Locked On Suns - Daily Podcast On The Phoenix Suns

Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer joins the show for what has become a summer tradition, recapping the Suns’ offseason and predicting what is to come for the team’s young core.

Starting with the draft, we discuss why Tjarks was high on Cam Johnson and why the pick makes sense as a way to maximize Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, as well as reverse course from the low-floor draft picks of the Ryan McDonough era. We also touch on the Ty Jerome pick and what he has to do to become an NBA starter.

Then, thoughts on the Ricky Rubio signing, why point guards got overpaid this summer, and how Booker’s game will change alongside a traditional playmaker.

We close the show with analysis of the Western Conference as a whole, including how the bottom of the West got bigger, the burgeoning young Grizzlies, and why shooting is only getting more important in the NBA today.

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With superstars like Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler ushering in a more sudden and unexpected version of NBA player empowerment, we dive into whether the Suns are in danger of Devin Booker following suit.

How soon could it happen for Booker? Do his relationships around the NBA help or hurt the Suns? Did this summer change anything regarding the team’s relationship with him or his involvement in behind-the-scenes recruiting?

We dive into where Booker stacks up among the next possible disgruntled pre-agents and what the Suns are doing to avoid that situation.

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To celebrate and thank our listeners for 500 (!) episodes of support, we bring on Max and David from the Seven Seconds or Less Podcast to recap the Suns’ offseason.

With the Kelly Oubre Jr. deal complete, we talk about what happens next for the Suns as they gear up to potentially spend big in 2021.

We also discuss how the rotation might break down next season with most of the players locked in now, and close the show with offseason grades.

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We hopped on the line as soon as we could to break down Kelly Oubre Jr.’s two year, $30 million deal to remain in Phoenix and continue building with this team’s young core.

Oubre likely looked around the market and saw veterans getting the bag, but the Suns were willing to meet him in the middle with a bigger year-one salary on a two-year deal. We explain why this makes sense for both sides.

Then, we discuss how this sets the Suns up to be spenders in the summer of 2021 and why that summer is fixing to be so important for the franchise.

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We jump in with thoughts from Ricky Rubio’s press conference in Las Vegas and try to sift through how the Suns will use Rubio on the court and what he could bring as a leader.

We also bounce around the Summer League roster to discuss who might be a candidate for a two-way contract and what the plan is for Elie Okobo in Phoenix.

Finally, we break down how a wild free agency period for the Western Conference could impact the Suns and encourage them to grow the team steadily and patiently.

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We break down the comments from Cameron Johnson, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and James Jones during Sunday’s press conference in Las Vegas as well as the Summer Suns’ win over the Knicks.

Jones explained some of the decision-making process from the offseason and the rookies walked through the limbo they’ve been in without being allowed to join the Suns officially until Saturday.

Finally, we discuss where things stand with Kelly Oubre Jr.’s free agency.

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We sift through two strange years of the Josh Jackson experience in Phoenix and discuss why Jackson’s career never got off the ground as he is now headed to Memphis in a salary dump.

Alongside Jackson on the plane to Memphis is De’Anthony Melton, who became the cost of doing business to dump Jackson after it became clear Melton didn’t fit the new identity of this Suns roster.

We close the show with a few thoughts on the Suns’ Summer League roster.

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We regroup after a crazy first two days of NBA free agency to go through Kelly Oubre Jr.’s market for a restricted free agent offer sheet and analyze Frank Kaminsky’s new, two-year deal for the room exception.

We also discuss whether Rubio’s contract was an overpay and how the Suns can stay flexible financially during the next three seasons.

Finally, we parse through the rotation assuming Oubre sticks around and ponder what role the Suns’ rookies will play this year.

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We break down what went into the Suns’ decision to pivot to Ricky Rubio on the first day of free agency as other point guards flew off the market at gargantuan price tags, as well as Rubio’s fit with the Suns.

Then we take a few listener questions and explain why the Suns opted not to sign someone like D’Angelo Russell, instead betting on their young core to grow into a contending team.

We close the show with a breakdown of Kelly Oubre’s market after Day One of free agency and how the Suns might fill their backup 4 spot.

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In our final episode before free agency kicks off, we are here to unveil our predictions for what will happen with the Phoenix Suns.

First, we start with a would you rather segment revolving around certain options Phoenix can use to create flexibility and/or improve their roster.

Then, we dive into the odds of who we believe will be Suns at the start of next season, which includes possible free agency targets and current players on their roster. Will D’Angelo Russell reunite with his best friend in the Valley?

We close on big-picture questions revolving around the Suns. How does the Harrison Barnes contract (reportedly $22 million annually) impact Kelly Oubre Jr.’s restricted free agency, and what should the “walk-away” number be? Should Phoenix continue down the primary ball handler path long-term with Devin Booker, shaping their roster to best fit this idea? Stay tuned for all of this, plus much more, in today’s jam-packed episode.

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