Kevin Durant

[younggunsmn]

I don't think Kessler is realistic, and they will get much better offers from needier teams if they decide to move him.
He's the only guy from their last 3 drafts that has shown any flashes of being a long term piece for them.

You could see something like Wendell Carter Jr for Divencenzo swap. Or Vucevic/Collins as salary filler from the Bulls as part of a bigger deal.

Rudy Gobert's 2025 playoff performance, if you look back on it honestly, dwarfed any struggles KAT ever had in terms of how ineffective he was and how much it dragged the whole team down.
I don't understand how anyone can want to go forward with an Ant/Rudy pairing and expect anything better than we got in the beatdown vs OKC.

IMHO any loss defensively from trading away Rudy Gobert should be more than offset by replacing Julius Randle with a competent defender.

I dont know what its going to look like and it might be a step back in the next year, year and a half, but I know we will be a treadmill team having to fight really really hard just to make the 8 team playoff bracket every single year if we move forward with Rudy (and Julius).

And if we do have to take a step back to retool, next year would be the year to do it.
We own our own pick. Utah has swap rights, but almost assuredly only within the top 8 (probably no lower than 5 or 6).

We've spent the last 3 offseasons trying to go all-in, its time to start thinking 2-3 years down the road.

IMHO Rob Dillingham is too small to ever be a positive player on the court and if we can get any value out of him we should probably move on it now. I would move him before I would move 17,31 or any future picks.

I'm starting to believe KD ends up in San Antonio next year for Vassell and a pick or a young player like Sochan anyway.

Rob turned 20 in January. He is short, but so was Iverson. Rob hasn't gotten any run, and even if he did, he is YOUNG. I wouldn't write him off quite yet.

Iverson was small, but his athleticism, toughness and strength as well as his handle were next level. Dillingham does not have the explosiveness that Iverson had. Probably not the best comparison.

I don't see the special skills with Rob.
Iverson had unreal body control that made him special which was already there at age 19.
Rob looks like a leaf blowing around.
I think TC got bamboozled by his scouting department on that pick.

[Norseman79]

Rob turned 20 in January. He is short, but so was Iverson. Rob hasn't gotten any run, and even if he did, he is YOUNG. I wouldn't write him off quite yet.

Iverson was small, but his athleticism, toughness and strength as well as his handle were next level. Dillingham does not have the explosiveness that Iverson had. Probably not the best comparison.

I don't see the special skills with Rob.
Iverson had unreal body control that made him special which was already there at age 19.
Rob looks like a leaf blowing around.
I think TC got bamboozled by his scouting department on that pick.

I think they are hoping for bench scoring dynamic PG. Time will tell, but I don't see it so far

[Klomp]

There is more and more steam out there that PHX will trade Durant at the draft. This makes it less likely that he’ll end up in MIN, because our likely salary-matching components won’t have guaranteed money next year (new deals), until after the draft, and it would make Randle, Naz and NAW ineligible to be included in a trade.

There are always trades announced on draft night that cannot be made official until the new league year. This would be no different.

[Klomp]

I think this is an interesting wrinkle if he does end up here, because it lines his contract up with the years we currently owe to Rudy Gobert. They would be both off the books a year ahead of new deals for Ant and Jaden.

Read on Twitter

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[shrink]

There is more and more steam out there that PHX will trade Durant at the draft. This makes it less likely that he’ll end up in MIN, because our likely salary-matching components won’t have guaranteed money next year (new deals), until after the draft, and it would make Randle, Naz and NAW ineligible to be included in a trade.

There are always trades announced on draft night that cannot be made official until the new league year. This would be no different.

It’s different because of the sign-and-trades. We won’t know what Randle, Naz and NAW’s contracts will be, and if PHX asks, it’s tampering. In a Durant deal, there is a very narrow window to get the money right.

[Klomp]

There is more and more steam out there that PHX will trade Durant at the draft. This makes it less likely that he’ll end up in MIN, because our likely salary-matching components won’t have guaranteed money next year (new deals), until after the draft, and it would make Randle, Naz and NAW ineligible to be included in a trade.

There are always trades announced on draft night that cannot be made official until the new league year. This would be no different.

It’s different because of the sign-and-trades. We won’t know what Randle, Naz and NAW’s contracts will be, and if PHX asks, it’s tampering. In a Durant deal, there is a very narrow window to get the money right.

Randle and Naz can and would both opt in to their 2025-26 money in this scenario, if they were to be included in this deal. Matching money makes a deal trickier, but it is certainly possible.

[shrink]

There are always trades announced on draft night that cannot be made official until the new league year. This would be no different.

It’s different because of the sign-and-trades. We won’t know what Randle, Naz and NAW’s contracts will be, and if PHX asks, it’s tampering. In a Durant deal, there is a very narrow window to get the money right.

Randle and Naz can and would both opt in to their 2025-26 money in this scenario, if they were to be included in this deal. Matching money makes a deal trickier, but it is certainly possible.

Which is another hurdle. If they don’t want to stay with the team, or pursue other options, they can simply refuse to pick up their options, a week before the deadline.

[Klomp]

It’s different because of the sign-and-trades. We won’t know what Randle, Naz and NAW’s contracts will be, and if PHX asks, it’s tampering. In a Durant deal, there is a very narrow window to get the money right.

Randle and Naz can and would both opt in to their 2025-26 money in this scenario, if they were to be included in this deal. Matching money makes a deal trickier, but it is certainly possible.

Which is another hurdle. If they don’t want to stay with the team, or pursue other options, they can simply refuse to pick up their options, a week before the deadline.

I think that would potentially be a financially poor decision for both of them. Opting in doesn't take going to another team off the table, it just means they don't have the official say in where that is. But by opting in, they shift their potential free agency back a year where there will be many more suitors with cap space. And trades are still on the table, so they aren't necessarily locked into remaining in Minnesota.

[shrink]

Randle and Naz can and would both opt in to their 2025-26 money in this scenario, if they were to be included in this deal. Matching money makes a deal trickier, but it is certainly possible.

Which is another hurdle. If they don’t want to stay with the team, or pursue other options, they can simply refuse to pick up their options, a week before the deadline.

I think that would potentially be a financially poor decision for both of them. Opting in doesn't take going to another team off the table, it just means they don't have the official say in where that is. But by opting in, they shift their potential free agency back a year where there will be many more suitors with cap space. And trades are still on the table, so they aren't necessarily locked into remaining in Minnesota.

I am saying the players could still opt in, but not opt in by the draft day, if they were interested in options other than PHX.

[shrink]

There was an anonymous report (so take it with as much salt as you want) on Flagrant Howls that the Wolves had a deal in place at the deadline for Durant, but the Suns got squeamish and killed it.

Randle at the deadline hadn’t showed much yet, but since Gobert was ineligible, that would mean Connelly was willing to either include McDaniels or Naz Reid.

[Klomp]

There was an anonymous report (so take it with as much salt as you want) on Flagrant Howls that the Wolves had a deal in place at the deadline for Durant, but the Suns got squeamish and killed it.

I love Flagrant Howls as much as anyone, but I put no credence in the "anonymous tip line."

[shrink]

There was an anonymous report (so take it with as much salt as you want) on Flagrant Howls that the Wolves had a deal in place at the deadline for Durant, but the Suns got squeamish and killed it.

I love Flagrant Howls as much as anyone, but I put no credence in the "anonymous tip line."

I agree, which is why I posted it that way. It was just some tip a fan sent in, who claimed insider info.

I dislike the podcast more than most. It’s just two guys that don’t know much about basketball, making big takes.

For example, today they heard that a rumored Spurs offer for KD is Barnes, Vassell and #14. They said that McDaniels is equal to Barnes, and has the same contract, so would you trade McDaniels +17? Vassell was awful last year, and most neutral fans think it’s a bad contract now. McDaniels >>> Vassell.

[Klomp]

There is more and more steam out there that PHX will trade Durant at the draft. This makes it less likely that he’ll end up in MIN, because our likely salary-matching components won’t have guaranteed money next year (new deals), until after the draft, and it would make Randle, Naz and NAW ineligible to be included in a trade.

If SAS wants him, we can't compete.

We are at around $140 mil salary. Could move Gobert or package DDV+Conley+JMcD etc. After that, re-sign NAZ, NAW, and Randle to go over the cap. I don't know if Suns can accept a package that is less in salary due to apron rules. If we trade Gobert for KD, we will end up being the new Suns so would want to keep Gobert to anchor the defense.

Where I think things get interesting in all of this is that I honestly don't know if other teams will be as willing to make aggressive trade offers as I think Minnesota could be. Connelly has always been one of the most aggressive executives in the league. It's how he built a title team in Denver and it's how he has built a roster in Minnesota that has made consecutive conference finals.

I think we also have the big money pieces to offer that many of these other teams just don't have. And while our picks are somewhat depleted, our young prospect pool is pretty loaded with lots of potential across multiple positions that could potentially be included as well.

[Klomp]

Which is another hurdle. If they don’t want to stay with the team, or pursue other options, they can simply refuse to pick up their options, a week before the deadline.

I think that would potentially be a financially poor decision for both of them. Opting in doesn't take going to another team off the table, it just means they don't have the official say in where that is. But by opting in, they shift their potential free agency back a year where there will be many more suitors with cap space. And trades are still on the table, so they aren't necessarily locked into remaining in Minnesota.

I am saying the players could still opt in, but not opt in by the draft day, if they were interested in options other than PHX.

The other thing I would say is that while all the reporting says this will be decided by draft night, I could also envision reporting during the draft that "Durant has narrowed his focus to Minnesota, and the two sides are working on a deal", even if nothing actually happens until July.

[shrink]

There is more and more steam out there that PHX will trade Durant at the draft. This makes it less likely that he’ll end up in MIN, because our likely salary-matching components won’t have guaranteed money next year (new deals), until after the draft, and it would make Randle, Naz and NAW ineligible to be included in a trade.

If SAS wants him, we can't compete.

We are at around $140 mil salary. Could move Gobert or package DDV+Conley+JMcD etc. After that, re-sign NAZ, NAW, and Randle to go over the cap. I don't know if Suns can accept a package that is less in salary due to apron rules. If we trade Gobert for KD, we will end up being the new Suns so would want to keep Gobert to anchor the defense.

Where I think things get interesting in all of this is that I honestly don't know if other teams will be as willing to make aggressive trade offers as I think Minnesota could be. Connelly has always been one of the most aggressive executives in the league. It's how he built a title team in Denver and it's how he has built a roster in Minnesota that has made consecutive conference finals.

I think we also have the big money pieces to offer that many of these other teams just don't have. And while our picks are somewhat depleted, our young prospect pool is pretty loaded with lots of potential across multiple positions that could potentially be included as well.

The aggressive offer would be to include McDaniels, so I hope he isn’t that aggressive.

You’re right. The winner isn’t the team with the biggest treasure box, it’s the team that’s willing to use the most.

[Domejandro]

Zero shot that Naz Reid picks up his Player Option ahead of time to be traded. I think that Julius Randle would, should the team trading for him be open to a long-term extension.

[Klomp]

The aggressive offer would be to include McDaniels, so I hope he isn’t that aggressive.

I'm thinking more along the line of older veterans, especially because Phoenix isn't going to be in a position to tank. I could see Randle and/or Gobert included as main pieces in a deal. If all San Antonio has to offer is Vassell or Barnes, that gives us a real chance. Especially since our veterans would address needs Phoenix has on the interior. Does Vassell make sense as a key piece in Phoenix when you already have Booker and Beal? Houston's top trade chip is likely Jalen Green, which also would be quite redundant.

[Klomp]

Zero shot that Naz Reid picks up his Player Option ahead of time to be traded. I think that Julius Randle would, should the team trading for him be open to a long-term extension.

Probably not, though Naz Reid has shown he doesn't necessarily fall in line with what people expect him to do.

[Klomp]

The aggressive offer would be to include McDaniels, so I hope he isn’t that aggressive.

So he wasn't aggressive in the Gobert trade? He's good at being aggressive, but smart.