Should Ayton be Traded?

[Chaplin]

If you can position yourself to go beyond the upcoming season by saving money on someone that would be lucky to be the 9th or 10th man, then you do it. So yes, this was a cost cutting move.

 

[Mainstreet]

I have no problem believing that money was a factor but that other considerations were also involved in the decision. And I'm fine with that. What I would not be fine with is telling the world we are going all out for a championship and then making a move solely to save money. And I just don't see Ishbia being that shortsighted.

There are always other factors. This is why I said there will be lipstick.

Let me put it another way, if Cam Payne was making the minimum, do you think he would be traded for virtually nothing?

Cam Payne is more than Ish Wainright.

 

[Chaplin]

There are always other factors. This is why I said there will be lipstick.

Let me put it another way, if Cam Payne was making the minimum, do you think he would be traded for virtually nothing?

Cam Payne is more than Ish Wainright.

Except he wasn’t traded for virtually nothing. He was traded for 26 million dollars in the long run.

 

[AzStevenCal]

There are always other factors. This is why I said there will be lipstick.

Let me put it another way, if Cam Payne was making the minimum, do you think he would be traded for virtually nothing?

Cam Payne is more than Ish Wainright.

I'm not sure but I'd say, probably. To me, he just isn't good enough to be willing to overlook his injury problems and the subsequent recovery period.

I could make a case to keep him as an emergency guard but even that's risky and I don't think I'd take that job if I were Cam. If he can get past his nagging injuries and become the player we saw in the bubble and for much of our finals run, he has another payday in his future and the role I'm talking about would stifle his chances IMO.

 

[Mainstreet]

Except he wasn’t traded for virtually nothing. He was traded for 26 million dollars in the long run.

You have made my case. Thank you.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not sure but I'd say, probably. To me, he just isn't good enough to be willing to overlook his injury problems and the subsequent recovery period.

I could make a case to keep him as an emergency guard but even that's risky and I don't think I'd take that job if I were Cam. If he can get past his nagging injuries and become the player we saw in the bubble and for much of our finals run, he has another payday in his future and the role I'm talking about would stifle his chances IMO.

Cam Payne already said he wanted to stay with the Suns. If a team is going for a championship, I think you keep your best players.

Who do you think has played the most games in the last three seasons, Cam Payne or Kevin Durant?

 

[Chaplin]

You have made my case. Thank you.

What case? That we shouldn't have traded Cam Payne? How exactly did I "make your case"?

He was a redundant piece traded for significant financial relief. Period. A 9th or 10th man wouldn't get minutes in the playoffs, so what is your problem with this?

 

[Chaplin]

Cam Payne already said he wanted to stay with the Suns. If a team is going for a championship, I think you keep your best players.

Who do you think has played the most games in the last three seasons, Cam Payne or Kevin Durant?

Irrelevant. KD is literally 10 times the player Cam Payne is. Comparing the two is reaching when you start realizing your argument is failing.

 

[Mainstreet]

What case? That we shouldn't have traded Cam Payne? How exactly did I "make your case"?

He was a redundant piece traded for significant financial relief. Period. A 9th or 10th man wouldn't get minutes in the playoffs, so what is your problem with this?

I said Cam Payne was traded primarily to save $26 million dollars and you said:

"Except he wasn’t traded for virtually nothing. He was traded for 26 million dollars in the long run."

 

[Mainstreet]

Irrelevant. KD is literally 10 times the player Cam Payne is. Comparing the two is reaching when you start realizing your argument is failing.

I was addressing the injury argument with Cam Payne.

 

[Chaplin]

I said Cam Payne was traded primarily to save $26 million dollars and you said:

"Except he wasn’t traded for virtually nothing. He was traded for 26 million dollars in the long run."

But your "case" is that him being traded for $26m was bad because he was worth more as a player on the roster. I disagree.

 

[Chaplin]

I was addressing the injury argument with Cam Payne.

Even with the injury argument, there is no world where comparing the two works. What are you trying to prove? That Cam Payne played more games in 2022-2023 than KD? Ok, but what does that have to do with anything? Even in a shorter number of games, KD will affect a win or loss more than Cam Payne will in more games.

 

[Mainstreet]

But your "case" is that him being traded for $26m was bad because he was worth more as a player on the roster. I disagree.

I understand the saving cash argument. Saving $26 million dollars is a lot of money.

It's when some lower Cam Payne's Payne's value and his worth to the team, I disagree. Cam Payne was well worth $6 million dollars.

 

[Chaplin]

I understand the saving cash argument. Saving $26 million dollars is a lot of money.

It's when some lower Cam Payne's Payne's value and his worth to the team, I disagree. Cam Payne was well worth $6 million dollars.

As a player, when healthy, I would probably agree with that. However, he wasn't healthy and when he was, he was woefully inconsistent and in the Suns' eyes, redundant.

He's going to get a ton of minutes in San Antonio.

 

[Mainstreet]

Even with the injury argument, there is no world where comparing the two works. What are you trying to prove? That Cam Payne played more games in 2022-2023 than KD? Ok, but what does that have to do with anything? Even in a shorter number of games, KD will affect a win or loss more than Cam Payne will in more games.

Why in the world would I want to compare Kevin Durant to Cam Payne except to diffuse the injury argument as the reason he is gone.

 

[Mainstreet]

As a player, when healthy, I would probably agree with that. However, he wasn't healthy and when he was, he was woefully inconsistent and in the Suns' eyes, redundant.

He's going to get a ton of minutes in San Antonio.

I think the Spurs will trade Cam Payne when another team suffers an injury to one of their point guards before the trade deadline.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

The reality is Cam Payne is as good a back up PG as your gonna find.

This board’s expectations are very unrealistic

No, the statement that "Cam Payne is as good a backup pg as your gonna find" is about as absurd as it gets. He's not even a good backup. Just a guy, who can get hot once every 5 games.

 

[Covert Rain]

As a player, when healthy, I would probably agree with that. However, he wasn't healthy and when he was, he was woefully inconsistent and in the Suns' eyes, redundant.

He's going to get a ton of minutes in San Antonio.

This. You couldn't rely on his health or his performance. With the addition of reduced playing time this season and the $26 million savings COUPLED with the return seems like a sound decision. The Suns should be able to find a replacement for the number of reduced minutes he was going to see this season. It's not like we could rely on him for those minutes anyway. Calling out the reality of Cams reliability isn't trashing him. I wish the dude the best. I hope he stays healthy and contributes on his new team.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I was addressing the injury argument with Cam Payne.

I thought I made it clear when I said "To me, he just isn't good enough to be willing to overlook his injury problems and the subsequent recovery period". IOW, we have other injury prone players but they are stars. It still hurts but you can find more reasons to stick with someone like that when they are a star.

 

[Mainstreet]

I thought I made it clear when I said "To me, he just isn't good enough to be willing to overlook his injury problems and the subsequent recovery period". IOW, we have other injury prone players but they are stars. It still hurts but you can find more reasons to stick with someone like that when they are a star.

And to be clear, this is my position.

"If a team is going for a championship, I think you keep your best players."

 

[AzStevenCal]

And to be clear, this is my position.

"If a team is going for a championship, I think you keep your best players."

I think you try to build the best rotation you can and then you fill out the roster with practice players, young projects and cheerleaders. We did that. Maybe. And then again, maybe not. We'll see.

 

[Hoop Head]

I understand Payne isn't durable but there really isn't anyone on our team who can be called durable. We can pencil in at least a dozen scratches for each of our top 5 guys. What we don't know is if the injuries will be spread out or come all at once, similar to last season when it seemed 2, 3, or 4 starters missed most of December and January. I know that I'd really like to have Cam Payne available if say any 2 of Booker, Beal, Gordon, and KD are out, which will happen at some point.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think you try to build the best rotation you can and then you fill out the roster with practice players, young projects and cheerleaders. We did that. Maybe. And then again, maybe not. We'll see.

It's easy to spend other people's money as fans as well. For the organization, they probably viewed it as Payne was about to see a reduction in playing time. With a posibility of saving 26 million, the team's situation with the apron? They probably viewed this as they could get those same production in those reduced minutes that Payne was going to get. A guy who they can't rely on anyway. Payne isn't the difference between this team winning a title or not winning a title.

 

[SirStefan32]

All I can say is that the Suns must be doing a great job, since the biggest thing we can find to talk and complain about is Cam Payne.

 

[Chaplin]

I understand Payne isn't durable but there really isn't anyone on our team who can be called durable. We can pencil in at least a dozen scratches for each of our top 5 guys. What we don't know is if the injuries will be spread out or come all at once, similar to last season when it seemed 2, 3, or 4 starters missed most of December and January. I know that I'd really like to have Cam Payne available if say any 2 of Booker, Beal, Gordon, and KD are out, which will happen at some point.

How do you know? Our whole bench is brand new. Do you know if KBD is durable? Yuta is still playing on an ankle sprain, does that make him not durable? How about Eubanks? Goodwin?

I'm curious to know how you are able to deem any of the new guys (outside of the well known KD and Beal) as not durable.