Has Cam Johnson displaced Oubre?

[1Sun]

What is the thread title and what is being discussed by everyone else here? Why don't you take your Suns bashing and Warren loving to the appropriate thread, Around the NBA.

I already said I would take my further comments on Warren to that thread, but as long as people continue to debate them elsewhere, such as here, I will respond in kind.

 

[Evil Ash]

Bridges' confidence and form in his shot comes and goes. He needs someone to work with him like Fultz.

Agreed, he has potential to grow as an offensive player. However, right now I'd still put oubre and cam over him in the starting lineup because it allows us to have a more traditional lineup and have the most 2 way players in the starting lineup.

Things can change during the off-season though so who knows

 

[82CardsGrad]

At least the same as today's game meant to the Heat.

Of course... but what’s your point? Suns won and Cam played great again, taking them to 5 & 0.
The Pacers were already in and we’re already considered an upper echelon team in the league. What the Suns have done thus far blows away anything the Pacers have done. And Cam’s emergence in the bubble is far more surprising and arguably, equally impressive as what Warren has done. Cam being a rookie > TJ 6 years in the league...

 

[Mainstreet]

No doubt... but they’re two totally different players, who impact the flow in totally different ways.
Hey, I love Kelly and would love to see him remain with the team. But there is a big part of me that thinks that if he were to play now, his presence might actually do more harm than good...

There is a possibility if Oubre returns it could hurt team chemistry. I don't deny this. Team chemistry is always tricky. However, Oubre is a good player. I'd rather have him than not have him. The Suns bench lacks depth. If Carter doesn't go off tonight the Suns lose. The Suns could use another weapon.

 

[82CardsGrad]

There is a possibility if Oubre returns it could hurt team chemistry. I don't deny this. Team chemistry is always tricky. However, Oubre is a good player. I'd rather have him than not have him. The Suns bench lacks depth. If Carter doesn't go off tonight the Suns lose. The Suns could use another weapon.

It’s such a tough call... Glad we have Monty making this type of decision...

 

[Hoop Head]

I already said I would take my further comments on Warren to that thread, but as long as people continue to debate them elsewhere, such as here, I will respond in kind.

YOU are the one who came here discussing Warren, no one else. People responded to your nonsense but they essentially called it nonsense and you continue to fluff up Warren in a thread about Cam, Kelly, and to a lesser extent Bridges.

What's wrong, not enough of an audience in the Around the NBA thread or no one there take the bait?

 

[Mainstreet]

It’s such a tough call... Glad we have Monty making this type of decision...

Yeah. Then we can blame it on Monty.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Never understood the Bridges talk about how he was “he’s the most NBA ready player” in the draft. What bothers me most about Bridges lack of development isn’t his shot. It’s the fact that he’s done nothing to improve his handles at all in two years.

 

[cwamjn]

Eff Warren who is even talking about him?

 

[Mainstreet]

Agreed, he has potential to grow as an offensive player. However, right now I'd still put oubre and cam over him in the starting lineup because it allows us to have a more traditional lineup and have the most 2 way players in the starting lineup.

Things can change during the off-season though so who knows

It's a hard call. Bridges and Oubre were effective as starters. It may come down to who plays well off the bench and who is willing... motivated.

 

[elindholm]

Has cam displaced oubre? No
Has he displaced bridges? At this point I'd say yes.

Cam has become solid stretch 4 (allowing us to have a more traditional lineup) and bridges is limited offensively.

I was just going to say the same thing. Thanks for saving me the trouble!

 

[Muggz]

Steel sharpens Steel

This is an awesome problem to have, players are competing for time, spots, shots etc
Purge the end of that bench get a few roll players a decent PF and were sitting pretty.

 

[TJ]

Bridges may be just a DeShawn Stevenson-type player, which is good for a championship team, but isn’t one of the main pieces

 

[GoldGloveschmidt]

Warren just carried the Pacers over the Lakers, having outplayed both Anthony Davis and Lebron James.

He is playing like an MVP candidate, and I can't help but think that James Jones gave away the best chance we had or will ever have at a third star.

The Suns are on an exciting Cinderalla run and all you can do is complain about TJ Warren, who we just beat? Come on

 

[1Sun]

The Suns are on an exciting Cinderalla run and all you can do is complain about TJ Warren, who we just beat? Come on

Not discounting how impressive Monty has the Suns playing in the Bubble, but could you imagine how much better off we would be, now and into the future, if we had at power forward exactly what Warren is giving the Pacers? For one thing, we would have clinched our first playoff berth in a decade months ago.

That is the one key piece we are currently missing, and we HAD it only for James Jones to give it away.

 

[Yuma]

I don't think Cam is displacing him. Cam is displacing Saric, although Saric is playing his ass off right now. It's Bridges picking up his play on the offenisve side that may displace Oubre as a starter. Bridges needs more consistency on that front, imho, but his defense is much needed.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Not yet but when obure returns talk bout valuable depth with Payne johnson saric om bench

I just hope Johnson continue his solid play off bench when obure returns and doesn't get mad bout having to go back to the bench

But 100 percent love what Johnson brings every night he has such a money 3 pt release!

Good sleeper pick

 

[AZCrazy]

Coach needs to get players interested in who's a Finisher, not who plays when it's 0-0.

 

[Proximo]

I’m torn... They’re 5 & 0 and rolling without him. Why take the chance of disrupting this amazing groove they’re in?

Because he can at least take franks minutes and there is no way he can't improve on them.

 

[Proximo]

Not discounting how impressive Monty has the Suns playing in the Bubble, but could you imagine how much better off we would be, now and into the future, if we had at power forward exactly what Warren is giving the Pacers? For one thing, we would have clinched our first playoff berth in a decade months ago.

That is the one key piece we are currently missing, and we HAD it only for James Jones to give it away.

Even if you are right, dwelling on the past is a waste of time.

But that isn't what you are doing, you are just looking for any angle you can come up with to be negative about the Suns, because that is what you do.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Even if you are right, dwelling on the past is a waste of time.

But that isn't what you are doing, you are just looking for any angle you can come up with to be negative about the Suns, because that is what you do.

gotta agree. I don’t like that we paid to give up Warren, but to fixate on that in the midst of the most fun the Suns have given us in a decade seems really stupid.

I mean... with the pandemic and all things ugly in politics in our country, if you can’t just sit back and truly enjoy one of the few really bright spots and instead use laser focus on just the missed opportunity right now, i feel bad for you.

 

[1Sun]

gotta agree. I don’t like that we paid to give up Warren, but to fixate on that in the midst of the most fun the Suns have given us in a decade seems really stupid.

I mean... with the pandemic and all things ugly in politics in our country, if you can’t just sit back and truly enjoy one of the few really bright spots and instead use laser focus on just the missed opportunity right now, i feel bad for you.

I think you are both missing my point. This run is great, and for the first time in a long time, the future looks promising, but given very recent history, I don't trust James Jones and Robert Sarver not to mess it up royally.

 

[dscher]

What's wrong, not enough of an audience in the Around the NBA thread or no one there take the bait?

So you take the bait here instead? You, like everyone else.. are entitled to respond or not respond. That simple.

 

[dscher]

very recent history, I don't trust James Jones and Robert Sarver not to mess it up royally.

Putting James Jones into Sarver territory already is extremely premature imo..we need Rod Graves level managing first before we get to that comparison.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Free Agency/Draft Needs
1. Back-up big, as Baynes is likely to walk and Suns are unlikely to bring back Frank/Diallo.

2. PG of the future, as Ricky will probably be gone in two years and Payne is probably not starting PG material (although he’s playing his ass off and appears to be a clear rotation player on a good team).

3. Wing Depth, as Kelly is probably gone either this year or next. Bridges and Cam are both solid wing pieces, but the Suns could use another guy of their general description that also has some dribble drive/pass ability.

All of these needs underscore the need for perimeter defense as the Suns have struggled mightily to contain dribble penetration all year (which stresses Ayton and risks foul trouble for everyone as well as unlocks open threes for opponents).

The Suns need a big that can switch and harass ball-handlers, a wing that can do the same, and a PG that can do the same whilst not being targeted too heavily as a post mismatch.

I believe Suns have ~$20MM in space

FA/Draft Picks (based on above)
1. Mason Plumlee, UFA, coming off 3/41 as a guy playing 20mpg, but a very valuable 20mpg, worth about 4 wins per year. A very good passer (which is helpful on a team with cutters and shooters), rim protector, and rebounder, as well as perimeter defender. He’s 30, but very durable. He can’t shoot/stretch, and is an awful ft shooter; but he’s smart and athletic so he is still north of 60TS%. A lob threat. He would be a good guy to offer 3/30-35; I think he will come down a bit given his age and the fact that he was probably projected to play more minutes when he signed 3/41.

2. Fred Van Vleet, UFA, coming off 2/18. Plays bigger than he is (in all ways), he’s kind of a rich man’s Jevon Carter: tough and elite creator, very good shooter off actions and great at spotting up. He’s 26, and due for a huge payday. 4/80 would be fair for him, as he’s probably better value than Brogdon who signed that deal last year. He would displace Ricky as starter, but Ricky as back-up PG sounds pretty damn cool. Booker and Ayton would benefit greatly from this signing.

3. Nesmith/Okoro/Maxey are all guys I like, as they have good ft rates and decent ast rates; I feel like these numbers are good proxies for creation/dribble skills. A guy like Vassell is intriguing, but I’m not sure of his offensive toolkit and you can only have so many stand still guys on offense.