Free Agency 2018

[Mainstreet]

Why not? Crazier things have happened.....like getting the #1 overall pick.

And who would have dared believe it could happen.

I had prepared myself for the worse case scenario although I felt good about Josh Jackson representing the Suns. He gave off positive vibes.

 

[Ronin]

And who would have dared believe it could happen.

I had prepared myself for the worse case scenario although I felt good about Josh Jackson representing the Suns. He gave off positive vibes.

Me too. I thought we were up creek no matter who was representing us at the NBA lottery draft.

 

[Phrazbit]

I go long stretches where Brandon Knight's existence slips my mind.

And then I briefly think "Well, that could be the 'vet solution' at guard we need...", then I remember he is Brandon Knight. I'm sure this sequence will occur again on about the 17th.

 

[Mainstreet]

I go long stretches where Brandon Knight's existence slips my mind.

And then I briefly think "Well, that could be the 'vet solution' at guard we need...", then I remember he is Brandon Knight. I'm sure this sequence will occur again on about the 17th.

I think time has faded our memory. My last thought about Knight (when he was healthy) was that his role should be limited to being a shooting guard.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I'd rather see IT brought back for 1 year than Dragic brought back at all. Sign IT to a big 1 year deal to fill the gap temporarily, similar to how Philly signed Reddick or the Lakers signed Caldwell-Pope. Wouldn't be excited at the prospect of either returning but I could see IT helping more in the W column than Dragic.

Pass on both. Neither advance this team measurably.

 

[Errntknght]

will you guys stop talking about Brandon Knight as our PG... hearing his name makes me think of how great Payton is

 

[BC867]

Why not? Crazier things have happened.....like getting the #1 overall pick.

Of course it took half a century.

 

[Ronin]

Of course it took half a century.

Better late than never.

 

[Hoop Head]

Assuming we're not able to sign a Restricted Free Agent, who is at the top of your free agent wishlist?

RFA's that would be ruled out would be Clint Capella, Marcus Smart, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, and Jabari Parker.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't have a wish list per se in players that can be UFA, however, Will Barton would be nice.

 

[Hoop Head]

Will Barton would be nice.

I like Will Barton. He can cover some PG as well as play on the wing. He's not an ideal PG but the more players who can play some at that position the better.

I'm really hoping we go after Favors. I've seen reports that he'll get anywhere from $8-16 million a year. No one is that high on him but outside of the RFA's I think he'd be a solid addition. His history with Igor makes it more intriguing. Let's get him for Igor to make up for not drafting Doncic.

Totally joking on that last line. I don't want BC to see it and take it as fact that Igor will be pissed off if we don't draft Doncic.

 

[Mainstreet]

I like Will Barton. He can cover some PG as well as play on the wing. He's not an ideal PG but the more players who can play some at that position the better.

I'm really hoping we go after Favors. I've seen reports that he'll get anywhere from $8-16 million a year. No one is that high on him but outside of the RFA's I think he'd be a solid addition. His history with Igor makes it more intriguing. Let's get him for Igor to make up for not drafting Doncic.

Totally joking on that last line. I don't want BC to see it and take it as fact that Igor will be pissed off if we don't draft Doncic.

I like Favors as well and he could play the 4/5. Also I can see the Suns trading one of Bender or Chriss. It doesn't hurt one bit if Igor knows him well.

 

[Hoop Head]

He's the right age also. Unlike the Chandler signing we won't be paying his corpse towards the end of the deal. He's only 26 but I believe he'll be 27 when the season starts. That will mean he'll be 30 in his last year here. At that point, he may be ready to take a discount to stay longer in a bench veteran role. If he doesn't, let someone else overpay for him.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

He's the right age also. Unlike the Chandler signing we won't be paying his corpse towards the end of the deal. He's only 26 but I believe he'll be 27 when the season starts. That will mean he'll be 30 in his last year here. At that point, he may be ready to take a discount to stay longer in a bench veteran role. If he doesn't, let someone else overpay for him.

Just depends how much he would cost. We certainly don't want to have too much money tied into just Booker and Favors and not have the cap space to go after any other top end free agents. Something like $15m-$18m per year would be cool. Anything more than that and I have to pass.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I would not want to pair Favors with Ayton and I don't know why Derrick would come to Phoenix as a backup center when he can stay in Utah in the same position. But if somehow we end up picking Doncic or Young, Favors would make a decent starting center for a few years. Regardless, I expect Utah to re-sign him.

 

[Hoop Head]

I would not want to pair Favors with Ayton and I don't know why Derrick would come to Phoenix as a backup center when he can stay in Utah in the same position. But if somehow we end up picking Doncic or Young, Favors would make a decent starting center for a few years. Regardless, I expect Utah to re-sign him.

I see him more as a starting PF than backup C. He plays with Gobert in Utah. If he can play with Gobert he should be able to play with Ayton. Chriss and Bender shouldn't start until they earn that spot.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I see him more as a starting PF than backup C. He plays with Gobert in Utah. If he can play with Gobert he should be able to play with Ayton. Chriss and Bender shouldn't start until they earn that spot.

I'm not sure I'd agree. Gobert and Ayton are such different players, I just don't think we can make that assumption. And most teams today fail when they put that kind of combo out there for any length of time.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm not sure I'd agree. Gobert and Ayton are such different players, I just don't think we can make that assumption. And most teams today fail when they put that kind of combo out there for any length of time.

We'll see but I think Ayton has more range than Gobert. Defensively they'd provide good size and could switch assignments easily. Of course Gobert is a better defender than Ayton but offensively I think Ayton has more of a polished game than Gobert with more options as to where you can play him. Maybe with a horns offensive set it could work. That's not ideal but it should allow each enough space. I'm a little surprised that you think it couldn't work with Ayton though.

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[Carolinacacti]

This team needs a Vet PF more then a Vet PG. Bender and Chriss where bad and Dudley should not see the court except from the Bench.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We'll see but I think Ayton has more range than Gobert. Defensively they'd provide good size and could switch assignments easily. Of course Gobert is a better defender than Ayton but offensively I think Ayton has more of a polished game than Gobert with more options as to where you can play him. Maybe with a horns offensive set it could work. That's not ideal but it should allow each enough space. I'm a little surprised that you think it couldn't work with Ayton though.

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My point was not that "it couldn't work" , just that we don't know and it is not safe to assume it will work. Maybe it will work. But look around, this kind of lineup struggles across the league. Even Utah has had problems with it at times.

 

[AzStevenCal]

This team needs a Vet PF more then a Vet PG. Bender and Chriss where bad and Dudley should not see the court except from the Bench.

You're right about Bender and Chriss but I'd still say point guard is by far our most important need (behind Ayton). At forward we at least have young players that might develop with playing time and even if not, at least we'll learn more about what they can become. We don't really have that potential at the PG unless we re-sign Payton.

 

[Hoop Head]

This team needs a Vet PF more then a Vet PG. Bender and Chriss where bad and Dudley should not see the court except from the Bench.

Don't mind Dudley seeing playing time occasionally but not as a PF. He's just not a Power Forward. He can't guard them and he doesn't have the speed or athleticism to exploit the mismatch on the offensive end either. He's a decent shooter to throw out there for 10-15 minutes when the Suns are looking to get composed and slow things down. That's really all he's good for, when it comes to playing time is concerned.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Don't mind Dudley seeing playing time occasionally but not as a PF. He's just no a Power Forward. He can't guard them and he doesn't have the speed or athleticism to exploit the mismatch on the offensive end either. He's a decent shooter to throw out there for 10-15 minutes when the Suns are looking to get composed and slow things down. That's really all he's good for, when it comes to playing time is concerned.

Even with his extra weight he lacks the quickness to play any other position but PF or Center. He doesn't really belong at either spot but he can't even pretend to play small forward or guard.

 

[BC867]

Don't mind Dudley seeing playing time occasionally but not as a PF. He's just no a Power Forward. He can't guard them and he doesn't have the speed or athleticism to exploit the mismatch on the offensive end either. He's a decent shooter to throw out there for 10-15 minutes when the Suns are looking to get composed and slow things down. That's really all he's good for, when it comes to playing time is concerned.

Occasionally, if we're stuck with him. But throw him out there for 10-15 minutes?

That's like playing a quarter, which is a rotation player. 'No way flabby Dudley should be anything more than instant offense for a few minutes. And only if the bench rotation is not doing its job, which is how he was used this past season. At this stage of his career, he doesn't deserve a promotion.

 

[Mainstreet]

I see him more as a starting PF than backup C. He plays with Gobert in Utah. If he can play with Gobert he should be able to play with Ayton. Chriss and Bender shouldn't start until they earn that spot.

Scott Bordow sees the Suns having interest in Derrick Favors or Rodney Hood. I'd be excited if the Suns could get Favors.

scott bordow‏Verified account@sbordow


Again, depends on what they do in the draft. Going to have a huge impact on their free agency approach. But Favors makes sense. So does a guy like Rodney Hood, who's not working in Cleveland

11:55 AM - 3 Jun 2018

As I mentioned earlier I would have interest in Will Barton as well.