How to play the Oubre asset this summer

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah if he gets an offer over $20 million a year then it'll be a difficult decision to make. Ideally it won't come to that and we'll lock him in around $15 and call it a day before free agency starts. I can see why some would be ok paying him more but I'm not for it unless we can play 500 ball down the stretch with him starting. You don't pay someone that much if they're not helping you win currently and they aren't a superstar. Oubre is a really nice complimentary player who has helped change the perception of this team and should be rewarded for that but I can't say I'm ok with more than $20 million unless he's really helping us win. I'm not saying walk away if he gets that sort of offer but all options should be explored if that happens.

I don't see that happening - 20M plus, minimum IMO.

 

[BC867]

I'm at the point where I believe there is no salary offer that could be made that we shouldn't match. I'd rather overpay him than let him go elsewhere.

If the owners don't think the same way, all of them should be taken to the top of Pikes Peak in Colorado and left there in their skivvies. No shoes. No wallets.

Lock the buildings, confiscate their cell phones and shut down the cog railway. By the time they crawl down to Colorado Springs, Jones would have signed Oubre.

He is one of our two top players and he wants to be here. As has been said by many here, add a proven Head Coach, a veteran Point Guard and a role playing Power Forward and we are on our way back to respectability.

 

[SirStefan32]

I don't see that happening - 20M plus, minimum IMO.

Yeah, with how Oubre's been playing, $15M/Per is a pipe dream. That's what I was hoping for a couple of months ago.

He is easily the most complete player on the roster. He is by far the second-best offensive player, and he is probably the best defensive player on this team. At worst, he is the second-best defensive player on the team. Guys like that don't grow on trees, and when one falls right into your arms, you don't let them go. He is pretty much a hybrid of Booker and Bridges. On top of everything he is only 23. You have to keep him. You use Jackson, Warren, and picks to get a point guard and a competent bigger PF, extend Oubre, and then you wait on Ayton and Bridges to catch up to Booker and Oubre, and keep hoping Oubre and Booker will get even better.

 

[JCSunsfan]

If the trade had not been made. And we cleared space this summer, and signed Oubre away from the Wizards. It would have been a good move. We got some of our free agency work done early.

 

[Carolinacacti]

What's scary is Harrison Barnes got 94 million 4 years ago and Oubre is so much better then him. Someone is going to pay him and It will cost the Suns over 20 a year. I know everyone laughed at Dallas for the Harrison deal but the point is some team will over pay.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm not sure when Oubre was made the starter but the Suns have won six of their last ten games.

I can't see the Suns letting Oubre go without losing credibility with the fans. He may well be a young star on the rise as he is only 23.

He might be the second best player on the Suns. They can't walk away from that.

He was made a starter coming out of the All-Star break on February 21st. Since then the Suns have gone 6-6 in the 12 games played. I guess if that holds up then we'll need to back up the brinks truck for Oubre. What's interesting is we lost some very winnable games in that stretch as well, like the first 2 games coming out of the break were losses to Cleveland and Atlanta.

 

[Phrazbit]

What's scary is Harrison Barnes got 94 million 4 years ago and Oubre is so much better then him. Someone is going to pay him and It will cost the Suns over 20 a year. I know everyone laughed at Dallas for the Harrison deal but the point is some team will over pay.

I have changed my tone on what Oubre will get offered, it will be a lot more than what I thought a few months ago, but it's a different climate than Barnes situation.

Barnes had, for years, been viewed as an up and comer and had proven himself on an NBA champion squad, and on top of that, the NBA cap had just gone waaaaaaaaaaay up and there seemed to be an idea that it would keep growing at high rates... and it didn't.

While my evaluation has gone up a lot, I do not think Oubre will get over 20 million a year and he certainly won't get offered what Barnes did. IMO, an offer of 4 years, 75-80 million would lock him up for sure before free agency, if we decided to roll the dice and force someone else to risk their cap space and then match we miiiiiight be able to get him for something like 4 years, 60 mil.

 

[Carolinacacti]

miiiiiight be able to get him for something like 4 years, 60 mil.

Boy would that be sweet.

 

[taz02]

Didn't Tyler Johnson get 19m. Someone is going to pay Oubre big bucks, 4-80m if we are lucky.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Didn't Tyler Johnson get 19m. Someone is going to pay Oubre big bucks, 4-80m if we are lucky.

Not exactly. Tyler got an extremely backloaded contract. It was a 4 year 50 million deal in total.

 

[devilalum]

Oubre has played hard every minute he's on the floor. He has energized the entire franchise and the fans. The Suns need to show him the respect he has earned. Whatever happens they need to negotiate in good faith.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Oubre has played hard every minute he's on the floor. He has energized the entire franchise and the fans. The Suns need to show him the respect he has earned. Whatever happens they need to negotiate in good faith.

Make him the QO. But give him an uncontested offer number—what they are going to offer even if he gets no other suitors. That should be in the 4/70 range. Tell him he does not have to sign an offer from another team for the Suns to match. That way they can keep their flexibility in free agency.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeah if he gets an offer over $20 million a year then it'll be a difficult decision to make. Ideally it won't come to that and we'll lock him in around $15 and call it a day before free agency starts. I can see why some would be ok paying him more but I'm not for it unless we can play 500 ball down the stretch with him starting. You don't pay someone that much if they're not helping you win currently and they aren't a superstar. Oubre is a really nice complimentary player who has helped change the perception of this team and should be rewarded for that but I can't say I'm ok with more than $20 million unless he's really helping us win. I'm not saying walk away if he gets that sort of offer but all options should be explored if that happens.

You don’t think it’s been proven that when he plays well he absolutely helps us win?

 

[Mainstreet]

He was made a starter coming out of the All-Star break on February 21st. Since then the Suns have gone 6-6 in the 12 games played. I guess if that holds up then we'll need to back up the brinks truck for Oubre. What's interesting is we lost some very winnable games in that stretch as well, like the first 2 games coming out of the break were losses to Cleveland and Atlanta.

I'm for keeping Oubre but his new contract could impact how much the Suns are willing to pay for a point guard.

Booker is already under a large contract. The Suns are going to have to think about this going forward to maintain financial flexibility. The Suns will probably be doing some trades this summer to streamline the roster.

On the bright side, the Suns probably do not need a high tier point guard to be successful. I'm really liking Ayton, Booker, Oubre, Jackson and Bridges going forward.

 

[Hoop Head]

You don’t think it’s been proven that when he plays well he absolutely helps us win?

I think he helps but I'd like to see more from a player who just became a starter for the first time in his career within the last 30 days. I'm not going to run the numbers of before and after making him a starter to see the impact he's had on various areas but the Suns are 6-6 in the 12 games he's started and that says a lot to me. I would like to see it continue before we decide to offer him over $20 million a year because that could cripple us for a few years if he regresses. I don't think it's likely he does fall back into who he was but the Suns shouldn't go out there determined to outbid others before we know what the market looks like for him. The benefit of him being restricted is we don't need to bid against ourselves.

Also thought I'd note that Kelly Oubre has the same agent as DeAndre Ayton. I think that's a good sign going forward and should help us retain him. I know his agent will want to get him paid but he also knows he needs to make sure Ayton gets paid in a couple of years and it's best for all involved if we're not sitting on a bad contract of Oubre's when we start talking extension with Ayton.

 

[Chaplin]

I think he helps but I'd like to see more from a player who just became a starter for the first time in his career within the last 30 days. I'm not going to run the numbers of before and after making him a starter to see the impact he's had on various areas but the Suns are 6-6 in the 12 games he's started and that says a lot to me. I would like to see it continue before we decide to offer him over $20 million a year because that could cripple us for a few years if he regresses. I don't think it's likely he does fall back into who he was but the Suns shouldn't go out there determined to outbid others before we know what the market looks like for him. The benefit of him being restricted is we don't need to bid against ourselves.

Also thought I'd note that Kelly Oubre has the same agent as DeAndre Ayton. I think that's a good sign going forward and should help us retain him. I know his agent will want to get him paid but he also knows he needs to make sure Ayton gets paid in a couple of years and it's best for all involved if we're not sitting on a bad contract of Oubre's when we start talking extension with Ayton.

I’m not sure if it’s unrealistic expectations you are suffering from or Ayton-itis. Oubre is playing like a star over those past 12 days and you want him to do more?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

I’m not sure if it’s unrealistic expectations you are suffering from or Ayton-itis. Oubre is playing like a star over those past 12 days and you want him to do more?

I don't think he is saying Oubre hasn't been good enough in those 12 games, but that 12 games isn't a large enough sample. Maybe if Oubre continues it for the remaining 11 games he will feel it has been enough to make a big offer.

 

[Hoop Head]

I’m not sure if it’s unrealistic expectations you are suffering from or Ayton-itis. Oubre is playing like a star over those past 12 days and you want him to do more?

Exactly what CardsSunsDbacks said. I want to see him do it for a longer stretch than 12 games. He's off to one hell of a start but there's a reason people worry about players stepping up in contract years. I think it's more than that with Oubre, it's not just getting him paid and really relishing the opportunity he has but we'll see how that plays out over the final month of the season. If he keeps this up, or even close to this level of production, then pay the man. I hope it works out for everyone.

 

[BC867]

I don't think he is saying Oubre hasn't been good enough in those 12 games, but that 12 games isn't a large enough sample. Maybe if Oubre continues it for the remaining 11 games he will feel it has been enough to make a big offer.

On a well stocked team, sure.

But when Oubre's actions (even more than his stats) have led the team from the doldrums, even more than Booker, it is Oubre and very little else. We need what he gives.

And, looking at it another way, if we let him go to save money, there will be even more hatred for the Front Office. It will be another slap in the face to the fans.

If you are in the middle of the desert, dying of dehydration and someone offers you a bottle of water for $1,000, you buy the water.

Well, we're in the Sonoran Desert.

 

[Chaplin]

Exactly what CardsSunsDbacks said. I want to see him do it for a longer stretch than 12 games. He's off to one hell of a start but there's a reason people worry about players stepping up in contract years. I think it's more than that with Oubre, it's not just getting him paid and really relishing the opportunity he has but we'll see how that plays out over the final month of the season. If he keeps this up, or even close to this level of production, then pay the man. I hope it works out for everyone.

Of course, but if Bender had 12 games straight of this production we’d be over the moon.

 

[slinslin]

He has things he really has to work on, he is a terrible passer and not very efficient, but the Suns absolutely have to re-sign him

His impact on the teams attitude has been great and he is young and not done developing.

 

[Western Font]

I'm for keeping Oubre but his new contract could impact how much the Suns are willing to pay for a point guard.

Booker is already under a large contract. The Suns are going to have to think about this going forward to maintain financial flexibility. The Suns will probably be doing some trades this summer to streamline the roster.

On the bright side, the Suns probably do not need a high tier point guard to be successful. I'm really liking Ayton, Booker, Oubre, Jackson and Bridges going forward.

Right now I lean towards paying Oubre in most circumstances I can imagine, unless it prevents us from getting, say, Kemba. By contrast Ball is only 4m more expensive than JJ for the next two years if you're open to that trade. Warren is over 4m more expensive than Ball for the two years their remaining contracts overlap.

 

[taz02]

Signing Oubre makes JJ and TJ expendable and I doubt we will attract a better FA than Oubre.

 

[Mainstreet]

Right now I lean towards paying Oubre in most circumstances I can imagine, unless it prevents us from getting, say, Kemba. By contrast Ball is only 4m more expensive than JJ for the next two years if you're open to that trade. Warren is over 4m more expensive than Ball for the two years their remaining contracts overlap.

I'd try to use Warren in a trade for a point guard or a power forward if a trade becomes available. Unfortunately Warren probably has lost some value because of his injury. As it looks now, the Suns might have to sweeten the deal.

If the Suns pay Oubre, which I think they should, they will probably have to look for a less salaried point guard. IMO, this team will play fine with average point guard play.

 

[Dr dumas]

I'd try to use Warren in a trade for a point guard or a power forward if a trade becomes available. Unfortunately Warren probably has lost some value because of his injury. As it looks now, the Suns might have to sweeten the deal.

If the Suns pay Oubre, which I think they should, they will probably have to look for a less salaried point guard. IMO, this team will play fine with average point guard play.

I agree with you in that this team will be fine with average pg play. This team is already rounding the corner on their play with an average pg. Just imaging what this team would look like with a descent pf.