Matt L
formerly known as mattyboy
What would it take to get Conley from the Grizz? Conley and a competent PF probably make us a competitive team. I'm not sure if that gets us to the playoffs but it should get us to over 40 wins.
Mike Conley?
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Shouldn’t take much more than perhaps Jackson and the Bucks pick. Of course matching salaries will be somewhat of a challenge.
WildBB
Yogi n da Bear
You would hope so. Just wonder how much he has left. Would rather get Charlottes' Kemba Walker, but he may not be interested in going here even at a max deal.
What would we give up for a Bradley Beal deal? We have some pieces to move there. He's a deadly shooter and would really open things up.
https://clutchpoints.com/bradley-beal-vs-kemba-walker-who-is-more-likely-to-be-a-laker-first/
What would we give up for a Bradley Beal deal? We have some pieces to move there. He's a deadly shooter and would really open things up.
https://clutchpoints.com/bradley-beal-vs-kemba-walker-who-is-more-likely-to-be-a-laker-first/
Matt L
formerly known as mattyboy
Why Walker over Conley?
SirStefan32
Krycek, Alex Krycek
Age, scoring, durability/ injury history, I'd imagine.
Conley's been discussed multiple times. He's 32 years old and an old 32 with his injury history and he's due $66 million over the next 2 seasons, $32 next year and $34 the following but that is a player option. There is no way he's declining that player option. I doubt a team would pay him $34 million over 4 years at that point, let alone for a year. He would kill our financial flexibility going forward since it would take Warren and Tyler Johnson to match salaries and no one else will be anxious to take on Conley's contract.
If we're looking to add a PG over 30 then our best bet would be to sign one for a year, similar to the Ariza deal. That would give us someone to come in and mentor a player like Ja Morant throughout his rookie year but that could be an issue on it's own if we start losing because I'm sure people will call for Morant to start right then. Having a PG that knows they may not be the starter all year will be a key and no one knows if Conley will be ok with that. I would guess not since he's toward the end of his career and I imagine he'd rather play than sit on the bench, especially on a team trying to get to the playoffs. If we were a title contender then maybe he'd be ok being an overpaid backup.
If we're looking to add a PG over 30 then our best bet would be to sign one for a year, similar to the Ariza deal. That would give us someone to come in and mentor a player like Ja Morant throughout his rookie year but that could be an issue on it's own if we start losing because I'm sure people will call for Morant to start right then. Having a PG that knows they may not be the starter all year will be a key and no one knows if Conley will be ok with that. I would guess not since he's toward the end of his career and I imagine he'd rather play than sit on the bench, especially on a team trying to get to the playoffs. If we were a title contender then maybe he'd be ok being an overpaid backup.
slinslin
Welcome to Amareca
too old, too expensive, too many injuries and not that great to begin with
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If you mean his play didn't warrant his contract, I'd agree. But he was a very good two way guard. Still, he is too old, too expensive and too injured.
And still 1,000 times better than any point guard we have on the roster.
slinslin
Welcome to Amareca
I mean that there is a reason he never made an allstar game.
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True but there's also a reason that just about every season he'd be one of the first mentioned when they'd talk about All Star snubs. I thought his contract was an absurd overreaction to the huge increase in cap money but he was one of the few above average two way PG's, which makes him a pretty good PG (at the time).
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I'm not sure about going after Conley but as you mentioned Johnson and Warren contracts would cover his the expense of his contract next season. The second season would be the most risky in regard to money.
Also Conley is coming off arguably the best season of his career. If the Suns do not get Morant, it's an option to consider. Nash was 30 when he joined the Suns and he played to age 37 with the team.
Conley is also playing more than he has in the past few seasons. I'm not sure his lack of miles outweighs injuries sustained to make him a target for us. I think his better days are gone, and he'll definitely be taking that player option so we'd have him for 2 years. That's a lot of cap space used up right there for a non-star player.
SirStefan32
Krycek, Alex Krycek
I am not advocating for Conley, but he would instantly be the Suns second-best player. Probably their best two-way player too, though an argument can be made for Oubre. I'd prefer Holiday, but I would not be upset to have Conley for two years. Neither Ayton nor Bridges will be due for an extension in the next two years, Booker is locked in, Oubre will be locked in.
Nash was a once in a lifetime situation. There just aren't players in the NBA who peak after they're 30 years old like him. I don't like how that's used to justify going after other older players because the odds of finding anyone who could be Nash for us is virtually nonexistent. Nash himself wasn't supposed to work out like it did and I wish more people would recognize that because we aren't going to find Steve Nash 2.0 out there. I know that no one is saying we'll get Conley and he'll be an MVP candidate here but I think it's more likely we find and add a potential MVP this offseason than finding a PG who is over 30 that will give us 5 good seasons like Nash did. Look around the league and you won't find other Nash like signings anywhere. Even 34 year old Lebron showed his age this year in LA.
We need to be realistic with our expectations and in who we should target because anyone hoping Conley becomes Nash will be disappointed and that's in all other comparisons to Nash. He won't give us 7 good years, he won't be an MVP candidate, and he won't be the primary ball handler or orchestrator of our offense either. We need to be looking for another Goran Dragic type signing when we brought him back to Phoenix in 2012, I believe, more than Steve Nash because we won't find another Steve Nash. You can't look for another Steve Nash because Nash wasn't even expected to become M-V-Steve like he did.
We don't need another Nash. We just need at least an average starting point guard, starting power forward and head coach, as opposed to the historically awful trio we have now.
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But I don't think we need a Conley to become Nash. Reality is that we are not going to get love from a big time FA to come in for the next couple years so his salary doesn't bother me if we could unload Warren/Johnson for him. And bigger reality is we are DESPERATE for a floor leader... any floor leader and Conley is a pretty good one. We don't need Conley to lead this team to the promised land... we need him to forward the promise of the talent that IS on it. Give them hope until they are old enough and mature enough to carry the mantle forward.
Chaplin
Better off silent
I think Conley would be a great fit with the team, but not a great fit for the Timeline. The only reason we'd sign him is to make the team more attractive for other, maybe even better, free agents.
SirStefan32
Krycek, Alex Krycek
Conley would be a stopgap measure to ensure the team is "competitive" while others develop. Ayton is going to get much better, Bridges will get better, JJ may get better, Oubre and Booker are probably going to get a bit better too. Conley would be there for two years to make the team attractive to other free agents by helping the team be at least a borderline playoff team instead of one of the worst teams in the league. I'd rather have Holiday who is a little bit younger, but I'd be fine with Conley. Add a big man who can defend, rebound, and shoot, and we have ourselves a pretty good team. I don't know how much I'd give up for him though. Johnson and Warren are fine, but I don't know I'd trade the pick for him. I would for Holiday who still has three seasons before he hits that 32-33 age range where players start declining sharply. Conley might only have one more left in him.
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PH, I wish you hadn't got carried away with Nash. I was responding to your mention of Conley.
I only used Nash to show that the Suns successfully added an older point guard with health issues and it worked out fine. Whether Conley would work out is another matter. However, it shows it can be done.
I'm not sold on the Suns going after Conley but on the other hand he had perhaps his best season in 2018-19. Plus it would only be a two year deal. Essentially a trade of Warren and Johnson would cover his salary for the first season. I don't think Conley should be ruled out because of his age.
I apologize for getting carried away. I did not intend to single you out with my comment. I know plenty of fans mention Nash when someone floats the idea of signing an over 30 PG, or guard in general. I should have been clear in my post that I didn't mean to direct everything at you but more of a general statement. That's the first time I believe that I've seen you mention Nash's age when talking about another player. I know that you weren't comparing him to Nash as a player though.
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No apologies necessary. At first glance trading for Conley doesn't make a lot of sense but if all it takes is Johnson and Warren it's worth considering. The Suns would be able to keep their other assets to improve the team. It's Conley's second season that would hurt the most.
I'm assuming the Suns are not able to draft Morant in this scenario.
I apologize regardless because I should have been clear in that I wasn't singling you out with the Nash comment.
Now this is where we do differ. I think Conley might be the way to go if we get Morant because it takes pressure off Morant and allows him to have a solid mentor his first year. I'd actually be more in favor of the move if we can get Morant than if we don't.
Now this is where we do differ. I think Conley might be the way to go if we get Morant because it takes pressure off Morant and allows him to have a solid mentor his first year. I'd actually be more in favor of the move if we can get Morant than if we don't.
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Personally don't think Conley would be happy coming off the bench. Also I don't the Suns should rule out the possibility of Morant starting if he is ready.
I'd want a couple of veteran backup point guards who could start until Morant is ready. I don't think Melton and Okobo are ready to so this.
