Buyout Candidates

[Sparky16]

I will never understand the Ayton hate. I've lurked these boards for quite some time and it never made sense. I'm glad we kept him and he is a pivotal piece to the continued success of the team beyond the aging stars/superstars timeframe

He was pivotal in the loss to the Clippers Thurs.... Wish the Nets would have wanted him, Bridges will be an all-star next year... DA will never be an all-star

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Mainstreet]

The Heat also plan to sign Cody Zeller.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

He was pivotal in the loss to the Clippers Thurs.... Wish the Nets would have wanted him, Bridges will be an all-star next year... DA will never be an all-star

Ayton would be much more highly viewed by the media and casual fans on a team like the Nets.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ayton would be much more highly viewed by the media and casual fans on a team like the Nets.

if he wasn’t having any material impact on winning, I don’t think that would be the case.

Vucevic is posting similar stats in the East and no one would regards him that highly, even though he’s in one of the biggest media markets in the country.

 

[PHI PHX PHAN]

He was pivotal in the loss to the Clippers Thurs.... Wish the Nets would have wanted him, Bridges will be an all-star next year... DA will never be an all-star

I am a huge Bridges fan from college and thought he was a steal when we acquired him draft night. However, due to the construction of this team he wouldn't have had the time to assert himself fully at least for another year or possibly 2. He gets that opportunity in BKN.
Ayton was the #1 pick for a reason. He is a top tier C in the league despite how he is utilized. He is limited due to the offense more than ability. I personally would've been more upset losing him than Mikal. There are more Mikals in the league than Aytons. His potential and impact are higher to me and isn't as easily replaceable.
Okogie has basically replaced Mikal on this team with the same expected production, he just isn't as beloved.

 

[PHI PHX PHAN]

Not if he wasn’t having any material impact on winning.

If he was on a bad team, posting these same stats on the East no one would regard anymore than the east coast media regards Vucevic on Chicago.

Ayton has material impact on winning tho. He gets an exceptional amount of blame for losses for someone who either neutralizes the production of top tier big men or outplays them more often than not. He is not even remotely in his prime and is very polished. He is on a path to be dominant by the age of 26/27 and a linchpin on a championship caliber team as he grows with Booker entering his prime.
Where do you have Ayton ranked amongst Centers in the league?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Ayton has material impact on winning tho. He gets an exceptional amount of blame for losses for someone who either neutralizes the production of top tier big men or outplays them more often than not. He is not even remotely in his prime and is very polished. He is on a path to be dominant by the age of 26/27 and a linchpin on a championship caliber team as he grows with Booker entering his prime.
Where do you have Ayton ranked amongst Centers in the league?

In a league with a shallow level of good centers, he’s 5th or 6th, tied with Gobert. But there’s a massive drop off after Embiid and Jokic. And he’s not as good as Bam or Sabonis.

He’s been on a very good team the last three years, meanwhile, our record without him in something like 20-5. A truly motivate Ayton absolutely has a material impact on winning, but that guy just doesn’t show up consistently enough to think he’d definitely do so on another team that didn’t have a Booker/CP3 leading the charge. So I think jury’s out on how impact Ayton has going to another team.

and I’m just super dubious he’s dominant at 26/27 because he just doesn’t have the kind of drive needed to be dominant.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am a huge Bridges fan from college and thought he was a steal when we acquired him draft night. However, due to the construction of this team he wouldn't have had the time to assert himself fully at least for another year or possibly 2. He gets that opportunity in BKN.
Ayton was the #1 pick for a reason. He is a top tier C in the league despite how he is utilized. He is limited due to the offense more than ability. I personally would've been more upset losing him than Mikal. There are more Mikals in the league than Aytons. His potential and impact are higher to me and isn't as easily replaceable.
Okogie has basically replaced Mikal on this team with the same expected production, he just isn't as beloved.

Over the years I grew into being a fan of Mikal Bridges. Then, when he starts to blossom, the Suns trade him. The trade leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

The player I really wanted slightly later in the 2018 draft was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It all worked out well though as both turned out to be good players.

It's kind of ironic the Suns also have Okogie and Shamet from the first round in that draft.

 

[GatorAZ]

Ross seems like injury insurance... A lot of podcasters seem low on our depth but show me another west contender with wings like Okogie/Craig/TJ/Ross rounding out the rotation.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ross seems like injury insurance... A lot of podcasters seem low on our depth but show me another west contender with wings like Okogie/Craig/TJ/Ross rounding out the rotation.

Ross may have been signed as insurance but I think he is so much more than that. He is a cold-blooded shooter, something the Suns have been missing aside from Okogie.

I like Okogie a lot as a defender but I still worry about him being streaky as a shooter. He could be made for the bright lights, though. Damion Lee may have some of that in him too.

 

[PHI PHX PHAN]

In a league with a shallow level of good centers, he’s 5th or 6th, tied with Gobert. But there’s a massive drop off after Embiid and Jokic. And he’s not as good as Bam or Sabonis.

He’s been on a very good team the last three years, meanwhile, our record without him in something like 20-5. I think jury’s out whether or not he’d make a material impact on winning that didn’t have a Booker/CP3 leading the charge.

and I see no universe where he’s dominant at 26/27. He doesn’t have that kind of drive to

In a league with a shallow level of good centers, he’s 5th or 6th, tied with Gobert. But there’s a massive drop off after Embiid and Jokic. And he’s not as good as Bam or Sabonis.

He’s been on a very good team the last three years, meanwhile, our record without him in something like 20-5. I think jury’s out whether or not he’d make a material impact on winning that didn’t have a Booker/CP3 leading the charge.

and I see no universe where he’s dominant at 26/27. He doesn’t have that kind of drive to be dominant.

I see where we differ. I have him on a Bam type level already with the difference being Bam being more of a priority offensively.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I see where we differ. I have him on a Bam type level already with the difference being Bam being more of a priority offensively.

Yeah, I see Bam as a superior defensive player with a higher motor. But if I were a Heat fan, I’d be frustrated he hasn’t take the leap on offense that everyone expected after the bubble run in 2020.

I don’t think there’s a huge gap between Bam and Ayton, but Bam’s motor is what gives him the edge overall for me. But both have flaws holding them back from being great.

And welcome to the board! Good to have a new perspective in here.

 

[PHI PHX PHAN]

Over the years I grew into being a fan of Mikal Bridges. Then, when he starts to blossom, the Suns trade him. The trade leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

The player I really wanted slightly later in the 2018 draft was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It all worked out well though as both turned out to be good players.

It's kind of ironic the Suns also have Okogie and Shamet from the first round in that draft.

Yeah man. I actually thought he was the perfect fit for Philly and would've developed quicker. He has all the components you would covet. He is a victim of circumstance because 10 outta 10 times you have to trade him at his current stage for a KD.
I wasn't familiar as much with SGA back then but I was lowkey hoping we could work out a deal to acquire him if we ended up moving CP3.
I'm not the biggest Shamet fan from back when he was here in Philly. I hated that signing and I really hope he makes me feel otherwise.

 

[PHI PHX PHAN]

Yeah, I see Bam as a superior defensive player with a higher motor. But if I were a Heat fan, I’d be frustrated he hasn’t take the leap on offense that everyone expected after the bubble run in 2020.

I don’t think there’s a huge gap between Bam and Ayton, but Bam’s motor is what gives him the edge overall for me. But both have flaws holding them back from being great.

And welcome to the board! Good to have a new perspective in here.

Much appreciated. I agree with that take. The nuance in their games separate them but I see them having eerily similar trajectories in their careers for the most. Either way I would want one of them on my team at this point especially upside they both offer.

 

[Ronin]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah man. I actually thought he was the perfect fit for Philly and would've developed quicker. He has all the components you would covet. He is a victim of circumstance because 10 outta 10 times you have to trade him at his current stage for a KD.
I wasn't familiar as much with SGA back then but I was lowkey hoping we could work out a deal to acquire him if we ended up moving CP3.
I'm not the biggest Shamet fan from back when he was here in Philly. I hated that signing and I really hope he makes me feel otherwise.

I'm still not there yet with what the Suns traded for Durant but sometimes you have to swing for the fences. A championship would make it all worthwhile. It's hard to second guess trades when we don't see all the cards on the table. Apparently there were some crazy trade offers.

I watched more of Shai than Bridges so that is why I was leaning that way plus the Suns always seem to pass on the top point guards.

The Suns must have thought they saw more in Shamet than we did, perhaps hoping for a player like Jeff Hornacek.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yeah man. I actually thought he was the perfect fit for Philly and would've developed quicker. He has all the components you would covet. He is a victim of circumstance because 10 outta 10 times you have to trade him at his current stage for a KD.
I wasn't familiar as much with SGA back then but I was lowkey hoping we could work out a deal to acquire him if we ended up moving CP3.
I'm not the biggest Shamet fan from back when he was here in Philly. I hated that signing and I really hope he makes me feel otherwise.

With you on Shamet. Trade was fine, but doubling up on that three year contract never made sense to me.

 

[Sparky16]

I am a huge Bridges fan from college and thought he was a steal when we acquired him draft night. However, due to the construction of this team he wouldn't have had the time to assert himself fully at least for another year or possibly 2. He gets that opportunity in BKN.
Ayton was the #1 pick for a reason. He is a top tier C in the league despite how he is utilized. He is limited due to the offense more than ability. I personally would've been more upset losing him than Mikal. There are more Mikals in the league than Aytons. His potential and impact are higher to me and isn't as easily replaceable.
Okogie has basically replaced Mikal on this team with the same expected production, he just isn't as beloved.

Dude is lost 1/2 the time he is on the floor, fades away from contact for a sorry amount of FTs. He gets abused by below avg centers on the regular. He is NOT a top tier center, or he would have had restricted offers and or been appealing fro trades to others which he was not. #1 pick means squat 5 years later

 

[AzStevenCal]

I see where we differ. I have him on a Bam type level already with the difference being Bam being more of a priority offensively.

Sometimes I'm convinced Ayton is a full tier above Bam, other times I'm convinced Bam is clearly the better player. For the most part, I'd give the advantage to DA when they are both at their best, the advantage to Bam when they are at their worst and a slight edge to Bam on their so-so nights.

 

[GatorAZ]

Sometimes I'm convinced Ayton is a full tier above Bam, other times I'm convinced Bam is clearly the better player. For the most part, I'd give the advantage to DA when they are both at their best, the advantage to Bam when they are at their worst and a slight edge to Bam on their so-so nights.

DA is so rarely at his best that it makes this one easy. Bam’s understanding of the game is so superior to Ayton’s that it’s an easy call for me.

 

[Cheesebeef]

DA is so rarely at his best that it makes this one easy. Bam’s understanding of the game is so superior to Ayton’s that it’s an easy call for me.

Same.

 

[Big Al]

Dude is lost 1/2 the time he is on the floor, fades away from contact for a sorry amount of FTs. He gets abused by below avg centers on the regular. He is NOT a top tier center, or he would have had restricted offers and or been appealing fro trades to others which he was not. #1 pick means squat 5 years later

60

 

[Muggz]

For better or worse there is only one center we will go into the playoffs with THIS year.
Let him show us "Playoff Ayton" if that doesn't look like something were interested in and a worst case situation arises.
We move him for a player that fits better and recoup our 4 (hopefully useless) first rnd picks.

Hes not a top 3 center but hes not Ben Simons either.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Ayton has material impact on winning tho. He gets an exceptional amount of blame for losses for someone who either neutralizes the production of top tier big men or outplays them more often than not. He is not even remotely in his prime and is very polished. He is on a path to be dominant by the age of 26/27 and a linchpin on a championship caliber team as he grows with Booker entering his prime.
Where do you have Ayton ranked amongst Centers in the league?

I’m sorry, isn’t an accurate statement.

I agree that preferred trading bridges to Ayton as Ayton is more difficult to replace. But he does not equal or exceed the production of top tier big men “more often than not.”

He routinely gets beaten by embiid
He routinely gets beaten by giannis
He has early success against jokic, but gets beat pretty soundly by him now.
Capella tends to outplay him abd I don’t consider capella “top tier.”
I believe he holds his own against KAT
I’m guessing Bam is a wash, but that one doesn’t stand out to me.
He is better/wash with sabonis, but sabonis is a tier below most of the “top tier.”

He’s better than Gobert, but I don’t consider him a too big anymore. And porzingas is just a giant wing.

Allen, woods, and Vucevic are good, but far from “top tier.”

And then we have to determine how we define “big.” If it includes Davis when healthy, no. Zion when healthy, no.

It’s okay to say Ayton is important to this team and admit he’s not on the level of the top bigs in the league.