Suns News: Weeks 12 & 13 (1/6-1/19)

[ShelC]

Should've used him based on matchups.

[TOO]

Should've used him based on matchups.

If your team cant rebound every matchup is a Nurk matchup.

[Split T]

Barring a miracle, we all know this season is lost…so let’s play fantasy land

1. Pretend it’s video game world and you can turn off cap rules and force trades with other teams…what is the worst combination of players you could add/trade to make this team a contender? What team would you build…for this exercise assume you gotta keep at least 2 starters.

2. Pretend you could morph any two players currently on the suns into one player(Example from suns history, Shawn Marion + Joe Johnson, so you basically take all of Shawn and add the ball handling, shooting, shotmaking, playmaking of JJ to create honestly a LeBron James lite superstar). You can do this twice, so 4 players to create two new players. Who do you combine and does it make us a contender?

3. Last question…add any player from a former suns team to this one. Is there anyone that could save us?

[Split T]

My answers:

1. I think a true big that can defend at a high level, space the floor, finish at the rim, and operate as a hub offensively would be a top priority. Swap Nurk for Bam Adebayo.

Next I think this team still needs a leader. Ideally someone who can play on/off ball, players will respect and can handle POA duties…he’s aging a bit, but let me swap Beal for Jrue Holiday.

Lastly I need a true wing defender who is a true floor spacer. Give me youth as well and a touch of size. Josh Okogie becomes Trey Murphy.

Jrue/Booker/Murphy/KD/Bam
Tyus/Grayson/Royce/Dunn/Oso

That’s a great team.

2. My first merge is Bol Bol and Oso Ighodora. Give me Oso, but add Bol’s length/rim protection and shooting. That’s a great new starting C.

Next I will merge Bradley Beal with Ryan Dunn. Just give Dunn the ball handling, quickness, and shooting of Beal. He’s a Kawhi in the making now.

Tyus/Booker/Bradley Dunn/KD/Oso Bol
Morris/Allen/Okogie/Royce/Plumlee

A little small on the bench, but that starting unit is great. I also considered a Dunn/Tyus combo that added the size/defense/athleticsm of Dunn to Tyus true pg skills.

3. Not sure there is an obvious answer here…Shawn Marion would be helpful, but doesn’t fully solve our size problem. Amare would be fun, but he doesn’t either. I think I’d go Shawn, but we’d need to add another big still. Nash would be fun, but we’d have to outscore everyone 140-139 and we’d still need to get him a real pnr partner.

[JeremyG]

[Gladiator]

Nothing especially new here but John Hollinger is firmly in the blow it up camp:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/60625 ... d=12763705


This is an emergency, and the Suns need to bail sooner rather than later before they salt the fields for an entire decade. There is no trade-deadline fix that is getting them out of this….

The Suns have to deal Booker and Durant this offseason and get their picks back, or the next decade will be one of the most dismal chapters in NBA history.

[specialsauce]

Why would the Suns feel an urgency to trade Booker and Durant coming off the heels of their first NBA championship after trading for HIM?

[JeremyG]

3. Last question…add any player from a former suns team to this one. Is there anyone that could save us?

There’s one player in particular that I can think of…

In all seriousness, though, I think there are a lot who could. Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Charles Barkley, and probably a handful of others, some of whom were before my time.

[Cap]

Nothing especially new here but John Hollinger is firmly in the blow it up camp:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/60625 ... d=12763705


This is an emergency, and the Suns need to bail sooner rather than later before they salt the fields for an entire decade.

Too late. We’re now talking about going out into the fields and trying to pick up the salt. I’m, uh… a little skeptical of the effort.

[Superbone]

Nothing especially new here but John Hollinger is firmly in the blow it up camp:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/60625 ... d=12763705


This is an emergency, and the Suns need to bail sooner rather than later before they salt the fields for an entire decade.

Too late. We’re now talking about going out into the fields and trying to pick up the salt. I’m, uh… a little skeptical of the effort.

We hadn't noticed.

[ShelC]

[Superbone]

Sidery trying to be the new Flex:

[Split T]

I think Sidery just follows every teams “Flex” and posts it all like he’s got the information. He steals a lot of stuff…though he may have had some info on the Richards deal…or he got lucky.

[MightyMoog]

Would you guys have included the 31 1st for this deal?

[Split T]

I would not

[Wally_West]

Who says no?


Magic: Grayson Allen

Blazers: Gary Harris (expiring), Cory Joseph(expiring), two 2nds(Magic via Celtics), blazers save 3.8 million off cap.


Suns: Robert Williams, Delano Banton, ‘25 1st(Magic via nugs)

[Ring_Wanted]

Would you guys have included the 31 1st for this deal?

No way. Martin is just a guy. Offers nothing we don't have already. Using the pick to effectively dump Nurkic is an abomination.

[Ring_Wanted]

Who says no?


Magic: Grayson Allen

Blazers: Gary Harris (expiring), Cory Joseph(expiring), two 2nds(Magic via Celtics), blazers save 3.8 million off cap.


Suns: Robert Williams, Delano Banton, ‘25 1st(Magic via nugs)

We should say no. RWIII is so injury prone, and does not shoot so doesn't add a new dimension to the rotation. The pick is nice but I'd be looking for something different if I am trading Grayson. I like Banton tho.

[ShelC]

I was just looking at Allen to the Magic but not sure they have anything that helps us at the 4 spot. I think Allen would be a good fit there and I do like Jett Howard (Juwon's son), plus we'd take back Garry Harris. Jett Howard is a 6-8 shooter, was compared to Cam Johnson and still needs some development but can't get time in Orlando since they're deep at the swing position. Howard is intriguing tho as a longer, 3pt shooting SF but we'd probably be worse in the shortterm.

[Cap]

Sidery trying to be the new Flex:

Great! Now show me the tweet about the team that’s “hopeful to acquire” Bradley Beal and we’ll work something out.