Changes for Next Season?

[Mainstreet]

I'd like for the Suns to use both of their two-way spots next season.

Like with Luguentz Dort, sometimes a team can find an undrafted player that can make the roster.

 

[1Sun]

I don't think he had a lesson to learn there. We had a lot of weaknesses, far too many to expect perfect fixes for all of them in one offseason but he at least tried to address all of them. To varying degrees he succeeded in most of them but Saric dropping back to pre-bubble Dario and then getting injured took one of our most glaring weaknesses and magnified it.

Even with Saric playing at "Super Dario" levels, we still needed another big. And there were several opportunities to add one throughout the season at virtually no cost. As you so duly note, it was a glaring weakness before it became magnified. I am still flabbergasted that James Jones passed up repeated opportunities to address it. Hopefully he addresses it now.

 

[Finito]

I'd like for the Suns to use both of their two-way spots next season.

Like with Luguentz Dort, sometimes a team can find an undrafted player that can make the roster.

that’s really rare though. Even if they do chances are they aren’t going to be serious contributors on a championship caliber team right now.

 

[Mainstreet]

that’s really rare though. Even if they do chances are they aren’t going to be serious contributors on a championship caliber team right now.

These are cheap contracts and one never knows.

Although different, who would think we would snatch Cam Payne out of the G-League.

 

[mjb21aztd]

And Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson, and Nikola Jokic, and Rudy Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns, and James Wiseman.

Size still matters in the NBA. I hope James Jones has learned his lesson there.

He better have it cost him a title this yr... ugh that dumb dario injury

 

[1Sun]

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Good riddance.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Even with Saric playing at "Super Dario" levels, we still needed another big. And there were several opportunities to add one throughout the season at virtually no cost. As you so duly note, it was a glaring weakness before it became magnified. I am still flabbergasted that James Jones passed up repeated opportunities to address it. Hopefully he addresses it now.

Hardly. First off, we didn't see him at "Super Dario" levels this season except for spot minutes. Secondly, we lost in the Championships, it's not like we won 20 games and watched the playoffs from home. All teams have weaknesses, with a healthy Saric, our weakness was less of a weakness than almost any other team was looking at.

And what opportunities do you think he passed up? We have to have room and the player has to want to come here. We have no idea if there was a big man that would have earned good minutes with us that fit that description.

Lastly, on Saric. Despite the fact he wasn't up to his best this season we were 11-3 in playoff games he played in and 3-5 when he was out. That's a huge difference and probably would have been more than enough to carry us through that field. Obviously it wouldn't have been enough to carry us through a healthy field but his absence was clearly felt in that series.

 

[Raindog]

Didn't see this coming. I wonder why.

My guess is there is a better offer bubbling up somewhere else and he is striking while the iron is hot.

I'm not certain how much or how little he has had to do with the Suns recent success, but he is smart to take advantage before someone figures out he maybe hasn't had so much to do with it... if that's the case.

 

[Hoop Head]

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I can't find anything about Bowers leaving other than the generic comments he made thanking the Suns and city for his time here and the organization thanking him.

When he was signed it seemed like he was here as an experienced hand to help James Jones as he transitioned into his role as the head guy behind the scenes. Bowers has been noted as JJ's right hand man since then. I couldn't find any info on the contract he signed initially either.

Just guessing but it seems like a case of his job being finished, helping JJ get acclimated, and now JJ wants his own right hand man to bring in since Bowers was just a transitional hire.

 

[Mainstreet]

My guess is there is a better offer bubbling up somewhere else and he is striking while the iron is hot.

I'm not certain how much or how little he has had to do with the Suns recent success, but he is smart to take advantage before someone figures out he maybe hasn't had so much to do with it... if that's the case.

I'm waiting to see who the Suns hire to better evaluate the situation.

 

[JerkFace]

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A little surprised. I thought he would go for another young and upcoming coach (ala Green).

 

[1Sun]

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A little surprised. I thought he would go for another young and upcoming coach (ala Green).

Not a fan of his track record, but I have to think this is all about familiarity for/with Chris Paul...

 

[Mainstreet]

Flex From Jersey thinks the Suns are intent on getting bigger in the front court.

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[Finito]

Flex From Jersey thinks the Suns are intent on getting bigger in the front court.

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I mean if the story was James Jones doesn’t intend to add size then we need to be talking about a new GM.

 

[1Sun]

I mean if the story was James Jones doesn’t intend to add size then we need to be talking about a new GM.

Careful there. The need was every bit as obvious during the course of the season, and he did nothing to address it then...

 

[Mainstreet]

Careful there. The need was every bit as obvious during the course of the season, and he did nothing to address it then...

At least the Suns get a second chance this season. We shall see.

 

[1Sun]

At least the Suns get a second chance this season. We shall see.

You mean a third chance. The need was there the year before also, and James Jones thought Saric and Kaminsky were enough then as well...

 

[Folster]

I really like Noel or McGee for front court depth behind Ayton. Noel has a CP3 connection from OKC.

 

[1Sun]

I really like Noel or McGee for front court depth behind Ayton. Noel has a CP3 connection from OKC.

McGee was another big just there for the taking during the season, where no attempt was made to bring him here.

 

[AzStevenCal]

McGee was another big just there for the taking during the season, where no attempt was made to bring him here.

How do you know? Our front office is notoriously quiet about who they are pursuing so where'd you get this inside info?

 

[Folster]

McGee was another big just there for the taking during the season, where no attempt was made to bring him here.

I keep thinking about Baynes. Not sure he's worth pursuing at this point, but that guy could draw a charge. Would've been a huge asset against the Bucks. A few charges on Giannis could have changed the series. I can only recall Craig taking a charge on Giannis. Yeah he got wrecked but it was a flukey knee on knee hit.

 

[1Sun]

How do you know? Our front office is notoriously quiet about who they are pursuing so where'd you get this inside info?

Believe me, if any attempt was made, it would have been reported, if anything after the attempt was unsuccessful. In this case, no news is...no news.

 

[1Sun]

I keep thinking about Baynes. Not sure he's worth pursuing at this point, but that guy could draw a charge. Would've been a huge asset against the Bucks. A few charges on Giannis could have changed the series. I can only recall Craig taking a charge on Giannis. Yeah he got wrecked but it was a flukey knee on knee hit.

I think he is someone else we could have tried to acquire at the trade deadline for something like Carter and filler. He was reported to be on the trade block, and with our team having success, perhaps he would have welcomed a return.

 

[Hoop Head]

Believe me, if any attempt was made, it would have been reported, if anything after the attempt was unsuccessful. In this case, no news is...no news.

No, it wouldn't be reported. You're acting like McGee is a top tier player where every inquiry made about his availability is reported.

Based on how you're spinning it, the only free agents the Suns spoke with the ones they signed. Show me some articles of other FA's they talked to.

Was anyone talking about how we almost signed Torrey Craig last offseason? No, but based on everything said after we added him in February though we were very close to signing him around the time Crowder's signing was announced. There was literally no news about that though yet it happened.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Believe me, if any attempt was made, it would have been reported, if anything after the attempt was unsuccessful. In this case, no news is...no news.

That simply isn't true. Maybe it comes out after the fact if it reaches the negotiation stage but a lot of back channel stuff between agents and GMs never comes out.