we should go after Pat Beverley.

I'm kind of shocked that he would weigh in on Twitter about the possible free agent destinations of his own teammate.

It wasn't on Twitter. It was on Bickley and Mirotta on AZSports radio.

[In2ition]

This is interesting and I wonder what a trade would look like?

[Ring_Wanted]

Jones better not let Marks fleece him.

[ShelC]

Bridges gawn.

[Split T]

They don’t really have any leverage. We can always just waive and stretch Johnson and sign him outright. Giving up bridges would be very stupid. The only s&t that really works would be Tyler Johnson, and Brooklyn wouldn’t do that.

[In2ition]

No on trading Bridges

[JeremyG]

How can the Nets even do a sign-and-trade if they have to renounce Russell’s rights to free up cap space? Maybe if they only sign Kyrie?

[Split T]

How can the Nets even do a sign-and-trade if they have to renounce Russell’s rights to free up cap space? Maybe if they only sign Kyrie?

Well they’d be taking back significantly less salary in the deal, so that would work similarly to renouncing his rights. Also, they only have to renounce his rights to create two max slots. They can hold his rights and still sign a max guy right now.

[BlaCkAdDa]

Don't trades have to be within a certain range on salary... Would the salary they take back be less than his cap hold? I spose I doesn't matter maybe just getting a 1st rounder off us and someone servicable is better than nothing if they keep their cap space.

[Split T]

Don't trades have to be within a certain range on salary... Would the salary they take back be less than his cap hold? I spose I doesn't matter maybe just getting a 1st rounder off us and someone servicable is better than nothing if they keep their cap space.

Not if we’re taking Russell into cap space. You just can’t take on more salary if you’re over the cap

[carey]

Don't trades have to be within a certain range on salary... Would the salary they take back be less than his cap hold? I spose I doesn't matter maybe just getting a 1st rounder off us and someone servicable is better than nothing if they keep their cap space.

Not if we’re taking Russell into cap space. You just can’t take on more salary if you’re over the cap

We can take back Russel into cap space after stretching Tyler and only give back a pick. I'm not too worried unless we give them an unprotected first or something. If they give them Bridges after signing Oubre to a larger deal than I'm prepared for then it will amount to the worst off-season of the Sarver era imho.

[specialsauce]

I'm not interested in throwing Bridges into a trade for Russell.

They can have a protected first next year + Jackson + Melton.

[INFORMER]

They traded a high-level scorer, T.J. Warren, the No. 6 overall pick, the 32nd overall pick and a future Milwaukee Bucks first-rounder for one year of starting power forward Dario Saric (plus his restricted free agency rights), one year of backup center Aron Baynes and two rookies with high floors and low ceilings.

https://arizonasports.com/story/1990704 ... ee-agency/

This is rough, man, when you look at all those moves together. Those are a lot of assets out, and the return is minimal. I just don't understand how a 19-win team can make moves like that.

I know some are clamoring for a star, but honestly, I just think you have to fill the roster with good players and players that fit. The article goes on to count how many good players the Suns have. I tend to disagree with their assessment:

As it stands, there are only six certifiably good NBA players [bolded below] on the depth chart and 11 players that are currently under contract for next year.

PG: Tyler Johnson, De’Anthony Melton, Elie Okobo, Jalen Lecque

SG: Devin Booker, Ty Jerome

SF: Mikal Bridges, Josh Jackson, Cam Johnson

PF: Dario Saric

C: Deandre Ayton, Aron Baynes

Ayton isn't impacting the game. He has star level talent, but what he does on the court isn't deciding games. Of course, the hope is that changes in his second season. Saric has been a good player, but that was in Philly. So there is reason to think he can be, but he certainly isn't a lock. Baynes can offer some value, but I can't count him. Bridges has the tools, but he was underwhelming as a rookie, especially given his age and collegiate experience. And it's incredible how overrated Tyler Johnson is by Suns fans in general.