Suns 2014: NBA Draft

[Mori Chu]

I doubt the Lakers would do that, but I'd be interested for sure.

[SwingMan]

I doubt the Lakers would do that, but I'd be interested for sure.

Direct quote from the article, Mori :

The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, had begun exploring such machinations even before the opt outs of James and Anthony had become known, according to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne.

The Lakers have been trying in recent days to package the No. 7 overall pick in Thursday's draft with the expiring contract of Steve Nash (who's owed $9.7 million next season) to free up enough room to offer James and Anthony at least $16 million each next season to join forces with Kobe Bryant, Shelburne reported.

What they're doing is akin to us bribing OKC to take Kurt Thomas off of our hands in 2007 - they're desperate enough that they're not asking for a player in return. Hell, we could give them #18 and they can sell it to a team like the Knicks that wants to buy into the draft.

Opportunity's knocking - and we wouldn't even have to give up our own lottery pick to move up.

[wpmiller42]

I'd love to get Nash back here to back up Goran. It would probably help shave a few minutes off of Goran's load each night too.

[carey]

I'd love to get Nash back here to back up Goran. It would probably help shave a few minutes off of Goran's load each night too.

That's kind of what a healthy Bledsoe is supposed to do. I expect with an increase in minutes for Goodwin and whatever shooter we draft we'll see a decrease in minutes and even usage for Goran.

[TOO]

I want the pick, couldn't care less about Nash, he's shot.

[TOO]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ryen- ... on-gordon/

Finally someone thats not slobbering over a kid who has done nothing (Exum), albeit anonymously.

[ShelC]

I'd say pretty spot on. Tskitishvili was a practice player, like Lampe, and all those other 17 year old Euros back then who impressed in workouts and blew people away in drills but couldn't play the game. I think Exum will be fine with good coaching and time to develop. He won't be Lillard or Westbrook his first year.

Vonleh's a nice player but I think he's missing that fire and won't ever be a wow athlete. Skilled though, and he's got a good frame and body right now. He'll get stronger, but I wish he played with more energy.

Gordon is probably a can't miss, NBA ready guy because he's built for the league and vice versa.

[TOO]

Gordon is cant miss as a role player sure, but if someone is looking at him as a franchise PF I just cant see it.

[Ring_Wanted]

Agreed TOO. His floor is a mix of Brandan Wright in one of those productive days and Kenneth Faried, which is nice, but there's a good chance he never adds what he needs to be more than a role player, and that's not what you want with a top pick in the most hyped draft ever. Still worth the gamble anyway.

[Ring_Wanted]

It's the kind of move we should do for the future. If they are serious about building this right. However, if they are just shooting for a playoff seed & a bit of improvement over last season I doubt they are interested in doing something like this.

Taking Nash from the Lakers right now is not an option for the Suns, as it is, because we are not that deep under the cap, just around 5M.

We'd need a third team to take someone from our roster at the draft. We have some unguaranteed fillers but somebody else would have to be added, like Green, or simply the Morrii.

Wouldn't be impossible, of course, but just adds to the cost of the move which by itself also takes you out of the free agency game unless you renounce to Frye and Tucker's rights. Then again that might be considered as a plus by some.

[SwingMan]

It's the kind of move we should do for the future. If they are serious about building this right. However, if they are just shooting for a playoff seed & a bit of improvement over last season I doubt they are interested in doing something like this.

Taking Nash from the Lakers right now is not an option for the Suns, as it is, because we are not that deep under the cap, just around 5M.

We'd need a third team to take someone from our roster at the draft. We have some unguaranteed fillers but somebody else would have to be added, like Green, or simply the Morrii.

Wouldn't be impossible, of course, but just adds to the cost of the move which by itself also takes you out of the free agency game unless you renounce to Frye and Tucker's rights. Then again that might be considered as a plus by some.

The teams would be able to agree in principle, then compete the deal on July 1st - and, as far as I know, Don Nelson is nowhere near the Lakers' front office.

And, remember - the cap will be around $5 million more than last year come the 1st as well.....

[Ring_Wanted]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ryen- ... on-gordon/

Finally someone thats not slobbering over a kid who has done nothing (Exum), albeit anonymously.

Very nice read. I get why scouts are afraid of Exum. Nobody has seen him against real men, the shot etc. The thing is they say that you need to have at least one discernible skill to have a chance in the NBA, right? This guy has it. He has a brutal first step and the ballhandling to take advantage of it. I don't think you can stop him even if you give him space because he can't shoot. Finishing in the NBA and decision making might be a different story, but he can break ankles and drive by effortlessly.

The hefty expectations, borderline insanity, come when you dream about another Penny Hardaway (in the same way that dreaming about Dirk with Skita or Mirotic), but that's a projection that is extremely hard to materialize even if everything went perfect. If you just go by what he does right now, at worst you have an oversized, more talented Leandro Barbosa.

[TOO]

Or the 29 pointer...

[Ring_Wanted]

Heh, not even close, at least the 29 pointer from last season. Archie's handle was extremely nervous and his bounce was really high. This is completely different, but some concerns are similar, indeed, like strenght and finishing at the rim, not to mention the shot although Exum's looks better. He needs more lift and the arc that comes with it, but the form is better and doesn't do that little shake that Hornacek is trying to erase from Archie's.

[Superbone]

Or the 29 pointer...

Hey! That's off limits until INF gets back. (Cue 'Bazz)

[Shabazz]

A buddy of mine once contracted INF during a wild night in Bangkok. It wasn't pretty.

[Ring_Wanted]

It's the kind of move we should do for the future. If they are serious about building this right. However, if they are just shooting for a playoff seed & a bit of improvement over last season I doubt they are interested in doing something like this.

Taking Nash from the Lakers right now is not an option for the Suns, as it is, because we are not that deep under the cap, just around 5M.

We'd need a third team to take someone from our roster at the draft. We have some unguaranteed fillers but somebody else would have to be added, like Green, or simply the Morrii.

Wouldn't be impossible, of course, but just adds to the cost of the move which by itself also takes you out of the free agency game unless you renounce to Frye and Tucker's rights. Then again that might be considered as a plus by some.

The teams would be able to agree in principle, then compete the deal on July 1st - and, as far as I know, Don Nelson is nowhere near the Lakers' front office.

And, remember - the cap will be around $5 million more than last year come the 1st as well.....

If they wanted to get it done at the draft they could always offer the Lakers turning their dead weight into something useful. Nash+7 for the Morrii-#18-unguaranteed filler works and probably is better for the Lakers as it gives them two cheap rotation players, one rookie and some more cap space to boot. I would just use the pick if I were them anyway, but asking can't hurt.

[SwingMan]

It's the kind of move we should do for the future. If they are serious about building this right. However, if they are just shooting for a playoff seed & a bit of improvement over last season I doubt they are interested in doing something like this.

Taking Nash from the Lakers right now is not an option for the Suns, as it is, because we are not that deep under the cap, just around 5M.

We'd need a third team to take someone from our roster at the draft. We have some unguaranteed fillers but somebody else would have to be added, like Green, or simply the Morrii.

Wouldn't be impossible, of course, but just adds to the cost of the move which by itself also takes you out of the free agency game unless you renounce to Frye and Tucker's rights. Then again that might be considered as a plus by some.

The teams would be able to agree in principle, then compete the deal on July 1st - and, as far as I know, Don Nelson is nowhere near the Lakers' front office.

And, remember - the cap will be around $5 million more than last year come the 1st as well.....

If they wanted to get it done at the draft they could always offer the Lakers turning their dead weight into something useful. Nash+7 for the Morrii-#18-unguaranteed filler works and probably is better for the Lakers as it gives them two cheap rotation players, one rookie and some more cap space to boot. I would just use the pick if I were them anyway, but asking can't hurt.

So, you'd rather give up players when we don't have to, correct?

Or, are you equally as desperate to get rid of the Morris twins?

[Ring_Wanted]

Don't be absurd. If you stretch things to the max, indeed we don't 'need' to give up players. But if you want to complete the deal at the draft, it is what it is.

And I am by no means desperate to move the twins. I'm not as high on them as you, but that doesn't mean I don't value them or that I don't realize that they were big contributors last season.

[Shabazz]

The fact that Marcus is handcuffed to him makes me like Markieff a lot less.