Morris Trade Options?

[Catlover]

I think it is a reasonable price for Cousins the player. However, like Kevin Love, I wonder if he is the franchise player that would put the Suns over the top. In a way, I look at him like Rondo. A great player but there is something there... maybe chemistry issues that prevents a team from going further. The Suns are well along in their rebuild with Bledsoe, Knight, Booker and Warren. Plus they are solid at center. As I view it, the Suns are one star player away and he may even be on the current roster. I think trading for Cousins would deplete the Suns talent and assets so much, I wouldn't do it. If it were just Bledsoe or Knight and Markieff, I would be tempted but the Kings likely would want much, much more.

I imagine few here will agree but all things considered (including baggage) I'd rather have Bledsoe and Knight than Cousins and Bledsoe or Cousins and Knight. The only reason I might be willing to take the Cousins gamble is because Booker looks like a plus starter in the near future.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't like it. The Suns have some financial flexibility to take on a bad contract, but they should get a better incentive than Motiejunas if they're going to go that route. And a back issue that takes much longer to heal than expected is a pretty severe warning sign.

Overall it looks like PF is a pretty thin position in the league right now. Maybe the Suns should focus on seeing what they can get out of Leuer. He started the season great but has dropped off quite a bit the last few games. Even so, his ceiling should be higher than Teletovic's.

I'm not seeing where the Suns get better in the trade. No thanks to Lawson and Donatas Motiejunas is out with a back injury. I'm sure there are other teams that would trade for Markieff the player with his reasonable contract and give the Suns something better in return. I wondering what kind of offers the Suns are getting for Markieff? Also I would be happier trading Markieff to the Eastern Conference if a trade arises.

 

[Mainstreet]

Add picks.

I think minimally the Kings would want at least another young player added to the equation like Len plus picks. This makes me hesitate.

 

[Mainstreet]

I imagine few here will agree but all things considered (including baggage) I'd rather have Bledsoe and Knight than Cousins and Bledsoe or Cousins and Knight. The only reason I might be willing to take the Cousins gamble is because Booker looks like a plus starter in the near future.

The only reason I would take the Cousins gamble if the price was not over the top is one thing... a legitimate chance to compete for a championship. These chances do not come along very often. Yes, the Suns have some options like Devin Booker and possibly Bogdan Bogdanovic waiting in the wings which makes the risk more acceptable.

 

[Catlover]

The only reason I would take the Cousins gamble if the price was not over the top is one thing... a legitimate chance to compete for a championship. These chances do not come along very often. Yes, the Suns have some options like Devin Booker and possibly Bogdan Bogdanovic waiting in the wings which makes the risk more acceptable.

I understand and I do agree that he gives us a chance to win it all. But I really think it's a small chance and it's far more likely to set us back several years.

Right now we have 2 all star level guards. Maybe neither one of them will ever play in that game but they are each capable of playing at a star level for sustained stretches. We need another star at that level or above and it needs to be in the frontcourt. But if we just swap one of our stars for Cousins plus all the other assets they'll demand, I don't know what will keep us from being another Sacramento.

 

[Catlover]

I think trying to get Cousins is a wasted effort. I'd rather offer Chicago a nice package for Portis and let him grow with our other young players. Maybe Markieff, Warren and a pick for Gibson (or Noah if that's the salary they'd rather dump) and Portis? Or something like that.

 

[Hoop Head]

Early in the season or in the offseason I would have jumped at the chance to trade Markieff & Bledsoe or Knight for Cousins but now that we've seen the backcourt gel together some I wouldn't make that trade. The Kings would want more, youth and/or picks, and Cousins seems like a good stats on a bad team type of player which is the problem with the Kings whole roster really. Gay & Cousins are two of the most productive players in the league in which they put up good to great numbers but that doesn't translate to wins at all.

With Chandler locked in long term also and how he's helped turn the Suns around as far as rebounding and protecting the paint I don't want to see him go to the bench for a guy who is a coach killer headcase who hasn't been able to lead his team to the a winning season despite the fact he probably has the best stats of any player at his position in the entire NBA. I can't see Chandler & Cousins working well with Bledsoe & Knight especially since our options at the SF spot are all below average 3 point shooters.

 

[hcsilla]

I imagine few here will agree but all things considered (including baggage) I'd rather have Bledsoe and Knight than Cousins and Bledsoe or Cousins and Knight. The only reason I might be willing to take the Cousins gamble is because Booker looks like a plus starter in the near future.

Absolutely.

That's also in my mind when I'm willing to trade Knight as well for Cousins.

Booker seems to be a good future (and more natural) option as a starting SG.

 

[Mainstreet]

I understand and I do agree that he gives us a chance to win it all. But I really think it's a small chance and it's far more likely to set us back several years.

Right now we have 2 all star level guards. Maybe neither one of them will ever play in that game but they are each capable of playing at a star level for sustained stretches. We need another star at that level or above and it needs to be in the frontcourt. But if we just swap one of our stars for Cousins plus all the other assets they'll demand, I don't know what will keep us from being another Sacramento.

I lean towards your stance, however, I would be willing to listen to offers if the Kings did not want a ransom. The Kings wanting either Bledsoe or Knight plus Markieff and picks is fair. It's when the Kings start to want the additional young talent like Len or Booker... that's when I start to hesitate. I think most assuredly the Kings would want Len.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think trying to get Cousins is a wasted effort. I'd rather offer Chicago a nice package for Portis and let him grow with our other young players. Maybe Markieff, Warren and a pick for Gibson (or Noah if that's the salary they'd rather dump) and Portis? Or something like that.

Now you are talking. If my recollection is correct, I wanted the Suns to draft Bobby Portis. However, now that I have seen Booker play, I know why the Suns drafted him... potential star. I'm for trading Markieff for Portis.

 

[hcsilla]

Knight, Markieff, Len is a reasonable demand for Cousins. If Len is dealt to the Kings, the Suns would probably want Koufos as well, as a backup C.

Knight, Markieff, Len, CLE pick for Cousins, Koufos might be a starting point for the negotiations.

 

[Mainstreet]

Knight, Markieff, Len is a reasonable demand for Cousins. If Len is dealt to the Kings, the Suns would probably want Koufos as well, as a backup C.

Knight, Markieff, Len, CLE pick for Cousins, Koufos might be a starting point for the negotiations.

I don't know if I can take this step. Can you imagine the Suns getting battered by the Kings if Knight, Morris and Len would play well for them?

I don't think I would want to see Markieff play the Suns regularly in the Western Conference.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The problem with Cousins is that he is not on the market, period. I do not think there is any way to get him.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Knight, Markieff, Len is a reasonable demand for Cousins. If Len is dealt to the Kings, the Suns would probably want Koufos as well, as a backup C.

Knight, Markieff, Len, CLE pick for Cousins, Koufos might be a starting point for the negotiations.

Too much. What's the point in getting Cousins if you don't have Bledsoe and Knight together?

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

I don't know if I can take this step. Can you imagine the Suns getting battered by the Kings if Knight, Morris and Len would play well for them?

I don't think I would want to see Markieff play the Suns regularly in the Western Conference.

Besides Knight, they dont play well for the Suns now, thats why they're on the trading block. To get Cousins, Id def take my chances.

 

[Phrazbit]

The other problem with Cousins is that he is a center. The guy isn't a PF. Granted I'd obviously choose him over Chandler but I don't see them making a good pairing, if we got him I suspect Lauer or Tele would start and Chandler would end up on the bench.

 

[BC867]

The other problem with Cousins is that he is a center. The guy isn't a PF.

I thought I read that Cousins doesn't want to play Center. Am I mistaken?

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

I thought I read that Cousins doesn't want to play Center. Am I mistaken?

Amare wasnt a center but he played both PF and the center position when called upon. Demarcus could do the same.

 

[hcsilla]

The other problem with Cousins is that he is a center. The guy isn't a PF. Granted I'd obviously choose him over Chandler but I don't see them making a good pairing, if we got him I suspect Lauer or Tele would start and Chandler would end up on the bench.

Cousins can easily play PF, especially paired with a quick, defensive-minded C like Chandler.

Actually, that's exactly what he does in Sacramento (with WCS as a center.)

 

[hcsilla]

I don't know if I can take this step. Can you imagine the Suns getting battered by the Kings if Knight, Morris and Len would play well for them?

I don't think I would want to see Markieff play the Suns regularly in the Western Conference.

I wouldn't care about Markieff at all.

I think we all now what is Markieff's ceiling. It is not that high, is it?

I doubt that Knight can keep up his respective perfomance, especially against better defenses which they start to focus on him. Even if he would, I would trade him for Cousins.

Len is still a valuable asset, and he was kind of a late bloomer also in college, but given his scary injuries and quite flat improvement, I would happily take my chances, if that's all what it takes to get Cousins.

I'm afraid, it would take more.

 

[hcsilla]

Too much. What's the point in getting Cousins if you don't have Bledsoe and Knight together?

Because Cousins is much more valuable than Knight, and the Suns have a solid future option at SG in Booker who is 3 inches taller and more of a shooter than Knight.

A move like that would balance very well the current guard-heavy Suns' core and roster.

 

[leclerc]

If we can get a star it doesn't matter if we get the maximum for Keef. Keef and some picks + fillers for finally getting a new contending core is worth it. Build around Cuz, Bled and Booker + whoever is still here; Warren, Len etc.

 

[Phrazbit]

I thought I read that Cousins doesn't want to play Center. Am I mistaken?

A duck might not want to call itself a duck. Cousins is a center. He might think that PF is a more glamorous abbreviation to have next to his name but regardless of what it says in the lineup card he plays like a center, putting him in there with another center is a bad idea. Hypothetically either him or Chandler would now spend half their games covering guys at the 3pt line. Obviously a really bad idea, and they'd both occupy the exact same areas on offense making it reaaaaaally easy for teams to double Cousins and at the same time clogging up any ability for our guards and wings to penetrate.

Should Cousins somehow end up here the Suns would probably need to bring Chandler off the bench or look to trade him.

 

[JCSunsfan]

A duck might not want to call itself a duck. Cousins is a center. He might think that PF is a more glamorous abbreviation to have next to his name but regardless of what it says in the lineup card he plays like a center, putting him in there with another center is a bad idea. Hypothetically either him or Chandler would now spend half their games covering guys at the 3pt line. Obviously a really bad idea, and they'd both occupy the exact same areas on offense making it reaaaaaally easy for teams to double Cousins and at the same time clogging up any ability for our guards and wings to penetrate.

Should Cousins somehow end up here the Suns would probably need to bring Chandler off the bench or look to trade him.

Cousins is easily a pf. He would be a perfect match for Chandler.

 

[Phrazbit]

Cousins is easily a pf. He would be a perfect match for Chandler.

He is a center. Which one of them is covering guys at the 3pt line? In Sacramento WCS does it, and I don't really want to emulate them anyway... because they're terrible. With him and Chandler on the interior what is Chandler's man going to be doing on defense? The guy will be free to provide boat loads of help defense as Chandler is zero threat outside of getting spoon fed at the rim.

Furthermore, Bledsoe and Knight truly NEED space to penetrate, there will not be any with two interior guys in there. I'm not saying getting Cousins is a bad idea, but I think getting Cousins and pairing him with Chandler would not be nearly as effective as having Cousins at center and guys who can spread out and penetrate around him.