July 1st calls (Free Agent Signings)

[SweetD]

I still think the Suns will be going after 2-3 free agents and returning players. Here is how I see the current roster and targeted free agents.

PG - Bledsoe, Knight, Ulis
SG - Knight, Booker, (free agent)
SF - Booker, Tucker, Warren , Chriss, Bender
PF - (Free Agent) or Warren, Tucker Bender, Chriss
C- Len, Chandler, Bender, (Free Agent)

I am not 100% sure we have picked up Tucker's option yet. I also think Tele may come back unless he gets a bigger offer.

I think the Suns will push to find a vet PF to be the starter. Horford, West, Gasol or Lee. Or go stretch 4 with Anderson, Illyasova, D Williams or Tele.

Updated Free Agents
http://www.nba.com/freeagents/2016/indexMobile.html

 

[leclerc]

I'm sceptical to playing Booker as SF. He will be abused on defence. Stop the fuss and just come out and say it. Booker is our SG. Knight needs to hear it. Knight needs to hear it. You're a backup Brandon. Brandon, you're a backup.

 

[SweetD]

I'm sceptical to playing Booker as SF. He will be abused on defence. Stop the fuss and just come out and say it. Booker is our SG. Knight needs to hear it. Knight needs to hear it. You're a backup Brandon. Brandon, you're a backup.

I agree, I would rather try and trade Brandon for a starting Vet SF or PF. Someone on a two-three year deal while rooks develop.

 

[devilalum]

This thread needs a list of all the available free agents so we can go fantasy shopping for the perfect fit.

sent from a fone

 

[SweetD]

http://www.nba.com/freeagents/2016/indexMobile.html

Updated list here

 

[JCSunsfan]

They will go after a FA SF and Tele. I think that is it.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Pick up Dudley and Tele. Play the young guys, and find a way to get rid of Chandler.

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns go after a higher salaried free agent, I am still interested in SF Harrison Barnes as he is only 24. He would fit with the Suns youth.

Also Dwight Powell would be a nice addition.

I think the Suns will try to bring back Teletovic or Leuer depending upon asking price. I prefer Teletovic.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

If the Suns go after a higher salaried free agent, I am still interested in SF Harrison Barnes as he is only 24. He would fit with the Suns youth.

Also Dwight Powell would be a nice addition.

I think the Suns will try to bring back Teletovic or Leuer depending upon asking price. I prefer Teletovic.

You do realize he's expected to make more than 20 mil per season, right? Would you pay Barnes a contract averaging more than 20 mil per season?

 

[Mainstreet]

If the Suns go after a higher salaried free agent, I am still interested in SF Harrison Barnes as he is only 24. He would fit with the Suns youth.

Also Dwight Powell would be a nice addition.

I think the Suns will try to bring back Teletovic or Leuer depending upon asking price. I prefer Teletovic.

You do realize he's expected to make more than 20 mil per season, right? Would you pay Barnes a contract averaging more than 20 mil per season?

Hopefully Barnes comes cheaper but to your question, yes I would. Then keep the young players together for a number of years and watch them develop. Barnes didn't have the best Final series but I still like his future.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Hopefully Barnes comes cheaper but to your question, yes I would. Then keep the young players together for a number of years and watch them develop. Barnes didn't have the best Final series but I still like his future.

Am I reading you right, you'd give Barnes 20M or more? I know we have money to spend but I don't see what Barnes brings us? Every time I watch him he looks like a below average starter whose greatest asset is his versatility. I don't think we'd gain as much by his versatility as the Warriors do and I think we'd be less capable of surviving his greatest weakness, that being inconsistency.

 

[NashDishesDimes]

Barnes scares me more than anyone. Why do people assume hes good? He plays mediocre defense, is quiet, looks okay creating his own shot but never finishes, seems to sometimes hit the open shot typically because the opposing defense is focused on 474738827 other things, and he averages next to zero assists. I dont see it at all. Not to mention his complete collapse in the finals. If he shot 25% from the field, GS probably wins the chip.

 

[slinslin]

I think we could afford the risk on Barnes but would not advocate it. I dont think the possible gain is worth much.
I also don't think we should reach to keep Teletovic. I don't think our young guys can learn too much from such a one-dimensional player.

I would rather keep Leuer and sign Dudley.

 

[leclerc]

I don't want to go after Barnes. For now we should be okay with TJ trying to outplay PJ and the prospect of playing Chriss as SF, also when we go small Booker will probably be the SF.

I think we should sign a vet PF to have available for spot duty and mentor. Start Len and Chandler as 2 and 1. Rotate Bender and Chriss and maybe a veteran.

PF/C: Chandler, Len, Bender, Chriss, PJ
Wings: Booker, PJ, Knight, TJ, Chriss, Archie
PG: Bled, Ulis, Knight, Booker, Archie

If we can't get a star or at least a difference maker I don't see the big gain in adding some guy close to his potential stealing PT from our youngsters. Horford or Barnes don't make us much better and it limits our growth.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't want to go after Barnes. For now we should be okay with TJ trying to outplay PJ and the prospect of playing Chriss as SF, also when we go small Booker will probably be the SF.

I think we should sign a vet PF to have available for spot duty and mentor. Start Len and Chandler as 2 and 1. Rotate Bender and Chriss and maybe a veteran.

PF/C: Chandler, Len, Bender, Chriss, PJ
Wings: Booker, PJ, Knight, TJ, Chriss, Archie
PG: Bled, Ulis, Knight, Booker, Archie

If we can't get a star or at least a difference maker I don't see the big gain in adding some guy close to his potential stealing PT from our youngsters. Horford or Barnes don't make us much better and it limits our growth.

We number it the opposite way here, 1 is point guard and 5 is center. But Len and Chandler on the court together last season was a disaster, offensively and defensively. And that was without Bledsoe, a player that absolutely needs space in which to operate. I doubt we'll see even a moment of that pairing this season, at least I hope we don't. Plus, Len is a center, he needs to focus on that and not try and master another position at the same time IMO,

Horford would make us quite a bit better but nowhere near good enough. So I agree it's not worth it if it's at the expense of developing the young players. I guess we'll know more after Summer League. I don't think either Bender or Chriss is really ready to play much this season but maybe we'll feel differently after seeing more of them in Vegas.

And then there's the Sarver factor, what are his expectations and demands? If the only way Ryan can survive the season is to make a playoff run, we're sure to target anyone and everyone.

 

[SweetD]

Barnes reminds me of Earl Clark more than anyone. I would rather go after Chandler Parsons, Batum or Deng. Someone that is a stop gap for next year's rook or Chriss/Bender/Waren to step in.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Barnes reminds me of Earl Clark more than anyone. I would rather go after Chandler Parsons, Batum or Deng. Someone that is a stop gap for next year's rook or Chriss/Bender/Waren to step in.

Any of those 3 make a lot more sense than Barnes would. Parsons is my first choice but Batum would help a lot too. We'd still need to sign Tele or Leuer though as we'd still have our hole at the 4 spot. Unless we're planning on using Tucker as a power forward, which might actually work playing next to someone like Parsons.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If we have to make a playoff run, or an attempt at one, I'd like to see us trade Tucker and Goodwin to create room for 3 additions (2 new, 1 return).

Bledsoe, Ulis, Price
Booker, Knight, Jenkins
Parsons, Warren, Chriss
Taj Gibson, Tele, Bender
Len, Chandler, Williams

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't see Harrison Barnes as reaching his peak at 24. He would fit nicely with the Suns giving them more length and athleticism at SF. I'm looking for the Suns to build a strong foundation together as soon as possible so they can let them grow together.

Of course I hope the Suns would not have to pay him the max and I'm thinking he could be had for less than that. However, if a team shows him them the money, I don't think it will be a mistake.

Team USA has added him to their team.

 

[JCSunsfan]

There is a reason Barnes had so much of a role on a championship team. He is no Earl Clark. He has had to be a role player with players like curry, Thompson and Green on the floor. He might not be the best fa target but he is better than many think. I know Bledsoe wants him. I think he could be much better than many think. I would say he would be our best SF the moment we sign him.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't see Harrison Barnes as reaching his peak at 24. He would fit nicely with the Suns giving them more length and athleticism at SF. I'm looking for the Suns to build a strong foundation together as soon as possible so they can let them grow together.

Of course I hope the Suns would not have to pay him the max and I'm thinking he could be had for less than that. However, if a team shows him them the money, I don't think it will be a mistake.

Team USA has added him to their team.

Yeah, it's possible that he can be more than he has been. I've just never really liked his play since his college days and when I watch the Warriors I see nothing to change my mind. To me he is a jack of all trades, master of none and that rarely works in this league.

There is a reason Barnes had so much of a role on a championship team. He is no Earl Clark. He has had to be a role player with players like curry, Thompson and Green on the floor. He might not be the best fa target but he is better than many think. I know Bledsoe wants him. I think he could be much better than many think. I would say he would be our best SF the moment we sign him.

I agree he's no Earl Clark, I just believe his ceiling is quality role player. If you and Mainstreet are right and he's a much better player than he's shown, I guess it would be a reasonable way to go.

But I don't see any chance of him coming at less than 20M and I don't know what would make us his ideal target if we offered anything less than a max deal. Keep in mind he's already turned down a 4 year/64 M deal and that was to stay with the world champion Warriors.

 

[leclerc]

Okay, let's assume Bender and Chriss won't see many minutes and Len will play C. Then we need a starting PF more than we need a SF.

Maybe Horford will do. He's a veteran that can mentor and keep us respectable until Bender and Chriss can take over. We'll probably get a 9th seed and #13 pick next summer. He should not get more than 3-4 year contract then.

If we can ship out Tucker and Knight that would be awesome. As it stands now we can give Knight a chance as mr black hole hero ball sixth man. Since Milos didn't sign and Archie looks like won't pan out.

Tucker and Warren are our only SFs. I want Warren to play 20+ mpg so if we sign a quality SF we can play TJ as backup and PJ as PF in small lineups? Maybe Barnes, Parsons et al aren't such a bad idea.

 

[ColdPickleNachos]

I don't see Harrison Barnes as reaching his peak at 24. He would fit nicely with the Suns giving them more length and athleticism at SF. I'm looking for the Suns to build a strong foundation together as soon as possible so they can let them grow together.

Of course I hope the Suns would not have to pay him the max and I'm thinking he could be had for less than that. However, if a team shows him them the money, I don't think it will be a mistake.

Team USA has added him to their team.

I want to preface this argument with the declaration that I in no way am saying Harrison Barnes is as good as James Harden. Harden always showed more potential and was always considered a future star. However, their trajectories are potentially similar.

Harden was also limited in his production and fairly inconsistent when playing with two ball dominant superstars in Oklahoma City. People knew he was good, but few expected him to start posting 25 ppg or more the next year.

I think it's also noteworthy that Harden was traded right year after absolutely disappearing in the NBA Finals (like Barnes).

That's not to say Barnes has proven in any way that he can be much more productive than he has been. However, I would also argue he hasn't proven he can't be much more productive in the right situation.

 

[Mainstreet]

I want to preface this argument with the declaration that I in no way am saying Harrison Barnes is as good as James Harden. Harden always showed more potential and was always considered a future star. However, their trajectories are potentially similar.

Harden was also limited in his production and fairly inconsistent when playing with two ball dominant superstars in Oklahoma City. People knew he was good, but few expected him to start posting 25 ppg or more the next year.

I think it's also noteworthy that Harden was traded right year after absolutely disappearing in the NBA Finals (like Barnes).

That's not to say Barnes has proven in any way that he can be much more productive than he has been. However, I would also argue he hasn't proven he can't be much more productive in the right situation.

Until the Suns can prove their worth as a team and build a reputation for stability, the Suns need to get the good players on the way up. I think Barnes can be one of those building blocks.

 

[Ronin]

Well here's one guy that we are interested in...

RealGM ‏@RealGM 3m3 minutes ago
Cole Aldrich Receiving Interest From Clippers, Suns, Magic

:http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/242471/Cole-Aldrich-Receiving-Interest-From-Clippers-Suns-Magic