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Suns training staff might just get 60 games out of Time Lord

It's important to remember that owners and front offices say things to fans who they want to buy tickets that they don't really mean.

Also, I'm skeptical as far as what those two picks can actually return. Maybe he knows this, maybe he doesn't, but he's likely to find out sooner rather than later.

Jusuf Nurkic and '31 1st for RWIII (and 2nd for Nick Richards as part of the deal?)
Little for Jevon Carter
Keep 22 Overall

HadAnEffectHere wrote:

gswhoops wrote:So, assuming:

1) Beal, Booker, and KD are not being traded
2) The Suns are willing to spend any/all future assets to win a championship in the next 2-3 years

What's the best squad they could put together?

They probably should gamble on Robert Williams. Nurkic and the 31 pick for Robert Williams is what the Blazers will be looking for. They can then try to get another player making less than $7m with their other picks, but this will be harder.

Nurkic is much better than Robert Williams who is rarely healthy anyways. Why?

Nurkic was good.
Suns improvement will come from a Little trade.

BeiBeau wrote:

NYG wrote:

NotACat wrote:WCJ potentially?

Would you do Nurkic and 22 or Nurkic and '31 1st or would it take both?

WCJ is an option but I think the suns need some rim protection.

Maybe?

Suns send: Jurkic + picks
Suns get: Mitchell Robinson

Knicks send: Randle, Robinson, and asset
Knicks get: Mikal Bridges

Brooklyn gets: picks + assets and take Nurkic
Brooklyn send: Bridges

Knicks run next season with Hartenstein at the 5

Absolutely not. Why would the Suns need to add assets to the Robinson/Nurkic swap? It is the other way around.

NotACat wrote:

NYG wrote:https://www.spotrac.com/nba/rankings/player/_/year/2024/position/c/sort/cap_total

Which centers this off-season fit all of the following criteria...

1. Make less than Jusuf Nurkic
2. Are better than Jusuf Nurkic
3. Could be had for 22nd Overall and/or 2031 Unprotected Phoenix Suns First Round Draft Pick

WCJ potentially?

I think that Nurkic is better than Carter but the latter is younger and cheaper, but I reluctantly add even #22 to this deal, while 31 1st rounder is too much, and giving up both is totally out of question.

zimpy27 wrote:Nurkic was good.
Suns improvement will come from a Little trade.

Nurkic had a 96 TS+ and was the main reason Phoenix's offense was so underwhelming (along with the horrible shot selection of Durant and Booker).

62.7% at the rim as a non-shooting center kills your spacing.

He also has a lot of injury history and turns 31 to start next year.

pad300 wrote:

Colbinii wrote:...

But, at the end of the day, talent is the name of the game, and Phoenix has 2 Top 20 players in the NBA.

Do they?

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2024_leaders.html

Neither of them makes top 20 in Win Shares, Win Shares/48, BP/M, VORP... Booker is #19 in PER

Booker and Durant might be top 20 names in the NBA, but even there, the competition is fierce...

Booker is #11 in WS and #18 in WS/48? Durant #14 in VORP

NYG wrote:Jusuf Nurkic and '31 1st for RWIII (and 2nd for Nick Richards as part of the deal?)
Little for Jevon Carter
Keep 22 Overall

Suns need a big wing/POA defender, not RWIII and Nick Richards. If they move Nurk they will need a replacement but their target isn’t going to be multiple, worse centers.

HadAnEffectHere wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:Nurkic was good.
Suns improvement will come from a Little trade.

Nurkic had a 96 TS+ and was the main reason Phoenix's offense was so underwhelming (along with the horrible shot selection of Durant and Booker).

62.7% at the rim as a non-shooting center kills your spacing.

He also has a lot of injury history and turns 31 to start next year.

He also led the team in plus minus. Nurk is a good player when he is healthy but awful at the rim. I think he is a capable shooter even if the %s are up and down. Solid stroke and willing to take them.

HadAnEffectHere wrote:

zimpy27 wrote:Nurkic was good.
Suns improvement will come from a Little trade.

Nurkic had a 96 TS+ and was the main reason Phoenix's offense was so underwhelming (along with the horrible shot selection of Durant and Booker).

62.7% at the rim as a non-shooting center kills your spacing.

He also has a lot of injury history and turns 31 to start next year.

I'm not sure non shooting centers are an issue, Minny, NY, Cavs and Mavs all have them. I think Nurk actually had a solid year and stepped it up with defensive rebounds, but he's not a versatile defender, and tends to get caught out of position on that end; he's shortcomings were certainly exposed. Not all his fault, though, Minny was just the better team and Gobert shut him down offensively. I also don't think the Suns were coached particularly well in the postseason.