Game Day (Early Start!): Suns (42-35) @ Bulls (29-48), Sun 4/5/26

[carey]

I'm not sure it's so much that we're going away from that as we were trying to see how a Green-Booker backcourt would function in earnest. Well, turns out it's a lot like the KD-Book pairing. A lot of turn taking. I think it would be wise to trade Green if we can get valuable front court help, but if we can't I'd be interested in moving Green to a 6th-man role. Start Flemming with Brooks in the front court. Re-sign Mark Williams and CG and that's your starting lineup.

[O_Gardino]

Green as a 6th man makes sense, but I doubt he's ready to accept that role at this point in his career. It makes more sense to move him.

Green <--> Mikal Bridges (knicks need scoring)
Brooks <--> PJ Washington (mavs need to move Washingtons long contract)
Allen <--> Victor Wembanyama (spurs need veteran leadership)

Those 3 simple trades work under the salary rules, and I think make the Suns better.

[Kryptonic]

Green as a 6th man makes sense, but I doubt he's ready to accept that role at this point in his career. It makes more sense to move him.

Green <--> Mikal Bridges (knicks need scoring)
Brooks <--> PJ Washington (mavs need to move Washingtons long contract)
Allen <--> Victor Wembanyama (spurs need veteran leadership)

Those 3 simple trades work under the salary rules, and I think make the Suns better.

All very doable, if Nico is the spurs GM.

[specialsauce]

Green as a 6th man makes sense, but I doubt he's ready to accept that role at this point in his career. It makes more sense to move him.

Green <--> Mikal Bridges (knicks need scoring)
Brooks <--> PJ Washington (mavs need to move Washingtons long contract)
Allen <--> Victor Wembanyama (spurs need veteran leadership)

Those 3 simple trades work under the salary rules, and I think make the Suns better.

Mikal has maybe the worst contract in the league at this point. Hard pass.


I'm relieved Brooks is suspended for the next game, except I fear Ott will just go back to ONeale for 30 minutes instead of going to Fleming/ManMan.

He's got too many wings that want to score and he needs to just roll with Book/CG/Goodwin and Green as his guard rotation and incorporate RF ManMan Williams and Oso at the 4/5, go less with Allen and Brooks and cut out ONeale entirely. That is the move.

[Split T]

I don’t think the Green-Booker pairing looks like Book-KD. There’s a lot of complaining about Green and I don’t really see it. I think he’s been just fine on offense(outside of not being able to hit any shots at first). He’s got some tunnel vision, but we knew that. He’s easily the best player on our team at getting to the rim and he’s been finishing better lately. His mid range has been working ok. The 3 comes and goes, but it’s acceptable. You obviously wish he had better court vision, but that’s just not who he is.

[Split T]

Since March 1st, here’s Jalen Greens numbers:

22.1 pts, 4.3 reb, 3.6 ast, 1.2 stl, 2.7 TO

Shooting 46/34/76 for a .556 TS%

[wpmiller42]

I don’t think the Green-Booker pairing looks like Book-KD. There’s a lot of complaining about Green and I don’t really see it. I think he’s been just fine on offense(outside of not being able to hit any shots at first). He’s got some tunnel vision, but we knew that. He’s easily the best player on our team at getting to the rim and he’s been finishing better lately. His mid range has been working ok. The 3 comes and goes, but it’s acceptable. You obviously wish he had better court vision, but that’s just not who he is.

I agree, and I think he's still young and getting better, with just elite athleticism. I think an off-season being able to be with the team and working on a few things and I don't really have many concerns.

[Superbone]

Green as a 6th man makes sense, but I doubt he's ready to accept that role at this point in his career. It makes more sense to move him.

Green <--> Mikal Bridges (knicks need scoring)
Brooks <--> PJ Washington (mavs need to move Washingtons long contract)
Allen <--> Victor Wembanyama (spurs need veteran leadership)

Those 3 simple trades work under the salary rules, and I think make the Suns better.

Those are pretty good except I'm not sure about that Victor guy. He's so tall and thin that he's ready to break. Although Allen is injured quite a bit to so maybe I would consider it.

On a serious note, how Allen could think our defense was pretty good last night is laughable. As if this Bulls team is an all-time great at getting to the rim.

[O_Gardino]

Booker - Green is just a tough pairing. No hate for either guy specifically, but they don't pair super well. Together they aren't elite defensively, and they aren't elite ball movers. Are they an elite pairing of individual scorers? Who do you have to surround those two with to make the finals? To me, the complaining is more about wanting to optimize and improve rather than just hating a player. The team was winning about 60% of their games before Green came back, and they've won about 45% since then. I think it's fair to question the lineups and the players.

[Superbone]

I think Brooks' technical may be rescinded. Like Eddie said, it was ridiculous to give out as the guys were just jawing with each other while walking away and the ref called it from 50 feet away. The NBA wants good drama and they know that Brooks playing against Houston is good for the league.

[ShelC]

Yea his tech was rescinded. News just came out.

[Split T]

Booker - Green is just a tough pairing. No hate for either guy specifically, but they don't pair super well. Together they aren't elite defensively, and they aren't elite ball movers. Are they an elite pairing of individual scorers? Who do you have to surround those two with to make the finals? To me, the complaining is more about wanting to optimize and improve rather than just hating a player. The team was winning about 60% of their games before Green came back, and they've won about 45% since then. I think it's fair to question the lineups and the players.

I guess the difference is I’m not even close to thinking about the finals. This team would need a lot more to be in that discussion.

I’m probably just misunderstanding what people are complaining about, but I just feel like I see a lot of complaining about Green(I think a lot of it isn’t even on this site, so it’s probably not fair for me to call it out here haha) and makes it seem like people think our struggles are mostly his fault.

To try and answer some of your questions, no I don’t think Booker and Green are an elite pairing. I think this team is clearly missing a true #1 player if you are trying to make the finals. That’s just not something I anticipate we can add anytime soon. I just want to make the playoffs and not get embarrassed in round 1.

I think defense has been a bigger issue than offense lately and it’s a lot of different guys dropping the ball on that end. I also am not sure why we dropped Dunn and Fleming from the rotation. Highsmith would also be helpful.

[Superbone]

Yea his tech was rescinded. News just came out.

Nice!

[ShelC]

Also I do gotta say, Mark Williams plays pretty small for how big he is. He chases a lot of blocks but almost never gets them and I just don’t feel his presence much down there. He’s a good offensive player, but he needs to be better on defense.

Agree about Williams and it's why I'm kind of lukewarm about his longterm stay here. He tall with a huge wingspan, but is also narrow and doesn't really get wide on boxouts or in the post. Kind of similar to the criticisms about Amar'e. And because of his athleticism and length, he can make up for some mistakes but is often out of position. I still think we re-sign him but I wouldn't go more than $20/year for 3 years. If we can get him cheaper, all the better. Phenomenal athlete but not sure he's a real fundamentally sound player.

[Superbone]

Also I do gotta say, Mark Williams plays pretty small for how big he is. He chases a lot of blocks but almost never gets them and I just don’t feel his presence much down there. He’s a good offensive player, but he needs to be better on defense.

Agree about Williams and it's why I'm kind of lukewarm about his longterm stay here. He tall with a huge wingspan, but is also narrow and doesn't really get wide on boxouts or in the post. Kind of similar to the criticisms about Amar'e. And because of his athleticism and length, he can make up for some mistakes but is often out of position. I still think we re-sign him but I wouldn't go more than $20/year for 3 years. If we can get him cheaper, all the better. Phenomenal athlete but not sure he's a real fundamentally sound player.

If I didn't know better, I'd say you're cheap, Shel. $20 a year?! That's three gallons of gas, dude. I think you may be going a little overboard.

[ShelC]

Ha! How about $20 for every game he plays.

[Split T]

If someone was willing to give us a 1st for him in a S&T this summer, I’d do that. I would be fine at 3/60 as well(or cheaper), but that’s the most I’d spend. I think for me it’s clear Maluach is more of the future. He makes more mistakes for sure, and is a ways away offensively, but you can already tell he’ll be a much more impactful defender. I’d be good going with Maluach/Oso next year.

[Uncle_Gene]

I'm sick of the defenders riding the pine. Fucking shit job by Ott. Terrible. Sickening watching this bullshit the last month+.

There were many times during the game that I felt Rasheer Fleming should've been in. Even if Maluach has to play spot minutes, so be it. The Bulls got way too many points in the paint.

[Superbone]

I'm sick of the defenders riding the pine. Fucking shit job by Ott. Terrible. Sickening watching this bullshit the last month+.

There were many times during the game that I felt Rasheer Fleming should've been in. Even if Maluach has to play spot minutes, so be it. The Bulls got way too many points in the paint.

FIX THE PAINT!!!