Kelly Oubre...

[Cheesebeef]

Yeah, I don't get the fascination with Bridges. He seems like an okay pickup, but I don't see star potential in him at all. I think this board overrates him because we know the Suns paid such a high price.

I'm with you. He seems like he can be a really good 3 and D guy. But that's a role player.

And it's not like Bridges was really young when we drafted him. He was one of the oldest players in the draft, 22 years old when the season started and still hadn't developed handles that could have abused much younger college players. Will he get better? Yes. At least I hope so, because even for all the talk of his shooting in college, he wasn't very good from 3 in his rookie season (another reason I chuckle at those who think Cam Johnson and Gerome are instantly going to give us outside shooting... because they're old and were good shooters in college).

 

[Cheesebeef]

If that is the case, he is overrated by the entire league, because he is highly respected around the league.

by who? His defense is recognized as solid, but literally nothing else is. is this like when I hear James Jones is really highly respected by the league with almost nothing to back it up?

 

[Sunburn]

I'm with you. He seems like he can be a really good 3 and D guy. But that's a role player.

And it's not like Bridges was really young when we drafted him. He was one of the oldest players in the draft, 22 years old when the season started and still hadn't developed handles that could have abused much younger college players. Will he get better? Yes. At least I hope so, because even for all the talk of his shooting in college, he wasn't very good from 3 in his rookie season (another reason I chuckle at those who think Cam Johnson and Gerome are instantly going to give us outside shooting... because they're old and were good shooters in college).

Klay Thompson is a 3 and D player. I'm not saying Bridges will be that good, but he's got the tools. I'd say he's actually a better defender than Klay and I believe his 3 point percentage will rise. He shot what 43% in college? Guys that can play lock down defense and hit the 3 at an elite rate are EXTREMELY valuable in today's NBA. There's not that many of them.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Klay Thompson is a 3 and D player. I'm not saying Bridges will be that good, but he's got the tools. I'd say he's actually a better defender than Klay and I believe his 3 point percentage will rise. He shot what 43% in college? Guys that can play lock down defense and hit the 3 at an elite rate are EXTREMELY valuable in today's NBA. There's not that many of them.

no. Klay can create for himself. They just don't ask him to.

And Klay's the best shooter in the game. Bridges isn't even average at this point. Believing he's got a shot to be "elite" is... well... a lot of belief, IMO.

 

[Sunburn]

no. Klay can create for himself. They just don't ask him to.

And Klay's the best shooter in the game. Bridges isn't even average at this point. Believing he's got a shot to be "elite" is... well... a lot of belief, IMO.

I don't think it's a lot of belief at all. Like I said, he was an elite college 3pt shooter. His projected NBA 3pt% is 39%. Booker shot worse than him last year. Do you think Booker's % will rise? Bridges has got the tools. He's a sick player. There's a lot of advanced data out there saying he's special.

 

[elindholm]

I'm with you. He seems like he can be a really good 3 and D guy. But that's a role player.

He's a poor man's Danny Green.

 

[Sunburn]

He's a poor man's Danny Green.

Lol this is a really bad take.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I'm with you. He seems like he can be a really good 3 and D guy. But that's a role player.

And it's not like Bridges was really young when we drafted him. He was one of the oldest players in the draft, 22 years old when the season started and still hadn't developed handles that could have abused much younger college players. Will he get better? Yes. At least I hope so, because even for all the talk of his shooting in college, he wasn't very good from 3 in his rookie season (another reason I chuckle at those who think Cam Johnson and Gerome are instantly going to give us outside shooting... because they're old and were good shooters in college).

Agreed. I don't pay all that much attention to age (unless we're talking about a high school kid entering the NBA). Regardless, Bridges NEEDS to show vast improvement in his entire game this season.
I will add though, that I think it is next to impossible to gauge him, and Ayton, based on last season as that team was about as mislead and dysfunctional as a NBA team can possibly be. He showed signs and potential on occasion. But was he held back by the hyper-craptitude of the team and coaching around him?? Guess we're about to find out...

 

[1Sun]

He's a poor man's Danny Green.

No, he's Bruce Bowen.

 

[Sunburn]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nb...es-rising-occasion-suns-defensive-focal-point

In the last 15 seasons, only four rookies have had a True Shooting Percentage of at least .550 and 2.5 steals per 100 possessions as he joins Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala (min. 1,500 minutes). If you replace True Shooting Percentage with Effective Field Goal Percentage, Bridges’s .538 ranks him among just Ben Simmons and Stephen Curry as the only rookies averaging at least 25 minutes per game to do so over the last decade.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.br...idges-phoenix-suns-3-and-d-wing-prototype-nba

What Bridges has continued to consistently show throughout his rookie season is sky-high defensive upside. Bridges is putting up advanced metrics at this stage of his career better than other shoe-in candidates for Defensive Player of the Year like Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Butler, Robert Covington, and Green did. When combining steal and block percentages to make up my IMPACT% metric, Bridges is the runaway leader.

Mikal Bridges = 4.3 IMPACT%

Paul George = 4.0 IMPACT%

Kawhi Leonard = 4.0 IMPACT%

Robert Covington = 3.8 IMPACT% *

Draymond Green = 3.8 IMPACT% *

Jimmy Butler = 3.1 IMPACT% *

(*) = second season in the NBA due to original lack of playing time

https://www.google.com/amp/s/clutch...o-come-for-all-rookie-snub-mikal-bridges/amp/

But Bridges isn’t just an Andre Roberson type. He’s got plenty of game and that is only going to improve moving forward. But for now, Bridges’ two-way importance to Phoenix was what allowed him to finish the season with the fourth-highest VORP (value over replacement player) in the rookie class. It’s also what made the Suns 3.5 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the floor, per Cleaning The Glass.

 

[JCSunsfan]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nb...es-rising-occasion-suns-defensive-focal-point

In the last 15 seasons, only four rookies have had a True Shooting Percentage of at least .550 and 2.5 steals per 100 possessions as he joins Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala (min. 1,500 minutes). If you replace True Shooting Percentage with Effective Field Goal Percentage, Bridges’s .538 ranks him among just Ben Simmons and Stephen Curry as the only rookies averaging at least 25 minutes per game to do so over the last decade.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.br...idges-phoenix-suns-3-and-d-wing-prototype-nba

What Bridges has continued to consistently show throughout his rookie season is sky-high defensive upside. Bridges is putting up advanced metrics at this stage of his career better than other shoe-in candidates for Defensive Player of the Year like Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Butler, Robert Covington, and Green did. When combining steal and block percentages to make up my IMPACT% metric, Bridges is the runaway leader.

Mikal Bridges = 4.3 IMPACT%

Paul George = 4.0 IMPACT%

Kawhi Leonard = 4.0 IMPACT%

Robert Covington = 3.8 IMPACT% *

Draymond Green = 3.8 IMPACT% *

Jimmy Butler = 3.1 IMPACT% *

(*) = second season in the NBA due to original lack of playing time

https://www.google.com/amp/s/clutch...o-come-for-all-rookie-snub-mikal-bridges/amp/

But Bridges isn’t just an Andre Roberson type. He’s got plenty of game and that is only going to improve moving forward. But for now, Bridges’ two-way importance to Phoenix was what allowed him to finish the season with the fourth-highest VORP (value over replacement player) in the rookie class. It’s also what made the Suns 3.5 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the floor, per Cleaning The Glass.

There you go Cheese. Respected around the league. I knew if I waited long enough, someone would do the work for me.

 

[GatorAZ]

I’m not feeling Oubre being the third piece on a eventual contending team. You have to somewhat take into account the situation in which he posted numbers. He was given the green light to do whatever he wanted as a starter because the team was terrible and Igor was probably a lame duck coach that nobody respected. Not only will Monty bring structure but we now have a legit PG who’s going to facilitate the offense with Booker. I would rather Kelly buy into being an elite defender/slasher role guy than jacking up lots of shots. If the Suns view him as that guy than I think he is worth 13-15m a year and would really help us.

 

[Cheesebeef]

There you go Cheese. Respected around the league. I knew if I waited long enough, someone would do the work for me.

how many times have we... forget it. You guys are right. The kid's got superstar written all over him even though he's going to be 23 going into the season, doesn't have good handles and shoots the three at 33%.

 

[Covert Rain]

how many times have we... forget it. You guys are right. The kid's got superstar written all over him even though he's going to be 23 going into the season, doesn't have good handles and shoots the three at 33%.

I know right? Here we go again. I see a fresh batch of Sun’s Koolaid just came out of the fridge.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I know right? Here we go again. I see a fresh batch of Sun’s Koolaid just came out of the fridge.

and I'm betting my words will now get totally twisted. I like Bridges a lot. Think he can be a very good 3 and D guy, but right now, all we've seen is the D and we saw very little to indicate that he could be any type of playmaker/3rd star and it's not like he's some complete wet-behind the ears 18 or 19 year old. The thing mentioned most about him during the draft was that he was going to be able to make an impact at both ends immediately because he was "NBA ready."

I mean, a lot of people here are making the argument that we should see something positive immediately from Cam and Gerome... because they're older. But shouldn't it raise at least a couple red flags of possible stardom if you come into the league older than you're entire class and don't show special qualities that a star should have on both sides of the floor?

 

[devilalum]

how many times have we... forget it. You guys are right. The kid's got superstar written all over him even though he's going to be 23 going into the season, doesn't have good handles and shoots the three at 33%.

This is the confusion that is created by a good player on a really bad team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BC867]

I think Bridges will end up being a better player than Oubre, maybe even this year. You have a much higher vision of Oubre's potential than I do.

In fact, that might be the key factor in this entire negotiation--who would you bet on for the future--Oubre or Bridges?

For me, its Bridges--hands down. Smarter player, better defender, better shooter.

Will Oubre be our Power Forward again? Or would he be signed to be our Small Forward and compete with Bridges?

If not, how can Bridges and Oubre be compared if they play different positions?

 

[1Sun]

Will Oubre be our Power Forward again? Or would he be signed to be our Small Forward and compete with Bridges?

If not, how can Bridges and Oubre be compared if they play different positions?

Oubre would start, and Bridges would be the sixth man, which is a role to which he is suited, in my opinion.

 

[JCSunsfan]

how many times have we... forget it. You guys are right. The kid's got superstar written all over him even though he's going to be 23 going into the season, doesn't have good handles and shoots the three at 33%.

Cmon. I originally said he had a chance to be a 3rd player. My point was that he has more of a chance than Oubre does—who I do not think could ever be a 3rd star. Not that it was likely.

You know how you don’t like people putting words in your mouth. Same here.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Will Oubre be our Power Forward again? Or would he be signed to be our Small Forward and compete with Bridges?

If not, how can Bridges and Oubre be compared if they play different positions?

Oubre will start at sf. Bridges will come off the bench. Saric will start at pf with Kaminsky backing him up. That is what is likely to me.

Pg-Rubio, Jerome, Carter, Lecque
Sg-Booker, TJohnson
Sf-Oubre, Bridges, CJohnson
Pf—Saric, Kaminsky
C—Ayton, Baynes

Okobo will not make the team IMO and we could stand to add another pf/c. Spaulding again maybe. Plus another guard. That would get us to 15.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Oubre will start at sf. Bridges will come off the bench. Saric will start at pf with Kaminsky backing him up. That is what is likely to me.

Pg-Rubio, Jerome, Carter, Lecque
Sg-Booker, TJohnson
Sf-Oubre, Bridges, CJohnson
Pf—Saric, Kaminsky
C—Ayton, Baynes

Okobo will not make the team IMO and we could stand to add another pf/c. Spaulding again maybe. Plus another guard. That would get us to 15.

Do you know if we have any exceptions/exemptions left? I believe we are using the cap exception on Frank and now with Rubio and Oubre under contract we are certainly over the cap now.

 

[SirStefan32]

Do you know if we have any exceptions/exemptions left? I believe we are using the cap exception on Frank and now with Rubio and Oubre under contract we are certainly over the cap now.

No, they used one exception they had on Frank. If they sign anyone else, it will be for the minimum.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I wonder if they can trade Okobo for an end-of-the-bench type pf. Okobo has some interest around the league still. It would be a team that has extra forwards and needs a pg.

Lyles should get more than the minimum. Leuer is out there.

 

[82CardsGrad]

BUMP!

21pts and 9 boards... This thread is gonna age quite well I believe!

#ValleyBoyz.
[emoji106]

 

[Dr. Jones]

5/110 or 125

It will look like a steal in 3 years.

BUMP!

21pts and 9 boards... This thread is gonna age quite well I believe!

#ValleyBoyz.
[emoji106]

It's gonna hurt real bad when he leaves in 2 years because we will have to max out Ayton, still have Rubio's nutso contract on the books, and have to get ready for Booker's next max (or god-forbid supermax) contract.

Cam and Mikal can't replace all that he brings to the table. Not even close.

A structure of:

2019: 25mm
2020: 23mm
2021: 22mm
2022: 21mm
2023: 20mm

would have easily got this done and still kept him out of the top 40 highest paid players in the league. By year 4: He would be close to the 60th or 70th highest paid player in the league. And would have been team friendly by year 3. That's what a #4 guy on a championship level team gets paid. Or a #3 level guy on a playoff squad.

And many of you may have been right..... we may have been negotiating against ourselves. Who knows, maybe 85mm to 95mm gets this done.