Jalen Smith

[Chaplin]

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?

If the unlikely scenario exists where he was willing to come back for the 4.7m, then it will 99% be a one-year deal. Then after that we can sign him to a bigger one. He won't sign a 2 year for 4.7 per. At least, if I was his agent I would absolutely tell him not to do that.

 

[Mainstreet]

If the unlikely scenario exists where he was willing to come back for the 4.7m, then it will 99% be a one-year deal. Then after that we can sign him to a bigger one. He won't sign a 2 year for 4.7 per. At least, if I was his agent I would absolutely tell him not to do that.

Whatever works if Jalen agrees to come back.

 

[GatorAZ]

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?

“We made you the first lotto pick since Joe Alexander to have his 3rd year option declined but still want you to come back for less money as a role player because of camaraderie”.

Good luck in Houston, Stix.

 

[Chaplin]

“We made you the first lotto pick since Joe Alexander to have his 3rd year option declined but still want you to come back for less money as a role player because of camaraderie”.

Good luck in Houston, Stix.

If he does agree to come back next year at 4.7m, wouldn't that be the same as if we did pick up his option? How is it less money?

 

[GatorAZ]

If he does agree to come back next year at 4.7m, wouldn't that be the same as if we did pick up his option? How is it less money?

Just how rare is Phoenix declining Jalen Smith’s third-year option?

Looking at the league’s draft history, it’s rare for a team to decline a lottery pick’s third year... besides for one franchise.

www.brightsideofthesun.com

You’re right for some reason I thought it was over $5m. I suppose in terms of giving him the playing time to showcase himself next year the Suns did him a favor.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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.

Kind of. Right now we are seeing a lot of minutes for to the Jackson’s, ish wainwright’s, elfrid’s, and when he’s back, shamets. Those minutes are all up for grabs when everyone is back. There’s no need to play Elfrid or even shamet for example, if you can slide Bridges into the two guard slot, cam into the stix as backup pf- if he can hit the 3.

Think like this . . . 48 mins at every position:

PG: Paul 32; payne 16
Sg: Booker 35; Bridges 13
Sf: Bridges 22; cam 26
Pf: Crowder 30; stix 15; cam 3
C: Ayton 32; mcgee 16

That leaves he following totals:
Paul - 32
Booker - 35
Bridges - 35
Crowder - 30
Ayton - 32
Payne - 16
Cam - 29
Stix - 15
Mcgee - 16

That should allow this team to be fresh, play big, and get our best players on the court the most. On any given night you use shamet or biyombo where needed.

 

[Chaplin]

Kind of. Right now we are seeing a lot of minutes for to the Jackson’s, ish wainwright’s, elfrid’s, and when he’s back, shamets. Those minutes are all up for grabs when everyone is back. There’s no need to play Elfrid or even shamet for example, if you can slide Bridges into the two guard slot, cam into the stix as backup pf- if he can hit the 3.

Think like this . . . 48 mins at every position:

PG: Paul 32; payne 16
Sg: Booker 35; Bridges 13
Sf: Bridges 22; cam 26
Pf: Crowder 30; stix 15; cam 3
C: Ayton 32; mcgee 16

That leaves he following totals:
Paul - 32
Booker - 35
Bridges - 35
Crowder - 30
Ayton - 32
Payne - 16
Cam - 29
Stix - 15
Mcgee - 16

That should allow this team to be fresh, play big, and get our best players on the court the most. On any given night you use shamet or biyombo where needed.

Bridges at SG doesn't inspire a lot of confidence considering his utter lack of offense on most nights. Shamet will not lose minutes, that is almost guaranteed. Monty loves the guy and we're paying him a lot of money.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Kind of. Right now we are seeing a lot of minutes for to the Jackson’s, ish wainwright’s, elfrid’s, and when he’s back, shamets. Those minutes are all up for grabs when everyone is back. There’s no need to play Elfrid or even shamet for example, if you can slide Bridges into the two guard slot, cam into the stix as backup pf- if he can hit the 3.

Think like this . . . 48 mins at every position:

PG: Paul 32; payne 16
Sg: Booker 35; Bridges 13
Sf: Bridges 22; cam 26
Pf: Crowder 30; stix 15; cam 3
C: Ayton 32; mcgee 16

That leaves he following totals:
Paul - 32
Booker - 35
Bridges - 35
Crowder - 30
Ayton - 32
Payne - 16
Cam - 29
Stix - 15
Mcgee - 16

That should allow this team to be fresh, play big, and get our best players on the court the most. On any given night you use shamet or biyombo where needed.

I actually think that your distribution of minutes is pretty much on the money. Do you think getting 15 minutes a game would be enough incentive for Stix to decide to stay here?

 

[82CardsGrad]

Kind of. Right now we are seeing a lot of minutes for to the Jackson’s, ish wainwright’s, elfrid’s, and when he’s back, shamets. Those minutes are all up for grabs when everyone is back. There’s no need to play Elfrid or even shamet for example, if you can slide Bridges into the two guard slot, cam into the stix as backup pf- if he can hit the 3.

Think like this . . . 48 mins at every position:

PG: Paul 32; payne 16
Sg: Booker 35; Bridges 13
Sf: Bridges 22; cam 26
Pf: Crowder 30; stix 15; cam 3
C: Ayton 32; mcgee 16

That leaves he following totals:
Paul - 32
Booker - 35
Bridges - 35
Crowder - 30
Ayton - 32
Payne - 16
Cam - 29
Stix - 15
Mcgee - 16

That should allow this team to be fresh, play big, and get our best players on the court the most. On any given night you use shamet or biyombo where needed.

Agreed, with the possible exception of lowering the mins for Crowder and upping the mins for Stix.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Agreed, with the possible exception of lowering the mins for Crowder and upping the mins for Stix.

I could see Stix eventually becoming a long-term replacement for Stix, but not right now. This is our championship window now. You want an experienced, smart, competitive player on the floor for that title run.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I actually think that your distribution of minutes is pretty much on the money. Do you think getting 15 minutes a game would be enough incentive for Stix to decide to stay here?

Not if there’s a healthy contract on the table. And I can’t blame him. Who knows what happens with injury and he’s only looking at 2yeRs of a rookie deal getting paid. That of course is INCREDIBLE money. But a four or five year deal is set for multiple lifetimes money and generational wealth.

 

[Chaplin]

Not if there’s a healthy contract on the table. And I can’t blame him. Who knows what happens with injury and he’s only looking at 2yeRs of a rookie deal getting paid. That of course is INCREDIBLE money. But a four or five year deal is set for multiple lifetimes money and generational wealth.

You think he's earned a 4 or 5 year deal? I definitely do not. I think he has at most so far earned possibly a 2-year 10m but no more than that.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You think he's earned a 4 or 5 year deal? I definitely do not. I think he has at most so far earned possibly a 2-year 10m but no more than that.

No, but that doesn’t mean teams with cash won’t make a bigger offer, especially if he keeps showing this level of play in the more limited minutes he can still get on the court with all the guys back.

 

[Phrazbit]

If Stix were a free agent today he would be priced well out of our reach. I think we are not just limited to 4.7 mil but also to one year. I bet someone will offer him a 3 year deal for 8 mil plus per year.

Maybe through some 'wink wink' we can convince him that we'd pay up after next season but if another team is offering more money and a likely starting position then I don't see how we can convince him to stay.

Once we're healthy and the majority of his minutes are at the 4 again it will be interesting to see how he does. For us to even have the minutes for him to thrive he needs to succeed there.

 

[JCSunsfan]

You think he's earned a 4 or 5 year deal? I definitely do not. I think he has at most so far earned possibly a 2-year 10m but no more than that.

Of course not. The question is whether other teams would be willing to roll the dice on him. He would be a free #10 pick that is giving a glimpse that he is worthy of that position. A team that is rebuilding and has cap room might throw a $20 million three-year deal at him. Based upon where he is now in his career, it would be unwise for him to pass that up.

The things going against him are that this is a very small sample size, and all the Suns big men look good with CP3. Also, centers are not as highly valued in today's league. If his 3 point shot really starts to look good and teams really believe they can project him as 4, then things change.

 

[Muggz]

If DA is not careful he may have to give that ugly Domin atrix jacket to Stix.

 

[Proximo]

Jalen might come back for one year if he feels good about it here. If he is angry about the option not being picked up, or money or a lot of playing time is his main concerns than probably not.

I don't know how he is thinking, so either is posible.

 

[Proximo]

Kind of. Right now we are seeing a lot of minutes for to the Jackson’s, ish wainwright’s, elfrid’s, and when he’s back, shamets. Those minutes are all up for grabs when everyone is back. There’s no need to play Elfrid or even shamet for example, if you can slide Bridges into the two guard slot, cam into the stix as backup pf- if he can hit the 3.

Think like this . . . 48 mins at every position:

PG: Paul 32; payne 16
Sg: Booker 35; Bridges 13
Sf: Bridges 22; cam 26
Pf: Crowder 30; stix 15; cam 3
C: Ayton 32; mcgee 16

That leaves he following totals:
Paul - 32
Booker - 35
Bridges - 35
Crowder - 30
Ayton - 32
Payne - 16
Cam - 29
Stix - 15
Mcgee - 16

That should allow this team to be fresh, play big, and get our best players on the court the most. On any given night you use shamet or biyombo where needed.

They are paying Shamet too much money to never play him.

If anybody is going to go to make room for stix, it would need to be crowder.

 

[Finito]

You think he's earned a 4 or 5 year deal? I definitely do not. I think he has at most so far earned possibly a 2-year 10m but no more than that.

What you deserve and what you negotiate are two very different things.

You don’t pay a player for what he’s done you pay him for what he will do. He’s a 22 year old with a great attitude who’s loved by Monty and his teammates, by all accounts works his ass off is long and athletic he can jump out the building has really good hands.

Of course someone is going to offer him serious money.

 

[Mainstreet]

“We made you the first lotto pick since Joe Alexander to have his 3rd year option declined but still want you to come back for less money as a role player because of camaraderie”.

Good luck in Houston, Stix.

I don't think Stix would necessarily be playing for less money and you left out the Chris Paul part.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Jalen might come back for one year if he feels good about it here. If he is angry about the option not being picked up, or money or a lot of playing time is his main concerns than probably not.

I don't know how he is thinking, so either is posible.

Honestly, I think the "angry" and "disrespected" thing is played up too much in sports. This is a business and Stix will make the best business decision for his career. The Suns have given him a gift. They are freeing him from the rookie scale restrictions AND giving him a chance to show what he can do prior to becoming a free agent. Health and Safety protocols forced their hand, but they are still giving him the minutes. That should allay any hard feelings, but it won't engender any unusual loyalty either.

 

[Raindog]

Maybe through some 'wink wink' we can convince him that we'd pay up after next season but if another team is offering more money and a likely starting position then I don't see how we can convince him.

"Wink wink" deals are not in Sarver's vocabulary... at least when it comes to running a basketball team. And I wouldn't trust Sarver as far as I could throw him if he did offer such a thing.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I actually think that your distribution of minutes is pretty much on the money. Do you think getting 15 minutes a game would be enough incentive for Stix to decide to stay here?

Probably not. But there is a clear path to increase next year as jae and Javale are a year older.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

If DA is not careful he may have to give that ugly Domin atrix jacket to Stix.

The jacket was awesome.

 

[Mainstreet]

The jacket was awesome.

We will be buying Ayton apparel and Puma shoes soon.