Jalen Smith

[TJ]

Jones and Monty created this mess. Monty for not playing him last year to show his worth and Jones for drafting him ahead of Halliburton and subsequently declining his option.

I’m inclined to say trade Stix before the deadline to get something back, but I want to see how he performs in the rotation when Ayton and Jae come back to the starting lineup.

 

[Chaplin]

Jones and Monty created this mess. Monty for not playing him last year to show his worth and Jones for drafting him ahead of Halliburton and subsequently declining his option.

I’m inclined to say trade Stix before the deadline to get something back, but I want to see how he performs in the rotation when Ayton and Jae come back to the starting lineup.

We're the best team in the league, I'm sure what you are calling a mess is probably not what James Jones and Monty are calling it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Jones and Monty created this mess. Monty for not playing him last year to show his worth and Jones for drafting him ahead of Halliburton and subsequently declining his option.

I’m inclined to say trade Stix before the deadline to get something back, but I want to see how he performs in the rotation when Ayton and Jae come back to the starting lineup.

I'm not sure this is correct but it appears that any team that acquires him by trade is handcuffed as we are but that doesn't apply to teams pursuing him in free agency. If that's accurate, I think he has more value to us as part of a contending team than he does as a trade piece.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not sure this is correct but it appears that any team that acquires him by trade is handcuffed as we are but that doesn't apply to teams pursuing him in free agency. If that's accurate, I think he has more value to us as part of a contending team than he does as a trade piece.

Keep Stix and hope they can sign him to a contract this summer. I highly doubt the Suns are going to get a more useful piece in return.

The Suns needed help at power forward and here he is.

 

[Mainstreet]

If it were still Christmas and I wanted another gift, I'd want to find a way to keep Justin Jackson and maybe add a ball handler on a two-way contract.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm not sure this is correct but it appears that any team that acquires him by trade is handcuffed as we are but that doesn't apply to teams pursuing him in free agency. If that's accurate, I think he has more value to us as part of a contending team than he does as a trade piece.

Yes. We screwed up not getting his option -- and it's much more unfortunate than simply not having him in year 3. Even if we did trade him, we have hamstrung ourselves because any team we trade with will know that we would be desperate to get anything in return for him. And they will offer the worst they can because of that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Jones and Monty created this mess. Monty for not playing him last year to show his worth and Jones for drafting him ahead of Halliburton and subsequently declining his option.

I’m inclined to say trade Stix before the deadline to get something back, but I want to see how he performs in the rotation when Ayton and Jae come back to the starting lineup.

What team is going to trade for him? If they trade for that contract all they can offer him is the QO. If they wait until summer they can sign him for more. The better he plays, the less tradable he becomes. The best case scenario is for Ayton to come back and the rest of the NBA execs forget about him, or better yet just consider his numbers a result of CP3 making centers look good.

We won't keep him if he is not in the regular rotation regardless. This is a great story right now, but Stix has to beat out one of Crowder or CamJ for a pf spot, or one of Ayton or JaVale for a center spot. Otherwise I think he bolts for a team that will guarantee him quality minutes. I just don't see that happening regardless of where the money is. I like the kid. I wish we could keep him, but this team is really deep.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yes. We screwed up not getting his option -- and it's much more unfortunate than simply not having him in year 3. Even if we did trade him, we have hamstrung ourselves because any team we trade with will know that we would be desperate to get anything in return for him. And they will offer the worst they can because of that.

It's not just that we'd be desparate to get anything for him, any team interested in him knows they are better off waiting to sign him in free agency.

At this point, I think it's safe to say that the only teams that might be interested in him are contending teams that need help at the 4 or 5 for this season only. Since we have him and we fit that description, it makes sense to just view him as a rental for this season only. If he surprises us and decides to stay, great, but that's not likely especially if he continues to show growth.

 

[Mainstreet]

What team is going to trade for him? If they trade for that contract all they can offer him is the QO. If they wait until summer they can sign him for more. The better he plays, the less tradable he becomes. The best case scenario is for Ayton to come back and the rest of the NBA execs forget about him, or better yet just consider his numbers a result of CP3 making centers look good.

We won't keep him if he is not in the regular rotation regardless. This is a great story right now, but Stix has to beat out one of Crowder or CamJ for a pf spot, or one of Ayton or JaVale for a center spot. Otherwise I think he bolts for a team that will guarantee him quality minutes. I just don't see that happening regardless of where the money is. I like the kid. I wish we could keep him, but this team is really deep.

The only player Stix has to beat out is Abdel Nader and he has done that many times over. Suns need to carry at least 4 forwards.

The problem is Nader occupies a roster spot.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The only player Stix has to beat out is Abdel Nader and he has done that many times over. Suns need to carry at least 4 forwards.

The problem is Nader occupies a roster spot.

We could pay to have him kidnapped then appeal to the league to allow us to fill the slot? Or we could just sit around and hope for an alien abduction but the odds on that have to be at least 3 to 1 against so I think going proactive is the better option.

 

[Mainstreet]

We could pay to have him kidnapped then appeal to the league to allow us to fill the slot? Or we could just sit around and hope for an alien abduction but the odds on that have to be at least 3 to 1 against so I think going proactive is the better option.

Someone suggested waiving him. I'm good with that or the Suns could attach a second round pick and send him on his way.

I do like what I have seen of Justin Jackson. Of course some of that is I liked him when he played for North Carolina.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The only player Stix has to beat out is Abdel Nader and he has done that many times over. Suns need to carry at least 4 forwards.

The problem is Nader occupies a roster spot.

I am not talking about whether the Suns choose to carry him or not. It is about his CHOOSING to stay or not. The young man is going to want to leave if we cannot guarantee him at least second string minutes. It's about a young player's career trajectory. His agent will advise him to move on.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Someone suggested waiving him. I'm good with that or the Suns could attach a second round pick and send him on his way.

I do like what I have seen of Justin Jackson. Of course some of that is I liked him when he played for North Carolina.

Its kinda funny. Most everyone looks good on this team right now. The ball moves. Even the players that many are griping about--like Payne and Shamet--are looking good if you are a fan of another team.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am not talking about whether the Suns choose to carry him or not. It is about his CHOOSING to stay or not. The young man is going to want to leave if we cannot guarantee him at least second string minutes. It's about a young player's career trajectory. His agent will advise him to move on.

The Suns need another forward to replace Nader who previously was playing so I don't see the problem unlerss Stix wants to start.

It allows Cam Johnson to play the 3 in a reserve role.

Jae Crowder and Dario Saric are on expiring contracts next season. The Suns can find a spot in the rotation for him especially next season.

 

[Mainstreet]

Its kinda funny. Most everyone looks good on this team right now. The ball moves. Even the players that many are griping about--like Payne and Shamet--are looking good if you are a fan of another team.

A lot of talk about trades has faded into the background because of the addition of Biyombo and the maturing of Stix.

Suns don't really need to add a player. It's more about tweaking the roster to add depth.

I could be happy with finding a way to keep Justin Jackson and adding another ball handler on a two-way contract.

 

[JCSunsfan]

The Suns need another forward to replace Nader who previously was playing so I don't see the problem unlerss Stix wants to start.

It allows Cam Johnson to play the 3 in a reserve role.

Jae Crowder and Dario Saric are on expiring contracts next season. The Suns can find a spot in the rotation for him especially next season.

Do you really think reducing Cam Johnson's role for the sake of Stix is wise? Cam is flourishing in the combo forward role. We have an embarrassment of riches right now, and it is not going to be easy to manage.

 

[Yuma]

I certainly don't know the Larry C00n FAQ at all. I know we have Stix right now. I know we declined his option and cannot sign him for MORE money than the option was for. Chances are we would not be looking at that type of money anyway. So from my limited guessing, I am thinking we could resign him during or just after the season as long as it's for less money. I assume we could offer more in year 2-3 of any contract, with a team option, as long as we don't go over the money during the option period. His agent may tell him to go elsewhere, but if he is succeeding here, as mentioned by many that Chris Paul is helping him, the argument could be made it's in his best interest to stay and develop more aside Chris Paul.

 

[Yuma]

Do you really think reducing Cam Johnson's role for the sake of Stix is wise? Cam is flourishing in the combo forward role. We have an embarrassment of riches right now, and it is not going to be easy to manage.

I am hoping we are witnessing the b blossoming of a player into an upper echelon type player in Cam Johnson. He's not ready to lead an offense for sure, but he's becoming a top shooter and scorer. If that development continues he could be in that top second player role like a Klay Thompson type guy.

 

[Mainstreet]

Do you really think reducing Cam Johnson's role for the sake of Stix is wise? Cam is flourishing in the combo forward role. We have an embarrassment of riches right now, and it is not going to be easy to manage.

I'm not saying that at all. I'm talking about how Stix frees Cam Johnson to be more versatile. He could even play some shooting guard if necessary.

Cam Johnson can do a lot of things which will be very important in the playoffs.

 

[Yuma]

I'm not saying that all. I'm talking about how Stix frees Cam Johnson to be more versatile. He could even play some shooting guard if necessary.

Cam Johnson can do a lot of things which will be very important in the playoffs.

I noticed Stix did use his gravity and screens to open up guys. I don't know if he did it purposefully, but he was really effective doing that last night in particular.

 

[Raindog]

The Suns smartest plan would be to obviously get Ayton/Cam J. extended ASAP, move on from Crowder/Saric in the off-season, see if they can get at least two of McGee/Biyombo/Stix to come back, and then look at whatever reasonable options are available to fill the rest of the end of the bench. That team will have legit prospects of a championship run at least the next couple seasons.

Pulling all of those pieces together isn't guaranteed or necessarily easy, but far from impossible either. Of course, the continued awful presence of Sarver as owner is the wild card. Guaranteed he will stick his nose in and screw it up if we aren't rid of him.

 

[Mainstreet]

I noticed Stix did use his gravity and screens to open up guys. I don't know if he did it purposefully, but he was really effective doing that last night in particular.

It was purposeful. There was even some video where Stix talks about if he sets a screen for Chris Paul it opens up everything.

 

[GatorAZ]

Why would Stix or his agent want to come back? He could go to a young rebuilding team and probably start somewhere. Fact of the matter is we blew a top-10 pick likely fearing luxury tax costs.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns smartest plan would be to obviously get Ayton/Cam J. extended ASAP, move on from Crowder/Saric in the off-season, see if they can get at least two of McGee/Biyombo/Stix to come back, and then look at whatever reasonable options are available to fill the rest of the end of the bench. That team will have legit prospects of a championship run at least the next couple seasons.

Pulling all of those pieces together isn't guaranteed or necessarily easy, but far from impossible either. Of course, the continued awful presence of Sarver as owner is the wild card. Guaranteed he will stick his nose in and screw it up if we aren't rid of him.

It will be interesting to see how the roster plays out next season.

I'd like to keep Crowder if possible. His defense and leadership is very underrated.

 

[Mainstreet]

Why would Stix or his agent want to come back? He could go to a young rebuilding team and probably start somewhere. Fact of the matter is we blew a top-10 pick likely fearing luxury tax costs.

The biggest reason for Stix to return is Chris Paul and the special camaraderie of the team.

Suns would have to clearly define a role for him that he would like. Maybe a 2 year contract works with a player option for the second season?