2023 Phoenix Suns Offseason

Cheesebeef

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What’s funny is you go back and look at this board during that run and it’s the same stuff. It’s filled with Ayton sucks and doesn’t play hard post.
Sorry man, this is fantasy. Almost everyone was lauding Ayton about the leap forward he was seemingly making until the Finals.
 

Hoop Head

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The only negative type thing I remember about Ayton during the Finals run on the board here is some questioned if he was playing for an extension or actually turned the corner.
 

Mainstreet

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What’s funny is you go back and look at this board during that run and it’s the same stuff. It’s filled with Ayton sucks and doesn’t play hard post.

I think that was Ayton's best season defensively.

If he plays good defense and rebounds going forward, we will all be happy. This is what the Suns most need from him and to play aggressive.

I do think Monty had him doing things he didn't understand on offense and defense.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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I am too old to be trying this stuff out but you guys trip me out with your stories. Not judging at all. I just enjoy hearing these types of stories because I never been through it. I have never done drugs or anything like that. I been drunk maybe 5 times in my life and I am old.

I don't think my coworker was lying but maybe he just embellished a little with his story. The guys were just talking about the odd things they did while on drugs. He told us one time he was rock climbing and then froze up cause he realize he never been rock climbing with no experience what so ever. I was like bro you’re over 300 lbs.. and you went rock climbing.. like you don't have the build of a rock climber.. he was like I know.. the thing was I wasn’t even really rock climbing.. but when you’re on (I forgot what he did).. you trip out.. I really thought I was rock climbing..

Like just the thought of doing something that can take you to another world where everything feels real just intrigues me.

Maybe I need to try some stuff out and tap into the mind of Mat Ish and become a real insider for you guys.
Shrooms. Do shrooms. Never too old.
 

CardNots

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Phoenix Suns Reportedly Interested In Kevin Durant's Recent Teammate​

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Phoenix Suns are among the teams interested in Edmond Sumner.
 

SeattleCardinal

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Phoenix Suns Reportedly Interested In Kevin Durant's Recent Teammate​

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Phoenix Suns are among the teams interested in Edmond Sumner.
FWIW, Gambo.

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Finito

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I think that was Ayton's best season defensively.

If he plays good defense and rebounds going forward, we will all be happy. This is what the Suns most need from him and to play aggressive.

I do think Monty had him doing things he didn't understand on offense and defense.

His best season defensively was the 64 win season when he finished with the same exact defensive rating as BAM who made the all defense team.
 

Mainstreet

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His best season defensively was the 64 win season when he finished with the same exact defensive rating as BAM who made the all defense team.

Maybe so. I didn't look up the stats. However, I thought Ayton's defense was huge in the Finals run. He played some excellent centers along the way.

Ayton was virtually the only player capable of slowing Giannis down on defense. Unfortunately, he didn't have much help.
 

Finito

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Maybe so. I didn't look up the stats. However, I thought Ayton's defense was huge in the Finals run. He played some excellent centers along the way.

Ayton was virtually the only player capable of slowing Giannis down on defense. Unfortunately, he didn't have much help.

Yeah let’s leave our 21/22 year old center on an island against prime Giannis.

Bang up job Monty
 

Mainstreet

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Yeah let’s leave our 21/22 year old center on an island against prime Giannis.

Bang up job Monty

I thought James Jones should have brought in a power forward that season before the playoffs began. The 2020-21 team was a solid and had a real chance to win it all.
 

Yuma

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I thought James Jones should have brought in a power forward that season before the playoffs began. The 2020-21 team was a solid and had a real chance to win it all.
There were a few of us saying we didn't have enough bigs on the team. When Saric went down, we didn't win any more games. Not that Saric was a weapon, but we were that light in serviceable bigs on the team. Their coach started putting large line ups out there against us and we couldn't adjust. That was game over in the series. We never countered at that point.
 

Mainstreet

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There were a few of us saying we didn't have enough bigs on the team. When Saric went down, we didn't win any more games. Not that Saric was a weapon, but we were that light in serviceable bigs on the team. Their coach started putting large line ups out there against us and we couldn't adjust. That was game over in the series. We never countered at that point.

When Saric went down, the Suns didn't have anyone to replace Ayton when he went to the bench.

Playing Kaminsky more was the most realistic option, but Monty didn't seem to want to go that direction.
 

AzStevenCal

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There were a few of us saying we didn't have enough bigs on the team. When Saric went down, we didn't win any more games. Not that Saric was a weapon, but we were that light in serviceable bigs on the team. Their coach started putting large line ups out there against us and we couldn't adjust. That was game over in the series. We never countered at that point.
Our counter all along had been the threat from our guards to drive or shoot from anywhere, once we lost that it was Brooklyn's strength against our weakness. We had nothing else to counter with.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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When Saric went down, the Suns didn't have anyone to replace Ayton when he went to the bench.

Playing Kaminsky more was the most realistic option, but Monty didn't seem to want to go that direction.
While that would’ve likely failed as well, it should have at least been tried. But I also get why monty didn’t go that route. One of the strengths of that bucks team was playing big. By going with Frank you’re allowing them to dictate who you place on the court. And we would 100% have been fielding a team of less talented bigs. I believe monty was trying to mismatch in the opposite. Our strengths were our smalls/wings. The problem was Paul was compromised physically and at that time none of bridges, cam Johnson or crowder were capable of taking advantage of a mismatched big by taking them off the dribble. The mismatches favored the bucks going big bc Paul couldn’t create for players, who beyond book, were at that stage largely incapable of creating for themselves.
 

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Maybe so. I didn't look up the stats. However, I thought Ayton's defense was huge in the Finals run. He played some excellent centers along the way.

Ayton was virtually the only player capable of slowing Giannis down on defense. Unfortunately, he didn't have much help.
There was a lot of phantom foul calls against Ayton in that series. The NBA seemed to want a bucks title.
 

CardNots

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The everyone hates Sarver theory.
Never considered anyone’s theory, I just see what I see:) reminded me of MJ, no one would touch him when he went to the basket and the whistle blew. If you are aggressive to the basket it seems you get the call. Ayton should be far more aggressive and maybe the officials get a hard-on for him as well.
 

Mainstreet

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The Suns tried to build a wall to stop Giannis and still the referees let him do what he wanted.

Additionally, the Bucks had more size and shooters that could play with the Suns smaller lineups.

Bobbly Portis was a thorn in the Suns side plus they had Chris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
 

CardNots

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The Suns tried to build a wall to stop Giannis and still the referees let him do what he wanted.

Additionally, the Bucks had more size and shooters that could play with the Suns smaller lineups.

Bobbly Portis was a thorn in the Suns side plus they had Chris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
Giannis literally knocked players out of the way and rarely was he called for it. Basically they let him play out of control basketball. Mark West would have knocked him on his ass. We did nothing to retaliate.
 

Mainstreet

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There was a lot of phantom foul calls against Ayton in that series. The NBA seemed to want a bucks title.

Giannis literally knocked players out of the way and rarely was he called for it. Basically they let him play out of control basketball. Mark West would have knocked him on his ass. We did nothing to retaliate.

For sure, Giannis was allowed to drive into the middle of the Suns defense and he was rewarded for it. This is where Ayton needed a power forward with length that could help him.
 

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stopYeah let’s leave our 21/22 year old center on an island against prime Giannis.

Bang up job Monty
Watch those games back, We had him guarding everyone that moved near the paint, It's no wonder he was gassed by the 3rd.
You can't play a center or big dude the same way to play your guards they will need more rest. And we did, we wore his ass out.
We should have sat DA every time Giannis or Jokic sat.

I really don't want to blame Monte but we all know his rotations were WACK, And timeouts were almost never called to stop an opposition on a run.
And he and DA hated each other.

If DA does prosper this year it's gonna look bad for Monte, maybe he deserves that maybe not.
 

Yuma

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James Jones on Ayton's comments.

"He’s an 18 and 10 player and if you were to ask the game’s greatest players how easy it is to do that, they’ll tell you it’s extremely difficult, but even that bar isn’t high enough for him and others.” James Jones on Deandre Ayton
 

Big Al

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I thought James Jones should have brought in a power forward that season before the playoffs began. The 2020-21 team was a solid and had a real chance to win it all.
Absolutely they ignored the need for a couple of physical bangers who could rebound & D up. 6'11"Ayton was joined on the frontline with razor thin 6-6 210lb Bridges and a generous claimed height of the 6-6 235 lb Crowder and without a true back up center or Power forward. Ayton had his hands full against the Bucks. As the Bucks countered with prime 6'11"Giannis, along with 7'0 Brooks Lopez and 6'7" Middleton. I thought the refs were very Giannis friendly during those 2021 finals. Suns really loaded up on personal this off season however & hope it pays off.
 

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