Summer trades?

[Mr. Boldin]

Throw some real money at Marcus Smart. Kokoskov's specialty is teaching shooting and scoring. He is already one of the best defensive guards in the game. He can guard 1-4 positions. He gets 5 assists per game which is ok because others will be distributing too.

If we want a FA guard that would make the most difference on this team, its probably Smart.

Otherwise, we need to keep Elfrid for cheap and turn him into a competent shooter.

Smart would make some sense if you dont have to break the bank. That is the only issue with a RFA.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Smart would make some sense if you dont have to break the bank. That is the only issue with a RFA.

If Smart could shoot 39% from three, he would be a max player.

 

[Phrazbit]

If Smart could shoot 39% from three, he would be a max player.

But instead his percentages are awful, and those awful percentages are with the opposition BEGGING him to shoot, he gets the Artest treatment and still bricks with no defenders near.

He also cut his hand punching a picture frame... and does stuff like this:

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I suspect instead of it being "if he could shoot he'd be a max player"... it's more like, "If not for Brad Stevens then Marcus Smart would be a league minimum player".

Evan Turner, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder... arguably Isaiah Thomas... and in the near future I suspect Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier... Brad Stevens is rapidly creating a list of guys who's value he ramped up through great coaching, only for their next team to realize "oops... they stink". I'd be very weary of having to out bid the Celtics for a player or trading with them in general. They're batting about 1.000 of late.

 

[JCSunsfan]

But instead his percentages are awful, and those awful percentages are with the opposition BEGGING him to shoot, he gets the Artest treatment and still bricks with no defenders near.

He also cut his hand punching a picture frame... and does stuff like this:

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I suspect instead of it being "if he could shoot he'd be a max player"... it's more like, "If not for Brad Stevens then Marcus Smart would be a league minimum player".

Evan Turner, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder... arguably Isaiah Thomas... and in the near future I suspect Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier... Brad Stevens is rapidly creating a list of guys who's value he ramped up through great coaching, only for their next team to realize "oops... they stink". I'd be very weary of having to out bid the Celtics for a player or trading with them in general. They're batting about 1.000 of late.

This is not about coaching. It is about skill, hustle, and extreme toughness. He also has a defensive reputation so he gets the benefit of a lot of calls. I cannot express how wrong this is. Smart is an incredible defensive player and its not a mirage. He is also a good passer.

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[Mr. Boldin]

I suspect instead of it being "if he could shoot he'd be a max player"... it's more like, "If not for Brad Stevens then Marcus Smart would be a league minimum player".

He is still an elite defender, with a good assist rate, and rebounds. I would say hes slightly above mid-level based on his defensive tools and versatility. That said, if the Suns draft Doncic, he would be a solid fit between Booker and Doncic. No way im paying more than just above the MLE though. $11 mil per max, and thats only because hes a RFA. He might get less on the open market this summer. I could see someone paying him more though, which I think would be... ugly.

 

[Phrazbit]

I don't doubt he is a good defender, but I also don't think he will ever become even a serviceable shooter.

I also think he is a knucklehead... I don't want to overpay for a knucklehead.

If we were a contending team and in desperate need of a hard nosed guard, I'd consider it. But he is a niche player and we are not at a point to be paying out stacks to role players.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I don't doubt he is a good defender, but I also don't think he will ever become even a serviceable shooter.

I also think he is a knucklehead... I don't want to overpay for a knucklehead.

If we were a contending team and in desperate need of a hard nosed guard, I'd consider it. But he is a niche player and we are not at a point to be paying out stacks to role players.

Now the truth comes out. You just don't like him as a person. OK. I get that. There are players I don't like either.

 

[BC867]

If you want Booker to take the next step, and not be a "shooting guard" his entire career, you need to get him to expand his game.

Huh? I want him to be a Shooting Guard and not be pre-planned to be the closest thing to a "1" on the floor cover the Point as well.

Did I miss something in your response?

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Huh? I want him to be a Shooting Guard and not be pre-planned to be the closest thing to a "1" on the floor cover the Point as well.

Did I miss something in your response?

Yes. I would want him turning into a franchise caliber lead guard who can create for himself and others off the dribble. You dont need him to be a "point guard" or a "shooting guard". You need him to be an all-nba, all-star caliber guard. I think he has to tools to be a dynamic lead guard. That is my point.

 

[Errntknght]

It would be great to get Marcus Smart... our other guys could learn a lot about playing defense from seeing him every night. He might even inspire them. I'd like to see McD give it a shot.

Like I've been saying all year there are a good number of young, unheralded PGs around the league right now. Dinwiddie started on that list but he moved up to being a starter and has done well, so I figured he was not obtainable. If we could get him with a pick swap, it would be a very good move.

I was just looking over the top end of PGs sorted by RPM (real plus minus)
1. Paul
2. Hardin
3. Curry
4. Lowry
5. Lilliard
6. Westbrook
7. Tyus Jones ... yeah. Minny's young back up
10. Fred VanVleet... Toronto backup
13. Dinwiddie
17. Delon Wright ... Toronto's other backup
19. Terry Rozier ... Boston backup

These guys are not sitting around idle, they typically got 1400 -1800 minutes. But their teams know they are going to be hard to hang onto, so they might be amenable to a trade, rather than let them get into free agency. VanVleet is an FA this year, so we could make a run at him. My first choice, this week, is Tyus Jones.

 

[Phrazbit]

Now the truth comes out. You just don't like him as a person. OK. I get that. There are players I don't like either.

What?

This is not arbitrary...

He screwed up his hand and missed a month this year because he punched a glass frame, he got suspended in college for shoving a fan, he does some really... odd... stuff on the court.

He is a knucklehead. Might be an alright dude but he's the type of player who you have to worry about doing something stupid.

And really, my biggest problem is that he is a TERRIBLE shooter, one of the worst shooting guards in the entire league.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Boston has Smart, Kyrie, Rozier, and Larkin. Three main pg's Smart is a FA. They need some shooting. Maybe we throw a big offer to Smart and then sweeten it with a sign and trade and we throw them Troy Daniels. After all Ainge still owes us for gifting them Monroe.

 

[Phrazbit]

Boston has Smart, Kyrie, Rozier, and Larkin. Three main pg's Smart is a FA. They need some shooting. Maybe we throw a big offer to Smart and then sweeten it with a sign and trade and we throw them Troy Daniels. After all Ainge still owes us for gifting them Monroe.

We need shooting more than they do.

Overpaying for Smart... I'm not kidding... I think it would be a monumental mistake. A team in our position cannot afford to blow the bank on role players.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We need shooting more than they do.

Overpaying for Smart... I'm not kidding... I think it would be a monumental mistake. A team in our position cannot afford to blow the bank on role players.

Overpaying for anyone worries me, overpaying for anyone from Boston scares the hell out of me.

 

[Raze]

I think (hope) the Suns can do better than Dinwiddie but the 16th pick should get it done not to mention the Suns own #31.

I'd rather the Suns use #16 and #31 to move up slightly in the draft so they can draft a PG.

Yes, but who?

I'm not excited about trading up for Young or Doncic. Putting either of them next to Book is just begging for trouble defensively. Has anyone won a championship with two awful defenders at 1 and 2?
I haven't seen a whole lot from Shai, but wasn't blown away at what I did see. (I admittedly need some more time watching film on this one).
Sexton is fun, but not exactly a true PG. His decision making is highly suspect. He ended the year with a 1.3 to 1 A/TO. That's just awful for a PG.

Those are the only ones that will garner top half looks. While I'm COMPLETELY with you on trading the quantity of picks for quality picks, I'm wondering who we'd trade up for. And, once again, who's actually going to produce better than BK? I'm half convinced he's our best realistic option next year.

 

[Hoop Head]

All this talk about Marcus Smart, personally I'd rather the Suns go after Avery Bradley if they're looking for a tweener guard to add to their roster. He's a good defender, shoots better than Marcus does, and is not restricted like Smart. Also he's done well for himself outside of Steven's system so it would be less of a gamble.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

If you are trading up, why not trade up for a guy who every team in the league is looking for? Mikal Bridges.

Find a defensive PG who is some kind of threat to score or shoot, Booker, Bridges, Jackson, Ayton.

Obviously, Jackson still needs to beef up, but he played 18% of his minutes at the four this season (outside of garbage time). Additionally, the entire team's offensive and defensive shooting percentages were up with him at the four.

Thats an uber athletic, switchable lineup, with decent floor spacing for Booker and Ayton.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yes, but who?

I'm not excited about trading up for Young or Doncic. Putting either of them next to Book is just begging for trouble defensively. Has anyone won a championship with two awful defenders at 1 and 2?
I haven't seen a whole lot from Shai, but wasn't blown away at what I did see. (I admittedly need some more time watching film on this one).
Sexton is fun, but not exactly a true PG. His decision making is highly suspect. He ended the year with a 1.3 to 1 A/TO. That's just awful for a PG.

Those are the only ones that will garner top half looks. While I'm COMPLETELY with you on trading the quantity of picks for quality picks, I'm wondering who we'd trade up for. And, once again, who's actually going to produce better than BK? I'm half convinced he's our best realistic option next year.

I have been looking to slightly trade up from #16 for a point guard. One player I think might be near this slot is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. I've been liking him for awhile now.

Also I like Shake Milton and Donte DiVincenzo. Every player has his warts. I didn't include Collin Sexton because I think he will go in the top 10.

The Suns might well bundle some assets and trade for an experienced starting PG. This might be their best option.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

All this talk about Marcus Smart, personally I'd rather the Suns go after Avery Bradley if they're looking for a tweener guard to add to their roster. He's a good defender, shoots better than Marcus does, and is not restricted like Smart. Also he's done well for himself outside of Steven's system so it would be less of a gamble.

He shoots it better, but his shot selection is cringe worth. If you want one, take the one who can play some PG, that is Smart. Or just take the cheaper one. I wouldnt mind the Clippers bringing him back, but im not paying over the MLE.

 

[AzStevenCal]

All this talk about Marcus Smart, personally I'd rather the Suns go after Avery Bradley if they're looking for a tweener guard to add to their roster. He's a good defender, shoots better than Marcus does, and is not restricted like Smart. Also he's done well for himself outside of Steven's system so it would be less of a gamble.

I thought it was the opposite from what I've read?

 

[Mr. Boldin]

I thought it was the opposite from what I've read?

He certainly hasnt done any better. Hes not much worse, which is still pretty meh to me. Put it this way, hes a nice player to have at the right price. My price is the MLE.

 

[Hoop Head]

I thought it was the opposite from what I've read?

He did ok for himself before Stevens showed up in Boston, playing 3 years for them before Stevens and then last year played for SVG and Doc Rivers. His stats stayed similar to his Celtics numbers other than his shooting percentage, which went down. I like the prospect of Bradley more than overpaying Smart. He's a 6th man candidate if nothing else but he could play some PG if our starter goes down. I wouldn't want to plug him in as our starting PG to start the season but I wouldn't want Smart as our opening day PG either.


https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bradlav01.html

 

[gimpy]

"Obviously, Jackson still needs to beef up, but he played 18% of his minutes at thefour this season (outside of garbage time)."

Seems to me, about 95% of our games this year were garbage time.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He did ok for himself before Stevens showed up in Boston, playing 3 years for them before Stevens and then last year played for SVG and Doc Rivers. His stats stayed similar to his Celtics numbers other than his shooting percentage, which went down. I like the prospect of Bradley more than overpaying Smart. He's a 6th man candidate if nothing else but he could play some PG if our starter goes down. I wouldn't want to plug him in as our starting PG to start the season but I wouldn't want Smart as our opening day PG either.


https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bradlav01.html

I don't understand, you've just linked to his BR page which shows some very depressing numbers? And I know I've read comments about his team defense being a problem.

Personally, I think he's an undersized poor man's PJ Tucker. It would be nice to have him on a cheap contract but I see him as the 3rd man off the bench, not the first.

 

[AzStevenCal]

"Obviously, Jackson still needs to beef up, but he played 18% of his minutes at thefour this season (outside of garbage time)."

Josh mentioned the other night that he plans on adding 10 to 12 pounds of muscle this offseason. Perhaps he anticipates spending even more time at the 4.