The Ayton Plan

[Mainstreet]

Is Paul still your PG?

Unless the Suns have a miraculous trade offer, Paul is the Suns point guard in 2022-23.

The Suns will have to add a point guard or two no doubt.

 

[Finito]

Unless the Suns have a miraculous trade offer, Paul is the Suns point guard in 2022-23.

The Suns will have to add a point guard or two no doubt.

Paul is done and we don’t have the money to go shopping for PG.

 

[Mainstreet]

Paul is done and we don’t have the money to go shopping for PG.

I don't think Paul is done but the Suns need a couple more point guards Monty will play. They can't rely on Cam Payne.

It's probably not exciting to most, but I think Gabriel Lundberg will get a good look.

 

[GatorAZ]

Paul is done and we don’t have the money to go shopping for PG.

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Our best shot at winning a title is still keeping him and hoping he doesn’t have a meltdown or get injured in the playoffs.

 

[Finito]

I don't think Paul is done but the Suns need a couple more point guards Monty will play. They can't rely on Cam Payne.

It's probably not exciting to most, but I think Gabriel Lundberg will get a good look.

I’ve seen enough of Paul and Monty to feel confident they can only go so far.

I’m starting Cam Payne next year

 

[Finito]

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Our best shot at winning a title is still keeping him and hoping he doesn’t have a meltdown or get injured in the playoffs.

But didn’t we play 13 playoff games? So we’re just gonna ignore the bad ones.

Even when he was playing good. It was like 1 good game one bad game in the Pels series then the Mavs series was a disaster after game 2 like I’ve never seen.

He struggled bad against the Bucks last year in the last 4 games. The book is out on him. Hound him pressure him full court and he wears down.

He’s got a long record of not getting it done in the post season really long.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I’ve seen enough of Paul and Monty to feel confident they can only go so far.

I’m starting Cam Payne next year

I cringed when I read your first comment, I lost my lunch when I read your last line. Chris has a problem staying healthy, Payne has a MUCH bigger problem staying healthy and he's nowhere near the PG that Paul is when either of them play healthy.

I worry about continuing to tie our fortunes to an aging Chris Paul but it's wishful thinking to believe we have a better option. The only thing Payne gives us is a guard that might not let the defense routinely get set up before we cross half court.

 

[Hoop Head]

Paul is no worse than stop gap PG like Ricky Rubio. It'd be nice if his salary wasn't as high as it is but that could come in handy if we decide to blow it up around the deadline. His contract is at it's worst right now. It's not quite an expiring but close to it since only $15 million is guaranteed next year, which can be stretched over 5 seasons. That would allow a team a lot of flexibility if they wanted to blow it up for cap space. I don't see the Suns in that camp because this hasn't been a FA destination.

 

[Finito]

I cringed when I read your first comment, I lost my lunch when I read your last line. Chris has a problem staying healthy, Payne has a MUCH bigger problem staying healthy and he's nowhere near the PG that Paul is when either of them play healthy.

I worry about continuing to tie our fortunes to an aging Chris Paul but it's wishful thinking to believe we have a better option. The only thing Payne gives us is a guard that might not let the defense routinely get set up before we cross half court.

Of course no one is Paul when he’s healthy but we need to face reality he can’t hold up and he’s never shown any signs of being able to hold up over a full season and the post season

I’m not as down on Payne as most. Cam Payne for all the hate was probably the best back up PG in the NBA last year. Everybody wants to remember the playoffs but the entire team played bad.

Payne played really well when Paul was out.

We won’t win 64 games and be the 1 seed but I’d rather be the 5th seed and have a fresh Paul come playoffs if we don’t make any changes.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Of course no one is Paul when he’s healthy but we need to face reality he can’t hold up and he’s never shown any signs of being able to hold up over a full season and the post season

I’m not as down on Payne as most. Cam Payne for all the hate was probably the best back up PG in the NBA last year. Everybody wants to remember the playoffs but the entire team played bad.

Payne played really well when Paul was out.

We won’t win 64 games and be the 1 seed but I’d rather be the 5th seed and have a fresh Paul come playoffs if we don’t make any changes.

I think you're forgetting all the times Payne was horrible. He was great for a short stretch with CP out and a liability most of the rest of the time.

The biggest problem with him is he's always either injured or recovering from an injury or playing through an injury. When he's healthy he's helped us with his wild penetrations but those nagging injuries do him in. Healthy, maybe he was the best backup PG but all told he wasn't in the top half IMO.

 

[Finito]

I think you're forgetting all the times Payne was horrible. He was great for a short stretch with CP out and a liability most of the rest of the time.

The biggest problem with him is he's always either injured or recovering from an injury or playing through an injury. When he's healthy he's helped us with his wild penetrations but those nagging injuries do him in. Healthy, maybe he was the best backup PG but all told he wasn't in the top half IMO.

I think it’s our only option I don’t see either going anywhere and if Paul is your starter and plays starter minutes your going to get the same results in the end

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think it’s our only option I don’t see either going anywhere and if Paul is your starter and plays starter minutes your going to get the same results in the end

I get your point and if we had a truly viable starter I'd agree with saving CP3 that way but I think we have to find another way to protect Chris.

 

[Mainstreet]

I’ve seen enough of Paul and Monty to feel confident they can only go so far.

I’m starting Cam Payne next year

Let's hope the Suns add another option at point guard and convince Paul to pace himself for the playoffs.

 

[GatorAZ]

But didn’t we play 13 playoff games? So we’re just gonna ignore the bad ones.

Even when he was playing good. It was like 1 good game one bad game in the Pels series then the Mavs series was a disaster after game 2 like I’ve never seen.

He struggled bad against the Bucks last year in the last 4 games. The book is out on him. Hound him pressure him full court and he wears down.

He’s got a long record of not getting it done in the post season really long.

Hence the hoping-to-not-meltdown-or-get-hurt part. The fact he was playing at an elite level for the first 8 games and made all-nba shows he’s not done.

Not sure their formula for him next year but they need to rest him on b2b’s and upgrade from Cam Payneful to watch.

 

[Finito]

Hence the hoping-to-not-meltdown-or-get-hurt part. The fact he was playing at an elite level for the first 8 games and made all-nba shows he’s not done.

Not sure their formula for him next year but they need to rest him on b2b’s and upgrade from Cam Payneful to watch.

But that’s what he always does. He starts great then ends bad in the playoffs.

Back to backs? Hell put him behind glass till the playoffs start then break him out. I don’t care if he even plays in the regular season

 

[Peter Sheldon]

But that’s what he always does. He starts great then ends bad in the playoffs.

Back to backs? Hell put him behind glass till the playoffs start then break him out. I don’t care if he even plays in the regular season

I read your comment and agree but then I remember that the refs allow a ton of grabbing and fouling in the playoffs, so maybe CP3 isn't effective thru playoffs anyway....or wouldn't last long.

Watching these playoffs, I feel like I'm watching a football game. I saw Draymond set 3 illegal screens in a row last night to free up Curry for a 3 meanwhile mowing down 2 people. No call. Is there a universe where Suns could get away with that? Shame they won't let the Suns play with the same intensity I've seen throughout these playoffs. Apart from Suns going cold shooting, I think they were super frustrated with how the games were called and didn't have a clue how to respond.

 

[Mainstreet]

I read your comment and agree but then I remember that the refs allow a ton of grabbing and fouling in the playoffs, so maybe CP3 isn't effective thru playoffs anyway....or wouldn't last long.

Watching these playoffs, I feel like I'm watching a football game. I saw Draymond set 3 illegal screens in a row last night to free up Curry for a 3 meanwhile mowing down 2 people. No call. Is there a universe where Suns could get away with that? Shame they won't let the Suns play with the same intensity I've seen throughout these playoffs. Apart from Suns going cold shooting, I think they were super frustrated with how the games were called and didn't have a clue how to respond.

You mean something like this.

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[Finito]

You mean something like this.

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Looking like Larry Allen on that play

 

[Ronin]

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[TJ]

Front office looking hella foolish now. That gamble JJ did last offseason for no good reason is coming back to bite him in the ass. He cant match an offer for someone who’s been actively saying that he wants out for months. This is why you never tempt fate like this. DA wanted feverishly to continue and finish his career with Phoenix last offseason and simply wanted to be paid his worth and what his peers were receiving. Now, he cant leave fast enough.

James Jones is trending towards Steve Keim status at this point.

 

[Folster]

Front office looking hella foolish now. That gamble JJ did last offseason for no good reason is coming back to bite him in the ass. He cant match an offer for someone who’s been actively saying that he wants out for months. This is why you never tempt fate like this. DA wanted feverishly to continue and finish his career with Phoenix last offseason and simply wanted to be paid his worth and what his peers were receiving. Now, he cant leave fast enough.

James Jones is trending towards Steve Keim status at this point.

You may be right, but I'm not ready to accept the NBA rumor mill as fact. There is a lot of agent and GM posturing at this time. Let's see how it plays out. We'll have plenty of time to hand out grades after.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Just like the Cards, the Suns appear to be surprised 24 year olds with high ceilings are being paid top dollar. People pay guys like Murray and Ayton because they almost never become available.

It's just so frustrating to see both teams play hardball with players that hold all the leverage.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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This is bad

 

[elindholm]

This is bad

I don't regard Hollinger as having much credibility anymore. He peaked about ten years ago.

 

[TRW]

Next week in The Athletic:

Suns sign Ayton to super max!!!