Suns Off-season Thread

[Folster]

I think Stix was a casualty of our quick and unexpected ascension to a contender and a cost cutting move. I think the FO thought he was too far away from contributing on a contender with a small window and they could replace him with a minimum contract. It was short-sighted and not a move that a long-term successful franchise makes. Think Spurs and Warriors.

 

[GatorAZ]

Oh… I thought Jaylen was a bigger contract. My bad.

He took a discount. Worked out great for Boston.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Stix was a casualty of our quick and unexpected ascension to a contender and a cost cutting move. I think the FO thought he was too far away from contributing on a contender and they could replace him with a minimum contract.

If this is the Suns mindset, tossing away the 10th pick, it's unforgivable.

Hopefully the same fate doesn't await Ayton.

 

[Fumats20]

It's perplexing and the Suns passed on an even a better player in the draft.

I don't think they were going to pick Hali. Rumor was they were picking Kira Lewis.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think they were going to pick Hali. Rumor was they were picking Kira Lewis.

It keeps getting worse.

 

[Finito]

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So it looks like we will not be getting a new look after all

 

[Cheesebeef]

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So it looks like we will not be getting a new look after all

What did the leaks look like?

 

[Finito]

What did the leaks look like?

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[Covert Rain]

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I would have loved to see those next season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

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Damn… I dig those. They’re like a little more understated version of the 1993 jersey swap.

 

[Covert Rain]

Damn… I dig those. They’re like a little more understated version of the 1993 jersey swap.

Exactly my thoughts as well. I am definitely going to buy one when they hit.

 

[Matt L]

Not picking up Stix looks more like a Sarver and ownership call. The FO has been doing these shortsighted cost saving moves since 2006. I don't think James Jones deserves the blame for not picking him up.

He does deserve criticism for drafting Stix

 

[Folster]

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They are probably 4th best all time Suns jersey behind these in no particular order.

1. Western Font (KJ era)
2. Sunburst (Barkley era)
3. Valley jerseys

They are easily better than the awful Nash era, meh Bledsoe era, and current boring home and aways.

 

[Folster]

Not picking up Stix looks more like a Sarver and ownership call. The FO has been doing these shortsighted cost saving moves since 2006. I don't think James Jones deserves the blame for not picking him up.

He does deserve criticism for drafting Stix

It doesn't appear to be a bust though so it was likely a good pick despite a better one being available. We'd all feel a lot better about the team this offseason with Stix still in the fold and developing.

 

[Matt L]

It doesn't appear to be a bust though so it was likely a good pick despite a better one being available. We'd all feel a lot better about the team this offseason with Stix still in the fold and developing.

If the lottery pick you made isn't good enough to pick up the 3rd and 4th year option, you deserve criticism for that pick.

 

[Muggz]

Where were you all when I was pulling my hair out saying we shouldn't drop Stix.
Not to mention Stix was shooting 3s better than anyone on our team to end the season.
Amazing what happens when you don't try to change a players game, play him in his normal position and give him mins.
Adios DA you're better off.
Now lets sign a bunch of guards and shoot 3s all season like everyone else.
This experiment is over.

 

[Folster]

If the lottery pick you made isn't good enough to pick up the 3rd and 4th year option, you deserve criticism for that pick.

I'd argue he was good enough but the front office was impatient and incorrectly assessed him after one year.

 

[Matt L]

I'd argue he was good enough but the front office impatient and incorrectly assessed him after one year.

So okay pick by Jones, bad decision by ownership to not pickup the 3rd and 4th year? I'm okay with that assessment but I think if you're picking in the top ten, you want to get someone who will at least be a rotation player by their 2nd - 3rd year

 

[Hoop Head]

So okay pick by Jones, bad decision by ownership to not pickup the 3rd and 4th year? I'm okay with that assessment but I think if you're picking in the top ten, you want to get someone who will at least be a rotation player by their 2nd - 3rd year

And he showed he had the talent to be in the rotation. He proved that when he saw meaningful time here and then in Indiana. So I don't see how you're trying to split blame, it was a bad move to cut him loose and JJ was involved. You can't blame ownership when they took on Craig's salary for next season, which is a little more than Stix would have cost with a lot less upside.

 

[Fumats20]

So okay pick by Jones, bad decision by ownership to not pickup the 3rd and 4th year? I'm okay with that assessment but I think if you're picking in the top ten, you want to get someone who will at least be a rotation player by their 2nd - 3rd year

It's just a pity Stix will always be viewed in the vaccum made by the actions of the Suns.

However, the Suns actions have caused Stix to be in a position to possibly paid a rate higher than his 10th pick. And that doesn't happen if he had not proved he wasn't bust. This to me confirms Jones made the pick knowing the potential unrealized and leads me to believe Jones & Monty had internal issues between them too. A power struggle of some sort where Monty was the experienced elder set in his own ways per the systems that taught him and Jones was the young new kid on the block with grand ideas who knew what winning looked like because he was a part of it.

 

[elindholm]

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So it looks like we will not be getting a new look after all

GOD DAMIT FLEX

 

[Matt L]

And he showed he had the talent to be in the rotation. He proved that when he saw meaningful time here and then in Indiana. So I don't see how you're trying to split blame, it was a bad move to cut him loose and JJ was involved. You can't blame ownership when they took on Craig's salary for next season, which is a little more than Stix would have cost with a lot less upside.

So you're position is james Jones made a good pick but did not pick up the options because he was in a power struggle with the head coach and Sarver had nothing to do with this situation?

 

[Cheesebeef]

So you're position is james Jones made a good pick but did not pick up the options because he was in a power struggle with the head coach and Sarver had nothing to do with this situation?

Does any of this debate really matter all that much? Whoever was responsible for the turn of events is still going to be in a position of major power regardless.

 

[Joe Mama]

So okay pick by Jones, bad decision by ownership to not pickup the 3rd and 4th year? I'm okay with that assessment but I think if you're picking in the top ten, you want to get someone who will at least be a rotation player by their 2nd - 3rd year

I think it's very unlikely that James Jones wasn't for decider when it came to picking up his option. With input from Monty and the coaching staff of course.

 

[Hoop Head]

So you're position is james Jones made a good pick but did not pick up the options because he was in a power struggle with the head coach and Sarver had nothing to do with this situation?

I don't see the point in splitting the blame. It was a good pick based on what we've seen from Stix up to this point. He's shown he has lottery pick talent. It was a mistake to let him go in the way he did, declining the option and then trading for someone limited in terms of impact who costs more next season than Stix would have.

It doesn't matter if that decision was made solely by JJ, Monty, Sarver or some combination of them together. Letting him walk was bad, so was declining the option because it limited the Suns in what they'd get in trade as well. His contract was too small to have value as an expiring contract also, which is another reason it was dumb to decline the option.

JJ is the GM so he deserves blame and so does Monty as the coach for not playing him. Throw Sarver in the also if you'd like. I don't necessarily fault him for it but it wouldn't surprise me if he was looking to cut costs. JJ took on more salary in letting Stix go so I don't really blame Sarver so much as JJ's inexperience.