If they can sign some almost good free agents they’re destined to win
But could they? If my numbers are right, they have ~$11 million to fill out the rest of their bench without hitting the second apron.
Unless the minimum agents they get are good good I still would give Nuggets the edge. Booker was shooting absurdly lights out in their 2 wins this year. KD wasn’t himself having to come right back from injury and didn’t get a lot of time with the team so I expect he’ll do better and booker will improve but the Nuggets likely get better as well. Nuggets are all just entering their prime and the core (besides Bruce) is under contract for another 2 years at least and Bruce even hinted at returning at the parade. Unless the suns get insane value back for Ayton I just think the Suns don’t have the defense or good enough 5-8 to offset that.
Their cap situation is beyond fucked. Just with those three, and Ayton the suns are at $162,866,661. Then assuming they fill out the roster solely with rookie minimums they’re at $174,998,880, below the second apron by a little under 5 million. I see them wanting some vets though so let’s be generous and assume 2 million average for the rest of the roster slots then they’re at $184,866,661.
TLDR: Second apron is Suns’ father.
Yeah, that new cba is going to be a struggle. Not even sure how we fill out the roster with it being so top heavy, unless there are plans to move Ayton, but that causes more issues as well. Sucks being a Suns fan a lot of the time.
Definitely, they have their work cut out for them in regard to maneuvering the CBA. In a vacuum though this trade is incredible from an asset perspective haha, so as long as the front office maneuvers it well you should be extremely good. Having a full season together to gel should help a ton too imo.
So Payne, Beal, Booker, Durant, and Ayton as the starting 5? That’s a very good starting lineup, but that bench looks painfully thin. Not to mention Ayton might still want out.
Wizards look like they’re finally starting a rebuild on the other hand instead of treading water. Wonder if Porzingis is up next on the trading block.
Starting a rebuild by getting no first round pick or young player lol.
I know they basically had no choice, but still.
Pretty sure the strategy at this point is to just tear down and really worry about the actual rebuilding process when they get his anchor of a contract off of their necks. Maybe they could get more for Porzingis or Kuzma through sign-and-trades, but right now, with fuck-all leverage and a terrible contract, the best that can be done is to just make space.
KP opting in and getting traded is apparently getting more likely. I don’t understand why but that’s what people in the know are saying.
Moving Beal saves them a lot of contract space since they can waive Chris Paul before the 28th. Kuzma and Porzingis both have player options, but after next season the biggest contracts they have are Gafford and Shamet. It looks like the Wizards owe the Knicks a first round pick, but they have a good chance at landing high picks in the next few seasons otherwise.
the FRP the Knicks have is heavily protected. Ultimately it will convey into two 2nds now that they’re rebuilding.
If Ayton wants out I’m sure there is enough value there to trade for two solid pieces. Give me a solid role player and a slightly above average Center and the Suns are looking much better.
That’s true, but they have to get rid of Ayton for a couple of serviceable roleplayers that expire after the season. Otherwise, they would be over the second apron and plugging that roster would be a lot more difficult.
He has to be (and I still want him traded to the Spurs so I can see the stupidest front court ever assembled). However, now I’m kind of worried about even an old CP3 pulling the same thing he did in OKC and raising the ceiling of a team that has no right to be even close to the playoffs
As a Suns fan - wow what an unhelpful trade 😬
as a wizards fan, wow what an unhelpful trade :/
Seriously? I’m also a Suns fan and I’m really happy. Is it because of his injury history? Sure we really need ball handling but he’s not even 30 yet so compared to Paul we got better and younger and all it cost was Shamet and 2nd rounders? Yes please.
It’s also because of his contract. Beal, Durant, Booker and Ayton contracts combined are already over the luxury tax line.
How does this help them beat a team as well-rounded as Denver? Beal’s contract could become a real albatross for the Suns.
That’s the neat part. It doesn’t.
I guess Ishbia’s strategy is just to collect as many scorers as possible and hope they chuck enough to outscore a team like Denver, because this is just confusing.
It’s also confusing to me because what does Beal offer that Booker already isn’t doing way better? When you need another big and bench depth, what’s the point in getting a pretty one-dimensional shot-chucker with a contract that basically prevents you from addressing any of those issues
The idea is point book probably. As a Suns fan that does worry me a little, but the idea behind Beal is he’s basically the 3rd option so hopefully his efficiency will improve.
Wow…there was a time Washington could have gotten a haul for Beal. Everyone knew they should have moved him years ago, all time asset fumble by that horrid front office.
Hopefully this new front office offers some change.
Please.
KD gonna lead the league in plus / minus on his way to 47 wins. That bench will be nasty.
Already is nasty, don’t know what pieces that can be put in place, as a suns fan, this won’t fix the problems we had.
This trade looks so bad. For both. Suns need more role players and the Wizards first round picks and young players. I don’t understand anything about that trade.
more moves coming for the Wizards apparently. As for the Suns…
Nice
Suns are going to need more basketballs
They still aren’t winning a chip with Ayton. They need depth too
I feel like this keeps the suns about the same but adds a couple years to the window. The shooting is going to be insane though. Booker KD and Beal are going to score 70 points a game.
Big news. I guess Chris Paul won’t be going to LA as rumored.
still could after the buy out.
