Suns updates and discussion for the 2023-24 season

[AzStevenCal]

We need a guard who can defend their position, we need a guard who can be a steady ball handler and we need someone to help run the offense late so the first instinct isn't "ISO BALL TIME!"

He checks all those boxes.

Other problems would still remain, but this would be a help.

Yeah I've been saying all those things, I just don't think it fixes much because it creates almost as much of a weakness elsewhere. That weakness and the current weakness at PG are both improved but without a return to health of Beal and Okogie, it really won't change things for us. And even if we get those guys back, with or without that trade, it still leaves us well short of our goal if we can't find a way to get consistent help from that borderline group of Metu, KBD, Yuta, Goodwin, Little, Saben and Bol Bol. We need two of them to play like they belong in the rotation rather than the cheerleader section.

Don't get me wrong, I'd still make that trade, I just think we're still going to be frusrated by this group.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Grayson is a borderline starter, first guard off the bench sort of rotation player. He can help any contender looking to add a SG or SF for depth, insurance, or to compete with a starter. Straight up, no salary consideration, and he's worth a 1st round pick in the late teens or twenties.

TJ is a steady backup PG at best. He's not a scorer, great shooter, or above average defender. He's really not much better than Cam Payne, if he is even better. He shouldn't see minutes at the end of games and he shouldn't be starting either. He's a good backup, nothing more or less. In a trade he might fetch a pair of 2nd rounders, at most. No one would consider trading a 1st for him.

Just simple value says Grayson would have more than TJ. If you asked every coach in the league who they'd rather have as part of their playoff rotation, I'd be surprised if any picked TJ over Grayson. Contracts are similar, Grayson is expiring, so he makes the perfect rental for a contender

I just don't see how someone who has barely been in their teams rotation has more value than someone who has been a starter almost all year on teams with similar records.

Straight up, I don't see how that makes us better. We'd be losing one of our best, arguably our best, role players for a guy who would really see time when Booker and KD sit. I don't see Vogel changing the offense because we got TJ McConnell.

I clearly value TJ much more than you do but I agree, it doesn't make us much better as long as we get Beal and Okogie back. If we don't get them back though, TJ lets us move Devin back where he belongs and we wouldn't be losing games to teams like Portland. But we still wouldn't be a threat to beat the better teams.

 

[Germz249]

Sigh.. I did not expect the season to turn like this..

 

[AzStevenCal]

Sigh.. I did not expect the season to turn like this..

I did. I bet a billion gazillion dollars on it in Vegas. That might have been a dream sequence though.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sigh.. I did not expect the season to turn like this..

Anything new at the waffle house? The team looks ready to quit.

 

[Proximo]

I think the guy to target is Tyus Jones - but I don't think we have the assets to get it done.

But really he would not solve our problems - I don't think any single trade we could pull off will.

The most realistic thing to do would be a coaching change.

 

[Superbone]

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[Mainstreet]

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The Suns have some quit in them that developed before the end of the 2021–22 season and showed in the playoffs against the Mavericks.

 

[Raindog]

I think the guy to target is Tyus Jones - but I don't think we have the assets to get it done.

But really he would not solve our problems - I don't think any single trade we could pull off will.

The most realistic thing to do would be a coaching change.

We need a coaching change, for sure... barring the extremely unlikely prospect that everything miraculously snaps into place and we start winning at the level we should be. It would seem our hands are pretty tied personnel wise.

We also need a GM change in the worst way... although that won't help so much in season.

 

[taz02]

The Suns have some quit in them that developed before the end of the 2021–22 season and showed in the playoffs against the Mavericks.

is there anyone other than Booker left on the team from 2021-22 season?

 

[AzStevenCal]

is there anyone other than Booker left on the team from 2021-22 season?

Yeah, I don't know any way to take that comment other than as a shot at Booker. Different coach, completely different roster, Booker is the only real constant. I don't consider him a "quitter" but we've had some embarrassing collapses during his time here.

 

[Phrazbit]

I think the guy to target is Tyus Jones - but I don't think we have the assets to get it done.

But really he would not solve our problems - I don't think any single trade we could pull off will.

The most realistic thing to do would be a coaching change.

I was going to suggest that we could all do what we can to get Isiah Thomas and the Wizards GM in a bar together, get them blasted and let some stupid trade happen... but it would probably result in Kuzma getting traded for Booker and 3 pick swaps.

 

[Finito]

Yeah, I don't know any way to take that comment other than as a shot at Booker. Different coach, completely different roster, Booker is the only real constant. I don't consider him a "quitter" but we've had some embarrassing collapses during his time here.

He’s absolutely a front runner at this point and I don’t really know how anyone can say anything else. Two really epic playoff collapses under his watch.

Everybody is gone this is his team he asked for this and it’s been a disaster so far.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He’s absolutely a front runner at this point and I don’t really know how anyone can say anything else. Two really epic playoff collapses under his watch.

Everybody is gone this is his team he asked for this and it’s been a disaster so far.

Yeah there's no one else to blame it on, I'm just not convinced it's because he's a "quitter".

 

[Hoop Head]

Yeah there's no one else to blame it on, I'm just not convinced it's because he's a "quitter".

What about Sarver, JJ, Zeke? The usual suspects as to why the Suns have been bad? Now we're blaming Booker? A player who hasn't ever spoken out against a coach to get them canned, never threw a teammate under the bus, always been a "Phoenix 4 Life" guy who wanted to recruit quality teammates rather than ring chase elsewhere? Maybe he's miscast as The Man or Alpha on this team but whose fault is that if not the GM, James Jones, for continuing to build around Booker as if Booker can slide into any role rather than building a team around Devin's skillset?

 

[AzStevenCal]

What about Sarver, JJ, Zeke? The usual suspects as to why the Suns have been bad? Now we're blaming Booker? A player who hasn't ever spoken out against a coach to get them canned, never threw a teammate under the bus, always been a "Phoenix 4 Life" guy who wanted to recruit quality teammates rather than ring chase elsewhere? Maybe he's miscast as The Man or Alpha on this team but whose fault is that if not the GM, James Jones, for continuing to build around Booker as if Booker can slide into any role rather than building a team around Devin's skillset?

I'm not blaming it on Booker but I understand why others are. It's just a bad look given that he's the only one remaining from all those collapses. I think bad luck, injuries/illnesses, front office mistakes and questionable coaching have all played a role.

 

[Proximo]

As far a Booker goes I still don't see the same player as the one that started this season in the first 3 games - that guy was unbelievable.

Ever since he came back from that first injury he hasn't been quite the same. I don't know what it is, whether he has changed his mentality to focus more on pass first or what the difference is.

I will say this, I am almost 100% convinced he played through injury in that last playoff game last year - so I don't blame him for his poor performance in that game.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Booker is clutch af this place cracks me up

 

[95pro]

As far a Booker goes I still don't see the same player as the one that started this season in the first 3 games - that guy was unbelievable.

Ever since he came back from that first injury he hasn't been quite the same. I don't know what it is, whether he has changed his mentality to focus more on pass first or what the difference is.

I will say this, I am almost 100% convinced he played through injury in that last playoff game last year - so I don't blame him for his poor performance in that game.

I think right now Book is trying to be too cerebral instead of letting the game come to him. Right now he's forcing things on all accounts.

I think this point Book is taking a toll on him mentally, especially coming off cp3 and trying to be your own pg. He's on the fly learning(forcing) guys to get their shots, while at the same time figuring out when to get his.

 

[Mainstreet]

is there anyone other than Booker left on the team from 2021-22 season?

There is the coaching and GM to consider as well. If Kevin Young is an offensive genius, I'm not seeing it. And the defense has not fared better under Frank Vogel.

Perhaps the Suns are missing a point guard more than they thought after trading Chris Paul and Cam Payne. They don't even have a capable point guard to experiment, unless they decide to look at one of their two-way point guards.

The Suns are still needy at point guard and forward/center.

 

[Vacard]

I don’t know why we need size in the paint when we have Metu rotting on the bench. Every time he gets minutes he shows up. Definitely need a pg tho, but the Halliburton ship has long sailed into the ocean so idk why Suns fans always bring the big “oof” up

 

[95pro]

There is the coaching and GM to consider as well. If Kevin Young is an offensive genius, I'm not seeing it. And the defense has not fared better under Frank Vogel.

Perhaps the Suns are missing a point guard more than they thought after trading Chris Paul and Cam Payne. They don't even have a capable point guard to experiment, unless they decide to look at one of their two-way point guards.

The Suns are still needy at point guard and forward/center.

Different players, different staff, on thing that hasn't changed is the offense from last year. Looks exactly the same, which stinks.

I don’t know why we need size in the paint while we have Metu rotting on the bench. Every time he gets minutes he shows up. Definitely need a pg tho, but the Halliburton ship has long sailed into the ocean so idk why Suns fans always bring the big “oof” up

I do notice some air-head things every now and then, which is maybe why he wasn't getting time earlier this season. But he is an asset that I wish would see more time on the court along with Eubanks. They're both mobile and very athletic.

 

[Bufalay]

Booker isn't a "quitter". I just think expectations are too high. He isn't one of the 5 best players in the NBA.

 

[Mainstreet]

Different players, different staff, on thing that hasn't changed is the offense from last year. Looks exactly the same, which stinks.

An erratic offense leads to turnovers, which frequently turns into easy fast break points going the other way. This is part of the Suns defensive woes.

They are not a good passing team. Too much one-on-one stuff. The idea of two combo guards running the offense has not worked with Beal out.

 

[Phrazbit]

We've got a superstar front runner and it ain't Booker.