Plan B

[George O'Brien]

Assumign the Suns do not sign Kobe...

What should the Suns do? My recommendation is to trade up in the draft and get a solid big man like Okafor that can play defense and rebound. He may be too short to play center, but he I'm sure he can play.

In the free agency area, I would not sign anyone to a contract of more than a couple of years. Ideally, I'd go for someone like Brent Barry of Seattle. He is 32 and is unlikely to be offered major contracts. (He currently makes $5.4 million or so). He averages 12 ppg on 49.3% shooting including 44.8% for three's. He is considered a pretty good passer and can play some point.

My preference would be to pay more and just give a two year contract. In two years, White and Eisley's contracts will be off the books and the Suns would be able to go for the super stud everybody thinks they need. In any case, Brent Barry with this lineup would make the Suns a solid playoff team with a chance fo rthe second round if Lampe or a draft pick produces.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I say just sit on the cap completely. Try to move Eisly is at all possible, that way we would have another major salary relief in 2005. In another thread I figured it to be a little more than 20 million in cap room.

We shouldn't overpay Manu to steal him from SA, nor Okur. Especially not Nash.

Just because a team has cap room doesn't mean they have to sign a FA either. Any team with significant amount of room will always be a player in trades if they want to. The ability to absorb salaries could help a lot. Even if we took a high priced player, we could try to get more from a team. Sort of like how we are talking about Googs plus a first to Utah. It doesn't hurt Utah at all, and they get a free first rounder.


Think Miami might want to move EJ? He would be a great 2 guard, and we could probably get Butler or a pick along with him. Just an example of a possibility, I am not really advocating such a move.

 

[slinslin]

Maybe we should sign someone around the MLE if he is worth it.

White will be gone the next offseason so that would free up some of that money. Also Eisley will be easier to trade.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
Maybe we should sign someone around the MLE if he is worth it.

White will be gone the next offseason so that would free up some of that money. Also Eisley will be easier to trade.

I think that Brent Barry would get about what he got this year, $5.4 million. On a short term contract, it is the equivalent of "sitting on the cap" for a couple of years.

 

[capologist]

We probably won’t have the MLE for the upcoming season. If you drop below the cap by more than the amount of the exception, then you don’t have the exception.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by capologist
We probably won’t have the MLE for the upcoming season. If you drop below the cap by more than the amount of the exception, then you don’t have the exception.

I've always figured that would be the case. Otherwise, a team that was $5 million under could sign two guys for $5 million.

 

[Chaplin]

If we don't sign Kobe, then the maximum we should even consider is the MLE (or the amount of the MLE), and even then, maybe not. If it looks like we definitely won't get Kobe, then I have nothing against keeping both picks and seeing what happens.

If we can get both picks in uniform, I don't see any need then to sign a big free agent--we can just stockpile our remaining money for summer 2005, which is a better summer, I think we all agree. Plus, it relieves us of Jahidi's salary.

Of course, summer 2005 might be the year we should start looking into extending Amare.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Chaplin
If we don't sign Kobe, then the maximum we should even consider is the MLE (or the amount of the MLE), and even then, maybe not. If it looks like we definitely won't get Kobe, then I have nothing against keeping both picks and seeing what happens.

If we can get both picks in uniform, I don't see any need then to sign a big free agent--we can just stockpile our remaining money for summer 2005, which is a better summer, I think we all agree. Plus, it relieves us of Jahidi's salary.

Of course, summer 2005 might be the year we should start looking into extending Amare.

I was targeting BB back when mid cap was the only hope.

Another inexpensive (potentially) shooter is Lenard of the Nuggets. Granted, he does not shoot that way every night, but he is only getting $2.7 million on a one year contract.

 

[sly fly]

Brent Barry is a very nice player. But, his knees are giving him problems.


We just got rid of a player with knee problems. And, will be giving up another player (real soon) with knee problems.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by sly fly
Brent Barry is a very nice player. But, his knees are giving him problems.

We just got rid of a player with knee problems. And, will be giving up another player (real soon) with knee problems.

Sounds like we can get him cheap on a short contract.

 

[Chaplin]

My question to everyone that wants Brent Barry is why? Why give an aging veteran a contract in the first place? He won't help us in our quest for a championship. Yes, he's a vet that can provide leadership. But doesn't that ruin everyone's dreams of Amare becoming that leader? Besides, we still have Shawn, who still can become a leader-type, and even though many don't have much an opinion about him, don't count out Howard Eisley, especially if he's going to be here for a while.

I just think signing a short contract for Brent Barry is not in our best interest, and if I was Brent Barry, I wouldn't consider that either.

 

[sunsfn]

In regards to drafting Okafor, I have read a report somewhere? that he is closer to 6' 8" tall. If that is true, I do not want the suns to draft him. We need to go bigger even if it is a younger player.

 

[Dr. Dumas]

Originally posted by sunsfn
In regards to drafting Okafor, I have read a report somewhere? that he is closer to 6' 8" tall. If that is true, I do not want the suns to draft him. We need to go bigger even if it is a younger player.

Sounds like the Suns already have a player that meets your requirements-Lampe.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by Chaplin
My question to everyone that wants Brent Barry is why? Why give an aging veteran a contract in the first place? He won't help us in our quest for a championship. Yes, he's a vet that can provide leadership. But doesn't that ruin everyone's dreams of Amare becoming that leader? Besides, we still have Shawn, who still can become a leader-type, and even though many don't have much an opinion about him, don't count out Howard Eisley, especially if he's going to be here for a while.

I just think signing a short contract for Brent Barry is not in our best interest, and if I was Brent Barry, I wouldn't consider that either.

That's the key, Chap. I seriously doubt Brent Barry would want to come play with the Phoenix Suns in their present state. I'm not opposed to signing a good veteran to a short term contract. I'm not even opposed to overpaying him some (which it will probably take) if the Suns aren't enamored with any of the other free-agent prospects. I think Brent Barry would be a perfect fit with San Antonio, or perhaps he will just re-sign with Seattle.

I think this team needs some good, veteran help to hold all of the young guys together.

Joe Mama

 

[SirStefan32]

I think that the very first priority should be getting Milos Vujanic to come to Phoenix. He is an amazing player who will be able to contribute immediately.

 

[Errntknght]

Why even talk about 'pieces' like Barry for next year at this point - we don't know how the guys we have are going to shake out. To say nothing of the fact that we don't have much of a handle on D' overall plan.

Things are very fluid with the SG position - JJ is not quite a bust yet, we could possible play Z and Shawn at the 2 & 3, or Barbosa might work out at SG. (Like some have already mentioned he probably needs to fix his shooting style to succeed there.)

PG is just as dicey - Barbosa looks like a player to keep but I haven't seen much sign of the court vision a PG needs. (Worst case I'd expect him to be a good backup guard who comes into change the tempo of the game.) I agree with Chaplin about Eisley - he looks quicker and better off the dribble than I expected - so he might thrive in our offense. Vujanic may or may not join the team next year and he may not look so great in the NBA... it has happened.

Center is a mess. I'm assuming that as long as we have Amare on the team we will go with a high post center, or a high post PF should Amare move to center. Lampe is loaded with potential for that position based on the things D' said about him but he's just 18. Z could conceivably work out - he's right for a high post big man on offense but will he be able to defend a PF or C, night in and night out. With Marbury around Voskuhl might have been just adequate to start, assuming he improved a fair amount but without Marbs he's too much of a liability. Jahidi is not a high post guy at all but it's always nice to have a bulky player so I'd probably keep him over Voskuhl if money is not an issue.

We're thin at PF, very thin, and Amare is not that rugged as we just discovered. Zarko might develope into an adequate PF but it's an outside shot at this point.

To me this indicates we should focus more on getting another 'big' than a SG. Maybe by years end that will change but I sure don't expect it. I really think Voskuhl and Williams constitute clutter... after watching Denver I'd much rather have Elson or Chris Anderson as a backup guy. Vlade might be a good pickup for the short term - mainly as a guide for our high post center whoever he may be. Maybe some of his smarts would rub off on the whole team, coach included.

One thing I would do is find out who's scouting for Denver and try to steal him - it might have just been Kiki and Bzdelik but somehow they did a fantastic job of picking up the right secondary guys in one off season. Elson, Lenard, Boykins, and Barry. Anderson they got last year, I think. The Suns don't do that much in a decade. Heck, they got Andre at a reasonable price, too.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
That's the key, Chap. I seriously doubt Brent Barry would want to come play with the Phoenix Suns in their present state. I'm not opposed to signing a good veteran to a short term contract. I'm not even opposed to overpaying him some (which it will probably take) if the Suns aren't enamored with any of the other free-agent prospects. I think Brent Barry would be a perfect fit with San Antonio, or perhaps he will just re-sign with Seattle.

I think this team needs some good, veteran help to hold all of the young guys together.

Joe Mama

I mostly use Brett Barry as an example of a veteran role player who might be obtained for a short term contract. I imagine there are some other pure shooters who migth fit Plan B (signing for a one year contract). In any case, the idea of having just JJ and Casey at SG next season is not very attractive.

 

[SirStefan32]

I think we should draft the best player (or players) available regardless of their position.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by SirStefan32
I think we should draft the best player (or players) available regardless of their position.

I agree with you on that note. The Suns have prospects at every position, so they might as well take the best guy they can get in the draft. Then try to get some inexpensive, but experienced veterans to fill the cracks.

At this point it looks like Kiki should get the GM of the decade award for the job he has done turning around Denver. Of course we all know the dangers of getting excited about one year's good play. I do think this Denver team is better than the Suns team that surprised so many last year.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I agree with you on that note. The Suns have prospects at every position, so they might as well take the best guy they can get in the draft. Then try to get some inexpensive, but experienced veterans to fill the cracks.

At this point it looks like Kiki should get the GM of the decade award for the job he has done turning around Denver. Of course we all know the dangers of getting excited about one year's good play. I do think this Denver team is better than the Suns team that surprised so many last year.

Joe Mama

They have had a bit of luck. Carmelo met their immediate needs while Darko would not (if Detroit had followed Larry Brown's advice). Camby is healthy for the first time in years. Miller came cheap because he played for the Clippers. Lenard is playing much better than he did in Toronto.

The other thing was that the Nuggets were not as bad as their record indicated last year. They moved the ball well, they hustled, and Nene was as good as the scouting reports indicated. They fit in some role players and got Camby back, and all of a sudden they are producing without signing a max free agent.