When we started this difficult journey of tanking, it was because we were the team that would have a great regular season and just flame out in the playoffs.
We would look at our roster and say "Well next year will be the same as this year". Make the playoffs and little else.
And it wasn't long until being good wasn't good enough "What is the point of never being a real contender", they would ask.
Management seemed content to just take in a profit until we approached the luxury tax. Then came the selling of assets and a slow fall that should have been accelerated. We sold good assets for pennies on the dollar to maintain mediocrity.
Years later we started what most thought would be a 4 year journey and is now moving on year 8. We are ready to be more now.
And how do we get there? How does a franchise that once was held so high, climb back when free agents see us so low?
By finding the new Suns, the Toronto Raptors.
Here is a team that is going to be 10 million over the luxury tax next year with only 10 players. Here is a team that just got swept out by Lebron James and his sub par cast. Here is a team that has little chance against the old (Cleveland) and no chance against the young (Boston and Philly).
Their top 2 players are 32 and 28. It won't get better from here. We saw how this plays out. No cap space and older stars.
To make it worse, their second and third best players have seen significant reduction in minutes during their playoff series. That means management has lost faith in those two as well.
It all spells a big change. Can the Suns get pennies on the dollar?
My target here would be Serge Ibaka. Ibaka is on the last year of a deal that would pay him 23 million dollars. Ibaka was a 19 PER player for multiple years in OKC but hasn't meshed well in Toronto.
Thus the Suns trade Marquese Chriss and Tyson Chandler for Serge Ibaka.
By the money, trade is successful.
Why the Raptors do it? Luxury tax all day. If they keep Chandler it almost gets them below the luxury tax. Negotiate a buyout with Chandler and they are below the tax. They don't give up one of their top 2 assets or a draft pick to get there. Chriss is 7 years younger than Ibaka and you see the talent that made him the #8 pick in the draft. The Raptors have to get younger and ownership isn't going to pay luxury tax money to be swept out of the playoffs next year.
Why do the Suns do it? The Suns get a good defender and 3 point shooter to play the 4. Ibaka is on a one year deal so the risk is minimal. You don't give up either of your draft picks this year or in the future. Ibaka doesn't disrupt you taking a PG or a Center with your first pick so you are still able to take BPA there.
Toronto might want the Heat pick but I would counter with Milwaukee's. Considering how tight the cap will be next year, including that future pick might be overpaying.
So what do you think?
We would look at our roster and say "Well next year will be the same as this year". Make the playoffs and little else.
And it wasn't long until being good wasn't good enough "What is the point of never being a real contender", they would ask.
Management seemed content to just take in a profit until we approached the luxury tax. Then came the selling of assets and a slow fall that should have been accelerated. We sold good assets for pennies on the dollar to maintain mediocrity.
Years later we started what most thought would be a 4 year journey and is now moving on year 8. We are ready to be more now.
And how do we get there? How does a franchise that once was held so high, climb back when free agents see us so low?
By finding the new Suns, the Toronto Raptors.
Here is a team that is going to be 10 million over the luxury tax next year with only 10 players. Here is a team that just got swept out by Lebron James and his sub par cast. Here is a team that has little chance against the old (Cleveland) and no chance against the young (Boston and Philly).
Their top 2 players are 32 and 28. It won't get better from here. We saw how this plays out. No cap space and older stars.
To make it worse, their second and third best players have seen significant reduction in minutes during their playoff series. That means management has lost faith in those two as well.
It all spells a big change. Can the Suns get pennies on the dollar?
My target here would be Serge Ibaka. Ibaka is on the last year of a deal that would pay him 23 million dollars. Ibaka was a 19 PER player for multiple years in OKC but hasn't meshed well in Toronto.
Thus the Suns trade Marquese Chriss and Tyson Chandler for Serge Ibaka.
By the money, trade is successful.
Why the Raptors do it? Luxury tax all day. If they keep Chandler it almost gets them below the luxury tax. Negotiate a buyout with Chandler and they are below the tax. They don't give up one of their top 2 assets or a draft pick to get there. Chriss is 7 years younger than Ibaka and you see the talent that made him the #8 pick in the draft. The Raptors have to get younger and ownership isn't going to pay luxury tax money to be swept out of the playoffs next year.
Why do the Suns do it? The Suns get a good defender and 3 point shooter to play the 4. Ibaka is on a one year deal so the risk is minimal. You don't give up either of your draft picks this year or in the future. Ibaka doesn't disrupt you taking a PG or a Center with your first pick so you are still able to take BPA there.
Toronto might want the Heat pick but I would counter with Milwaukee's. Considering how tight the cap will be next year, including that future pick might be overpaying.
So what do you think?
