Suns 2024-2025 Season Discussions

[Hoop Head]

The Suns certainly need more size and bulk at the 4/5. In a perfect world where Nurkic and Plumlee didn't get into foul trouble or injured, the Suns might squeak by, but we do not live in a perfect world. Another versatile power forward would be welcome.

I was begging the Suns to add more size before their playoff run, which ended in the Finals against the Bucks. Even then, the Suns had Kaminsky on the roster when Saric went down, but Monty didn't have confidence in him.

Opponents know the Suns' weakness and invariably they will drive the ball down the middle when they need points. They can't depend on a rookie like Oso to plug the hole. That's asking too much from him.

My hope is the Suns realize their weakness like they did at point guard and trade for a 4/5 before the trade deadline if a player becomes available. I suspect the Suns will explore trading Allen.

I'd be very surprised if Grayson and Royce both make it through the year. I suspect one or both to be dealt. Maybe Okogie can be dangled somewhere since he's on a very favorable contract as well. We don't need all of them plus Dunn coming off the bench. There just aren't minutes for all of them.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'd be very surprised if Grayson and Royce both make it through the year. I suspect one or both to be dealt. Maybe Okogie can be dangled somewhere since he's on a very favorable contract as well. We don't need all of them plus Dunn coming off the bench. There just aren't minutes for all of them.

I agree, there are multiple options. It's finding the right player available in trade.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Let's look at the bright side.

If things come together for the Suns they have a chance to be an excellent team, perhaps a contender.

IMO, they need one more quality player, preferably a power forward who can play the 4/5. That player would likely have to come in a trade before the trade deadline. The Suns do have an open roster spot, so they could add a veteran minimum player to get to fifteen if they so choose.

Hopefully coach Mike Budenholzer can bring the team together with some different offensive and defensive concepts.

Here are the Suns current starting five and depth. Position labels are arbitrary.

Starters:

Devin Booker- SG
Tyus Jones- PG
Bradley Beal- SG
Kevin Durant- PF
Jusuf Nurkic- C

Bench:

Mason Plumlee- C
Grayson Allen- SG
Royce O'Neale- PF
Monte Morris- PG
Oso Ighodaro- PF
Ryan Dunn- SF
Josh Okogie- SG
Bol Bol- PF
Damion Lee- SG

Two-way contracts:

Collin Gillespie
Jalen Bridges
Ty Ty Washington Jr.

At least there are 5 legit nba players on the bench this season. And who knows about the development of the young guys.

 

[JCSunsfan]

At least there are 5 legit nba players on the bench this season. And who knows about the development of the young guys.

OK, if so your starters are Jones, Book, Beal, Durant, and Nurk

Your five legit NBA players on the bench would be? Plumlee, Morris, Okogie, O Neale, Allen?

Do you not consider Bol or Lee legit NBA players? Not arguing, just asking.

 

[Ronin]

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[Ronin]

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Zona
@AZSportsZone


The Suns announced their broadcast/radio teams:
Broadcast/Studio:
Eddie Johnson
Kevin Ray
AnnMeyers Drysdale -
Tom Leander
Tom Chambers
Sophie Cunningham
Radio:
Tim Kempton
Jon Bloom-Arturo Ocho
Samuel Sandoval

 

[Hoop Head]

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Zona
@AZSportsZone


The Suns announced their broadcast/radio teams:
Broadcast/Studio:
Eddie Johnson
Kevin Ray
AnnMeyers Drysdale -
Tom Leander
Tom Chambers
Sophie Cunningham
Radio:
Tim Kempton
Jon Bloom-Arturo Ocho
Samuel Sandoval

Glad Sophie is back. Wish Annie would be moved to a studio role. She can't keep up with games anymore. I respect her knowledge and insight, which I feel would be better suited in a studio show where she can really demonstrate her knowledge with prepared highlights or stats in front of her. She gets stuck on points a lot, which is fine for that environment but not live.

 

[Superbone]

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Zona
@AZSportsZone


The Suns announced their broadcast/radio teams:
Broadcast/Studio:
Eddie Johnson
Kevin Ray
AnnMeyers Drysdale -
Tom Leander
Tom Chambers
Sophie Cunningham
Radio:
Tim Kempton
Jon Bloom-Arturo Ocho
Samuel Sandoval

I didn't realize Bloom had changed his name.

 

[Chaplin]

So much wrong with this article.

Austin Rivers in disbelief at contract Suns gave player this summer

The former player has a point here in fairness.

valleyofthesuns.com

 

[Yuma]

I'd be very surprised if Grayson and Royce both make it through the year. I suspect one or both to be dealt. Maybe Okogie can be dangled somewhere since he's on a very favorable contract as well. We don't need all of them plus Dunn coming off the bench. There just aren't minutes for all of them.

We have to match contracts. I don't imagine Okogie's will get us anyone that moves the needle. I could be wrong.

 

[Yuma]

So much wrong with this article.

Austin Rivers in disbelief at contract Suns gave player this summer

The former player has a point here in fairness.

valleyofthesuns.com

One of the guys covering the Suns, said the Tyus Jones thing was cooking over many weeks. Monte Morris would have been aware of the interest in Jones. The Suns wanted Morris, too. I don't think there's not a place for him. Morris signed here knowing he had to get minutes for his next deal.

 

[Phrazbit]

So much wrong with this article.

Austin Rivers in disbelief at contract Suns gave player this summer

The former player has a point here in fairness.

valleyofthesuns.com

Calling Austin Rivers a “former Suns player“ is dirty business.

EDIT I guess I inserted the “suns” on my own, even so, screw that guy.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

OK, if so your starters are Jones, Book, Beal, Durant, and Nurk

Your five legit NBA players on the bench would be? Plumlee, Morris, Okogie, O Neale, Allen?

Do you not consider Bol or Lee legit NBA players? Not arguing, just asking.

I consider bol, if he continues his trajectory of last season, to be an nba player over okogie who is a limited specialist.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is the Suns season schedule with local networks visual.

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[Hoop Head]

I consider bol, if he continues his trajectory of last season, to be an nba player over okogie who is a limited specialist.

I think Bol and Okogie equal 1 legit NBA player. The downside is not knowing for sure which will play like an NBA player that given day.

 

[Phrazbit]

I consider bol, if he continues his trajectory of last season, to be an nba player over okogie who is a limited specialist.

I think Bol is extremely situational, there are going to be a lot of teams who he won't be playable against... or maybe you put him in for a few minutes to see if he's feeling it from the outside.

I think Bol and Okogie equal 1 legit NBA player. The downside is not knowing for sure which will play like an NBA player that given day.

That is fair. They're both probably 8th or 9th guys, ideally. Both have an equal chance to hurt you or help you on a given night.

IMO, we've got 2 big stars, a few mid tier starting caliber players (Allen, Nurk, Beal, Jones) and then a bunch of guys who do one or 2 things well but also have some obvious flaws. Maybe put O'Neale above that latter group, but not by much, he's crazy streaky. We really need one or two of those guys who have not proven themsevles to be a rotation player to step up and really prove it.

Most concerning is that we have a ton of guys with injury concerns. Durant, Nurk, Beal, Morris, Plumlee, Bol and Lee have all missed extensive time with injuries over the last several years.

 

[Raindog]

Wanted to speak on this and probably is a part of my growing frustration with the Suns, in particular James Jones version of the Suns. We've lacked size for 55 years, that isn't new, but I can't recall a time when it's been ignored like it has the past 5-6 years. We'd try a bunch of over the hill guys or youngsters with potential to fill those holes but JJ seems against bringing in a true PF/C.

D'Antoni went small but that made more sense considering he wanted our 5 best players out there and his system was designed to accentuate their speed and skill, not their size. JJ wants us to play like everyone else though without a real PF/C. Durant isn't it. We need an Ibaka, not current but OKC Ibaka. Someone who can stretch the floor and keep defenses honest while also being willing mix it up inside. KD is finesse through and through. When we've brought in guys to mix it up though they've been undersized like Crowder and Craig.

James Jones is seemingly always a day late and a dollar short on everything regarding competently assembling an optimal roster. We finally got what could be some decent PG talent, but only after stumbling through last year with probably the worst ballhandling team in the entire NBA, all while the GM insisted that the PG position is overrated and irrelevant to success in the league.

I will be not a bit surprised if next year our turnover situation is finally fixed, but we now find ourselves being regularly abused by other teams in the paint... and that ends up as the downfall of yet another aborted "championship" run.

And as soon as various media start pointing it ou, Jones will deliver yet another pompous pronouncement that he proves he is oblivious to reality and doesn't know what he is doing. Lather, rinse, repeat.

 

[Yuma]

With Bol, he's not always putting up big stats. He does alter guys shots and sometimes guys not driving to the basket, just by his presence. More guys pass rather that going to the rim for shots on drives with him. Defensively he's not always showing up on the stat sheet, but he makes a difference just by his size.

 

[Chaplin]

There are 400 guys in the entire world that can play in the NBA. It's not a stretch to say every one of our players, maybe even the rookies as well, are part of that group.

 

[Mainstreet]

Kevin Durant is eligible for a one year, $60 million extension.

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[Hoop Head]

There are 400 guys in the entire world that can play in the NBA. It's not a stretch to say every one of our players, maybe even the rookies as well, are part of that group.

Being on an NBA roster and not being able to get any minutes means that player isn't good enough to actually play in the NBA. There's levels to it. I really don't see why you want to get pedantic about saying a few end of the bench guys aren't legit NBA players. If you aren't playing in more games than you sit out of, not to due to health issues, then you aren't an NBA level talent.

We saw a decade of our roster having only 2-3 Suns who would make a playoff teams roster and there was never pushback when someone said we needed more NBA level players, so why now?

 

[Chaplin]

Being on an NBA roster and not being able to get any minutes means that player isn't good enough to actually play in the NBA. There's levels to it. I really don't see why you want to get pedantic about saying a few end of the bench guys aren't legit NBA players. If you aren't playing in more games than you sit out of, not to due to health issues, then you aren't an NBA level talent.

We saw a decade of our roster having only 2-3 Suns who would make a playoff teams roster and there was never pushback when someone said we needed more NBA level players, so why now?

What? This makes no sense. Why sign someone if they aren't a legit NBA Player? I know you think our front office are a bunch of morons, but this thinking implies that ALL front offices are morons.

What about other sports? Teams sign end of the bench players all the time--are they all not legit players for their league?

 

[Mainstreet]

It takes a special talent to make an NBA roster or sign a two-way contract. Even playing in the G-League is a fantastic accomplishment for a basketball player. Look at all the players that are playing overseas. Also, one never knows when a team will find a diamond in the rough.

 

[95pro]

There are 400 guys in the entire world that can play in the NBA. It's not a stretch to say every one of our players, maybe even the rookies as well, are part of that group.

It is a stretch, some guys are solid but will never get a chance, then there are teams who take a chance on guys in case they hit on their gamble - on guys with a high ceiling. Most never reach their potential.

 

[Mainstreet]

It is a stretch, some guys are solid but will never get a chance, then there are teams who take a chance on guys in case they hit on their gamble - on guys with a high ceiling. Most never reach their potential.

I believe there are a lot NBA caliber players out there, both here and overseas, that never get the right opportunity.

The Heat has been a good team at finding overlooked and underdeveloped talent.