Suns News: Week 13 (1/14/24 - 1/21/24)

[Superbone]

Ugh.

[Split T]

Windy checks in on the state of the Suns.

'It's going to take time': The Suns aren't worried at the halfway point

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/393 ... fway-point

This is surprising:

Meanwhile, the Suns' lineup of Durant, Booker, Allen, Gordon and Nurkic has the best defensive rating of any group in the NBA this season that has played more than 100 minutes together, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Repeatedly, there has been evidence that the pieces are there for a special team. Figuring out how to put them together is the mission.

Ya it is surprising…we are also the only team to have two 5 man lineups in the top 10 of net rating(for lineups that have played 100 min). Those lineups are our two most used lineups, the aforementioned one with Durant, Booker, Gordon, Allen, Nurkic, and then our current starting unit with Beal replacing Gordon. We’ve got 6 guys. It’s when we have to use the others that we run into problems.

[Split T]

I think it’s weird. He’s good

He’s just still upset that he lost the bet and had to eat his hat.

I forget. What was the lost bet?

I feel like maybe he said Gordon wouldn’t sign for the minimum? But I’m not positive

[JeremyG]

Yep:

I'll eat my hat if Eric Gordon signs with the Suns for the vet minimum.

I’ll go a month without discussing Ayton if Eric Gordon signs elsewhere.

[Split T]

[Mori Chu]

Why do we have to throw away the few draft picks we have left?

[ShelC]

Royce O'Neal isn't worth, essentially, 5 players. He's also a FA at the end of the year so it'd be a rental. I like Little because he's still young with some upside and is locked in on a good deal. But at the same time, if he can't get on the floor for one reason or another, then what's the point in keeping him.

[Split T]

I like that Royce is a proven nba player…he’s just small. He essentially replaces Okogie in the rotation. We still need a bigger wing.. I’d rank our needs as follows:

1. Big wing. Basically what we were expecting from KBD. Play good defense on the perimeter and play the 4 in a pinch when we go small with KD at the 5. And not be a zero offensively.

2. Backup big. Basically what Eubanks was supposed to be for us. Nurk is gonna struggle in some matchups and having an alternative option would be nice.

3. Shooter. Ultimately if we can’t find one of the other two needs above I’d take just anyone that can hit an open shot. This will probably be Damian Lee though, so not sure we need to trade for it.

4. Backup pg. I don’t think this is a big need as I don’t see them playing during the playoffs if we are healthy, but I wouldn’t mind having a better option than Goodwin or Saban Lee

[bajanguy008]

[Superbone]

[AmareIsGod]

Please don't trade Grayson. I hope we can re sign him too.

[AmareIsGod]

On a side note, I was talking to a co-worker today and brought up how big of a fan of Allen I am. How he's really surprised me. He asked "did you also vote for Trump?". I'm not sure what that means. Was Allen a big Trump advocate?

[Split T]

I know people joke he looks like Ted Cruz

[Superbone]

[AmareIsGod]

I'm starting to think Vogel may have his AD in KD. The way we used him in the 4th and the way he contained their star big. KD being a more dangerous offensive threat than KD. Maybe that's the secret to getting our defense to work with Vogel and his schemes, historically speaking.

[Shabazz]

I'm starting to think Vogel may have his AD in KD. The way we used him in the 4th and the way he contained their star big. KD being a more dangerous offensive threat than KD. Maybe that's the secret to getting our defense to work with Vogel and his schemes, historically speaking.

I don't think he has the heft or stamina to do it for more than a few minutes a game on only in certain matchups.

[Cap]

Spoiler: show/hide

Flex says Nick Richards is some one the suns want to trade for

Nick Richards would be great. He's rotation worthy and only making $5M for this season and the next two. The question is, why does Charlotte do it for Nas Little and 2nd rounders?

I really think the 3&D wing is going to be PJ Tucker.

Not sure he can 3 or D anymore though. Yuck

He’s 5-16 so far this year, but he shot .415 and .393 the last two seasons. Seems he can still shoot the trey.

16 attempts on the year? I'm not sure how that low of volume at a ho-hum clip is added value to our roster.

It’s only a low volume and ho-hum clip if you extrapolate from a very small sample. He shot the three very well the last two seasons.

If you want to play that extrapolation-from-small-sample game, I’ll point out that he has had a positive +/- in his last five games. He’s invincible!

[Mori Chu]

The Suns better not be considering trading Grayson Allen. He's playing so well, it would be colossally stupid to let him leave. The only reason you even consider it is if you think you can't get him to re-sign next year. And even then, you better be working on it, talking to him, convincing him to stay.

[In2ition]

The other reason would that the contract would cost the Suns a lot more money than the contract itself, but Ishbia has not given us any indications that he is worried about that. That could change if this team doesn't do something big this year.

[specialsauce]

The Suns better not be considering trading Grayson Allen. He's playing so well, it would be colossally stupid to let him leave. The only reason you even consider it is if you think you can't get him to re-sign next year. And even then, you better be working on it, talking to him, convincing him to stay.

I’m only trading Allen if it gives us an equally impactful larger player at the 3/4 position. Who is that player? I don’t know.

I’d prefer to package Little, KBD, Watanabe and Ewbanks for Tyus Jones.