Suns 2022 Off-Season Thread

[TOO]

Back to Okogie:

He essentially hasn't improved on anything since coming into the league. But he still has great athleticism, great measurables, good motor, and is only 23. Maybe this is where Mutombo's value comes to the fore, and he can tap into some of Okogie's unrealized potential.

From the videos I've seen of coach, he definitely will push him.

[INFORMER]

Would be nice to have Jalen Smith at $4.6M right now instead of Torrey.

You're killing me, 'bazz. I try to not think about how monumentally incompetent Jones was with how he handled Jalen Smith.

"Jalen wasn't better than [Suns backup center] JaVale [McGee] on a competitive team trying to win a championship," Jones says.

JaVale? You mean the center you just let walk just a few months later? It's scary to have such a shortsighted GM.

And again, think about how the Suns want to play. Being able to have a center with 3-point range who can get a double-double on any given night, is young, and can finish above the rim? Those don't grow on trees. Was adding Torrey Craig really that important? Really?!

Ugh, so frustrating.

Wish he was running the Warriors. He would have traded Jordan Poole after his rookie year for E'Twaun Moore.

[JeremyG]

We still have an Ayton trade to make if KD doesn’t pan out.

Says who?

Everyone. There is no way he plays out a contract with the Phoenix Suns.

Unless they acknowledge their massive underutilization of him and change their ways.

[JeremyG]

Would be nice to have Jalen Smith at $4.6M right now instead of Torrey.

You're killing me, 'bazz. I try to not think about how monumentally incompetent Jones was with how he handled Jalen Smith.

"Jalen wasn't better than [Suns backup center] JaVale [McGee] on a competitive team trying to win a championship," Jones says.

JaVale? You mean the center you just let walk just a few months later? It's scary to have such a shortsighted GM.

And again, think about how the Suns want to play. Being able to have a center with 3-point range who can get a double-double on any given night, is young, and can finish above the rim? Those don't grow on trees. Was adding Torrey Craig really that important? Really?!

Ugh, so frustrating.

Wish he was running the Warriors. He would have traded Jordan Poole after his rookie year for E'Twaun Moore.

And all that is after passing on Haliburton to pick him.

[Mori Chu]

That's how it is when you go top heavy on stars tho. The depth takes a hit - like Philly, BK, Lakers, LBJ/DWade Heat teams. You end up with 9th/10th guys starting or in the 6th/7th man roles.

That's why I prefer to not build that way.

When the Heat did it, it made sense because the guys were so young. But going that route with guys at or near the end of their careers seems like you are just setting yourself up for failure.

The Booker / CP3 / KD core is kind of giving me late-90s Rockets vibes with Drexler-Pippen-Hakeem. Bunch of awesome players but maybe a couple of years too late to team them up.

[TOO]

That's how it is when you go top heavy on stars tho. The depth takes a hit - like Philly, BK, Lakers, LBJ/DWade Heat teams. You end up with 9th/10th guys starting or in the 6th/7th man roles.

That's why I prefer to not build that way.

When the Heat did it, it made sense because the guys were so young. But going that route with guys at or near the end of their careers seems like you are just setting yourself up for failure.

The Booker / CP3 / KD core is kind of giving me late-90s Rockets vibes with Drexler-Pippen-Hakeem. Bunch of awesome players but maybe a couple of years too late to team them up.

KD and Book are fine, the only worry is Paul, but being the 3rd option should alleviate some of the offensive pressure he has.

[Shabazz]

We still have an Ayton trade to make if KD doesn’t pan out.

Says who?

Everyone. There is no way he plays out a contract with the Phoenix Suns.

Unless they acknowledge their massive underutilization of him and change their ways.

In honor of INF….

[JeremyG]

That's how it is when you go top heavy on stars tho. The depth takes a hit - like Philly, BK, Lakers, LBJ/DWade Heat teams. You end up with 9th/10th guys starting or in the 6th/7th man roles.

That's why I prefer to not build that way.

When the Heat did it, it made sense because the guys were so young. But going that route with guys at or near the end of their careers seems like you are just setting yourself up for failure.

The Booker / CP3 / KD core is kind of giving me late-90s Rockets vibes with Drexler-Pippen-Hakeem. Bunch of awesome players but maybe a couple of years too late to team them up.

Drexler never played with Pippen.

[Indy]

That's how it is when you go top heavy on stars tho. The depth takes a hit - like Philly, BK, Lakers, LBJ/DWade Heat teams. You end up with 9th/10th guys starting or in the 6th/7th man roles.

That's why I prefer to not build that way.

When the Heat did it, it made sense because the guys were so young. But going that route with guys at or near the end of their careers seems like you are just setting yourself up for failure.

The Booker / CP3 / KD core is kind of giving me late-90s Rockets vibes with Drexler-Pippen-Hakeem. Bunch of awesome players but maybe a couple of years too late to team them up.

Drexler never played with Pippen.

Yeah I think he mixed up Clyde and Barkley

[Cap]

That's how it is when you go top heavy on stars tho. The depth takes a hit - like Philly, BK, Lakers, LBJ/DWade Heat teams. You end up with 9th/10th guys starting or in the 6th/7th man roles.

That's why I prefer to not build that way.

When the Heat did it, it made sense because the guys were so young. But going that route with guys at or near the end of their careers seems like you are just setting yourself up for failure.

The Booker / CP3 / KD core is kind of giving me late-90s Rockets vibes with Drexler-Pippen-Hakeem. Bunch of awesome players but maybe a couple of years too late to team them up.

Drexler never played with Pippen.

Yes he did — Barcelona 1992.

[Mori Chu]

Yeah my bad, I meant Barkley Pippen Hakeem.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I went on my own Jock deep dive recently and now my expectations are sky high. He's a really good fit in Monty's system.

(I had similarly high expectations for Dario when he arrived... )

[Shabazz]

I went on my own Jock deep dive recently

[Flagrant Fowl]

I know my audience.

[Mori Chu]

I've had a real itch to hear new content about Jock. Yes, my Jock itch has been out of control lately.

[ShadowHawke]

Iffe your having a real Jock itch problem, you need to wage a serious CamPayne to get it under Dominayton.

[Shabazz]

Seems like our 30th pick in last year’s draft is leaving after a handful of meaningless regular season games.

[Flagrant Fowl]

30th pick? He came over mid-season on a 2-way deal.

[Shabazz]

30th pick? He came over mid-season on a 2-way deal.

yup….

Officially, the Suns traded away their 2021 first-round pick (No. 29) last July when they packaged it with Jevon Carter for Landry Shamet. In their judgment, they essentially acquired a 24-year-old sharpshooter in Shamet and his Bird rights. Internally, they regard 27-year-old Danish guard Gabriel "Iffe" Lundberg, whom they signed in March, as this year's draft pick, tantamount to what they could have obtained with the 30th selection, which went to Oklahoma City in the Chris Paul trade.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/ ... gnoring-it

[Flagrant Fowl]

OK, I see what you mean. Maybe they said that or maybe it's spin. We don't have any direct quote about it that I know of. Kinda doesn't matter either.

The reality is a 2-way and 1st round pick are considerably different.