The Big Summer of 2012

[devilalum]

There are just 2 ways imo

1. go REALLY old

Amnesty Warrick
Sign Nash (39) for 2 years 15M$
Sign Garnett (36) for 2 years 15M$
Sign Ray Allen (37) for 2 years 15M$
Sign Marcus Camby (38) for 2 years 4M$
Sign Aaron Brooks for 4 years 24M$
Sign #12 pick

Salary Situation
Nash 7M$
Garnett 7M$
Allen 7M$
Gortat 6.8M$
Childress 6.5M$
Frye 6M$
Brooks 4.5M$
Dudley 4.2M$
Morris 2M$
Camby 2M$
#12 pick 2M$

~55M$ -> could still match Robin Lopez, take a flyer on Oden or increase offers to Allen, Garnett and Nash.

Draft Austin Rivers
Sign Grant Hill for veteran minimum
Sign Michael Redd for veteran minimum

Gortat/Frye/Camby
Garnett/Morris
Hill/Dudley/Childress
Allen/Rivers/Redd
Nash/Brooks

Average age of the starters in the season would eventually be 29, 36, 40, 37, 39 -> 36.2 . With Camby instead of Gortat it would be over 38.

That team MAY be good enough to get to the to the 2nd round or WCF if everything falls in place in the first season. Of course if any of the old guys break down it would be a painful season to watch and we would be pretty much locked in for 2 years to follow that plan.

2. blow it up

I like the Senior Suns Scenario but minus Camby. IMO this group is at least a 4 or 5 seed with TONS of playoff experience. Defenitely NOT SSOL.

 

[thephoenixson28]

Sign: Nash,Wallace,Gordon,Hill(if he doesn't retire),Garnett,Camby,Brown

Pg.Nash/Telfair
Sg.Gordon/Brown
Sf.Hill/Wallace/Dudley
Pf.Garnett/Frye
C.Gortat/Camby

 

[JCSunsfan]

Sign: Nash,Wallace,Gordon,Hill(if he doesn't retire),Garnett,Camby,Brown

Pg.Nash/Telfair
Sg.Gordon/Brown
Sf.Hill/Wallace/Dudley
Pf.Garnett/Frye
C.Gortat/Camby

This is ok, but Camby is not necessary. I would consider resigning Lopez instead. Cheaper, younger. Morris goes to the end of the bench?

 

[Folster]

No thanks on the Senior Suns. We saw that sad show play out with the 96-97 Rockets.

 

[sunsfan88]

Yea why do people wanna try to get older when a Nash, Hill, Carter lineup didn't do anything and a Nash, Hill, Redd team isn't doing much either.

We can't copy the Mavs thinking we'll just have a bunch of old players who will play really well as a team. The reason Dallas was so good was because most of those players had played together with the Mavs for quite some time. They didn't just sign a bunch of oldies one summer and win the title the year after.

And we don't have a guy like Dirk either.

 

[thephoenixson28]

It's not just getting older, these guys are still producing. I wouldn't want to resign Lopez cuz he is inconsistent. Camby is still producing more than Lopez at his age

 

[slinslin]

Lopez is one of the better backup centers in the league.

There is just no way a team of Nash/Allen/Hill/Garnett/Gortat can stay healthy in a 82game season plus playoff run.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Lopez is one of the better backup centers in the league.

There is just no way a team of Nash/Allen/Hill/Garnett/Gortat can stay healthy in a 82game season plus playoff run.

I actually agree with you about Lopez. And he will improve. He is still very, very young.

I like Nash/Hill/Garnett/Gortat. But add a young 2, either through the draft or free agency. The idea of adding some older players and younger players at the same time appeals to me. Just as long as you do not commit long term to the older players.

Nash/Gordon/PJonesIII/Garnett/Gortat with Brooks/Morris/Frye/Duds/Lopez/Telfair/Redd on the bench. (Yes, I left GHill off) Combo of young and old. Competitive now, but still building for the future.

So my offseason would be: Amnesty Childress. Dump Warrick if possible. Draft PJonesIII (not married to this idea, just seems like a solid choice), resign Nash, Brooks, Lopez. Pick up Gordon and Garnett in free agency. Fill the roster out with minimum signings of Telfair and Redd. Dragic would be an option instead of Brooks.

 

[Folster]

I actually agree with you about Lopez. And he will improve. He is still very, very young.

I like Nash/Hill/Garnett/Gortat. But add a young 2, either through the draft or free agency. The idea of adding some older players and younger players at the same time appeals to me. Just as long as you do not commit long term to the older players.

Nash/Gordon/PJonesIII/Garnett/Gortat with Brooks/Morris/Frye/Duds/Lopez/Telfair/Redd on the bench. (Yes, I left GHill off) Combo of young and old. Competitive now, but still building for the future.

So my offseason would be: Amnesty Childress. Dump Warrick if possible. Draft PJonesIII (not married to this idea, just seems like a solid choice), resign Nash, Brooks, Lopez. Pick up Gordon and Garnett in free agency. Fill the roster out with minimum signings of Telfair and Redd. Dragic would be an option instead of Brooks.

This would likely be the best case scenario. I definitely don't want to go geriatric with both Allen and Garnett as some have proposed, but your suggestion seems like a nice balance. I definitely prefer Garnett to Allen as Garnett is still very productive and I think we would fit well next to Gortat. Also, we are in desperate need of some starting quality athleticism both offensively and defensively at the swing position. I'm not sold on Gordon because of his knee issues, but Batum or Mayo could be possibilities. Adding PJIII to the mix would be the icing. I wonder if the front office is actually considering something like this.

 

[JustWinBaby]

The senior Suns makes a lot of sense when you consider what young players will be available. They just are not very good. I still think Odom would be very good on a team with Steve Nash. He is a bigger and better version of Boris. Nash had great success with him on the team. I also am not convinced that Garnett would come here. I have always thought that Ray Allen in the same back court with Nash would be scary good.

Free Agents

Nash
Hill
Odom
Allen

Draft Pick

Best available.

 

[Folster]

Here's an idea:

Trade Dudley and Morris to Utah for Paul Milsap. Milsap is extremely underrated. He is ranked #3 in Hollinger's PER of all power forwards.
Sign Batum and OJ Mayo. Both are restricted free agents so getting them may not be possible. Out of the two, Batum is most likely to have the offer matched. I'd imagine there would have to be significant front loading in any offer to Batum to dissuade the Blazer not to match.
Re-sign Nash.
Draft BPA. (Let's assume Perry Jones)

A potential line-up of Nash, Mayo, Batum, Milsap, and Gortat are not world beaters, but is good enough for a 4 or 5 seed. And if Mayo or Batum flourish then they could make some noise in the playoffs.

 

[hcsilla]

There are just 2 ways imo

1. go REALLY old

Amnesty Warrick
Sign Nash (39) for 2 years 15M$
Sign Garnett (36) for 2 years 15M$
Sign Ray Allen (37) for 2 years 15M$
Sign Marcus Camby (38) for 2 years 4M$
Sign Aaron Brooks for 4 years 24M$
Sign #12 pick

Salary Situation
Nash 7M$
Garnett 7M$
Allen 7M$
Gortat 6.8M$
Childress 6.5M$
Frye 6M$
Brooks 4.5M$
Dudley 4.2M$
Morris 2M$
Camby 2M$
#12 pick 2M$

~55M$ -> could still match Robin Lopez, take a flyer on Oden or increase offers to Allen, Garnett and Nash.

Draft Austin Rivers
Sign Grant Hill for veteran minimum
Sign Michael Redd for veteran minimum

Gortat/Frye/Camby
Garnett/Morris
Hill/Dudley/Childress
Allen/Rivers/Redd
Nash/Brooks

I highly doubt that Nash or KG signs for less than 10 mil. and it's doubtful that Rivers will be on the board at #12. Camby will get at least 5 mil.

I wouldn't sign Ray Allen for 15 mil. / 2 years. He just isn't worth that much anymore.

Instead of Brooks (never really liked him) I would go for Dragic, a long-term deal slightly over the MLE might be enough for him.

 

[hcsilla]

Here's an idea:

Trade Dudley and Morris to Utah for Paul Milsap.

Not a bad idea.

Sign Batum and OJ Mayo. Both are restricted free agents so getting them may not be possible. Out of the two, Batum is most likely to have the offer matched. I'd imagine there would have to be significant front loading in any offer to Batum to dissuade the Blazer not to match.

Batum would be a perfect complementary player for the Suns (and for many other teams), he is just the next Grant Hill (late years) with better 3P-shot. Unfortunately, the Blazers know this better than anyone else so they would just match any offer even if they (massively) have to overpay Batum.

I'm not sure that with his off-court issues Mayo will be a realistic target for the Suns, but with Gordon and Batum he will be one of the most coveted FA targets. I do think that one of the weaker and younger teams (like the Cavs) will overpay and get him.

 

[Cheesebeef]

the idea that we're going to "rebuild" to be a possible 4 or 5 seed... with a 39 year old centerpiece is such incredible stupidity... and exactly what I expect to see happen.

 

[Mainstreet]

There are obviously a lot of moves the Suns could make for next season that would improve the team such as adding a free agent player like PF Eran Ilyasova or Kris Humphries. SG and SF are also needs.

One thing that could improve the Suns the most for next season is adding a quality PG. The Suns are in terrible shape there with Telfair and Price as backups.

 

[Covert Rain]

It amazes me that this FO banked their future on waiting for this off season and really expected that there would be anybody left. Let alone be able to pull in one of the top 3 guys. Most teams that want a player bad enough work out sign and trades to make sure those players never make it to FA.

Have the Suns really become those bottom feeder fish that look for left over scraps from the big fish? Is that what this franchise has become?

 

[AzStevenCal]

It amazes me that this FO banked their future on waiting for this off season and really expected that there would be anybody left. Let alone be able to pull in one of the top 3 guys. Most teams that want a player bad enough work out sign and trades to make sure those players never make it to FA.

Have the Suns really become those bottom feeder fish that look for left over scraps from the big fish? Is that what this franchise has become?

I really don't know what this franchise has become. From where I'm sitting, we are a mediocre team with a management group that is unwilling to immediately pay the price to move away from mediocrity. Their line of thinking seems destined to insure that we never rise above our current station. I'm not even sure the front office realizes how much Nash has dropped off in just the past several years. They think they can add a solid piece or two to become relevant once again and they miss the fact that they need to add those pieces just to offset the decline in Steve's overall game.

Steve

 

[JCSunsfan]

I really don't know what this franchise has become. From where I'm sitting, we are a mediocre team with a management group that is unwilling to immediately pay the price to move away from mediocrity.

Steve

Not sure what you mean by "pay the price." This mgmt team seems to be willing to spend money. Trading away picks for cash certainly seemed like a money move, but it looked that it was more about DAntoni insisting on having veterans rather than rookies. They just seem to spend money poorly.

If you mean cutting Steve Nash loose, I agree with you. There is this absolute infatuation with Steve Nash and a willingness to sacrifice all potential future contingencies in order to keep him. When Babby made the "sun moon and stars" comment, I thought he was exaggerating.

I am not necessarily against keeping Nash, in principle, as long as we are not building around him. But this mgmt team seems to worship him. So it might be best that he walks this summer and we move on.

To bad we could not have gotten at least a little something for him.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

To bad we could not have gotten at least a little something for him.

We could have at any point in the last 2 years, after we stated in no uncertain terms that we have no interest in competing for a championship. Everything that has happened since has been a debacle and total waste of time. But that would have been the smart basketball move, and those are in short supply in AZ these days. Bad times.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not sure what you mean by "pay the price." This mgmt team seems to be willing to spend money. Trading away picks for cash certainly seemed like a money move, but it looked that it was more about DAntoni insisting on having veterans rather than rookies. They just seem to spend money poorly.

If you mean cutting Steve Nash loose, I agree with you. There is this absolute infatuation with Steve Nash and a willingness to sacrifice all potential future contingencies in order to keep him. When Babby made the "sun moon and stars" comment, I thought he was exaggerating.

I am not necessarily against keeping Nash, in principle, as long as we are not building around him. But this mgmt team seems to worship him. So it might be best that he walks this summer and we move on.

To bad we could not have gotten at least a little something for him.

I've never been one to lump Sarver in the cheap category. He's proved he's willing to spend the money even if he does try to save a few bucks at the worst possible times. By paying the price, I mean willing to part with Steve and deal with the public reaction and the fallout of being a truly bad team as opposed to clinging to a dream that just can't come true.

We should have traded Nash the year before we lucked into the conference finals. That was probably the last time we could have traded him for an asset that could have dramatically sped up the rebuild process. Failing that, we should have traded him for what little we would have received the day that Amare decided to take the Knicks offer. Now, we need to let him go and accept the fact that the future is now - and it's very bleak. Management needs to realize that adding a decent player to this squad is like putting a band-aid on an arterial gusher.

Steve

 

[Folster]

the idea that we're going to "rebuild" to be a possible 4 or 5 seed... with a 39 year old centerpiece is such incredible stupidity... and exactly what I expect to see happen.

I agree, but we are all working off what management has recited for the past year. I'm just trying to figure ways that we can build for the future while retaining him.

 

[Kingy]

We need to do whatever it takes to try and lure Deron Williams if at all possible. Then other free agents may follow.

 

[sunsfan88]

Amnesty Childress. Max Gordon. Max Batum. Resign Nash and Brown. Sign Lou or Pryzbilla. Draft Damian Lillard.

Trade Frye and '14 lotto protected 1st to Utah for Millsap

Nash, Lillard
Gordon, Brown
Batum, Dudley
Millsap, Morris
Gortat, Lou/Pryzbilla

 

[slinslin]

Good plan.

1. Draft Lillard when we have the rights to nearly the same player in Aaron Brooks.

2. Max Batum - roflamo, max a player that is no better than Jared Dudley, genius

3. Max Gordon - also great max a below allstar shooting guard that misses 25 games per season.

4. Why would Utah trade Millsap for Frye essentially.

5. How do you plan to sign Nash, Brown, Amundson who is not even a center and Pryzbilla after maxing Gordon and Batum.

6. Amnesty Josh Childress to pay him like 30 M$ for nothing for the next years?

Sorry none of this will happen, thankfully.

 

[SirStefan32]

We need to do whatever it takes to try and lure Deron Williams if at all possible. Then other free agents may follow.

I've watched Williams a lot this year, and I've come to the conclusion that he is really not that great. He might be the most overrated player in the league.