KoB2011

I don't think Race will necessarily get beat out, but it's not hard to envision something like 30 minutes for TJD, 25 for Race and 25 for MR.

I agree. He worked with what he had and honestly did a great job throwing/keeping that level of roster together last year. When you look at how he has been recruiting, how our defense improved, the buy-in from the players, some of the offense stats like percentage of open looks…. I think we got our guy. Hope we get a decade out of him.

Agreed. He got knocked for that last year, but who was he supposed to play besides those guys?

I’d give the new guys Bates and I think they could potentially beat them.

Yeah - if he ends up there and we have some high-level team success (win conference and a deep run) he can be the most important player since Knight. I got some pushback for that a few months ago when he came back, but if he does that and is the springboard to a great run from Woody, that's a no brainer opinion IMO.

I think it's more like the Suns know exactly what they have in Ayton and were trying to get him for a discount.

This is a really confusing post from you - you've kinda ragged on Ayton now you're sitting here saying this? Which is it? You don't give a guy a max contact you've seen up close for four years without being willing to do it and thinking he is worth it - so the Suns have proven all they were doing is being the Suns and fracturing a relationship with their future. Suns tried to fleece Ayton and the league and honestly probably have hurt themselves long term. Typical.

If the Suns plan is to match then trade him later they will show why they’re a never has been of a franchise. This is one of the best stretches they’ve ever had and they’re going to screw around and play games. Either commit to Ayton (they’ve been unwilling to do so) or go get KD.

He is scoring so easily and efficiently. The only two rookies scoring more per game than him are Murray and Banchero, and they’re both doing it in significantly more minutes and with less efficiency.

1) Suns are completely bluffing on matching Ayton, but Herb likes Tom play nice. 2) Mathurin may actually be the best player, at least initially, in this draft. Dude is a legit stud.

Since when is Phoenix the model of winning in the NBA? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve really enjoyed watching that team the past couple years but I’d also rank them as one of the more poorly run organizations in the league. The past few times we did deals with them fleeced them.

I definitely think they could have! Made a couple pretty dumb moves during the season bringing in Bynum and trading Grainger for Turner

The time that would have made sense was about 9 years ago. He should have come here and been the starting two back when we were battling the Heat every year and moved Lance to the bench.

I think it’s more about wanting a first in a different draft (which they’ll probably get now that they have waited).

I don't know that Ayton, Haliburton, and Mathurin can't be one of the better young trios in the league. Are any of them future top 10 players? I don't really think so. Do I think all of them have upside to be top 30 players? I personally do. Obviously Mathurin hasn't played a game, but I don't think it's a stretch at all to say Ayton and Haliburton have shown enough to project them as multiple time All-Stars at this point. Factor in some of the other guys like IJax, Smith, and Duarte and I think we would be in an amazing position. I think those 6, plus the draft picks we have coming in next year and then potentially looking at something like shipping off Turner and Hield for Westbrook and THT (and maybe the Lakers '27 FRP) or something with the Lakers and Nets as the third team in a Kyrie deal can really put us in a great position. I also think the fit of a closing lineup of Hali, Ben, Duarte, Smith and Ayton could be a really tough to handle lineup; it has size, shooting, one of the best distributing PGs in the league

Pacers have apparently reached out to the Nets - can't imagine it was to try to acquire KD for us. I think KP is trying to play the third team angle.

Sneakily - I think the Bucks signing of Joe Ingles, assuming they're healthy, could be the best move in the East. I really can't see Lopez/Portis, Giannis, Middleton, Ingles, Holiday getting beat by anyone in the East. That's pushing the ideal basketball (or at least with realistic team makeups) lineup in terms of spacing, defense, and playmaking IMO.

We would be Kansas.

Potentially best in B1G in all three.

I am 0% worried about this.

Love this. He was really good for us.

White and Brogdon may be the best bench backcourt in the league. Can’t really think of anyone else you’d put in the conversation. Celts essentially have three combo guards in those two plus Smart that can do a lot of things well and should be able to all compliment each other. I like the move a lot for them.

Yes, from Ypsilanti.

Do you have enough free time to do that? It would be a full time job.

I would say he is somewhere around the fifth most likely guy to start at the 3 behind Kopp, Bates, Galloway, and Banks.