It very much sounds like Ishbia/Isiah haven't learned their lesson and will trade their 24 and 31 picks.

[HadAnEffectHere]

"I feel like the narrative around [here is] the house is burning, it's incorrect," Ishbia said. "Fans like to look in the future and say, 'Hey, I really like that 2031 draft pick because maybe that seventh grader is going to be really good and we're going to draft him and one day he's going to be a player.'"

He later added, "Five in the next eight years, we have a first-round draft pick. I know that's not a cool thing to say out there because people like to say their narratives that we have no draft picks, but we have five in the next eight years and we can trade two of 'em next month if we want. So it is not like people say we have no flexibility."

...


"Let's be real -- ask the other 29 GMs [in the NBA], 26 of them would trade their whole team for our whole team and our draft picks as is," Ishbia said. "The house is not on fire. We're in a great position. It's not hard to fix. We have enough talent to win a championship."

https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/40066112/mat-ishbia-says-phoenix-suns-great-position-declines-address-frank-vogel-status

That 2031 pick looks super tasty so I have to think it has decent value. Wonder who they get for it.

[Colbinii]

The 2031 pick is 7 years away. It does not hold a meaningful amount of value.

[Scoot McGroot]

"Let's be real -- ask the other 29 GMs [in the NBA], 26 of them would trade their whole team for our whole team and our draft picks as is," Ishbia said. "The house is not on fire. We're in a great position. It's not hard to fix. We have enough talent to win a championship."

https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/40066112/mat-ishbia-says-phoenix-suns-great-position-declines-address-frank-vogel-status

Yeah, I definitely disagree there. With both assertions, I think. They have enough talent they COULD win a championship, but they need everything to fall just right. As for swapping positions with him? I would bet it’s 10 or less that would want to swap specific situations with Phoenix. I don’t think the Booker, NTC Beal, and almost 36 year old (and eternally one foot out the door) Durant is that perfect of a situation?

[Colbinii]

"Let's be real -- ask the other 29 GMs [in the NBA], 26 of them would trade their whole team for our whole team and our draft picks as is," Ishbia said. "The house is not on fire. We're in a great position. It's not hard to fix. We have enough talent to win a championship."

https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/40066112/mat-ishbia-says-phoenix-suns-great-position-declines-address-frank-vogel-status

Yeah, I definitely disagree there. With both assertions, I think. They have enough talent they COULD win a championship, but they need everything to fall just right. As for swapping positions with him? I would bet it’s 10 or less that would want to swap specific situations with Phoenix. I don’t think the Booker, NTC Beal, and almost 36 year old (and eternally one foot out the door) Durant is that perfect of a situation?

Yeah, I mean most owners/GM's are going to overrate their own situations, whether they are in win-now mode, re-building more, or somewhere in the middle.

But, at the end of the day, talent is the name of the game, and Phoenix has 2 Top 20 players in the NBA.

[PistolPeteJR]

The 2031 pick is 7 years away. It does not hold a meaningful amount of value.

This is what everyone was saying about the Lakers' future picks last offseason. I fully expect to hear the inverse now

[Scoot McGroot]

https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/story/_/id/40066112/mat-ishbia-says-phoenix-suns-great-position-declines-address-frank-vogel-status

Yeah, I definitely disagree there. With both assertions, I think. They have enough talent they COULD win a championship, but they need everything to fall just right. As for swapping positions with him? I would bet it’s 10 or less that would want to swap specific situations with Phoenix. I don’t think the Booker, NTC Beal, and almost 36 year old (and eternally one foot out the door) Durant is that perfect of a situation?

Yeah, I mean most owners/GM's are going to overrate their own situations, whether they are in win-now mode, re-building more, or somewhere in the middle.

But, at the end of the day, talent is the name of the game, and Phoenix has 2 Top 20 players in the NBA.

Yeah. I can see that for sure. I just think it's the specific 3 that’s the issue. If Durant were 2-3 years younger? If Beal were healthier? The general idea? Probably easily. But just the exact specific situation right now? Eek.

[Colbinii]

The 2031 pick is 7 years away. It does not hold a meaningful amount of value.

This is what everyone was saying about the Lakers' future picks last offseason. I fully expect to hear the inverse now

I think at the time of a deal, the pick itself doesn't hold much value. As time progresses [as it always does], the value increases, as the tangible value of the pick becomes closer to being realized.

This isn't to say the 2031 pick has no value, but realistically how much value does a pick lose for each year away it is from being tangible? What pick in this years draft would you trade for an unprotected pick 7 years out? How about a pick with limited or lottery protections 7 years out?

[Colbinii]

Yeah, I definitely disagree there. With both assertions, I think. They have enough talent they COULD win a championship, but they need everything to fall just right. As for swapping positions with him? I would bet it’s 10 or less that would want to swap specific situations with Phoenix. I don’t think the Booker, NTC Beal, and almost 36 year old (and eternally one foot out the door) Durant is that perfect of a situation?

Yeah, I mean most owners/GM's are going to overrate their own situations, whether they are in win-now mode, re-building more, or somewhere in the middle.

But, at the end of the day, talent is the name of the game, and Phoenix has 2 Top 20 players in the NBA.

Yeah. I can see that for sure. I just think it's the specific 3 that’s the issue. If Durant were 2-3 years younger? If Beal were healthier? The general idea? Probably easily. But just the exact specific situation right now? Eek.

Yeah, but you can sort of nit-pick every core.

Miami has an aging Butler and two non-elite impact players in Rozier/Herro who are undersized and on long-term deals.
Houston looks nice and all but Jabari Smith Jr, Alpren Sengun and Amen Thompson are their two highly-regrded prospects and none of them have any realistic chance at being as good as Booker/Current Durant.
Indiana made a trade for Pascal but he is technically a Free Agent and was Haliburton truly hurt or does he have some clear limitations as a core piece in the post-season?

It's easy to say "If Beal were healthier and Durant were younger" but you can nit-pick every team in the NBA, hoping their player(s) were younger, healthier or better.

I do agree though that the Phoenix Suns don't have a Top 5 or Top 10 roster/position, but if your goal is to win a title in the next 2 seasons, I think they are in the Top 10.

[Texas Chuck]

Leaving this here since its getting traction, but in the future this is the kind of thing the catch all thread is for. Not sure why this is a thread? Remember random thoughts go in the Random Thoughts thread.

Thanks!

[gswhoops]

So, assuming:

1) Beal, Booker, and KD are not being traded
2) The Suns are willing to spend any/all future assets to win a championship in the next 2-3 years

What's the best squad they could put together?

[HadAnEffectHere]

So, assuming:

1) Beal, Booker, and KD are not being traded
2) The Suns are willing to spend any/all future assets to win a championship in the next 2-3 years

What's the best squad they could put together?

They probably should gamble on Robert Williams. Nurkic and the 31 pick for Robert Williams is what the Blazers will be looking for. They can then try to get another player making less than $7m with their other picks, but this will be harder.

[BlazersBroncos]

So, assuming:

1) Beal, Booker, and KD are not being traded
2) The Suns are willing to spend any/all future assets to win a championship in the next 2-3 years

What's the best squad they could put together?

Hard to figure out as they have so little matching salary. Basically Nas Little and some rookie deal guys.

Maybe they could do Nurkic and that 31 FRP for a C upgrade but I am not sure there is an attainable guy worth it.

Maybe a S&T for Claxton? But BRK would have to really think that 31 FRP was juicy.

[HadAnEffectHere]

So, assuming:

1) Beal, Booker, and KD are not being traded
2) The Suns are willing to spend any/all future assets to win a championship in the next 2-3 years

What's the best squad they could put together?

Hard to figure out as they have so little matching salary. Basically Nas Little and some rookie deal guys.

Maybe they could do Nurkic and that 31 FRP for a C upgrade but I am not sure there is an attainable guy worth it.

Maybe a S&T for Claxton? But BRK would have to really think that 31 FRP was juicy.

Suns cannot acquire a player being Signed and Traded.

Walker Kessler and Robert Williams are their most obvious options.

Maybe get Day'Ron Sharpe if the Nets need another first for star trades?

[jayjaysee]

Probably been done a few times but

Clarkson and Kessler for Nurkic and both firsts.

[HadAnEffectHere]

Probably been done a few times but

Clarkson and Kessler for Nurkic and both firsts.

The Clarkson fit is abysmal, but Isiah is running the show so I could see this happening.

[jayjaysee]

Probably been done a few times but

Clarkson and Kessler for Nurkic and both firsts.

The Clarkson fit is abysmal, but Isiah is running the show so I could see this happening.

Even if Phoenix plans to flip him, he’s worth more than a TPE right?

[HadAnEffectHere]

Probably been done a few times but

Clarkson and Kessler for Nurkic and both firsts.

The Clarkson fit is abysmal, but Isiah is running the show so I could see this happening.

Even if Phoenix plans to flip him, he’s worth more than a TPE right?

Yeah, could maybe flip him for Gabe Vincent and a few more seconds to use later too...

[gswhoops]

Probably been done a few times but

Clarkson and Kessler for Nurkic and both firsts.

This seems like about the best they could hope for. It probably takes that '31 pick unprotected which could really come back to bite them in the butt. I like the idea of flipping Clarkson for Vincent and a couple 2nds as well.

Kessler/Eubanks/Bol
KD/Little
O'Neale/Okogie/Lee
Booker/Allen/Gordon
Beal/Vincent

That's...better?

[gswhoops]

So, assuming:

1) Beal, Booker, and KD are not being traded
2) The Suns are willing to spend any/all future assets to win a championship in the next 2-3 years

What's the best squad they could put together?

They probably should gamble on Robert Williams. Nurkic and the 31 pick for Robert Williams is what the Blazers will be looking for. They can then try to get another player making less than $7m with their other picks, but this will be harder.

I love me some Timelord but the dude is NEVER healthy. I don't think Phoenix can afford to bank on more injury prone guys.

[Scoot McGroot]

Yeah, I mean most owners/GM's are going to overrate their own situations, whether they are in win-now mode, re-building more, or somewhere in the middle.

But, at the end of the day, talent is the name of the game, and Phoenix has 2 Top 20 players in the NBA.

Yeah. I can see that for sure. I just think it's the specific 3 that’s the issue. If Durant were 2-3 years younger? If Beal were healthier? The general idea? Probably easily. But just the exact specific situation right now? Eek.

Yeah, but you can sort of nit-pick every core.

Miami has an aging Butler and two non-elite impact players in Rozier/Herro who are undersized and on long-term deals.
Houston looks nice and all but Jabari Smith Jr, Alpren Sengun and Amen Thompson are their two highly-regrded prospects and none of them have any realistic chance at being as good as Booker/Current Durant.
Indiana made a trade for Pascal but he is technically a Free Agent and was Haliburton truly hurt or does he have some clear limitations as a core piece in the post-season?

It's easy to say "If Beal were healthier and Durant were younger" but you can nit-pick every team in the NBA, hoping their player(s) were younger, healthier or better.

I do agree though that the Phoenix Suns don't have a Top 5 or Top 10 roster/position, but if your goal is to win a title in the next 2 seasons, I think they are in the Top 10.

Well, yeah, you can nitpick every core. I would assume that if you were valuing the possibility of swapping your team with this one, you’d likely be nitpicking both cores to the extreme?

And even if they’re in the “top 10”, how many teams are willing to trade their entire situation for a probably closer to 10 in the top 10 chance at a championship, but with the likelihood that there’s no rebuilding or bouncing back from it if you don’t win, which you likely won’t?