The Ayton Plan

[Sparky16]

That "absolute waste of a #1 pick" was the catalyst to a Finals appearance a couple of years ago.

He was soft then and 10X worse after getting paid

 

[Sparky16]

You are for this?

It may get us out of Ayton's contract - but then we are stuck with a long term Kyrie one.

And no center.

I understand people here have an almost irrational hatred of Ayton, but I don't think this is smart at all. Kyrie is a team cancer.

the only teams that have a center are DEN, Philly and maybe MIA (AD in LA is a PF) everyone else is a scrub playing the position which really throws question marks on DA not ever being close to being an all star. The Kyrie problem in BKN was more of a NYC problem than a Kyrie one, with the exception of TOR/NY any other city he would have been playing. Thats what everyone fails to accept, his convictions are coming true in the long run. How long does a sign and trade deal have to be for Kyrie? 3 years? I would rather pay someone who has BB skills/IQ 30M+ than DA

 

[Sparky16]

The ****** thing is we have to get rid of Ayton. The relationship is irreparable the more I think about it. Fans are sick of him and wont give him the benefit of the doubt. I’m confident Monty is as well. I’m sure at this point, Ishbia has seen enough. Im also confident Ayton is done with the drama and just wants a clean slate. The focus then becomes how you get rid of him. Do you, for example, re-approach Indiana and take on Myles Turner and other commodities, or do you swing for the fences with another star like Irving, warts and all?

The organization holds a lot of responsibility for this mess. Ayton wanted his 5-year max and had every right to demand it after MPJ got his. Sarver and Jones peed all over that. That was the opportunity to lock Ayton in and keep him happy. The following offseason, when there was an obvious rift between Ayton and Monty, James Jones immediately matched the Pacer’s offer. I have to imagine that Ayton was not thrilled about that. Imagine in your life interviewing for another job because youre sick of the job you had and then that employer being able to unilaterally block the job change, even though they know youre burned out. You may not like Ayton’s mental approach to games. Frankly, I dont either. But can you blame him in that scenario?

The Ayton plan is this: Get him out of here and get what you can for him. It’s done. Wish him the best and hope you get a good haul for him.

Ayton had less than zero reason to demand a 5 year extension - the way it worked out would actually make it easier to move him. He has been an epic FAIL. CP3, Book and Bridges are what made the Suns the last 3 years not DA. CP3 has run out of gas, Book got even better and DA has gotten worse

 

[elindholm]

The Kyrie problem in BKN was more of a NYC problem than a Kyrie one, with the exception of TOR/NY any other city he would have been playing. Thats what everyone fails to accept, his convictions are coming true in the long run.

Huh? The earth is becoming flat in the long run?

 

[Mainstreet]

Although I'm not interested in trading for Kyrie Irving, I could see Ayton and Paul going to Dallas for something like Irving and Bertans.

Dallas gets to waive Paul and save half of his $28 million salary and dump another player they don't want. They also get a young center in return.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Although I'm not interested in trading for Kyrie Irving, I could see Ayton and Paul going to Dallas for something like Irving and Bertans.

Dallas gets to waive Paul and save half of his $28 million salary and dump another player they don't want. They also get a young center in return.

I'm not sure if this is okay by cap rules but Javale and Kyrie for DA, Shamet and trade exception gets pretty close to even dollars. Not saying I'd like it, just talking numbers.

 

[Superbone]

I just can't agree with the idea that this mess is because we didn't pay him at first opportunity. This mess existed well before that decision and it's what prompted the decision to wait on him. He played very well for a few playoff series but short of that, his career to that date had been far more disappointming than successful.

Agreed. And if it was, that says a lot about him. That he pouts if he doesn't get exactly what he wants. He gets paid way too much to not give his all. Plus, the writing was on the wall before he even played a minute for us when he wondered aloud how to get that next big contract.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not sure if this is okay by cap rules but Javale and Kyrie for DA, Shamet and trade exception gets pretty close to even dollars. Not saying I'd like it, just talking numbers.

I was just throwing this out as an example that cures the ills for both teams. Your idea sounds even better.

 

[Superbone]

Although I'm not interested in trading for Kyrie Irving, I could see Ayton and Paul going to Dallas for something like Irving and Bertans.

Dallas gets to waive Paul and save half of his $28 million salary and dump another player they don't want. They also get a young center in return.

Acquiring Irving is as close as we can get to selling our soul to the devil. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it. I'm getting desperate for a championship.

 

[Mainstreet]

Acquiring Irving is as close as we can get to selling our soul to the devil. I'm not saying I wouldn't do it. I'm getting desperate for a championship.

I was saving this for the Darksider thread but I think the Suns already sold their soul when they made the trade for Kevin Durant.

It's not that I dislike Durant but it feels like the Suns are going to become a ban of mercenaries.

I would have preferred to keep the twins and built on that foundation.

 

[Superbone]

I was saving this for the Darksider thread but I think the Suns already sold their soul when they made the trade for Kevin Durant.

It's not that I dislike Durant but it feels like the Suns are going to become a ban of mercenaries.

I would have preferred to keep the twins and built on that foundation.

And it's true that Bridges was the heart and soul of the team.

 

[Superbone]

And if we don't get to a minimum of the WCF in the next couple years, I agree that it was a swing and a miss.

 

[Mainstreet]

And it's true that Bridges was the heart and soul of the team.

I liked both twins, but Bridges was the player the Suns should never have traded along with all those unprotected first round picks.

I've been a Suns fan since their inception but I think this trade will bother me forever even if they win a championship.

 

[Hoop Head]

I liked both twins, but Bridges was the player the Suns should never have traded along with all those unprotected first round picks.

I've been a Suns fan since their inception but I think this trade will bother me forever even if they win a championship.

If they win a championship, I'll personally buy you a KD jersey to help you move on.

Not that I liked the deal either but that's crazy talk. A title is the only thing that makes me take back all I've said about disliking the deal. Of course it needs to happen this year or next to qualify. Anything beyond that is less a product of the trade this season.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Not that I liked the deal either but that's crazy talk. A title is the only thing that makes me take back all I've said about disliking the deal. Of course it needs to happen this year or next to qualify. Anything beyond that is less a product of the trade this season.

DITTO!

 

[Mainstreet]

If they win a championship, I'll personally buy you a KD jersey to help you move on.

Not that I liked the deal either but that's crazy talk. A title is the only thing that makes me take back all I've said about disliking the deal. Of course it needs to happen this year or next to qualify. Anything beyond that is less a product of the trade this season.

I will be ecstatic if the Suns win a championship, don't get me wrong, but some of my best moments as a Suns fan have come watching players working out for summer league at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the Jewish Community Center.

Those were special moments spent watching the players and seeing their families. Maybe I'm getting nostalgic as I see the opportunity slipping away.

What I wouldn't have given if the Suns had won a championship the previous two seasons.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I liked both twins, but Bridges was the player the Suns should never have traded along with all those unprotected first round picks.

I've been a Suns fan since their inception but I think this trade will bother me forever even if they win a championship.

I liked that we traded for KD but not even a championship will convince me we didn't overpay. And I'll always miss Bridges and to a lesser extent CamJ but I can't say I'll always be "bothered" by the deal. IMO we screwed up, it happens.

Now it's up to Ishbia and company to fix it as best as possible. And he seems to be intent on putting the franchise first rather than his wallet so at least we have a chance to survive the next 7 years. And if we get that championship along the way, even the screwup will be forgiven.

 

[Vacard]

Man what’s done is done and we have to move forward. Crying about players gone isn’t going to be bring the back. Halliburton is gone. We might have the twins back when they are old and have several knee surgeries or down the hill in their careers like the Suns always do (Penny, Shaq, Guggs, Manning, Grant hill, KJ in that playoff push, and now a Paul)

For the record I rather have Damian Lillard instead of Kyrie, he’s older and down the hill as well so he’ll fit into the Suns history of acquiring old dimming superstars

 

[Mainstreet]

I liked that we traded for KD but not even a championship will convince me we didn't overpay. And I'll always miss Bridges and to a lesser extent CamJ but I can't say I'll always be "bothered" by the deal. IMO we screwed up, it happens.

Now it's up to Ishbia and company to fix it as best as possible. And he seems to be intent on putting the franchise first rather than his wallet so at least we have a chance to survive the next 7 years. And if we get that championship along the way, even the screwup will be forgiven.

This is where I think it can get confusing for the casual reader.

I wanted the Suns to trade for Kevin Durant but I think the Suns overpaid as well, so much so, I would have never made the trade on those terms.

The Suns were well positioned this season to make other trades and keep the core intact. If the Suns weren't so locked into the trading for Durant, they might have well traded for Bones Hyland or Reggie Jackson and a rotational power forward.

I thought the Suns were much closer to winning a championship than perhaps others.

Also, I wanted the Suns to contend for the next 7 years and not just survive.

 

[Hoop Head]

This is where I think it can get confusing for the casual reader.

I wanted the Suns to trade for Kevin Durant but I think the Suns overpaid as well, so much so, I would have never made the trade on those terms.

The Suns were well positioned this season to make other trades and keep the core intact. If the Suns weren't so locked into the trading for Durant, they might have well traded for Bones Hyland or Reggie Jackson and a rotational power forward.

I thought the Suns were much closer to winning a championship than perhaps others.

Also, I wanted the Suns to contend for the next 7 years and not just survive.

I think the core deserved another shot at it. If we took another go and then made the KD deal in the off-season, with Mikal as the centerpiece, I'd be a little more understanding. This core was so young that it deserved another go, they didn't even get 3 strikes before moving on and I feel that was the wrong move.

Of course Cam J being restricted this off-season means the trade would need to be altered considerably but that's in our favor. We could have gotten a third team involved to make salaries work. We would be so cash strapped and thin around KD and Book had we waited.

Doing the trade when we did was essentially throwing a hail mary this season. The odds of winning after restructuring the team as it happened was essentially non existent. The only reason there's a chance at all is the league is wide open right now. I'd like our chances better with what we had than we have currently.

This off-season will be telling because we have the same holes we did, depth at PG and PF, and now need a Sixth man, a 5th starter, and very little in terms of assets to fill those holes. You could also say we need a new starting PG as well but I believe that can be handled by committee with sufficient depth. So we traded a few dimes and a quarter for a shiny half dollar and while the half dollar has more value, ultimately it's still only worth 50 cents and we're still short of being able to buy what we want.

 

[overseascardfan]

Isn't Irving an UFA this summer? I don't think we can do an Ayton / Irving swap.

 

[Hoop Head]

Isn't Irving an UFA this summer? I don't think we can do an Ayton / Irving swap.

Sign and trade. Him being an UFA means little in the scope of a deal. Only issue is he can't be packaged with other players. So it'd need to be just Irving sent our way. We could do a concurrent deal for extra parts, like Shamet for McGee but technically that would be separate from an Irving trade.

 

[BirdGangThing]

Man what’s done is done and we have to move forward. Crying about players gone isn’t going to be bring the back. Halliburton is gone. We might have the twins back when they are old and have several knee surgeries or down the hill in their careers like the Suns always do (Penny, Shaq, Guggs, Manning, Grant hill, KJ in that playoff push, and now a Paul)

For the record I rather have Damian Lillard instead of Kyrie, he’s older and down the hill as well so he’ll fit into the Suns history of acquiring old dimming superstars

No question. It's Dame > the anti-Semite all day

 

[DJ Tabooh]

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DA just doesn’t get it man…

 

[95pro]

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DA just doesn’t get it man…

We want you to get the Fing ball Ayton! God Shamet!