Suns Off-season Thread

[Mainstreet]

I always wondered why we never did that.

I think it makes more sense for Johnson to come off of the bench. Have him play more minutes than Crowder, but I'd prefer Johnson getting more shots on the 2nd unit.

Now may be the time for Cam Johnson to take the next step and start with Crowder coming off the bench. Jae may have slowed down a bit.

Eric Paschall may be an option at power forward if he hasn't signed anywhere.

 

[Proximo]

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People still expect us to get Durant. That is the only reason we would be the favorite.

 

[Proximo]

Now may be the time for Cam Johnson to take the next step and start with Crowder coming off the bench. Jae may have slowed down a bit.

Eric Paschall may be an option at power forward if he hasn't signed anywhere.

Agreed if we manage to keep Cam, he needs to be our starting PF, especially with the contract we will have to give him.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Will Cam get 20 per? I'd try to buy low and get him for 15-17 per.

 

[GatorAZ]

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Their conference odds are lower than Golden St but their title odds are higher than Golden St. Not sure the intent behind that…

 

[95pro]

The easiest way is to start Cam Johnson at power forward.

Otherwise there are not a lot of options without using draft picks unless the Suns are willing to take on a longer contract for his expiring contract at the trade deadline. Maybe second round picks help do it.

There may be some buyouts later on if the Suns have an open roster spot.

I believe the Suns have already shopped Crowder.

I always wondered why we never did that.

Same

I think it makes more sense for Johnson to come off of the bench. Have him play more minutes than Crowder, but I'd prefer Johnson getting more shots on the 2nd unit.

I've been begging the suns to substitute earlier in the 1st quarters, especially CJ for Crowder. Let Booker and CJ get most of the offensive burn in the 1st quarter.

But i'd really like him to start.

 

[Bobster]

I'd be more concerned about getting a couple more creators for off the bench rather than starting Johnson over Crowder.

Any confidence I had in Payne has disappeared.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Their conference odds are lower than Golden St but their title odds are higher than Golden St. Not sure the intent behind that…

Maybe they don't give them much of a shot at beating GS in WCF, but give them a great shot at winning championship, if they make the Finals??? IDK...I'm not good at betting.

 

[somethingshesaid]

I think I'm the only person who believes this. Because so many key suns players either played poorly (Payne, Shamet, Craig) or have inherent limitations (Crowder's lack of size, Paul's extreme age), I think the Suns' vaunted depth is largely a myth. I think Charles Barkley's teams, especially 1992-93 and 1994-95, proved themselves deeper in actual results. Also 2009-10, because it went all the way to the WCF without its starting center. It has amazed me for years that that team got away with starting a third-stringer like Jarron Collins in the playoffs.

 

[Chaplin]

I think I'm the only person who believes this. Because so many key suns players either played poorly (Payne) or have inherent limitations (Crowder's lack of size, Paul's extreme age), I think the Suns' vaunted depth is largely a myth.

Their backup guards are not particularly impressive. It makes little sense to me to count Payne as depth when he's playing poorly. And Shamet? Everyone complains that he underwhelmed last season.

Do the Suns even have another power forward to back up Crowder? Please don't try to tell me Cam Johnson; he's not a power forward and you know it. Torrey Craig? What did he do since returning last season? At center the Suns have lost depth Since McGee left, and they used to in fact be so deep at center that they couldn't even use all their centers and had to trade one (Smith). I was always interested in Frank Kaminsky's somewhat rare skillset, but there was no room for him either and he was dumped. Put it this way: the Suns looked deep on paper; but in practice?

There have been Suns teams deeper than this group. I think the 1992-93 team was, and 1994-95. And possibly 2009-2010.

64 games. Depth is most effective in the regular season -- I'd say winning 64 games proved our depth was pretty good. Something unusual happened in the playoffs, but it had nothing to do with a LACK of depth.

 

[elindholm]

64 games. Depth is most effective in the regular season -- I'd say winning 64 games proved our depth was pretty good. Something unusual happened in the playoffs, but it had nothing to do with a LACK of depth.

Correct. Instead it showed that depth is mainly a regular-season issue. In the playoffs, if one of your top seven goes down or is playing badly, you're in trouble no matter how good your 12th and 13th players are.

 

[Chaplin]

Correct. Instead it showed that depth is mainly a regular-season issue. In the playoffs, if one of your top seven goes down or is playing badly, you're in trouble no matter how good your 12th and 13th players are.

Yep.

 

[Folster]

Correct. Instead it showed that depth is mainly a regular-season issue. In the playoffs, if one of your top seven goes down or is playing badly, you're in trouble no matter how good your 12th and 13th players are.

Yeah, it comes down to CP3. He's good enough to be a first or second option on a given night, but if you are relying on him to consistently fulfill that responsibility night after night in the playoffs the results are in on that.

This team needs another ball handler and shot creator really bad.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Correct. Instead it showed that depth is mainly a regular-season issue. In the playoffs, if one of your top seven goes down or is playing badly, you're in trouble no matter how good your 12th and 13th players are.

Agreed. Which is why I remain a big fan of landing KD. If we have a big four of KD, book, Paul and Ayton it will crush most teams when both teams shorten benches. Who cares about our bench then (I say somewhat tongue in cheek).

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Which only underscores why I so admire the 2009-10 playoff team. It lost its starting center Robin Lopez (I think before the playoffs started) and did not show itself to be in trouble. That's what happens when you have consummate professionals in the starting lineup (Steve Nash, Grant Hill), on the bench (Jarron Collins), and coaching (Alvin Gentry).

Meh it was robin lopez before he was even a legit role player.

 

[Cheesebeef]

We are the 1988/2003 Pistons.

And KD is our Mark Aguirre/Rasheed Wallace needed to put us over the top for a two year title run.

Bridges and every pick in the world will be the bait. If Bridges actually improves his game and comes out swinging, he can be the centerpiece of a KD trade, especially if KD goes full dog on the Nets.

 

[somethingshesaid]

I always miss the obvious, so I only just figured out the real reason why the Suns so often let games stay close, over-relying on their clutch skills. It's because of how old Chris Paul is, and to an increasing extent how slow. He doesn't have the energy to lead his team in kicking the opponent's butt by twenty points. (I used to wonder why that rarely happens with this Suns team.) Paul's more conservative strategy of relying on his cleverness, experience and professionalism to just edge the other team is less taxing on him. Of the great Suns point guards, he is the least aggressive but the most effective.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I always miss the obvious, so I only just figured out the real reason why the Suns so often let games stay close, over-relying on their clutch skills. It's because of how old Chris Paul is, and to an increasing extent how slow. He doesn't have the energy to lead his team in kicking the opponent's butt by twenty points. (I used to wonder why that rarely happens with this Suns team.) Paul's more conservative strategy of relying on his cleverness, experience and professionalism to just edge the other team is less taxing on him. Of the great Suns point guards, he is the least aggressive but the most effective.

This is so stupid. How would you have any clue if you said you never watched the team?

We had the second largest margin win per game.

 

[Proximo]

I'd be more concerned about getting a couple more creators for off the bench rather than starting Johnson over Crowder.

Any confidence I had in Payne has disappeared.

Well I understand that, but he could easily start playing well again, and there are not many FA's if any who have as much upside as he does.

 

[Proximo]

I always miss the obvious, so I only just figured out the real reason why the Suns so often let games stay close, over-relying on their clutch skills. It's because of how old Chris Paul is, and to an increasing extent how slow. He doesn't have the energy to lead his team in kicking the opponent's butt by twenty points. (I used to wonder why that rarely happens with this Suns team.) Paul's more conservative strategy of relying on his cleverness, experience and professionalism to just edge the other team is less taxing on him. Of the great Suns point guards, he is the least aggressive but the most effective.

Yeah that was really not an issue during 90% of last season.

It was only the last month and the playoffs where the Suns play completely fell off a cliff.

Some of it was Paul, but certainly not all of it. A lot of it was the bench just completely stopped producing anything.

 

[Muggz]

Lets get this guy

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Seriously right efing now! Before he ends up with Luka or something.

 

[Hoop Head]

Lets get this guy

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Not familiar with him but his stats look good. Seems like a big PG or combo guard. He's 6'5" but he's also 28 and will be 29 in January.

He's averaged 18 ppg and 5 apg over the last year. He's a career 37% shooter from 3. Stats are listed weird on BBRef. For some reason last year shows as 3 seasons, basically. It has to do with tournament play but I don't know the details.

It's worth noting assists are much harder to come by in Euro basketball. Luka averaged 5.0 apg in his last year in the Euroleague while he's a triple double machine here. Not comparing the Vasline guy to Luka, only pointing out the difference in how leagues track assists.

Vasilije Micic International Stats | Basketball-Reference.com

Vasilije Micic - Career stats, game logs, leaderboard appearances, awards, and achievements for international club and tournament play

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[SirStefan32]

I posted this in one of the other threads, but I'll throw it in here too.

According to my Euro peeps, Micic has zero interest in coming to the NBA. He is one of the best players in Europe, he makes a lot of money, so he has zero interest in sitting on the bench for significantly less money. This is the same reason Mirotic went back to Europe. Micic makes around $3M per year, and keep in mind that big Euro teams pay their player's taxes, buy them cars, houses, etc. He is, however, good friend with Jokic, and Jokic has been trying to get him over here. If by some miracle he comes to the NBA, he is going to go to Denver. To further complicate things, a different team owns his right, so anyone would have to trade something to OKC for the right to Micic. Solid player, very good passer/ playmaker, decent shooter, not much of an athlete or a defender, even by European standards.

I've had one guy tell me that he actually does want to come to the NBA, but everyone else is saying he has zero interest, barring more money and guaranteed minutes.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I posted this in one of the other threads, but I'll throw it in here too.

According to my Euro peeps, Micic has zero interest in coming to the NBA. He is one of the best players in Europe, he makes a lot of money, so he has zero interest in sitting on the bench for significantly less money. This is the same reason Mirotic went back to Europe. Micic makes around $3M per year, and keep in mind that big Euro teams pay their player's taxes, buy them cars, houses, etc. He is, however, good friend with Jokic, and Jokic has been trying to get him over here. If by some miracle he comes to the NBA, he is going to go to Denver. To further complicate things, a different team owns his right, so anyone would have to trade something to OKC for the right to Micic. Solid player, very good passer/ playmaker, decent shooter, not much of an athlete or a defender, even by European standards.

I've had one guy tell me that he actually does want to come to the NBA, but everyone else is saying he has zero interest, barring more money and guaranteed minutes.

That’s all good, but what I really want to know is… can he dunk over a car?

 

[Carolinacacti]

Big off season move

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