Phx-Suns.Net

To be big players in FA in 2019 you need to convince Booker to not sign an extension asap and instead wait so we can take advantage of his cap hold. Don't know how realistic that is. Oh, and there is also that thing that you need to win to get top FAs to sign, which I don't know how doable is without additions to what we currently have. Skipping this incoming FA class, regardless of its relative weakness, may not be an option.

O_Gardino wrote:

Split T wrote:

jonh wrote:

Wormwood wrote:I've looked at the the FA's out there, and our cap situation. I'd really rather we sit tight this year, let Dudley and Chandler's contracts expire, and make a slash next year. The FA crop isn't that good, and we don't really have that much money to spend, and it would be better spent next year.

Unfortunately, I think that Bookers statement that he is never going to miss the playoffs again, and McD wanting to keep his job suggest the Suns will try to be active in free agency this year.

As long as we're smart and don't panic sign someone when our top target(s) don't sign, we should be ok.

We can overpay someone on a one year contract if we think that helps us win this year, then free up that cap space this summer.

Yep, I'd be ok with that.

Ring_Wanted wrote:To be big players in FA in 2019 you need to convince Booker to not sign an extension asap and instead wait so we can take advantage of his cap hold. Don't know how realistic that is. Oh, and there is also that thing that you need to win to get top FAs to sign, which I don't know how doable is without additions to what we currently have. Skipping this incoming FA class, regardless of its relative weakness, may not be an option.

Ya, I'm sure we'll try to do that. Booker may just want the security of that contract though. There was an article on some local site, I don't remember where, but it pointed out a few reasons Booker should just sign the max this summer. Booker could get hurt this year or McD could get fired and the new GM may not love Booker and not offer the max. I think there's a 97% chance Booker gets that 5 year max even if he waits, but that 3% chance is risky when we're talking about 150 million dollars.

Split T wrote:Ya, I'm sure we'll try to do that. Booker may just want the security of that contract though. There was an article on some local site, I don't remember where, but it pointed out a few reasons Booker should just sign the max this summer. Booker could get hurt this year or McD could get fired and the new GM may not love Booker and not offer the max. I think there's a 97% chance Booker gets that 5 year max even if he waits, but that 3% chance is risky when we're talking about 150 million dollars.

I guess you can try to sell him on a strategy for 2019, but I doubt he buys it. Will be very interesting to see how they manage the salary cap. No matter how much I think about it, I always come down to the conclusion that we have to stretch Knight and Chandler. Might as well dump Chriss and Daniels too. And of course, renounce to Len and Payton.

Stretching them just means they’ll be screwing our cap for longer. Better to take the cap hit now and get it over with.

Cap wrote:Stretching them just means they’ll be screwing our cap for longer. Better to take the cap hit now and get it over with.

Problem is in Knight's case it's not the cap hit just now, but until 2020. And of course, you have the on the court problem. Nah, if you want to get it over with, you have to bite the bullet, have him on the books at 6M and move on. And if that happens, you should maximize your cap by dumping Chandler, which is probably not happening so you next best option would be stretching him as well. Anyway, I doubt the Suns even entertain this route.

We've got 57 million on the books right now for 2019-2020 including the #1 and #16 picks this year but not factoring in our first rounder next year. It goes up to 67 million with Booker's cap hold and up to 84.1 million with Booker on a max.

If we use our 10-18ish million of cap space this summer, those numbers go up to 85 million and 102 million. We could then stretch knight and add 10 million in space. The cap is expected to be 108 million, so basically:

Use cap space/don't stretch Knight/Max Booker this summer - 6 million in space

Use cap space/stretch knight/Max Booker - 16 million in space

Use cap space/stretch knight/don't Max Booker - 33 million in space

Don't use cap space/don't stretch knight/Max Booker - 24 million in space

Don't use cap space/stretch knight/Max Booker - 34 million in space

Don't use cap space/stretch knight/don't Max Booker - 51 million in space

I doubt that we'd sign a player to a big contract for just one year. Players don't want contracts like that. We'll almost certainly sign some B+ free agent to a max contract this summer. We'll want to make a splash with our new lottery pick, new coach, and a new "big name" free agent. We'll presumably get somebody who plays the opposite of whomever we draft. If we draft Doncic, we'll sign a big man like Aaron Gordon. If we draft Ayton, we'll sign some guard free agent like Avery Bradley.
Bank on it.

Ring_Wanted wrote:

Cap wrote:Stretching them just means they’ll be screwing our cap for longer. Better to take the cap hit now and get it over with.

Problem is in Knight's case it's not the cap hit just now, but until 2020. And of course, you have the on the court problem. Nah, if you want to get it over with, you have to bite the bullet, have him on the books at 6M and move on. And if that happens, you should maximize your cap by dumping Chandler, which is probably not happening so you next best option would be stretching him as well. Anyway, I doubt the Suns even entertain this route.

I think you've got to play Knight for 20 or so games, just to show the NBA he's healthy and to see for yourself what he has in his tank. Unless stretching him gets you an absolute great player this summer, I think it's better to play him and see what you've got.

Split T wrote:We've got 57 million on the books right now for 2019-2020 including the #1 and #16 picks this year but not factoring in our first rounder next year. It goes up to 67 million with Booker's cap hold and up to 84.1 million with Booker on a max.

If we use our 10-18ish million of cap space this summer, those numbers go up to 85 million and 102 million. We could then stretch knight and add 10 million in space. The cap is expected to be 108 million, so basically:

Use cap space/don't stretch Knight/Max Booker this summer - 6 million in space

Use cap space/stretch knight/Max Booker - 16 million in space

Use cap space/stretch knight/don't Max Booker - 33 million in space

Don't use cap space/don't stretch knight/Max Booker - 24 million in space

Don't use cap space/stretch knight/Max Booker - 34 million in space

Don't use cap space/stretch knight/don't Max Booker - 51 million in space

Thanks for the breakdown. The 24 M number is the strategy I would try to take.

Another potential move is to trade for a guy with one year left on his contract. Maybe a guy like Dwight Howard or Wesley Mathews gives you a couple more wins this season, helping the kids grow and positioning Phoenix as a competitive team. Then you let them walk and use the space for a real star.

There are a ton of guys with contracts that expire next season between 10-25 million. Maybe some gm out there needs to move someone to make a run for Capella, and is willing to make a trade.

O_Gardino wrote:

Ring_Wanted wrote:

Cap wrote:Stretching them just means they’ll be screwing our cap for longer. Better to take the cap hit now and get it over with.

Problem is in Knight's case it's not the cap hit just now, but until 2020. And of course, you have the on the court problem. Nah, if you want to get it over with, you have to bite the bullet, have him on the books at 6M and move on. And if that happens, you should maximize your cap by dumping Chandler, which is probably not happening so you next best option would be stretching him as well. Anyway, I doubt the Suns even entertain this route.

I think you've got to play Knight for 20 or so games, just to show the NBA he's healthy and to see for yourself what he has in his tank. Unless stretching him gets you an absolute great player this summer, I think it's better to play him and see what you've got.

I agree, maybe under a new coach, maybe having sat out a year... maybe he's still got something? That's a couple big "maybes" but who knows. He seems like a good guy and he looks like he's in great shape. Just hasn't been a good basketball player for us.

Who knows? Maybe Coach K has big plans for Knight and can morph him into a serviceable player. He's done wonders with a number of PGs.

I guess this might be heresy, but I find myself wondering if Booker is worth the max.

He is.

I'm quietly holding out hope that Knight will come to camp healthy and ready to contribute. He's a streaky shooter, but could help in that area. If we don't draft a PG and don't make a splash in FA, it might be in our best interest to work him in, make him look as good as possible and try and move him. Or, potentially keep him since he's only got another year on the deal after next year. It's just another tough situation we have to deal with.

Charlie Smithy! wrote:I guess this might be heresy, but I find myself wondering if Booker is worth the max.

These are dark times, and we are all susceptible to dark thoughts. Well, not Superbone. It's been a while since we saw him play, so it's easy to forget how special he is.

O_Gardino wrote:

Charlie Smithy! wrote:I guess this might be heresy, but I find myself wondering if Booker is worth the max.

These are dark times, and we are all susceptible to dark thoughts. Well, not Superbone. It's been a while since we saw him play, so it's easy to forget how special he is.

I play three or four times a week so you're welcome to come see me play... Oh, wait. You may have been talking about Booker.

Charlie Smithy! wrote:I guess this might be heresy, but I find myself wondering if Booker is worth the max.

Is any 21yr old not named LeBron really worth the max yet?

Superbone wrote:Who knows? Maybe Coach K has big plans for Knight and can morph him into a serviceable player. He's done wonders with a number of PGs.

I by no means am an expert on coach kov's offensive system but I did watch a YouTube video so I kinda am

Anyways, Slovenia ran a system with a lot of screens, ball movement, high post passing and off ball movement. It seems like guards/wings who can dribble/pass/shoot will be the most successful. If Knight buys into the system, it takes his whole hero ball iso moves out of the equation and let's us just utilize his speed and shooting. As long as he shows he can move the ball, I think he could prove to be fairly useful.