Free Agency 2018

[JCSunsfan]

With Ayton Suns will need time. More than a year for playoffs, I don't think Booker is ok with that. On the other hand you have Capela, the numbers speak for themselves and plays elite defense. Plus, he's 23 and has the best playing years ahead. You must pay for that, I guess. It can be that Capela is for the case Suns are not getting Ayton but for me it's more likely this way Booker - Jackson - Doncic - Capela plus I don't know who

Love the GSP, btw. Does he/she work birds?

 

[rocker]

Love the GSP, btw. Does he/she work birds?

No, but he shure looks like a bird dog. He's a mix of dalmatian mother and brown labrador.

 

[JCSunsfan]

No, but he shure looks like a bird dog. He's a mix of dalmatian mother and brown labrador.

Ha. He looks like a German Shorthair.

 

[Krangodnzr]

The question I have is:

Is Capella worth as much as Draymond Green? I know they are different players, but neither are great scorers and both have tremendous value based on other attributes.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The question I have is:

Is Capella worth as much as Draymond Green? I know they are different players, but neither are great scorers and both have tremendous value based on other attributes.

Hmm obviously not as versatile, but offers more rim protection. I don’t think he’s as valuable as draymond. Draymond may be the most unique player in the game.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Draymond is way more valuable I think. He's not a great scorer but he has respectable range and is an above average passer and can facilitate the offense in a pinch.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Hmm obviously not as versatile, but offers more rim protection. I don’t think he’s as valuable as draymond. Draymond may be the most unique player in the game.

I thought as much. I love the idea of going Capella and one of the PGs, but the question is....is Ayton going to be so good that his value trumps a Capella/Doncic pairing? Is Ayton/Payton or Ayton/Van Vleet better than Doncic/Capella? It may not be and the Suns may go Doncic just for this reasoning. I think Morey might blink if a the Suns threw 25 million per year at Capella. He is known as a value shopper.

 

[overseascardfan]

I thought as much. I love the idea of going Capella and one of the PGs, but the question is....is Ayton going to be so good that his value trumps a Capella/Doncic pairing? Is Ayton/Payton or Ayton/Van Vleet better than Doncic/Capella? It may not be and the Suns may go Doncic just for this reasoning. I think Morey might blink if a the Suns threw 25 million per year at Capella. He is known as a value shopper.

We'll have to see how HOU does against GS. If they can't get past GS or look bad in the series maybe Morey goes after a huge 4th piece like LeBron. You may say they can't afford LeBron buy look how GS fit their Big 4 and the rest of their roster in their payroll, it can be done, someone might be willing to take less now for maybe a year or two and then get the money back on their next contract like Durant. If Morey wants to go big then obviously Capella is going to hit the market without any strings attached.

Ironically, PHX along with a lot of other teams passed on Capela in the draft a few years ago.

 

[Krangodnzr]

It kind of sucks that free agency is after the draft. I like the NFL model better because teams know going into the draft the major needs they have. The Suns could be planning Doncic and Capella and then lose out on going Ayton and Payton because they select Doncic instead of Ayton thinking they are going to get Capella when he just resigns with Houston.

I'm at a point that I'm good with either Doncic or Ayton because I believe those two are the most likely to be superstars. And after that it's Trae Young because he could be a Steph Curry type PG. Not a huge Bagley fan, but he would be my fourth choice just because I do think he will be a borderline all star or all star most of his career while the other three could be special. After that I'm not really in love with any of the other prospects though they do all have their merits.

As I've stated, in another thread I'm actually leaning Doncic a lot just because I see how much he will impact the overall game. He can score a bit, pass, and rebound, whereas I only think Ayton is going to be a double-double machine. Here is another question: If Doncic is Magic-like and Ayton is Robinson-like, who would you rather have in their prime? Magic or Robinson? I'd go Magic.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm a little concerned that McD might try to sign Isaiah Thomas. I'm not sure how IT views the Suns but if he got paid I'm sure he'd be open to coming here. I don't think any teams will give him a max deal, like he expected from Boston before being traded, but he will get a big contract. I'm a little torn because he can be a really good PG but I don't think he'd compliment Booker's game and on defense he's awful. He did help push the Celtics into the playoffs every year that he was there and even the Lakers played well when he was there this last season but he couldn't make it work with the Cavs. We know he wouldn't accept a 6th man role so I'd rather not role the dice on him but we'll see what happens. It wouldn't surprise me if we do end up linked to him before FA starts though.

 

[Phrazbit]

I'm a little concerned that McD might try to sign Isaiah Thomas. I'm not sure how IT views the Suns but if he got paid I'm sure he'd be open to coming here. I don't think any teams will give him a max deal, like he expected from Boston before being traded, but he will get a big contract. I'm a little torn because he can be a really good PG but I don't think he'd compliment Booker's game and on defense he's awful. He did help push the Celtics into the playoffs every year that he was there and even the Lakers played well when he was there this last season but he couldn't make it work with the Cavs. We know he wouldn't accept a 6th man role so I'd rather not role the dice on him but we'll see what happens. It wouldn't surprise me if we do end up linked to him before FA starts though.

I doubt we pursue him and I'm sure he won't get much on his next deal. No one is going to offer him a multi year deal unless they get team options.

I'm guessing he signs a 1 year like 10 million dollar deal with a team well below the cap.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It kind of sucks that free agency is after the draft. I like the NFL model better because teams know going into the draft the major needs they have. The Suns could be planning Doncic and Capella and then lose out on going Ayton and Payton because they select Doncic instead of Ayton thinking they are going to get Capella when he just resigns with Houston.

I'm at a point that I'm good with either Doncic or Ayton because I believe those two are the most likely to be superstars. And after that it's Trae Young because he could be a Steph Curry type PG. Not a huge Bagley fan, but he would be my fourth choice just because I do think he will be a borderline all star or all star most of his career while the other three could be special. After that I'm not really in love with any of the other prospects though they do all have their merits.

As I've stated, in another thread I'm actually leaning Doncic a lot just because I see how much he will impact the overall game. He can score a bit, pass, and rebound, whereas I only think Ayton is going to be a double-double machine. Here is another question: If Doncic is Magic-like and Ayton is Robinson-like, who would you rather have in their prime? Magic or Robinson? I'd go Magic.

I like it this way. Draft for talent. Use free agency to fill holes. Doing the opposite way would be much more difficult.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I'm a little concerned that McD might try to sign Isaiah Thomas. I'm not sure how IT views the Suns but if he got paid I'm sure he'd be open to coming here. I don't think any teams will give him a max deal, like he expected from Boston before being traded, but he will get a big contract. I'm a little torn because he can be a really good PG but I don't think he'd compliment Booker's game and on defense he's awful. He did help push the Celtics into the playoffs every year that he was there and even the Lakers played well when he was there this last season but he couldn't make it work with the Cavs. We know he wouldn't accept a 6th man role so I'd rather not role the dice on him but we'll see what happens. It wouldn't surprise me if we do end up linked to him before FA starts though.

I don't think so. There is a reason the Suns were willing to part with IT for what they did. There is a reason Boston traded him. There is a reason Cleveland traded him.

 

[Hoop Head]

I don't think so. There is a reason the Suns were willing to part with IT for what they did. There is a reason Boston traded him. There is a reason Cleveland traded him.

They got the trade with the Celtics in place because Goran wanted him out of here. They went through with it even after Goran wanted out still because McD was a young GM who had a history with Boston and the relationship with IT was strained. I wouldn't rule it out completely but I think it's unlikely to happen.

He was traded by Boston because they didn't want to pay him max money and they had the chance to get Kyrie whose age is more in line with their other young core players so their window would be open longer. Cleveland dealt him because Lebron couldn't work with him, which is another issue entirely. The Cavs were a mess this year and IT wasn't the worse piece there. They even traded away Dewayne Wade despite him being a solid veteran presence off the bench and friends with Lebron. IT has skill but very few coaches could get what Stevens got out of him, and I don't think Igor can do that so I'd be against bringing him in, even if were a 1 year rental.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think the only way the Suns consider bringing back IT is on a 1 year deal if they do not add a starting PG and the price tag drops.

I think the reason IT has moved around a lot is because of injury concerns starting when he was with the Celtics.

Here is a link to an good article about the situation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-lakers/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.b4a14dfae07c


Hopefully IT's career is on the way up after having successsful hip surgery in March.

 

[Phrazbit]

I kinda like the guy, but...

He's had the team that drafted him let him walk for a really small contract, and in the 3 years of that small contract he has played on FOUR different teams... and had a serious hip injury.

Thomas is not getting big money on his next deal. I flat out guarantee it. At best, I think he could get like a 17 million ONE year contract. Realistically... I suspect he signs for 10 mil on a team that he knows he will start for... if healthy... and I'd give it 50/50 he fails his physical.

 

[Hoop Head]

I kinda like the guy, but...

He's had the team that drafted him let him walk for a really small contract, and in the 3 years of that small contract he has played on FOUR different teams... and had a serious hip injury.

Thomas is not getting big money on his next deal. I flat out guarantee it. At best, I think he could get like a 17 million ONE year contract. Realistically... I suspect he signs for 10 mil on a team that he knows he will start for... if healthy... and I'd give it 50/50 he fails his physical.

That is pretty much how I feel about him. I enjoy watching him play, he plays with a lot of heart, and he's a competitor but there's just something about him that makes me not want to see him on the Suns again. I don't think he's a cancer because his Boston teammates speak very highly of him. Not getting along with Lebron is not that much of a surprise, Kyrie didn't get along with him either. If he were to accept a 6th man role he could be one of the best in league but if he were to accept a role like that he wouldn't be the player who got him to the levels he's reached, it's odd. He finished in the top 5 in MVP voting a year ago and now he's going to have to bust his ass to prove he's worth a long term contract. There's a chance he won't start the season as a starter also, which seems odd. I fully expect he'll earn a starting job before the year is up though.

His injuries don't worry me as much as what happened that got him shipped out of Boston and then given away by Cleveland. The Cavs traded him as an expiring contract. IT, Frye, and their own 1st for for Clarkson and Nance, and Clarkson is on a big contract the Lakers were willing to give away so they could clear cap space. If the Lakers made that offer to Boston last season, Ainge would have blocked the Lakers phone number. There's no way they would have traded him for Clarkson's bad contract and a soft tweener forward in Nance, plus throwing in a pick? Not a chance. Boston could have played hardball with him this summer when his contract expired. They could have resigned him for a fair price, probably a Bledsoe type contract. He could take that or find somewhere that will pay him, but no one was giving him max money.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Any thoughts on Elfrid Payton? I think it probably makes sense to extend the QO to him. It is very doubtful he signs it. If we need to make the cap space, we can rescind it. But we also then have the option to get an asset back in a sign and trade.

Hoopshype has the top FA pg's listed as

1. Chris Paul
2. IT
3. Elfrid
4. Rondo
5. VanVleet
6. Lin
7. Teodosic
8. Napier

Its a debatable list, but the fact is that we have control of one of the better point guards on the market (such as it is). I would think we would want to work that.

 

[Mainstreet]

Any thoughts on Elfrid Payton? I think it probably makes sense to extend the QO to him. It is very doubtful he signs it. If we need to make the cap space, we can rescind it. But we also then have the option to get an asset back in a sign and trade.

Hoopshype has the top FA pg's listed as

1. Chris Paul
2. IT
3. Elfrid
4. Rondo
5. VanVleet
6. Lin
7. Teodosic
8. Napier

Its a debatable list, but the fact is that we have control of one of the better point guards on the market (such as it is). I would think we would want to work that.

Hopefully the Suns have kept in contact with Payton. Still no word on the haircut though. I think he is a much better player if he has unobstructed vision.

 

[Superbone]

Hopefully the Suns have kept in contact with Payton. Still no word on the haircut though. I think he is a much better player if he has unobstructed vision.

Who wouldn't be?

 

[Mainstreet]

Who wouldn't be?

This is a question that needs to be answered. I think he can be a much better player than he showed with the Suns.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Hopefully the Suns have kept in contact with Payton. Still no word on the haircut though. I think he is a much better player if he has unobstructed vision.

No word? He cut it. I don't doubt that.

Funny, I was looking at some video of Payton playing this year, and the entire time he was on the court he had his head tilted back so he could see under his hair. I had not noticed that it was a continual thing before.

 

[Mainstreet]

No word? He cut it. I don't doubt that.

Funny, I was looking at some video of Payton playing this year, and the entire time he was on the court he had his head tilted back so he could see under his hair. I had not noticed that it was a continual thing before.

Maybe Payton has cut his hair but I can find no confirmation on twitter or instagram.

The hair did obstruct his vision. If this issue could be resolved, I would be wanting the Suns to consider keeping him at the right salary.

 

[Errntknght]

I thought Payton looked like a keeper his first few games here, then it looked like he decided to just mail it in. I'm not inclined to waste a lot of time or money on him - beyond giving him 20 bucks to get his hair cut. It would be nice if Kokoskov could have a go at him but I think we'd have to re-sign him to bring that about - a high risk, low reward venture, IMO. I like Harrison and think Triano messed up by not giving him more opportunity to play and develop.

 

[Chaplin]

Maybe Payton has cut his hair but I can find no confirmation on twitter or instagram.

The hair did obstruct his vision. If this issue could be resolved, I would be wanting the Suns to consider keeping him at the right salary.

So your entire reasoning with keeping or not keeping Payton is about whether he cut his hair or not? Really?