Point guard speculation article - Russell hope

[Mainstreet]

Reportedly Devin Booker has campaigned to add D'Angelo Russell.

From Jeremy Cluff, Arizona Republic:


ESPN's Zach Lowe reported that the Suns might not be as keen on adding Russell as Booker is.

"The Suns will sign a veteran point guard, and Devin Booker has campaigned for Russell -- a close friend," Lowe wrote. "But other voices within the Suns may not share Booker's unabashed enthusiasm, sources say. They have only about $14 million or so in cap space as of now. We'll see how Phoenix approaches the point guard market."


If true, this has to carry some weight. How much, I'm not sure but the Suns need to keep Booker happy.


https://www.azcentral.com/story/spo...-devin-booker-speculation-rampant/1573222001/

 

[Yuma]

Good lord, even if you think it was a mistake, it can't possibly be one of the worst Suns mistakes.

How many guys score 70 in a game, and turn out to be horrible players?

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

How many guys score 70 in a game, and turn out to be horrible players?

According to history no one has. Only six players have ever scored that much. Of those six players there are four in the hall of fame, Kobe who is a future hall of famer and Booker.

 

[Mainstreet]

Something more about Russell and the Suns.

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[Ronin]

Something more about Russell and the Suns.

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Interesting. Man Sunday can’t get here soon enough.

 

[Hoop Head]

Send Jackson, Tyler Johnson (if they want him), and a protected 1st for Russell. The protection is what really makes or breaks that deal. If we could send out Tyler Johnson though we'd still have money to spend elsewhere and resign Oubre. I don't think Randle would be ideal, maybe Mirotic? I don't think we'd need a backup PG with all we have on the roster. Melton, Jerome, and Okobo plus that other undrafted kid should be fine as backup PG.

 

[Proximo]

Something more about Russell and the Suns.

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How via a sign and trade?

The only reason they would not match is if they can use the 2 max slots - if they are going to do that, they can't take back salary.

If they fail to use the second max slot - what are we going to trade them that matches salary and is more valuable than what they can get as a free agent?

Our offer would have to be like Josh Jackson, Tyler Johnson and a first rounder. That is not a very appealing package.

 

[elindholm]

One team executive around the league believes D’Angelo Russell will end up on the Suns via sign-and-trade.

I don't see how a sign-and-trade could happen. Since Warren has been jettisoned, the Suns have only three positive assets on the roster: Booker, Ayton, and Bridges (unless you count the rookies). Unless the Suns are willing to part with Bridges and some future picks -- most of which they have also already tossed -- there's no credible way for them to provide compensation to the Nets for Russell.

 

[1Sun]

I don't see how a sign-and-trade could happen. Since Warren has been jettisoned, the Suns have only three positive assets on the roster: Booker, Ayton, and Bridges (unless you count the rookies). Unless the Suns are willing to part with Bridges and some future picks -- most of which they have also already tossed -- there's no credible way for them to provide compensation to the Nets for Russell.

Is our cupboard even more bare now than it was at the end of the Babby/Blanks era?...

 

[WildBB]

Something more about Russell and the Suns.

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TJohnson would have to part of any deal. Mtl. Would the Clippers take that on? I doubt it.

 

[Yuma]

TJohnson would have to part of any deal. Mtl. Would the Clippers take that on? I doubt it.

T Johnson is an expiring contract. That's about the best thing we have left to trade. I doubt Sarver allows Bridges to be traded.

 

[SunsFanFirst]

There were 494 players on 2018-19 opening day rosters.
Booker was 7th in scoring 27ppg 14th in assists 7APG and 9th in FTA with 393.

The six players that scored more PPG than Booker last season are, Harden, Paul George, Giannis, Embiid, Curry and Kawhi.

I agree that Booker is a flawed player, defense and health but to say he is a mid level player is way off base.

Here are the 2018-19 mid level numbers and an example of mid level players that meet those #'s.

• 10.2 points per game, Dario Saric
• 4.1 rebounds per game, Danny Green
• 2.0 assists per game, Eric Gordon

All you prove is he is better than the rookies and other crap we had on the team. Not saying much. All of those other players were on good teams with other scoring threats. Booker stat padded on a horrible team.

 

[Cheesebeef]

if they really want Russell and want to keep the core they have, there's no reason they need to do a sign and trade. All they need to do is spend the money, bite the bullet on stretching TJ and voila... you have enough $ for Russell without having to give up any assets.

that said, if they don't want to spend that money and sign and trade is the only option, they need Russell to put NJ over a barrel and have him say you can either lose me for nothing or take what the Suns give you. I'd go with TJ, and our first rounder next year. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless they for some reason wanted to take JJ off our hands.

Going into next season with:

Booker
Russell
Oubre
Saric
Ayton

Bench:
Bridges
Baynes
Two Rookies

That would be a solid foundation for the future, where we'd have to hope that Bridges and especially Ayton become forces on the court.

It would be a hell of a lot better than signing Joseph to what I believe would be a ridiculous contract if we offered him even 10 million for multiple years. That's a disastrous move if that's all we do this off-season.

 

[1Sun]

if they really want Russell and want to keep the core they have, there's no reason they need to do a sign and trade. All they need to do is spend the money, bite the bullet on stretching TJ and voila... you have enough $ for Russell without having to give up any assets.

that said, if they don't want to spend that money and sign and trade is the only option, they need Russell to put NJ over a barrel and have him say you can either lose me for nothing or take what the Suns give you. I'd go with TJ, and our first rounder next year. Nothing more, nothing less. Unless they for some reason wanted to take JJ off our hands.

Going into next season with:

Booker
Russell
Oubre
Saric
Ayton

Bench:
Bridges
Baynes
Two Rookies

That would be a solid foundation for the future, where we'd have to hope that Bridges and especially Ayton become forces on the court.

It would be a hell of a lot better than signing Joseph to what I believe would be a ridiculous contract if we offered him even 10 million for multiple years. That's a disastrous move if that's all we do this off-season.

Our first rounder in that deal would have to be lottery protected, in my opinion, and we would need to find another PF so that Saric isn't the only PF on the roster, but other than that I concur with this.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Our first rounder in that deal would have to be lottery protected, in my opinion, and we would need to find another PF so that Saric isn't the only PF on the roster, but other than that I concur with this.

they're not going to be able to do everything at once. There are cap/assets limitations.

And I'd protect it top 5, but wouldn't feel bad if that was the case. He'd basically be our lottery pick next year.

 

[Chaplin]

they're not going to be able to do everything at once. There are cap/assets limitations.

And I'd protect it top 5, but wouldn't feel bad if that was the case. He'd basically be our lottery pick next year.

And let's say for argument's sake, they get Kyrie and Durant. They're going to LOVE having a lottery pick next year, because with those two, they'd probably not even sniff the lottery.

 

[SunsFanFirst]

How many guys score 70 in a game, and turn out to be horrible players?

LOL... In a game that we got blown out in. At least Kobe did it in a winning fashion. And I never said he was a horrible player.. just grossly overrated by Suns fans.

 

[taz02]

And let's say for argument's sake, they get Kyrie and Durant. They're going to LOVE having a lottery pick next year, because with those two, they'd probably not even sniff the lottery.

Except Durant wont play next season

 

[Yuma]

Except Durant wont play next season

Kyrie alone they won't sniff the lottery, and it's the eastern conference.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Kyrie alone they won't sniff the lottery, and it's the eastern conference.

agreed. even without Durant, the Nets will basically be the same team only swapping out Kyrie for Russell. I think that swap probably keeps them running in place, which gets them 7 or 8 seed this year with what they probably hope is the missing piece next year with Durant back... even tho I don't think he'll be close to the same player. Durant will probably morph into more of a Dirk at the tail end of his prime when he comes back. I just don't expect the same explosiveness at 32 coming off a devastating injury like an achilles.

 

[taz02]

I would think JJ and a future 1st round pick, maybe top 5 protected would be appealing to the Nets. They would be in good shape cap wise; JJ and Russell’s current salaries are pretty close and they’d get a first-round pick.

Sending JJ combined with our current cap allows us to take back around 20m. I believe we can open another 2.5 with Melton and Okobo.

We’d get Russell and have TJ as a backup and an expiring contract.

 

[AzStevenCal]

LOL... In a game that we got blown out in. At least Kobe did it in a winning fashion. And I never said he was a horrible player.. just grossly overrated by Suns fans.

I don't really think the game was ever in doubt but we were only down 10 points with possession around the 1 minute mark IIRC. And why shouldn't Devin have continued trying to score? No one else on the team could make a basket and Boston was doubling and tripling and intentionally fouling Booker, so the Celtics had no problem playing like every play mattered. Personally I'd have sat Devin and he'd have just had to settle for scoring somewhere between the mid-50's and the mid-60's but that's still quite a feat.

 

[SunnyBaller]

I would think JJ and a future 1st round pick, maybe top 5 protected would be appealing to the Nets. They would be in good shape cap wise; JJ and Russell’s current salaries are pretty close and they’d get a first-round pick.

Sending JJ combined with our current cap allows us to take back around 20m. I believe we can open another 2.5 with Melton and Okobo.

We’d get Russell and have TJ as a backup and an expiring contract.

I don't think anyone wants JJ right now

 

[Raze]

DRPM is a flawed stat.

What's your point? ALL stats are flawed. ALL.

There isn't a stat that's going to nail it. But DRPM can give you an idea.

More than that. After scouting KAT and Dlo numerous times, neither pass the eyeball test. They aren't even average Defenders.

KAT is inconsistent and soft. Loads of potential, true. But we're already worried about Ayton's motor. So now we're hypothetically going to add another max player that has motor concerns?

Dlo and Book would get eaten alive by any sensible team. They both struggle laterally and aren't smart on D.

 

[JCSunsfan]

What's your point? ALL stats are flawed. ALL.

There isn't a stat that's going to nail it. But DRPM can give you an idea.

More than that. After scouting KAT and Dlo numerous times, neither pass the eyeball test. They aren't even average Defenders.

KAT is inconsistent and soft. Loads of potential, true. But we're already worried about Ayton's motor. So now we're hypothetically going to add another max player that has motor concerns?

Dlo and Book would get eaten alive by any sensible team. They both struggle laterally and aren't smart on D.

Ok then. DRPM is really flawed compared to most other stats.