The Phoenix Suns Need A Point Guard But Is Anyone Actually Available?

The Phoenix Suns Need A Point Guard But Is Anyone Actually Available?

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] MCO welcome in everybody to the phnx Suns podcast I’m Lindsay that’s Gerald that’s espo I can’t talk today so fingers crossed yes you thought yesterday was rough just wait you just tweeted out the link to YouTube just YouTube Hey guys check it out I found this great new site I love that we’re kind of weirdly color coordinated too teal I got I got red like there’s the black like it’s bizarre like we plan this or something can I address something what’s that yesterday I was very disturbed by the end of our program the final discussion sure but I finally figured out why Lindsay’s a psycopath and it scares me sopath but give that terrifies me Psychopathic you really had the shoehorn that Jing there didn’t you I did stupid you know it’s bad when Gerald doesn’t appreciate a pun oh my God you didn’t get his though I appreciate it Gerald I’m a humble man I put my sock on one one foot at a time all right like okay all now that we put our foot in our mouth see I put my best foot forward damn it I don’t have one I’m sorry I wish I could but we did get news uh pertaining to the Phoenix Sun so Sarah Todd atnb Sarah on Twitter tweeted out Utah Jazz assisant coach Chad forier will be joining Mike buen holder holder holders cha and Phoenix according there you got through the tougher name boen holder new son’s coach Mel that sounds like what a German person would call like a koozie it’s the boen holder the boen holder it’s the boen holder Na and Lindsay’s crying guys we are three minutes those listening on audio Lindsay has Tears In Her Eyes we’ve broken her already beanie on her face so so Gerald what do you make of this higher you were a Nostradamus yesterday and predicted that this man may show up on the bench yeah he was one of the guys that I highlighted yesterday so that’s we’re one for one so far that’s good um but if you missed it he has 23 years of assistant coaching experience Lindsay’s still crying um he spent I think he spent four years with bud in Milwaukee he spent another nine um with him as a Spurs assistant under Greg papovich and San An so it’s good that bud is getting a guy that he wants a guy that he likes guy that he’s familiar with it’s good that he was able to pry him away from Utah which is where he currently was um so any familiarity having that working Rapport is a good thing as a coach tries to build out their staff I’m gonna be honest I need to see this guy’s birth certificate because he seriously though he looks younger than me and he’s 10 years older than me so I would he’s like 50 right yeah he’s 50 if you look at his picture he looks like 35 yeah yeah yeah well well I was wondering how we coached with him with the Spurs I was like was it like a high school internship right no a couple years there’s no way this dude’s 50 that’s what I’m saying and like that picture makes him look a little bit older I think just CU like the contrast on it and like the being with his family and his kids are pretty older right but like when you look at some of the other pictures I’m like oh I need to go look at dates of when these were taken because there’s no way this is a 50-year-old man standing in front of us I’m I’m just excited that they may have gotten our hockey team but we got their assistant basketball coach screw you Utah as Lucas says get stuffed Utah yeah no he’s he’s got two years of uh Championship experience as well because he won one in San Antonio as an assistant won one in Milwaukee unfortunately against us as an assistant so um I mean 23 years of experience despite looking like your 30 is pretty impressive so yeah absolutely all right let’s dive into the meat and potatoes of today’s show we’re going to be talking about point guards ain’t that right James Jones point guards oh I think the team could benefit from having a point guard um I believe the team could benefit from having backup forwards backup centers um you know I still always go back to your best players on the floor um that’s a narrative we’ll hear a lot a point guard point guard point guard point guard point guard point guard and I’m saying sure that’s that’s great who who do you want like who do you want like who who’s available given the way we’re built who can fit with this group whose game seamlessly fits with this group and when you put that player on the floor and you take the ball out of someone’s hands whose hands are you taking it out of and who are you putting in that position and so it’s it’s it’s more than just a position um like a point guard or small forward is the actual player that you can get or you do have and so if we had the point guard that would be the best fit for this group we’d find them um if available so I I don’t think there’s anything wrong I don’t run away from saying we could benefit from having a point guard I just don’t think that was the the answer to a lot of our problems point guard point guard point guard point guard point guard point guard I got Lindsay going on do it jald do it can you do it point guard point guard point guard point guard guard I don’t think I want to even try I already had a mess at the beginning of the show point guard point guard point guard point guard point guard point guard I can’t do it guard I can’t do it point guard point guard point guard point guard you go I to go real slow at the there you got Point God at the end you almost did super close James Jones is uh one of his hidden skills is being able to say that as many times as absolutely all right well let’s talk about some of them Gerald you wrote a hefty article over at go phx.com because we have had this conversation do they do they not need a point guard I think we’re all at least in agreement um that they do need a backup point guard but when it comes to a starting point guard still we are in agreement that they don’t need one necessarily um but the rest of the group meaning all suns fans there are some that still think the Suns need a starting caliber point guard so we went through and by we I mean you looked at all quote unquote traditional point guards or point guards who are closer to a traditional point guard anyway within the league at this point um and we went through and figured out could they work for the Suns and is it realistic and what would it take to get them yeah but you have some disclaimers I do so for the people that haven’t seen the article yet or are not going to read it at all um I kind of categorized it I went through every point guard who’s currently under contract so this does not include uh upcoming free agents for the most part mentioned a couple near the end there but this was to look at okay trade-wise can the Suns acquire a starting caliber point guard like and this point guard that they bring in has to check a lot of boxes like they have to fit with the big three in terms of not being too undersized because whoever this point guard is would be taking 6 foot4 Grayson Allen’s place in the starting lineup um they have to be more of a traditional pass first point guard because if you have a scoring point guard you already have three High Caliber scorers you I’m assuming if we’re having this discussion that belongs in the early 2000s about getting a point guard at someone to facilitate to set the table so they need to be like a more traditional uh true point guard they need to be starting caliber because we’re not just going to get a point guard to put a worse player than Grayson in the starting lineup just because he can handle the ball and he’s some six foot two guard um and also like looking at salaries could you trade for this point guard without having to include one of the big three as we know Bradley Beal has the no trade clause he’s got the massive contract that not a lot of teams would want so you’re either having to give up Devin Booker or Kevin Durant are you willing to do that for any of these guys that we’re going to talk about um and can you actually trade for them if you go with nerk and a pick or Nasir little and a pick because remember they have all these restrictions as a second tax apron team so those are the biggest disclaimers that I wanted to get through we will talk about free agents coming up next week start to look at okay who can the Suns add at different positions with only vet minimums at their disposal but for now I wanted to keep it to guys that are currently under contract because more than likely the only Avenues you have to improve our trades or vet minimum so we’re going to wipe out more than half the board of all those point s that are under contract right now you got names you want Gerald’s here to tell you n you don’t unfortunately yeah yeah much it is um but if you guys do have some names that you’ve been thinking about or want some answers to this article is greater you can try and drop them in the chat and maybe we’ll be able to talk about them as well here um we’re going to start with the franchise Stars the Suns have little to no hope of getting we’re not going to talk about every single point guard that Gerald put in his article if you want the full kit in Kaboodle you can go over to go.com but we will talk about some of them first and foremost Darius Garland of course there’s going to be conversation there $ 36.7 Million worth of conversation which means ours is probably pretty small yeah I mean it’s his name’s gonna come up because like there was that whole report about if Donovan Mitchell signs his extension then you know Garland’s people are going to push to get him somewhere else so that he can cuz because his numbers have taken a bit of a decline since Mitchell came to town he hasn’t handled the ball as much uh a good luck like finding that in in Phoenix if that’s what you’re looking for but I I do think um it’s a tough you’re not getting him you’re just not getting him unless you’re trading Devin Booker Kevin Durant which why would you do that for darus can we can we just first off you’re not trading Kevin Durant for any point guard because in your team makes even less sense than it did last year so if you if you have that in your mind I think you can set that aside real quick right because roster construction wise if you had a problem with what it looked like last season you’d have a much bigger problem if you brought in a point guard to go along with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal uh without Kevin Durant on a roster and we already know the sun’s pretty dug in stance of Devin Booker ain’t going anywhere and Devin Booker doesn’t want to go anywhere because he feels like this is a city so I mean right off the bat that means you’re not going to get in in a you know a Garland discussion because they’re not going to take Brad Beal for that and why in the hell would Brad Beal ever say wait my no trade clause to send me to Cleveland just because of the city itself plus let’s think about the two uh the two ownership groups and I think we’re never going to see a big deal between these two teams ever yeah probably yeah sorry to crap on everything there no but honestly the ones in this category are pretty much like hard NOS let’s be honest they just kind of are next up we’ve got dejonte Murray 25.4 million there’s a lot that kind of goes in with his as well because of the second tax apron yeah well I mean the Hawks are pushing right up against it if they resign um sadique Bay they’ll probably be there I don’t know if they’re going to make him available I think if they did I I think most of the conjecture has been around Trey young but if they choose Trey over him I mean would be a really nice fit theoretically but again he’s he’s not a guy you’re breaking up the big three for unless it was Brad be and Brad Beal is not gonna want to go to Atlanta the Hawks aren’t going to want Brad Beal so it’s kind of a non-starter and are we even sure they’re going to move off of him and not Trey young at this well Lucas says be for Tre or be for Trey I mean wish wanted to go I just again I don’t see Brad Beal going yeah send me to Atlanta please after I just moved my whole life here yeah I don’t I think there’s probably one maybe two teams on that list and I’m not even sure at that point he he’d do something like that to move so you know even if he wanted to do it the Hawks aren’t doing that no the Hawks definitely aren’t doing that in that move I mean you need to get a hell of a lot more for for Trey young or Deon Murray with how much you invested uh in both those guys along the way whether it was in what you gave up up for to get to Jon Murray or what you’ve put in to Trey young over the years all right last one in this category since we told you these ones are pretty much pipe dream Drew holiday $30 million Drew holiday we’ve been fantasizing about having Drew holiday on this team for a while now just because we’ve seen the defense that he can provide up close he’s not under under siiz at 6 foot4 and honestly playing with two or all three of this big three he’s a guy that can play off the ball that doesn’t function like a traditional point guard but again if the whole point is finding a pass first point guard for these guys he’s not that and you’re not trading for him anyway because a the Celtics are on the verge of winning a title with him in their first year together and B the Celtics are a tax apron team so you would have to find a way to Loop in a third team and you’re still having to break up the big three just to get him it’s it’s a no okay I think Drew holiday could be the answer but in a way that people aren’t thinking okay what Mike buen holer did with Drew holiday in uh in Milwaukee now I know Bradley Beal is a different player but he’s not a traditional point guard and what can can Bud get out of him on the offensive end and in general that maybe Frank vogle didn’t last year and can he make it work could that be part of the reason why you don’t need a starting point guard because buen hoer may have some answers that he brought up in those uh in those interviews to make this work and make more sense that’s the hope that’s for sure like I I think we saw in flashes last year Bradley Beal being able to get into the defense collapse the defense his ability to drive and put pressure on the rim those are all good things for teams in general and especially for this Suns team with as many mid-range shots as KD and book take um so yeah to your point like he’s functioned with a point guard who’s not a traditional point guard at multiple stops throughout his career so hopefully you’re able to see that sort of similar effect with Brad who was kind of you know his role was fluctuating throughout the year all right next category we’re going to look at our higher salary targets that would require one of the big three to be involved so again like we said in the last category not likely that these will happen but we’ll talk about some of them anyway first and foremost Malcolm Brockton $22.5 million a lot of people have asked about Brogden um and I get it like he’s a guy that could function as a starting point guard or as a backup point guard a high-end backup um but again he makes 22.5 million so you cannot logistically trade nerk for him and you know at this point he’s getting a little bit older now if you want a point guard who’s younger who can grow with the team that’s probably not Brogden um so you’re not breaking up your big three for Malcolm Brogden I have a Brogden question though sure because we we know the reality of uh of Portland they’re right on the first apron right right there oh yeah they’re an apron team too so so could could it be a Target where Malcolm Brogden gets bought out to and waved and stretched so they can get a little further away from that apron and then I believe the CBA rules are if you get bought out in the offseason that rule doesn’t apply it’s only people that were bought out in season that you can only spend up to the midlevel exception so I wonder if there is a way that brogen could be possible but not in an actual trade uh I don’t obviously I’m not the financial guy I went to UA math a my still have to be a minimum at that point right yes he would he would get his money he get his money from Portland and then still minimum from the Suns so like if he was a buyout guy kind of thing I mean as a buyout guy sure that’d be great like he would Vault to the top of your list in terms of point guards you could reasonably sign with that minimum because he’s still getting his money that he was owed or most of it from a contract but like again for trade purposes like it’s not happening I just I find Portland so fascinating because they’re so bad yet they are right at that first apron there that will they make some unique moves that may people may scratch their heads a little bit in order to circumvent some of that and put themselves in a better position over the next handful of years and I kind of Wonder Brogden strikes me as that guy there were even Rumblings could they buy him out last year when they acquired him if they couldn’t find a deal so maybe I this is this is me with a hope and a prayer trying trying to find you guys some option that sounds good maybe that could be I mean it sounds great but I think Portland they’re gonna get a draft pick out of him somewhere like someone some Contender will have some amount of room for a backup guy that good and the cost a pick or two like it would make sense next up we’ve got Derek white $19.5 million again another another tax apron team another guy like another guy you’re having to break up your big three for and if you’re doing that like you might as well just get Drew holiday um yeah if we’re living in pipe dream world sure and again the Celtics are about to win a title or at least be in the finals so like they’re not breaking up this team in Year One together especially with as much time as porzingis has missed to this point I don’t know so this name has been tossed around a lot on the internet um some people willing to take the risk here Ben Simmons man I wouldn’t do that at all no I mean y’all want to complain about Bill’s contract and how many games he missed go look at Ben Simmons over the last few years it’s much worse in both categories million yeah who you you you don’t even have a guy why that’s I’m I’m lindsy right now my brain is is not firing no and i’ I’ve I only put him in here because I’ve gotten a lot of questions a couple of questions about Ben Simmons like logistically he makes 40.3 million so you’re not breaking up the big three to bring in a guy who has barely played over the last few years who yes is a bigger point guard that’s what you would love but like if he can barely play and if when he does play is a shell of his former self like what are we doing here think about the fits he’s going to get off on the sideline though it would look so good Grand for team morale that’s true chemistry we need the chemistry all right next up in this category and the last one in this category before moving on Marcus Smart 20.2 million this is another name that a lot of people have asked about um again he makes just a little bit too much money for you to try and trade nerk for him and again even when we get to the guys that you can trade nerk for you have to ask yourself is it worth losing your starting center to bring in a backup or a starting caliber point guard just to have one when now you have a hole to fill at the Five Spot like Marcus Smart would be a nice fit defensively for them but again offensively not a traditional point guard not a guy that’s going to set the table for those other three literally just a guy that can dribble the ball up the court and he can playmake but he’s not that’s not like a primary function of his dreaming free ain’t gonna happen all right now let’s get into something that might potentially be a little bit more realistic here but the category is still named good luck trading for this guy with Yousef nurkic nasier little and a pick first and foremost TJ McConnell $9.3 million love love TJ we’ve talked about him you’re not getting him for use of nkit after they just went to the Conference Finals yeah he’s not going anywhere with his performance so yeah I sorry probably I think their GM came out today and said they want to make sure he retires a Pacer so just to let you know how they value him I mean he screams Indie yeah next up we’ve got IO dunu $7 million just over that uh nasier little threshold and so I’m am I really trading nerk for a guy that I’m rolling the dice on is likely G to be a backup and then I have all sorts of questions elsewhere the answer is no right again if if you weren’t playing in this weird uh second apron sandbox and you could aggregate a few things throw a pick maybe it is a flyer you take maybe it’s something you go for but it ain’t going to happen so really good defensive guy for the Bulls but yeah not a traditional point guard maybe not even a starting caliber player on this particular roster yes all right potentially attainable guys but they’re most likely backups Josh giddy $8.3 million now since these ones are a little bit more attainable I’ll give you a little more info about them he averaged 12.3 points per game 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assist this season so this guy I want to clarify I put him in this category of most likely backups no knowing that he started pretty much every game he played for the Thunder this year but we saw in the playoffs that he was basically unplayable for OKC when he was on the court and I I just don’t think he’s the right fit for this group like for this big three I feel like demoting Grayson Allen for Josh giddy makes you a worse team even if you could get him for Yousef nerkish in a pick and again then you have to fill a hole at the five so what are you doing there yeah I mean there’s a million fun uh segments we could have if that happened but def find fun say fun I would have the counter of how many times did he score under 18 points we just have that running there’s all sorts of things no look if you’re looking at Raw Talent and you’re putting aside other things and you go okay I I ha I gotta try to get younger and find somebody that could turn into something while trying to win maybe you could convince me on it but there’s baggage there there’s what we saw in the playoffs again it opens up a whole question about what are you doing in the middle which is a huge question mark already but I don’t think you want to make it even even worse by trading for uh trading for a guy that may not even start in in reality for you and let’s face it he’d probably fit in better on a more youthful team this team might be a little bit too old for him all right next up on the list Russell Westbrook he makes $4 million has a player option this summer averaged 11.1 points per game five rebounds and four and a half assists I mean if he opts back in with the Clippers it’s not happening through a trade because the Clippers are another tax apron team so you’d have to Loop in a third team it’s not impossible but again I don’t understand what trading Nasir little for him get you and what it gets the Clippers so the only reason this might make sense is if he Ops out becomes a free agent and is willing to take a vet minimum and even then I’m just not crazy about his fit here well he’s not starting I mean if that’s my backup option and it’s the best I can get in terms of a a vet minimum sure I’m considering it could he’d be he’d be this year’s version of Eric Gordon that you hope he captures some uh some magic in a bottle at a vet minimum and he helps you win like that’s that’s what you’d be doing but that’s not you’re not starting Russell Westbrook that’s the thing you’re not I don’t think you’re starting any point guard I think that’s the reality of it and then you got to debate what am I looking four Off the Bench that can actually help me in this way and do any of these guys fit that for the cost if if Russell Westbrook opts out I’m highly considering it but again it’s it’s a flyer based on age and you know and what he’d be able to do Off the Bench with this group Next Up we’ve got Davon Mitchell $6.4 million team option average 5.3 points 1.3 rebounds 1.9 assist would fit just under naser’s contract because Nas is at uh 67 right 6 yep 6.75 so it would fit there we’ve talked about him when we went through our nasier little trades I like Davon Mitchell if all it costs you is nir little but again do you want to use one of your two tradable picks for a guy who’s probably not a starting caliber point guard he spent the season coming off the bench for the Kings who did not even make the playoffs so it’s like yes he’s a young guy yes he’s the archetype that you’re looking for in terms of a defensive pest a point of attack Defender but offensive he’s not the point guard that people keep wanting I’m just going to tell you you’re already drafting him in bronny James so you go why you need to trade for him look I think you can find a guy of that ilk at 22 potentially not bronny but you might be able to find an option that serves the same purpose uh without trading uh you know trading one of the few pieces you can actually move uh in some kind of a deal so well speaking of bronnie we do have a super chat from psycho blue psycho said quote we I feel like you got to read this one ESO because it needs to come from a mysterious scrambled voice can you do a mysterious scrambled voice the NBA fan second oh we we have your son if you want to see him again come sign for the V minimum a mysterious scramble voice calling the son’s next lead playmaker I mean that was like an alien narrator well I mean sometimes they go that what did you want one of these SC can we put that back up and I will try it again we have your son if you ever want to see him again come sign for the vet minimum a mysterious scrambled voice calling the son’s next lead playmaker I thought he was going to go into Nookie monster first second no there’s all sorts of variations of voices I can do I’m available for kids birthday parties and voiceovers okay there you go psycho blue also sent us another one and they said the NBA fandom gave the Clippers way more time for their super team to finally fall off people are quick to forget the national pundits celebrated all of our moves last offseason I got the receipts I mean they did celebrate the moves we made we all kind of thought that they would pan out a little bit better than what they did um but I do agree that I do think the Suns have a shorter rope than other teams do with things in general I I think it just has to do with the players that that are the Big Time Players k KD has always had this right or wrong and in most cases wrong a baggage that comes from the national perspective Devin has been hated on along the way and Bradley Beal’s contract was an easy thing to to turn on if it didn’t work right in the first year so yeah all right 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their best deal of the Season head to Shady ra.com use code phnx for 35% off polarized sunglasses so you can try for yourself the shades rated five stars by over 300,000 people that that number just keeps going up and up and up like 50,000 people added to that in a very short amount of time that’s how you know you’re getting good products just like our likes they’ll be up 50,000 by the end of the show hit that like button y’ did you guys watch beginning of show oh God uh it was off rails massively off rails but you know when those kind of conversations are fun when you have an OG’s gummy I am the OG’s uh Nookie monster and I love me some OG’s uh my favorite right now are the OG’s Naturals as you can tell I am I am concerned with with my looks and my health I mean that is that is how I am and these are vegan gummies made with live Ros and available in the sweet Clementine flavor better better than chocolate chip cookie so good uh meanwhile big OG’s is like mega version of pegs R raspberry orange RSO one of company’s most popular products it’s like giant cookie cut into 10 slices but it’s THC so good me love it me love the big OG’s it is so yummy uh so to learn more about OG’s gummies and where you can find them head over to OG’s brands.com uh must be 21 plus to enjoy please please please enjoy responsibly like I enjoy cookies can we get a a Nookie monster after an OG’s like a chilled out monster go back back love cookies need cookies we need to go back to fix I regret asking that I regret asking that I’m so sorry a phoenix wants to know is it’s slightly painful to do the nookie voice espo no it really isn’t it’s painful for everybody else like it would hurt for the ears yes for the throat no I mean I did it for almost a whole quarter of BAS bkb calling play bypl that was great then we talked for like another hour and a half after like my voice would just disappear be like all right I’m going head out all right next up we’ve got the category of definitely available but still developing projects on that’s what they called me in college did they yeah okay are you developed now have you like we I’m not available but I have not develop nope out of two a had Keon Ellis two .1 Million last year average 5.4 points per game 2.2 rebounds 1.5 assists played 57 games and average 17.2 minutes in those games he’s a backup so it’s a backup and again yeah you got to wait what’s it worth to trade for a backup point guard right because you know and and what are you actually going to get in return uh when when he when he plays any of these guys play his back you got to you got to waste the cost benefit right and I’m not sure we’ve hit a guy that I go yeah it’s worth taking the what little assets you have to try to to try to acquire this person yeah and like MoneyWise this could potentially work like if we were living in a fantasy world which I’m going to do for a second um you could take one of your vet men’s if they opt in on their SEC on the player option for their second year and move them for him cu only makes 2.1 million but are the Kings willing to do that is the question you would have to ask right and and this is Keon Ellis is a classic example of a guy like okay if you had like an extra second round pick to spare maybe you put that on top of a vetman contract and float it Sacramento’s way but first round pick for p Keon Ellis would be crazy you’re not getting him for just one of your players either like this is a this is why I keep coming back to this idea that if you’re going to add a backup point guard which I think most of us agree a backup point guard would be very helpful for this team you kind of have that’s what you need to Target with a vet minimum because finding it through a trade you’re not going to find a starting caliber guy and do you really want to trade one of your few remaining assets for a backup point guard like bet minimums is the way to go can we can we address what wild Factor says here because I don’t think he’s on our list I know he was on yours though Jared thoughts on nerk for Jordan clar Clarkson and U7 uh plus a pick it’s a lot to give up for Jordan Clarkson and I I will say he struggled last year right he didn’t shoot the ball very well he did score I think he’s still average like 17 points a game because I think he got to the free throw line a decent amount um and he actually was a better playmaker than I think a lot of people realize I think he averaged around five assists so um he’s a little more well-rounded than just you know bench microwave scorer but he’s again he’s a shoot first shoot second shoot third maybe think about pass and then shoot again point guard like he not a pass first guy so you know trading your starting center for a guy like that it it fixes one problem that I don’t even think is a major problem and then it opens up a whole new one because look we we can talk all day about how nerk was unplayable in that playoff series but like you have to upgrade him somehow or keep him and the upgrade options are not plentiful no and you’re trading your biggest potential asset because of money uh and creating a big hole that then you don’t have that much to try to find a solution in so uh and Clarks and shooting numbers concerned me last year because he’s not any younger so then you’re you’re also banking on him returning to the form we saw the year before as well just too many question marks heot sorry he shot 41% overall and 29% from three so not great yeah also are we’re assuming we’re getting all of that back for nerk right we can’t do that anyway no you can get you can you can get multiple oh never mind you’re right I’m so sorry I had it backwards no you’re good you’re right yeah we can’t send out multiple players but we can take multiple ones back I feel like every episode we just need to go back over the second a you’re the second apron restrictions CU there you’re there’s a lot of them it’s your daily second apron update oh here we go there you go you cannot aggregate multiple players Lally said it so many times I know she and you you know this but with as many times as we’re gon to talk about this it helps like cannot aggregate multiple players in a trade meaning can’t send multiple players out at the same time can’t take back additional money in the trade more than you’re sending out uh can’t use pre-existing trade exceptions can’t use the mid-level exception to sign free agents can’t acquire a player in a sign in trade and cannot sign players on the buyout Market if their salary prior to being bought out was greater than the mid-level exception but that’s only in season right buyouts that happen in off season I believe you don’t have a have a limit on I think that’s right but I would have to double check on that because I think Bobby Marx has talked about that somewhere again on the another one of those weird wrinkles that that deal with all this so um all right next up in this category definitely available but still developing projects bones Highland $4.1 million 6.9 points per game last season 1.5 rebounds 2.5 assists he played 37 games and averaged 14.6 minutes in those games I again for me if you’re taking the idea of Bones that’s that’s the thing but if I’m it’s the am I am I going to get a guy that’s helping now yeah am I am I banking on I still need young talent that might be able to develop and be helpful two three years down the line that’s where he’s intriguing right you’re taking a flyer and you can get it for you know I’m again you’re GNA have to why why are they making the deal and you’re gonna have to include a pick right and that to me makes you go okay can I maybe find a a potential guy like bones Highland at number 22 like is is his value that much higher than guys I’m looking at on my draft board yeah I I think at that point you’d rather just use the number 22 pick on a guy that you’re GNA have for the foreseeable future on a rookie contract someone that has more room to grow um I I don’t think bones has done growing as a player but I I am not that high on him after what we’ve seen over the last couple of years fell out of the Nuggets rotation um hasn’t really been a part of the Clippers rotation for the most part I I haven’t seen anything that tells me oh yeah in Phoenix with this big three things would suddenly change for him um he’s not a traditional point guard either so again you’re better off using a vet minimum or that number 22 pick if you are targeting that backup point guard spot all right here we go guys The Sweet Spot this is the category we’ve got Alex Caruso first off $9.8 million average 10.1 points per game 3.8 rebounds 3.5 assists I know a lot of people are excited right now about the idea of Alex Caruso again what do you have to do what is the package you’re putting together to make it enticing enough for the Bulls to decide yes we are completely blowing this up and this is enough that that we can get I mean at one point I believe the talk was they wanted two first round picks for Caruso so are you really willing to go uh nerk and and some of their filler plus the two first round picks for Alex Caruso I mean I’d be shocked if they actually get that I think that’s you know bar classic bartering fair but they also didn’t settle for one pick to this point so they could be holding out for that and if they are blowing it up they will have multiple suitors so is nerk and a either the number 22 pick this year or a first rounder in 2031 better than what the other offers are going to be I don’t know and again if you bring Caruso in you still need to address your Center spot now I I love kuso’s fit with this group because of the defense like he is an elite point of attack Defender ball screen Navigator all this stuff that the Suns need um but offensively he’s not like a facilitating table setting point guard and again you’re not going to get him for what you would like to get him for well andar you starting him over Grayson over Grayson which to be fair when when Grayson played for Bud he did come off Off the Bench with Bud right no well in one of the years he did right he started for the most part of his time in Milwaukee I believe I think he started a lot in the regular season and then I think he got hurt and then I think he came off the bench in the post I’m wrong that then I I thought he started his two seasons uh he played 66 games started 61 of them and then played 72 and started 70 so that’s not even that’s not even a connection you can make where Grayson would be going to the bench because but has played him there before either apologize for the confusion he did in the playoffs the first time around they played 12 playoff games he came off the bench for seven of them but then the next year he started all five playoff games for them so I don’t know cool in the chat said do the Suns even have any picks left to trade yes so they’ve got this year’s 22nd pick they can move and on draft night the 31 first round pick becomes available that they can move as well Ted brings up could Caruso and Grayson be teammates like they have a beef I mean oh that’s true forgot about that I always feel like those things sometimes get overblown now Isaiah Stewart Drew Eubanks where there’s an actual assault or Draymond Green Jordan pool kind of thing okay but some of these beefs I think when guys wind up on a team together just like all right water under the bridge we’re now we’re now competing for the same thing we’re trying to trying to get the same goal together so I I truthfully have no idea I I would imagine that Caruso still would feel some type of way about it maybe that changes if he’s on a title Contender and Grayson apologizes or whatever maybe they’ve already buried it behind closed doors I honestly don’t know enough about what has happened since that situation to speculate one way or the other or coach Bud could go the Joker way snap the pool queue in half drop two parts and say it’s time for aggressive expansion but we only got room for won boys well I’m glad we traded someone for someone who would then be knocked off can’t wait that’s wonderful all right next up we’ve got Dennis shuder $13 million average 14 points per game three rebounds 6.1 assists I like shuder but again that contract you’re only getting him for nerk or for Grayson Allen once he becomes trade eligible in October I don’t it’s funny because two most of the three guys that I put in this sweet spot category there’s still something wrong with how you would go about getting them or what that would lead to he’s also undersized and um he is more of a table setter I think compared to a lot of these guys that we’ve talked about but I’m I’m just not blown away by that one so I’m I’m thinking out loud because what we keep coming back to is you create the whole without nerk is there a world where you play small ball with this group or where you where you settle for for a center that does one thing decent that you need and accept that there’s going to be other flaws and hope you can make it up because you now have a more Dynamic offense like that’s that’s the only way I could see making a deal for any of these guys that are going to cost you nerk uh and and understand a logical path to that which I I don’t think so but maybe other basketball mines might I think again and this is something that I brought up and why one of my categories on this whole point guard exercise was how tall are they are they under size is because if you are moving away from an established Center like nerk you’re probably getting smaller if you’re playing small ball you’re definitely getting smaller and you’re putting a lot of strain on like KD whoever other forward you bring in um that’s a lot of physical strain to put on them through a regular season so you kind of need a more traditional Center if just to have a seven-footer who’s strong who can take some of that physical toll I don’t think we’re we’re stocky enough for that on a regular basis I don’t think so either but I’m just trying to think about is is there any world where somebody tries to justify it in that way and I think uh cool in the chat says who’s going to rebound if nerk goes LOL we’d have to shoot 60% every game to win and I think that’s probably the most valid argument against why you’d move him because we saw there were some nights he carried more than half the on the boards yeah he he was an elite offensive and defensive rebounder last season I think he was 88th percentile in offensive rebounding and 98th in defensive rebounding percentage so like he was really good in both of those areas um it’s just some of those flaws come playoff time you need to make sure that you have backups behind him that you can pivot pivot to in a pinch all right last one for right now we’ll do Trey man $4.9 million average 9 .3 points per game 3.6 rebounds and four assists I like 4.9 million yeah that’s that part’s great and I think you could probably get him for you know maybe Nas little in a first round pick the question is does the Suns front office believe that he is a future really good point guard in this league or is he just a guy who impressed in his time with Charlotte and would probably amount to a decent backup I would he’s one that if you’re telling me it’s nasier little in 22 I might roll the dice because I think I I think he might be one of the few that we talked about that has that higher ceiling than guys I’m looking at on the board at 22 I’m very intrigued by it I accept that he’d be a backup going in this year but I’d also I mean when you look at it nasier little barely played and number 22 in all likelihood unless something catastrophically went wrong would be a backup player anyways so so that that would be something I’d seriously have to consider I I like Trey man I think he’s I mean he’s young he’s on a really nice contract he’s a guy that still has Room to Grow but again I think with this particular team you’re looking at a guy who is a backup in year one and you know unless you can trade him for NS even attaching the pit kind of hurts for me a little bit and I and I like the guy too well I mean it would take all opportunity to finesse your way into LeBron off the table basically too yeah right yeah I mean that’s the thing you if there was a possibility and that’s just assuming there is which not let’s be honest this whole thought exercise makes it very clear why you would want to be in the LeBron sweep Stakes if he’s really willing to to take a vet minimum which I’m still not convinced that he is but if if there’s even that 10 15 20% chance that he is that’s your answer at point guard I mean that’s that’s the reality of it with everything we went through that’s the best and maybe only real option for a starting caliber point guard to be on this roster and yeah is it slim sure but a lot of these are are pipe dreams in a lot of different ways as well yeah and and that’s kind of the conclusion I came to sorting all of these point guards categorizing them trying to figure out strengths and weaknesses and how attainable they are is like yes they need a backup point guard but that’s not their most pressing need and a starting point guard is very unrealistic when you look at who they could trade for and when we next week start to look at okay who could you sign a lot of these guys are backup quality they don’t check off every box that this team needs for okay he needs to not be undiz he needs to be able to set the table he needs to be able to take on primary defensive assignments play on or off the ball it’s a lot of things that need to be checked to play with this particular big three if you’re looking for a point guard so shy of LeBron James shocking the world sacrificing 48 million and signing here on a vet minimum you’re probably not going to get a better facilitator point guard type in your starting lineup you can get a backup though and that’s what the focus should be on all right so now that we’ve officially gone through names I think we can table this conversation unless it’s for free agents who we will talk about on Mondays moving forward but in the meantime none of them can join our Inner Circle but all of you guys are a part of our Inner Circle and you should also be a part of Circle K’s in circle we’re talking about their free new membership program where you save 25 cents per gallon on your first five fill ups you save three cents per gallon every single day that can get bumped up as well as you kind of grow within the app they also have member exclusive beverage deals and additional deals as well right now Inner Circle members can get any size Polar Pop or froster for just 69 that’s 79 cents if you are not an inner circle member so make sure that you get the best discounts now through September 3rd at any Arizona location you can find that deal in the app under Inner Circle and offers so join Inner Circle for free by downloading the Circle K app today terms and conditions apply at participating locations this is Circle K for details I don’t know who you are I don’t know what you want but I do know the desert Financial Credit Union has 84 years of experience and a particular set of skills when it comes to finance there all right there you I hey you guys asked me to do a weird voice of for Super Chat I thought I’d start there look my friend my friends over at Desert Financial Credit Union are going to take care of you uh no matter what your financial needs are what you’re looking for they’ve got a solution for you are you looking to in uh invest right you looking to protect your future and the chance that you might wind up in the second apron they’ve got investment options are you looking to buy that dream home uh the first home for you and your family they’ve got home loans to take care of you are you looking to start that business that you’ve always wanted to but you didn’t feel like you might be able to financially make it happen but now you’re ready they’ve got B small business loans too they got everything and anything that you could want uh and they’ve been here forever and they care about this community and that’s what makes it uh so near and dear to my heart I grew up here I love this state in particular this city and the valley and they do too and they want to take care of you there so join a credit unit that is committed to giving back to that community and sharing success with you uh their members so when you open a free checking account online right now you’re going to get $200 in bonuses get started by visiting desertfinancial.com sl200 all right so we talked about point guards and again like we said at the top of the show starting point guard likely not at the top of the list of a need for the sunis offseason backup point guard it’s in there it’s in there but let’s do a little Rank and file exercise since we talked about the point guard situation of what we think our biggest needs are this offseason so we’ve got starting point guard backup point guard bigger defensive Wing Rim running finishing big floor spacing big bigger power forwards what are where are you guys stand in as far as you want to go backwards yeah or are there more do I need to add more to the list you got any others that you think you would add to this list no I think those six can work I think starting point guard you want to put it last yeah okay I mean starting point guard is last I don’t even think that’s a debate honestly I mean it it continues to be one but I just want to point out a couple of stats that I put in my piece to explain why point guard is not that big of an issue uh they were still a top 10 offense despite only having 40 games with their big three they also led the league in secondary assists so when they moved the ball they moved it very well uh and they were in the 93d percentile in points per possession for ball handlers in the pick and roll um that’s pretty good for a team that apparently needs a point guard to run pick and rolls with 93rd percentile yeah well and uh you bludgeoned yourself with that turnover article and we know that uh that that it wasn’t so much as much as people want to feel it was it wasn’t necessarily because they didn’t have a point guard there were a lot of different factors that went into that so all right well then where are we going to put back a point guard oh boy backup one through five is where it kind of lives where would we like it to go I I think it’s four it’s I would put it fourth I think yeah four or five but probably four okay yeah I put that fourth um fifth I would probably put probably put bigger power forward or maybe I’d put floor spacing big I’m not sure I’d probably put bigger power forward because based on the way that bud has run his offense in the past and they’re bigs I would probably say you need that option at least Off the Bench and girth Jr just answer your question how that worked in the playoffs they were still the 93rd percentile in the playoffs in points per possession and pick and rolls uh so they resorted to a lot of isos they were still really efficient in isos they just stopped moving the ball that’s the bigger problem that’s an system thing not a point guard thing um okay so the next three that we’ve got Rim running finishing big floor spacing big and a bigger defensive Wing probably put floor spacing big next because I think bud has grown austo he I mean he’s had them in Atlanta with Al Horford he’s had them in Milwaukee with Brook Lopez and Bobby poris so that would be useful that would be third for you no was that third yeah yeah I would go higher with that honestly I would probably or first I honestly I’m just gonna say I think you have to have one of those two big options whether it’s it’s Rim rolling or or shooting and I feel like that being able to stretch the defense and that five out that he likes to run I really feel like you need that that big that can shoot I would have it first or second I what’s your argument for uh Rim running big over floor spacing big I think if we’re going if we’re going to put them three and two that’s at least what I’m assuming we’re kind of I think it’s just because like the biggest problem with nerk if you look at this team from last year was not that he couldn’t knock down threes although he probably took too many it was more so that like he he struggled to finish around the rim if he finishes at like a DA clip I think the offense is even more efficient than you know 10th in offensive rating so I I do I think they would benefit from a guy that sets good screens that rolls hard that has some gravity there can finish effectively and you know like an Above the Rim threat a lob threat because love nerk love EU Banks but they didn’t it wasn’t happening with either one and to be fair you could wind up signing two vets that fit those rules in different ways if if you wanted so all right I’ll agree that we can go Rim rolling I mean I assume you want it two or did you yeah I was going to put Rim running finishing big at two ideally you could find a big who could you do both but there’s not not a ton of options not at a vet minimum J we’ll be lucky if they can do half of one of those things right so a bigger defensive Wing is going to be our number one priority this off season Lucas set a defensive Wing so Katie can focus on Katie things and we’re we’re saying that even with the assumption that they are resigning Rose O’Neal right yes okay that I agree but you need more you need more of what Roy can do and Roy is a little undiz he’s stocky and he’s strong so he can play up a position but you do need more size alongside him I think um just you need versatile interchangeable Wings you need to not have ktie taking the best Wing defensive assignment every night you need another option to go small so that ktie is not the five when you do go small all the time so just adding more size on the wing hopefully more shooting there and maybe even some ball handling and playmaking on the wing that would be helpful and it’s not to say that Katie didn’t handle that defensive assignment no it’s just is that really what you want him to put all of his energy and focus on does that help you the most right and I’d be intrigued depending on the guy you get that could there be some nights that uh matchup dependent Grayson comes off the bench and you start a bigger more defensive Wing because you want some kind of matchup like I want options that’s what that’s what I want and I think that’s what getting getting a a defense a bigger Wing can give you there and I think that that should very much be their their focus now who that is that’s a discussion for another time can you get them that’s a discussion for another time I did solve the the two big man things we were thinking about though okay I got two names I can get them for vet minimum bet I can guess one Jo land and Frank Kaminsky baby there’s the other I’ll give you Dario if you want manbe okay listen I wouldn’t be mad at it who’s the Above the Rim finishing big CH okay right man can godal I mean CH can do it all well I thought he was the three-point shooting but then you named Frank so then I was I just wanted to clarify they’re interchangeable okay you can posterize and hit from Deep all you want all right we have a super chat from St [ __ ] bag they said campaign back in the valley that is a vet minimum guy for when we talk about vet minimum Monday for sure but yeah he’ll be he’ll be high on most of our lists I’m guessing that is a campaign I can get behind this election season there you go um all right yeah that was a good one I’ll give you that one oh yeah so good that gave me the sarcastic uh Rim shot I see how it is it’s not always sarcastic sometimes it’s genuine sometimes it’s you to decide sarcastic you just have to decide but dump Ching all right any final thoughts before we head out of here yeah girth junr why do I like jock so much are you new to the show go back and watch some of the episodes he was on he’s like my best friend of me ever I’m still disappointed I didn’t make it to the wedding it’s true for Frank I could have shown up could you have could you don’t worry guys don’t worry I didn’t say I’d get in hey Frank and his wife and I were joking about that I was at their wedding out in the out in the water because they were on the ocean that is right I I no disrespect girth Jr if you haven’t watched those episodes uh familiarize yourself just loves someone who will talk [ __ ] to also we do love jock though and and it seemed like his teammates specifically KD really love jock too they have really good chemistry and they played well together and jock listen nobody can stop yic but jock at least did a good job there he tried all things considered he showed up he did his best All Things Considered I’m not mad at jock for how that went down and let’s be honest he would have been back if Houston hadn’t fallen on its head said here’s $8 million and if we like you we will continue to pay you that for four more years you got to take that every time you have to take that 100% but if we can get jock back we would definitely take jock back all I can imagine now is espo fighting like security guards at jock like no I did a podcast with him no I did a podcast with him ask him about ph& X Sons I’m his best friend damn it we should make a cartoon I feel like I would have rather have gone on the bachelor party though with jock I mean that would probably be fun I’d have more stories yeah okay we’re leaving thank you all for hanging out with us we appreciate you hit that Thumbs Up Button if you are here with us on YouTube rate review And subscribe wherever you get your podcast don’t forget to go read Gerald’s article at go.com and of course follow the show on social phore Suns you can also give me a follow at lindsy Smith a if you want can follow Gerald at Gerald boray and you can even follow espo at espo ESO take us home just remember going perfect from the field is something only the greats can do oh [Music] ho like the May

Whether you think the Phoenix Suns need a point guard or not the path to finding and acquiring one is difficult. But on today’s PHNX Suns Podcast we’ll explore the possibility of who they could try to get and what it would take. PLUS!

Join us for the latest around the Suns and don’t forget to follow the show on social @PHNX_Suns.

0:00 Intro
2:00 Suns add a new assistant coach
5:00 Revisiting the point guard conversation and what James Jones had to say…
10:00 Star guards the Suns have little chance of getting
15:00 Higher salary targets that would include trading a Big 3 member
21:00 More realistic but still long shot options + attainable backups
31:30 Available but still developing projects
38:30 The sweet spot of PGs the Suns could get
51:00 What we think the Suns’ biggest needs are

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