NBA Free Agency: Realistic options for the Suns

[sunsfan88]

Aaaaaand there you have it, it's gonna be either the Spurs or Blazers

https://instagram.com/p/4icIvfHYSj/

^that man would know more about it than most GMs.

 

[Mainstreet]

The ONLY players the Suns should be worrying about in FA are superstars. "Attainable" players are a waste of resources. If you can't get the superstar, give the young ones on the roster minutes, get the better pick next summer and try again.

I disagree to a certain extent. If the Suns can't land a big fish, they should sign the best FA that can help the team win now but most importantly can translate into a trade asset or make another Suns player a trade asset. The Suns get another chance to land a big fish from a team floundering at the trade deadline. I think getting Love and Aldridge are long shots.

 

[Absolute Zero]

The Azcentral article this morning is about the second tier of free agents we can go after, but they only seem to discuss one guy, this small forward
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3970/demarre-carroll

If we are showing the Morri the door, I guess he would be a good add

 

[Covert Rain]

I disagree to a certain extent. If the Suns can't land a big fish, they should sign the best FA that can help the team win now but most importantly can translate into a trade asset or make another Suns player a trade asset. The Suns get another chance to land a big fish from a team floundering at the trade deadline. I think getting Love and Aldridge are long shots.

Not only that but even having a superstar doesn't guarantee anything. You need a competent bench and players to play with him. That's where the FO needs to be smart about cap space when bringing guys in while maintaining some cap flexibility to land a big fish. We have also heard that Sarver learned from the past about spending just to spend.

I would hate to be an NBA team's "capologist" and finance guy. It has to be one of the most thankless jobs in sports.

 

[KloD]

I disagree to a certain extent. If the Suns can't land a big fish, they should sign the best FA that can help the team win now but most importantly can translate into a trade asset or make another Suns player a trade asset. The Suns get another chance to land a big fish from a team floundering at the trade deadline. I think getting Love and Aldridge are long shots.

I'd add, as long as they can be brought in on a reasonable contract that makes sense for the Suns. I want them to sign a few late 20, early 30 guys for leadership. They don't have to be stars (although that would be ideal), but 2nd tier guys who can lead on and off the court. I think this current group needs that more than most else. Short contracts (2/3 year) so that their role dissipates to the young guys. Meaning their roles reverse over the course of the 2/3 years.

 

[JCSunsfan]

But when you bring in a DCarroll for instance, what do you do with TJ Warren? Your mid-tier guy has to play. Also, you have to pay him, so you cap flexibility is lost should a top level FA become available.

I want to see Warren play, darn it! Same with Booker and Len, and maybe even Archie. I don't mind them sitting for a superstar, but no more for the likes of PJ Tucker and Gerald Green.

 

[Mainstreet]

I learned that Bismack Biyombo will become a FA. I think the Suns should at least consider him for depth. He is only 22.

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/615633812404355073

 

[Chaplin]

I learned that Bismack Biyombo will become a FA. I think the Suns should at least consider him for depth. He is only 22.

https://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/615633812404355073

Think about that for a second. He's an unwanted big man. By CHARLOTTE. And you want to bring him in?

 

[Mainstreet]

But when you bring in a DCarroll for instance, what do you do with TJ Warren? Your mid-tier guy has to play. Also, you have to pay him, so you cap flexibility is lost should a top level FA become available.

I want to see Warren play, darn it! Same with Booker and Len, and maybe even Archie. I don't mind them sitting for a superstar, but no more for the likes of PJ Tucker and Gerald Green.

In this situation I think the Suns would start Carroll, use Warren as a backup and look to trade Tucker at some point. I am thinking the Suns may use Carroll at both forward positions especially when they go small ball so this may help alleviate the logjam at SF.

 

[WuRaider]

McD's decision on the middle tier of free agents is going to be tricky. There was an article yesterday that suggested all teams with cap room this season (including the Suns) should just splurge now because all teams will have cap room when the cap jumps in 2 years.

If we spend just to pick up an asset, hopefully it's not positions 1 to 3. I like Carrol but would rather see TJ develop. My bet is we "overpay" Paul Millsap which I'd be fine with.

 

[elindholm]

Think about that for a second. He's an unwanted big man. By CHARLOTTE. And you want to bring him in?

This is standing operating procedure for the Suns, getting their big men off of other teams' reject piles. Once in a great while it pays off (Miles Plumlee, briefly), but usually it's a self-defeating combination of the front office's fantasy, desperation, and laziness.

 

[Phrazbit]

Not only that but even having a superstar doesn't guarantee anything. You need a competent bench and players to play with him. That's where the FO needs to be smart about cap space when bringing guys in while maintaining some cap flexibility to land a big fish. We have also heard that Sarver learned from the past about spending just to spend.

I would hate to be an NBA team's "capologist" and finance guy. It has to be one of the most thankless jobs in sports.

Yeah, most of your time would be spent rejecting people's exciting ideas. Not only thankless but some other people on the player/personnel side would probably resent you.

 

[Mainstreet]

Think about that for a second. He's an unwanted big man. By CHARLOTTE. And you want to bring him in?

I have not passed final judgement on the player. Perhaps you have? I wouldn't mind having him on a 15 man roster if the Suns thought he had some potential. I still think the Suns should at least consider him for depth if they don't have better. I'm sure you remember Earl Barron and Shavlik Randolph.

 

[Covert Rain]

I have not passed final judgement on the player. Perhaps you have? I wouldn't mind having him on a 15 man roster if the Suns thought he had some potential. I still think the Suns should at least consider him for depth if they don't have better. I'm sure you remember Earl Barron and Shavlik Randolph.

I don't know a thing about this guy. I probably have watched 30 seconds of him play. Does anybody know if he is any more competent than any of the other bigs, more of the same or worse?

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't know a thing about this guy. I probably have watched 30 seconds of him play. Does anybody know if he is any more competent than any of the other bigs, more of the same or worse?

I haven't watched him play much either. I just know he is young, tremendously athletic, has the potential to be a defensive player and a shot blocker.

Here are a couple of links, including an early video.

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/bismack-biyombo

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[Phrazbit]

He is 4 years into his career, I don't like using draft videos to judge a guy with hundreds of NBA games. Reminds me of all the "look what he did at K-State!" talk with Beasley. The Hornets gave him a lot of playing time and he has never shown himself to be reliable at any aspect of the game.

I'd take him on a tiny contract but I certainly wouldn't want and guarantees beyond the first year.

 

[Covert Rain]

He is 4 years into his career, I don't like using draft videos to judge a guy with hundreds of NBA games. Reminds me of all the "look what he did at K-State!" talk with Beasley. The Hornets gave him a lot of playing time and he has never shown himself to be reliable at any aspect of the game.

I'd take him on a tiny contract but I certainly wouldn't want and guarantees beyond the first year.

Man after watching that video, it even appears back then he had ZERO touch around the basket. If he wasn't dunking he was missing. If he hasn't solve that he is not much use in the NBA as a big man other then to play some defense.

 

[mojorizen7]

Rotational one way big man. In my eyes he has the same value of a big man who just stands around the perimeter waiting to shoot the 3 but does nothing but get pushed around on the defensive end. These type of bigs are good to have around in certain matchups, but they aren't starters.

 

[sunsfan88]

I have not passed final judgement on the player. Perhaps you have? I wouldn't mind having him on a 15 man roster if the Suns thought he had some potential. I still think the Suns should at least consider him for depth if they don't have better. I'm sure you remember Earl Barron and Shavlik Randolph.

Yea he can't be worse than Randolph and Barron. Probably about the same as Wright but maybe cheaper.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yea he can't be worse than Randolph and Barron. Probably about the same as Wright but maybe cheaper.

He certainly is worse than Wright.

 

[mojorizen7]

I just can't seem to get involved in this conversation because i really don't believe that FA is going to get the Suns back into contention. It's going to have to come via the top end of the draft or forcing a S&T.

It's much easier and quicker for teams like the Lakers to rebound from the end of a successful era.
#1 They knew when to tank it vs throwing a band-aid on a knife wound.
#2 They will always be a FA destination

Once upon a time the Suns were a prime FA destination too. The tradition of winning a lot of games, the city itself(climate), always having a roster full of talent. That no longer exists. The Suns are going to have to make their own luck.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This is standing operating procedure for the Suns, getting their big men off of other teams' reject piles. Once in a great while it pays off (Miles Plumlee, briefly), but usually it's a self-defeating combination of the front office's fantasy, desperation, and laziness.

Other teams have done OK getting their big men off of our reject pile. Robin Lopez, Marcin Gortat.

Biyombo is a project with great strength, length, and athleticism that, after four years has made little to no improvement from the raw athlete he was coming into the league.

Unless our staff sees something that really indicates change is coming, I think I will pass.

 

[Mainstreet]

I thought would pass along the name of a player that the Suns might want to consider as a project player on a small contract.

Now, it looks like the Suns should close their eyes and plug their ears.

 

[Chaplin]

He certainly is worse than Wright.

Absolutely. And I can't stress enough. The CHARLOTTE HORNETS didn't want him.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Absolutely. And I can't stress enough. The CHARLOTTE HORNETS didn't want him.

I have no confindence in Charlottes ability to develop prospects or even judge talent adequately. So the fact that Charlotte is a bad team and let him go doesn't faze me.

Watching his game and looking at his numbers over the last four years, now that does impact me. He has not improved.