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Hoop Head

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Since FA starts before they need to make a decision on Williams I think that works in his favor. I believe players can only agree to verbal deals in that first week but virtually all big name free agents do come to terms on a deal in those first couple of days. So the Suns should know whether they need that cap space or not by the time his contract needs to be guaranteed. Not ideal for him but he signed the deal knowing what could happen.

I'm not deadset on letting him go either. I would be surprised if he's retained though. I think they can spend the money a bit more wisely but it's questionable if they'll be able to do that.
 

Mainstreet

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Chriss was reportedly offered for trade on draft night.

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CardsSunsDbacks

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Chriss was reportedly offered for trade on draft night.

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Hope it's not true. I am starting to lean heavily towards Chriss having a better career than Bender. I would like to see both stick around until at least the trade deadline to see which one steps up.
 

Mainstreet

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Hope it's not true. I am starting to lean heavily towards Chriss having a better career than Bender. I would like to see both stick around until at least the trade deadline to see which one steps up.

I thought Chriss came around towards the end of last season as well. However, I keep hearing he is a trade candidate for the Suns. It's not usually a direct reference but nevertheless the nuance is there.

Let's hope Igor gives him an opportunity.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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I thought Chriss came around towards the end of last season as well. However, I keep hearing he is a trade candidate for the Suns. It's not usually a direct reference but nevertheless the nuance is there.

Let's hope Igor gives him an opportunity.
Yeah, hopefully he at least stays on the team through SL. That way Igor can have a chance to see both Chriss and Bender in action before the team decides who to move on from.

I would just hate to give up on one too early and it come back to bite us.

TBF though I think it has more to do with fit on offense. Bender's propensity for staying out at the 3 and knocking down a good percentage likely makes him a better fit with Ayton on offense.
 

Mainstreet

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Yeah, hopefully he at least stays on the team through SL. That way Igor can have a chance to see both Chriss and Bender in action before the team decides who to move on from.

I would just hate to give up on one too early and it come back to bite us.

TBF though I think it has more to do with fit on offense. Bender's propensity for staying out at the 3 and knocking down a good percentage likely makes him a better fit with Ayton on offense.

I think your last paragraph may be accurate. Bender can be a stretch 4 or possibly a 4/5 somewhere down the line.

McDonough and Igor may have already formed some opinions watching Chriss play last season.
 

Hoop Head

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I thought Chriss came around towards the end of last season as well. However, I keep hearing he is a trade candidate for the Suns. It's not usually a direct reference but nevertheless the nuance is there.

Let's hope Igor gives him an opportunity.

Somebody's name will be mentioned as a trade option and I'd rather it be Chriss than Warren. Those are the only 2 guys who may have value around the league outside of who we consider untouchable. I would imagine Bender has some similar value but if we had to choose between Bender and Chriss, Bender makes more sense to keep because of his style of play.

I think Warren will be available in trade talks but putting his name out there could only hurt our chemistry. I don't want to see another Marion situation at this point. Until we see Bridges play with Jackson, we shouldn't rush the idea that TJ is now expendable.
 

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I would hate to see the Suns give up on Chriss already. He can an be extremely frustrating player to watch, but his physical tools still leave so much for potential. I think the real issue with him obviously is attitude, optimistic that the new staff can light a fire in him. He can be a tremendous rebounder/shot blocker next to Ayton. If we were to trade him I think we would regret it.

Warren is the one who should be moved. He's extremely one dimensional, and brings nothing to the table that JJ and Bridges can't. Chriss and Bender are 4/5's while Warren is clearly a 3.
 

Phrazbit

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I would hate to see the Suns give up on Chriss already. He can an be extremely frustrating player to watch, but his physical tools still leave so much for potential. I think the real issue with him obviously is attitude, optimistic that the new staff can light a fire in him. He can be a tremendous rebounder/shot blocker next to Ayton. If we were to trade him I think we would regret it.

Warren is the one who should be moved. He's extremely one dimensional, and brings nothing to the table that JJ and Bridges can't. Chriss and Bender are 4/5's while Warren is clearly a 3.

Well... I am far from being one of Warren's heroes, but he is actually productive. Chriss and Bender are currently no dimensional. I don't want to give them up for beans, because they cost so little and maaaaybe they'll find themselves. But Warren similarly shouldn't be disposed of cheaply, because he's actually shown he can be a productive player, something few guys on the roster have proven.
 

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Well... I am far from being one of Warren's heroes, but he is actually productive. Chriss and Bender are currently no dimensional. I don't want to give them up for beans, because they cost so little and maaaaybe they'll find themselves. But Warren similarly shouldn't be disposed of cheaply, because he's actually shown he can be a productive player, something few guys on the roster have proven.

I agree, Warren is a proven scorer and I think he should have good value. My concern would be trading Chriss or Bender when their value probably couldn't be lower then it currently is. Warren shouldn't be traded for nothing... my only point was he's the one I would consider expendable.
 

sunsfan88

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I would hate to see the Suns give up on Chriss already. He can an be extremely frustrating player to watch, but his physical tools still leave so much for potential. I think the real issue with him obviously is attitude, optimistic that the new staff can light a fire in him. He can be a tremendous rebounder/shot blocker next to Ayton. If we were to trade him I think we would regret it.

Warren is the one who should be moved. He's extremely one dimensional, and brings nothing to the table that JJ and Bridges can't. Chriss and Bender are 4/5's while Warren is clearly a 3.
Chriss has a lot of Markieff Morris in his personality and in his game. Obviously more athletic than Morris but otherwise similar.

I would trade him if we can get a late 1st out of it or a starting caliber PG in return.

Bender showed he can hit the 3 well and has shown flashes of being a good rim protector and perimeter defender in short spurts so he’s the more ideal fit next to Ayton anyway.
 

ColdPickleNachos

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Bender showed he can hit the 3 well and has shown flashes of being a good rim protector and perimeter defender in short spurts so he’s the more ideal fit next to Ayton anyway.

That, to me, is probably the best argument for Bender over Chriss. IF he develops, Bender is an almost perfect fit next to Ayton: seven footer who can switch on defense, space the floor, and throw great entry passes.
 

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Chriss is so frustrating because he seems to have Markieff's attitude but paired with Stromile Swift's game. He's crazy athletic but hasn't really found a way to apply that to being a basketball player outside of being 6'9 or 6'10. Maybe saying he's like Markieff is going a little too far because it doesn't seem like he lashes out so much as he just comes across as a malcontent.

I can see why some wanted him traded but I think we should hold off as long as we can this year to see if the new staff can get something out of him. If they aren't high on him though, I'm fine with moving on. I know he was a project entering the league but he's regressed since his rookie season, which isn't a good sign. We shouldn't wait for more than another season to see if he becomes something. Try to move him at the deadline, maybe, if he can rebuild some of his value but the coaches don't think he'll be much more than he is.
 

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Chriss is so frustrating because he seems to have Markieff's attitude but paired with Stromile Swift's game. He's crazy athletic but hasn't really found a way to apply that to being a basketball player outside of being 6'9 or 6'10. Maybe saying he's like Markieff is going a little too far because it doesn't seem like he lashes out so much as he just comes across as a malcontent.

I can see why some wanted him traded but I think we should hold off as long as we can this year to see if the new staff can get something out of him. If they aren't high on him though, I'm fine with moving on. I know he was a project entering the league but he's regressed since his rookie season, which isn't a good sign. We shouldn't wait for more than another season to see if he becomes something. Try to move him at the deadline, maybe, if he can rebuild some of his value but the coaches don't think he'll be much more than he is.

It's hard to judge some of these kids to this point as well, I mean we've been TRYING to lose for their entire NBA career.... that in itself could hinder ones development. This being Chriss and Bender's 3rd year in the league on a pretty talented team that I hope will be trying to at least get the 8th seed in the west..... maybe we will see some growth. I wouldn't trade either of them until we at least see how they respond to the new staff and how they have matured this off season.
 

SirStefan32

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Chriss was on the market during the draft, and there were no takers. I'd imagine Bender has the same value. I am more of a Bender fan, but I really don't see the point of trading Chriss anyway. He costs next to nothing, he is very young. There is nothing to be gained by trading him now, even if they could find a taker.
 

SirStefan32

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That, to me, is probably the best argument for Bender over Chriss. IF he develops, Bender is an almost perfect fit next to Ayton: seven footer who can switch on defense, space the floor, and throw great entry passes.

Not only that, but two-way stretch fours are rare. While Bender has a long way to go, he has shown good defensive instincts. I am fairly certain he contested more shots than anyone else on the team last year. He is still a little late on rotations but he knows where he needs to rotate and where he needs to be. Even with a mini shooting slump, he finished the year at almost 37% from the three, and it was obvious his shot improved. His form was not nearly as flat after the first couple of months. He also showed flashes of putting the ball on the floor and taking it to the hoop, however infrequently. What I found promising was that at the end of the season, he actually did a very good job rebounding. He averaged over 10 rebounds per game in the last five games. Right now, he can shoot well, defend well enough, and pass the ball well. He needs to get better at everything, but if he can shoot, defend, pass, and rebound, he is going to be a good player. He just needs to be more confident and aggressive. It's also interesting that Igor hired Dragan's former teammate as his assistant. I don't think that's a coincidence.
 

AzStevenCal

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Chriss was on the market during the draft, and there were no takers. I'd imagine Bender has the same value. I am more of a Bender fan, but I really don't see the point of trading Chriss anyway. He costs next to nothing, he is very young. There is nothing to be gained by trading him now, even if they could find a taker.

On the surface, this is true and it's the way I look at it too. But who knows what's gone on away from the spotlight? As for no trade interest, we only know he was made available. We have no idea what kind of value we put on him as we floated offers. If we were targeting Doncic or Young, as many believe, would his name really be a difference maker to any of the teams drafting that early?
 

SirStefan32

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On the surface, this is true and it's the way I look at it too. But who knows what's gone on away from the spotlight? As for no trade interest, we only know he was made available. We have no idea what kind of value we put on him as we floated offers. If we were targeting Doncic or Young, as many believe, would his name really be a difference maker to any of the teams drafting that early?

Valid points.
 

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The market now is different than it was during the draft. Chriss by himself with a late pick or two wasn’t worth as much during the draft, but package him with Warren along with future picks that may be mid-firsts and maybe people will listen now.
 

Mainstreet

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Somebody's name will be mentioned as a trade option and I'd rather it be Chriss than Warren. Those are the only 2 guys who may have value around the league outside of who we consider untouchable. I would imagine Bender has some similar value but if we had to choose between Bender and Chriss, Bender makes more sense to keep because of his style of play.

I think Warren will be available in trade talks but putting his name out there could only hurt our chemistry. I don't want to see another Marion situation at this point. Until we see Bridges play with Jackson, we shouldn't rush the idea that TJ is now expendable.

I agree about Warren and even Chriss. If the Suns trade either it should be worthwhile. Warren will always be a solid bench player and I think we may be giving up too early on Chriss.

The problem as I view it, Chriss and Bender both play the same position. As such, the Suns will go with who best fits their needs. This does not mean Chriss will not develop into a solid NBA player for a team that is willing to commit to him as a player.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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That, to me, is probably the best argument for Bender over Chriss. IF he develops, Bender is an almost perfect fit next to Ayton: seven footer who can switch on defense, space the floor, and throw great entry passes.
One could argue that Chriss’ rim protection capabilities fits better next to Ayton. He is also a good enough 3 point shooter to believe he could become good from there. With similar three point shooting ability I think Chriss would likely be the better fit.
 

ColdPickleNachos

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One could argue that Chriss’ rim protection capabilities fits better next to Ayton. He is also a good enough 3 point shooter to believe he could become good from there. With similar three point shooting ability I think Chriss would likely be the better fit.

I think Chriss is potentially a good fit next to Ayton as well (especially on defense), but he has a long way to go on 3 point shooting. His percentage from 3 was worse than Lonzo Ball's last year and he was barely better than Ulis from long range.

The thing that really excites me about Bender with Ayton is his passing. It makes such a difference for centers when they are put in the right position to excel, and a power forward with great interior passing can be a real asset.
 

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One could argue that Chriss’ rim protection capabilities fits better next to Ayton. He is also a good enough 3 point shooter to believe he could become good from there. With similar three point shooting ability I think Chriss would likely be the better fit.
Completely disagree on that. Bender is the much better fit because of two things: stretch 4 and defense.

Chriss doesn’t fit with Ayton because two similar players clogging the lane won’t work. Let alone Chriss’ inability to play defense.
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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Completely disagree on that. Bender is the much better fit because of two things: stretch 4 and defense.

Chriss doesn’t fit with Ayton because two similar players clogging the lane won’t work. Let alone Chriss’ inability to play defense.
We are seeing two different things because to me Chriss has way more defensive potential and ability.
 
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