From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Offseason Update: Retirements, Realignment, Draft Lottery

By Sam Gray

Retirements:

1. The greatest Maverick of all-time retired, but his last season was a tour of the best kind. Though Dirk couldn’t play the minutes or put up the numbers he did in his prime, he still averaged 12.7 PPG as a sixth-man and managed to guide the Mavericks to one playoff win against the Warriors in Round 1; Dirk’s retirement was but the first in a wave of 2000s players, as he was joined by multiple well-known names of yesteryear like DeRon Williams, Ron Artest, Mike Miller, Joe Johnson, and more.

2. But among those that didn’t retire — Vince Carter! Vinsanity, at the ripe old age of 42, decided to put off his retirement plans to stick around.

“I still feel like I can contribute and I ain’t ready to go yet,” said Carter. “When I’m ready, I’ll let everyone know.” Carter is expected to re-sign with the Kings as he’s the defacto veteran leader of that clubhouse.

Realignment:

1. The Grizzlies get the lucky ticket out of the West, but head to a competitive division that features a lot of up and coming talent. With the fate of both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley in flux (Gasol a free agent, Conley a likely trade target), the Grizzlies are at a crucial point in their development — what they do this offseason could set them up, or back, for the next five years.

2. The Supersonics return to their rightful place in the Northwest division as the Thunder get shifted to the Southwest, where they’ll meet up regularly with the Rockets, Spurs, Pelicans, and Mavericks. The Aces get the unlucky draw and head into the Pacific, where they’ll get the pleasure of being beaten up by the Warriors and Lakers.

The Draft Lottery:

1. There was little surprise in the lottery as everything went chalk up until the second pick, where the Spurs — just one pick away from top overall and the ability to draft Ted Reeves — landed at second overall, handing the first pick to Michael Jordan’s Hornets. The Hornets have not had the most pleasant draft history since reentering the league in 2004 as the Bobcats, missing out on Anthony Davis their most well-known draft misfortune. But, with this pick, a no brainer, not even GM Michael Jordan can mess this up … right?

2. The Spurs came oh so close to grabbing that top pick but just missed out; now the question for Pop and company is what next? The next set of prospects below Reeves are a tier below him, players who can contribute but not be instant stars like Reeves. The Spurs may consider trading out of the spot to get a player ready to contribute right away, but San Antonio doesn’t want to be in the lottery again — to avoid that fate, they’ll have to navigate this offseason with deft moves that may not be possible this summer.

3. The Grizzlies may be the beneficiary of the Spurs misfortune as they’ll be left with the third pick and will be eager to take whatever the best prospect remaining is on the board. Memphis, due to protections, will get their pick this year but if they’re this bad next season, they won’t receive their pick unless it falls in the top-six. If that happens, the Celtics will get the pick unprotected in 2021 and that would represent a near-worst case scenario for Memphis. The Grizzlies have to nail this draft and get a major difference maker somewhere in order to avoid that fate.

Suns’ News:

1. Phoenix has two first round picks in this draft, 12 and 26, and can thank the Blazers for pick 12. The front office is mum on their plans but mock drafts have them targeting a wing or a point guard type of player — assuming they stay where they are and those picks aren’t used to make a move for another player.

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Offseason Update: The Expansion Draft, Hirings and Firings

By Sam Gray



The Picks:










1. The expansion draft has come and gone and teams around the league have lost expensive veterans, cheap prospects, and players in between. The Sonics tended to draft for players who could contribute right away — a policy that lead many to believe they’ll be heading into free agency looking to sign former Sonic, Kevin Durant.



The Aces, for their part, took what was left, a mix of highly paid veterans and prospects who haven’t seen much time.



“This was one of the reasons the owners approved of expansion,” said one league executive within the commissioner’s office. “After all the terrible contract handed out in 2016, they needed someone else to take the burden of those last years … that’s the expansion teams role in a nutshell for this season.”



Despite the high payroll, both expansion teams will have the ability to sign a max free agent each if they so choose.



Hirings and Firings:



Coaches Fired:
Fred Hoiberg CHI
Terry Stotts POR
Tom Thibidou MIN



Coaches Hired:
Sam Cassell MIN
Frank Vogel POR
Terry Stotts CHI
Dirk Nowitzki — Assistant DAL
Paul Pierce — Assistant PHX






Suns’ News:



1. Phoenix watched as the expansion teams passed over their unprotected players, with the exception of Harry Giles; it came down to protecting him or fellow center Oliverio and the Suns choose Oliverio.



“It was a tough decision but one we’d make again, a hundred times out of a hundred,” said owner Regina Culver. “We appreciate Harry’s time here and we wish him the best going forward.”



2. The Suns hiring of Paul Pierce as an assistant coach was an offer “I couldn’t refuse,” according to Pierce. “I watched Pope go through the whole year, stepping up his game as the season went along … he’s a special talent and I wanted to be a part of his career. I kept in touch with Jason since our days on the Nets together and when the season ended I told him I wanted in.”

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale




Ch. 4

Nearly a month had passed since they had been kicked out of the playoffs and, finally, he felt like he was allowed to smile. He felt like he could laugh. He felt like he could live again. I take this *hit too seriously sometimes, he thought.

His competitive drive had gone into overdrive in the playoffs … his team had rallied around him in Game 7 against the Lakers, the biggest game of his career, and he didn’t even bother showing up. Just 15 points as LeBron baited him all night … it nearly cost them the series.

But then, it was a team game thankfully.

“Omar, come help me tie this down,” his father said from the other side of the new truck Omar had bought him — his father was in love with it. Omar broke out of his reverie and did as he was told.

“You know, we could just hire someone to take this to Aunt Briana’s,” he said as they tied down the massive piano that they were finally moving on from. His older siblings, Tanya and Miles, had been taught to play and they still played — but by the time Omar came along, nine years after Tanya (and it was a surprise — he had not been planned, amusingly enough) his mother didn’t have time to teach him, nor the patience for it. Omar was not a child who liked that kind of stuff … he was much more his father’s son than his mother’s, but no one minded that.

“We could, but I’m no invalid and neither are you,” he father pointed out. He flashed a smirk. “Besides, you need to workout in the offseason anyway, don’t you?”

“Dad, getting this damned thing in here was torture, not a workout.”

His father waved off the comment and finished tying down the big piano. “You don’t have to worry about taking it out, that’s Ned’s job — since he decided to sleep in and miss all this fun.”

Omar grinned. “Serves him right.”

His father hopped down from the truck just as a familiar white Mercedes pulled into the neighborhood. “Looks like Max is here.” His father took a quick glance at his watch. “Five minutes early, as usual. I appreciate his promptness.”

There’s that Air Force stuff again, Omar thought with a chuckle. His father served for twenty years before retiring — in fact, Phoenix was the spot he picked to retire. Omar barely had any memory of his father’s career as he was only three when they moved to Phoenix, but his older siblings — especially Miles — always told him that their father was “military efficient” in their earlier years. He had mellowed out since then significantly according to his older siblings.

The Mercedes pulled up and Max stepped out, dressed casually for him — just a polo shirt and cargo shorts, though both were high-end looking — and he flashed a thumbs up at Omar’s dad. “Looking good Terrence, surprised you’re doing that yourself.”

“Just because I have a bit more money doesn’t mean I have any less motivation,” Omar’s father said with a laugh. The two met and exchanged a brief handshake before the older Pope pointed at the younger. “Go ahead and talk shop, I’ve got a delivery to make and a nephew to wake.”

Max and Omar watched the elder Pope back his big truck out of the driveway and soon the two were alone. Max pulled down his shades and shook his head. “Your dad is a good guy, Omar. I’ve represented a lot of guys whose parents would have turned their life into one of luxury.”

“Dad ain’t about that; we’re lucky he allowed me to get him a new truck. He liked his old one so much we still have it in the garage.”

Max took off his shades and put them in his shirt pocket. “Glad he sticks with things. Let’s walk and talk.”

The two made their way to the backyard of the Pope family home — a modest two-story initially that had a few new additions and a brand-new kitchen (which his mother loved) thanks to Omar’s contract. Setting his parents’ up was priority one for him when he signed the dotted line nearly a year ago.

“So, you’ve seen the rumors I assume?”

Omar nodded. He’d been reading various news sources and blogs about offseason moves almost since the season ended … he needed some connection to the game but not the one of the court; that still hurt too much then. “Lots of moves this summer, maybe. Phoenix might be a player.”

“Oh, the Suns are a player, Omar. I’ve been told — through some mutual friends, fellow agents and such — that Dave and Regina are looking for splash. The draft is only a few days away and they’re hunting big fish.”

“They’re not gonna trade Brian, are they?” Panic set in as Omar thought about it, but he quickly pushed it down. “No, they can’t do that, not to HAM.”

“He’s untouchable, like you. I represent you both, I won’t let them make any sort of move like that,” Max assured him and, though Omar rationally knew that Max might one day have to let them do something, irrationally he was relieved to hear it. Brian was a rock that Omar could always count on to step up when he needed it — could always count on for a laugh to help him relax. What they accomplished this season was just a precursor to the greatness they were going to achieve, Omar knew it.

“Cool, cool … yeah, all right, so who? Evan? Serge? They got big money.”

“You guessed right,” Max confirmed. “I called them the front office up and asked, point blank, what they were planning but they told me they haven’t made any firm plans yet. It’s all in discussion, nothing’s set … but they told me to let you know. They’re going to make a move and before they do, they’re going to run it by us — you, really — and they just want your thoughts.”

“*uck, they can’t expect me to decide that kind of thing.”

Max put his hand up in a “Stop” motion. “Whoa, no. You don’t have that kind of sway yet, OP. But Regina isn’t going to make a move that pisses you off — she wants to take your temperature on it, that’s it, and if you’re cold to it, I’m told she’s going to take that into consideration.”

Omar took a breath. “Okay … yeah, that’s fair I guess. When is it going down?”

Max flashed a smirk. “I’m told in the next five hours they’ll have a decision … so, let’s order in some lunch and I’ll walk you through the options my contacts have told me about.”

****

Her coffee had gone cold at this point, but the decision making process was underway fully now — two hours into this and they had eliminated a number of options, but the one she wanted they were still unable to give her. “Gentlemen, tell me how we can get Marc Gasol.”

John Weaver, her right hand man, sat across from David Griffin, her GM, and he sat across from Jason Kidd. She was standing, directing the room, and so far her direction had gotten them here; she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

David took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “I called them twenty minutes ago and the answer was the same; Marc Gasol is not going to be traded. He’s opting in under the condition that he not be traded and the Grizzlies are desperate to keep him; he’s untouchable.”

“They’re refusing the Miami pick?” John pressed. He knew — just as she knew — that the 2021 Miami pick was like a golden ticket; completely unprotected, it could be very, very high if the Heat were unable to put together a winning squad by that time. And it looked like Miami would fail to do that.

David put his glasses back on and nodded. “Flat. Out. They won’t talk about him. They won’t entertain offers for him … but, since we were there, I asked about Conley — they were interested in hearing pitches for him.”

“No,” Regina said with authority. “Conley is not the impact player we need. He’s overpaid for what he does — Gasol is underpaid.” She let out an angry sigh, like a bull. Some businesses were run by idiots — the Grizzlies were apparently one of them. “Fine, we don’t do Gasol. Give me an alternative.”

John turned around quickly and shot her a look. “Are you sure?”

“We’ve been at this two hours this morning and more hours than I care to count over the last month — if they’re not willing to even listen, I guarantee you someone else will.”

“What about free agency, then? We could bring in Malcolm. He’s going to be a major difference maker with us, I guarantee it,” Jason said, his bias clearly showing but she didn’t mind that; she didn’t hire him to be GM but he certainly needed input — what they decided here would affect the team on the floor and he was the head coach.

John frowned. “We can’t be building a replica of the Bucks out here in the desert. Milwaukee got knocked out in round two, just like us.”

“But they played Malcolm as a sixth-man; he’s grown beyond that now, I can see it,” Jason countered.

David jotted down some notes. “Money would be tight … we’d need to really backload Brogdon’s deal to get him where his agent wants him.”

Regina crossed her arms. “I’d be willing to do that. We have a young team and the contracts are set up so we can move virtually anyone … and we have the assets to do that. If we backload it, he could play up to it.” She eyed her head coach. “Assuming your evaluation is correct and he does improve with us, Coach.”

“Guarantee it,” Jason repeated with the utmost confidence. “He’s ready to step up his game. He just needs the opportunity.”

“We’d have to punt on Rozier,” John added — the unspoken fact clear to everyone in that room. “We’d need to move on from Boban and Lance too. Are we comfortable moving away from a starter and two key bench players for Brogdon?”

Jason gave a sharp look to John. “You’re not, clearly.”

John sat up straighter, the ginger looking ready to fight. “I feel like that type of move is only beneficial to us if we grab a big-time player who can get us past the second round — who can help up keep up in the West. I don’t think Brogdon is that guy, Coach. He’s not shown enough and he’s an older-player than many going into only his second contract. The Bucks may be right, he might just be a super-sixth man.”

The two men stared at one another for a moment before David’s phone buzzed loudly, the device rattling against the glass coffee table it was sitting on. The GM reached over, unlocked it, and read the message he got.

“I think we might have an interested party,” he said with a smirk. “Marc Gasol is a two-way player, a big man who can hit shots, play defense, and be a passing savant. Right?” He looked at all three of them.

Regina uncrossed her arms and sat down next to David. “That about sums it up.”

“Than we have someone willing to part with one of those for picks and expiring deals.”

“Cleveland,” John guessed. “You got them to give up Love?”

But Regina knew it wasn’t Cleveland. They had just extended Love and tanking, after the season they had, would be six steps backwards. There were only two other places she could think of that would entertain such an offer and one was a rival, so that was off the table.

David Griffin adjusted his glasses with amusement. “Nope. This guy drives a Kia.”

****

Sam Gray had been on the planet almost as long as the Phoenix Suns and, despite everything, had grown to treat the Suns much like he treated himself; with a healthy dose of skepticism, some cynical humor, and a wish they had put it all together ten years earlier. Now 50 — half a century old and he felt like he was exactly as old as that sounded — he had witnessed something in the last year he thought was lost to him: hope for this team.

Hope that they finally had the right combination of players, coaches, and management to make them a real contender. Regina Culver, for as cutthroat in the business world as she had been, seemed to be taking a lighter touch with her basketball team. The Suns had a miracle of a season, where every game something spectacular could happen because of Omar Pope — and Culver had been wise enough to let him be the star of that show, which led the Suns to the playoffs where an exciting (and excruciating) series win against the Lakers took place.

He had tried all year up to that point to remain unbiased, to be a few steps away from Sam Gray the fan, but he lost that objectivity after that win.

He had hope again. It was powerful, intoxicating, and apparently was much more welcomed by his readers who responded to his more hopeful articles with more clicks.

But that hope was about to be put to the test, he knew — because the trade winds were blowing hard in the Suns’ direction and someone was getting moved. Maybe many someones.

“Anything yet?” he mumbled to himself as he looked at his phone. Just as he did, his phone lit up.

TRADE ALERT, his text read.

Quickly he swiped to unlock it and digested the information in a moment — he found himself instantly captivated by the move. “Nice.”

On first blush, it looked like an overpay — but the first rounders were inconsequential for Phoenix as it was just 26th overall this year and a likely 20-something first from the Bucks next. Moving on from Ibaka hurt, but Griffin was a superstar — someone who was attached to a massive contract but it was a contract that Phoenix could afford to pay with so many young players on the team.

Griffin had been an ace player in the low-post and beyond the arc, scoring 21.9 PPG with 8.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, on 48 percent from the field and 33 percent from deep. Those were All-NBA numbers and the Suns had him. There was more to this story than just that, though.

“Good move,” Sam said as he sat down before his computer. There was still more work to be done for both him and the team.

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

The Blake-Show Returns: Griffin Lands in Phoenix

By Sam Gray

After a miraculous season, the Phoenix Suns have moved up their timeline for contending and have committed to building a winner now. They traded for Blake Griffin.

Griffin, largely recognized as one of the best players at his position, is now a Sun and he’s happy to be back out West.

“I appreciate everything the Pistons organization and fans did for,” said Griffin. “It just wasn’t meant to be … what I was traded there for, who was pushing for that, they weren’t there anymore and we needed to part ways. But I’m happy to be back in this area of the country, especially as it allows me to see my kids more often.”

The trade sent away two first round picks, a second round pick, Serge Ibaka and Evan Turner; two veterans that helped this young Suns’ team excel.

“We will always value the contributions both Serge and Evan brought to this team … we felt this was a good move for all parties,” said Regina Culver, owner of the Suns.

Culver isn’t wrong — this move is a win on many levels for all parties. Let’s start with the immediate win of getting Blake Griffin, who is a premier talent in this league with a skillset that is hard to find; a passing, scoring, two-way big man who is a fluid player on the break and a precise player in the post and, at only 30, has many more years of productive play in him. Some Suns’ fans may question his recent injury history, but Griffin played in every game last season and the famous Phoenix medical staff should keep him on his feet.

The draft picks likely won’t hurt the Suns — the loss of Ibaka might. Serge was highly respected among the team and the bigs on the roster, so his movement to Detroit may seem to be a cold calculation on the part of the Suns’, but Ibaka will be playing for a coach he likes in Dwayne Casey, who was with him on the Raptors and is thrilled to have him back.

The Pistons will also see large cap-relief next summer, when they’ll be able to rebuild on the fly with Andre Drummond (who approved of the trade, according to sources) and are primed to wipe away the many mistakes of the Van Gundy era — and there were many of them.

Griffin’s contract may be a problem for the Suns in two years time, as he has a chance to opt in for a 38 million dollar pay day that, but that’s two years from now and Phoenix still has a bit of cap space left to make a move in free agency, where the Suns are said to be looking at upgrading the point guard position.

[RMJH4]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Very interesting trade, and I honestly like it. Realistic too as the Pistons will want to possibly move him next season aswell I think. Blake will give Pope some nice help and can play small ball center. Hopefully it'll revive his career like it did for Barkley. If he had anythibg like that effect you'll be datn good. Loved the behind the scenes stuff, I think you were on point with Kidd and Griff how they approach things! I think you definitely get #3 with this move, I know you have one more nice move left aswell!

edit:loved that you got The Truth to mentor Pope!

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Very interesting trade, and I honestly like it. Realistic too as the Pistons will want to possibly move him next season aswell I think. Blake will give Pope some nice help and can play small ball center. Hopefully it'll revive his career like it did for Barkley. If he had anythibg like that effect you'll be datn good. Loved the behind the scenes stuff, I think you were on point with Kidd and Griff how they approach things! I think you definitely get #3 with this move, I know you have one more nice move left aswell!

edit:loved that you got The Truth to mentor Pope!

Much thanks! I had a lot of trades I was potentially considering ... I really wanted Marc Gasol but he was definitely going to opt in and Memphis had no reason to trade him with their 2021 pick hanging in the balance -- they need to be sorta decent next year so Boston can take their pick and Memphis can have their 2021 pick totally unprotected (where they can potentially tank hard).


When I stumbled on the Blake trade I was like, yes, this is PERFECT. SVG getting fired pretty much blew up any reason for him to be in Detroit and after one season of really good numbers, the Pistons sold high -- Ibaka gets reunited with Casey, and the Pistons will have a ton of cap space next season to use or absorb contracts for picks. They control their own 1st rounders, so they don't need to worry about that and Drummond wants to re-up with them, so I think the Pistons will get another few years before they have to really decide on moving Drummond.



I've got the draft done, a couple of moves there made to prepare for free agency ... recap of that coming soon.


And, yeah, I totally jumped on the chance to get Pierce as an assistant -- I feel like he'd be better there than as an ESPN talking head (where, let's face it, he's not super-good).

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Draft Day Trades Hint at Big Free Agency

By Sam Gray



The Phoenix Suns made the first big move of the 2019 offseason by trading for Blake Griffin, but that seismic move wasn’t the only one; on draft night, there was another star returning to familiar territory — Gordon Hayward.







Hayward and the Celtics mutually agreed to part ways, as the entire experience in Boston — from his gruesome injury, to his prolonged recovery, and this past season where his averages dropped across the board, has been miserable. With the Celtics having both Tatum and Brown waiting — and with Al Horford agreeing to restructure the final year of his deal, turning it into three guaranteed years at roughly 13M apiece — the Celtics moved on from Hayward and sent him back to where he began: Utah, clearing him from the books and letting them breath some (and avoid cap hell).




The Jazz, in the two seasons since Hayward left, have held on — remarkable so — and only had to part with Joe Ingles and intriguing prospect Omar Cardona. Parting with Cardona, according to sources, was “very difficult” since Utah believed he would be a stud starter in the next two seasons, but the chance to reunite with Hayward, still technically in his prime (if damaged goods), was too good to pass up.



“Utah believes they can help Hayward get back to what he was there,” said one insider. “They know Gordon better than anyone and with Mitchell, Rubio, Favors, and Gobert — if Hayward can get back — they’ll be a contender. But it’s a big if.”



The next trade made was less electric, but still had impact; the Spurs and Hawks once again reached a deal, and even included the Clippers for a chance of pace.







The Hawks — with a bounty of picks — traded up with the Spurs, sending their 6th and 13th pick to San Antonio, while sending the Clippers the 27th pick (courtesy of the Cavs) so the Spurs could get Wes Briggs, the disgruntled Clippers big man who was taken 24th overall last season. Atlanta got the 2nd overall pick, which they would later use to take Wil Willis, the SF from Ohio State — the second best prospect in the draft according to many experts.



That trade helped the Spurs save a tiny bit of cap room and also got them a young big, something their roster was sorely lacking.



The rest of the draft unfolded as follows:










1. First overall — and no surprise to anyone — was Ted Reeves, the electric playmaker who the Hornets believe will have the same effect for them as Pope had for the Suns. Word out of Charlotte indicates that Reeves will be shifted to his more natural position at the two, as Charlotte believes — for now — that Frankie Smokes (formerly of the Knicks) can be their PG of the future. Expect this to be a one year experiment at least as, if Reeves and Smokes don’t compliment one another, the Hornets will move on from the latter without any qualms.



2. Second overall went Wil Willis, as the Hawks wanted him and they got him; Atlanta expects him to immediately be a rotation player and contribute to the team, who wasn’t too far from a playoff spot last year in year one of the Brad Reynolds experience. Third overall, for Memphis, was Mike Lowe; widely seen as the second best PG in this draft, Lowe will not see much playing team this season as the Grizzlies try to win as much as they can, but he’s a solid pick and one that the Grizzlies felt they had to make.



3. The expansion teams selected two overseas players, back to back — first Titov, the Russian SG with swagger galore. He’s a sharp shooter and one that the Las Vegas Aces (now with Thibs as HC) were very high on; he’ll be a fan favorite soon. The Sonics (headed up by Stan Van Gundy) went with Luigi Diamantidis, from Greece — simply known as Luigi by many fans, he stands barely at 5’11” but plays like he’s 6’7” with incredible above-the-rim ability and solid fundamentals; he should make an interesting prospect for the Sonics to develop in their rebirth.



4. The Spurs — with their sixth overall pick acquired from the Hawks — grabbed the player they wanted all along, Nick Ware from Alabama. Ware rose steadily up the draft boards thanks to an impressive March Madness run and the Spurs expect him to develop nicely on their roster; he has star potential if he puts in the work and San Antonio is usually good at getting players to do that.



5. At twelve, the Suns found themselves debating a number of prospects — according to sources inside the front office, Phoenix was between Thorpe and a few other players, but ultimately decided to draft Thorpe as a potential PG of the future. Thorpe has a lot of physical tools and some good passing instincts, but defensively is questionable. Phoenix believes its staff can make Thorpe into a solid defensive player.



6. At seventeen, the Dallas Mavericks took Danny Brand without a second thought — Brand, the star of Georgetown this past season, had an awful March Madness (as Georgetown was upset by a lower seed) and his stock fell dramatically. As early as the start of last fall many considered Brand a lock for a top-ten selection, but his March undid that. Dallas pounced on the player and believes it has a good prospect to, hopefully, replace the Dirk-sized void in Dallas’ lineup.

7. The Pistons, thanks to the Griffin trade, had an extra pick in this draft at twenty-sixth overall and Detroit went for the player with the highest upside — and questions — in it: Richie Childress. Childress, a center from Oregon that only started playing basketball three years ago (due to a massive growth spurt) is raw and filled with untapped potential, but many experts believe that if he can get into a good development program, he could be one of the best players in this draft. Childress had many suitors but ultimately they passed on him — Phoenix among them — due to questions about how likely it was that Childress would ever put it all together. Detroit can afford to let him marinate with Drummond manning the middle and, with the pressure off, Childress may become the steal of the draft.

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Free Agency Day 1: Suns, Spurs, Grab Big Names

By Sam Gray



The Suns have their man — Malcolm Brogdon officially agreed to a 3yr/56M contract to man the point guard spot; in order to free up the money, Phoenix had to renounce Lance Stephenson, Terry Rozier, and Boban, but the move is widely being hailed as a wise one for the Suns.



As a sixth-man last year with the Bucks, Brogdon put up 12.1 PPG, with 4.4 APG, on 44 percent from the field, 44 percent from deep, and 93 percent from the line.



“I’m thrilled to be back under Coach Kidd and I can’t wait to get into camp with him; the Suns just got better,” said Brogdon in a statement.



Coach Kidd, for his part, was equally as thrilled.



“Malcolm has one of the best work ethics I’ve seen in the NBA, that’s across my entire career in it … he’s a heady player who plays for his team and will excel with us. I’m glad to have him back.”



Phoenix wasn’t the only West team to make a move; so did the Spurs. San Antonio stunned the league by signing Hassan Whiteside to a mega deal, four years with an annual salary of 28M. League insiders report that the Spurs are “not content to be in the lottery again” and will be competing for a playoff berth — and more — this season in what many around San Antonio fear is Pop’s last.



But free agency isn’t where the only fireworks were as a few teams made some shrewd deals — the Blazers and Grizzlies among them.








Memphis, with Marc Gasol opting in, signed Pau Gasol in free agency (with their full intention to start a Gasol brothers front-court, a dream of both brothers) and then proceeded to trade for CJ McCollum. McCollum will get a chance to be the top-scorer on a team with two good — but not great — offensive threats in Conley and Marc Gasol. Memphis had to move Evans and Clay Marks (their 2018 1st round choice) to get the deal done, but it was a small price to pay for a franchise desperate to make the playoffs and regain control of their 2021 pick. The Grizzlies followed up that move by trading away Aaron Harrison (no longer needed now thanks to their drafting of 2019 1st round PG Mike Lowe) for a prospect and a future 2nd. Thanks to those moves and renouncing a few cap holds, the Grizzlies just snuck below the luxury tax — an impressive achievement considering the all-star talent on their roster.



Speaking of all-star talent, the Pacers moved one to the Magic.







Isiah Thomas has left the building — again. The Pacers picked up his option but had no intentions of keeping the point guard as Thomas, forced to share ball-handling duties with Darren Collison last season, just didn’t have the effect Indiana was hoping for — instead of pushing them further into the playoffs, Thomas pushed them out of it. Isiah was shipped off to the Magic for two contributors looking to compete for a playoff spot, something Orlando doesn’t seem ready to do.

Finally, the Knicks and Kings engaged in a trade — New York moved MKG to Sacramento, largely due in part to his contract far out-pacing his performance and to allow New York some breathing room. The Knicks are currently in negotiations with Courtney Lee to restructure his contract to allow them to sign some more talent after re-signing Kemba Walker and Jimmy Butler to big four-year deals. In order for New York to compete this season, they’ll need to get creative. Sacramento, for their part, is happy to take on a highly paid player for a draft pick — MKG could serve a valuable role for them on a young team that lacks much defense.

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Free Agency Day 5: Lakers Land Melo

By Sam Gray

The Lakers have won the Carmelo sweepstakes as the veteran SF has signed in LA to the tune of 3yrs/27M; Anthony joins LeBron and Kawhi (who re-signed himself for 3yrs/83M) and looks to continue his career resurgence as the year in Miami has proven he can still score buckets and do just enough to get a team to the playoffs.

Elsewhere, the Clippers made Tobias Harris a rich man with a 4yr/101M deal. The Bucks re-signed Eric Bledsoe (3yrs/60M) and Kris Middelton (4yrs/84M) to large deals — Milwaukee’s cap sheet isn’t going to be the prettiest for the next few years but that’s the cost of doing business when you have a superstar on the roster; the Greek Freak was reportedly pleased to see his teammates return but still hasn’t committed to playing beyond the 2020-21 season, when his contract runs out in the summer of 2021.

A team in a similar position would be the NOLA Pelicans. NOLA re-signed Mirotic and Oubre both, but both to only two year deals — the same amount of time Anthony Davis will be under contract. The Brow continues to say he wants to remain in New Orleans, but Pelicans’ executives are worried that Davis will grow weary of losing to superior conference teams and make his way to another locale.

One of those locales may be the Miami Heat. Miami renegotiated the albatross contract of Tyler Johnson, allowing them to free up max cap space this summer and they used it to sign Paul Millsap to a 1yr/19M deal. They followed that up with signing Vucevic to a 3yr/72M deal with a team option in year three. The Heat, thanks to their multiple expiring contract over the next two years, are positioning themselves to acquire a big star and Davis may be that target.

A team that doesn’t have to worry about their big star? The Pistons. Andre Drummond signed a new deal of 4yrs/115M, giving him a decent pay raise and locking him for an extra three guaranteed years. Detroit will have that time to prove that they can be a competitor in the East … if not, Drummond will hit free agency at 29, right in his prime, and be able to pick his spot.

Another team preparing for the summer of 2021 is Dallas, who used their large amount of cap space to sign Patrick Beverly to a 1yr/11M deal and Marcus Smart to a 3yr/37M deal with a TO in year three. Dallas, after suffering multiple defeats in free agency in recent years, has had another successful offseason and is doubling-down on their defensive identity.

[TexasBallCoach]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

This has been a good read so far. Love what you've done in the off season! Next season should be a good one

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

This has been a good read so far. Love what you've done in the off season! Next season should be a good one

Thank you! Yes, I really enjoyed this offseason ... getting Blake was a big move and one that I hope doesn't backfire on me. I still have that unprotected Miami 2021 pick in my back pocket, so if things go sideways I can at least fall back on that (assuming the Heat don't become world-beaters between now and then).


The West has gotten tougher, though. Melo with the Lakers, Hayward back in Utah, Whiteside to the Spurs ... the conference is really, really competitive.



More free agency news on the way, as well as a story post, and then we'll begin the team previews.

[RMJH4]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Solid move getting Brogdon... Nice getting Hayward back to Utah aswell, much stronger Sun's team now, hyped for season 2!!

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Free Agency Day 8: Durant Returns to Seattle

By Sam Gray

The Seattle SuperSonics have pulled off the coup of the summer, signing Kevin Durant for 4yrs/122M, every year guaranteed. Durant, reportedly, spent days deciding between re-upping with the Warriors or taking his talents to Seattle — the only two options he was willing to consider.

“After much deliberation, I’ve decided to go back where it all started for me … I’m excited to return to Seattle, where my NBA journey began, and bring a championship to the green and gold,” Durant said in a prepared statement.

The move, according to insiders, came as a mild disappointment to the Warriors who believed that if they had returned to the Finals Durant would have re-signed. With him off the books, the Warriors cap sheet is cleaner going forward but still deep in the luxury tax with the recent match of Jordan Bell (3yrs/47M), and reportedly the Warriors are in deep talks with Iggy, asking him to grant them a little cap relief; Iggy is considering it, as he’s been told if he doesn’t the Warriors will likely be forced to trade him to a team with open cap space — someone like the Bulls, the Hornets, or the Kings, destinations that are thoroughly unappealing for most players.

Meanwhile in Phoenix, the Suns have signed JR Smith to a veteran minimum deal for one year. Smith, the prolific shooter known equally for his offensive prowess as he is for his occasional lapses, will be more than a warm body on the bench; according to Jason Kidd, he’s there to contribute.

“JR isn’t someone we plan to stash on the pine, he’s a dedicated shooter and someone with skills we thought we incredibly valuable to our team,” said Kidd.

Elsewhere in the NBA, Cleveland has signed former Sun Terry Rozier to a 3yr/32M deal and Dwight Howard to a 2yr/25M deal with a TO for year three. Howard and Rozier will replace George Hill and Tristan Thompson, respectively, as the Cavs look to continue to compete in the East in year two without LeBron.

Meanwhile, in Orlando, the Magic have signed Enes Kanter — formerly of the Hornets, Knicks, Thunder, and Jazz — to a 3yr/79M deal and brought in Aaron Baynes on a veteran minimum contract for a year. Kanter will join an already odd Magic roster, featuring Isiah Thomas, Evan Fournier, Jason Issaac, and Aaron Gordon — Kanter will be expected to put up closer to 17/12 than his usual 12/10 with the money he’s getting paid, but Magic executives believe he’s ready to embrace the challenge — whether Orlando is right won’t be something we know till the regular season kicks off.

[trekfan]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Ch. 5



He stood outside, the Arizona sun beating down on him, and stared at the hoop. It was just them on this blacktop … him and the goal. It was his foe, he was its master, and he would exert control over it. As he had done since he was a kid, Omar looked into the hoop and looked past it — scoring on this hoop here, right now, would pay off sometime in the future. Maybe it would be on a freezing cold night in Toronto, or on a sweltering day in New Orleans, or maybe, just maybe, it would pay off in Game 7 of the Finals when he would see another hoop, much like this one.



Standing behind the three-point line, at the top of the arc, Omar took two dribbles and launched his shot from deep. The ball arced high, like a fishing line cast towards the deepest part of the lake … and the shot clanked against the back rim, flying back out high and out of bounds.



He stood there, flabbergasted. “*uck that noise,” he yelled at the rim. He wiped his brow, the sweat coming off him in sheets, and hung his head back. He’d have to start the drill all over … another hour at least of making shots. It was like getting to the final level of a video game, the last boss fight, and then failing right at the end.



Game over.



He flipped the rim two birds and turned around to find his ball.



Instead, he found one of his newest teammates — and one of his favorite players of the modern era.



“Blake,” he said with surprise, hos voice caught in his throat. God, get it together you *ucking fanboy. He cleared his throat as Blake Griffin flashed one of his thousand-watt smiles.



“You talk trash to the rim, too?” he asked with a laugh.



Oma’s face flushed a bit from the embarrassment. “You know, I just can’t seem to help it,” he admitted. He pointed at the ball, lying near Blake’s foot. “You want go a round?”



Blake waved him off. “Didn’t come here dressed for sweat. Wanted to meet you, face to face, now that we’re teammates. Your agent said it was cool to come over … ?”



“Yeah, he was right; I tell him to tell everybody that. I don’t mind the company,” Omar said as the motioned for Blake to follow him inside his home.



The first year with the Suns, Omar had stayed with his parents … but after being drafted and adjusting to the rhythms of the NBA, he had convinced his parents (who both had keys and security codes) that he was in need of a place of his own. Yes, he was still only 19 (soon to be 20), but he was a pro player and needed a place to come back to that was specialized for him.



His place was larger than his parents’ house, probably about three times the size, and he had his own indoor pool and basketball court — he also had an outdoor court too, just to cover all moods. The inside of his house was largely undefined, as he only had this place a few months, but he’d get around to decorating eventually.



The important thing was that he had a bed, a computer, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Everything else could wait.



“You want a drink?” Omar asked as they made their way into the spacious kitchen. “I got bottled water, seltzer water, or some juices.”



“I’m good, man,” Blake said as he looked around. He peered around the kitchen and offered a nod. “Nice. Not too fancy, but not basic.”



Omar grabbed a water from the fridge and chugged a bit of it before wiping his mouth. “Yeah, it’s cool.” He stared at the water bottle for a moment before setting it on the counter. “What brings you by?”



Blake sat on a barstool — extra tall, Omar bought them that way so he could sit on them comfortably — and leaned on the kitchen counter. “I wanted to come by and meet you, face to face … wanted to let you know I’m not here to step on your toes. This is your team, not mine.”



Omar cocked an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you were here to start anything.”



Blake smirked, albeit it was tinged with a bit of mirth. “Yeah, well, I know what it’s like when a guy like me comes into your career.”



Omar sat down on a stool of his own, shot a questioning glance at his star teammate. He wasn’t very experienced in the NBA, but he could guess exactly what Blake meant by his last statement. “CP3?”



Blake nodded. “When Chris got there, he was seen as the team leader almost from the get-go. And you know what? I never questioned that. No one did and we all just assumed he was the guy … but that was kinda the problem for me. He came in and didn’t even acknowledge what the team was before he got there; that bugged me, for years, deep down. I never really forgot that, even with all the success we had but that’s why I’m here. I didn’t want to make that mistake with you. It’s your team and I’m here to make it work. It was … hell, it was good to be in Detroit for me, just from a personal standpoint. Brought a lot of things into focus.”



Omar stared at him, trying to come up with some sort of words. “That’s … yeah, man, that’s … heavy.”



“Heavy — yeah, that’s a good word for it.” Blake got off the stool and extended his hand. “I’m not here to dump on you or anything, I just wanted to let you know what I thought.”



Omar accepted the hand and the two shook. “Yeah, no problem. I think we’re gonna kick *ss together.”

Blake flashed a grin. “I hope so. I’m eager to get a bit of payback.”

[RolePlayer]

Re: From the Ashes: A Phoenix Tale

Durant back to where it all started, wow.