Suns sign Javale McGee

[1Sun]

The finals would have turned out differently if Paul hadn't been mugged by Beverley, injuring his hand.

The Finals also would have turned out differently if the Suns had a playable big other than Ayton and Saric.

In terms of that scenario, what happens now if McGee similarly gets injured?

 

[AzStevenCal]

The Finals also would have turned out differently if the Suns had a playable big other than Ayton and Saric.

In terms of that scenario, what happens now if McGee similarly gets injured?

Then we try to fill the hole and are in trouble if we can't. What happened to the Nets when Kyrie went down? What happened to the Hawks when Trey got injured? What happened to the Lakers when AD went down? What happened to the Jazz when Conley got hurt, or even worse, what happened to them when Mitchell was hobbled? And so on.

Yes, we absolutely could use another big man that can legitimately earn minutes, but most of them don't want to be the 11th or 12th man. None of them, despite what you believe, are likely to put Cameron on the bench most nights. We need a late, late, late career Tyson Chandler type. And I'm hoping that we find one 7 or 8 months from now.

 

[Hoop Head]

I've only seen McGee on Shaqtin a fool. Are you all serious, is he good enough to get minutes in the playoffs?

Pop chose JaVale McGee for Team USA this year also. He may not be a world beater but he'll be a solid backup for us, which is what we needed. He's a good rim protector and also someone who can grab easy lobs.

I'd compare him to a Tyson Chandler that hustles. Tyson didn't do that here much at all. McGee is all hustle and that's why he makes some stupid mistakes but they aren't that bad.

 

[Hoop Head]

Interesting thing about the McGee signing.

1. He is CP3's guy. JJ and Monty might want him, but Chris had him picked out already.
2. CP3 recruited him for next year while the playoffs were still happening. That guy is always thinking.
3. In a game where most guys would be checked out and enjoying the victory, CP3 was scouting.
4. What CP3 saw in McGee was a guy who was physically talented and working hard even in a game already lost. He saw hustle and character. That is a difference between LeBron and Paul. LeBron likes stars. He wants to play on teams full of stars. Paul understands what a team is.

Saw someone on Twitter discussing the Suns moves, can't recall who but it was an actual analyst, and they talked about the Suns moves being better than the Lakers so far specifically because each move that's been made will improve this TEAM as a whole while the Lakers are hoping that talent alone will be able to create something special. Every move the Suns have made has made them better than last years iteration, which is what other teams need to catch up to, we were the best road team in the NBA with the 2nd best record and Western Conference Champions. We didn't need huge changes.

 

[1Sun]

Saw someone on Twitter discussing the Suns moves, can't recall who but it was an actual analyst, and they talked about the Suns moves being better than the Lakers so far specifically because each move that's been made will improve this TEAM as a whole while the Lakers are hoping that talent alone will be able to create something special. Every move the Suns have made has made them better than last years iteration, which is what other teams need to catch up to, we were the best road team in the NBA with the 2nd best record and Western Conference Champions. We didn't need huge changes.

I concur that we didn't need huge changes.

At the same time, we had holes to fill:

1. Back-up to Ayton. Check.

2. Back-up combo guard. Check.

3. True power forward. Our biggest need three offseasons running. Still not addressed.

4. Guard/Wing other than Booker and CP3 who can create offense for himself and others. Not filled.

5. Third point guard who can play back-up minutes when we need to load manage CP3. Not filled.

6. Replacement for Torrey Craig. Not filled, and he played a major role for us down the stretch.

7. Third string 4/5. Not filled.

The way I see it, we have two major holes and three minor holes to fill. I could live with the remaining minor holes if there was at least a good attempt to fill the major ones.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I concur that we didn't need huge changes.

At the same time, we had holes to fill:

1. Back-up to Ayton. Check.

2. Back-up combo guard. Check.

3. True power forward. Our biggest need three offseasons running. Still not addressed.

4. Guard/Wing other than Booker and CP3 who can create offense for himself and others. Not filled.

5. Third point guard who can play back-up minutes when we need to load manage CP3. Not filled.

6. Replacement for Torrey Craig. Not filled, and he played a major role for us down the stretch.

7. Third string 4/5. Not filled.

The way I see it, we have two major holes and three minor holes to fill. I could live with the remaining minor holes if there was at least a good attempt to fill the major ones.

Do you know how many teams have ALL of these "holes" filled?

Your checklist is literally every ideal backup player a team would want.

True PF? There are like 10 of them in the NBA.

Guard/Wing other than Booker.....a combo of Payne and Shamet fills this role.

3rd PG? That will likely be a minimum player over the next week or so. FA still is only a few days.

My God....

 

[AzStevenCal]

I concur that we didn't need huge changes.

At the same time, we had holes to fill:

1. Back-up to Ayton. Check.

2. Back-up combo guard. Check.

3. True power forward. Our biggest need three offseasons running. Still not addressed.

4. Guard/Wing other than Booker and CP3 who can create offense for himself and others. Not filled.

5. Third point guard who can play back-up minutes when we need to load manage CP3. Not filled.

6. Replacement for Torrey Craig. Not filled, and he played a major role for us down the stretch.

7. Third string 4/5. Not filled.

The way I see it, we have two major holes and three minor holes to fill. I could live with the remaining minor holes if there was at least a good attempt to fill the major ones.

It has been addressed, it's your inability to grasp that the league has changed that's causing your issues. Cameron and Crowder are power forwards in today's game. Anthony Davis is a power forward in today's game. So are Mike Scott, Jarred Vanderbilt, Patrick Patterson, Stanley Johnson, Lauri Markkanen, DJ Wilson and a bunch of other names, all different skills and all different sizes.

They are all true power forwards because that label no longer means Karl Malone or Tim Duncan or PJ Brown. Cameron Johnson causes matchup problems for the other team from that position, sometimes he causes matchup problems for us. It doesn't mean he's not a true power forward.

And I don't believe there was a player available that we could afford that would take Cam's minutes. So again, like a million of us have said, you're dragging this forum into psycho hell because you think we can either get an inexpensive star forward or a real power forward that will settle for being the 6th or 7 guy off the bench.

It's okay to ***** occasionally about the fact that our GM and our Head Coach believe Cameron is a good power forward, it's not okay to blister this forum with post after post about the same freaking thing. If it's that important to you, go talk to the decision makers. Everyone here already knows how you feel and none of us have Sarver or JJ's ear.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think it needs to be more than a "little more". The finals would have turned out different if we had a steady reliable low post scoring presence who could put up high percentage shots when the outside wasn't going. He doesn't need to be the go to guy every game but he definitely needs to be a reliable threat down there as the next evolution of his game to be more than a pick and role guy who needs to be setup.

Exactly. And that’s not even mentioning the incredible gravity he would create that would give our shooters WIDE OPEN 3s if he was a consistent threat down there.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

the finals would have turned out differently if Paul would have been able to deal with Holiday.

Which is maybe a lot more likely if he’s the needed surgery on one of his wrists.

 

[1Sun]

It has been addressed, it's your inability to grasp that the league has changed that's causing your issues. Cameron and Crowder are power forwards in today's game. Anthony Davis is a power forward in today's game. So are Mike Scott, Jarred Vanderbilt, Patrick Patterson, Stanley Johnson, Lauri Markkanen, DJ Wilson and a bunch of other names, all different skills and all different sizes.

They are all true power forwards because that label no longer means Karl Malone or Tim Duncan or PJ Brown. Cameron Johnson causes matchup problems for the other team from that position, sometimes he causes matchup problems for us. It doesn't mean he's not a true power forward.

And I don't believe there was a player available that we could afford that would take Cam's minutes. So again, like a million of us have said, you're dragging this forum into psycho hell because you think we can either get an inexpensive star forward or a real power forward that will settle for being the 6th or 7 guy off the bench.

It's okay to ***** occasionally about the fact that our GM and our Head Coach believe Cameron is a good power forward, it's not okay to blister this forum with post after post about the same freaking thing. If it's that important to you, go talk to the decision makers. Everyone here already knows how you feel and none of us have Sarver or JJ's ear.

Fine, but just realize that given Cam's build, we have a shooting guard playing significant minutes at power forward. That is not a recipe for success even in today's NBA, and playing him that badly out of position also takes away from what Cam Johnson can do for the team.

 

[Phrazbit]

Fine, but just realize that given Cam's build, we have a shooting guard playing significant minutes at power forward. That is not a recipe for success even in today's NBA, and playing him that badly out of position also takes away from what Cam Johnson can do for the team.

Cam Johnson played almost exclusively at PF last season and we were a +185 in those minutes.

 

[1Sun]

A

Cam Johnson played almost exclusively at PF last season and we were a +185 in those minutes.

And just about every time we played against a tough, big, physical opponent, we were bullied into submission.

 

[Phrazbit]

A

And just about every time we played against a tough, big, physical opponent, we were bullied into submission.

Uhh huh... and yet, we had a massive point margin in our favor.

Another rubbish take.

You've have proven, and occasionally admitted, that you have zero ability to judge Cam Johnson's talent.

 

[Mainstreet]

JaVale McGee interview on Arizona Sports with audio dated Sep 8, 2021, 4:02 PM.

Article by Kellan Olson:

“I was definitely looking at, ‘OK, they’ve got Deandre (Ayton) on [Giannis Antetokounmpo]’ but Deandre is a young guy, so he hasn’t had that experience, especially against a player like Giannis seven games in a row,” he told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo Wednesday. “Obviously, he’s a former MVP, a lot of people can’t stop Giannis. But I definitely felt like that backup center position could have been a lot stronger, to where at least when Deandre got in foul trouble, there was another big body to contest the rim and protect it.”

JaVale McGee visualized himself on Suns while watching NBA Finals

Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee was at a Finals game in Phoenix and was able to see where he could potentially play a role.

arizonasports.com

 

[1Sun]

JaVale McGee interview on Arizona Sports with audio dated Sep 8, 2021, 4:02 PM.

Article by Kellan Olson:

“I was definitely looking at, ‘OK, they’ve got Deandre (Ayton) on [Giannis Antetokounmpo]’ but Deandre is a young guy, so he hasn’t had that experience, especially against a player like Giannis seven games in a row,” he told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo Wednesday. “Obviously, he’s a former MVP, a lot of people can’t stop Giannis. But I definitely felt like that backup center position could have been a lot stronger, to where at least when Deandre got in foul trouble, there was another big body to contest the rim and protect it.”

JaVale McGee visualized himself on Suns while watching NBA Finals

Phoenix Suns center JaVale McGee was at a Finals game in Phoenix and was able to see where he could potentially play a role.

arizonasports.com

Definitely part of the equation, and I'm glad at least that was addressed. But JaVale McGee would also concur that playing next to a legit power forward also makes a center's job much easier and allows the team to better withstand the likes of Giannis going off.