Free Agency 2018

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I do not know how Kahwi could swing going to the Clippers. Look at that Clippers roster. Yikes. They have absolutely nothing.

Yeah it’s one of the single quickest non-lebron-related dismantling I can recall.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yeah, he's already in probably the safest place for him given his personality. But he knows So Cal and that's where he wants to be, he just doesn't want to be sought after by cameras and mics. I also suspect his uncle wants him there for the endorsement possibilities.

You’re so right.

And if he really wants none of the cameras and lights he’s going to wilt out here. He’s getting god awful advice. Who wants an introvert as their spokesman?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Word is that he does not want to play with LeBron though. I could easily see him leaving for the Clips after a year.

Now THAT would be glorious.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Franchising players isn't part of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement.

And I highly doubt it ever will be.

Who said it was? But if it ever came about it would only be due to collective bargaining.

 

[Phrazbit]

Who said it was? But if it ever came about it would only be due to collective bargaining.

I expressed my disdain of the idea of the franchise tag in the NBA and you said I didn't understand how collective bargaining works...

What was your point exactly?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I expressed my disdain of the idea of the franchise tag in the NBA and you said I didn't understand how collective bargaining works...

What was your point exactly?

Maybe I crossed signals. I thought you were saying you didn’t understand how a league could restrict movement of players.

 

[Phrazbit]

Maybe I crossed signals. I thought you were saying you didn’t understand how a league could restrict movement of players.

Yes.

Some posters are proposing an NFL style franchise tag as a solution, which I find revolting. I would hate being a great player and being trapped in Cleveland or Milwaukee, stuck on one year contracts until I get hurt or the team gets bored of me.

I think the easy solution is to get rid of max contacts and stop artificially deflating the salaries of superstars.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm guessing the Suns want absolutely nothing to do with bringing IT back in. He doesn't fit the identity that they are trying to build and he can be bad for team chemistry.

IMO, Isaiah Thomas gets an unfair rap about his time in Phoenix. Sure he wanted to start at PG but so did Dragic and Bledsoe. I see no harm in kicking the tires if the Suns so desire.

Here are some comments from McDonough about the matter in an Arizona Sports article in 2016.

Like any other general manager, the Phoenix Suns’ Ryan McDonough has won trades and lost them.

What if he could have one decision taken back?

“I think in retrospect trading Isaiah Thomas when we did was a mistake,” he said of last season’s trade deadline deal with the Boston Celtics. “I think sometimes in the recruitment process things sound better in July (luring Thomas in free agency) than they do in November.

“He wanted more, he wanted a bigger role and I understand why: He’s a talented player,” McDonough added. “In retrospect, we should have carried him into the summer. If there’s one (decision) that stands out, if I could get a mulligan, that’d be it.”

http://arizonasports.com/story/5644...e-mulligan-on-isaiah-thomas-trade-to-celtics/

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

IT gets an unfair rap about his time in Phoenix. Sure he wanted to start at PG but so did Dragic and Bledsoe. I see no harm in kicking the tires if the Suns so desire.

Here are some comments from McDonough about the matter in an Arizona Sports article in 2016.





http://arizonasports.com/story/5644...e-mulligan-on-isaiah-thomas-trade-to-celtics/

IT is a ballhog that doesn't play good defense. Absolutely not the type of player we need to be adding right now. If he was more of a willing passer I would be okay with bringing him in, but he is not.

“In retrospect, we should have carried him into the summer."

That sounds like he is just annoyed that he didn't get more from trading him.

 

[Mainstreet]

IT is a ballhog that doesn't play good defense. Absolutely not the type of player we need to be adding right now. If he was more of a willing passer I would be okay with bringing him in, but he is not.

“In retrospect, we should have carried him into the summer."

That sounds like he is just annoyed that he didn't get more from trading him.

Interpret it how you may, but McDonough thought trading IT when he did was a mistake. So he couldn't have been this huge chemistry problem you thought he was in Phoenix.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yes.

Some posters are proposing an NFL style franchise tag as a solution, which I find revolting. I would hate being a great player and being trapped in Cleveland or Milwaukee, stuck on one year contracts until I get hurt or the team gets bored of me.

I think the easy solution is to get rid of max contacts and stop artificially deflating the salaries of superstars.

But player movement limitations are crucial to the success of the league. That’s the reason a draft exists. You might hate being stuck in Cleveland on an individual basis, but I think you’d hate it more if the Cleveland team had to fold shop and there was one less club to pay you millions.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Interpret it how you may, but McDonough thought trading IT when he did was a mistake. So he couldn't have been this huge chemistry problem you thought he was in Phoenix.

He specifically stated that he wished he would have held onto him until the summer. That sounds very much like he just though he shouldn't have traded him when he did. Had he given him some time to shine as a scorer in the 2nd half of that season he likely could have gotten a lot more in a trade. I would be saying the same thing as him if the guy I just traded the previous season was now averaging 30 points.

All of this is moot though because those quotes are from years ago and as of right now he doesn't make much sense because we are clearly valuing defensive versatility and he takes that away when he is on the court.

 

[Mainstreet]

He specifically stated that he wished he would have held onto him until the summer. That sounds very much like he just though he shouldn't have traded him when he did. Had he given him some time to shine as a scorer in the 2nd half of that season he likely could have gotten a lot more in a trade. I would be saying the same thing as him if the guy I just traded the previous season was now averaging 30 points.

All of this is moot though because those quotes are from years ago and as of right now he doesn't make much sense because we are clearly valuing defensive versatility and he takes that away when he is on the court.

I pointed out the situation with IT in Phoenix wasn't as bad as you might have thought in terms of team chemistry.

I'm not pushing for the Suns to bring back IT but I'm willing to keep an open mind about it.

It's not a moot issue because IT is a free agent.

Did you feel the same about Knight a couple of seasons ago when he didn't want to come back to play near the end of the season? And how about now?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I pointed out the situation with IT in Phoenix wasn't as bad as you might have thought in terms of team chemistry.

I'm not pushing for the Suns to bring back IT but I'm willing to keep an open mind about it.

It's not a moot issue because IT is a free agent.

Did you feel the same about Knight a couple of seasons ago when he didn't want to come back to play near the end of the season?

I had a lot more hope for Knight back when we traded for him (even after he looked pretty bad for the remainder of that season). I do believe that at least from a defensive standpoint he makes more sense right now than IT (even if IT is the better all around player). Though I would much rather make a trade for a better defensive PG. Of guys that might be available I think Beverly would be a good option.

 

[Mainstreet]

I had a lot more hope for Knight back when we traded for him (even after he looked pretty bad for the remainder of that season). I do believe that at least from a defensive standpoint he makes more sense right now than IT (even if IT is the better all around player). Though I would much rather make a trade for a better defensive PG. Of guys that might be available I think Beverly would be a good option.

The Suns need a PG. All I'm saying let's keep an open mind about IT. At Least the Suns received a first round pick for him. The Suns have been in debt purgatory with Knight.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

The Suns need a PG. All I'm saying let's keep an open mind about IT. At Least the Suns received a first round pick for him. The Suns have been in debt purgatory with Knight.

I just can't see IT as a viable option because of his weaknesses and that is a big part of the reason that he is still a free agent. I would honestly prefer to roll with what we have then to bring him in.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

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Seems like a better fit with them.

 

[Hoop Head]

IMO, Isaiah Thomas gets an unfair rap about his time in Phoenix. Sure he wanted to start at PG but so did Dragic and Bledsoe. I see no harm in kicking the tires if the Suns so desire.

Here are some comments from McDonough about the matter in an Arizona Sports article in 2016.





http://arizonasports.com/story/5644...e-mulligan-on-isaiah-thomas-trade-to-celtics/

I wouldn't let that McD quote influence my thinking at all. Since Knight is still a Sun, McD can't come out and say the Lakers pick for Knight trade is the worst deal he's made. If he did say that, he'd be the dumbest GM in all of sports because you don't come out and say you think acquiring a current player on your team was the worst move you made. Especially when that player has 2-3 years left on their contract at a fairly high price. Maybe he truly does think the IT trade is worse but since there are a number of deals he can't really be honest about right now, I wouldn't put much stock in that being the truth.

Now I am open to bringing back IT. I've floated that idea out there before. One thing IT has been since he left here is a winner. He helped the Celtics make the playoffs every year he was there. Prior to his arrival they weren't a playoff team. They weren't even a lock for the playoffs the year he arrived there but he helped get them there. His defense isn't good but they found ways to hide him on the Celtics. Stevens is a great coach but I don't think he's the only coach that can find a way to play good team defense with IT on the floor. Maybe Igor can and maybe Igor can't but there's only one way to find out and if it's just a one year deal, there's not much risk. Everybody accepted the Ariza deal because even if it wasn't a good fit, it's only a year. IT is younger than Ariza and a much better offensive player. He actually fills a need here as well. If he's a problem in the locker room or on the floor, waive him.

 

[GatorAZ]

IT will probably play really well for Orlando but I don’t want him near this team. You can’t have two alpha/closers in the same backcourt. IT is also maybe the worst defender in the league and that was before the hip injury. It makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[AzStevenCal]

IT will probably play really well for Orlando but I don’t want him near this team. You can’t have two alpha/closers in the same backcourt. IT is also maybe the worst defender in the league and that was before the hip injury. It makes no sense whatsoever.

I might consider taking the IT gamble if he hadn't had that injury but I really want to stay away from known medical issues.

 

[Proximo]

The Suns need a PG. All I'm saying let's keep an open mind about IT. At Least the Suns received a first round pick for him. The Suns have been in debt purgatory with Knight.

He is not a pg, he is an undersized shooting guard.

We don't need him.

 

[GatorAZ]

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[Cheesebeef]

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and yet, they balked at giving Harden 4 years 60 million back in the day and decided to trade him instead of stretching Kendrick Perkins contract. Still goes down as the most monumental mistake in modern NBA history.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

and yet, they balked at giving Harden 4 years 60 million back in the day and decided to trade him instead of stretching Kendrick Perkins contract. Still goes down as the most monumental mistake in modern NBA history.

They likely would have won a title with that core and the Warriors dynasty might not even exist right now.

 

[Phrazbit]

But player movement limitations are crucial to the success of the league. That’s the reason a draft exists. You might hate being stuck in Cleveland on an individual basis, but I think you’d hate it more if the Cleveland team had to fold shop and there was one less club to pay you millions.

I'm not opposed to the draft and I think the current system of players not hitting free agency until their 4th or 5th season (when they've probably established their true value and their original club has a chance to move them if it's clear the player doesn't want to stay) is totally fair. But a club being able to claim a player perpetually, like how a franchise tag works, would be BS.