Gambo: Suns are targeting Harrison Barnes, Al Horford & Nic Batum in free agency

[sunsfan88]

The Suns have always been tight-lipped about their free agent targets, except for the top-of-market guys. No one had a clue last summer about Tyson Chandler until after he was already signed. And frankly, few of us had them going hard after LaMarcus Aldridge.

The first rumors of the year were posed by John Gambodoro on his radio show last Friday.

Gambo says the Suns are targeting Nic Batum, Harrison Barnes and Al Horford. All of them fit the same mold: two way players who make a difference in multiple ways on a game.

This shows the Suns still want to win games in 2016-17 and still believe that the right mix of kids and veterans can win big while developing young players.

Oh well.

Barnes is still only 22 years old, and still has not entered his prime. He's a key cog on a championship level team who can play both power forward and small forward, and play good defense in both positions. But really, would Barnes move the needle on the Suns win total that much? And if he doesn't raise the Suns competitive level, do we want to see Harrison Barnes making TWICE what Brandon Knight makes?

Horford and Batum are veterans the Suns have coveted for a decade, and who would bring some fun and excitement back to the team in spades.

But do we really want to see Horford in a Suns uni in 2016-17, which makes the playoffs a necessity to justify his contract? If you sign Horford, you go all in on 2016-17 being a competitive season. You keep Chandler which stunts Alex Len's growth. You limit the playing time opportunity for T.J. Warren because you know P.J. Tucker will be getting a lot of minutes. You continue the push for developing AND winning at the same time. We know that hasn't worked well the last three years.

Batum would be a fun signing. He'd replace Tucker on the roster, which still allows the Suns to give all the minutes they want to kids at his position (Warren) and others. While Batum could command the same salary as Horford and Conley, he most certainly won't garner that kind of contract. He'd likely command a Chandler/Bledsoe/Knight level contract instead, which would be more palatable.

Have at it, Suns fans...

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2...rgeting-big-name-free-agents-again-per-report

Yea I'm not a fan of signing Barnes or Horford either. I used to be a big Horford fan but he's regressed and now all Hawks fans complain about him being so soft and settling for long jumpers and even 3s rather than banging inside which used to be his thing. Plus I don't think Horford could play PF in today's NBA being so much about mobility and versatility and we're already paying Chandler a crap ton of money to be C plus we have the former top 5 overall pick in Len as well.

Batum could be interesting but he is very injury prone and the Suns, despite having the best training staff in the league, haven't had any luck with injuries in recent years so not sure that's such a good idea either.

Preferably, I would rather them dump Knight and go after Millsap for the PF spot and then stay pat. If they don't get Millsap, then just dump Knight and stay PAT. Of course even the Millsap thing for me would depend on how the draft goes.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

Is there any indication Millsap would be available? I assume Atlanta looks at him as pretty much off-limits. I certainly don't think he would be available for anything less than Booker or a top 2 overall pick, and I wouldn't want to pay that.

 

[sunsfan88]

Whoops, for some reason I thought Millsap would hit free agency again this year. My bad yea, never mind about him then.

 

[Mainstreet]

Is there any indication Millsap would be available? I assume Atlanta looks at him as pretty much off-limits. I certainly don't think he would be available for anything less than Booker or a top 2 overall pick, and I wouldn't want to pay that.

I have always liked Paul Millsap but I would never trade a likely star in Devin Booker for him. Millsap is 31 and Devin Booker is 19. Also Millsap has a player option in 2017/18.

 

[Phrazbit]

Gambo has been caught off guard by every move the suns have made since McD got hired, I would guess this is all him talking out his ass.

 

[leclerc]

Dump Knight. Sign Millsap. Agreed. Do not throw too much money after Batum. Not interested in Horford or Barnes.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Dump Knight.

Won't happen.

Sign Millsap.

Can't happen (until 2018).

Do not throw too much money after Batum.

Probably won't happen.

Not interested in Horford or Barnes.

Me either unless they come far cheaper than rumored.

 

[elindholm]

If the Warriors come back against the Thunder, I'll bet that Ibaka could be had (via trade). Waiters is a RFA this summer, Adams is due for an extension in 2017, and if they keep Durant and Westbrook, they're looking at a huge salary load. (Kanter is already making megabucks.) They're already huge luxury tax payers, and Ibaka is looking like the odd man out as they plan for the next few years.

Whether the Suns would want Ibaka is another question. He's a "stretch four," I guess, but he seems to have a bit less of an impact every year -- not exactly a good trend for a player who's only 26.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I think Barnes is interesting. I wonder what kind of player he would be with more of lead role. I don't think I would break the bank for him. You can only do that for a few players and I am not sure Barnes is one of them.

I am with you all on Horford. Seems to be on the downward slope of his career. If the Suns were closer to really competing I would consider him, but not for this team.

I have really never been a Batum fan, not sure why.

 

[leclerc]

Batum maybe fills in some nice stat sheets but he's never been the reason we've lost to his teams if my memory serves me right.

Right now we need 4, 3 and backup 1 (when Knight gets traded and Eric gets injured).

 

[JCSunsfan]

Of those players--Batum, Horford, Barnes--Barnes is the only one that yet has potential to develop into a star, IMO. But I am not really more optimistic about him doing it than TJ (ok, maybe a little more).

I think the Suns need to pursue CLEARLY better players than what we have, not just barely better players.

 

[GatorAZ]

Definitely sounds like something Sarver would do. He's shown to be impatient.

 

[sunsfan88]

If the Warriors come back against the Thunder, I'll bet that Ibaka could be had (via trade). Waiters is a RFA this summer, Adams is due for an extension in 2017, and if they keep Durant and Westbrook, they're looking at a huge salary load. (Kanter is already making megabucks.) They're already huge luxury tax payers, and Ibaka is looking like the odd man out as they plan for the next few years.

Whether the Suns would want Ibaka is another question. He's a "stretch four," I guess, but he seems to have a bit less of an impact every year -- not exactly a good trend for a player who's only 26.

There's been many reports that Ibaka is older than he actually claims.

 

[Ronin]

Harrison Barnes?

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[hsandhu]

After the 2013 playoffs, harrison barnes looked like the next sean elliott.

He has been very disappointing this season, if he left the warriors, they would barely notice.

 

[Sunburn]

Uninspiring draft class and an uninspiring free agent class. This summer is not likely to move the needle for anyone but those teams that are missing one or two complementary pieces. Yawn.

 

[SweetD]

No to Batum!

Barnes maybe but I think he is going to get way to much and not that great of a shooter.

Also could be a nice option at 4. Something close to Chandler's deal +3-5Mill

 

[sunsfan88]

Dump Knight.

Won't happen.

Maybe, but it should happen.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Maybe, but it should happen.

When 99% of the fan base wants a guy shipped out, there's very little chance anyone else is going to want him shipped in. Fans don't run teams but there's a reason we want him gone and unless that reason changes, no else is likely to want him either. JMO.

 

[Chaplin]

When 99% of a fan message board wants a guy shipped out, there's very little chance anyone else is going to want him shipped in. Fans don't run teams but there's a reason we want him gone and unless that reason changes, no else is likely to want him either. JMO.

FTFY

Our biggest mistake is thinking that we represent the entire Phoenix Suns fanbase.

 

[AzStevenCal]

FTFY

Our biggest mistake is thinking that we represent the entire Phoenix Suns fanbase.

I don't know about "biggest" but I agree, we all too often assume that our opinion is mirrored throughout the fanbase. But I've heard the same "get rid of that bum" kind of comments from the casual fans I've talked to too. And my point is exactly the same even with the change you made so I'm okay with the rewrite.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

For what it's worth, I heard Chris Mannix of SI.com as a guest on local radio the other day. He was talking about the Suns picking at 4, the guards available, and how they could be looking to trade Knight or Bledsoe.

Interestingly enough, they asked him who had more value on the market, Bledsoe or Knight, and he said Knight. He didn't say it as a knock to Bledsoe, but instead emphasized that people around the league remember what Knight did for the Bucks, and how much they fell apart after he left.

Personally, I don't hold Knight in high regard, but this encouraged me in the notion that others might.

 

[elindholm]

Our biggest mistake is thinking that we represent the entire Phoenix Suns fanbase.

That's funny, I'd say that our biggest mistake is out-of-the-blue hyperbole.

 

[Mainstreet]

For what it's worth, I heard Chris Mannix of SI.com as a guest on local radio the other day. He was talking about the Suns picking at 4, the guards available, and how they could be looking to trade Knight or Bledsoe.

Interestingly enough, they asked him who had more value on the market, Bledsoe or Knight, and he said Knight. He didn't say it as a knock to Bledsoe, but instead emphasized that people around the league remember what Knight did for the Bucks, and how much they fell apart after he left.

Personally, I don't hold Knight in high regard, but this encouraged me in the notion that others might.

I do not think the Suns would have difficulty trading Knight for reasons noted above. The trick is getting near value in return. However, McDonough traded Markieff Morris which (IMO) was a more difficult trade.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I'm still amazed we got real value for Markieff. By the end of that whole situation, I would have been content sending him out for just Blair and Humphries (aka nothing). If the 13th pick turns out to be a player, that trade was pure magic.

I don't think we could get a ton for Knight, but I bet we could get something of value. If I thought he'd be happy as a 6th man, he would be perfect. But starting point guards are like quarterbacks. You don't just need a good one; you need the RIGHT one. And I hate how Knight plays. For that reason, I want him gone.

(In full disclosure, I used the same reasoning when I wanted Thomas gone, and stand by it. Though I obviously wish we had gotten far more value in return.)