Are we really building for the Future?

[cardsunsfan]

Many people on this board feel it's great we kept our nucleous together and that it will help us become a championship team in the future... But is that really true? For this to work I think we'll need several of our players to step up and if that happens we'll need to give them max contracts...for instance many of you are counting on Joe Johnson to keep improving. What if that happens though? By the time we're really good he'll be asking for a max contract which we probably won't be able to afford. If Lampe becomes great the same think will happen...

I still think the best way to probably win in this league is to have two really great super stars. I think we should of probably taken a chance on McGrady. Marion doesn't deserve a max contract and when Johnson is ready for one we won't be able to afford him. Teams are giving max contracts, or close to max contracts to unworthy players because there are only so many who are worthy.... I don't think we can win a championship the way we've structured things....

 

[Chaz]

Many people on this board feel it's great we kept our nucleous together and that it will help us become a championship team in the future... But is that really true? For this to work I think we'll need several of our players to step up and if that happens we'll need to give them max contracts...for instance many of you are counting on Joe Johnson to keep improving. What if that happens though? By the time we're really good he'll be asking for a max contract which we probably won't be able to afford. If Lampe becomes great the same think will happen...

I still think the best way to probably win in this league is to have two really great super stars. I think we should of probably taken a chance on McGrady. Marion doesn't deserve a max contract and when Johnson is ready for one we won't be able to afford him. Teams are giving max contracts, or close to max contracts to unworthy players because there are only so many who are worthy.... I don't think we can win a championship the way we've structured things....

Sun, take a deep breath and repeat, don't panic. The Suns will be ok, they haven't made any stupid moves lately and they have a talented young roster. We need to let them play.

McGrady is a ball dominator, Nash is a facilitator. We need to get better and develop some players, then look for that big move that will put us over the top.

patience. untill they do something really stupid

 

[George O'Brien]

Many people on this board feel it's great we kept our nucleous together and that it will help us become a championship team in the future... But is that really true? For this to work I think we'll need several of our players to step up and if that happens we'll need to give them max contracts...for instance many of you are counting on Joe Johnson to keep improving. What if that happens though? By the time we're really good he'll be asking for a max contract which we probably won't be able to afford. If Lampe becomes great the same think will happen...

I still think the best way to probably win in this league is to have two really great super stars. I think we should of probably taken a chance on McGrady. Marion doesn't deserve a max contract and when Johnson is ready for one we won't be able to afford him. Teams are giving max contracts, or close to max contracts to unworthy players because there are only so many who are worthy.... I don't think we can win a championship the way we've structured things....

I do not believe in the "two superstars and scrubs" model is going to work in the future. Teams are going to have to have one super star and five or six very good players in support. The reason is that putting all the scoring on a couple of guys makes teams too easy to defense.

I'm convinced that putting a lot of reliance on a great perimeter player who "can make his own shot" will become less and less effective compared to teams that move the ball and rely more on cutters and screens. Great one on one outside guys are wonderful to have at "crunch time", but tend to destroy team play and can easily shoot you out of the game.

I think the Suns have a team with outside guys who CAN play the kind of passing/movement offense that is needed to beat good defenses. They have a team that should be able to run and with effort should eventually be able to play some defense. And they have Amare who has the potential to be one of the top five guys in the NBA.

Amare is going to get a big contract. JJ will get a decent deal starting in the $6 million range. With luck, Lampe will be the kind of guy who deserves a deal starting in the $7 million range. If they have Q too, it will start getting pricy, but by then the luxury tax will be gone.

 

[jbeecham]

I agree that I don't think JJ will get a max contract. I believe the Suns can offer him a new contract next summer and he'll get something starting in the 6 million range unless he has a consistent 20 pt/5 reb/5 assist year. Even if he does finally start to show some game-to-game consistency, I doubt he gets offered a contract starting at more than 8 million a year. JJ just doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would demand that kind of contract (although he could have a bulldog agent.....I don't know).

I know that a lot of people on this board have high hopes for Lampe, but I really can't see him being any better than Jake Voshkul with a improved jumpshot.

If we get Q then we will have salary cap/luxury tax issues (if there still is a luxury tax,which I think there should be) with almost all of our cap tied up into 5 players. Amare will get the max, Marion is maxed, Nash starts at 8.5 with 10% raises every year, JJ & Q both starting around 6.5/yr. That's basically all of the salary cap (unless it goes up a lot in the next 2 yrs).

 

[Joe Mama]

JJ's contract will depend on a few things.

1. How he plays next season

2. Does it look like there is going to be another lockout?

3. How many teams have money and how much do they have?

4. Do the Clippers match the offer for Quentin Richardson?

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

JJ's contract will depend on a few things.

1. How he plays next season

2. Does it look like there is going to be another lockout?

3. How many teams have money and how much do they have?

4. Do the Clippers match the offer for Quentin Richardson?

Joe Mama

I agree, but might put the fourth first.

Seriously, I think JJ knows that he has to produce if he's going to stay. I really liked how he came down and worked out with the summer team after hearing about Q. Before he might have just withdrawn, but he seemed to take it as a challenge - which is what he needs to do.

I'm convinced JJ will start most of the games this season whether or not Q comes here. JJ has a solid overall game that combines very good medium range shooting, drives to the basket, assists, and solid defense.

Q will be able to play both SG and SF (he's not tall but is a great leaper). Q's ability to make his own shot, get into the paint and cause damage, etc. will make him the ideal "instant offense" off the bench guy.

For Q to replace JJ in the future, he will have to become a better "team" player which not easy to learn on the Clippers. He will have to become more selective in his shots and be able to hit a higher perecentage than he has in recent years. And finally, he will have to become a more consistent defender.

None the less, Q has the ability to be a very good player and JJ will have to work hard to keep his position as starter.