Suns Off-season Thread

Mainstreet

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If Kemba is bought out, I'd consider him as a 3rd point guard for the minimum.

As I understand it, he hasn't been bought out yet and still under contract.

Being better than Payton is not a high standard.
 
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The recent comments about Amare Stoudemire being a bad defender made me wonder about something. Like most people, I remember Stoudemire for not playing defense. But I remember that sometime during the great Alvin Gentry's coaching, Stoudemire made a statement to the effect of "Someone finally taught me to play defense." The obvious implication is that Amare thought he had become a competent defender. Does anyone think he was right? I didn't at the time, because he was well-known for making well-meaning but vapid statements that belied poor self-awareness; but since Stoudemire's Suns fought back to the WCF in 2010 just before he left, perhaps there's something to it. What do you think?--was he able to defend, late in his Suns career?
 

Covert Rain

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The recent comments about Amare Stoudemire being a bad defender made me wonder about something. Like most people, I remember Stoudemire for not playing defense. But I remember that sometime during the great Alvin Gentry's coaching, Stoudemire made a statement to the effect of "Someone finally taught me to play defense." The obvious implication is that Amare thought he had become a competent defender. Does anyone think he was right? I didn't at the time, because he was well-known for making well-meaning but vapid statements that belied poor self-awareness; but since Stoudemire's Suns fought back to the WCF in 2010 just before he left, perhaps there's something to it. What do you think?--was he able to defend, late in his Suns career?
There is something to this. Pringles philosophy was the best defense is a 7 seconds are less offense. There is story after story about the coach not caring about defense. The story goes that was also a catalyst for him leaving the Suns because he refused to make changes to his approach and emphasize defense more. He went to the Knicks and their defense dropped off after he became the head coach there too.
 

95pro

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ESPN projects suns to top record in the league again next season.

That is weird for ESPN to rank us like that considering all the changes this off season to the west while stood pat. It feels like they're setting us up, this board knows they wont have the top record. Maybe they feel if we really were injured?...I'm not sure why they would do that. Maybe just based off Book and Bridges getting some votes.
 

JCSunsfan

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That is weird for ESPN to rank us like that considering all the changes this off season to the west while stood pat. It feels like they're setting us up, this board knows they wont have the top record. Maybe they feel if we really were injured?...I'm not sure why they would do that. Maybe just based off Book and Bridges getting some votes.
We should just let cp3 sit until Christmas. (sarcasm, but only partly)
 

Covert Rain

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It was right when the Suns finally became the consensus best team in the league last season that they fell apart. Maybe they're better off without the target on their backs.
That ship has sailed. You can't go under the radar after two years of a trip to the finals and the best record in the league. The Suns are not sneaking up on anybody for the rest of this run.
 

Phrazbit

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That is weird for ESPN to rank us like that considering all the changes this off season to the west while stood pat. It feels like they're setting us up, this board knows they wont have the top record. Maybe they feel if we really were injured?...I'm not sure why they would do that. Maybe just based off Book and Bridges getting some votes.

I think it is more that this board is overreacting to the meltdown against Dallas.

It's not like the rest of the conference was nipping at our heels, we had the best record by a mile.

There were not a lot of big moves. The Jazz dumped Gobert but I don't think he makes the Wolves anything close to a real contender, Dallas lost their second best player... the Clippers signed the remnants of John Wall.

The only real positive changes I see on other contending rosters are Leonard and Murray, possibly, getting healthy again. I think Denver has a real chance to get a top 3 seed but the Clippers have to do so much "management" with their star players that they are not a realistic contender for the top seed.
 

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I think it is more that this board is overreacting to the meltdown against Dallas.

It's not like the rest of the conference was nipping at our heels, we had the best record by a mile.

There were not a lot of big moves. The Jazz dumped Gobert but I don't think he makes the Wolves anything close to a real contender, Dallas lost their second best player... the Clippers signed the remnants of John Wall.

The only real positive changes I see on other contending rosters are Leonard and Murray, possibly, getting healthy again. I think Denver has a real chance to get a top 3 seed but the Clippers have to do so much "management" with their star players that they are not a realistic contender for the top seed.
Kwahi and Murray are absolutely huge. Also if Zion is back that team will be right in the mix for best record. Minnesota has gained confidence, and Edwards is begining to believe he is a superstar in the making. I think next season the West is going to be significantly tougher.

I really don't know what to expect out of the Suns. We could get the team from the regular season, or the one from the playoffs - and those are two very different teams.
 
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That ship has sailed. You can't go under the radar after two years of a trip to the finals and the best record in the league. The Suns are not sneaking up on anybody for the rest of this run.
I don't know. It would also be a matter of the media getting bored of them. Especially if some other team becomes the shooting star of the league: such as the resurgent Warriors; or the Celtics; or a team with an over-achieving top draft pick. (Zion Williamson and the Pelicans, perhaps.) If the Suns keep up what I call their conservative, stand-pat, *no-gimmick ways, and also build up a record that is only "pretty good," it's possible that the mnedia and the fans might focus on "sexier" teams and players. That would be a good thing.

*Yes, their no-gimmick ways. They're not defense-only like the 2004 Pistons, or offense-only like Steve Nash's Suns teams. Nor do they promise to rain three-point shots, or generally shoot opponents out of the building. They just don't make many mistakes. Their clutch skills are so good that the 1996 Bulls might be impressed.
 

Covert Rain

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I don't know. It would also be a matter of the media getting bored of them. Especially if some other team becomes the shooting star of the league: such as the resurgent Warriors; or the Celtics; or a team with an over-achieving top draft pick. (Zion Williamson and the Pelicans, perhaps.) If the Suns keep up what I call their conservative, stand-pat, *no-gimmick ways, and also build up a record that is only "pretty good," it's possible that the mnedia and the fans might focus on "sexier" teams and players. That would be a good thing.

*Yes, their no-gimmick ways. They're not defense-only like the 2004 Pistons, or offense-only like Steve Nash's Suns teams. Nor do they promise to rain three-point shots, or generally shoot opponents out of the building. They just don't make many mistakes. Their clutch skills are so good that the 1996 Bulls might be impressed.
Nobody is getting bored of a team with CP3 and Booker on it. The team is going to have a good record and needs it to get a good seed. The only way this team falls out of anybody's radar is if this team completely falls off a cliff. Which in that case they are not making the playoffs anyway. Even then the media would still talk about how a team with so much promise failed to reach it's goal and had two collapses in the playoffs two years running.
 

Phrazbit

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Kwahi and Murray are absolutely huge. Also if Zion is back that team will be right in the mix for best record. Minnesota has gained confidence, and Edwards is begining to believe he is a superstar in the making. I think next season the West is going to be significantly tougher.

I really don't know what to expect out of the Suns. We could get the team from the regular season, or the one from the playoffs - and those are two very different teams.

The Pelicans were 10 games under .500 last year, even IF Zion actually can cobble together a healthy season (which I doubt) there is a massive gulf between that and pushing for 60 wins.

I agree that Leonard's return is big but he and George require such frequent rest that they won't be pushing for a top seed. I think Denver will be a lot better, but we've seen this Denver team for years, they will likely win 50-60 games. I think the Suns, Warriors and Nuggets are the most likely teams for the top seed.

I'm not buying the T'Wolves.
 

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The Pelicans were 10 games under .500 last year, even IF Zion actually can cobble together a healthy season (which I doubt) there is a massive gulf between that and pushing for 60 wins.

I agree that Leonard's return is big but he and George require such frequent rest that they won't be pushing for a top seed. I think Denver will be a lot better, but we've seen this Denver team for years, they will likely win 50-60 games. I think the Suns, Warriors and Nuggets are the most likely teams for the top seed.

I'm not buying the T'Wolves.

I think the Pelicans being 10 games under .500 last season is a bit misleading when one comsiders they added C.J. McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. at the trade deadline.

They should be a much better team this season even without Zion.
 
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Nobody is getting bored of a team with CP3 and Booker on it. The team is going to have a good record and needs it to get a good seed. The only way this team falls out of anybody's radar is if this team completely falls off a cliff. Which in that case they are not making the playoffs anyway. Even then the media would still talk about how a team with so much promise failed to reach it's goal and had two collapses in the playoffs two years running.
We'll have to disagree. Media and fans are distractable. In 2005, people talked about Steve Nash's high-octane Suns team more than they talked about the Spurs, who eventually showed the world it paid attention to the wrong team. I hope the 2022-23 Suns are the Spurs to someone else's SSOL team.
 

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I think the Pelicans being 10 games under .500 last season is a bit misleading when one comsiders they added C.J. McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. at the trade deadline.

They should be a much better team this season even without Zion.

Yeah the second half of the season Pelicans were a totally different beast. They actually started last season 3-16 and turned it all around from there. If they can avoid that putrid start to the season then they're a 500 team easily. They'll compete for 50 wins next year whether they get Zion back or not. They're definitely trending upwards.
 

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We'll have to disagree. Media and fans are distractable. In 2005, people talked about Steve Nash's high-octane Suns team more than they talked about the Spurs, who eventually showed the world it paid attention to the wrong team. I hope the 2022-23 Suns are the Spurs to someone else's SSOL team.

That's because the Spurs have always been one of the most boring teams in basketball. Despite being one of the best players ever Tim Duncan probably made less in endorsements than any former MVP dating back to the 70's. Watching the slow paced Spurs and Duncan put people to sleep. They were a Dynasty that actually lost viewers regularly when they'd make it back to the finals.
 

Covert Rain

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We'll have to disagree. Media and fans are distractable. In 2005, people talked about Steve Nash's high-octane Suns team more than they talked about the Spurs, who eventually showed the world it paid attention to the wrong team. I hope the 2022-23 Suns are the Spurs to someone else's SSOL team.
Not with a good team on a current run. Name one team that has played as good as the Suns over a two year period that nobody paid attention to Media and Fans. That's fantasy land. Never happened.

That's because the Spurs have always been one of the most boring teams in basketball. Despite being one of the best players ever Tim Duncan probably made less in endorsements than any former MVP dating back to the 70's. Watching the slow paced Spurs and Duncan put people to sleep. They were a Dynasty that actually lost viewers regularly when they'd make it back to the finals.
Even then fans gushed over them, and Duncan was basically a media darling since he entered the league. You had to be under a rock not to know who Duncan was let alone he started his career playing next to the Admiral.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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That is weird for ESPN to rank us like that considering all the changes this off season to the west while stood pat. It feels like they're setting us up, this board knows they wont have the top record. Maybe they feel if we really were injured?...I'm not sure why they would do that. Maybe just based off Book and Bridges getting some votes.
They have us coming back to the pack, winning 56 games. One more than warriors in second. And they do think our backcourt was injured.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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I think the Pelicans being 10 games under .500 last season is a bit misleading when one comsiders they added C.J. McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. at the trade deadline.

They should be a much better team this season even without Zion.
And they had SUCH a horrid start to the season. Remove that and they were good. Add a healthy zion and the team really dangerous. They relied on a lot of rookies that only got better as the season, and post-season progressed. I’m not sleeping on the Pels.
 

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