Hope for a James Jones GM tenure (Trevor Buckstein)

Folster

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I was listening to the latest Timeline podcast and they had Dave King on as a guest.

One thing that he brought up was Bukstein's contribution to the prior front office. We all know that he is the cap and contract guy, but apparently he was also the architect behind the original Bledsoe trade in which we fleeced the Clippers.

If Bukstein was the man behind many of the successful moves, it may explain Sarver's decision to axe McD. After all McD's supposed strength of talent evaluation was not holding up to time.

It remains to be seen how the combo of Jones and Bukstein will do with talent evaluation, but hopefully elevating Bukstein is the bigger story behind the headline.
 
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sunsfan88

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I’m guessing you mean James Jones, not James Johnson, yes?

Johnson is still a current player in the NBA.
 

JCSunsfan

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Am I right in observing that the correct spelling of Bukstein has no "c" in it?
 
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Folster

Folster

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Let's just close this down. I was in a hurry and it probably doesn't deserve it's own thread. My apologies.
 

AzStevenCal

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Let's just close this down. I was in a hurry and it probably doesn't deserve it's own thread. My apologies.

I don't know, it sounds like a valid topic to me. It's interesting that Amin, a notorious Sarver hater, raves about Bukstein.
 

Cheesebeef

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my only hope is that we hit a bullseye blindfolded. but, willing to give the guys a shot.
 

Mainstreet

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@Folster

I think this thread is worthwhile. We will probably be coming back to it quite often.
 

Yuma

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Basically most GMs I have read about operate like this. The GM evaluates the talent, is supposed to work with Coaches, scouts, and put together the best team possible. Behind every great GM is a guy like Bukstein. A guy who works the numbers, etc. Sounds like this guy might be a bit more than just numbers and compensations. It actually makes sense to me that Sarver may want to go ex-nba player for talent evaluation, and being able to talk to players, free agents, etc. He actually knows the lifestyle from a player's perspective.
 

JCSunsfan

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Basically most GMs I have read about operate like this. The GM evaluates the talent, is supposed to work with Coaches, scouts, and put together the best team possible. Behind every great GM is a guy like Bukstein. A guy who works the numbers, etc. Sounds like this guy might be a bit more than just numbers and compensations. It actually makes sense to me that Sarver may want to go ex-nba player for talent evaluation, and being able to talk to players, free agents, etc. He actually knows the lifestyle from a player's perspective.
I think he just wants a guy that players—especially free agents—like and trust. Hire a guy who has strengths where you (the owner) has weaknesses.
 

Mainstreet

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In addition to Jones and Buckstein, the Suns need national and international scouts. The previous scouting seemed less than adequate unless circumvented.
 

Cheesebeef

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I think he just wants a guy that players—especially free agents—like and trust. Hire a guy who has strengths where you (the owner) has weaknesses.

Players might trust James Jones the person... but I just don't know how much they trust Jones the GM to know how to build a winner and if money is all the same, that will matter more than anything with a marquee FA if that's what we hope to sign next year.
 

Phrazbit

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Players might trust James Jones the person... but I just don't know how much they trust Jones the GM to know how to build a winner and if money is all the same, that will matter more than anything with a marquee FA if that's what we hope to sign next year.

IMO, landing the BIG time free agents is about who you have on the roster already and the tier after that comes down to if you're willing to pay top dollar... or maybe the coaching staff. The only way a clear max contract player with multiple suitors will consider us is if Booker and Ayton look like the future of the league, and if that is the case then all the GM will need is a checkbook. If we're still a struggling team with "potential" and a roster like swiss cheese, then the only big names we will get are the ones we have to outbid others for.

GM savvy pays of in trades and drafting... and not blowing tons of money on a bad free agent.
 

JCSunsfan

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Players might trust James Jones the person... but I just don't know how much they trust Jones the GM to know how to build a winner and if money is all the same, that will matter more than anything with a marquee FA if that's what we hope to sign next year.
I don’t know either. What I do know is that there was a general distrust of McD.
 

Phrazbit

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I don’t know either. What I do know is that there was a general distrust of McD.

Yeah... this is true. While I think the role of a GM in recruiting a marquee free agent is minuscule in comparison to the importance of the players already on the roster, McD's habit of being loathed by former Suns is probably known league wide.
 

Yuma

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Players might trust James Jones the person... but I just don't know how much they trust Jones the GM to know how to build a winner and if money is all the same, that will matter more than anything with a marquee FA if that's what we hope to sign next year.
I think Booker and Ayton will have more to do with that than James Jones. We get two dynamos going and building excitement, it would really help us. Especially if any of our young guys start making it look like the bench is a plus, too!
 
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