Are The Suns Cursed? Book it!

[Cheesebeef]

What if the Suns had put some of their effort into replacing Chris Paul and adding another big man. Even the Ayton trade would look better now.

The Durant trade subtracted assets from the team.

Because replacing a HOF PG just happens easy peasy…

 

[Cheesebeef]

I am with you on the assets. However, minus KD? They are way further away with getting some journeyman PG and PF. That would not have put them over the top.

They’d be a slightly better version of the New Jersey Nets… which is probably still worse than the monstrosity that’s on the court now.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am with you on the assets. However, minus KD? They are way further away with getting some journeyman PG and PF. That would not have put them over the top.

Look at the Suns roster after they traded for Durant and the future doesn't look promising either.

 

[Covert Rain]

Look at the Suns roster after they traded for Durant and the future doesn't look promising either.

I am not disputing that. Only that this team was going nowhere before that.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am not disputing that. Only that this team was going nowhere before that.

Where we differ, I saw the Suns building upon the foundation they had prior to the Durant trade. It's not like the Suns shouldn't have improved the team.

The problem is now, the Suns have few assets to do so and are hindered by the restrictions of the new CBA.

 

[CardNots]

Where we differ, I saw the Suns building upon the foundation they had prior to the Durant trade. It's not like the Suns shouldn't have improved the team.

The problem is now, the Suns have few assets to do so and are hindered by the restrictions of the new CBA.

One cannot argue with the premise of your statement. What I want to point out, over the last few years poor decisions have been made.

I don’t see how that has been fixed.

With those assets how does better decisions get made?

Before we had an owner/GM/coach problem. Now we have a GM/coach problem.

 

[Mainstreet]

One cannot argue with the premise of your statement. What I want to point out, over the last few years poor decisions have been made.

I don’t see how that has been fixed.

With those assets how does better decisions get made?

Before we had an owner/GM/coach problem. Now we have a GM/coach problem.

That's a flaw, no matter how one looks at it. Only the owner can fix a coach and GM problem.

 

[CardNots]

I was thinking the timberwolves are confident they can win one game of 4 remaining. Maybe they want to win this series at home. Our only hope is they take the foot off the gas.

Unfortunately they are a veteran team who is unlikely to coast a game

 

[Covert Rain]

Where we differ, I saw the Suns building upon the foundation they had prior to the Durant trade. It's not like the Suns shouldn't have improved the team.

The problem is now, the Suns have few assets to do so and are hindered by the restrictions of the new CBA.

The team peaked when we went to the finals. The team regressed in so many facets. That team and this team still needs someone better than Booker.

 

[Mainstreet]

The team peaked when we went to the finals. The team regressed in so many facets. That team not this team still needs someone better than Booker.

Too bad the Suns didn't get a younger Chris Paul.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Well i agree with you on this years version of Booker - the one from the 2 years prior was ascending and seemed to give a crap, but something has changed.

With all that said he is athletically limited to only be able to get so good, and when he was at his best last year that was pretty much it I think.

i agree. I thought the first few weeks of the season he seemed poised for the next level. But then it was like CP3's good influence wore off. And his demeanor changed. He used to get visibly hot-headed. Now he kind of mockingly laughs things off a bit like Luca. It's like he's on mood meds.

Then Beal added to our weaknesses. Beal and Book not only play the same position, they also share bad decision making. Last night was a classic example. Book had a great game -- offensively. But in the 4th he started forcing some shots (which got blocked) and started fouling. Beal fouled out. Neither knows how to channel their exuberance into smart basketball. Beal kicks up his defense by reaching for steals and, more often, it frees the shooter (we lost 2 games in the last seconds because of his reaching. Curry's buzzer beater was one).

again. Worst 4th quarter team. Even though Suns were hot last night. T-wolves were hot too. The smart team won.

the real shame is that a strong coach could fix some of Booker and Beal's problems. And Durant's problem too. Stands around too much.

 

[mjb21aztd]

Yuppers cards suns both cursed in terms of champuonships

 

[Bufalay]

I think its worth noting that the consensus after last year's playoffs was that Minnesota's trade for Gobert was the worst trade ever.

With some time together that team seems to have figured stuff out and that trade doesn't look so bad.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think its worth noting that the consensus after last year's playoffs was that Minnesota's trade for Gobert was the worst trade ever.

With some time together that team seems to have figured stuff out and that trade doesn't look so bad.

I’ve thought about this too, but they lalso had a rising star like Ant-Man who leveled up this season and had some young talent take big steps this year also.

We don’t have that guy who’s still rising and can level up to Top 5 player in the game which really helped changed the dynamic of that squad.

 

[1tinsoldier]

just listened to a half hour of Gambo -- the company guy. Points the finger at everything but the coach and the team's super max player. He never misses an opportunity to call it "Booker's team" until each occurrence of them being humiliated. Gambo is going with the old "size" and "roster" excuses. It's the brain of the Suns that sucks, not their size. They need to either replace Booker with a real floor leader or replace the coach with someone who calls the shots, roles and plays instead of letting the stars dictate. That only worked when the Sun's had a Chris Paul or Steve Nash or Jason Kidd on the court. Or, to a little lesser degree, a Kevin Johnson or Charles Barkley. Hell, even Marbury was a better floor leader.

same goes for any sport. It takes more brains than brawn. If you watched Caitlin Clark this year, you saw that it's her bb iq that makes her a great player.

 

[Bufalay]

I’ve thought about this too, but they lalso had a rising star like Ant-Man who leveled up this season and had some young talent take big steps this year also.

We don’t have that guy who’s still rising and can level up to Top 5 player in the game which really helped changed the dynamic of that squad.

It's unlikely but Booker could still improve his consistency.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It's unlikely but Booker could still improve his consistency.

True, but his consistency still won’t reach the level of consistency from the other Alphas in the league simply because he can’t match their athleticism or the once in a generation unicornism Jokic has, which is what puts them and their teams over the top

 

[1tinsoldier]

sure, Book could improve his offensive consistency, but he did do that in game 4. It prevented us from being blown out for the 4th straight game, but we still lost -- at home. He just doesn't have the instincts or intellect to be a consistent LEADER, DEFENSIVE PLAYER, or DECISION MAKER. As such, he does not inspire his teammates or bring out the best in them.

this is the 3rd straight season our hopes have ended in humiliation, despite the Suns changing all the coaches and players around him. It's time to get away from Booker ball and get back to Suns ball. He could use a fresh start somewhere else and so could we.

his legacy will be similar to a Westbrook, Carmello, Iverson, etc.. I suppose that would be ok for some fans. But not in a city that's already gone 54 years without a championship.
and i wouldn't add Barkley to that list. He was smarter than them. He was inspiring. He lead. He could play defense in crunch-time and play better when mad. His problem was more related to Michael Jordan.

Nash was as smart as a player gets. He deserved a ring. His Suns team's were cursed with bad luck (injuries, suspensions), not flaws.