2023 Free Agency Thread

[Shabazz]

It’s for the minimum. Steal.

[Split T]

Ya, I prefer Gordon. Wonder if he was an option for us too though if Gordon chose GSW

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't think Beasley moves the needle. He can't defend and did nothing for the Lakers when they were desperate for consistency beyond Reaves.

[Superbone]

Some highlights:

The Suns’ front office was paying attention to the NBA this year, even in some of its more unwatchable corners. Whatever you think of its college scouting, Phoenix’s free-agent class includes some deep cuts.

The names: Eric Gordon, Yuta Watanabe, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks, Damion Lee, Chimezie Metu and Josh Okogie are all on minimum deals.

(Pedantic side note: Okogie and Lee may have technically received a 20 percent raise on their minimum contracts from the previous year as “non-Bird” free agents returning to the Suns and thus not technically count as “minimum” contracts. Functionally, it’s about a $30,000 difference.)

Kudos to James Jones and the Phoenix front office for paying attention to Spurs games. BORD$ had a $9 million valuation on Bates-Diop, but in a flooded power forward market, he never gained much traction. He could end up starting playoff games, or, more importantly, finishing them. Even with the Spurs rebuilding, it’s a bit surprising they let him walk without a fight.

Eubanks was another coup, an energetic rim-running backup five who is a much better rim protector and defender than the guy he replaced (Jock Landale) and somehow is on the books for $2.3 million for the Suns while Landale is getting $32 million over four years from Houston. I don’t think this move is getting nearly enough attention — in a bad backup center market, the Suns found a very adequate solution at a position that was low-key killing them.

Similarly, the Suns went off the radar to get Watanabe (44.4 percent on 3s in Brooklyn last season) and Metu (who fell out of the mix in Sacramento despite a 17.3 PER in 66 games) and brought back Lee.

While we’re here, check out the birth certificates. The Suns didn’t just sign a bunch of old dudes who were good three years ago, as a lot of teams have done in this situation. Okogie is 24, Eubanks and Metu are 26, Bates-Diop is 27, Watanabe is 28 and Lee is 30.

As I noted this spring, Phoenix also did strong work in this area in 2021, helping the team stay afloat during an injury-riddled season. But even that performance pales compared to their work the past few days.

We can’t say the Suns might have “won” free agency just yet — to do that, they need at least one of these guys to be a plus next June – but in terms of value for the dollar, this might be some of the best 48 hours we’ve ever seen. Phoenix maximized its minimums.

I love that a lot of these FAs we picked up are in their primes.

[JeremyG]

Since Dario Saric still hasn’t committed to a team yet, I would see if he might want to come back. I feel like he would be an upgrade at Todd’s spot at least.

[Split T]

Didn’t he sign with the warriors?

Edit: Guess that was never official

[JeremyG]

Yeah there was a report before free agency started that he was likely to sign with them, but he still hasn’t.

[JeremyG]

[Split T]

Bol Bol was waived

[Shabazz]

Probably more worthy of a roster spot than Ish.

[Wally_West]

Spurs should sign Bol Bol

[Split T]

We could claim him with our Saric TPE. He costs 2.2 million next year

[Wally_West]

Why the magic waiving Bol Bol tho? Wasn’t he good for them?

[Wally_West]

Why the magic waiving Bol Bol tho? Wasn’t he good for them?

Peeping on twitter, I guess he just fucking sucks.

[Split T]

I was surprised to see he shot 26% from 3…thought he was better. They do have 16 guys and he has a non-guaranteed deal. Guarantee date was originally 6/30, probably pushed it back to work out a trade but couldn’t find one and just released him.

[ShelC]

[Flagrant Fowl]

I was surprised to see he shot 26% from 3…thought he was better. They do have 16 guys and he has a non-guaranteed deal. Guarantee date was originally 6/30, probably pushed it back to work out a trade but couldn’t find one and just released him.

His shot is way too slow to be a reliable stretch big and
his biggest issue has always been thinking that he was KD. He always wants to attack from the perimeter but he doesn’t have nearly the same level of skill to be successful at it in the NBA. He’s also a low IQ player who does nothing to make teammates better.

[Split T]

I said to someone else he might be the big man version of DWJ

[Flagrant Fowl]

That’s pretty accurate.

[Sunsfanatic76]

Would love to have us pick up this kid on one of our two ways! His talent and versatility is just absurd for a 7'2 big.