You're The GM

[overseascardfan]

What moves would you make for the rest of the year?

Mine:
1. Trade Morris - End the drama that has been going all year. Even if a team is only willing to give up a trade exception, that $8M could be put to better use.

2. Go with a starting lineup of Leuer, Warren, Chandler, Booker & Knight the rest of the year no matter what...barring injuries. Even if it means we don't reach 30 wins that's fine, increase our draft position and see what you have in the youngsters.

3. If we don't get the top pick in the draft, I would put together a package to get the #1 pick, maybe Knight or Bledsoe packaged with our 2 first round picks this year. If PHI gets the top pick they may do it as they really need a PG. Obviously, Ben Simmons would be the pick.

4. Use FA to build the bench as right now we are missing the offensive punch Gerald Green gave us the last 2 years and if Warren & Booker move into the starting five the second unit is going to need help.

 

[Catlover]

What moves would you make for the rest of the year?

Mine:
1. Trade Morris - End the drama that has been going all year. Even if a team is only willing to give up a trade exception, that $8M could be put to better use.

2. Go with a starting lineup of Leuer, Warren, Chandler, Booker & Knight the rest of the year no matter what...barring injuries. Even if it means we don't reach 30 wins that's fine, increase our draft position and see what you have in the youngsters.

3. If we don't get the top pick in the draft, I would put together a package to get the #1 pick, maybe Knight or Bledsoe packaged with our 2 first round picks this year. If PHI gets the top pick they may do it as they really need a PG. Obviously, Ben Simmons would be the pick.

4. Use FA to build the bench as right now we are missing the offensive punch Gerald Green gave us the last 2 years and if Warren & Booker move into the starting five the second unit is going to need help.

First off, I don't think anyone is passing up on Simmons. He's not a sure-fire superstar but his talent is too intriguing to give it away for trinkets. And if he becomes the greatest player in the game (not out of the realm of possibility), everything involved in that trade will look like a trinket.

I don't hate your lineup but I'd rather see Len starting if his hand is fully healed. And if it isn't healed I'd bench him until it is, bring in a couple of D Leaguers to backup Chandler instead. My starting lineup would be Knight, Booker, Warren, Tucker and Len with Goodwin getting plenty of minutes backing up both guard spots.

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

First off, I don't think anyone is passing up on Simmons. He's not a sure-fire superstar but his talent is too intriguing to give it away for trinkets. And if he becomes the greatest player in the game (not out of the realm of possibility), everything involved in that trade will look like a trinket.

I don't hate your lineup but I'd rather see Len starting if his hand is fully healed. And if it isn't healed I'd bench him until it is, bring in a couple of D Leaguers to backup Chandler instead. My starting lineup would be Knight, Booker, Warren, Tucker and Len with Goodwin getting plenty of minutes backing up both guard spots.

What is your obsession with Len? The guy is a trainwreck. He might give us a couple decent games a season but for the most part is only good for 6 mins a game. Id rather we kept Plumlee.

 

[Cheesebeef]

is Len hurt again?

 

[JCSunsfan]

What moves would you make for the rest of the year?

Mine:
1. Trade Morris - End the drama that has been going all year. Even if a team is only willing to give up a trade exception, that $8M could be put to better use.

2. Go with a starting lineup of Leuer, Warren, Chandler, Booker & Knight the rest of the year no matter what...barring injuries. Even if it means we don't reach 30 wins that's fine, increase our draft position and see what you have in the youngsters.

3. If we don't get the top pick in the draft, I would put together a package to get the #1 pick, maybe Knight or Bledsoe packaged with our 2 first round picks this year. If PHI gets the top pick they may do it as they really need a PG. Obviously, Ben Simmons would be the pick.

4. Use FA to build the bench as right now we are missing the offensive punch Gerald Green gave us the last 2 years and if Warren & Booker move into the starting five the second unit is going to need help.

1. Trade Morris when the right deal comes along. Listen to all offers.
2. Tell the coach his job is secure and our goal for the rest of the season is to develop young players. Take the pressure off. Do NOT dictate starting line ups. That is the coach's job.
3. Scout, scout, scout. There are probably at least three game changers in this draft, Simmons, Ingram, and someone else still not quite well known (not sure who).
4. Focus on putting together a "big three" of players. Decide if its Booker or BK in that three. If its Booker, talk to BK frankly about coming off the bench. If he is not good with that, start exploring trades.
5. Forget about the bench, except that you want content, team oriented players who will contribute to the development of young stars.
6. Stop answering Robert Sarver's phone calls.

 

[Catlover]

What is your obsession with Len? The guy is a trainwreck. He might give us a couple decent games a season but for the most part is only good for 6 mins a game. Id rather we kept Plumlee.

My obsession? If anyone has an obsession with Len it's you and the "Maryland" poster that's on the opposite end of this topic. A very small percentage of my comments are about Len, compare that with your history.

I think Len has the chance to be something special. But he's injury prone and disappears far too often. BUT (even bigger than the earlier "but"), big men often take longer to develop than others do. And Len came to this game much later than most NBA players.

This is a wasted season as far as wins and losses so I'd like to see us do everything possible to develop him and find out what we have in the guy. Do we need to draft a center or is Alex our future? Nobody knows that for sure - not me in the middle, not you on one extreme nor FutureSuperstar at the other.

 

[Cheesebeef]

My obsession? If anyone has an obsession with Len it's you and the "Maryland" poster that's on the opposite end of this topic. A very small percentage of my comments are about Len, compare that with your history.

I think Len has the chance to be something special. But he's injury prone and disappears far too often. BUT (even bigger than the earlier "but"), big men often take longer to develop than others do. And Len came to this game much later than most NBA players.

This is a wasted season as far as wins and losses so I'd like to see us do everything possible to develop him and find out what we have in the guy. Do we need to draft a center or is Alex our future? Nobody knows that for sure - not me in the middle, not you on one extreme nor FutureSuperstar at the other.

I don't think Len has any chance to be something special, but in year 3, in a lost season, it seems incredibly short-sighted for him not to be getting major minutes to try and develop.

 

[Catlover]

I don't think Len has any chance to be something special, but in year 3, in a lost season, it seems incredibly short-sighted for him not to be getting major minutes to try and develop.

I wouldn't bet money on it, that's for sure. He played very poorly until Chandler went out and then he played well for several games. And then he hurt his hand and he's looked like crap again.

If this was the first time we'd seen Len be this up and down I'd be a lot more positive about his future. But whether it's injury or whatever there always seems to be a need to explain away his poor performance and that has to be worrisome. But yeah, until we've proved beyond a shadow of doubt that he has nothing more than a limited future, keep him on the court.

 

[Bert]

Simple, I would develop a direction for the team and then stick to it.

The Suns clearly, for several years are just in a, (hey lets try this guy) mode.

They threw their hat in the Lebron ring with absolutely no hope that was happening, then they basically went all in this year on getting LMA and couldn't get that done. So they wind up with the dregs.

I understand, these deals are hard to make. It's tough to get superstars to come to a struggling franchise but that's the job. That's what you have to do. If I were GM I would bite the bullet and get it done, talk to the owner, threaten to quit! Something. Just dont kinda try and then fail but then tell us what a great moral victory it is that "we were in the mix."

It's on Sarver too obviously. Maybe that means overpaying and paying the luxury tax for a couple years. If you really want to win, you have to really try.

Either way if I were the GM I would just define a clear strategy, get on the same page with Sarver and really go for it. The Suns are stuck in pergatory right now where they aren't good enough to do anything but not bad enough to get the picks that really matter in the draft. Whether your strategy is to tank and build through the draft or to clear space so you can make a REAL splash in free agency, there has to be a strategy and you have to follow through.

Moral victories are not as fun as real victories.

 

[95pro]

Get rid of Morris, at this point its a loss no matter what. The damage has been done.


On a side not i can't believe we are paying Weems 2.8 million.

 

[Bert]

Get rid of Morris, at this point its a loss no matter what. The damage has been done.


On a side not i can't believe we are paying Weems 2.8 million.

Agree

 

[sunsfan88]

On a side not i can't believe we are paying Weems 2.8 million.

I often forget he's on the roster until someone mentions him.

 

[overseascardfan]

1. Trade Morris when the right deal comes along. Listen to all offers.

There probably aren't many offers so no right deal will come along. This guy is tanking and he is polarizing everyone because he wants out no matter what he says to the media. His brother ain't lying about that.

2. Tell the coach his job is secure and our goal for the rest of the season is to develop young players. Take the pressure off. Do NOT dictate starting line ups. That is the coach's job.

Jeff has done a terrible job with game / personnel management but if he follows the directive that young players need to be getting major minutes the rest of the way then fine. His job is safe until the end of the season, that is the only security I would give him. If I got rid of Morris and there was no improvement made then I add new coach as an action item this off season.

 

[overseascardfan]

First off, I don't think anyone is passing up on Simmons. He's not a sure-fire superstar but his talent is too intriguing to give it away for trinkets. And if he becomes the greatest player in the game (not out of the realm of possibility), everything involved in that trade will look like a trinket.

I don't hate your lineup but I'd rather see Len starting if his hand is fully healed. And if it isn't healed I'd bench him until it is, bring in a couple of D Leaguers to backup Chandler instead. My starting lineup would be Knight, Booker, Warren, Tucker and Len with Goodwin getting plenty of minutes backing up both guard spots.

Simmons is the #1 pick but your assessment of him is confusing. No one knows for sure how good he'll be and depending on the package, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the #1 pick will be unavailable. Andrew Wiggins was considered Lebron-like but CLE dealt him for Love who has been good for CLE but not great.

It would be great to distribute the minutes evenly between Chandler & Len but Chandler is making too much money not to get minutes and Len isn't consistent enough to take minutes from Chandler. In fact, if it took Len to be part of a potential package for whomever gets the #1 pick, I'd deal him in the blink of an eye.

 

[Catlover]

Simmons is the #1 pick but your assessment of him is confusing. No one knows for sure how good he'll be and depending on the package, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the #1 pick will be unavailable. Andrew Wiggins was considered Lebron-like but CLE dealt him for Love who has been good for CLE but not great.

Wiggins was considered "Lebron-like" right up until he started playing college ball. There were questions all season long about many things but especially about his outside game and his assertiveness. And that trade was much more about Lebron than it was Love or Wiggins. But maybe you're right that some teams might be willing to move out of that slot, I still don't see Philadelphia being that team. He seems like just the player they promised their fanbase when the tanking began.

It would be great to distribute the minutes evenly between Chandler & Len but Chandler is making too much money not to get minutes and Len isn't consistent enough to take minutes from Chandler. In fact, if it took Len to be part of a potential package for whomever gets the #1 pick, I'd deal him in the blink of an eye.

IMO Len looked like the better player of the two when he was healthy and starting in place of the injured Chandler. Chandler seems to be fine subbing in but Len's been a disappointment most of the time coming off the bench. He's really struggled since his hand injury 7 or 8 games ago so the first thing I'd do it sit him until it heals but I don't think money has to enter the picture about who is starting. Tyson's contract isn't all that significant. He's the 46th highest paid player in the league but it's a flat contract and almost inconsequential in the current environment.

Tristan Thompson for example is making more money (1.2 M more this year and the gap escalates by more than a M per each successive year) and he's only started 9 of the 34 games he's played in. Len often takes himself out of games with silly fouls so Chandler won't be hurting for minutes but IMO we should do whatever it takes to find out if Len is going to solve our long term needs at center.

 

[Phrazbit]

I don't think Len has the mental makeup to be a consistently good player. The game does not come naturally to him, so when his focus isn't at its best he basically vanishes completely (other than his panache for sloppy fouls). So, on occasion, he gets locked in and he plays pretty well, but I don't see him ever becoming a player who can be relied upon. He lacks instincts and he lacks a motor, those seem like things guys have or they don't.

He isn't a complete bust and is deserving of way more than 6 minutes per game, he should be getting a ton in a wasted season like this. IMO, barring injuries ending him, he will have a long career as a decent reserve big but the games where he appears to know what he is doing are too sparse for any legit team to use him as a starter.

 

[Errntknght]

First off, I don't think anyone is passing up on Simmons. He's not a sure-fire superstar but his talent is too intriguing to give it away for trinkets. And if he becomes the greatest player in the game (not out of the realm of possibility), everything involved in that trade will look like a trinket.

I don't hate your lineup but I'd rather see Len starting if his hand is fully healed. And if it isn't healed I'd bench him until it is, bring in a couple of D Leaguers to backup Chandler instead. My starting lineup would be Knight, Booker, Warren, Tucker and Len with Goodwin getting plenty of minutes backing up both guard spots.

I agree with most of what you say but I don't think PJ can play starters minutes at PF day in and day out... he'd get beat down. I'd start Lueur and mix in Teletovic and Tucker.

I'd also tell Hornacek he needs to look for a new position for next year. I wasn't even happy with his work when we were winning 48 games and he's gone downhill fast since then. I expected him to be a solid coach at the very least but I no longer have a glimmer of hope for him. I don't see him ever succeeding as a head coach and I suspect he's not going to try hard to find another job at that level.

 

[Errntknght]

I don't think Len has the mental makeup to be a consistently good player. The game does not come naturally to him, so when his focus isn't at its best he basically vanishes completely (other than his panache for sloppy fouls). So, on occasion, he gets locked in and he plays pretty well, but I don't see him ever becoming a player who can be relied upon. He lacks instincts and he lacks a motor, those seem like things guys have or they don't.

He isn't a complete bust and is deserving of way more than 6 minutes per game, he should be getting a ton in a wasted season like this. IMO, barring injuries ending him, he will have a long career as a decent reserve big but the games where he appears to know what he is doing are too sparse for any legit team to use him as a starter.

Last year there was a stretch - after he took over the starting role - where he was fairly good consistently, and the team played noticeably better when he was on the floor. I don't recall what ended the stretch, an injury I suspect...

 

[Catlover]

I agree with most of what you say but I don't think PJ can play starters minutes at PF day in and day out... he'd get beat down. I'd start Lueur and mix in Teletovic and Tucker.

I'd also tell Hornacek he needs to look for a new position for next year. I wasn't even happy with his work when we were winning 48 games and he's gone downhill fast since then. I expected him to be a solid coach at the very least but I no longer have a glimmer of hope for him. I don't see him ever succeeding as a head coach and I suspect he's not going to try hard to find another job at that level.

I worry about that too but I think Leuer is even more likely to get beat down. And Tucker just isn't a small forward. He's an energy player that could be a great asset if he was brought off the bench for short stretches. But using him as a starter has forced him to pace himself which limits his value on defense and he's only out there for defense. So if we absolutely have to start him, I thought moving him to power forward would let us put a weapon into play at the 3. And while he's going to get beat up physically, he's less likely to be worn down physically when guarding a power forward. Anyway, that was my thinking here.

As for Jeff, I really don't know what to think. He has a solid pedigree and his coaches raved about how smart he was as a player. It seems like he should be able to transition to head coach well but the results haven't been pleasant.

 

[devilalum]

If McD keeps making trades every team in the league is going to have at least one ex-Sun that'll have a career night every time they play their old team.

sent from a fone

 

[Catlover]

If McD keeps making trades every team in the league is going to have at least one ex-Sun that'll have a career night every time they play their old team.

sent from a fone

Ha. There's a scary thought.

 

[devilalum]

Ha. There's a scary thought.

Some weeks it feels like this is already true.

sent from a fone

 

[devilalum]

Ish Smith would start for the East All Stars based on his numbers against the Suns.

sent from a fone

 

[overseascardfan]

Wiggins was considered "Lebron-like" right up until he started playing college ball. There were questions all season long about many things but especially about his outside game and his assertiveness. And that trade was much more about Lebron than it was Love or Wiggins. But maybe you're right that some teams might be willing to move out of that slot, I still don't see Philadelphia being that team. He seems like just the player they promised their fanbase when the tanking began.

I'll concede that the trade was CLE's attempt to become MIA and form their own super team and that they knew their window was now and could not wait for Wiggins to develop but Wiggins was the unquestioned #1 pick in that draft but they felt they needed a player like Love to make them a championship contender.

PHI really needs a PG to run the team, Simmons is a pretty good play maker & ball handler but he isn't a PG.

IMO Len looked like the better player of the two when he was healthy and starting in place of the injured Chandler. Chandler seems to be fine subbing in but Len's been a disappointment most of the time coming off the bench. He's really struggled since his hand injury 7 or 8 games ago so the first thing I'd do it sit him until it heals but I don't think money has to enter the picture about who is starting. Tyson's contract isn't all that significant. He's the 46th highest paid player in the league but it's a flat contract and almost inconsequential in the current environment.

Tristan Thompson for example is making more money (1.2 M more this year and the gap escalates by more than a M per each successive year) and he's only started 9 of the 34 games he's played in. Len often takes himself out of games with silly fouls so Chandler won't be hurting for minutes but IMO we should do whatever it takes to find out if Len is going to solve our long term needs at center.

Right now Len is his own worst enemy, inconsistency and injuries are keeping him from being the player PHX thought they were getting making him the #5 overall pick and that is the reason Chandler should be starting along with the fact that he is the third highest paid player on the team. If he could stay healthy and play with consistency then sure he should start and be given the majority of the minutes particularly since PHX isn't going to make the playoffs.

Thompson and Love are better players than Chandler & Len so its kind of a different situation because both are justifying their salaries with their production. Plus, both Thompson & Love are in the starting lineup because CLE is starting their best 5 (healthiest) players out there as Thompson is an upgrade over Mozgov and he is making $10M more a year.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Wiggins was considered "Lebron-like" right up until he started playing college ball. There were questions all season long about many things but especially about his outside game and his assertiveness. And that trade was much more about Lebron than it was Love or Wiggins. But maybe you're right that some teams might be willing to move out of that slot, I still don't see Philadelphia being that team. He seems like just the player they promised their fanbase when the tanking began.



IMO Len looked like the better player of the two when he was healthy and starting in place of the injured Chandler. Chandler seems to be fine subbing in but Len's been a disappointment most of the time coming off the bench. He's really struggled since his hand injury 7 or 8 games ago so the first thing I'd do it sit him until it heals but I don't think money has to enter the picture about who is starting. Tyson's contract isn't all that significant. He's the 46th highest paid player in the league but it's a flat contract and almost inconsequential in the current environment.

Tristan Thompson for example is making more money (1.2 M more this year and the gap escalates by more than a M per each successive year) and he's only started 9 of the 34 games he's played in. Len often takes himself out of games with silly fouls so Chandler won't be hurting for minutes but IMO we should do whatever it takes to find out if Len is going to solve our long term needs at center.

The ONLY team that would have traded out of that spot or would have drafted and traded Wiggins was Cleveland. That's because they already had LeBron and had to build around him and keep him happy.

I do not see any team trading out of the #1 spot this year unless it's for Steph, or AD or a similar player.