NBA Free Agency and Trades 2022

[Phrazbit]

Yes we were. I posted the stats during the playoff run last year. If I can find them I will point to the link. Saric has never been known as a defensive stopper ANYWHERE he has played.

There is a lot more to it than being a defensive stopper.

And... again, there is no arguing that McGee can't defend against teams that stretch the floor and the Bucks and almost ANY contender can stretch the floor.

 

[Covert Rain]

There is a lot more to it than being a defensive stopper.

And... again, there is no arguing that McGee can't defend against teams that stretch the floor and the Bucks and almost ANY contender can stretch the floor.

That's not very many teams?!!? Pretty much the only team in the league that beats you with consistency on the outside is Golden State. So, McGee inability to cover the 3 point line it moot. There is no arguing that Saric has ever been relied upon for his defense anywhere he has gone either. Go back to his college scouting report. He was criticized even way back then for having zero laterally quickness. Yet he was going to help against Giannis??!?!

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think he is that level of star.

You gut your depth and your future draft for MVP, all-NBA type guys. He isn't that.

I don't think the Suns have the assets to trade for Shai even if they include Cam Johnson, so I'm not going to dwell on it.

It's hard to trade for a star caliber player once they become elite. There is always a gamble involved.

Sadly, the Suns do not value draft picks anyway.

 

[Phrazbit]

That's not very many teams?!!? Pretty much the only team in the league that beats you with consistency on the outside is Golden State. So, McGee inability to cover the 3 point line it moot. There is no arguing that Saric has ever been relied upon for his defense anywhere he has gone either. Go back to his college scouting report. He was criticized even way back then for having zero laterally quickness. Yet he was going to help against Giannis??!?!

No, I am not claiming he was going to stop Giannis, I am saying the bench was better, way better with him. Our bench killed teams and it struggled when he went down.

Furthermore and something you continue to ignore, McGee would NOT have been playable in that series, the Bucks are absolutely a team that stretch the floor at 5 positions. He would have been useless, just as he was against the Mavs.

It blows my mind that the 2021 playoffs are being pointed to as a reason that McGee's departure is a huge blow... as though his exposure in this post season never happened.

 

[Covert Rain]

No, I am not claiming he was going to stop Giannis, I am saying the bench was better, way better with him. Our bench killed teams and it struggled when he went down.

Furthermore and something you continue to ignore, McGee would NOT have been playable in that series, the Bucks are absolutely a team that stretch the floor at 5 positions. He would have been useless, just as he was against the Mavs.

It blows my mind that the 2021 playoffs are being pointed to as a reason that McGee's departure is a huge blow... as though his exposure in this post season never happened.

Our bench was better is nebulous. We were not better on the interior and we couldn't stop Giannis in the paint. Saric does nothing to change that. Offensively scoring more points wasn't going to win us the title. We had to get stops and couldn't do it. We were rated at 44.5 with PITP 2 years ago and 40.9 last year.

I will state this again. It's not just about McGee. My point is if we lose McGee and Crowder? It's a step back DEFENSIVELY. Nobody is claiming McGee was defensive player of the year or anything like that.

 

[Phrazbit]

Our bench was better is nebulous. We were not better on the interior and we couldn't stop Giannis in the paint. Saric does nothing to change that. Offensively scoring more points wasn't going to win us the title. We had to get stops and couldn't do it. We were rated at 44.5 with PITP 2 years ago and 40.9 last year.

I will state this again. It's not just about McGee. My point is if we lose McGee and Crowder? It's a step back DEFENSIVELY. Nobody is claiming McGee was defensive player of the year or anything like that.

When we were a possession away in both games 5 and 6 from winning then... yeah, I think one player can change it. I am not saying that it's a sure thing, but our bench slaughtered teams all year with Saric and then really struggled after he went down.

And yes, I absolutely agree, if we ditch Crowder and replace him with Bojan our defense will suffer. Crowder's defense is underrated by this board, he almost never blows his positioning and plays physical without fouling. If we get Bojan it should be to play off the bench.

 

[Covert Rain]

When we were a possession away in both games 5 and 6 from winning then... yeah, I think one player can change it. I am not saying that it's a sure thing, but our bench slaughtered teams all year with Saric and then really struggled after he went down.

And yes, I absolutely agree, if we ditch Crowder and replace him with Bojan our defense will suffer. Crowder's defense is underrated by this board, he almost never blows his positioning and plays physical without fouling. If we get Bojan it should be to play off the bench.

Again, when you say slaughtered, you are mostly talking about offense. Defensively we rated higher last year than the year before. By the way I was not factoring in getting Bojan really because we don't have him. I have seen people post some of his stats but I have not had enough time to look at them yet.

 

[Yuma]

I have a feeling Landale becomes the primary backup.

This guy is great in interviews. IDK about his play, but definitely a great interview.

 

[Yuma]

To be fair we haven’t seen anything like the team as constructed in over a decade. Point is, McGee was awful and near unplayable in the playoffs. That’s a big problem. I won’t argue he helped our culture and the team get the best record last season. But losing him isn’t a huge drop off. It would be nice if a Crowder replacement could offer some rim protection but you appear to take McGee’s loss harder than it should be.

He was definitely way better during the early part of the season. Maybe the Olympics and all that caught up to him by the end of the year.

 

[Phrazbit]

Again, when you say slaughtered, you are mostly talking about offense. Defensively we rated higher last year than the year before. By the way I was not factoring in getting Bojan really because we don't have him. I have seen people post some of his stats but I have not had enough time to look at them yet.

I'm talking about point differential. That bench slaughtered the opposition.

They were far better than this year's bench offensively and when you compare the numbers with Saric on the court in 2021 vs with McGee on the court in 2022, the points allowed is virtually the exact same. 109.5 vs 109.4 per 100 possessions.

 

[Mainstreet]

He was definitely way better during the early part of the season. Maybe the Olympics and all that caught up to him by the end of the year.

I continue to think the Suns defensive scheme often put the Suns big men out of position defensively in the playoffs.

 

[GatorAZ]

I would trade all our picks for SGA in 0.5 seconds.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm talking about point differential. That bench slaughtered the opposition.

They were far better than this year's bench offensively and when you compare the numbers with Saric on the court in 2021 vs with McGee on the court in 2022, the points allowed is virtually the exact same. 109.5 vs 109.4 per 100 possessions.

OK but I am not worried about our ability to score nearly as much as getting stops when we need them. It doesn't matter how much we score if we can't stop someone when it counts. The Suns have had plenty of talented offensive teams in the past. Last season was one of the best defensive teams we have fielded in a long time.

 

[Yuma]

I continue to think the Suns defensive scheme often put the Suns big men out of position defensively in the playoffs.

Having them stretch out to guard the corner three is not good, IMHO. We struggle on rebounds as a result, and from an open lane, too!

 

[Mainstreet]

Having them stretch out to guard the corner three is not good, IMHO. We struggle on rebounds as a result, and from an open lane, too!

It frustrated the heck out of me, seeing the Mavericks getting easy layups in the playoffs while the Suns big men were out of position.

 

[Mainstreet]

Portland signed the Suns summer league player I liked, although it's an Exhibit 10 contract.

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[Finito]

It frustrated the heck out of me, seeing the Mavericks getting easy layups in the playoffs while the Suns big men were out of position.

That didn’t have to do with the big men. There guarding the three that’s means it’s up to the Suns to play man defense and keep there man in front of them.

We failed big time at that.

 

[Mainstreet]

FWIW

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[Hoop Head]

FWIW

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I'd be happy with Barnes starting at PF. The deal is actually a little easier to match financially than Bogdonovich as Barnes makes about $1 million less and that helps when trying to match salaries. For instance a deal for Barnes that works financially is Crowder and Craig for Barnes, probably a pick involved also. However that comes up short for Bogdon.

I'd jump all over a deal like that, if possible. Who knows what it entailed. I could see that being what set Jae off though, being told he was going to Sacramento. He's been traded a lot in his career but never to such a dire situation like the Kings where they're in a 15+ year playoff drought.

 

[Phrazbit]

FWIW

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Why would the Kings back out because KD didn't get moved? That makes no sense.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Why would the Kings back out because KD didn't get moved? That makes no sense.

Yeah I wondered about that too, maybe they were interested in our picks because it was the Kings that had a possible deal for KD and it fell through? I never heard about it but it seems most of what we did hear was nonsense so who knows.

 

[Mainstreet]

Why would the Kings back out because KD didn't get moved? That makes no sense.

The media has been talking about Harrison Barnes as an ideal trade candidate for the Suns for a long time. Maybe it's a continuation of that thought process. One can only speculate.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The media has been talking about Harrison Barnes as an ideal trade candidate for the Suns for a long time. Maybe it's a continuation of that thought process. One can only speculate.

I think I’d be okay with Crowder/Craig and a 1 for Barnes.

He gives us another offensive option, slightly better rebounder and has championship experience.

Doesn’t really move the needle in a major way, though. You’re getting more offense but losing a little D and the ish-stirrer every title team has.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think I’d be okay with Crowder/Craig and a 1 for Barnes.

He gives us another offensive option, slightly better rebounder and has championship experience.

I'd do that trade because I think Barnes is as good as Bojan and younger. The Suns might be able to re-sign him when his contract expires.

 

[Yuma]

I think the deal fell through because it was part of a 3 or 4 team deal, that gave them something we didn't have that they wanted.