Brad Cesmat
In response to the Suns fans wanting Russell Westbrook, and the last twenty-four hours of NBA News….
If the Suns are going to continue the path of patience in trying to turn around the Titanic, I believe Devin Booker and/or his agent at some point will try to manipulate a ticket out of Phoenix. Just look at what’s gone on in the NBA in recent months. Anthony Davis can demand out of New Orleans and get his way. Kawhi Leonard hits up Paul George to pair up with the Clippers and before you know it, bam, it’s done. The agents for the players are the one’s to watch. I don’t think Booker will ever sit at his locker and say “get me out of here”, he seems very PR conscious. Leon Rose, the agent for Booker, will be the one that behind the scenes would try to make it happen. Doesn’t matter that Booker is under contract through 2024. If there’s a very talented young player on a team heading nowhere fast, then all bets are off keeping that player. Things are changing in the NBA. The star players dictate who they want to play with, and make it happen, The way that this can change is IF the Suns can attract someone like Russell Westbrook or Bradley Beal. Westbrook to Miami doesn’t seem to fit because Jimmy Butler is on the Heat roster(not enough basketballs). Could Westbrook exist with Booker? Monty Williams was on the staff at OKC, so I’m sure he knows if Westbrook could fit in Phoenix.After 11 seasons,would Westbrook be open to being coached up rather than him just dictating what he wants to do. A third of the All-NBA Team have changed teams in the last week, Westbrook and Beal will be next.
So with all of the movement up to this point I see this happening. Milwaukee, Philadelphia in the East. Clippers, Rockets, Utah in the West. You could make an argument that the Lakers, Golden State, Denver, Portland, Boston and Indiana(Olidipo health?) are all teams that could play in the 2020 NBA Finals. No dominant team in my opinion. So shouldn’t this be the time that James Jones and Monty Williams try to make something happen? Now, it’s true that teams that look great on paper(Boston last season) don’t jell or have injuries that set tham back. Look at what happened to the Warriors with just a couple of injuries. Look at Toronto. Marc Gasol, Kyle Lowery, and Serge Ibaka are all going to be free agents next summer. The three of them tie up a lot of cap space on expiring deals. Should the Suns look that direction to try to build up to next summers free agent frenzy? Much like when the Suns traded for Charles Barkley, the organization is back in the same place. They have two potential star players, but don’t have that one guy that takes the entire organization to a new level. Don’t accept being mired in mediocrity…
