Suns News: Week 5 1/18-1/24

[Split T]

Makes the Jalen Smith pick make more sense. If he can develop into an Ayton replacement, we can be more flexible with what we get in return.

[ShelC]

I think that was the thinking all along.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Get off my lawn, Dave.

Also, was "this past summer" pre-bubble or, like, Halloween?

[Superbone]

Yea came to post this...if true, not surprising at all TBH. We've seen the kind of players Jones targets and DA just doesn't seem to be it. Not a bad guy or a bad player, but doesn't fit the mold. And he didnt exactly endear himself to anyone missing the covid test in the bubble and then playing like garbage the rest of the games. I do wonder who we targeted. Now an issue could be, does his value drop a bit if it looks like he plateaus or even regresses playing with CP (and a better team overall). He should be the one benefitting the most but, at best, looks like the same player he's been.

And that's without you even mentioning the 25 game suspension.

[Superbone]

Jones seems to favor basketball junkies, Ayton definitely is not that.

Which leads me to McD wanting Ayton, not Sarver. Jones was already in his ear by that point.

[ShelC]

I still don't get why McD would hire Igor and then pass on Doncic, which is why I thought he hired Igor and then was overruled by Sarver on Ayton who wanted the local college talent.

[Indy]

I still don't get why McD would hire Igor and then pass on Doncic, which is why I thought he hired Igor and then was overruled by Sarver on Ayton who wanted the local college talent.

If Sarver really was a Suns fan (especially a casual fan) prior to buying the team, he probably has the "we have never had a great center" and "we have never had the #1 pick!" floating around in his head. Then you finally get the #1 pick, and your alma matter has a ~nearly~ consensus top pick as a center. Are you really going to be the owner that puts all that aside and takes the Euro kid that looks out of shape?

[Mori Chu]

I mean, would we really be worse off if we had kept Rubio, traded Oubre for a future pick, and started Cam? Could still sign a bench forward for shooting and depth. Rubio/Payne is a pretty decent PG rotation that doesn't break the offensive flow.

I don’t like how CP3 has looked in our offense at all, but I don’t miss Ricky either. I wanted FVV or a cheaper temporary option that could reliably hit an open shot.

We’re not going anywhere with Ricky as our PG in crunch time. Just could not rely on his J, way too streaky.

Without googling it, what do you think Rubio's 3pt% was for us last year? And what do you think the league average was?

[specialsauce]

I mean, would we really be worse off if we had kept Rubio, traded Oubre for a future pick, and started Cam? Could still sign a bench forward for shooting and depth. Rubio/Payne is a pretty decent PG rotation that doesn't break the offensive flow.

I don’t like how CP3 has looked in our offense at all, but I don’t miss Ricky either. I wanted FVV or a cheaper temporary option that could reliably hit an open shot.

We’re not going anywhere with Ricky as our PG in crunch time. Just could not rely on his J, way too streaky.

Without googling it, what do you think Rubio's 3pt% was for us last year? And what do you think the league average was?

I know what it was and I know it was his career high. He was extremely streaky. Do you deny that teams regularly left him open to double Booker in the fourth quarter?

They did the same to the Jazz and Mitchell.


I like Ricky, but I think he’s too unreliable shooting and has got too many miles on him and has no plans to give up the international game.

[Indy]

It was a career year for Ricky, but if Paul can play similar to last year for us, he is much better than Ricky. Not 22M better, though.

[Shabazz]

It's a little disingenuous to complain about the trade because of Paul's struggles without also pointing out that Rubio and Oubre have both flat out sucked this year, for the most part.

[Flagrant Fowl]

It's a little disingenuous to complain about the trade because of Paul's struggles without also pointing out that Rubio and Oubre have both flat out sucked this year, for the most part.

That's absolutely fair. I was thinking about Kyle Lowry yesterday and how the Suns would look if they'd traded for him instead of Paul.

[Pips]

Is he happy with his or our performance?

Guess not but he can blame only himself.

[Split T]

Hopefully we see him for our game Friday

[INFORMER]

Booker would not be happy like he is now.

Is he happy with his or our performance?

Exactly. But Pips is right. Getting Coach Paul made Book happy...for now.

Active players make the worst GMs.

[Charlie Smithy!]

Booker would not be happy like he is now.

Is he happy with his or our performance?

Exactly. But Pips is right. Getting Coach Paul made Book happy...for now.

Active players make the worst GMs.

I feel like I've seen this happen with at least two of my teams, including the Suns. Where one player is basically in terms of status elevated above the rest of the team. I don't know, maybe there are players that are good enough that that's worth doing, but in my experience as a fan, it seems to lead to less than stellar front office decisions

[INFORMER]

Yep.

[Flagrant Fowl]

LeBron is literally the only guy to do it successfully and that still required Draymond Green punching him in the nuts and the Pelicans completely screwing up with Anthony Davis.

[Shabazz]

Fellas, we traded for a player who was 2nd team All NBA last year and one of the best point guards of all time. We didn't get pressured by Booker into signing Antonio Davis or Tristan Thompson to absurd deals.

It was a good trade.

[SunsRIt]

Yea came to post this...if true, not surprising at all TBH. We've seen the kind of players Jones targets and DA just doesn't seem to be it. Not a bad guy or a bad player, but doesn't fit the mold. And he didnt exactly endear himself to anyone missing the covid test in the bubble and then playing like garbage the rest of the games. I do wonder who we targeted. Now an issue could be, does his value drop a bit if it looks like he plateaus or even regresses playing with CP (and a better team overall). He should be the one benefitting the most but, at best, looks like the same player he's been.

Not that surprising, but the real question is: Did it not go anywhere because Sarver didn't like the package, or because Jones didn't? Or both?

Gambo said he spoke to the Suns and they told him they were not shopping Ayton. Then he said he spoke to the front offices of 5 other teams and they confirmed that. He said that other teams may have inquired about Ayton, but the Suns did not try to initiate and conversations.