NBA Free Agency: Realistic options for the Suns

[JS22]

And Milos

LOL, there's a blast from the past.

Do the Suns still own his rights?

 

[GatorAZ]

Knight is a restricted free agent so they can go over the cap re-signing him after signing another free agent, like they planned to do with Bledsoe last year. I believe his cap hold will be about 7.5 million which should give the Suns about $10-12 million in cap space to sign someone before locking Knight up. It all depends on where the cap is set at though.

Millsap won't get a max deal at his age and his level of production, that would be starting close to 20 million a year given his age and years in the league. The Hawks aren't paying that to keep him and I doubt anyone else will to lure him away since they'd just be driving the price up on themselves.

Golden State can't afford to give Draymond Green a max deal but he's not worth max money either. I doubt anyone offers him max money regardless, just like no one offered Bledsoe max money last year. If GSW wins the title this year they will probably be able to re-sign him for a fair price. Why would he leave a team he fits perfectly on and just won a title with? I seriously doubt he leaves, regardless of the money being offered to him.

Aldridge is the only player that has been mentioned that will get max money but even then he's not getting it from Phoenix. Teams like Dallas and San Antonio will be throwing max money at him to lure him away from Portland.

Draymond Green will get a huge offer and GS will match. The cap is going up a significant margin and Lee + Iguodala will be off the books within two years.

 

[overseascardfan]

Draymond Green will get a huge offer and GS will match. The cap is going up a significant margin and Lee + Iguodala will be off the books within two years.

Bogut
Iguodala
Lee
Thompson
Curry

All these guys are at at least making $11M for the next couple of years, adding in the rest of the roster salaries, I don't think GS would match an offer north of $10M a year unless they are willing to pay luxury tax. If they win it all they might.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

PHX needs to do something. Ownership cannot just continue to wait for opportunities and not do anything, they will lose the fan base. These guys alone won't bring a title but it's better than nothing. How is Millsap too old when people on the board are clamoring for Aldridge who is the same age? He'll be cheaper than Aldridge. Signing these three would be dependent on other deals being made for the Morris Twins as it would create a log jam if they are still on the roster. PHX would also have to figure out what they want to do with Knight and Bledsoe.

A roster with Millsap, Green x 2 plus Bledsoe and/or Knight would be a drastic improvement compared to last season.

Use picks to get a big man to develop and eventually replace Millsap and either a playmaking PG (McConnell, Pangos) or SG who can shoot (Vaughn ) in Round 2. It would be a start.

I'm as frustrated as you are, but even if we add one of these players (no chance we can afford 20+ million and add 2), we're in no different a position than we were before. (except we have no money and our roster is loaded with good but not great players)

Look, our roster is a mess, and sans major improvement with our current young players, there is zero chance we can aspire to anything other than a 7-8 seed at this point. The guys you mention are players that can take a team over the top, and we're not one player away. We're multiple stars away. I know it's been some tough years, but doubling down by overpaying for questionable talent won't make anything better.

 

[Phrazbit]

Bogut
Iguodala
Lee
Thompson
Curry

All these guys are at at least making $11M for the next couple of years, adding in the rest of the roster salaries, I don't think GS would match an offer north of $10M a year unless they are willing to pay luxury tax. If they win it all they might.

The luxury tax is going to be like 90+ million, they'll be fine.

 

[elindholm]

Bogut
Iguodala
Lee
Thompson
Curry

Lee has one more year and then he's gone. They barely use him as it is. They might have a pinch in 2015-16, but after that they can do what they want.

 

[slinslin]

Bogut
Iguodala
Lee
Thompson
Curry

All these guys are at at least making $11M for the next couple of years, adding in the rest of the roster salaries, I don't think GS would match an offer north of $10M a year unless they are willing to pay luxury tax. If they win it all they might.

LOL

The salary cap will go up to 90M$+ in the next 2 years.

All the guys will get max offers this season. Paul Millsap and Draymond Green will get the max.

 

[slinslin]

The luxury tax is going to be like 90+ million, they'll be fine.

Not luxury tax, the normal cap will be over 90M$ in 2017.

You can expect that any player in consideration for the max will get the max this season.

 

[slinslin]

Knight is a restricted free agent so they can go over the cap re-signing him after signing another free agent, like they planned to do with Bledsoe last year. I believe his cap hold will be about 7.5 million which should give the Suns about $10-12 million in cap space to sign someone before locking Knight up. It all depends on where the cap is set at though.

Millsap won't get a max deal at his age and his level of production, that would be starting close to 20 million a year given his age and years in the league. The Hawks aren't paying that to keep him and I doubt anyone else will to lure him away since they'd just be driving the price up on themselves.

Golden State can't afford to give Draymond Green a max deal but he's not worth max money either. I doubt anyone offers him max money regardless, just like no one offered Bledsoe max money last year. If GSW wins the title this year they will probably be able to re-sign him for a fair price. Why would he leave a team he fits perfectly on and just won a title with? I seriously doubt he leaves, regardless of the money being offered to him.

Aldridge is the only player that has been mentioned that will get max money but even then he's not getting it from Phoenix. Teams like Dallas and San Antonio will be throwing max money at him to lure him away from Portland.

Millsap and Green will both get the max. The max that players can get this season will be considerably less than the max in 2016 and further.

Knight is a restricted FA but his cap hold will still mean that the Suns will not have max caproom unless they renounce his RFA rights.

 

[Ronin]

I'm guessing that the Detroit Pistons are willing to move on from Greg Monroe...

The Milwaukee Bucks traded forward Ersan Ilyasova to the Detroit Pistons, according to sources.

The acquisition of Ilyasova gives the Pistons a power forward to replace Greg Monroe.

Detroit sent forward Caron Butler and Shawne Williams to Milwaukee in the trade.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...-milwaukee-bucks-caron-butler-shawne-williams

 

[overseascardfan]

I'm guessing that the Detroit Pistons are willing to move on from Greg Monroe...

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/1...-milwaukee-bucks-caron-butler-shawne-williams

Monroe is expected to leave, he was hoping to be dealt since last season but DET chose to keep him and jettison Smith.

He'll have a lot of suitors and should get a max deal. Would love to see him here but PHX won't be on his radar.

 

[elindholm]

Detroit sent forward Caron Butler and Shawne Williams to Milwaukee in the trade.

Hey cool, do you think Caron Butler might be available?

 

[sunsfan88]

I think Millsap would be a good get if ATL decides to part ways.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Millsap would be a good get if ATL decides to part ways.

We agree but it is hard to know what the Suns have in mind especially with the Morris twins in limbo. The one position I want the Suns to upgrade is the center position. The upgrade could be from players that play both center and power forward.

 

[sunsfan88]

We agree but it is hard to know what the Suns have in mind especially with the Morris twins in limbo. The one position I want the Suns to upgrade is the center position. The upgrade could be from players that play both center and power forward.

There really aren't many Cs in the FA market that can make a big difference other than Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan, neither of whom will ever even look in the direction of the Suns.

Draft is an option but I'm not sure McD will draft another center so soon after drafting one in the top 5 just two years ago.

 

[Mainstreet]

There really aren't many Cs in the FA market that can make a big difference other than Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan, neither of whom will ever even look in the direction of the Suns.

Draft is an option but I'm not sure McD will draft another center so soon after drafting one in the top 5 just two years ago.

When I talk about an upgrade at the center position I should have said, in addition to Len. I'm fine with Len starting. An upgrade at the center position could be trading for a player like Spencer Hawes, or last season, trading for Enes Kanter The Suns need to stay big when Len goes to the bench.

 

[sunsfan88]

When I talk about an upgrade at the center position I should have said, in addition to Len. I'm fine with Len starting. An upgrade at the center position could be trading for a player like Spencer Hawes, or last season, trading for Enes Kanter The Suns need to stay big when Len goes to the bench.

Ah I see. Kanter is a RFA too I believe.

 

[Mainstreet]

Ah I see. Kanter is a RFA too I believe.

I don't see OKC letting him go. They got a steal by trading for him while the Suns stood flat footed.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I don't see OKC letting him go. They got a steal by trading for him while the Suns stood flat footed.

I do not want Kanter. He can play offense, but he is such a liability defensively that it drags the whole team down.

We have to stay the course and develop Len. He is our best opportunity for a quality starting center.

 

[sunsfan88]

When I talk about an upgrade at the center position I should have said, in addition to Len. I'm fine with Len starting. An upgrade at the center position could be trading for a player like Spencer Hawes, or last season, trading for Enes Kanter The Suns need to stay big when Len goes to the bench.

Michael Jordan heard you

 

[overseascardfan]

I do not want Kanter. He can play offense, but he is such a liability defensively that it drags the whole team down.

We have to stay the course and develop Len. He is our best opportunity for a quality starting center.

I get where your coming from but unless Gasol or Jordan shock the world and sign with PHX, guys like Kanter, Monroe or Millsap are the moat realistic options. PHX has to do something, they are going on Year 3 of the McD project and there won't be a 4th of they have another season like last year. They need a rebounding PF, stretch 4 if possible, rim protector if possible. Kanter or Monroe would fill rebounding need, Monroe is a stretch 4. There are nother rim protecting PF's in FA unless you count Ed Davis. Sign 1 of those guys, draft a big that can be developed (Portis) and either a SG or PG in Round 2. Fill remaining needs with FA bargains.

 

[slinslin]

I get where your coming from but unless Gasol or Jordan shock the world and sign with PHX, guys like Kanter, Monroe or Millsap are the moat realistic options. PHX has to do something, they are going on Year 3 of the McD project and there won't be a 4th of they have another season like last year. They need a rebounding PF, stretch 4 if possible, rim protector if possible. Kanter or Monroe would fill rebounding need, Monroe is a stretch 4. There are nother rim protecting PF's in FA unless you count Ed Davis. Sign 1 of those guys, draft a big that can be developed (Portis) and either a SG or PG in Round 2. Fill remaining needs with FA bargains.

Monroe is a stretch 4? WHAT? Dude can barely shoot at all from even within 8 feet.
Monroe is more of a center than a forward.
Btw nothing screams "stretch 4" more than shooting 38% from 5-9ft, 31% from 10-14ft , 36% from 15-19ft and 0% from 20-24ft
603 of 853 FGA he took were within 5ft.
http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/202328/stats/shooting/


Plus how many times does it have to be said that

a) the Suns are not going to have max caproom as it is
b) due to the cap exploding next year it is very unlikely that teams are going to let go of desirable players unless you massively overpaid even under consideration of the new cap.

So you can basically rule Kanter and Monroe out. Monroe would need the max and Kanter might even approach the max too and would have to have a reason to leave OKC for the Suns.
Millsap will get a max deal somewhere.

There are teams more desperate than the Suns with more capspace available.

 

[Russ Smith]

I don't see OKC letting him go. They got a steal by trading for him while the Suns stood flat footed.

It'll be interesting to see if they go for him over Steven Adams or keep both longer term. Adams is a MUCH better defender, Kanter a much better offensive player. Adams 21, Kanter 23. If they can keep both they should but if they have to get rid of one it'll be interesting to see if they go offense or defense.

 

[Mainstreet]

ss Jordan heard you

I guess so.

Adding Spencer Hawes would have helped the Suns solidify the center position for a reasonable price.

 

[Mainstreet]

I do not want Kanter. He can play offense, but he is such a liability defensively that it drags the whole team down.

We have to stay the course and develop Len. He is our best opportunity for a quality starting center.

I'd would have traded for Kanter and see how it all plays out. Then, if need be, the Suns could recoup the value and more for either center. Don't get be wrong, I still believe in Len but I also believe in stockpiling talented big men whenever possible. If the Suns keep waiting for the perfect opportunity, it may never come.