2023 NBA Playoffs - Other Teams

Mainstreet

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They were not going anywhere as built unfortunately. Although those guys would have been good pieces we needed to do something. KD might not have been the right move but they couldn't stand pat while the rest of the West made moves.

Yeah, I wouldn't have bet the Suns future when they didn't have too.

If teams wanted to grossly overpay for Durant, then let them.
 

Hoop Head

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Not sure what’s tough to understand? The make up of the team wasn’t going to do anything period, without Crowder, McGee, terrible play by CP25, CP3, Ayton this team was going NOWHERE! You really can’t let go of a team that made it to the finals this wasn’t that team! Bridges and Cam were not pulling anyone away from Book and CP3 and shadow Ayton wasn’t scaring anyone! The Suns HAD to make a move, and no adding a couple role players wouldn’t have worked geesh! The needed a legit star to put next to Book now they have that. Retool what you can using Paul and Ayton as trade fodder whatever but the team will be a contender much more than if they kept Bridges! And NO Cam was not a lock to be resigned anyway let alone stay healthy, dude proved he was not a starting PF period!

You need a complete team to compete. Now we will be downgrading our #3 and #4 to build a bench? It's easier to add a #2 than it is to assemble a championship squad at #3-10.
 
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Covert Rain

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Yeah, I wouldn't have bet the Suns future when they didn't have too.

If teams wanted to grossly overpay for Durant, then let them.
I wouldn't have bet they were going to get anywhere close again without a major acquisition. Maybe they should have waited another season to see who shakes lose or find a team that wanted to shed salary. Then again, maybe nobody comes available. There is some luck involved with all of this.
 

Mainstreet

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Not sure what’s tough to understand? The make up of the team wasn’t going to do anything period, without Crowder, McGee, terrible play by CP25, CP3, Ayton this team was going NOWHERE! You really can’t let go of a team that made it to the finals this wasn’t that team! Bridges and Cam were not pulling anyone away from Book and CP3 and shadow Ayton wasn’t scaring anyone! The Suns HAD to make a move, and no adding a couple role players wouldn’t have worked geesh! The needed a legit star to put next to Book now they have that. Retool what you can using Paul and Ayton as trade fodder whatever but the team will be a contender much more than if they kept Bridges! And NO Cam was not a lock to be resigned anyway let alone stay healthy, dude proved he was not a starting PF period!

Sometimes people have to see it to believe it.

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Ouchie-Z-Clown

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The suns board has officially become the same posts over and over and over and over and over. It’s now the least interesting place on ASFN.
 

Phrazbit

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The suns board has officially become the same posts over and over and over and over and over. It’s now the least interesting place on ASFN.

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I did manage to hold off today... this debate on loop is probably going to contribute to us having dementia in the future.
 
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Covert Rain

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The suns board has officially become the same posts over and over and over and over and over. It’s now the least interesting place on ASFN.
Not according to this guy.

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Mainstreet

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The Cardinals forum is a loop as well but thankfully they have 2023 draft to talk about and appear set for the 2024 draft as well.
 

AzStevenCal

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The Cardinals forum is a loop as well but thankfully they have 2023 draft to talk about and appear set for the 2024 draft as well.
Monty was a weak coach, Ayton is a horrible player and the KD trade was stupid. As tiresome as those conversations have become, beating a few topics to death is what happens in the dead period for an NBA team that doesn't have the draft to fantasize about or the cap space to pursue top free agents.

And to be clear, I was not taking this opportunity to come down on either side of those three topics so don't bombard me if you think Monty was a great coach or Ayton is a superstar in the making or that the KD trade was pure genius.
 

Mainstreet

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Monty was a weak coach, Ayton is a horrible player and the KD trade was stupid. As tiresome as those conversations have become, beating a few topics to death is what happens in the dead period for an NBA team that doesn't have the draft to fantasize about or the cap space to pursue top free agents.

And to be clear, I was not taking this opportunity to come down on either side of those three topics so don't bombard me if you think Monty was a great coach or Ayton is a superstar in the making or that the KD trade was pure genius.

We better hope Vogel can somehow rescue Ayton's career or he has a knack of doing magic tricks and teaches them to James Jones.

It was time to reboot but the Suns didn't need to blow up the franchise along with its future.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Monty was a weak coach, Ayton is a horrible player and the KD trade was stupid. As tiresome as those conversations have become, beating a few topics to death is what happens in the dead period for an NBA team that doesn't have the draft to fantasize about or the cap space to pursue top free agents.

And to be clear, I was not taking this opportunity to come down on either side of those three topics so don't bombard me if you think Monty was a great coach or Ayton is a superstar in the making or that the KD trade was pure genius.
But we have a brand new coach. And new assistant coaches. There’s a wealth of conversation and conjecture that we could be talking about there. But instead it’s just the same same over and over. It is what is.
 

nashman

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Sometimes people have to see it to believe it.

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Not sure what point you’re trying to make here? KD and Book beat the champs a few games with little to no help and we will be better next season! Hardly had time for team to gel and injuries to boot. I’ll take KD all day everyday over Bridges and Cam who take no pressure off Book and disappear in the playoffs. We get it you didn’t like the trade, but it absolutely makes us more dangerous and better team!
 

Mainstreet

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Not sure what point you’re trying to make here? KD and Book beat the champs a few games with little to no help and we will be better next season! Hardly had time for team to gel and injuries to boot. I’ll take KD all day everyday over Bridges and Cam who take no pressure off Book and disappear in the playoffs. We get it you didn’t like the trade, but it absolutely makes us more dangerous and better team!

It's about the failure of the Suns GM and owner to put enough talent around Booker and Durant to have a chance to win a championship in 2023.

It is sort of like having only two horses to pull a wagon that requires eight.
 

nashman

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It's about the failure of the Suns GM and owner to put enough talent around Booker and Durant to have a chance to win a championship in 2023.

It is sort of like having only two horses to pull a wagon that requires eight.
But we don’t know yet, I’m a Suns fan and holding out hope the new owner isn’t gonna let this be the team. He’s already proven he’s gonna make swings unlike Sarver. We aren’t gonna go into next season the same team and honestly just better coaching could go along way! Too early to speculate on what this team will or won’t be, but you stated the best part we have Booker and Durant that alone makes you a playoff contender, not to mention guys will want to play with them…
 

sdscard4

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We were 2 wins away from a championship. THIS YEAR. Get Book and KD some help. Ship off that heaping piece of Charmin. We already fired the egomaniac coach...I'm excited for next year cause Ishbia ain't settling
 

Mainstreet

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But we don’t know yet, I’m a Suns fan and holding out hope the new owner isn’t gonna let this be the team. He’s already proven he’s gonna make swings unlike Sarver. We aren’t gonna go into next season the same team and honestly just better coaching could go along way! Too early to speculate on what this team will or won’t be, but you stated the best part we have Booker and Durant that alone makes you a playoff contender, not to mention guys will want to play with them…

I believe if Mat Ishbia could buy the Suns a championship, he would. The problem is he can't under the new collective bargaining agreement. The CBA limits what the Suns and any luxury tax paying team can do. The Suns simply can't go out and sign any player they want. There is a luxury tax apron.

The Suns two primary trade chips, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton, are not attractive to most teams. I guess one can hope another team overvalues one of these players.

However, that's about all the Suns have to use to improve the team other than the mid-level exception and minimum contracts. They don't have any first round draft picks they can trade.

I'd recommend any NBA fan reading up on the new CBA.
 

Russ Smith

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I'm not sure if Malone is a good coach or not I tend to think he's ok but if we're going to to talk coaching in these playoffs, and it's not fair he's a rookie who took over due to the HC getting himself fired, but Boston man did they blow a golden opportunity for another title this year.

Joker would have been the best player on the floor still but with Tatum and Brown, with Smart, Horford etc, for them to lose to Miami, on their homecourt in game 7 was just awful.

I suspect if he wasn't a rookie coach they would have already fired him.
 

AzStevenCal

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I'm not sure if Malone is a good coach or not I tend to think he's ok but if we're going to to talk coaching in these playoffs, and it's not fair he's a rookie who took over due to the HC getting himself fired, but Boston man did they blow a golden opportunity for another title this year.

Joker would have been the best player on the floor still but with Tatum and Brown, with Smart, Horford etc, for them to lose to Miami, on their homecourt in game 7 was just awful.

I suspect if he wasn't a rookie coach they would have already fired him.
Yeah I don't get the Malone hate. I think he's one of the better coaches in the league even though he's a bit of a jerk at times. I kind of view him as a George Karl type, solid tactitian but can clash with his front office and piss off his players every now and then.

And I'm surprised that the Boston coach is getting another year.
 

95pro

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Yeah I don't get the Malone hate. I think he's one of the better coaches in the league even though he's a bit of a jerk at times. I kind of view him as a George Karl type, solid tactitian but can clash with his front office and piss off his players every now and then.

And I'm surprised that the Boston coach is getting another year.

I don’t either on Malone. The guy had the guts to pull MPJ to avoid the tide turning because MPJ tends to go on those streaks where he thinks he’s on fire. He knows when to call timeouts, when to give it to Jokic, definitely knows how to read a game as it unfolds. And he must gotten through to Gordon for Gordon to become a team player, aka knowing his role.

Boston coach is really young, it’s crazy he didn’t get axed but the former coach is calling the shots now for them so maybe he sees something in him.
 
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