Phx-Suns.Net

Sorry for how late this is... some of it is old news.

Nationally Televised Games
Monday, April 25th

All times Eastern

Tuesday, April 26th
Game 5: Hawks @ Heat MIA leads series 3-1 7:00 NBATV
Game 5: Timberwolves @ Grizzlies: Series tied 2-2 7:30 TNT
Game 5: Pelicans @ Suns: Series tied 2-2 10:00 TNT or Ballys

Wednesday, April 27th
Game 5: Bulls @ Bucks MIL leads series 3-1 7:30 TNT
Game 5: Nuggets @ Warriors GSW leads series 3-1 10:00 TNT

Thursday, April 28th
Game 6: Heat/Hawks if necessary
Game 6: Suns @ Pelicans TBD
Game 6: 76ers @ Raptors PHI leads series 3-2 7:00 League Pass (Haven't released other TV schedule yet)
Game 6: Mavs @ Jazz DAL leads series 3-2 10:00 League Pass (Haven't released other TV schedule yet)

Friday, April 29th
Game 6: Bucks @ Bulls if necessary MIL leads series 3-1
Game 6: Grizz @ Timberwolves Series tied 2-2 TBD
Game 6: Warriors @ Nuggets if necessary GSW leads series 3-1 TBD


Saturday April 30th
Game 7 if necessary for:
Heat/Hawks
76ers/Raptors
Suns/Pelicans
Mavs/Jazz



League News
Grizzlies' Ja Morant named 2021-22 Kia NBA Most Improved Player
https://www.nba.com/news/grizzlies-ja-m ... layer-2022

Donovan Mitchell exits Game 5 with hamstring injury, will undergo MRI
https://www.nba.com/news/donovan-mitche ... ndergo-mri

5 takeaways from the Celtics' sweep of the star-studded Nets
https://www.nba.com/news/celtics-nets-g ... ways-sweep

Thanks, Indy. Do we still want to have weekly threads during the playoffs? We could suspend them to save folks the workload. The news flow during playoff time is a bit different.

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:52 am

Thanks, Indy. Do we still want to have weekly threads during the playoffs? We could suspend them to save folks the workload. The news flow during playoff time is a bit different.

THanks for not asking this question in the weekly Suns thread. It would make me too sad to think about not needing one on Monday.

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:52 am

Thanks, Indy. Do we still want to have weekly threads during the playoffs? We could suspend them to save folks the workload. The news flow during playoff time is a bit different.

Yeah, I agree. I think just keeping the playoff thread going would be fine.

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:53 am

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 9:52 am

Thanks, Indy. Do we still want to have weekly threads during the playoffs? We could suspend them to save folks the workload. The news flow during playoff time is a bit different.

THanks for not asking this question in the weekly Suns thread. It would make me too sad to think about not needing one on Monday.

Ugh. Let's hope to the high heavens that your latest Suns playoff thread isn't their last!

Psychological Aspects of Sport is part of the course I'm currently doing so I try not to dismiss the Ben Simmons stuff but Wow
What a situation that continues to be

bajanguy008 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:23 pm

Psychological Aspects of Sport is part of the course I'm currently doing so I try not to dismiss the Ben Simmons stuff but Wow
What a situation that continues to be

Honestly, if we could get him cheap in the offseason, he would be a great pickup and fit in well with our group. I think the comraderie of this group, Monty, and our current system which I think could play to his strengths... he'd be great here. I'm sure the salary situation doesn't align, but he could fit in well here.

wpmiller42 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:53 pm

bajanguy008 wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 12:23 pm

Psychological Aspects of Sport is part of the course I'm currently doing so I try not to dismiss the Ben Simmons stuff but Wow
What a situation that continues to be

Honestly, if we could get him cheap in the offseason, he would be a great pickup and fit in well with our group. I think the comraderie of this group, Monty, and our current system which I think could play to his strengths... he'd be great here. I'm sure the salary situation doesn't align, but he could fit in well here.

I think you're right. You may get him for cheap at this rate. Maybe Payne, Saric, filler, & pick?

I am not sure I'd want to have to deal with Simmons, but I do think he'll get back to playing basketball at some point and will be a productive NBA player again. This is probably as low as his value will be for a while. Doubt the Nets would already be looking to trade him, but you would think that some non-playoff team would go after him. Why wouldn't, say, OKC throw a few picks the Nets' way to take a chance on him? They have little to lose.

Imaging going to your boss and telling them you are struggling with a mental illness that is also causing physical pain and then they tell the world about it.

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:21 pm

Imaging going to your boss and telling them you are struggling with a mental illness that is also causing physical pain and then they tell the world about it.

Imagine you having to pay someone millions of dollars and then they say they can’t come to work because they’re too stressed. But you still have to pay them.

Either retire and walk away or figure your shit out and play.

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:58 pm

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:21 pm

Imaging going to your boss and telling them you are struggling with a mental illness that is also causing physical pain and then they tell the world about it.

Imagine you having to pay someone millions of dollars and then they say they can’t come to work because they’re too stressed. But you still have to pay them.

Either retire and walk away or figure your shit out and play.

That's one of the risks when you operate a monopoly and have special dispensation to do so. You make billions and billions but you have to share some of that with players based on their collective bargaining agreement. I didn't hear anyone complaining that GSW had to pay Klay for 2 years to not play basketball. And if you argument is "well he was injured!" but you don't consider SImmons issues to be medical, I don't know what to say.

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:16 pm

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:58 pm

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:21 pm

Imaging going to your boss and telling them you are struggling with a mental illness that is also causing physical pain and then they tell the world about it.

Imagine you having to pay someone millions of dollars and then they say they can’t come to work because they’re too stressed. But you still have to pay them.

Either retire and walk away or figure your shit out and play.

That's one of the risks when you operate a monopoly and have special dispensation to do so. You make billions and billions but you have to share some of that with players based on their collective bargaining agreement. I didn't hear anyone complaining that GSW had to pay Klay for 2 years to not play basketball. And if you argument is "well he was injured!" but you don't consider SImmons issues to be medical, I don't know what to say.

I don’t.

No other field would continue to employ someone that is mentally unwilling or unable to perform their duties, especially when he won’t cooperate with the organization’s efforts to coordinate and oversee care.

So essentially he’s saying “I’m soooo stressed I can’t play. Just trust me on it. Also, continue to pay me a third of your salary cap kthx.”

If that’s the standard that’s set, what’s to stop other players from doing that as well.

He did that in Philly, not Brooklyn and Philly wasn’t paying him. Has he not been forthcoming in Brooklyn?

He has a legit physical injury (back) but his mental health is contributing to it. Even if he took a bunch of Prozac or whatever, he's still injured and can't play. Hopefully he can work on his physical and mental health during the off-season.

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:23 pm

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:16 pm

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:58 pm

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:21 pm

Imaging going to your boss and telling them you are struggling with a mental illness that is also causing physical pain and then they tell the world about it.

Imagine you having to pay someone millions of dollars and then they say they can’t come to work because they’re too stressed. But you still have to pay them.

Either retire and walk away or figure your shit out and play.

That's one of the risks when you operate a monopoly and have special dispensation to do so. You make billions and billions but you have to share some of that with players based on their collective bargaining agreement. I didn't hear anyone complaining that GSW had to pay Klay for 2 years to not play basketball. And if you argument is "well he was injured!" but you don't consider SImmons issues to be medical, I don't know what to say.

I don’t.

No other field would continue to employ someone that is mentally unwilling or unable to perform their duties, especially when he won’t cooperate with the organization’s efforts to coordinate and oversee care.

So essentially he’s saying “I’m soooo stressed I can’t play. Just trust me on it. Also, continue to pay me a third of your salary cap kthx.”

If that’s the standard that’s set, what’s to stop other players from doing that as well.

Again they operate a monopoly sanctioned by our government. It isn't apples to apples. And even if you do look at the private sector, you can't just fire someone if they are sick/injured. It seems like you are saying that ligament/bone/muscle/cartilage tissue injuries are "real" but brain tissue injuries are not.

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:54 pm

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:23 pm

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:16 pm

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:58 pm

Indy wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:21 pm

Imaging going to your boss and telling them you are struggling with a mental illness that is also causing physical pain and then they tell the world about it.

Imagine you having to pay someone millions of dollars and then they say they can’t come to work because they’re too stressed. But you still have to pay them.

Either retire and walk away or figure your shit out and play.

That's one of the risks when you operate a monopoly and have special dispensation to do so. You make billions and billions but you have to share some of that with players based on their collective bargaining agreement. I didn't hear anyone complaining that GSW had to pay Klay for 2 years to not play basketball. And if you argument is "well he was injured!" but you don't consider SImmons issues to be medical, I don't know what to say.

I don’t.

No other field would continue to employ someone that is mentally unwilling or unable to perform their duties, especially when he won’t cooperate with the organization’s efforts to coordinate and oversee care.

So essentially he’s saying “I’m soooo stressed I can’t play. Just trust me on it. Also, continue to pay me a third of your salary cap kthx.”

If that’s the standard that’s set, what’s to stop other players from doing that as well.

Again they operate a monopoly sanctioned by our government. It isn't apples to apples. And even if you do look at the private sector, you can't just fire someone if they are sick/injured. It seems like you are saying that ligament/bone/muscle/cartilage tissue injuries are "real" but brain tissue injuries are not.

Certainly not a monopoly internationally. You have leagues all around the world.

It would be one thing for him to be playing but playing poorly. I can understand that. It’s another to say he can’t even step on the court. He should just retire if he’s not even going to try to perform his job. I don’t buy his back issues, but only Ben and the team really know if his back is legitimate or just another excuse to sit on the bench and collect a check.

F*ck no to Simmons. What a distraction and waste of $. And he can't shoot a basketball. HARD pass.

I can't even believe it's a question. That guy isn't going to be a positive teammate for any locker room. Simmons guys and gals? Really?

Until Simmons shows everyone that he wants to play NBA basketball AND is committed to developing his skills, I don't want him anywhere near the Suns. In fact, I hope he's traded to the Lakers.

I was a little cautious when the initial "mental illness" stuff came out because that's a slippery slope. Now I think it's complete horseshit. There's a pattern of behavior from him and his representatives that clearly show he's not prioritizing his job as an NBA player.

If you wait for Simmons to show you he's healthy next year, and he's shooting the ball, you've wasted an opportunity when his value was at it's lowest place. If you don't want him period, even if he's healthy and shows a fixed shot, then ok.