James Jones hired as Suns General Manager

Rab

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I’d kill for 30 wins at this point


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Yuma

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We ARE a better lineup. However, the WHOLE Western Conference got better! I think mid twenty wins is going to be a struggle. If we get to 30, I think that's hugely a win.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Plenty would argue that the trade that McD is rumored to have wanted would have been better. He supposedly wanted to make a similar trade for SGA, but was shot down by Sarver.

I am also not giving Jones credit, but am explaining why he is cleaning house of everyone but those guys (because technically they are his guys as well).
Okay that makes sense.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Sunk cost. The sooner you realize it the better.
It is what it is. We don’t have em any more. I’m going to hope for the best but can’t say I’m overly optimistic on jones’ overall plan.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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We ARE a better lineup. However, the WHOLE Western Conference got better! I think mid twenty wins is going to be a struggle. If we get to 30, I think that's hugely a win.
Jebus if it’s a struggle to get to 25 wins then every player, coach, and member of ownership and front office is a total disgrace.
 

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Jebus if it’s a struggle to get to 25 wins then every player, coach, and member of ownership and front office is a total disgrace.
Guess Ayton has to blow up this year. Of course, most of us said that having just a starter quality pg last year would have made a huge difference. I would like to be optimistic, but I just don't know. I am at best curious.
 

Yuma

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Jebus if it’s a struggle to get to 25 wins then every player, coach, and member of ownership and front office is a total disgrace.
Just look at the moves teams are making out west. They went into depth on this on Bickly and Moratta. We are a better team than last year, but we lost ground on what everyone else did. That's how far behind we are talent wise. The hope is coaching and having traditional players playing in their natural roles will make us win into the 30's. We are still behind almost all teams in talent, still. And that's being better than the roster we had last year!
 

Yuma

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Guess Ayton has to blow up this year. Of course, most of us said that having just a starter quality pg last year would have made a huge difference. I would like to be optimistic, but I just don't know. I am at best curious.
I am betting Ricky Rubio good for 10 wins, new coach new system, minus 5 wins, new players +5 wins, western conference getting tougher, maybe 5 more losses. That's why I am saying mid twenties. I really hope I am wrong! Really! I was hoping last year Igor was going to make us 10 to 15 games better. Whoops!
 

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I am betting Ricky Rubio good for 10 wins, new coach new system, minus 5 wins, new players +5 wins, western conference getting tougher, maybe 5 more losses. That's why I am saying mid twenties. I really hope I am wrong! Really! I was hoping last year Igor was going to make us 10 to 15 games better. Whoops!

A healthy Booker gets us 16 more wins. Josh Jackson being elsewhere gets us 14 more wins. A stronger Bridges gets us 4 more wins. Oubre for a full season gets us 7 more wins. A healthy Tyler gets us 3 more wins. Rubio gets us 4 more wins. An improved Ayton gets us 6 more wins. Saric gets us 4 more wins. Baynes gets us 3 more wins. Another year of heavy roster turnover costs us 8 wins. A new coaching system costs us 4 wins. Loss of TJ Warren costs us 3 games. No Holmes costs us 2 wins.

So, if my math is correct, we're looking at 63 wins this season. I was going to predict 35 wins but after seeing these numbers, it's obvious that I was selling us short.
 

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Rubio is solid but Utah gave up assets to upgrade the position. I’m looking forward to having a high iq PG for the first time in a long time. That said Rubio is easy to guard with his limited range and won’t have Gobert protecting him defensively. Igor must be PO’d we got him a year too late.
 
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Rubio is solid but Utah gave up assets to upgrade the position. I’m looking forward to having a high iq PG for the first time in a long time. That said Rubio is easy to guard with his limited range and won’t have Gobert protecting him defensively. Igor must be PO’d we got him a year too late.

The Jazz are going for it seeing a chance in the Western Conference.

I like their acquiring Mike Conley but they gave up a lot to acquire him (Grayson Allen, Kyle Korver, Jae Crowder, the 23rd pick (Darius Bazley) and a future first-round pick.

Bogdanovic, Ed Davis, Jeff Green and Mudiay were solid additions.

Yeah, Igor must be upset by the timing.
 

AzStevenCal

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Rubio is solid but Utah gave up assets to upgrade the position. I’m looking forward to having a high iq PG for the first time in a long time. That said Rubio is easy to guard with his limited range and won’t have Gobert protecting him defensively. Igor must be PO’d we got him a year too late.

It could be worse (for us). Igor could be ecstatic that he was run out of town before La Pistola (AKA Spanish Samurai) was brought to the Valley.
 

Yuma

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A healthy Booker gets us 16 more wins. Josh Jackson being elsewhere gets us 14 more wins. A stronger Bridges gets us 4 more wins. Oubre for a full season gets us 7 more wins. A healthy Tyler gets us 3 more wins. Rubio gets us 4 more wins. An improved Ayton gets us 6 more wins. Saric gets us 4 more wins. Baynes gets us 3 more wins. Another year of heavy roster turnover costs us 8 wins. A new coaching system costs us 4 wins. Loss of TJ Warren costs us 3 games. No Holmes costs us 2 wins.

So, if my math is correct, we're looking at 63 wins this season. I was going to predict 35 wins but after seeing these numbers, it's obvious that I was selling us short.
63 wins and James Jones gets a statue!
 

CardsSunsDbacks

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I am betting Ricky Rubio good for 10 wins, new coach new system, minus 5 wins, new players +5 wins, western conference getting tougher, maybe 5 more losses. That's why I am saying mid twenties. I really hope I am wrong! Really! I was hoping last year Igor was going to make us 10 to 15 games better. Whoops!
The X factor to all of it is chemistry and synergy. The pieces on the roster seem to fit together much better than the last few years and if the players develop a good chemistry as well then a big jump is a real possibility.

We can sit here all day and speculate as to what adding so and so or getting rid of so and so does to the win total, but the biggest wild card of it all is that synergy and chemistry. Here is to hoping that the team building philosophy that Jones and company are implementing leads to big returns in that area.
 

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For those upset about using the #32 to dump Warren, Miami had to trade a protected first to get off of Harkless' $11 million expiring contract. Warren had 3 years remaining at about the same amount.
 
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For those upset about using the #32 to dump Warren, Miami had to trade a protected first to get off of Harkless' $11 million expiring contract. Warren had 3 years remaining at about the same amount.

And #32 was traded for three second round picks by the Pacers. This was not terribly exciting.
 

Yuma

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And #32 was traded for three second round picks by the Pacers. This was not terribly exciting.
Pacers, Atlanta, and Memphis are working the assets this draft and free agent season. Just in terms of moving and collecting assets, they are really wheeling and dealing!
 

devilalum

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The X factor to all of it is chemistry and synergy. The pieces on the roster seem to fit together much better than the last few years and if the players develop a good chemistry as well then a big jump is a real possibility.

We can sit here all day and speculate as to what adding so and so or getting rid of so and so does to the win total, but the biggest wild card of it all is that synergy and chemistry. Here is to hoping that the team building philosophy that Jones and company are implementing leads to big returns in that area.

Monty Williams got his start in coaching as a coaching intern with the San Antonio Spurs for the 2004-05 season when the team won an NBA Championship. Before returning to the bench this season, Williams spent two seasons in the Spurs’ front office as vice president of basketball operations from 2016-2018.

Anybody that doesn't see that the Suns are trying to become the Spurs just isn't paying attention. The coach, the high character players, team players, finding the right pieces instead of collecting assets, its all there.

Maybe Ayton can become the next Tim Duncan. Before you scoff consider the fact that Duncan honed his craft for 4 years in the ACC before moving to the NBA. You can't even compare Duncan's rookie season to Ayton until 2022. They're both from the Caribbean.
 

Yuma

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Not unless they play 500 games next year.
I watch European soccer, and those guys play in several tournaments for their teams, and then on other teams like national teams, and it seems they play 500 games. Would be kind of cool to see a couple tournaments for professional basketball like soccer.
 

Yuma

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Anybody that doesn't see that the Suns are trying to become the Spurs just isn't paying attention. The coach, the high character players, team players, finding the right pieces instead of collecting assets, its all there.

Maybe Ayton can become the next Tim Duncan. Before you scoff consider the fact that Duncan honed his craft for 4 years in the ACC before moving to the NBA. You can't even compare Duncan's rookie season to Ayton until 2022. They're both from the Caribbean.
There were a couple former pros, Rex Chapman being one, who have mentioned this. I found it interesting I heard it a couple places. Maybe that's the take going around the league on the Suns right now.
 

devilalum

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There were a couple former pros, Rex Chapman being one, who have mentioned this. I found it interesting I heard it a couple places. Maybe that's the take going around the league on the Suns right now.

You don't need inside info the facts are all there right out in the open.

I'm just surprised more people haven't brought it up.
 

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Anybody that doesn't see that the Suns are trying to become the Spurs just isn't paying attention. The coach, the high character players, team players, finding the right pieces instead of collecting assets, its all there.

Maybe Ayton can become the next Tim Duncan. Before you scoff consider the fact that Duncan honed his craft for 4 years in the ACC before moving to the NBA. You can't even compare Duncan's rookie season to Ayton until 2022. They're both from the Caribbean.

Is there a scoffing emoji?
 

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