2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part III

[BobbieL]

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If giving up a freakin' 1st just to dump Nurkic, then this trade right here is the trade that the Suns NEED TO MAKE!!! nURKIC/ CLE 26 1st for Mitchell Robinson/ Tyler Kolek/ Pacom Dadiet!!

Let's finally quit all the stupidity and redundancy and make an actual movie that makes a ton of sense!!

Wouldn't help this year it seems with the injury but a good trade for Nurkic

[TeamTragic]

Can Bogdan make a shot, is the question? He's in Huerter territory at this point. Small sample but he's also pushing 33 years old

Yeah, that's way too young for this team. We need older guys, and even better if they have max contracts.

Out goes Dunn, Nurkic and 3 FRPs

In come Bogdan and Butler

**** NO

[BobbieL]

Yeah, that's way too young for this team. We need older guys, and even better if they have max contracts.

Out goes Dunn, Nurkic and 3 FRPs

In come Bogdan and Butler

**** NO

This has been my prediction for a week

If Nurk is traded out and Butler traded in.. will cost all three FRPs and Dunn

Understanding Dunn would be used to get a FRP to attach to the trade

[TeamTragic]

Out goes Dunn, Nurkic and 3 FRPs

In come Bogdan and Butler

**** NO

This has been my prediction for a week

If Nurk is traded out and Butler traded in.. will cost all three FRPs and Dunn

Understanding Dunn would be used to get a FRP to attach to the trade

[Slim Charless]

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If giving up a freakin' 1st just to dump Nurkic, then this trade right here is the trade that the Suns NEED TO MAKE!!! nURKIC/ CLE 26 1st for Mitchell Robinson/ Tyler Kolek/ Pacom Dadiet!!

Let's finally quit all the stupidity and redundancy and make an actual movie that makes a ton of sense!!

Wouldn't help this year it seems with the injury but a good trade for Nurkic

Great trade for Nurkic. It's rather just attach to a Book trade in the summer, should it happen. This would be fine though. Get Kolek who can maybe be PGOTF and Mitch.

[Saberestar]

"Brad worked really hard to earn a no-trade clause. We earned it and we have it -- and it is really valuable," Beal's agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN. "Does that mean that he would never, ever accept a trade? No. You always have an open mind and you always are willing to listen to things that you think might be great.

"But at this time, there's nothing we're considering. His entire energy and focus is on helping the Suns win. So all of this speculation that people keep writing about is really just people using their imagination."

ESPN talked to multiple team executives who said Beal not eliminating his no-trade clause is a deal-breaker in a trade.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/43597721/how-bradley-beal-controls-nba-trade-deadline-phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-devin-booker

[BobbieL]

"Brad worked really hard to earn a no-trade clause. We earned it and we have it -- and it is really valuable," Beal's agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN. "Does that mean that he would never, ever accept a trade? No. You always have an open mind and you always are willing to listen to things that you think might be great.

"But at this time, there's nothing we're considering. His entire energy and focus is on helping the Suns win. So all of this speculation that people keep writing about is really just people using their imagination."

ESPN talked to multiple team executives who said Beal not eliminating his no-trade clause is a deal-breaker in a trade.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/43597721/how-bradley-beal-controls-nba-trade-deadline-phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-devin-booker

Bradley Beal bailing out Ishbia if this deal falls through

[TeamTragic]

"Brad worked really hard to earn a no-trade clause. We earned it and we have it -- and it is really valuable," Beal's agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN. "Does that mean that he would never, ever accept a trade? No. You always have an open mind and you always are willing to listen to things that you think might be great.

"But at this time, there's nothing we're considering. His entire energy and focus is on helping the Suns win. So all of this speculation that people keep writing about is really just people using their imagination."

ESPN talked to multiple team executives who said Beal not eliminating his no-trade clause is a deal-breaker in a trade.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/43597721/how-bradley-beal-controls-nba-trade-deadline-phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-devin-booker

[BobbieL]

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If giving up a freakin' 1st just to dump Nurkic, then this trade right here is the trade that the Suns NEED TO MAKE!!! nURKIC/ CLE 26 1st for Mitchell Robinson/ Tyler Kolek/ Pacom Dadiet!!

Let's finally quit all the stupidity and redundancy and make an actual movie that makes a ton of sense!!

Wouldn't help this year it seems with the injury but a good trade for Nurkic

Great trade for Nurkic. It's rather just attach to a Book trade in the summer, should it happen. This would be fine though. Get Kolek who can maybe be PGOTF and Mitch.

This trade makes sense to me more than Bogdanovich from Hawks

Suns just need to move on from Butler

[Qwigglez]

Suns shouldn't have to attach anything to get Bogdan. He has been beyond terrible this season. He recently went on a 4-game streak where he shot 3/27. This isn't a player that is a known dirt worker, he is supposed to be a shooter, and he can't shoot.
Kelly Olynyk would be a nice change of pace style center and is someone I'd prefer over Bogdan.

[bwgood77]

https://eu.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2025/01/30/sources-suns-talked-with-hawks-other-teams-about-trading-jusuf-nurkic/78046527007/

Bogdan has a club option in 2026/2027 -- so same time line as Nurkic
probably wouldn't hate the deal but why give up a FRP
just a straight trade of players

Why give up a FRP? The difference as a players between Bogdanovic and Nurkic is HUGE, I seriously I doubt that they would make the trade for just a late (superlate) FRP.

Ultimately you should give up first round picks only to get players like you could get in the draft like Dunn or better who you have control of for some time. Ideally using them is the best because you can get a useful young player you control for years, at a great price. You seem to really like Dunn, but on the other hand love throwing away first round picks for of a guy like Bogs.

Now, the main reason to trade it would likely be to dump the Nurkic contract but again, sometimes like Bickley and Marotta will talk about how great Ishbia is spending, etc, and while I'm glad he is willing to spend, he doesn't seem smart about the NBA (granted, he is new and competing against savvy guys like Presti, Ainge and multiple other long time owners and GMs.

But part of the complaint about the early years of Sarver was ending up with players you had to get rid of their contracts to dump with picks, and now that is what might happen with Nurk and a first. We are already giving a savvy GM a very valuable pick for not great firsts (borderline seconds) after trading away valuable picks/swaps.rotation players for an aging injury prone star in KD.

They have gotten creative in many ways like trading swapss to Memphis for seconds and trading this unprotected 31 first for 3 late firsts, but both don't seem to be too smart. We will end up with those Memphis firsts every time. Prior to that we had either ours or a Washington/Brooklyn first (maybe not bad) but then we gave them to Memphis too for a few seconds. Seems pretty absurd.

Now we are piecemealing that unprotected 31 and part of it just to dump Nurk, which is basically a cost savings move.

[Slim Charless]

"Brad worked really hard to earn a no-trade clause. We earned it and we have it -- and it is really valuable," Beal's agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN. "Does that mean that he would never, ever accept a trade? No. You always have an open mind and you always are willing to listen to things that you think might be great.

"But at this time, there's nothing we're considering. His entire energy and focus is on helping the Suns win. So all of this speculation that people keep writing about is really just people using their imagination."

ESPN talked to multiple team executives who said Beal not eliminating his no-trade clause is a deal-breaker in a trade.

https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/43597721/how-bradley-beal-controls-nba-trade-deadline-phoenix-suns-kevin-durant-devin-booker

Wait.

So not only did they want him to wave it for whatever team? They also think he's gonna eliminate it altogether?

LMAO

That's never, EVER gonna happen. Ishbia thinks Beal will do that?

Beal will be here till the end of his deal, if those are the pre-requisites.

.... and they cant get Jimmy without Beal going out. Not enough money. I've seen enough of this nonsense. I'm calling it:

No Jimmy for this team at the trade deadline. Thank God.

[sunskerr]

I know people say Ishbia is not stupid, must be smart because he built up a company etc., but like, everything he's done here suggests...maybe not?

You can also often times just fail upwards in business if you have the right connections/family. That being said I don't particularly care to investigate his background.

But if I knew nothing about this guy and was working in the front office, I'd probably think he was kind of a moron.

But hey win a championship with this group of players I'll put a picture of him at my bedside.

Also Bradley Beal should get his jersey retired if this team gets blown up over the summer. And next year he can take 52 shots per game.

[Qwigglez]

My super hopeium trade is still this, especially with the Kings may no longer be interested in Cam Johnson.

Suns get:
Cam Johnson
Nic Claxton

Hawks get:
Bradley Beal

Nets get:
Clint Capela
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Kobe Bufkin
3 1st round picks from the Suns

Beal gets his wish of still playing for a contender. Likely starts with the Hawks, with Dyson Daniels running the Hawks 2nd unit. Hawks are probably not keeping Clint Capela past this season anyway, so they might as well try to get some value out of him.

Subsequent trade

Suns get:
Bogdan Bogdanovic

Nets get:
Jusuf Nurkic

Nets don't want long-term contracts, so they'd prefer Nurk.

Suns lineup
Tyus / Booker / Cam / KD / Claxton
Morris / Grayson / Dunn / Royce / Richards
Lee / Bogdanovic / Oso / Bol / Plumlee

[bwgood77]

After watching this team again last night, I think the emphasis needs to be fire. If this team makes a trade, it need to be for a player with fire.

As soon as Anthony Edwards started showing fire and passion, Minny took control because we have no player with the same fire and passion at his level.

You can’t teach desire and fire. I’m not sure at their point, we can even trade for it. Booker and/or KD has to go.

I’m not tied to Booker like some of you are here. Some of you think we owe him something, or that he’s a blessing to the state. I mean he does a few things here and there for AZ but he isn’t and was never invested in Phx like Larry Fitzgerald or Dan Majerle. Again, I’m cool with giving him a tribute video when he’s traded but he ain’t on my list of all time favorite Suns. He’s just stat stuffing points at this point and I don’t care about stats. I want wins!

I agree about fire, but thinking about it lately, you even look back at that team from a few years ago, led by Paul, with Bridges, Cam, Ayton. They loved playing together the year they went to the finals and the next regular season. They had chemistry, joy, were having fun, and they thrived playing together.

I think this team was actually doing ok when Beal came back from his back last year. They were still finding their groove all year but once he came back they were 33-18.

This year we started off hot, even if mostly pulling out close wins

But thinking about that recent report that something changed for Jimmy when the Suns went to Brooklyn, like there was a backdoor "come play with us" and suddenly KD/Book or whoever may have been in on that (assuming it happened), the rumors start to fly, and any chemistry, joy, etc, and all that just drains out of a room when you know players are talking to players on other teams and your front office is shopping you. I don't know that it bothers Beal a ton but with Nurkic it certainly does. But regardless, it impacts things. Then Grayson Allen, a career year from 3, plays fewer minutes...rumors about him being traded.

When one star is going behind the scenes (or 2), but I think a bit more of KD because he did it in Brooklyn convincing them to get rid of quality people like Kenny Atkinson, Jarrett Allen to get his buddy Deandre Jordan there, etc, and then he later wanted Nash gone after wanting him over Atkinson. Atkinson and Allen now looking pretty damn good in Cleveland.

I think a team really has to play together, like playing together, etc, to be really successful. It's possible without it, but i think it's a lot harder than a team not being on the same page, or wondering if they are getting traded or if their teammates want them gone, etc, are. I think most of the best basketball people know this. I think KD tries to go put together super teams after his GS experience behind the scenes and GM his own team as much as he can...with those Cleveland moves, then forcing his way to Phx, then him and Book calling and convincing Beal to come, getting rid of Paul, etc. And Book seems to worship KD for some reason, so he just follows along, not realizing that what made that finals team and team next year great was the chemistry and joy playing together (aside from Paul's great leadership, clutchness and intangibles).

I wish we had a strong owner/GM who would not bow to the will of players and simply wouldn't have players who put themselves above the organization and team.

[bwgood77]

Can we say it out loud. Bogdon to the Suns is redundant and mostly pointless. It’s just making a trade to make a trade.

I see a gif in my head of someone standing at a fire with cards that say "NBA draft pick-first round" on them and one by one, chucking them into the fire.

[Slim Charless]

If this team needs a tough guy like Butler, we should trade for Isiah Stewart. He's a fraction of the cost and like 15 years younger

[bwgood77]

Can Bogdan make a shot, is the question? He's in Huerter territory at this point. Small sample but he's also pushing 33 years old

I've had him on my dynasty team, and he's been on the IL for much of the year, so in that respect he fits in.

But this guy is shooting 37% from the field this year and 30% from 3.

It really makes me scratch my head why people are good trading a first for him. I get getting rid of Nurkic but that's just to save Ishbia tax dollars, and we would be taking a player back anyway, a really bad one this year for that matter.

People really don't value firsts here, like at all. Now I understand more why so many thought the KD deal was great.....I guess.

[bwgood77]

Can we say it out loud. Bogdon to the Suns is redundant and mostly pointless. It’s just making a trade to make a trade.

Unless Grayson, or Beal is traded.

Then speaking purely basketball purposes, you are trading a 43% or 39% 3pt% shooter for a 30% 3pt shooter. He is 37% from the field, so worse than the entire field than they are from 3.

I wouldn't mind getting worse so we can tank and blow it up, but I'd rather not trade firsts to get worse so we can blow it up.

[Ghost of Kleine]

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