Mike Conley? Why Not

[Krangodnzr]

It is about priorities. And, right now, just about every Suns problem comes down to the folly of going from three leading Point Guards competing with each other during games to not one NBA calibre Point Guard on the roster. Unprofessional gimmicks!

We need a quarterback to make the rest of the team better. They say a journey starts with the first step. How long are the Suns going to turn a blind eye to that first step? How can anyone condone the status quo? And how can anyone put our hopes into drafting Zion? Or tanking again?

I don't think the Suns ARE turning a blind eye to the first step. This is a process; add productive, good young players and let them play.

You can't just FIND a good young PG without giving something up DURING the season. I would trade TJ Warren for a good young PG right now, but there are only a few teams that can deal with his lack of production outside of scoring. He's not a good rebounder, passer, or defender. He's Ced Ceballos. He's good for a playoff team making a push, but few of those teams would give up a good young playmaker as of right now.

So what is the option for the Suns? Resign core players (Oubre and Holmes), pay Ryan Anderson to go away, draft another youngster, and sign a free agent PG. That right there will make this team much better. But the opposite path is trading away assets for a season that will already go down as a losing effort. For what? Our entertainment, at the cost of flexibility in the future. That's a crap idea. Just deal with the losses, because the Suns are a lot closer today to being a winner than they have been in awhile.

 

[BC867]

I don't think the Suns ARE turning a blind eye to the first step. This is a process; add productive, good young players and let them play.

You can't just FIND a good young PG without giving something up DURING the season. I would trade TJ Warren for a good young PG right now, but there are only a few teams that can deal with his lack of production outside of scoring. He's not a good rebounder, passer, or defender. He's Ced Ceballos. He's good for a playoff team making a push, but few of those teams would give up a good young playmaker as of right now.

So what is the option for the Suns? Resign core players (Oubre and Holmes), pay Ryan Anderson to go away, draft another youngster, and sign a free agent PG. That right there will make this team much better. But the opposite path is trading away assets for a season that will already go down as a losing effort. For what? Our entertainment, at the cost of flexibility in the future. That's a crap idea. Just deal with the losses, because the Suns are a lot closer today to being a winner than they have been in awhile.

I'm with you totally on that! Sign a free agent PG. But don't give up on the possibility of trading for one.

It's far different than those who want to pin their hopes on drafting a Point Guard and waiting years for him to develop into a skilled leader.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I'm with you totally on that! Sign a free agent PG. But don't give up on the possibility of trading for one.

It's far different than those who want to pin their hopes on drafting a Point Guard and waiting years for him to develop into a skilled leader.

See...I'm thinking the smart path is to do BOTH.

Outside of winning the Williamson sweepstakes, the Suns will probably get a shot at Morant. DRAFT HIM. AND sign a veteran PG. Or trade for one. If you draft a young PG, then it doesn't matter if the PG is 30 years old, because the young guy will take some of his minutes and the team isn't reliant on one player to win.

If you stack up the Suns rotation against other teams rotations, right now the Suns have tons of wings, two decent centers, and black holes at PG and PF. Fix the hole PG first. I think it's probably harder for the Suns to find the right fit at PF than it will be to find PG.

What I would love to see is for the Suns to go after Mirotic and swing a trade for solid PG.

 

[High Stakes]

The addition of Conley will certainly not vastly hurt our chances at a top 3 pick. We suck and will continue to suck (maybe suck a little bit less w/ MC)....The idea is to have conley (our vet PG) mentor Ja Morant. Then your two years of eating conley's salary are well worth it if he can provide mentorship to Ja.

I find it hard to believe people would rather have Darren Collison or a similar trash PG. Then what do we do? Wait for a strong PG to appear out of the blue? Any decent PG is making 20-30 mill per year, we would have JA on a rookie deal and can sign him to an extension when conleys deal is up. Easy money and it only costs us Jackson/mil pick/protected future first---uhh ok, done. After this draft, the last thing we need is another young project.

It comes down to the fact that AT SOME POINT, we need to acquire actual players and Conley is a good one.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The chances of getting Zion or Morant are small even if we lose every game from here out. The chances of getting to pick Morant AND him being an impact player as a rookie are even more remote.

Being worried about winning too much is wrong-headed.

 

[Chaplin]

The chances of getting Zion or Morant are small even if we lose every game from here out. The chances of getting to pick Morant AND him being an impact player as a rookie are even more remote.

Being worried about winning too much is wrong-headed.

You can keep telling yourself that, and yes, the chances are small, but they are the exact same as the other bottom 5 or 6 teams.

 

[sdscard4]

I could give a crap about draft position or a stupid process. We have multiple top 10 picks and even a 1 and still sucking the bottom of the tank. Conley at least gets us to compete and some credibility. I'm done even thinking about the stupid draft. I want a team that competes for a playoff spot year in and out just like we used to. Do we have championships. .no. but it would be nice getting to the dance and having a go at it.

 

[sunsfan88]

It would also take another contract like Warren to make the trade work. No thanks.

I bet Conley goes for some expiring contracts and a first round pick. Too bad the Suns do not have another bad contract to offer. Still Conley's salary makes it a non-starter.

Wel if this true then we might be better off selling high on him as well.

https://www.arizonasportsfans.com/forum/threads/tj-warren.242317/page-7#post-3882310

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns get the right trade for Warren, I'd consider it.

However, the discussed trade for Conley is not the right trade.

 

[GatorAZ]

I don't think the Suns ARE turning a blind eye to the first step. This is a process; add productive, good young players and let them play.

You can't just FIND a good young PG without giving something up DURING the season. I would trade TJ Warren for a good young PG right now, but there are only a few teams that can deal with his lack of production outside of scoring. He's not a good rebounder, passer, or defender. He's Ced Ceballos. He's good for a playoff team making a push, but few of those teams would give up a good young playmaker as of right now.

So what is the option for the Suns? Resign core players (Oubre and Holmes), pay Ryan Anderson to go away, draft another youngster, and sign a free agent PG. That right there will make this team much better. But the opposite path is trading away assets for a season that will already go down as a losing effort. For what? Our entertainment, at the cost of flexibility in the future. That's a crap idea. Just deal with the losses, because the Suns are a lot closer today to being a winner than they have been in awhile.

So McDonough had a different plan than this two weeks before the season that got him fired?

 

[Krangodnzr]

I could give a crap about draft position or a stupid process. We have multiple top 10 picks and even a 1 and still sucking the bottom of the tank. Conley at least gets us to compete and some credibility. I'm done even thinking about the stupid draft. I want a team that competes for a playoff spot year in and out just like we used to. Do we have championships. .no. but it would be nice getting to the dance and having a go at it.

Credibility? Finishing 10th in the west isn't credible. I think your looking at him in unobjectively. He's not a great player, he's getting old, he's a major injury waiting to happen, and he kills all flexibility.

It's crazy to think Conley would help this team be anything other than mediocre.

 

[High Stakes]

Credibility? Finishing 10th in the west isn't credible. I think your looking at him in unobjectively. He's not a great player, he's getting old, he's a major injury waiting to happen, and he kills all flexibility.

It's crazy to think Conley would help this team be anything other than mediocre.

You’re right, let’s go after one of these studs in FA. https://hoopshype.com/2018/11/27/nba-free-agency-2019-point-guards/

 

[Krangodnzr]

You’re right, let’s go after one of these studs in FA. https://hoopshype.com/2018/11/27/nba-free-agency-2019-point-guards/

Yep. You won't have to pay 32 MILLION PER YEAR for one of these guys. You could likely sign one of these guys, Oubre, AND Holmes for that much.

 

[SirStefan32]

Credibility? Finishing 10th in the west isn't credible. I think your looking at him in unobjectively. He's not a great player, he's getting old, he's a major injury waiting to happen, and he kills all flexibility.

It's crazy to think Conley would help this team be anything other than mediocre.

Well, but that's exactly the point. I am not sure which side I am on, but one side is basically saying that mediocrity right now is actually good. While Ayton, Bridges, Jackson, Melton, Okobo, Oubre and whoever else develop, let's be mediocre as opposed to terrible. The alternative, as they see it, is basically signing another Chandler, Ariza, or Dudley, and in the great scheme of things, so why not overpay for a stop-gap point guard that's available right now? You and I think they can sign someone like Collison and then pick up someone like Randle, Mirotic, etc, but I am guessing that pro-Conley folks don't think that's going to happen.

I think both sides have a good argument here, and I think there is merit to saying that we should grab a stop gap at any price because no other good player is coming here and it will be a couple of years before Ayton is really good, before Booker is outstanding, before we know exactly what we have in the three young wings and the two point guards. Essentially, why be terrible when you can be mediocre? Bird in hand (Conley) is worth two in the bush (Collison, Mirotic, Randle, etc.) Kemba goes back to Charlotte, Russel signs an extension with the Nets, Rubio returns to Utah, Pacers get Collison and Joseph back, Rozier gets a crazy offer elsewhere, and then what? Wsste your cap space on another Chandler or Ariza?

On the other hand, If you have that much money, overpay a safe player. Hell, I'd rather have Collison for two years at $15M/Per than Conley at $33M pear year. Sure, you are overpaying, but who cares if the alternative is paying someone else twice as much? I THINK I am with the "Go after Collins or Rubio, or whoever" crowd, with a caveat that to get them, you'll have to overpay significantly, which is fine. Ayton doesn't need extended for another three years, neither does Bridges. Booker is locked in for five years, they have Okobo locked in, I am guessing they'll lock on Homes and Oubre as well, so the only player who may need extending is JJ if he figures it out. Melton too, I suppose, but much like JJ, nobody is going to compete with the Suns for their services.

Additionally, what the hell do you do if you trade for Conley and THEN you get a chance to trade for a young point guard who may be the point guard of the future. Well, you have to either pay Conley to play backup and probably be unhappy in that role, or you suck it up and go with Conley. All that said though, I do see the logic in the other argument. Grab whoever you can get now who will be competent for a couple of years while others develop instead of risking not getting anything in free agency.

 

[Hoop Head]

John Wall would have made more sense than Conley. At least Wall won't be a member of AARP before his contract is up. He may need a walker but that's better than the mobility scooter that Conley will be riding on the sidelines. The money is similar but age is in Wall's favor. Why does anyone think Conley will help us more than he's helping Memphis currently? They're not a playoff team but without needing to pay him $32 million they'll have the chance to sign someone that we should be going for after, someone who will be productive throughout their contract. The only reason Conley is making as much as he is has to do with Memphis resigning him for that much because no other team in the league would have paid him that much. At least with Wall it's possible to believe another team would have made him a max offer. I know Wall's getting the super max but I'd still rather gamble paying him a little more to cover PG for the next 4 seasons than hoping and praying Conley can make it through the 2 years left on his deal and that the Suns have a plan for when that's up.

 

[SirStefan32]

John Wall would have made more sense than Conley. At least Wall won't be a member of AARP before his contract is up. He may need a walker but that's better than the mobility scooter that Conley will be riding on the sidelines. The money is similar but age is in Wall's favor. Why does anyone think Conley will up more than he's helping Memphis currently? They're not a playoff team but without needing to pay him $32 million they'll have the chance to sign someone that we should be going for after, someone who will be productive throughout their contract. The only reason Conley is making as much as he is has to do with Memphis resigning him for that much because no other team in the league would have paid him that much. At least with Wall it's possible to believe another team would have made him a max offer. I know Wall's getting the super max but I'd still rather gamble paying him a little more to cover PG for the next 4 seasons than hoping and praying Conley can make it through the 2 years left on his deal and that the Suns have a plan for when that's up.

Wall's contract runs for four years, Conley's for two. Between the two, I'd take Conley. Being financially crippled for only two years is better.

 

[GatorAZ]

Conley’s deal would impact FA signings for two years. Wall would impact re-signing our own guys. It’s probably the worst or second worst contract depending on what you think of Andrew Wiggins (not counting deals like Parsons or Noah that have 1-2 years left).

 

[Phrazbit]

I am absolutely blown away that anyone here would even consider this. There are going to be a ton of free agent options this off season at point guard and even if we whiff on all of them, a player of Conley's caliber (or Conley himself) will still be immensely available via trade.

I find the loses nauseating as well, but if we're going to give up real assets and take ourselves out of free agency to land a PG then it better be a serious long term solution. Conley is anything but, it's using stale gum to stop plug up the leaks in the Titanic.

We should have gone for Fred Van Fleet last summer. Should we whiff on everyone in free agency I suspect the Raptors will be open to trading him given that he will be, again, on the brink of free agency, as they only signed him to a 2 year deal.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Suns need to keep all their assets. If the Bulls win the number one pick I think they will trade it, Suns need to move up to that first pick. Zion

 

[Finito]

Conley is 30+ and has a monster contract no thanks.

We don't have the money to make the deal anyway

 

[Finito]

Suns need to keep all their assets. If the Bulls win the number one pick I think they will trade it, Suns need to move up to that first pick. Zion

Suns don't need Zion how many more young players do we need.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Suns don't need Zion how many more young players do we need.

Crazy talk. Zion could be better than any player on the Suns right now.

 

[1Sun]

Zion is the one player in this draft who would be useful in his rookie year. Every other player is either a long term project (e.g., Morant) or at a position already covered on this roster (e.g., Barrett, Reddish, Little).

I guess one possibility could be to draft Barrett and then pull a Larry-Nance-type trade with Booker. That (trading Booker) might ultimately be the inevitable result, anyway.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Suns need to keep all their assets. If the Bulls win the number one pick I think they will trade it, Suns need to move up to that first pick. Zion

Yeah I don't see anyone trading out of that top spot. Whether he gets there or not I believe pre-draft Zion is viewed the way that Lebron and a few other players have been throughout NBA history. Nobody is going to move off that pick unless someone like Giannis is coming back in return and maybe not even then.

Zion will need to expand his range and whoever drafts him will have to build around him differently than they would a normal PF but I just don't see how he can be anything but incredible at the next level (injuries nowithstanding).

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Suns need to keep all their assets. If the Bulls win the number one pick I think they will trade it, Suns need to move up to that first pick. Zion

Why would the bulls trade it?