Trade Talk (Part 17): Early Offseason Planning

[Danimals]

Can you name a team that is going to trade a young long term replacement for Rudy for Rudy?

No, and that is why I don’t have an interest in trading Gobert. I want to move on from Randle and upgrade at PG. Conley should come off the bench and we need a PG with similar talent as Randle.

Why not both, you act like the trade to bring in another center needs to be in a Gobert trade, which is nonsense.

Completely agree. However I don’t see any viable centers being mentioned. Again, Nic Richards, Mark Williams, Walker Kessler, are not viable replacements unless we are massively upgrading at PG and PF. People just want to trade Rudy because he’s awkward and they don’t value defense. Or they get caught up in the narrative about timelines over proven talent and production.

[Mattya]

No, and that is why I don’t have an interest in trading Gobert. I want to move on from Randle and upgrade at PG. Conley should come off the bench and we need a PG with similar talent as Randle.

Why not both, you act like the trade to bring in another center needs to be in a Gobert trade, which is nonsense.

Completely agree. However I don’t see any viable centers being mentioned. Again, Nic Richards, Mark Williams, Walker Kessler, are not viable replacements unless we are massively upgrading at PG and PF. People just want to trade Rudy because he’s awkward and they don’t value defense. Or they get caught up in the narrative about timelines over proven talent and production.

Ah yes people don't want to add proven talent or defense we just have a bunch of posters trying to add Kevin Durant, Lonzo Ball and Davion Mitchell.

[Danimals]

What if we went Randle, Dilly, and the 17th for an upgrade at PG? Then resigned Naz.

?/Conley
Ant/DDV
Jaden/TSJ
Naz/Jaden
Rudy/Naz

Still need front court depth. But I prefer Naz’s shooting and pace over Randle. And I believe scoring and playmaking are more valuable from a PG than a PF. Additionally Dane Moore has mentioned several times that Naz and Rudy have amazing numbers when playing together, including on defense.

[minimus]

To me, Rudy is Minnesota’s version of what Paul Millsap was for Connelly in Denver. He didn’t ultimately get them to the title, but he got them close.

Now lets find our version of Aaron Gordon.

[TimberKat]

To me, Rudy is Minnesota’s version of what Paul Millsap was for Connelly in Denver. He didn’t ultimately get them to the title, but he got them close.

Now lets find our version of Aaron Gordon.

I always feel like getting Aaron next to Towns would had been great but too late for that. So, now the biggest concern is finding that second all star next too Ant then Gobert will be Aaron. Is KD, Randle, JMcD or Dilly be that Batman for Robin?

[Klomp]

To me, Rudy is Minnesota’s version of what Paul Millsap was for Connelly in Denver. He didn’t ultimately get them to the title, but he got them close.

Now lets find our version of Aaron Gordon.

I always feel like getting Aaron next to Towns would had been great but too late for that. So, now the biggest concern is finding that second all star next too Ant then Gobert will be Aaron. Is KD, Randle, JMcD or Dilly be that Batman for Robin?

Gordon was Denver's "final piece" as a fourth option on offense. We already have enough of those. We need to look more at second/third options. I'd compare it more in that way to Indiana adding Pascal Siakam.

[cmoss84]

Looks like Zion is in a bit of a pickle. Yikes.

[Klomp]

No, and that is why I don’t have an interest in trading Gobert. I want to move on from Randle and upgrade at PG. Conley should come off the bench and we need a PG with similar talent as Randle.

Here's my issue with looking for a move at PG: With having Conley and Dillingham already on the roster, there's either not a ton of guaranteed minutes for the acquisition or it would mean a continued stifling of the development track of last year's rookie.

I also think with two smaller guards already on the roster, I wonder if anyone brought in needs to be bigger. That's my fear with guys like Darius Garland, Trae Young, or even Tyus Jones. Both of our WCF losses have come to jumbo PGs. Not saying that was the reason, but it results in effectively hiding the guys on defense because they're not big enough. Doing that for 15-20 minutes is one thing, but I feel like needing to do that for 48 minutes is handicapping our chances in a series like that.

[Klomp]

To me, Rudy is Minnesota’s version of what Paul Millsap was for Connelly in Denver. He didn’t ultimately get them to the title, but he got them close.

I agree with this analogy, and see teams like Atlanta and Phoenix that have veteran cores and do not want to tank as possibilities for Rudy. Both need to greatly improve defense to get top four-six playoff seeds, which would appease their fan bases and owners, who want to win.

I think this is exactly it. I wonder if front offices will point to Detroit as a team that made a massive jump year over year, and want to do the same. I think it would have to be in the East, I don't know if many teams outside of Phoenix in the West would make that move.

In the East, Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago and Miami are teams that I think could consider a move for Gobert.

[minimus]

No, and that is why I don’t have an interest in trading Gobert. I want to move on from Randle and upgrade at PG. Conley should come off the bench and we need a PG with similar talent as Randle.

Here's my issue with looking for a move at PG: With having Conley and Dillingham already on the roster, there's either not a ton of guaranteed minutes for the acquisition or it would mean a continued stifling of the development track of last year's rookie.

Yeah, that's why MIN might be a perfect situation for Lonzo to make a big return:

- less pressure, limited minutes of play, but more quality game
- offers a ton of versatility in defense
- a lot of mouths to feed
- Finch was in coaching staff in NOP
- fits right from day one as veteran, in similar role as Anderson, creating a very balanced rotation at PG: Dillingham-Ball-Conley

[Guest84]

Any chance of plucking away anybody from Boston or Miami? D. White? Brown? Bam?

Other guys I know ppl haven't wanted to consider in Ja, Zion, Trey Young, JJJ, etc...could any be a possible get?

[Domejandro]

Looks like Zion is in a bit of a pickle. Yikes.

I would like to formally redact #8 from my lazy hypothetical list, good Lord.

[cmoss84]

Any chance of plucking away anybody from Boston or Miami? D. White? Brown? Bam?

Other guys I know ppl haven't wanted to consider in Ja, Zion, Trey Young, JJJ, etc...could any be a possible get?

Miami has just a big of off season as we do. Do they keep Bam AND Ware? Maybe not.
Would Bam be worth Randle and Naz in S&T?

[BlacJacMac]

Any chance of plucking away anybody from Boston or Miami? D. White? Brown? Bam?

Other guys I know ppl haven't wanted to consider in Ja, Zion, Trey Young, JJJ, etc...could any be a possible get?

Miami has just a big of off season as we do. Do they keep Bam AND Ware? Maybe not.
Would Bam be worth Randle and Naz in S&T?

Ware, Mitchell and filler for Randle...

[cmoss84]

Some apron work here to be had, but seems possible:

Randle, Naz, and #31 for Bam.
Rudy and DD for Durant.

Mike-Ant-Jaden-Durant-Bam
RD-Clark (extend)-TSJ (extend)-Miller-Rookie C #17-Garza

[shrink]

So I'm a little confused...are we able to sign and trade NAW?.

Yes, as long as the incoming salary from the trade doesn’t push us over the second apron, we can sign-and-trade NAW, (or Naz or Randle, if either decline their player option).

We have Bird rights on all three, so we can sign them for any number up to the max.

[winforlose]

Some apron work here to be had, but seems possible:

Randle, Naz, and #31 for Bam.
Rudy and DD for Durant.

Mike-Ant-Jaden-Durant-Bam
RD-Clark (extend)-TSJ (extend)-Miller-Rookie C #17-Garza

Putting aside the math, (which I suspect is a major problem,) we get substantially worse. You are trading four rotation players for 2. Is bam better than Rudy and Naz together? Is Durant better than Randle and DDV together? Bam like Rudy cannot space the floor, his mid range hook might nice, but his defense won’t generate the same amount of neverminds. Durant as a rental isn’t that valuable unless we are contending, and we will not contend without a legit starting PG, a legit backup PG, a legit backup C, and depth. Moreover, Rudy and DDV don’t equal Durant money using next years cap numbers. I am not sure we can apply this seasons money to make that trade?

P.S. Bam is gonna cost 61 million in 2026/27. If Durant demands the same (easily could.) that is 122 million for those two players. Ant costs just under 49 and Jaden costs 26.7. Combine those 4 numbers and you get 197.7 million on just 4 players. This trade is too rich for our blood.

[shrink]

I don’t know if the real Suns’ front office agrees, but PHX posters here seem to value Gobert pretty highly.

[Danimals]

Obviously not fully fleshed out, just ideas…

Randle for Jrue? McCollum?
Randle and Dilly (picks) for Maxey? Ball? Suggs? Fox? Quickley? Sexton and Cam Johnson?

I really don’t want Randle on his next contract and I really want a PG in their prime.

[BlacJacMac]

Some apron work here to be had, but seems possible:

Randle, Naz, and #31 for Bam.
Rudy and DD for Durant.

Mike-Ant-Jaden-Durant-Bam
RD-Clark (extend)-TSJ (extend)-Miller-Rookie C #17-Garza

Putting aside the math, (which I suspect is a major problem,) we get substantially worse. You are trading four rotation players for 2. Is bam better than Rudy and Naz together? Is Durant better than Randle and DDV together? Bam like Rudy cannot space the floor, his mid range hook might nice, but his defense won’t generate the same amount of neverminds. Durant as a rental isn’t that valuable unless we are contending, and we will not contend without a legit starting PG, a legit backup PG, a legit backup C, and depth. Moreover, Rudy and DDV don’t equal Durant money using next years cap numbers. I am not sure we can apply this seasons money to make that trade?

P.S. Bam is gonna cost 61 million in 2026/27. If Durant demands the same (easily could.) that is 122 million for those two players. Ant costs just under 49 and Jaden costs 26.7. Combine those 4 numbers and you get 197.7 million on just 4 players. This trade is too rich for our blood.

Its not high volume, but he's hit 36% of his 3s the past 2 years (44% from the corners) and his accuracy on his mid-range to long range shots has improved considerably. And he's a good FT shooter and passer. He's a legit 20/10 guy that absolutely needs to be defended.

He's a 5-time All Defense guy and one of the most switchable bigs in the league. About to turn 28.

Randle, Naz and 31 for Bam is a no-brainer for me.

I get more hung up on the Durant part.