Mock draft and offseason

[slinslin]

Jahidi White and Cleveland pick to Charlotte

Clips #2 for Hawks #6 and #17

1. Magic - Okafor PF
2. Hawks - Howard PF
3. Bulls - Deng SF
4. Bobcats - Livingston PG/SF
5. Wizards - Biedrins PF
6. Clippers - Andriuskevicius C
7. Suns - Gordon PG
8. Raptors - Harris PG - need a PG badly or a center
9. 76ers - Iguodala G/F - complements Iverson with PG skills and size
10. Cavs - Nelson PG - takes pressure off of Lebron
11. Warriors - Childress - Stanford Connection
12. Sonics - JR Smith SG - replacement for Barry and BPA
13. Blazers - Josh Smith G/F
14. Jazz - Podkolzine C
15. Celtics - Jefferson PF
16. Jazz - Monya SG
17. Clips - Telfair PG - still get their PG
18. Hornets - Jackson SG
19. Heat - Ramos C
20. Nuggets - Aurajo C
21. Jazz - Swift C
22. Nets - Wrigth G/F
23. Blazers - Aldridge F/C
24. Celtics - Samardziski C
25. Celtics - Vujacic G
26. Kings - Varejao PF
27. Lakers - Humphries PF
28. Spurs - Duhon PG
29. Pacers - Harrison C


Suns caproom ~16M$
Sign Etan Thomas for 6M$
Re-sign Antonio McDyess for 2M$
Sign Vlade Divac for 4M$
Sign Vujanic for 2M$
Sign Ben Gordon for 2M$

Divac/Thomas/Lampe
Amare/McDyess
Marion/Zarko
JJ/Jacobsen
Gordon/Barbosa/Vujanic

IR: Voshkul and Eisley

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

There is no need to sign Divac, Dice and Thomas.

Plus, how many years are you thinking about for each of those guys? Tying up our cap room in 2 older, decent front court players, and 1 unproven front court player is not my idea of a good summer. We should have just kept Marbury and Hardaway if that was the plan.


I really think 6 million is to much for Thomas, and the Wiz will most likely match anything under the MLE.

 

[slinslin]

Divac 2 years, McDyess 2 years with player option for one more, Thomas 3 years with team option for 2 more maybe?

Divac would give us a 7'+ footer and a tutor for the young guys and a helping hand for our other serbs Vujanic and Zarko.

Etan Thomas would be an upgrade over Jahidi White.

Of course Darius Miles would be on my wishlist if we were to trade Marion and JJ for TMac.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Divac 2 years, McDyess 2 years with player option for one more, Thomas 3 years with team option for 2 more maybe?

Well, at least the years are short, but I dont think signing 3 big men is the bet use of cap room. I say pick one of the 3, and forget the other 2.


I prefer Divac out of the 3. Most big bodies will be an improvement over White. Its not like he was an important part of our team that would need replacing anyways.

I would rather overpay a guard liek Jackson, Richardson or Crawford than throw that much money at Thomas.

 

[slinslin]

So you would want to go into the season with Voshkul , Lampe, Zarko and possibly our pick in the frontcourt? Save Amare and the other guy that would be starting.

Big guys are a good investment because almost every other team is looking to add some.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I wouldn't want that at all. Like I said, sign one of the 3 to reinforce the front court, but signing all 3 is a horrible idea IMO.

C - Divac, Voskuhl, Lampe
PF - Amare, Lampe
SF - Marion, Zarko

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Big guys are a good investment because almost every other team is looking to add some.

Flexibility is a better investment though.....

 

[slinslin]

I wouldn't want that at all. Like I said, sign one of the 3 to reinforce the front court, but signing all 3 is a horrible idea IMO.

C - Divac, Voskuhl, Lampe
PF - Amare, Lampe
SF - Marion, Zarko

One injury and we would be forced to start Lampe or Zarko. Both of them are projects.

Voshkul shouldn't play any minutes really but since Divac is only good for about 20 per game and can't play well against smaller guys we would need a good backup/starter like Etan Thomas.

 

[Chaplin]

Voshkul shouldn't play any minutes really but since Divac is only good for about 20 per game and can't play well against smaller guys we would need a good backup/starter like Etan Thomas.

I can't for the life of me figure out why you think Voskuhl shouldn't get any minutes. Sure, he's no Shaq or Ratliff, but he's a decent backup.

 

[Brett10S]

I sure hope the Suns didn't make the Knicks trade, couple it with the Googs trade to Utah with the thoughts of picking up Etan Thomas and Vlade in the offseason. I'd rather develop these young guys, see what Vujanic can do, and not rush to spend the money.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

One injury and we would be forced to start Lampe or Zarko. Both of them are projects.

One injury to a point guard and we would be starting a project.

One injury to JJ and we would start a project.

One injury to Marion and we would start a project.

One injury to Amare and we would start a project.

I agree it is a good idea to build depth, but it is not a good idea to overpay mediocre players that have no shot at greatness just in case of an injury.

 

[elindholm]

Unless Voskuhl is injured, there is no way that he will be behind Lampe on the depth chart next season. None. Voskuhl is a capable player, and Lampe is a 19-year-old kid with "potential."

 

[slinslin]

No

One injury to Gordon and we would start Barbosa who started big part of this season already and did ok.

One injury to Marion and we would start JJ at the 3 and Jacobsen at the 2 probably.

One Injury to JJ and we would start Jacobsen or a small backcourt with Barbosa.

One injury to Amare and we would start McDyess at PF.

One injury to Divac and we would start Thomas at C.

 

[cly2tw]

I sure hope the Suns didn't make the Knicks trade, couple it with the Googs trade to Utah with the thoughts of picking up Etan Thomas and Vlade in the offseason. I'd rather develop these young guys, see what Vujanic can do, and not rush to spend the money.

They did the NY trade to allow the true star of the Suns, Marion, to unfold his talent to sell tickets and win championships here!

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

No

One injury to Gordon and we would start Barbosa who started big part of this season already and did ok.

One injury to Marion and we would start JJ at the 3 and Jacobsen at the 2 probably.

One Injury to JJ and we would start Jacobsen or a small backcourt with Barbosa.

One injury to Amare and we would start McDyess at PF.

One injury to Divac and we would start Thomas at C.

You realize the team would suck just as much with Casey starting at 2g as if Lampe started at C. In fact, I think they would be worse.

Barbosa did alright, but he wasn't exactly spectacular. Just like Voskuhl last year.

The same problems will arise if we have an injury in any of our starting unit. And that injury would be magnified if it was at the 2,3 or 4.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

They did the NY trade to allow the true star of the Suns, Marion, to unfold his talent to sell tickets and win championships here!

 

[slinslin]

Casey isn't a project like Lampe however.

Jacobsen really did improve this season and I would trust him to start a period of games much more than I would trust Lampe , Voshkul or Zarko.

He is a solid guard at least.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

He became a decent backup after his second summer. At least give Zarko and Lampe the same chance this year. Plus, I think Voskuhl is a better backup than Casey is for their respective positions.

 

[slinslin]

Besides that having a good 2 deep frontcourt is more valueable than swingman.

You can always get a capable G/F in the draft no matter where you pick.

 

[Chaplin]

Besides that having a good 2 deep frontcourt is more valueable than swingman.

You can always get a capable G/F in the draft no matter where you pick.

Just like the Clippers did when they drafted Miles?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Besides that having a good 2 deep frontcourt is more valueable than swingman.

You can always get a capable G/F in the draft no matter where you pick.

We just have different opinions of who is good then. I dont think that much about Thomas, certainly not enough to offer a deal starting at 6 million. Dice would be a nice pickup to help shore up the frontline, and Divac would be better. However both of them would be redundant.

 

[slinslin]

Just like the Clippers did when they drafted Miles?

Look at that weak draft.

The Clippers knew they were taking a project with Miles but he played even surprisingly well.
He has really come into his own lately in Portland and is a very good defender.

He could still become the best player in that draft and I thought that Miles when he was with the Clippers ranked very high in the top jersey sales, even top 10 I think.

Etan Thomas will be the next Antonio Davis.

 

[Chaplin]

You can always get a capable G/F in the draft no matter where you pick.

Must have read that wrong then.

 

[elindholm]

I thought that Miles when he was with the Clippers ranked very high in the top jersey sales, even top 10 I think.

You rate these publicity things very highly. It's the same as with the dunk contest. Maybe the European perspective is different, but I don't think that NBA teams really care all that much if their player has a good-selling jersey or wins a stupid prize on All-Star weekend. It helps revenues a little, but not enought to make any real difference in a team's success.

 

[Joe Mama]

I sure hope the Suns didn't make the Knicks trade, couple it with the Googs trade to Utah with the thoughts of picking up Etan Thomas and Vlade in the offseason. I'd rather develop these young guys, see what Vujanic can do, and not rush to spend the money.

I agree. Thomas is a nice bench player, but there's no way he's going to get a contract starting at $6 million. In fact anyone that gives him the mid-level exception is making a mistake.

Slin, If you switch the salaries you are giving to Thomas and Divac I think it would be closer to what they are really going to get. And regardless of whether the Suns want Divac, he is not coming to the Phoenix Suns. If he doesn't re-sign with the Sacramento Kings I'm sure he will go play for a contender.

Joe Mama