2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part V

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

So that's a league best defensive rating when.those two play. While it's well known that our defense oils our biggest issue leading to the majority of our losses, and it's somehow taken.over 60+ games for our coaching staff and front office to understand this?

This also speaks to the importance of fielding young, athletic, high energy players throughout our roster to energize our aging " no fu*** given " team. Because young players are actually hungry and competitive with something to prove!

Perhaps Ishbia should start rethinking his position on.the draft and value of draft picks??

I truly truly TRULY hope the not trade Booker stuff is just talk to not tank or limit his value

these 2 would be absolutely **** if it wasn’t for book and KD. Don’t get lost in the sauce. Devin isn’t getting traded, have fun typing out worthless trade scenarios built from hopium for the next 6 months.

Booker likely won't be traded within the next 6 months because of connections with Michigan and Ishbia and Thomas. BUT beyond that, within the next 2 seasons (I'm betting before the 27' season trade deadline),

Booker will get tired of missing the play in tournament as a 11-13 seeded team, maybe even worse if he gets injured again from having to carry singular minutes as the only star player on the team.

And if he's injured for any significant length of time, we'll likely end up a top 8 lottery team with other teams building their futures at our expense.

And our team will continue forward as the league's punching bag for the true top tier teams until Booker asks out as all NBA players tend to do as they enter their 30s and feel pressured to try and win a championship elsewhere before it's too late!

None of this should be controversial as it's par for the course for pretty much every team with aging stars when your franchise can't win and has no future. Ishbia gambled too heavily and we lost. It sucks, but it happens.

Ishbia just shouldn't have mortgaged everything we had because when he did that, he left us with no alternative pivot.

And unfortunately, no matter how much denial people choose to stay in, the outcome will remain the same. But the longer we wait to face that reality, the more our last remaining assets depreciate in value.

And the causality of this will be an even longer rebuild than the ine under Sarver because Ishbia gave away all of our picks to other teams. I'd love Booker to stay on if the situation were at all different!

But it just isn't. In two years when Booker gets fed up and asks out, we'll get Pennies on the dollar and be much worse for it in hindsight as our franchise typically operates.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

So that's a league best defensive rating when.those two play. While it's well known that our defense oils our biggest issue leading to the majority of our losses, and it's somehow taken.over 60+ games for our coaching staff and front office to understand this?

This also speaks to the importance of fielding young, athletic, high energy players throughout our roster to energize our aging " no fu*** given " team. Because young players are actually hungry and competitive with something to prove!

Perhaps Ishbia should start rethinking his position on.the draft and value of draft picks??

I truly truly TRULY hope the not trade Booker stuff is just talk to not tank or limit his value

Book looked like a different player with KD stuck in the corner and getting the real contributions that, Oso, Duun, Gillespie and Cody brought. Was it reminiscent of when we had the twins? I think it could be.

Trade KD for a couple of good youngsters + picks just might be enough to make us at the very least fun to watch. Don't get me wrong, I would love a championship, but a watchable Suns team would be just fine.

Gambo brought up the idea of a waive and stretch of Beal this summer. That would mean $22mil per year for 5 years against the cap rather than 50+ for the next 2 years. If we try to trade him we will get crappy players and cost us draft picks to dump. His acquisition gets worse and worse. Would the trade of KD be good for his play? Book is going nowhere.

What would you do. Waive and Stretch, or just ride out the next two years of Beal?

The reality is that we're not going to be contending nor are we going to be a legitimate playoff team in the next 2-3 years either. So there's really no reason to waive and stretch Beal just to tie up 22 million over the next half decade when it won't move the needle that much anyways.

Much better to simply hold him for this next season if we can't really trade him, and then flip him somewhere next summer as a massive expiring contract!

Under this current CBA there'll absolutely be a number of teams willing to take him for the massive cap savings his expiring would offer. Any 2nd apron teams or fringe apron/ luxury tax teams will have interest in Beal for sure.

[thamadkant]

Suns have to keep Beal because they cannot afford to trade other assets to get another team to bite.

Secondly, Beal can be an expiring in a couple of years .

Trading Booker and KD for youth and picks and letting Beal pad his stats as suns get lottery picks is ideal.... this way they can get more for him on his last year of contract.

[Calvin Klein]

This might be the best thing about this season

https://youtube.com/shorts/wLRBRKq2SqA?si=aUYiMCjRwKjT7x7_

[Saberestar]

Gambo brought up the idea of a waive and stretch of Beal this summer. That would mean $22mil per year for 5 years against the cap rather than 50+ for the next 2 years. If we try to trade him we will get crappy players and cost us draft picks to dump. His acquisition gets worse and worse. Would the trade of KD be good for his play? Book is going nowhere.

What would you do. Waive and Stretch, or just ride out the next two years of Beal?

Waive and stretch is a realistic option at this point but I believe that he is gonna be open to get traded to one of his favorite destinations this summer.

The Timeline guys talked about 3 potential trades for Beal.

1.Washington. Beal coming back home.
Middleton + Richaun Holmes (expirings) for Beal.

2.Miami. Beal wants to go there.
Rozier + Duncan Robinson (expirings) for Beal.

3.Chicago. His old coach + starting role. Thee team trade with Orlando.
Beal to Chicago.
Vucevic to Orlando.
KCP (expiring) and Patrick Williams to the Suns.

Those fake trades by the Timeline were a bit better but I don't expect to get any draft capital or young player so I cut that.

What do you think? Personally I would make all three trades and I think they are well balanced.

[Frank Lee]

What does it matter? Suns are a few steps away from being competitive, but 5 flights of stairs from being a contender. We have to deal with 4 or so more yrs of Jocic, 10 more of Luka, Wemby, SGA and Ant. We barely have a top twenty player in Book and very few means of acquiring one in the next 6-7 yrs. Other than a lightning in the bottle trade like SGA, or a crazy unrecognized talent draft pick like Jocic, chances are extremely slim to find such a player. I don’t see anyone on the KD trade horizon that fits the bill…..And we won’t win anything without one.

Our window was slammed shut and the drapes drawn in yr one of KD/Wishbia. It was closing anyways, but we didn’t need to be plunged into the darkness of perpetual mediocrity and false hope.

[Saberestar]

What does it matter? Suns are a few steps away from being competitive, but 5 flights of stairs from being a contender. We have to deal with 4 or so more yrs of Jocic, 10 more of Luka, Wemby, SGA and Ant. We barely have a top twenty player in Book and very few means of acquiring one in the next 6-7 yrs. Other than a lightning in the bottle trade like SGA, or a crazy unrecognized talent draft pick like Jocic, chances are extremely slim to find such a player. I don’t see anyone on the KD trade horizon that fits the bill…..And we won’t win anything without one.

Our window was slammed shut and the drapes drawn in yr one of KD/Wishbia. It was closing anyways, but we didn’t need to be plunged into the darkness of perpetual mediocrity and false hope.

One good move can change everything. Have you seen the Warriors with Jimmy Butler?

[sunsbg]

What does it matter? Suns are a few steps away from being competitive, but 5 flights of stairs from being a contender. We have to deal with 4 or so more yrs of Jocic, 10 more of Luka, Wemby, SGA and Ant. We barely have a top twenty player in Book and very few means of acquiring one in the next 6-7 yrs. Other than a lightning in the bottle trade like SGA, or a crazy unrecognized talent draft pick like Jocic, chances are extremely slim to find such a player. I don’t see anyone on the KD trade horizon that fits the bill…..And we won’t win anything without one.

Our window was slammed shut and the drapes drawn in yr one of KD/Wishbia. It was closing anyways, but we didn’t need to be plunged into the darkness of perpetual mediocrity and false hope.

One good move can change everything. Have you seen the Warriors with Jimmy Butler?

We are waiting for that one single good move by Ishbia, and waiting, and waiting...Warriors are ok, but not a true contender.

[Calvin Klein]

What does it matter? Suns are a few steps away from being competitive, but 5 flights of stairs from being a contender. We have to deal with 4 or so more yrs of Jocic, 10 more of Luka, Wemby, SGA and Ant. We barely have a top twenty player in Book and very few means of acquiring one in the next 6-7 yrs. Other than a lightning in the bottle trade like SGA, or a crazy unrecognized talent draft pick like Jocic, chances are extremely slim to find such a player. I don’t see anyone on the KD trade horizon that fits the bill…..And we won’t win anything without one.

Our window was slammed shut and the drapes drawn in yr one of KD/Wishbia. It was closing anyways, but we didn’t need to be plunged into the darkness of perpetual mediocrity and false hope.

One good move can change everything. Have you seen the Warriors with Jimmy Butler?

the warriors had the foundation though, in curry, draymond and steve kerr. There's continuity there.


Also one move can destroy a franchise. See Durant.

[Saberestar]

Interesting results in the poll at BSOTS:

If the Suns waive and stretch Bradley Beal this offseason, it would cost them $22.1 million per year for 5 years. Would you do it?

66% YES (297 votes).
34% NO (153 votes).

That way the Suns would go under the 2nd apron next year gaining flexibility and with the salary cap going up around 5% every year those $22M wouldn't be such a big deal in 2028 and 2029.

Not sure if I would do it but it's option to consider for real.

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/3/18/24388120/phoenix-suns-bradley-beal-waive-stretch-trade-flexibility-roster-rebuild-2025-offseason-ishbia

[kwsqd]

If Ishbia wants to atone for his sins, and they can't find a way to trade Beal in the offseason, he should do it.

[wheezy]

Trade Beal for any player with a heart beat. If that isn't possible they should absolutely waive and stretch him.

[SunsRback4Good]

If Ishbia wants to atone for his sins, and they can't find a way to trade Beal in the offseason, he should do it.

Agreed! Beal is not the problem let him stay here until he’s moved. The key is getting a nice haul of picks/players for Durant and Booker. It could be a fast rebuild instead of a slow one.

[Sunsdeuce]

Trade Beal for any player with a heart beat. If that isn't possible they should absolutely waive and stretch him.

I’m sorry but Beal has played with more heart than Booker and KD have combined all year. Yeah Beal is always hurt but he gives 100% more effort on the court than KD and Booker.

Heart isn’t the issue with Beal. It’s an issue with Booker and KD. Now if your argument would have been, “trade Beal for any player that never gets hurt” than you would have had a point. And most here would agree.

Now regarding Beals contract, I’d rather pay the next two years than be stuck with 5 years of $20 million. Unless this team trades Booker and KD, there is no move that will improve this team over the next two years as long as KD and Booker are still on this roster. This team isn’t 1 or 2 trades away from being a contender. Anyone who thinks that 1 or 2 trades is the way to get back to contention is delusional.

The only way i support a waive and stretch on Beal is if Booker and KD are gone, otherwise it’s pointless.

[Slim Charless]

Trade Beal for any player with a heart beat. If that isn't possible they should absolutely waive and stretch him.

I’m sorry but Beal has played with more heart than Booker and KD have combined all year. Yeah Beal is always hurt but he gives 100% more effort on the court than KD and Booker.

Heart isn’t the issue with Beal. It’s an issue with Booker and KD. Now if your argument would have been, “trade Beal for any player that never gets hurt” than you would have had a point. And most here would agree.

Now regarding Beals contract, I’d rather pay the next two years than be stuck with 5 years of $20 million. Unless this team trades Booker and KD, there is no move that will improve this team over the next two years as long as KD and Booker are still on this roster. This team isn’t 1 or 2 trades away from being a contender. Anyone who thinks that 1 or 2 trades is the way to get back to contention is delusional.

The only way i support a waive and stretch on Beal is if Booker and KD are gone, otherwise it’s pointless.

I'd rather keep Beal. Even more so if we move Booekr and KD.

Then we start him and let him gun as much as he wants, then find a home for him later in the year. Beal can still put up like 25 or so a game as the #1 option. That will have value next year's trade deadline.

[Rebound Mound]

This might be the best thing about this season

https://youtube.com/shorts/wLRBRKq2SqA?si=aUYiMCjRwKjT7x7_

What's your suggestion for those games that Beal does not play, between 40/45% of them?

[BobbieL]

Trade Beal for any player with a heart beat. If that isn't possible they should absolutely waive and stretch him.

I’m sorry but Beal has played with more heart than Booker and KD have combined all year. Yeah Beal is always hurt but he gives 100% more effort on the court than KD and Booker.

Heart isn’t the issue with Beal. It’s an issue with Booker and KD. Now if your argument would have been, “trade Beal for any player that never gets hurt” than you would have had a point. And most here would agree.

Now regarding Beals contract, I’d rather pay the next two years than be stuck with 5 years of $20 million. Unless this team trades Booker and KD, there is no move that will improve this team over the next two years as long as KD and Booker are still on this roster. This team isn’t 1 or 2 trades away from being a contender. Anyone who thinks that 1 or 2 trades is the way to get back to contention is delusional.

The only way i support a waive and stretch on Beal is if Booker and KD are gone, otherwise it’s pointless.

I'd rather keep Beal. Even more so if we move Booekr and KD.

Then we start him and let him gun as much as he wants, then find a home for him later in the year. Beal can still put up like 25 or so a game as the #1 option. That will have value next year's trade deadline.

Trade Booker and Durant
Keep Beal
Summer of 2026 great expiring
If the Wiz deal is possible … do it

Blow
It up

I have to find it but some rumor that Booker to pistons is going to happen - per The Athletic. I have to find the link

[schnakenpopanz]

Mavs were up 128-121 with 1:07 to go.
Now they are losing the game.

[RaisingArizona]

I was excited as anyone for Beal but I was wrong. I'd waive him if we find no takers. Cut our losses and move on

[garrick]

Interesting results in the poll at BSOTS:

If the Suns waive and stretch Bradley Beal this offseason, it would cost them $22.1 million per year for 5 years. Would you do it?

66% YES (297 votes).
34% NO (153 votes).

That way the Suns would go under the 2nd apron next year gaining flexibility and with the salary cap going up around 5% every year those $22M wouldn't be such a big deal in 2028 and 2029.

Not sure if I would do it but it's option to consider for real.

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/3/18/24388120/phoenix-suns-bradley-beal-waive-stretch-trade-flexibility-roster-rebuild-2025-offseason-ishbia

Seeing how Cody is helping us wing games with defense I would be open to keeping him but of course this means we need to get rid of someone else if we want to get under the 2nd apron. I think Grayson probably is the one that needs to be moved but his contract is no longer a good value with his injury woes and his falling back to earth after a spectacular first season in Phoenix.