What is the plan?

[SirStefan32]

To be fair, it's not like Randle is a huge defensive liability. I agree that ideally we'd want 1, 3, and 4 positions to be great defenders to cover for Booker and Ayton, but I don't think Randle creates an additional liability on defense.

 

[Mainstreet]

To be fair, it's not like Randle is a huge defensive liability. I agree that ideally we'd want 1, 3, and 4 positions to be great defenders to cover for Booker and Ayton, but I don't think Randle creates an additional liability on defense.

Randle would be such a huge upgrade for the Suns at power forward I think they have to consider it.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Am I only one who is less then enthusiastic about paying Julius Randle a bunch of money? I admit I did not see much this year, but my memory of him is as a average at best defender. Seems like with Booker and Ayton we cannot afford to put another mediocre defender with them in the starting lineup. Has he shown a lot of improvement?

Warren is a better defender than Randle.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

To be fair, it's not like Randle is a huge defensive liability. I agree that ideally we'd want 1, 3, and 4 positions to be great defenders to cover for Booker and Ayton, but I don't think Randle creates an additional liability on defense.

The problem lies in having no one that deters shots at the rim. An Ayton/randle combo threatens no one. What it hopefully does is limit second chance opportunities.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Warren is a better defender than Randle.

I’m not sure I’d agree with this assessment.

 

[Yuma]

Randle is definitely a scorer. There are some games I watched that he single handedly almost fouled out opposing teams front lines. Average on defense, but what a scorer. Both Randle and Booker have that scorer's mentality. We need Physicality on our front line! He brings that missing element to our team.

 

[BC867]

We have 15 roster spots in a game where rarely more than 9 players matter, the last thing I'd worry about is saving a roster spot.

I should have said rotation spot, where Warren remaining on the team would block a more deserving player. That is one out of nine.

Come to think of it, I really should have said a starting spot, which is the only thing that will satisfy Warren (understandably so). That's one out of five.

 

[DevonCardsFan]

Question is how much will he cost, and how do we make the cap room?

Couldn't you move Warren and acquire Randle.

And say Lakers take Garland at 4,

Move 7 and Jackson for Ball, making more caproom.

Randle
Oubre
Ayton
Ball
Booker

I could deal with that team

 

[1Sun]

Couldn't you move Warren and acquire Randle.

And say Lakers take Garland at 4,

Move 7 and Jackson for Ball, making more caproom.

Randle
Oubre
Ayton
Ball
Booker

I could deal with that team

That would be one of the worst shooting teams ever. All opponents would have to do is plug the lane and dare everyone other than Booker to shoot from the outside.

 

[Proximo]

To be fair, it's not like Randle is a huge defensive liability. I agree that ideally we'd want 1, 3, and 4 positions to be great defenders to cover for Booker and Ayton, but I don't think Randle creates an additional liability on defense.

All the advanced stats say Randle is an average defender, - average, not below, not above.

I am not someone that believes Ayton's defense is a problem, I fully expect him to be a competent rim defender, to me it is just a learning process. It is not like he does not have the athletic ability to do it, and I think now he will get the proper coaching.

Booker on the other hand I believe will probably be below avg defender forever - but I will forgive him because he is a transcendent scorer.

This criticism of Randle is just stupid.

He is the best young free agent - other than Deangelo Russell - available.

He is basically the best the Suns could realistically possibly do, and all anyone wants to do is criticize his weaknesses.

 

[Proximo]

Couldn't you move Warren and acquire Randle.

And say Lakers take Garland at 4,

Move 7 and Jackson for Ball, making more caproom.

Randle
Oubre
Ayton
Ball
Booker

I could deal with that team

I'm not very excited about Ball - think I would rather have the pick, because I don't think Ball is going to get much better than he is now. But yeah that team would be ok I guess.

 

[Proximo]

I’m not sure I’d agree with this assessment.

I am 1000% sure that statement is incorrect

Randle has a Defensive Box Rating of .2 for his career Warren is a -1.3 for his career, and was -1.8 last year.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

All the advanced stats say Randle is an average defender, - average, not below, not above.

I am not someone that believes Ayton's defense is a problem, I fully expect him to be a competent rim defender, to me it is just a learning process. It is not like he does not have the athletic ability to do it, and I think now he will get the proper coaching.

Booker on the other hand I believe will probably be below avg defender forever - but I will forgive him because he is a transcendent scorer.

This criticism of Randle is just stupid.

He is the best young free agent - other than Deangelo Russell - available.

He is basically the best the Suns could realistically possibly do, and all anyone wants to do is criticize his weaknesses.

I’m curious from whence the confidence in Ayton becoming a rim protector hails. I’m trying to think of any center who entered the league as a mediocre, at best, rim protector who eventually became a good one, and I can’t conjure up anyone.

 

[Hoop Head]

All the advanced stats say Randle is an average defender, - average, not below, not above.

I am not someone that believes Ayton's defense is a problem, I fully expect him to be a competent rim defender, to me it is just a learning process. It is not like he does not have the athletic ability to do it, and I think now he will get the proper coaching.

Booker on the other hand I believe will probably be below avg defender forever - but I will forgive him because he is a transcendent scorer.

This criticism of Randle is just stupid.

He is the best young free agent - other than Deangelo Russell - available.

He is basically the best the Suns could realistically possibly do, and all anyone wants to do is criticize his weaknesses.

Exactly this ^

There is a good young PF that wants to play in Phoenix for some reason and some people are trying to talk themselves into why it's a bad move.

There really aren't better options available. I know the cost of signing Randle will play a part in signing him but if he signs for a reasonable amount, which I would say is enough that we can keep Oubre, then you sign him and don't look back. We have ways to get a PG and the draft will have passed by then so hopefully PG won't be such a glaring hole for us once free agency starts and we try to work a deal with Randle.

 

[Sunburn]

I’m curious from whence the confidence in Ayton becoming a rim protector hails. I’m trying to think of any center who entered the league as a mediocre, at best, rim protector who eventually became a good one, and I can’t conjure up anyone.

Lol I want to use a game of thrones style English accent when I read this post. Kudos.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sidery mentions what @Hoop Head brought up about trading for J.R.Smith.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

By the way, I hope the Suns do not go this route but it's an option.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Sidery mentions what @Hoop Head brought up about trading for J.R.Smith.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

By the way, I hope the Suns do not go this route but it's an option.

Everyone is going to want that JR Smith contract, they would have to give up way too much to get it. Unless they already have a big-time FA in the bag and ready to sign, it is not worth it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Exactly this ^

There is a good young PF that wants to play in Phoenix for some reason and some people are trying to talk themselves into why it's a bad move.

There really aren't better options available. I know the cost of signing Randle will play a part in signing him but if he signs for a reasonable amount, which I would say is enough that we can keep Oubre, then you sign him and don't look back. We have ways to get a PG and the draft will have passed by then so hopefully PG won't be such a glaring hole for us once free agency starts and we try to work a deal with Randle.

I don’t see many people stating they don’t want to sign him as much as noting where shortcomings or imperfect fits exist.

I swear someone says a single negative and they’re made out as if they’re claiming the player had ended the world as we know it. The hyperbole on this board and rush to put words in people’s mouths is ridiculous.

 

[Mainstreet]

Everyone is going to want that JR Smith contract, they would have to give up way too much to get it. Unless they already have a big-time FA in the bag and ready to sign, it is not worth it.

I think Johnson's contract can make a lot of trades work plus he is a respectable player not to mention he is an expiring contract.

Personally I'd like to keep him if possible because he gives the Suns depth at both guard positions.

As you mentioned previously, if the Suns want to gain salary space without giving up assets, his salary can be stretched.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don’t see many people stating they don’t want to sign him as much as noting where shortcomings or imperfect fits exist.

I swear someone says a single negative and they’re made out as if they’re claiming the player had ended the world as we know it. The hyperbole on this board and rush to put words in people’s mouths is ridiculous.

Yeah, the vast majority of comments have been in favor of adding Randle, even those of us that acknowledge he might not be the perfect solution. He's a major step up AFAIC.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yeah, the vast majority of comments have been in favor of adding Randle, even those of us that acknowledge he might not be the perfect solution. He's a major step up AFAIC.

I was just hoping to finally have a Suns team that plays quality defense. We started to see flickers of that last year. The Suns historically have been high octane on offense and tissue paper on defense. There is a cheapness to it. I want to have a team of substance. Randle is a good young player and an upgrade, but it sort of condemns us to an offense only team.

 

[Hoop Head]

I don’t see many people stating they don’t want to sign him as much as noting where shortcomings or imperfect fits exist.

I swear someone says a single negative and they’re made out as if they’re claiming the player had ended the world as we know it. The hyperbole on this board and rush to put words in people’s mouths is ridiculous.

Did I say that anyone said we shouldn't sign him? No, I didn't. I said that some people are focusing on why he's not a good fit. I didn't say that anyone is against signing though, you decided to take my comment there. Please, follow your own advice about avoiding hyperbole and putting words in people mouths.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Exactly this ^

There is a good young PF that wants to play in Phoenix for some reason and some people are trying to talk themselves into why it's a bad move.

There really aren't better options available. I know the cost of signing Randle will play a part in signing him but if he signs for a reasonable amount, which I would say is enough that we can keep Oubre, then you sign him and don't look back. We have ways to get a PG and the draft will have passed by then so hopefully PG won't be such a glaring hole for us once free agency starts and we try to work a deal with Randle.

“Talk themselves into why it’s a bad idea” is essentially saying they don’t want to sign him, no?

 

[Proximo]

I’m curious from whence the confidence in Ayton becoming a rim protector hails. I’m trying to think of any center who entered the league as a mediocre, at best, rim protector who eventually became a good one, and I can’t conjure up anyone.

Well mainly it comes from his dramatic improvement as the year went on, and his finishing the year with a stretch of over a block a game.

I am not saying he is going to be a great rim defender, but I think he will be good enough that we don’t have to have another shot blocker.

 

[Hoop Head]

“Talk themselves into why it’s a bad idea” is essentially saying they don’t want to sign him, no?

No, it isn't. If I thought someone here didn't want to sign Randle then I'd be asking them why. I think some people could be overanalyzing his game in order to get prepared for him to pass us over but I don't think anyone is against signing him. I wouldn't be surprised if some think we shouldn't make him a priority in free agency but that's different than believing we shouldn't sign him.