New Owner - Mat Ishbia

[Hoop Head]

It's funny they say the NBA big man is dead. But you get towards the end of the playoffs and you see names like Jokic, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, etc. You may not need a dominant one, but you still need a good one.

Those guys are nothing like Shaq, Duncan, Robinson, Ewing, Mutombo, Hakeem, etc. The Center position has changed, drastically. Teams need guys like Sabonis (Arvydas) that can shoot from anywhere and pass. Basically need bigs who play like guards. The old school Center/Bigs are a thing of the past. Size will always be in demand though. It's just harder to find 7 footers who can do everything guards can.

 

[Yuma]

Those guys are nothing like Shaq, Duncan, Robinson, Ewing, Mutombo, Hakeem, etc. The Center position has changed, drastically. Teams need guys like Sabonis (Arvydas) that can shoot from anywhere and pass. Basically need bigs who play like guards. The old school Center/Bigs are a thing of the past. Size will always be in demand though. It's just harder to find 7 footers who can do everything guards can.

Yep, the position has changed. Just going by the teams in the playoffs, you still need a good center. Back in the day you had to have a great center. We need a change at center in Phoenix. I just don't think we can run out a bunch of scrubs on our front line and think we can win it all.

 

[Yuma]

BTW, I saw a Suns Podcast and they were floating the idea you could play Ayton this year, and possibly get a better offer next off season. IDK, what if he has another lack luster year with a different coach? I see that hurting his trade value more. Then the idea of a different team fixing him looks less likely.

 

[Hoop Head]

We had the same thing. We were going as far as how Ayton played at the end of the day. He flamed out against Denver, and that is where our story ended. For the Lakers, when AD is healthy, they have always been a power. Trouble is, he isn't always healthy.

Durant is just as healthy as AD and he's also 5 years older. That doesn't bode well for the future. Players don't get healthier as they age, see CP3.

Going all in KD with a 26 year old star in Booker wasn't the right move. I would have been more comfortable going all in on AD, at least he'll be in his prime in a year instead of nearing retirement like KD.

 

[95pro]

BTW, I saw a Suns Podcast and they were floating the idea you could play Ayton this year, and possibly get a better offer next off season. IDK, what if he has another lack luster year with a different coach? I see that hurting his trade value more. Then the idea of a different team fixing him looks less likely.

Its best to keep Ayton for now as he still has veto power I think? Getting a trade started then vetoed will our sour things with Ayton even more.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

He did. Until they were eliminating they were the best one/two punch in the playoffs. That wasn’t the problem. It was the supporting cast.

Agreed. As much as I was curious about what they could do this year, it’s always been next season that’s been the KD/Book target as far as I’m concerned. That said, Paul fell off more than I expected and Ayton became an even bigger wuss than I ever expected.

 

[Phrazbit]

Yep. We’ve hashed that out repeatedly. Not to mention the Celtics would’ve been one more budding team in the KD sweepstakes this offseason and our offer couldn’t have beaten theirs that started with brown.

I somehow doubt that the Nets would be chomping at the bit to give Brown the money he wants, especially after that performance.

If you guys are right and some team out there would have had some offer ready that would smoke ours for KD, then we should give em a call.

 

[elindholm]

If you guys are right and some team out there would have had some offer ready that would smoke ours for KD, then we should give em a call.

Too late now. Durant has been exposed.

 

[Mainstreet]

He did. Until they were eliminating they were the best one/two punch in the playoffs. That wasn’t the problem. It was the supporting cast.

So what happened to the supporting cast and why?

 

[Hoop Head]

So what happened to the supporting cast and why?

We traded them away for the lower half of the highest scoring duo in the playoffs. Too bad that it requires scoring from 5 starters and a bench to win games and we probably had the worst scoring bench in this playoffs but we can revel in the fact we had that duo.

 

[Mainstreet]

We traded them away for the lower half of the highest scoring duo in the playoffs. Too bad that it requires scoring from 5 starters and a bench to win games and we probably had the worst scoring bench in this playoffs but we can revel in the fact we had that duo.

Exactly.

James Jones should know you can't simply walk out a couple of stars and win without a supporting cast.

So much depends upon the Suns improving their roster this summer because the Nuggets appear set for years to come and they know how to assemble a deep roster. They actually have 5 X 3 depth.

 

[Covert Rain]

So what happened to the supporting cast and why?

Last time I checked there were some good benches not playing in the finals. You need both. They moved the needle on getting a one two punch and went backwards on the other. Nobody is saying otherwise. The needle moved. Just not far enough.

Agreed. As much as I was curious about what they could do this year, it’s always been next season that’s been the KD/Book target as far as I’m concerned. That said, Paul fell off more than I expected and Ayton became an even bigger wuss than I ever expected.

Agree with this too. I thought this year was more of a bonus year if they could get it done. The trade by many estimations was about this coming season.

 

[Phrazbit]

Last time I checked there were some good benches not playing in the finals. You need both. They moved the needle on getting a one two punch and went backwards on the other. Nobody is saying otherwise. The needle moved. Just not far enough.


Agree with this too. I thought this year was more of a bonus year if they could get it done. The trade by many estimations was about this coming season.

You don't trade for a dude Durant's age with your eye on the future.

And, statistically, the healthy version of the Suns prior to February was quite a bit better than the product we put out there after the trade. The needle moved, but in the wrong direction.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You don't trade for a dude Durant's age with your eye on the future.

And, statistically, the healthy version of the Suns prior to February was quite a bit better than the product we put out there after the trade. The needle moved, but in the wrong direction.

When Durant and Booker were healthy, the team was 14-5 in the regular season and playoffs, including wins over the healthy T-Wolves, a Kawai Clipper team and two Ws against the Nuggets.. And that was with injuries knocking Paul out of two games and having zero time to practice with each other as opposed to your February Healthy Fantasy Suns who were what… 15-6 when you put together various spots of them being healthy? And had played together for over two years?

Also, your February Suns fantasy is just that… a fantasy because Paul was never going to stay healthy and Bridges proved once again this playoffs that he completely craps his pants when the pressure is on.

 

[Proximo]

Too late now. Durant has been exposed.

It does kind of seem that way. I am hoping there is truth to the rumor he was playing hurt.

 

[Phrazbit]

When Durant and Booker were healthy, the team was 14-5 in the regular season and playoffs, including wins over the healthy T-Wolves, a Kawai Clipper team and two Ws against the Nuggets.. And that was with injuries knocking Paul out of two games and having zero time to practice with each other as opposed to your February Healthy Fantasy Suns who were what… 15-6 when you put together various spots of them being healthy? And had played together for over two years?

Also, your February Suns fantasy is just that… a fantasy because Paul was never going to stay healthy and Bridges proved once again this playoffs that he completely craps his pants when the pressure is on.

Durant shot even worse than Bridges did in their sweep defeat the year before.

Kawaii only played in 2 games and we lost one of them. They looked like crap against the Clippers, if Leonard doesn't go down I suspect we don't even get out of the 1st round.

We played a bunch of teams that either sat all their best players or just plain sucked to close out the regular season. Eeking out a win against a lousy Timberwolves team is a sad high point.

And none of this refutes that you don't trade for a dude Durant's age with an eye on the future.

If the plan was to go for it next year then we should have waited for the Summer to make a big splash.

 

[Yuma]

Durant shot even worse than Bridges did in their sweep defeat the year before.

Kawaii only played in 2 games and we lost one of them. They looked like crap against the Clippers, if Leonard doesn't go down I suspect we don't even get out of the 1st round.

We played a bunch of teams that either sat all their best players or just plain sucked to close out the regular season. Eeking out a win against a lousy Timberwolves team is a sad high point.

And none of this refutes that you don't trade for a dude Durant's age with an eye on the future.

If the plan was to go for it next year then we should have waited for the Summer to make a big splash.

You think we gave up assets now, summer would have been worse!

 

[Mainstreet]

You think we gave up assets now, summer would have been worse!

It didn't have to be Durant the Suns went after. Using this as a premise can lead to lopsided trades.

This summer, the Suns would have had a myriad of other options.

 

[Phrazbit]

You think we gave up assets now, summer would have been worse!

No chance.

And if that somehow were true, we should track down those offers.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Durant shot even worse than Bridges did in their sweep defeat the year before.

Kawaii only played in 2 games and we lost one of them. They looked like crap against the Clippers, if Leonard doesn't go down I suspect we don't even get out of the 1st round.

We played a bunch of teams that either sat all their best players or just plain sucked to close out the regular season. Eeking out a win against a lousy Timberwolves team is a sad high point.

And none of this refutes that you don't trade for a dude Durant's age with an eye on the future.

If the plan was to go for it next year then we should have waited for the Summer to make a big splash.

Why? You strike when the iron is hot. More competition this summer with all the contenders that came up short.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It didn't have to be Durant the Suns went after. Using this as a premise can lead to lopsided trades.

This summer, the Suns would have had a myriad of other options.

I’ll be interested to see what those might be.

 

[Phrazbit]

Why? You strike when the iron is hot. More competition this summer with all the contenders that came up short.

IMO, the iron was ice old at the trade dead line and we the deal we cut was like it was white hot.

I don't see any scenario where Durant's market, this summer, is remotely what we paid for it at the trade deadline.

If Durant's market value, right now, exceeds that which it did in February, then we should take up those offers immediately.

 

[AzStevenCal]

IMO, the iron was ice old at the trade dead line and we the deal we cut was like it was white hot.

I don't see any scenario where Durant's market, this summer, is remotely what we paid for it at the trade deadline.

If Durant's market value, right now, exceeds that which it did in February, then we should take up those offers immediately.

If someone offered us bad contracts in their final year and an unprotected first for KD, I'd jump at the deal. He is up-side down in value even if you don't worry about his age and health and it's only going to get worse so I'd recoup whatever I could right now. Yes he's still very good but we never had the banked assets or roster strength to make that trade and I don't believe we can change that during the tiny window KD gives us.

 

[Proximo]

If someone offered us bad contracts in their final year and an unprotected first, I'd jump at the deal. He is up-side down in value even if you don't worry about his age and health and it's only going to get worse so I'd recoup whatever I could right now. Yes he's still very good but we never had the banked assets or roster strength to make that trade and I don't know how we can change that during the tiny window KD gives us.

We without a doubt could get that kind of offer, but clearly management believes they can build around him so it's not happening.

I'm almost with you that I don't think it's going to work, and cutting our losses might be the best idea. Problem with that is Book would be furious and probably demand out as well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We without a doubt could get that kind of offer, but clearly management believes they can build around him so it's not happening.

I'm almost with you that I don't think it's going to work, and cutting our losses might be the best idea. Problem with that is Book would be furious and probably demand out as well.

I don't care what Booker wants. What Devin wanted mattered greatly to me prior to this last trade but now, it's irrelevant IMO. Thanks to the Durant trade, we're either going to waste the prime of Devin's career or we're going to trade him.