Cavaliers @ Suns Sunday game thread 1-8-2023

[Hoop Head]

Listening to the end of the game I'm hearing from Suns announcers that Phoenix is interested in bigger trades and think 10 day contracts don't bring much to the team.

How about this... show the fans someone cares about what is happening with the team.

I'm tired of the same old cliches and the Suns running in stealth mode.

I hope that bigger something is finding a new home for Paul from a team dumb enough to give up value for him. The Knicks are a possibility there. The Lakers don't have assets so I wouldn't even take their call. I'm not sure who would have picks or players that they'd part with but trading Paul is really the only bigger thing they can do outside of dealing a core piece like Book, Bridges, or Ayton. I'm not against trading Ayton or Bridges but its unlikely the Suns would receive equal value in a deal.

 

[Bufalay]

Time to stick a fork in this season.

If you factor in health, Ayton has been the Suns' best player. New leadership has to sit down with him and say, "Look, we were wrong to play games with you, you and Booker are our core guys." And then go from there.

CP37 has to go. Only half of his contract is guaranteed for next season, by which time he'll be CP38, so buy him out and move on. Lowball Johnson and dare another team to roll the dice on him, which they won't.

Package Bridges and filler for Ben Simmons, and make him the PG of the future. He might be the only player in the league who's more skittish offensively than Bridges is, but at least he's still a plus defender, and they're the same age. Draft a combo forward with range to pair with Johnson, assuming he sticks around.

The bench guys are mainly fine. No need to make major changes there. The goal is to get back to being a good team before Booker loses patience again. Booker/Ayton/Simmons/Johnson should be a good enough core for a low playoff seed, and then maybe you can land a marquee FA in 2024 (Siakam).

I agree with most of this except I'd prefer for the Suns to trade Ayton perhaps for irrational reasons (Luka). I've been saying they should trade for Simmons since the night they lost game 6 to the bucks.

 

[Covert Rain]

Time to stick a fork in this season.

If you factor in health, Ayton has been the Suns' best player. New leadership has to sit down with him and say, "Look, we were wrong to play games with you, you and Booker are our core guys." And then go from there.

CP37 has to go. Only half of his contract is guaranteed for next season, by which time he'll be CP38, so buy him out and move on. Lowball Johnson and dare another team to roll the dice on him, which they won't.

Package Bridges and filler for Ben Simmons, and make him the PG of the future. He might be the only player in the league who's more skittish offensively than Bridges is, but at least he's still a plus defender, and they're the same age. Draft a combo forward with range to pair with Johnson, assuming he sticks around.

The bench guys are mainly fine. No need to make major changes there. The goal is to get back to being a good team before Booker loses patience again. Booker/Ayton/Simmons/Johnson should be a good enough core for a low playoff seed, and then maybe you can land a marquee FA in 2024 (Siakam).

Ben Simmons? Why trade a guy who has been playing pretty damn well for you (until his recent struggles) for a guy with head issues that can't seem to get out of it? No thank you. You might as well throw Bridges away.

I agree with most of this except I'd prefer for the Suns to trade Ayton perhaps for irrational reasons (Luka). I've been saying they should trade for Simmons since the night they lost game 6 to the bucks.

Same comment. Ben Simmons for Ayton? So, basically trade away a head case for a head case. Except, unlike Ayton who has proven himself in the playoffs Simmons hasn't done jack. No thanks.

I am sure we can get more for Bridges and/or Ayton.

 

[leclerc]

I don't think we should trade away Ayton, but I'm all for sending out Chris Paul.

But why the hell did Monty sit on his hands in the start of the 4th when the Cavs pulled away? Haven't he heard of time outs? They don't have any value after the game. I started yelling at the TV and walked away disgusted.