2021-22 Around the NBA Thread

[Chaplin]

Jalen Smith means absolutely nothing if we win the title. So much attention paid on such an average player... and that's being generous considering the dumpster fire team he's currently on.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not sure how we could have made that deal without Smith involved? I guess we could have given away another future number one but given that we were losing Jalen in a couple of months, this seems like the way to go.

Long term, Indiana likely got the much better end of this deal but for our immediate needs we couldn't expect a better return IMO. We did well to salvage anything of value from our failure to extend Smith.

Simply put, I think Stix should have been extended and never put on the table. That's where I start looking at options.

The Suns might have had to target another point guard or traded Payton and Kaminsky plus a 1st to get Craig.

Suns also had the partial MLE they could have used to add a point guard available in free agency.

It's possible there was no way to do it but I think extending Stix was a must.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Simply put, I think Stix should have been extended and never put on the table. That's where I start looking at options.

The Suns might have had to target another point guard or traded Payton and Kaminsky plus a 1st to get Craig.

Suns also had the partial MLE they could have used to add a point guard available in free agency.

It's possible there was no way to do it but I think extending Stix was a must.

Well, of course, almost everyone thinks that. But not extending him was an understandable mistake. He had injuries, Covid and poor work habits. This was compounded by the fact the organization pencilled him in at the wrong position.

His body type and skills suggested he would eventually excel as a stretch four but his understanding of the game was pure center so he showed poorly in the limited minutes he received. When it came time to extend him it just made no sense to the front office given they had zero expectations he could help us win it all during our Chris Paul window and the money could be better used elsewhere.

Again, they were wrong but as mistakes go, it's pretty minor IMO thanks in no small part to the fact we were able to re-acquire Craig.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well, of course, almost everyone thinks that. But not extending him was an understandable mistake. He had injuries, Covid and poor work habits. This was compounded by the fact the organization pencilled him in at the wrong position.

His body type and skills suggested he would eventually excel as a stretch four but his understanding of the game was pure center so he showed poorly in the limited minutes he received. When it came time to extend him it just made no sense to the front office given they had zero expectations he could help us win it all during our Chris Paul window and the money could be better used elsewhere.

Again, they were wrong but as mistakes go, it's pretty minor IMO thanks in no small part to the fact we were able to re-acquire Craig.

The Suns trading for Craig was a nice recovery from the mistake of not picking up the option on Smith but nevertheless a mistake IMO.

The only thing I heard related to poor work habits might have been interpreted from some comments by Deandre Ayton in a video clip. I'm not sure that is the case though. It was rather vague.

I don't believe in giving up the 10th pick in the draft so easily. If the Suns had picked up the option on Stix and decided not to keep him he would have had even more trade value.

Let me add, I couldn't be more happy with what James Jones has done with the roster. This season I believe he has played all his chips whereas last season I didn't feel that way. If the Suns win a championship, this conversation becomes even more minor.

 

[95pro]

The Suns trading for Craig was a nice recovery from the mistake of not picking up the option on Smith but nevertheless a mistake IMO.

The only thing I heard related to poor work habits might have been interpreted from some comments by Deandre Ayton in a video clip. I'm not sure that is the case though. It was rather vague.

I don't believe in giving up the 10th pick in the draft so easily. If the Suns had picked up the option on Stix and decided not to keep him he would have had even more trade value.

Let me add, I couldn't be more happy with what James Jones has done with the roster. This season I believe he has played all his chips whereas last season I didn't feel that way. If the Suns win a championship, this conversation becomes even more minor.

If they win it all it becomes Jalen who?

Craig is showing his worth right now, starting for Crowder. I don’t think sticks could do that. All stix is doing right now is putting up numbers on a bottom feeder in the east.

 

[Muggz]

Jalen Smith means absolutely nothing if we win the title. So much attention paid on such an average player... and that's being generous considering the dumpster fire team he's currently on.

He will have a ring next season. Not many rookies get one of those.
The same way Craig got one last year.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Jalen Smith means absolutely nothing if we win the title. So much attention paid on such an average player... and that's being generous considering the dumpster fire team he's currently on.

Absolutely!!!!

 

[Ronin]

I'm calling my shot......the Lakers will win tonight against the Washington Wizards.

Getting for a whole week of Laker love and talk about the Lakers shocking the Suns in the playoffs.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm calling my shot......the Lakers will win tonight against the Washington Wizards.

Getting for a whole week of Laker love and talk about the Lakers shocking the Suns in the playoffs.

I'll do the opposite -- all this good will about Westbrook finally getting it together comes crashing down around them.

 

[Ronin]

I'll do the opposite -- all this good will about Westbrook finally getting it together comes crashing down around them.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Mainstreet]

If they win it all it becomes Jalen who?

Craig is showing his worth right now, starting for Crowder. I don’t think sticks could do that. All stix is doing right now is putting up numbers on a bottom feeder in the east.

Let's not forget Stix was putting up numbers for the Suns too when he got playing time this season.

The idea is not only to win a championship now but extend the window as long as possible.

Crowder and Craig are on expiring contracts next season. Also McGee. Kaminsky and Biyombo are on expiring contracts this season.

 

[Muggz]

Let's not forget Stix was putting up numbers for the Suns too when he got playing time this season.

The idea is not only to win a championship now but extend the window as long as possible.

Crowder and Craig are on expiring contracts next season. Also McGee. Kaminsky and Biyombo are on expiring contracts this season.

The way Monte loves his players who's to say Stix doesn't come back someday all grown up.
He/they saw something in that kids work ethic the timing was just very bad. If we got Stix instead of Bender he may have worked his way into the rotation.
That and they mostly had him playing off position.
I hope he blows the heck up and prospers.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Let's not forget Stix was putting up numbers for the Suns too when he got playing time this season.

The idea is not only to win a championship now but extend the window as long as possible.

Crowder and Craig are on expiring contracts next season. Also McGee. Kaminsky and Biyombo are on expiring contracts this season.

Sigh. Winning a championship is the first thing. Extending the window comes second. This guy is 8-12 in our rotation for the foreseeable future even if he was here. Not going to sweat it this much. Championship now.

 

[Mainstreet]

The way Monte loves his players who's to say Stix doesn't come back someday all grown up.
He/they saw something in that kids work ethic the timing was just very bad. If we got Stix instead of Bender he may have worked his way into the rotation.
That and they mostly had him playing off position.
I hope he blows the heck up and prospers.

Yeah. I hope Jalen Smith prospers and I think he will.

 

[GatorAZ]

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@Russ Smith

That’s too many issues lingering from a simple meniscus repair. Bad sign for a 7ft behemoth.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sigh. Winning a championship is the first thing. Extending the window comes second. This guy is 8-12 in our rotation for the foreseeable future even if he was here. Not going to sweat it this much. Championship now.

There is no reason both tasks can't be accomplished at the same time.

I'm sure James Jones is always looking ahead to next season when he adds a player to the roster.

 

[JCSunsfan]

There is no reason both tasks can't be accomplished at the same time.

I'm sure James Jones is always looking ahead to next season when he adds a player to the roster.

Sure there is a reason. Craig gives us a better shot this year than Stix would have. I am absolutely convinced of that. You don't mess around when you are on the doorstep. You take your best option to win it now.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sure there is a reason. Craig gives us a better shot this year than Stix would have. I am absolutely convinced of that. You don't mess around when you are on the doorstep. You take your best option to win it now.

This was never just a Torrey Craig versus Jalen Smith decision. It's a series of decisions and it never had to be one or the other.

The Suns adding Landry Shamet was another decision.

As I'm sure you recall, the Suns let Torrey Craig walk as a free agent after last season.

 

[Chaplin]

This was never just a Torrey Craig versus Jalen Smith decision. It's a series of decisions and it never had to be one or the other.

The Suns adding Landry Shamet was another decision.

As I'm sure you recall, the Suns let Torrey Craig walk as a free agent after last season.

I get liking end of the bench players like you do, but you act like Jalen was an integral part of our future. And he wasn’t and never was.

You just keep repeating the same thing. He had 15 points and 8 rebounds vs the Detroit Pistons! Woohoo!

 

[Hoop Head]

I get liking end of the bench players like you do, but you act like Jalen was an integral part of our future. And he wasn’t and never was.

You just keep repeating the same thing. He had 15 points and 8 rebounds vs the Detroit Pistons! Woohoo!

Other than Jerami Grant and Cade Cunningham, I can't name a single player on the Pistons. I'm not sure how many board members could and I'd consider everyone who posts here a more serious NBA fan vs a casual viewer.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Porzingis is suddenly a good player the moment he gets away from a ball hog

 

[Russ Smith]

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@Russ Smith

That’s too many issues lingering from a simple meniscus repair. Bad sign for a 7ft behemoth.

Yeah I don't think he's going to play this year they're 12 games from end of season they will probably not bring him back during the playoffs. Concerning though

 

[Dback Jon]

LeBron passes Malone for #2 scorer all-time but loses

 

[Finito]

I get liking end of the bench players like you do, but you act like Jalen was an integral part of our future. And he wasn’t and never was.

You just keep repeating the same thing. He had 15 points and 8 rebounds vs the Detroit Pistons! Woohoo!

Well he had 15/9 against the Grizz. Are they good enough? 19/14 against the Clippers Are they good enough? 19/12 against Charlotte are they good enough? 19/7 against Boston are they good enough?

These are his games during the stretch when he got playing time
15/9
11/14
19/7
19/12
12/5
19/14

That’s pretty damn good.

Matter a fact these are his last few games with Indy

17/10
15/8
13/10

His March has been fantastic and if you can’t see his talent at this point that’s just you being a hater and crying about Halliburton. Jalen Smith is going to be a player

 

[Western Font]

I like seeing the Stix news. It’s much nicer to see him prosper and accept that it was a business/roster decision rather than schadenfreude. He seems like a good kid and that’s why the Suns drafted him.