What to do with Elfrid

[pokerface]

https://www.yahoo.com/amphtml/sports/report-suns-renounce-rights-alex-160100163.html

Buh bye Payton and Len....aka Flip Flop and Fools Gold.

 

[GatorAZ]

It’s hard to imagine spending money or assets on a 4 right now. PG is more important and there’s better ones on the trade market.

I like the Collison idea. Knight is the backup as Okobo develops behind the scenes. The following year Knight will be 100% and Okobo could be ready to start.

Collison, Knight, (Okobo)
Booker, Bridges (Reed)
Jackson, Bridges (Reed)
Chriss, Bender
Ayton, Chandler/Sauce

Warren, Ulis, Dudley used as trade chips...

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

It’s hard to imagine spending money or assets on a 4 right now. PG is more important and there’s better ones on the trade market.

I like the Collison idea. Knight is the backup as Okobo develops behind the scenes. The following year Knight will be 100% and Okobo could be ready to start.

Collison, Knight, (Okobo)
Booker, Bridges (Reed)
Jackson, Bridges (Reed)
Chriss, Bender
Ayton, Chandler/Sauce

Warren, Ulis, Dudley used as trade chips...

I like everything about bringing in Collison except for the likelihood of it happening. I don't see the reasoning from Indiana to move on unless they go after another flashier point guard, and I don't think that's likely given the market.

Also, I agree that point guard needs to be the priority. My favorite somewhat realistic target at the 4 would be Jabari Parker, and he's basically just TJ Warren with a better wingspan and 3 point ability.

 

[Phrazbit]

I like everything about bringing in Collison except for the likelihood of it happening. I don't see the reasoning from Indiana to move on unless they go after another flashier point guard, and I don't think that's likely given the market.

Also, I agree that point guard needs to be the priority. My favorite somewhat realistic target at the 4 would be Jabari Parker, and he's basically just TJ Warren with a better wingspan and 3 point ability.

Obviously, it's a long shot, it's just he's almost a perfect fit for us and maybe there is a chance the Pacers would move him to make time for Holliday, to get something for Collison before his contract is up and/or to make room for a signing.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

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[GoldGloveschmidt]

Let Payton go, we saw enough. His defense makes him a non viable option next to Booker.

 

[Mainstreet]

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This is awesome. I like the way McDonough gets 2nd round draft picks under long term contracts.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wonder what the benefit of this delay could be? Maybe it allows us time to include him in a trade prior where that team could cut him and save the salary.

Or perhaps it just gives us more time to assess our options, but the decision still has to be made prior to free agency, so it doesn't give us any flexibility on keeping him.

This was a comment by Bordow to a question. Maybe the Suns let someone go or perhaps there is a trade?

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[Raliu]

Here's my general take on Ulis and Williams: I like them both. They're good character guys. They both have potential to help the team. Ultimately, though, they don't move the needle.

Williams is ideal for a third string center, but he's pretty short and can't space the floor. That makes him a questionable back-up. Would I like him on the roster? Definitely. Should we limit our options for real difference makers by holding on to his $5 million cap hold? Not in my opinion.

Ulis is potentially a nice back-up point guard. So is Canaan. So is Payton. So is Knight. So is Harrison. None of them look like good options for a starting point guard. Okobo is the only one with that potential, and even then it's an incredibly optimistic viewpoint and will take time.

There's generally room for three point guards on the active roster. If you can't move Knight (likely), you're paying him $15 million per year for the next two years. That's one spot. Okobo takes another spot. If Ulis takes the third spot, the Suns have arguably the worst point guard situation in the league next year.

We need that third guy to be starter material.

Maybe you bring in a starting point guard, keep Ulis, and use Knight as a shooting guard? Even then, it's arguable whether Ulis is better than Canaan, Harrison, or the shooting guard (Reed, Daniels) that would be pushed off the roster.

Can’t agree with you more.

 

[Hoop Head]

I think there's a chance at Ulis' small salary that he'll be retained but later waived. Unlike Williams who is set to make $5 million, the Suns could easily eat Ulis' $1 million guaranteed contract if they decide to use his roster spot on someone else. It doesn't really effect things much. Losing $5 million is a bit more and that's enough also that it could very well be the difference between making a signing and having someone choose another team. So we'll see how things play out.

With Williams, I think missing last season hurt him a ton. It's a distant memory of what he brings to the table. It's hard to argue in his favor of what he can do because it wasn't seen for well over a year. Also how people say Ulis did well with Williams as his safety net. It's one thing if both were making minimum money to bring them back to help each other but the salary is so lopsided, one making $1 million and the other making $5, it's more difficult to justify the pairing. Why pay $5 million for someone to make that $1 million dollar play worthwhile? That's not how you want someone to play that makes a higher than minimum salary.

 

[Proximo]

I just don’t understand the love for Payton, he was an utter failure at being the guard we need, and he is old enough nothing is likely to change.

I would rather give minutes to Shaq and hope for improvement.

But I think he will be gone too, so will Ulis as he too has proven he cannot do the job adequetlty at least not consistently.

The suns will acquire a pg, and Okobo and knight will be the only others on the roster.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I just don’t understand the love for Payton, he was an utter failure at being the guard we need, and he is old enough nothing is likely to change.

Looking at the poll results, I'd say there isn't much love for Payton

 

[AzStevenCal]

I just don’t understand the love for Payton, he was an utter failure at being the guard we need, and he is old enough nothing is likely to change.

I would rather give minutes to Shaq and hope for improvement.

But I think he will be gone too, so will Ulis as he too has proven he cannot do the job adequetlty at least not consistently.

The suns will acquire a pg, and Okobo and knight will be the only others on the roster.

You may be right but Payton has shown more positive play than Shaq and Elfrid is actually a few months younger than Harrison too. Granted, Payton has had more opportunities too but he's not ever been in a stable situation so who knows what he can become. But unless Koko really wants him, he looks to be gone.

 

[Hoop Head]

I just don’t understand the love for Payton, he was an utter failure at being the guard we need, and he is old enough nothing is likely to change.

I would rather give minutes to Shaq and hope for improvement.

But I think he will be gone too, so will Ulis as he too has proven he cannot do the job adequetlty at least not consistently.

The suns will acquire a pg, and Okobo and knight will be the only others on the roster.

Payton posted 2 triple doubles in his first week here. That gave people hope. Not long after he was acquired we went all in on tanking and I think people didn't see him struggle and assumed he was sitting like Booker and Warren were. A lot of people tuned out the last month or two of the season. So they only recall the player he was initially. He really wasn't anything special though. He was better than what we had but that's not saying anything. Our 2 main PG's before Payton are on the verge of being out of the league completely, Mike James is gone and Ulis is almost on his way to Europe also. Of course Payton was better than them, it wouldn't shock me that much if they pulled a fan in off the street and they looked good for a few minutes compared to what we were playing with at PG since Bledsoe was traded.

 

[devilalum]

Payton posted 2 triple doubles in his first week here. That gave people hope. Not long after he was acquired we went all in on tanking and I think people didn't see him struggle and assumed he was sitting like Booker and Warren were. A lot of people tuned out the last month or two of the season. So they only recall the player he was initially. He really wasn't anything special though. He was better than what we had but that's not saying anything. Our 2 main PG's before Payton are on the verge of being out of the league completely, Mike James is gone and Ulis is almost on his way to Europe also. Of course Payton was better than them, it wouldn't shock me that much if they pulled a fan in off the street and they looked good for a few minutes compared to what we were playing with at PG since Bledsoe was traded.

Yep, the tank made it hard to assess anybody from a fans point of view. Payton wouldn't be my first choice but he might be my 3rd or 4th choice depending on what's available to the Suns.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Maybe yogi Ferrell? Shabazz Napier?

 

[leclerc]

I have to say I've been a bit perplexed by people wanting to push Williams off the team as well. He's a very solid 2nd/3rd team player. Good rebounder and inside scorer.

Release and sign at a cheaper price?

 

[Errntknght]

Maybe yogi Ferrell? Shabazz Napier?

Napier's ast/TO ratio is 1.7, which is well less than Ulis(2.4) and Harrison(2.5). Ferrell his a decent ratio but only 2.5 ast/game in 27.7 minutes - he didn't even make my list of viable options.

 

[Mainstreet]

Release and sign at a cheaper price?

I'm thinking this may be the case as well... or at least I'm hoping.

 

[Krangodnzr]

This is awesome. I like the way McDonough gets 2nd round draft picks under long term contracts.

Gilbert Arenas or Carlos Boozer comes to mind...

 

[Mainstreet]

Gilbert Arenas or Carlos Boozer comes to mind...

And Paul Millsap.