Depth Problem and Trades

[azirish]

One of the problems the Suns face in examining trades is that they have so little usable depth. Most "popular" trade scenerios end up leaving the Suns with no depth and no way to deal with it.

Let me take one proposal. Trade Marion, Thomas, Barbosa and picks for Garnett. From a "value" standpoing, it makes sense. KG is really that good and there is no doubt that teaming Amare, Nash and KG would be incredible.

So go for it? Not so fast.

The lineup the Suns would have is:

KG, Stoudemire, Jones, Bell, and Nash

OK, looks good, but then who comes off the bench? Diaw and...

Even if you assume the Suns can sign Hill and it is hardly a sure thing, it is still not much of a bench. There would be no backup PG even at the level of Leandro and very little offense off the bench. Without Hill, the rotation would have to include Banks, Pike or some minimum salary guys.

This is not a knock on the value of KG, but rather the core issue that comes from not developing trading pieces. I'm not dumping on the Suns for not wanting to put effort into developing guys they don't believe in. But there is no doubt that it really limits what they can do from a trade standpoint.

When the Suns traded Hornacek, Lang, and Perry for Barkley; they had not stripped the team bare. Some of the guys they had remaining on their roster included: KJ, Majerle, Chambers, Ceballos, West, Negele Knight, and Jerrod Mustaf. Plus, they had the where with all to add Oliver Miller, Richard Dumas, and Danny Ainge.

This was before I moved to Phoenix so I don't remember how all this came together. But it seems obvious that they have a lot more usable depth 92-93 than anything this year's team projects even after they made a three for one trade.

I'm not sure what can be done about the depth problem. It is compounded by the Suns current LT problem. But any trade proposal has to look at the resulting rotation and not just the starting lineup.

 

[Covert Rain]

Depth is important no doubt. However, depth becomes more important the less talent you have in your starting lineup. This team would have 3 legit Stars in the starting lineup. Again, not saying depth wouldn't be important but with that starting lineup you wouldn't need as much depth.

Hill would be a huge help. You could sign almost any other free agent, draft a guy late and I would still think it would probably be enough with those 3.

 

[PhxGametime]

IMO maybe he's not a fit currently but with Garnett and Diaw on roster, Banks becomes a rotation player and I really don't want to look all over the Garnett Trade Thread but I doubt the Suns would Trade Marion, Barbosa, Thomas, and their two 1st Rounders for Garnett. Even if thats the price set, make a 1st Rounder a future 1st...


Garnett, Stoudemire, Diaw, Bell, Nash

Jones, Banks, #24 or #29


Right there you're one 3rd-4th Level bigman away going into Free Agency with a roster spot available with FA's lining up for minutes on Championship Title frontrunners... you could always Draft a SG (Draft's strength around lower 1st) and be set 1-3 and have four players that can play the 5 in the Suns system.

 

[HooverDam]

Well here would be my ideal offseason:

Trade Banks, James Jones and the 29 pick to Charlotte for Walter Herrmann. The Suns get a back up SF that is better than James Jones, they move Banks, and they save some money.

Sign Grant Hill.

Use the 24 pick to draft the best PG available unless there is a non PG who is obviously better.

That gives the Suns:

Nash/24
Bell/Barbosa
Hill/Herrmann
Marion/Diaw
Amare/KT

Thats pretty damned impressive is you ask me. Its perhaps lacking in the are of another SG type who can just jack up the three (and Eddie House type, or Casey Jacobsen if he could shoot). Though honestly Eric Piatkowski can fill that role fairly well.

Obviously w/ a rookie back up PG, thats not the best situation in the real world, but in recent years there have been a lot of young PGs doing well, hopefully the Suns fan find another. When Nash isn't on the court, the Suns could use Hill, Diaw and Barbosa together, all who are excellent passers and could do a PG by committee sort of thing.

 

[Folster]

With Nash, Amare, and KG on the same team it wouldn't really matter who else filled out the roster. Any player D'Antoni plays with those three won't be guarded. It will be lay-up drills and practice j's for the bench. Pat Burke would look like an All Star.

 

[dodie53]

free agents especially veterans that is near the end of their careers would want to join a suns team that features the trio of nash, amare and KG..
but, the suns should sign only the players that can be of any help..

 

[boisesuns]

Who is coming off the bench right now? Diantoni won't play the bench much more if we have those three starting.