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Chaplin

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I'm fine going with Morant, Johnson and a veteran at point guard going forward. Keeping Oubre and adding a power forward should be the second priority.

Johnson's expiring contract should be valuable to the Suns going forward. They might even be able to re-sign him to a reasonable contract the following season.

I do like Conley but if the Suns draft Morant and keep Johnson they should be solid with the addition of another low cost veteran at point guard.
Where is everyone getting the idea that we are going to abandon Okobo AND Melton? I will be shocked if we don't keep at least one of them, probably both. In your scenario above, if we draft Morant and keep Johnson, we're not going to sign a veteran -- Melton can handle that 3rd point guard role just fine.
 

Mainstreet

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Where is everyone getting the idea that we are going to abandon Okobo AND Melton? I will be shocked if we don't keep at least one of them, probably both. In your scenario above, if we draft Morant and keep Johnson, we're not going to sign a veteran -- Melton can handle that 3rd point guard role just fine.

Presuming the Suns draft Morant, I would like for the Suns to keep at least one of Okobo or Melton because Johnson can play shooting guard as well. However, I do not want to depend on them being the third point guard until they earn it. The Suns cannot afford a repeat of last season. This is why I'd like to add a lower salary veteran point guard to be sure the Suns are not weak at this position.
 

1Sun

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This to me is the most likely scenario at #2. Then I would have no problem using our tradable assets like Warren, Jackson and/or the Bucks pick--even our 2nd rounder is high enough to have at least SOME value, to get a better than average PF, if one even exists out there that we can get.

Free Agency is a dud as far as I'm concerned. I don't expect anything to come of it whatsoever.

What happened to everyone, including you, saying "just wait and see what we do in free agency in 2019" during the 2018 preseason when I was preaching about the need for the team to acquire a legitimate NBA starting point guard?
 

1Sun

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I think we'll be able to find a decent PG in free agency but not anyone who will please everyone. It depends on if we can make a draft day deal that involves Tyler Johnson and Warren also as that will open up more money for free agency as well. We'll see what happens there but I'm not expecting a Kemba type player, more of a Rubio or Collison type of steady veteran PG instead of a potential All-Star.

One possibility if we strike out elsewhere, Jeff Teague opted into the final year of his contract in Minnesota at $19 million. They like Derrick Rose and want to retain him and Tyus Jones is a restricted free agent so they'll need to pay 2 guys this summer and keeping Rose and resigning him to rejoing a crowded backcourt might be an issue. Jones is restricted but I would think they don't want him telling the Wolves not to match, whether they intend to or not. How much will they match for him if they're paying Teague $19 million already? They're at the cap as it is so they'll basically spent their money of keeping Rose for the MLE if he does stay. Jones could set them into the tax if they don't move Teague. I'd offer Warren and our 2nd rounder for Teague or Tyler Johnson and the Bucks pick for Teague. One or the other.

The Warren deal sheds about $7 million from their cap, factoring in $1 million for the 2nd round pick, and they'll need that to keep Rose and Jones without approaching the tax. Tyler Johnson's salary matches but it clears the logjam. Having a combo guard would work better for their logjam, with Johnson capable of playing some PG for when Rose inevitable goes down. They also add a pick to get Teague gone a year sooner. They save a little more because Johnson's cap hit is higher than his paid salary because of how the contract he signed was structured. I'm not sure how much but for a team approaching the tax that will help them. Having a future 1st is something their new GM would probably like also, even if it is a later 1st.

Teague isn't ideal but since he's only got a year left on his deal he's not the long term solution either but provides us with a veteran to help Ja, if that's our pick, or that keeps us from needing to scour free agency looking for the best PG possible to sign and then hoping we can afford it. If Teague works out then we can resign him next year on a better contract, if we didn't get Ja. If we do draft Ja then we might be able to flip Teague at the deadline, like the team talked about with Tyler Johnson and what can be done with his contract. Teague would be the more attractive player if a playoff team is looking to add a PG at the deadline next year.

I am fine with Teague or Collison, and I believe this approach is sound, only I would not trade away Teague. I would re-sign him unless and until we have another legitimate NBA starting point guard on the roster, and even if we draft Morant, he will not be at that level until at least the 2021-22 season.
 

1Sun

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I'm fine going with Morant, Johnson and a veteran at point guard going forward. Keeping Oubre and adding a power forward should be the second priority.

Johnson's expiring contract should be valuable to the Suns going forward. They might even be able to re-sign him to a reasonable contract the following season.

I do like Conley but if the Suns draft Morant and keep Johnson they should be solid with the addition of another low cost veteran at point guard.

As long as that low cost veteran can be at least average as an NBA starter, i.e. significantly better than Johnson and Morant at the point.
 
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1Sun

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Where is everyone getting the idea that we are going to abandon Okobo AND Melton? I will be shocked if we don't keep at least one of them, probably both. In your scenario above, if we draft Morant and keep Johnson, we're not going to sign a veteran -- Melton can handle that 3rd point guard role just fine.

But then we still don't have a 1ST point guard.
 

1Sun

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Presuming the Suns draft Morant, I would like for the Suns to keep at least one of Okobo or Melton because Johnson can play shooting guard as well. However, I do not want to depend on them being the third point guard until they earn it. The Suns cannot afford a repeat of last season. This is why I'd like to add a lower salary veteran point guard to be sure the Suns are not weak at this position.

Johnson can ONLY play shooting guard.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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I'm fine going with Morant, Johnson and a veteran at point guard going forward. Keeping Oubre and adding a power forward should be the second priority.

Johnson's expiring contract should be valuable to the Suns going forward. They might even be able to re-sign him to a reasonable contract the following season.

I do like Conley but if the Suns draft Morant and keep Johnson they should be solid with the addition of another low cost veteran at point guard.
If they draft Morant and keep Johnson I’m fine with keeping Melton as third guard. Okobo to G league.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Where is everyone getting the idea that we are going to abandon Okobo AND Melton? I will be shocked if we don't keep at least one of them, probably both. In your scenario above, if we draft Morant and keep Johnson, we're not going to sign a veteran -- Melton can handle that 3rd point guard role just fine.
Haha. Just typed same.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Presuming the Suns draft Morant, I would like for the Suns to keep at least one of Okobo or Melton because Johnson can play shooting guard as well. However, I do not want to depend on them being the third point guard until they earn it. The Suns cannot afford a repeat of last season. This is why I'd like to add a lower salary veteran point guard to be sure the Suns are not weak at this position.
A third pg should be a developmental guy.
 

Mainstreet

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If they draft Morant and keep Johnson I’m fine with keeping Melton as third guard. Okobo to G league.

After last season I'd like to have another veteran point guard for insurance but that's me. Like I mentioned previously, Johnson can play some shooting guard.
 

Mainstreet

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A third pg should be a developmental guy.

The Suns already have two development players in Okobo and Melton. So I prefer the third point guard to be a veteran.

At this point, the more point guards the merrier after doing without for two seasons.
 

1Sun

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The Suns already have two development players in Okobo and Melton. So I prefer the third point guard to be a veteran.

At this point, the more point guards the merrier after doing without for two seasons.

As of right now, we have zero point guards. Morant would make one...maybe.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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The Suns already have two development players in Okobo and Melton. So I prefer the third point guard to be a veteran.

At this point, the more point guards the merrier after doing without for two seasons.
Uh if they have Johnson and morant the third and fourth guys are Melton and okobo. How many more do you think they carry?
 

Mainstreet

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Uh if they have Johnson and morant the third and fourth guys are Melton and okobo. How many more do you think they carry?

We will have to squeeze some in the trunk. LOL

It would be Morant, Johnson, veteran point guard and then go from there.

I would like for the Suns to keep one or both of Okobo and Melton but that may not be possible.
 

Chaplin

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We will have to squeeze some in the trunk. LOL

It would be Morant, Johnson, veteran point guard and then go from there.

I would like for the Suns to keep one or both of Okobo and Melton but that may not be possible.
There is no need for a veteran point guard beyond Morant and Johnson. Melton is just fine. He's a developmental point guard but he also has NBA starting experience and does make an impact on the floor, however small.
 

JCSunsfan

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There is no need for a veteran point guard beyond Morant and Johnson. Melton is just fine. He's a developmental point guard but he also has NBA starting experience and does make an impact on the floor, however small.
I agree with this, although I think Tyler is a fine vet pg for our purposes. The advantage of Tyler is that he can be quite effective in a backup role at the pg or sg positions once Morant is ready to start. This team played pretty well when he was healthy.
 

Mainstreet

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There is no need for a veteran point guard beyond Morant and Johnson. Melton is just fine. He's a developmental point guard but he also has NBA starting experience and does make an impact on the floor, however small.

This is the whole thing about getting down to a final roster. Tough decisions have to be made and we don't always get what we want.

Morant, Johnson (for a whole season) and Melton (a year older) would be a big step forward.
 

1Sun

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There is no need for a veteran point guard beyond Morant and Johnson. Melton is just fine. He's a developmental point guard but he also has NBA starting experience and does make an impact on the floor, however small.

So, you're fine with Morant being the only point guard on the roster? Are you a masochist?
 

1Sun

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Question for those claiming we're fine with Johnson at the point:

What makes you think that, when he never played the position before, even in college, when his assist numbers are horrendous, when his assist-to-turnover ratio is mediocre, when his shot selection is poor, and when he has always struggled involving his teammates on offense?

In other words, how is Tyler Johnson any more of a point guard than Eddie House was?
 

1tinsoldier

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Johnson, Melton and Okobo are all shooting guards, not point guards.
i have to agree. but melton and okobo might develop into point guards. Johnson is what he is (and i'm not sure what that is)

i'd keep developing melton and okobo next season to decide which one to keep and i'd replace Johnson with what we really wanted when we got him -- a veteran pg
 
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Superbone

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i have to agree. but melton and okobo might develop into point guards. Johnson is what he is (and i'm not sure what that is)

i'd keep developing melton and okobo next season to decide which one to keep and i'd replace Johnson with what we really wanted when we got him -- a veteran pg
I can tell you what Johnson is, he's a combo guard. And if we draft Morant, we can't keep both Melton and Okobo. One of them has to go.
 

95pro

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I can tell you what Johnson is, he's a combo guard. And if we draft Morant, we can't keep both Melton and Okobo. One of them has to go.

Melton can go whether or not we draft Morant. I just don't see anything from him.
 
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