Suns News: Week 25 (4/4 - 4/10)

[Nodack]

Booker might have been able to climb higher on the MVP chart if he hadn’t been talked into team ball. Now instead of getting the MVP trophy he has to live with just being the best player on the #1 team.

[Mori Chu]

Booker might have been able to climb higher on the MVP chart if he hadn’t been talked into team ball. Now instead of getting the MVP trophy he has to live with just being the best player on the #1 team.

And an All-Star, and 1st Team All-NBA (hopefully), and maybe an NBA Champion.

[In2ition]

In terms of basketball skill, Chris Paul slander is the quickest way for me to identify when someone doesn't know basketball.

Yes, that or someone tweeting out, "Austin Reaves > Devin Booker the fraud".

[Superbone]

I will say Reaves seems to be the most effective player on the Lakers. Glad they didn't utilize him more this season.

[Indy]

I will say Reaves seems to be the most effective player on the Lakers. Glad they didn't utilize him more this season.

He seems like a good player to learn under the schooling of Caruso. Like a backcourt of Caruso and Reaves could be pretty good over the next few years. I love that the screwed that up.

And with Russ opting into his 47M next year, and Bron's 44M and AD's 38M, just those 3 guys will put them at 7M OVER the cap, and only 20M from the tax. Just 3 players, 1 of which is real-life Mr. Glass, another has to be ball-dominant to be impactful, and the other will be 38 and also needs the ball to be his best.

Oh, and they have THT at 10M and that is it for guys under contract, and no first round pick. So they have to field a team with another 10-12 players with only 10M to spend before being in the tax.

Again, I love it.

They have to trade AD, but who the hell would want to give up assets for him?

[Split T]

I’m wondering if they can trade Westbrook to a team that wants to tank and cut long term salary…the team that jumps to mind is Utah…let’s say they lose in round 1 and decide to blow it up and trade Rudy/Mitchell…at that point it probably doesn’t make sense to keep their other vets…in a scenario where they’ve moved Rudy and Mitchell for youth/picks who says no:

Utah receives: Westbrook, THT, 2 future 1sts
Lakers receive: Conley, O’Neale, Bogdonavic, Clarkson.

Doesn’t really help LA’s defensive issues on the perimeter, but gives them real shooters and offensive players around LeBron/AD.

Think it’s less likely Utah gets to a point where they want to do this, but it’d clear tons of space for them in 2023 and beyond.

[Indy]

Even if they wanted to blow it up, I don't see them doing that. Conley doesn't have his final year fully guaranteed, Clarkson is underpaid, and Bogdonavic expires the same time as Russ. And honestly, all 3 of those guys are better players than current Westbrook and any version of THT.

[Shabazz]

I will say Reaves seems to be the most effective player on the Lakers. Glad they didn't utilize him more this season.

He seems like a good player to learn under the schooling of Caruso. Like a backcourt of Caruso and Reaves could be pretty good over the next few years. I love that the screwed that up.

And with Russ opting into his 47M next year, and Bron's 44M and AD's 38M, just those 3 guys will put them at 7M OVER the cap, and only 20M from the tax. Just 3 players, 1 of which is real-life Mr. Glass, another has to be ball-dominant to be impactful, and the other will be 38 and also needs the ball to be his best.

Oh, and they have THT at 10M and that is it for guys under contract, and no first round pick. So they have to field a team with another 10-12 players with only 10M to spend before being in the tax.

Again, I love it.

They have to trade AD, but who the hell would want to give up assets for him?

There’s a trade for them to make with the Knicks. Either AD (Randle, IQ, +) or Westbrook (Kemba, Noel, Burks).

[Mori Chu]

I just love that the Lakers future options seem to be:

1. Field a team with 9-10 guys all on minimum contracts to fill out their top-bloated roster, or
2. Trade a decade's worth of future 1sts to acquire some garbage like Mike Conley or Rudy Gobert or whatever Utah wants to jettison.

[Indy]

I will say Reaves seems to be the most effective player on the Lakers. Glad they didn't utilize him more this season.

He seems like a good player to learn under the schooling of Caruso. Like a backcourt of Caruso and Reaves could be pretty good over the next few years. I love that the screwed that up.

And with Russ opting into his 47M next year, and Bron's 44M and AD's 38M, just those 3 guys will put them at 7M OVER the cap, and only 20M from the tax. Just 3 players, 1 of which is real-life Mr. Glass, another has to be ball-dominant to be impactful, and the other will be 38 and also needs the ball to be his best.

Oh, and they have THT at 10M and that is it for guys under contract, and no first round pick. So they have to field a team with another 10-12 players with only 10M to spend before being in the tax.

Again, I love it.

They have to trade AD, but who the hell would want to give up assets for him?

There’s a trade for them to make with the Knicks. Either AD (Randle, IQ, +) or Westbrook (Kemba, Noel, Burks).

Man, AD couldn't handle the pressure in Louisiana. Can you imagine him in NYC?

[Mori Chu]

How about they trade AD + Westbrook to Utah for Gobert, Mitchell, and bantha fodder?

[The Bobster]

How about they trade AD + Westbrook to Utah for Gobert, Mitchell, and bantha fodder?

If the Lakers proposed that trade the Jazz would ask them to kindly lose their phone number.

Westbrook has negative trade value. No way would they get Mitchell in that deal.

[Indy]

How about they trade AD + Westbrook to Utah for Gobert, Mitchell, and bantha fodder?

If the Lakers proposed that trade the Jazz would ask them to kindly lose their phone number.

Westbrook has negative trade value. No way would they get Mitchell in that deal.

I can't decide if I want Utah to lose early so they have to blow up their team, or keep the ownership/team believing they are contenders and keep them together. Not sure which is better for us.

[ShelC]

Very pleased with this

[Mori Chu]

Very pleased with this

That's the right thing to do. Meaningless game, SEGABABA, rest our guys, don't give the Clips a chance to try things out against our full-strength lineup that they could use in a 1st-round series. Should have done the same vs the Grizz, but oh well.

[Split T]

This makes me happy because I think they’ll play against Utah on Friday when I’m there

[Superbone]

This makes me happy because I think they’ll play against Utah on Friday when I’m there

Fingers crossed for you, man.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I’m wondering if they can trade Westbrook to a team that wants to tank and cut long term salary…the team that jumps to mind is Utah…let’s say they lose in round 1 and decide to blow it up and trade Rudy/Mitchell…at that point it probably doesn’t make sense to keep their other vets…in a scenario where they’ve moved Rudy and Mitchell for youth/picks who says no:

Utah receives: Westbrook, THT, 2 future 1sts
Lakers receive: Conley, O’Neale, Bogdonavic, Clarkson.

Doesn’t really help LA’s defensive issues on the perimeter, but gives them real shooters and offensive players around LeBron/AD.

Think it’s less likely Utah gets to a point where they want to do this, but it’d clear tons of space for them in 2023 and beyond.

Didn't Westbrook get into it with a fan in Utah some years back? IIRC, there were some racist undertones from the fan, maybe calling him "boy" or something like that.

Westbrook would already be a tough sell to fans of a lot of mediocre/bad teams and I know the Jazz ownership has changed recently, but it's hard to envision Jazz fans being on board with a Westbrook tank season. Not to mention their two best players who aren't exactly best friends would probably feel some type of way about adding Westbrook.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I think they'll play the fully healthy guys against Utah and sit most of them against the Kings. The first round games start on April 16th, and I imagine they feel like 10+ days off without game reps would be too much rest.

[Split T]

I’m wondering if they can trade Westbrook to a team that wants to tank and cut long term salary…the team that jumps to mind is Utah…let’s say they lose in round 1 and decide to blow it up and trade Rudy/Mitchell…at that point it probably doesn’t make sense to keep their other vets…in a scenario where they’ve moved Rudy and Mitchell for youth/picks who says no:

Utah receives: Westbrook, THT, 2 future 1sts
Lakers receive: Conley, O’Neale, Bogdonavic, Clarkson.

Doesn’t really help LA’s defensive issues on the perimeter, but gives them real shooters and offensive players around LeBron/AD.

Think it’s less likely Utah gets to a point where they want to do this, but it’d clear tons of space for them in 2023 and beyond.

Didn't Westbrook get into it with a fan in Utah some years back? IIRC, there were some racist undertones from the fan, maybe calling him "boy" or something like that.

Westbrook would already be a tough sell to fans of a lot of mediocre/bad teams and I know the Jazz ownership has changed recently, but it's hard to envision Jazz fans being on board with a Westbrook tank season. Not to mention their two best players who aren't exactly best friends would probably feel some type of way about adding Westbrook.

Yes I was at that game actually, well one of them, he’s had a few run ins with Jazz fans…but I wouldn’t actually expect Westbrook to play in Utah…if they’re tanking I’d guess they’d work out a buyout of sorts…too many things would have or line up though that I can’t really see this happening.