2022-23 Season Discussion and Speculation 5 - The KD era begins

[Sunlight]

Jalen Smith start also very good when traded and where is now?

[SunsRback4Good]

Jalen Smith start also very good when traded and where is he now?

Indiana Pacers

[sunskerr]

Twins massacring the 76ers

[SunsRback4Good]

It hurts watching them play in Nets uniforms!!!

It sure does I literally cried watching them play. Tears still running down my cheeks.

[SunsRback4Good]

Twins massacring the 76ers

Good good I have a nice two teamer on Nets and Knicks.

[SunsRback4Good]

Just saw the poll and voted “ IF we win west, 50/50 chance we win vs east team” this question has 10 votes leading everything else. But yeah, if we win west Either Boston or Milwaukee will be meeting us there. Both are great teams I hope we can manage to beat them and finally bring a title to the valley of the SUN!

[grumpysaddle]

It hurts watching them play in Nets uniforms!!!

I've only watched a bit, but they easily are looking like the best 2 players on the Nets.

[Revived]

Started to feel a little better about the trade (or at least accept it) after thinking about it for couple days. It’s funny I’ve had friends tell me “Dude you’re so lucky you guys got KD with Booker??”. Idk I mean if this was 24 yr old KD instead of 34 yr old, I’d be a lot more excited. Or if he wasn’t so injury prone missing 40-50% of the every season ever since his Achilles injury with the Warriors.

Someone on reddit mentioned how it sucks that KD wants to come to the Suns because of the Suns culture in recent years but it sucks that we have to give up two of the main guys that helped develop that culture to bring KD in. I definitely agree with that.

I’ve mentioned it already but man I so badly wish we could’ve just won 2 more against the Bucks in the finals that year. The ability to win with almost all homegrown talent (+ CP3) is so special. It’s why the Warriors rings with Curry/Klay/Draymond definitely mean more to the Warriors fans than the ones with KD.

But for a team like the Suns that hasn’t won a ring at all, I get it. There goal is to win a ring whichever way possible.

It’s such a luxury to sign superstar FAs in free agency instead of trading for them and giving up stuff. Nets basically got Kyrie/KD for nothing and whole bunch of assets now when trading both away. Even with everything they gave up for Harden, they’ve come out on top in terms of asset building.

I was pretty vocal about how we couldn’t go into the playoffs with the same exact team from last year. But I wasn’t expecting or wanting a move this big. I was wanting a trade for a secondary ball handler like Clarkson or Russell etc. And I think that’s how many people felt too. A small trade like that would’ve made quite a difference too imo. So when people say “Wow well everyone said we need to get better and now we finally did and people still complaining?? Smh” it doesn’t really apply because most of us thought Booker/Mikal should’ve been untouchable unless it’s for a superstar in their 20s or something. I always thought KD trade would be Crowder/Johnson and picks.

The fact that Brooklyn was willing to send Kyrie here for Crowder/CP3/3 first rd picks and we could’ve kept Mikal and Cam also factors in this.

Anyway, we have KD now. He’s obviously one of the greatest players ever. We have to win at least one title now within the next 2-3 years. If we don’t, this could go down as one of the worst trades ever in franchise history. To say “championship or bust” would be an understatement for the pressure this team has but yeah it’s basically “championship or absolute bust”.

Will definitely continue to root for Bridges/Cam to do well with the Nets. Don’t really give a **** about how Crowder does with the Bucks. But I sincerely hope KD can stay healthy here and works out for us with a ring or two at the end. Go Suns!

[grumpysaddle]

Jalen Smith start also very good when traded and where is now?

Imagine comparing the Twins to Jalen Smith...

[Revived]

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

That second tweet is Cam Johnson’s brother.

This is just disrespectful man that two players who did so much for this team have to find out online that they’re being traded. Seriously? James Jones has to be better than this, these players aren’t some scrubs he got rid of.

You can hear the sadness about the trade in Bridges voice even when talking about it. And Cam looks sad as hell in that shot they took of him too.

Seriously, if we just win 2 more games against the Bucks two years this trade never happens. Or if we manage to not f***k up a 2-0 lead to Dallas last season and at least make it to WCFs.

This is fkn sad

We need to win a chip for real now

Absolutely, at least one otherwise it’s a disastrous trade.

[Revived]

Spoiler:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

That second tweet is Cam Johnson’s brother.

This is just disrespectful man that two players who did so much for this team have to find out online that they’re being traded. Seriously? James Jones has to be better than this, these players aren’t some scrubs he got rid of.

You can hear the sadness about the trade in Bridges voice even when talking about it. And Cam looks sad as hell in that shot they took of him too.

Both players that drafted here and we saw develop here. I don’t think either one ever wanted to go anywhere else.

Seriously, if we just win 2 more games against the Bucks two years this trade never happens. Or if we manage to not f***k up a 2-0 lead to Dallas last season and at least make it to WCFs.

Yeah, this core was on the cusp. Everyone said we don't win did you see last year's playoffs? We had a terrible series where Paul suddenly became someone else or was injured and lost in 7. We made the finals kind of fast against injured playoff teams. Most young teams take their lumps in the playoffs for a few years. I think this new version of Bridges would have helped.

Of course Paul is declining but he's declining anyway.

Odds of winning IF healthy with KD for the next year or two are higher of course, but we haven't been healthy even before KD who isn't healthy, so it's a lot to hope for. With our core being young and improving we would have just gotten better, though of course competition is tougher. It will be hard to make the playoffs in a few years with all the great young teams in the west and we won't have unprotected picks.

Luckily Bridges only has 3 more years after this one on his contract and we can then sign him...hopefully.

Yeah I don’t disagree with any of this. Pretty much exactly how I’ve felt.

[wheezy]

Well said. And would also love getting rid of the whole in game entertainment. Get rid of the loud **** music, get an organist, and get Wheezy as far away from the arena as possible.

Dang... harsh

[starbosa10]

It's an all or nothing move. Absolutely terrible deal if it doesn't result in a title

[bigfoot]

Suns barely got by the Pels and got beat by the Mavs last year in the playoffs. Minus Crowder we trot out basically the same squad. The trade had to happen.

[lilfishi22]

It hurts watching them play in Nets uniforms!!!

It sure does I literally cried watching them play. Tears still running down my cheeks.

So painful seeing them on another team. It's just not right

[Sunlight]

The Twins 0-4 in the clutch time. That's why KD will wear a purple uniform for the next four years.

[lilfishi22]

Sixers got away with this one but the Nets are FUN to watch

No single super star, just like the old Nets before KD/Kyrie. Just a bunch of youngish players playing as a team and getting hard fought wins. Just makes them even more enjoyable to watch now that my Twins are there too

[Revived]

Nets really just do iso, iso, iso at the end of the 4th there. If they ran any kind of actual plays, they could’ve easily won this.

Bridges and Cam must’ve felt weird just standing in the corner considering Suns offense often has a lot of off ball movement and all. Bridges finally got the ball at the end after not having touched it in a while and the play was for him to attack the rim with the league’s best shot blocker in the paint. Lol.

Jacque Vaughn isn’t a good HC at all of course. Doubt he’ll be there next year.

[Crives]

Watching twins on Nets makes me miss Sarver

[Revived]

Terrence Ross is a must get. Especially considering the rumors that Dallas is trying to get him, it would be brutal to have a rival sign him away.

We need wings with decent size that can defend.

Can’t the Suns offer more than vet min to any buy-out candidates? That should hopefully help with this.

I like Ross more than signing Reggie Jackson who honestly may be washed which is why Jerry West and the Clippers traded him away.