bottom lines:
we got more out of Paul and Ayton than i would have predicted this year
and we'd get more out of Paul and Ayton next year than we would from trading either one
if Paul can still be one of the top assist, steals, clutch, and leadership guys in the league (2nd or 3rd instead of # frigging 1 in pretty much all of them like he was this year) and single-handedly get us past one round then i don't give a rat's arse if he breaks down in the middle of the playoffs
WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THAT with a quality backup pg!
Booker now has a history of both injury and playoff collapse
should we get rid of him too???
perhaps, yes!
but we did have a unique chemistry that only failed us one week out of the whole season
and that was initiated by an opponent that out-strategized us in a 7 game series
so, more than any one player, the infamous collapse was a failure of
1. coach and management
2. role players who either never developed in the regular season or under-performed in the playoffs
the risks and limitations of Paul and Booker's star powers were predictable
no surprise
but they did their part and more the bulk of the season, including the playoffs
the bottom line solution is to patch the holes in a title-run strategy for one more year
-- and that includes hiring an assistant coach who can analyze and strategize because Monty can't
here's an idea. just make it official and make Chris Paul part-time player and assistant coach
my guess is that, though his body was breaking down, he did have a better idea of what we needed to do as a team than Monty, and that was an ingredient in the chemistry breakdown
but frankly, i don't know if i'm more disgusted this week
by the Suns quitting
or the fair-weather fans quitting!