2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[Jason Terry]

The NBA is a copycat league. There’s always been certain teams who succeed and how they did it becomes a template for how other teams build their own rosters. Let’s look at the Suns who are a clear front runner in a year more wide open than any in recent memory 

Guards:
Booker (draft pick 13)
CP3 (trade, FRP cost)
Payne (late bloomer draft bust picked up for free)

Wings:
Bridges (draft pick 10)
Crowder (FA MLE)
Johnson (draft pick 11)

Big:
Ayton (draft pick 1) 

Guard depth:
Shamet (salary dump acquired for free)
Holiday (acquired free for cash considerations)

Wing depth:
Craig (trade, cost of a 2nd rd pick)

Big depth:
McGee (cheap FA deal) 
Biyambo (10 day contract) 

Compare this to what we currently have:

Guards:
Luka (draft pick 3)
Brunson (draft pick 33)
Dinwiddie (trade, cost of salary dump)

Wings:
DFS (undrafted FA)
Bullock (FA MLE)
Green (draft pick 18)

Big:
Powell (trade matching piece, acquired free)
Maxi (undrafted FA)

Guard depth:
Frank (free off waivers)

Wing depth:
None

Big depth:
None

THJ would bump Green down to wing depth. I don’t see any of the players not listed making a postseason impact.

One takeaway from the Suns is they added much of their depth for cheap or free. The glaring advantage the Suns have is Ayton. I see CP3 as something we don’t have either: a veteran leader. One advantage for the Mavs though is we have much bigger guards. I feel like this will be our big advantage over most teams once we complete our roster.