Suns News: Week 2 (10/27 - 11/2)

[Superbone]

He doesn't look too happy in the picture and probably isn't after last night's loss. Hopefully we'll be full strength soon and put a string of victories together.

[Superbone]

Man Man has got a nice stroke. (Quiet WW)

[ShelC]

The shooting is nice and I know that's important in the league now but I'd also like to see him become a refined low post scorer.

[Mori Chu]

That Oso shot form, though. Oof.

[iLLmatic]

Man Man has got a nice stroke. (Quiet WW)

Conversely Osos shot is ugly as hell.

[Superbone]

He's a little happier here:

[carey]

Yeah, Oso is a real head scratcher. He's obviously extremely smart. Shouldn't he be smart enough to know that shot is limiting his ability to play NBA ball?

[sunshoopjunky]

CG, Book, Brooks, ?, Williams is the kind of lineup that can get you a play-in spot. Allen, Dunn, Richards off the bench, maybe Goodwin. We just need a playable 4.

Phoenix Suns receive:
• Bobby Portis (PF/C, $12.6M salary)-gritty! brings elite offensive rebounding (0.071 OREB/min), playoff experience, and a physical presence off the bench, and fits our new identity.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
• Royce O’Neale (SF/PF, $10.1M)
• Nigel Hayes-Davis (SF/PF, $2.3M)

My sales pitch to Bucks

Royce gives you switchable defense and veteran leadership. Hayes-Davis adds size and floor spacing. You’re not just saving money — you’re rebalancing your roster for a deeper playoff run.

[Superbone]

[Bucktastic365]

I have no complaints at all about Dunn.

He's not a great shooter? Guess who else isn't great this year. Everybody. Dunn is significantly better than he was last season, and he's worlds away from college. From 3, he's shooting better than NHD and Brooks. Overall, he's shooting better than O'Neal and Gillespie. Plus, he's one of our only guys who cuts for easy baskets. The kid is doing great.

There's def room for improvement, but he is improving and that's the whole point this season.

I have very high hopes for Ryan.
He already is better than most just because of his ability on defense, and his offense overall isn't bad; cutting is key.

I wish he had that Old school floater that Marion used to use; his drives to the basket are rough from the games I've decided to watch.

[Gladiator]

CG, Book, Brooks, ?, Williams is the kind of lineup that can get you a play-in spot. Allen, Dunn, Richards off the bench, maybe Goodwin. We just need a playable 4.

Phoenix Suns receive:
• Bobby Portis (PF/C, $12.6M salary)-gritty! brings elite offensive rebounding (0.071 OREB/min), playoff experience, and a physical presence off the bench, and fits our new identity.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
• Royce O’Neale (SF/PF, $10.1M)
• Nigel Hayes-Davis (SF/PF, $2.3M)

My sales pitch to Bucks

Royce gives you switchable defense and veteran leadership. Hayes-Davis adds size and floor spacing. You’re not just saving money — you’re rebalancing your roster for a deeper playoff run.

I really think we need to prioritise draft capital in any trades involving Royce or Grayson.

[Mori Chu]

Phoenix Suns receive:
• Bobby Portis (PF/C, $12.6M salary)-gritty! brings elite offensive rebounding (0.071 OREB/min), playoff experience, and a physical presence off the bench, and fits our new identity.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
• Royce O’Neale (SF/PF, $10.1M)
• Nigel Hayes-Davis (SF/PF, $2.3M)

That is an interesting trade. I was just looking at Portis's stats. If we were getting prime-ish Portis, this would be a great deal. He is 30 this year. He's fallen off a bit so far this season, but the sample size is very small and may not be representative. Last season: 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, .520 EFG% in 25.4 minutes. Not a 3-point shooter really (.365) but we could really use what he provides. Dunno if the Bucks would be willing to part with him, because he has been a core part of their team going back to their title years. But IMO he'd be a no-brainer upgrade over Royce.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/pl ... ibo01.html

Only downside is, as others have said, we should probably be trying to get 1st round picks in any trades we make, since that is the asset we most dearly need in order to eventually rebuild. This current team + Portis is not close to being a contender, so it is arguably not very useful to make such a win-now deal.

[O_Gardino]

Another way to look at it is about player development. Does flipping Royce for Portis help develop the young players we do have? Maybe, if you have a chance to move Dunn to the 3 where he matches up better. I could buy the line that our younguns will develop better in a more traditional lineup.

[Split T]

I kinda hope this team is below .500 at the deadline and we shift focus. Trade Grayson/Royce…play Maluach/Fleming/Brea a lot of minutes and focus on the future. I’d also trade Dillon Brooks, but I doubt the front office would.

Get as much draft capital or young prospects as you can and get those young guys as much development as you can. If this is going to work with Booker, we need the young guys to be really good, pretty fast…that or acquire a 2nd star and we don’t have the assets to do that.

And if it’s not going to work, it’s going to be better to move Booker earlier than later.

[ShelC]

If we tank and trade vets, Book may be inclined to ask soon And if it gets to that point, I worry we'll be in a similar position we were in with KD. Teams will know he wants out and will only offer so much. We won't get a good young player and 4 picks. We'll get a decent young player maybe, a veteran or two for salary and maybe two 1sts.

And I just don't see a team giving up a 1st for Royce. Maybe you get a future first for Grayson but I don't think any team is giving up real value for either. And it'd have to be a team near contention that needs shooting and thinks those guys can really give them a boost.

[sunshoopjunky]

Spoiler: show/hide

CG, Book, Brooks, ?, Williams is the kind of lineup that can get you a play-in spot. Allen, Dunn, Richards off the bench, maybe Goodwin. We just need a playable 4.

Phoenix Suns receive:
• Bobby Portis (PF/C, $12.6M salary)-gritty! brings elite offensive rebounding (0.071 OREB/min), playoff experience, and a physical presence off the bench, and fits our new identity.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
• Royce O’Neale (SF/PF, $10.1M)
• Nigel Hayes-Davis (SF/PF, $2.3M)

My sales pitch to Bucks

Royce gives you switchable defense and veteran leadership. Hayes-Davis adds size and floor spacing. You’re not just saving money — you’re rebalancing your roster for a deeper playoff run.[/spoiler]

I really think we need to prioritize draft capital in any trades involving Royce or Grayson.

I see your point. It just becomes hard being a second apron team, by my understanding, because the team trading with us will need to match salaries and include draft capital. So finding a partner that would work is pretty hard. If we were trying to get a specific position, like, say, a PF, we would need to find someone who values either Royce or Grayson enough to trade a starting-caliber PF and also be willing to include draft capital. All while matching salaries and the Suns not giving up any further draft capital or players who could be valuable pieces in the future.

Grayson takes up $16,875,000 through 2028, and Royce takes up $10,125,000 expiring (could be valuable for a team trying to drop salary)

I would prioritize a PF that gets offensive rebounds and can also stretch the floor (shoot corner 3s well) or a breakout potential PG with good stats per min but just not getting time where he is at. Although I think Collin has the ability to be that for us already.

I think Grayson has more value at the deadline for a team looking to take the next step in the playoffs and Royce has more value with teams looking to shed a bit more salary with the expiring.

[Split T]

I don’t think you’re getting a 1st for Royce or Grayson either…but you probably could for Brooks

[ShelC]

I wouldn't want to give up Brooks at this point. I think he's too valuable to us unless we're blowing everything up.

I mentioned a Royce and Richards trade for Obi Toppin in another thread. I don't know that the Pacers are necessarily looking to move him but they're thin at C and Richards would give them a nice boost in the middle. Royce can add to their perimeter shooting and fits in well with how they play. Obi is the kind of 4 we can use with his shooting and athleticism, tho his defense leaves a lot to be desired.

[specialsauce]

Spoiler: show/hide

CG, Book, Brooks, ?, Williams is the kind of lineup that can get you a play-in spot. Allen, Dunn, Richards off the bench, maybe Goodwin. We just need a playable 4.

Phoenix Suns receive:
• Bobby Portis (PF/C, $12.6M salary)-gritty! brings elite offensive rebounding (0.071 OREB/min), playoff experience, and a physical presence off the bench, and fits our new identity.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
• Royce O’Neale (SF/PF, $10.1M)
• Nigel Hayes-Davis (SF/PF, $2.3M)

My sales pitch to Bucks

Royce gives you switchable defense and veteran leadership. Hayes-Davis adds size and floor spacing. You’re not just saving money — you’re rebalancing your roster for a deeper playoff run.[/spoiler]

I really think we need to prioritize draft capital in any trades involving Royce or Grayson.

I see your point. It just becomes hard being a second apron team, by my understanding, because the team trading with us will need to match salaries and include draft capital. So finding a partner that would work is pretty hard. If we were trying to get a specific position, like, say, a PF, we would need to find someone who values either Royce or Grayson enough to trade a starting-caliber PF and also be willing to include draft capital. All while matching salaries and the Suns not giving up any further draft capital or players who could be valuable pieces in the future.

Grayson takes up $16,875,000 through 2028, and Royce takes up $10,125,000 expiring (could be valuable for a team trying to drop salary)

I would prioritize a PF that gets offensive rebounds and can also stretch the floor (shoot corner 3s well) or a breakout potential PG with good stats per min but just not getting time where he is at. Although I think Collin has the ability to be that for us already.

I think Grayson has more value at the deadline for a team looking to take the next step in the playoffs and Royce has more value with teams looking to shed a bit more salary with the expiring.

We're not a second apron team

[specialsauce]

Trade Book for Dylan Harper and a first.

Or for VJ in Philly.

Or for Thompson, Duren and two first round picks.