2023-24 Around the NBA Thread

[Proximo]

He got paid but you gotta wonder if Monty is regretting not staying in retirement. That’s a gutter team.

Only a couple teams actually compete for the title each year. I am positive he didn't expect to have success anytime soon, and with that payday yeah I am pretty sure he is fine with the decision he made.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I don't think I've ever seen this before too.

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[GatorAZ]

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[Suns_fan69]

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Still can't fathom how we passed on him to pick Jalen Smith.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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This will forever kill me.

 

[GatorAZ]

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[Hoop Head]

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I feel for the Pistons. They were my dad's team, he was a Detroit native, and I've always had a soft spot for them because of that. That 2004 Championship made me respect that team by trouncing the Lakers, who were anointed by the media when they got Malone and Payton in the 03 off-season. They've been a mess ever since the 08-09 season when they swapped Billups for Iverson. AI had nothing to offer at that point and Billups was the heart of that team. That was sort of a sign as to what would come. They'd try to make flashy moves and sign or acquire players with name recognition like AI, Josh Smith, and Ben Gordon ignoring their fit or why they were available. They were like a thrift store version of Isiah Thomas' Knicks where they'd take any flash in the pan they could get their hands on. Even did that with coaching hiring Lawrence Frank, Stan Van Gundy, Dwane Casey, and now Monty.

I think this guy made some good points and I understand his frustration but I believe they have a little more talent than he mentioned. Cade is a great piece to build around and Ausar Thompson should be their Mikal Bridges type guy but they need to send off one of their frontcourt guys, either Duran or Stewart with Bogdonovich for someone who can create for themselves. Don't know who but they need to shorten their rotation some. They have too many young developing guys and they need 1-2 guys in their late 20's who can help now.

 

[TheCardFan]

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[Phrazbit]

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I made a post about this last night and then decided to delete it.

But... yeah... if true, he is in deep doo doo.

 

[Yuma]

Still can't fathom how we passed on him to pick Jalen Smith.

Easy, we needed BOTH PF and PG. In the JJ era we never could get a decent PF. It was easier for JJ to find PGs arguably. Plus the injury concerns with Haliburton, coupled with the measureables for Jalen Smith and his skill set in college. You go back and look at his games in college, and his highlight tapes, he was arguably the best PF in the draft. His coach was setting screens to get him open for threes, and he was hitting those shots in college. He looked like the perfect fit for the Suns. A shot blocking big with three point range.

I am not saying I agree with the pick. I am just saying I can see HOW it went down. It was just like the Ayton miss in the draft. Very similar.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Easy, we needed BOTH PF and PG. In the JJ era we never could get a decent PF. It was easier for JJ to find PGs arguably. Plus the injury concerns with Haliburton, coupled with the measureables for Jalen Smith and his skill set in college. You go back and look at his games in college, and his highlight tapes, he was arguably the best PF in the draft. His coach was setting screens to get him open for threes, and he was hitting those shots in college. He looked like the perfect fit for the Suns. A shot blocking big with three point range.

I am not saying I agree with the pick. I am just saying I can see HOW it went down. It was just like the Ayton miss in the draft. Very similar.

Unlike most here, I agree with why we didn't go after Haliburton. But if that reason was all smoke, and as the previous poster suggested, we actually passed on Haliburton in order to select Jalen Smith, it's possibly the dumbest decision this franchise has ever made. Personally, I don't believe the two decisions were related. We made the decision to not draft someone we could get no medical or personal data on and then made the decision to draft a raw player (into an organization not set up for developing raw players).

 

[Yuma]

Unlike most here, I agree with why we didn't go after Haliburton. But if that reason was all smoke, and as the previous poster suggested, we actually passed on Haliburton in order to select Jalen Smith, it's possibly the dumbest decision this franchise has ever made. Personally, I don't believe the two decisions were related. We made the decision to not draft someone we could get no medical or personal data on and then made the decision to draft a raw player (into an organization not set up for developing raw players).

I am in the minority on being OK with the picks we used to get KD and Beal. JJ has been so hit and miss on his drafting that I'd rather have a KD or Beal.

 

[Mainstreet]

Unlike most here, I agree with why we didn't go after Haliburton. But if that reason was all smoke, and as the previous poster suggested, we actually passed on Haliburton in order to select Jalen Smith, it's possibly the dumbest decision this franchise has ever made. Personally, I don't believe the two decisions were related. We made the decision to not draft someone we could get no medical or personal data on and then made the decision to draft a raw player (into an organization not set up for developing raw players).

For me, it was clear that Haliburton was the BPA. IMO, a team has to swing for the fences and draft him and worry about the consequences later.

Now, if James Jones had traded down or out of the draft because there were too many unanswered questions about him, I could better understand a move like this.

There was a rumor Deni Avdija might fall to the Suns and didn't. This still leaves egg on the face of the GM because all the options were not covered.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am in the minority on being OK with the picks we used to get KD and Beal. JJ has been so hit and miss on his drafting that I'd rather have a KD or Beal.

The decision to trade for Durant put us in a must-win-now mode with a roster that simply wasn't good enough to win it all. Adding Beal gave us the talent, on paper, to have a real chance to win a championship. His age, injuries and contract made him a huge risk but his no trade clause meant we could take that risk without giving up much value. So it was a great move IMO even though it may never pay off.

 

[Yuma]

For me, it was clear that Haliburton was the BPA. IMO, a team has to swing for the fences and draft him and worry about the consequences later.

Now, if James Jones had traded down or out of the draft because there were too many unanswered questions about him, I could better understand a move like this.

There was a rumor Deni Avdija might fall to the Suns and didn't. This still leaves egg on the face of the GM because all the options were not covered.

I feel to be fair with JJ he is hit and miss on the drafts. He has had some successes. Clearly the draft isn't his strength. JJ's strength is getting big name vets to come here.

 

[Mainstreet]

I feel to be fair with JJ he is hit and miss on the drafts. He has had some successes. Clearly the draft isn't his strength. JJ's strength is getting big name vets to come here.

Although, James Jones knocked the ball out of the park when he traded down in the 2019 draft and drafted Cam Johnson and added Dario Saric.

If he was unsure about the 2020 draft, it's perplexing why he didn't do something similar. I have to believe there were trade partners for the 10th pick.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I feel to be fair with JJ he is hit and miss on the drafts. He has had some successes. Clearly the draft isn't his strength. JJ's strength is getting big name vets to come here.

I think JJ's strength was his ability to survive Robert Sarver's management style. How much of what we did under JJ (the good and the bad) was actually due to JJ remains to be seen IMO. And it might remain to be seen forever as he could well be on his way out if we fail to win it all this season.

 

[Mainstreet]

Btw, Jalen Smith wasn't a terrible draft pick. Giving up on him was.

 

[Superbone]

Btw, Jalen Smith wasn't a terrible draft pick. Giving up on him was.

Yeah, he's doing pretty well for Indiana. It's very curious why they gave up on him so quickly.

 

[Proximo]

Easy, we needed BOTH PF and PG. In the JJ era we never could get a decent PF. It was easier for JJ to find PGs arguably. Plus the injury concerns with Haliburton, coupled with the measureables for Jalen Smith and his skill set in college. You go back and look at his games in college, and his highlight tapes, he was arguably the best PF in the draft. His coach was setting screens to get him open for threes, and he was hitting those shots in college. He looked like the perfect fit for the Suns. A shot blocking big with three point range.

I am not saying I agree with the pick. I am just saying I can see HOW it went down. It was just like the Ayton miss in the draft. Very similar.

No it is not at all easy.

Halliburton was CLEARLY miles better than Smith. Passing on Halliburton was bad enough, but taking Smith instead was insane.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah, he's doing pretty well for Indiana. It's very curious why they gave up on him so quickly.

My guess is money. I think Jones preferred to use the money on veteran players.

 

[Proximo]

Although, James Jones knocked the ball out of the park when he traded down in the 2019 draft and drafted Cam Johnson and added Dario Saric.

If he was unsure about the 2020 draft, it's perplexing why he didn't do something similar. I have to believe there were trade partners for the 10th pick.

There was - the Celtics wanted to move up.

You know who the rumor was Jones wanted to draft as high as 10 - Desmond Bane.

Well in retrospect that would have been a hell of a lot better, but he could have easily traded down with the Celtics and still picked him.

 

[Mainstreet]

There was - the Celtics wanted to move up.

You know who the rumor was Jones wanted to draft as high as 10 - Desmond Bane.

Well in retrospect that would have been a hell of a lot better, but he could have easily traded down with the Celtics and still picked him.

I know the media was in love with Bane. I'm not sure about James Jones.

Still, if Jones was unsure about drafting at #10, trading down with Boston would have made some sense since they had three first round picks.

 

[Superbone]

My guess is money. I think Jones preferred to use the money on veteran players.

If it was about the money, then it was due to Sarver and Jones having to work within those parameters.

 

[Mainstreet]

If it was about the money, then it was due to Sarver and Jones having to work within those parameters.

Maybe, but Monty didn't seem keen on playing Jalen Smith and if he did, he made him a corner shooter.

Jalen Smith played well under Kevin Young when Monty was out. He allowed Smith to play his game.