Potential Trade Targets

[Errntknght]

You know what's going to happen with Cousins... Sac trades him to the Lakers for 'pennies on the dollar' and he becomes an almost reasonable person. Luke Walton jumps at the chance to coach them. To complete the fairy tale, PJ jumps ship in NY, marriles Jeannie and the Lakers are right back in contention. Oh, they get the #1 pick in the draft, too - what good's a cake without some frosting, right?

 

[AzStevenCal]

You know what's going to happen with Cousins... Sac trades him to the Lakers for 'pennies on the dollar' and he becomes an almost reasonable person. Luke Walton jumps at the chance to coach them. To complete the fairy tale, PJ jumps ship in NY, marriles Jeannie and the Lakers are right back in contention. Oh, they get the #1 pick in the draft, too - what good's a cake without some frosting, right?

I'm sure a scenario such as this crosses the minds of just about every non-Lakers fan. Hopefully those days are long past and the Lakers can struggle along with a rebuild rebuild process like the rest of us.

 

[elindholm]

To complete the fairy tale, PJ jumps ship in NY, marriles Jeannie and the Lakers are right back in contention.

Although I realize you are making a joke, I think Jackson's tenure with the Knicks shows that his magical powers as a front-office guy are pretty limited. He was expected to spin straw into gold with the mediocre situation he had in New York, and not only has that not happened, but if anything they are worse.

 

[Mainstreet]

You know what's going to happen with Cousins... Sac trades him to the Lakers for 'pennies on the dollar' and he becomes an almost reasonable person. Luke Walton jumps at the chance to coach them. To complete the fairy tale, PJ jumps ship in NY, marriles Jeannie and the Lakers are right back in contention. Oh, they get the #1 pick in the draft, too - what good's a cake without some frosting, right?

I think Ryan McDonough might have been thinking something like this when he traded the Lakers pick.

 

[thephoenixson28]

Paul George anyone?

 

[GatorAZ]

Paul George anyone?

No. Not for what it'll cost.

 

[sunsfan88]

Paul George anyone?

Absolutely. Anyone and anything but Booker.

He's a top 10, maybe top 5 player who is excellent on both ends of the court. Plus he's barely 1 year older than Bledsoe.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Absolutely. Anyone and anything but Booker.

He's a top 10, maybe top 5 player who is excellent on both ends of the court. Plus he's barely 1 year older than Bledsoe.

Curry, James, Leonard, Lillard, Towns, CP, Drummond, Deandre, Griffin, Butler, Durant, Westbrook, AD and even Harden all impact the game arguably at least as much as George does and most of them are just as young. And I'm sure I've forgotten some other very good young players that are at or above his level. If George, having just turned 26, was anywhere near top 5, even top 10, I really doubt the team that knows him best would be considering the possibility of starting over without him.

 

[thephoenixson28]

What about Blake Griffin.

 

[Mainstreet]

What about Blake Griffin.

You can roll the dice and take your chances but Griffin can opt out after the next season. Perhaps if the Suns had a more stable winning franchise it might be worth the risk but I don't think I would do it. I'm sure the Clippers would want a boatload of assets for him.

 

[sunsfan88]

Curry, James, Leonard, Lillard, Towns, CP, Drummond, Deandre, Griffin, Butler, Durant, Westbrook, AD and even Harden all impact the game arguably at least as much as George does and most of them are just as young. And I'm sure I've forgotten some other very good young players that are at or above his level. If George, having just turned 26, was anywhere near top 5, even top 10, I really doubt the team that knows him best would be considering the possibility of starting over without him.

Drummond and DeAndre? I hope you are joking. I think Clippers and Pistons fans wouldn't wait one second to swap their center for a talent like George. Rockets fans would definitely do the same thing with Harden, George is about 20 or 30x the defender that Harden while being almost as good offensively.

The only players who are hands down definitely above him are Curry, LeBron, Durant, Kawhi and Davis. Westbrook and Butler are probably equivalent while the rest are below his abilities.

And I haven't seen anything suggesting that the Pacers are considering the possibility of starting over without him. Do you have a link?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Drummond and DeAndre? I hope you are joking. I think Clippers and Pistons fans wouldn't wait one second to swap their center for a talent like George. Rockets fans would definitely do the same thing with Harden, George is about 20 or 30x the defender that Harden while being almost as good offensively.

The only players who are hands down definitely above him are Curry, LeBron, Durant, Kawhi and Davis. Westbrook and Butler are probably equivalent while the rest are below his abilities.

And I haven't seen anything suggesting that the Pacers are considering the possibility of starting over without him. Do you have a link?

I would take either Drummond or Jordan over George and, especially with Drummond, I'd do it in a heartbeat. And the only reason I'd take George over Harden is because Harden is such a me-first player. Regardless, I think you greatly overvalue Paul George. And no, I don't believe they're interested in trading George but I didn't start this conversation and isn't that the point of this discussion in the first place?

 

[GatorAZ]

You definitely take Paul George over guys that have to be taken out at the end of games because of their FT shooting. You want your best players on the court in crunch time.

 

[JCSunsfan]

You can roll the dice and take your chances but Griffin can opt out after the next season. Perhaps if the Suns had a more stable winning franchise it might be worth the risk but I don't think I would do it. I'm sure the Clippers would want a boatload of assets for him.

Yeah. I don't like our chances of keeping Griffin. I also doubt McD would do it. He likes to maintain control of players. He traded for impending RESTRICTED free agents in Bledsoe and Knight because ultimately he knew he could keep them if he wanted them (or let them go if he wanted to).

 

[AzStevenCal]

You definitely take Paul George over guys that have to be taken out at the end of games because of their FT shooting. You want your best players on the court in crunch time.

Detroit won a lot of games because of Drummond despite his horrible free throw shooting but it's a good point. I'm more concerned with what it's done to him mentally (it really hurt him the second half of the season) but the guy dominates down low and hasn't even turned 23 yet. I'd still take him in a heartbeat.

 

[SirStefan32]

I would prefer George over Jordan, but other than that, I think Steve is exactly right.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I would prefer George over Jordan, but other than that, I think Steve is exactly right.

With our roster I'd probably prefer George over Jordan too but it's close. I really like George, I just don't buy the top 5 label and I'm not even convinced he's top 10. But he's close and I love the idea of adding a two way player, we've had so few of them through the years. I just can't think of a package we could put together for Paul that would interest the Pacers and still leave us enough to build a competitive team.

But I'd trade everyone on our roster not named Booker for a big man like Drummond and I'd even throw in something like the Washington pick. But it ain't happening, SVG isn't parting with a not quite 23 year old force like Drummond even with his free throw problems.

 

[thephoenixson28]

Why not go all in. Trade for someone like Blake Griffin and Carmelo anthony. I'm pretty sure the Knicks would give him up for Knight and the Washington pick.

 

[Phrazbit]

I wouldn't take Carmelo for free. The guy is a ball hog, who doesn't play defense, who is in serious decline and who makes everyone around him worse.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I wouldn't take Carmelo for free. The guy is a ball hog, who doesn't play defense, who is in serious decline and who makes everyone around him worse.

If he wanted to play in Phoenix and if the Knicks would trade him for Knight plus the Cleveland pick and if he was willing to play the 4 full time, I'd probably make the deal. It's so hard to judge anyone inside the mess that NY has been for awhile so I don't know about "serious decline". I think he's always been horribly overrated but he still seems to be a reasonably effective scorer and a decent rebounder.

But it doesn't really matter because he doesn't want to play in Phoenix and the Knicks wouldn't consider moving him for Knight and a pick unless we gave them our own without protection and even then it's doubtful. Which works just fine for me because I'd hate to have to cheer for the guy.

 

[overseascardfan]

I believe PHX will pull off (attempt at least) a major trade to add a stud PF rather than taking a gamble on a PF with their pick. I haven't read or heard anything but after McD's comments that the 2016-2017 will only have a couple of spots, if that, available. So with that said and with 4 picks in the draft, I think 2 of the picks will be dealt and a player like Bledsoe or Knight will be the centerpiece in a potential deal. I think PHX may be willing to include their own pick if the right player can be had (obviously I know).

I think they keep the WAS pick and take another front court player like a Labissiere whom could be brought along slowly and can provide a stretch 4 who can shoot off the bench to replace Leuer/Teletovic whom are both FA's.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I believe PHX will pull off (attempt at least) a major trade to add a stud PF rather than taking a gamble on a PF with their pick. I haven't read or heard anything but after McD's comments that the 2016-2017 will only have a couple of spots, if that, available. So with that said and with 4 picks in the draft, I think 2 of the picks will be dealt and a player like Bledsoe or Knight will be the centerpiece in a potential deal. I think PHX may be willing to include their own pick if the right player can be had (obviously I know).

I think they keep the WAS pick and take another front court player like a Labissiere whom could be brought along slowly and can provide a stretch 4 who can shoot off the bench to replace Leuer/Teletovic whom are both FA's.

Man I hope we don't pull the trigger on Skal. I would think that his consistently weak play and his smallish hands would be more than enough to keep him off the menu. If we don't get lucky and draft Ingram I think I'd rather see us trade down (to the mid-teens or so) with our own pick and hopefully add a potential lottery pick in next year's draft.

I think we're better off taking a gamble on a guard or a wing in this draft as the athletic 4's leave a lot to be desired. But if we ended up with 2 picks in the teens I'd take Davis and someone like Dedric Lawson (if he stays in the draft) over drafting high risk picks like Skal or Chriss.

As for trading for a stud power forward, I'm all for that approach but I don't have a clue who'd be available that would also make sense for us. We could perhaps get someone like Horford but given that neither Bledsoe or Knight would have much value in a trade right now it would likely cost us all our banked draft picks too.