KD to the Suns

[bwgood77]

Yes you're right, the window might be shorter but it's also more open than ever? I don't know how to quantify that for you but all I can say is that, we're trying and this is our biggest push for a title than in the last two decades. I don't have an issue with that rationale.

And yes, we could've kept everything and it would be fun with the young guys and still end up with nothing. I was comfortable with that approach but also fully realised that it would likely be no better than the last two years' of payoff/Finals runs. So given that, I would've be fine with just moving ahead with the young guys, play fun basketball but deep down I know we've likely peaked. But if that's the case, then then why not give it a push when a Top 15 player of all time says he wants to play for us.

What makes you think the young team peaked? Two years ago in the finals that was the first ever time those 24 year olds and 22 year old Ayton made the playoffs.

Those guys were still improving. Now I know Paul was a big factor in it all, but much of the summer rationale for getting KD was to do so while Paul was still here.

That's the main argument...if Paul actually still has 2-3 years in the tank, the move makes more sense. At the beginning of the season he looked pretty done, but has looked better lately.

I didn't say our players have peaked. They can still get better as we've seen from Mikal over the past two months. What I said was that this team with those 4 players (DA/Book/Mikal/Cam) likely have peaked already. There were circumstances that allowed us to get all the way to the Finals and the following year, we had trouble getting past the 2nd round. I just didn't see a likely path to add real talent with that core to get us past those first couple of rounds and further. We will have 3 guys on their 2nd contract (combined around $70m) and a 4th on his veteran supermax contract(starting at $50m). Adding talent via cap space was always going to be something we'd struggle with going forward.

Yeah, but no real young teams ever win a title in their first playoff run. It usually takes more. I felt there was some real talent there in that core 4 that still could have had a decade together. Of course there would be ways to add pieces. We had Paul expiring, Jae to trade, all our picks, etc. I mean one could pick like what we could have done with Haliburton could have made a big difference. There would have been plenty of ways.

I mean, I am fine with the trade at this point and it is what it is...I'm just at this point responding to responses but I felt good with our core for the next decade and like being a team with special chemistry who is built from within and can add new pieces each year from the draft. My favorite players have always been the ones who played on the team since their rookie year...and like to see those guys get it.

[lilfishi22]

What makes you think the young team peaked? Two years ago in the finals that was the first ever time those 24 year olds and 22 year old Ayton made the playoffs.

Those guys were still improving. Now I know Paul was a big factor in it all, but much of the summer rationale for getting KD was to do so while Paul was still here.

That's the main argument...if Paul actually still has 2-3 years in the tank, the move makes more sense. At the beginning of the season he looked pretty done, but has looked better lately.

I didn't say our players have peaked. They can still get better as we've seen from Mikal over the past two months. What I said was that this team with those 4 players (DA/Book/Mikal/Cam) likely have peaked already. There were circumstances that allowed us to get all the way to the Finals and the following year, we had trouble getting past the 2nd round. I just didn't see a likely path to add real talent with that core to get us past those first couple of rounds and further. We will have 3 guys on their 2nd contract (combined around $70m) and a 4th on his veteran supermax contract(starting at $50m). Adding talent via cap space was always going to be something we'd struggle with going forward.

Yeah, but no real young teams ever win a title in their first playoff run. It usually takes more. I felt there was some real talent there in that core 4 that still could have had a decade together. Of course there would be ways to add pieces. We had Paul expiring, Jae to trade, all our picks, etc. I mean one could pick like what we could have done with Haliburton could have made a big difference. There would have been plenty of ways.

I mean, I am fine with the trade at this point and it is what it is...I'm just at this point responding to responses but I felt good with our core for the next decade and like being a team with special chemistry who is built from within and can add new pieces each year from the draft. My favorite players have always been the ones who played on the team since their rookie year...and like to see those guys get it.

Don't get me wrong, I like that core but let's be real....how long was that core going to stick together for? Between DA seemingly halfway out the door last offseason and us having an upper limit on Cam's extension...there's little guarantee it was going stick together for more than a couple of seasons.

I remember we had a discussion about when we thought the Suns would move DA and you even you didn't think DA would finish out his contract with the Suns

[bwgood77]

I didn't say our players have peaked. They can still get better as we've seen from Mikal over the past two months. What I said was that this team with those 4 players (DA/Book/Mikal/Cam) likely have peaked already. There were circumstances that allowed us to get all the way to the Finals and the following year, we had trouble getting past the 2nd round. I just didn't see a likely path to add real talent with that core to get us past those first couple of rounds and further. We will have 3 guys on their 2nd contract (combined around $70m) and a 4th on his veteran supermax contract(starting at $50m). Adding talent via cap space was always going to be something we'd struggle with going forward.

Yeah, but no real young teams ever win a title in their first playoff run. It usually takes more. I felt there was some real talent there in that core 4 that still could have had a decade together. Of course there would be ways to add pieces. We had Paul expiring, Jae to trade, all our picks, etc. I mean one could pick like what we could have done with Haliburton could have made a big difference. There would have been plenty of ways.

I mean, I am fine with the trade at this point and it is what it is...I'm just at this point responding to responses but I felt good with our core for the next decade and like being a team with special chemistry who is built from within and can add new pieces each year from the draft. My favorite players have always been the ones who played on the team since their rookie year...and like to see those guys get it.

Don't get me wrong, I like that core but let's be real....how long was that core going to stick together for? Between DA seemingly halfway out the door last offseason and us having an upper limit on Cam's extension...there's little guarantee it was going stick together for more than a couple of seasons.

I remember we had a discussion about when we thought the Suns would move DA and you even you didn't think DA would finish out his contract with the Suns

I don't know....but we are talking about preferences. They may have gone forward with that core especially if they made a deep run and perhaps won a championship this year. We don't know. But even if they move on from DA, which I think was very possible, and still is, that is a way to raise the core without giving up picks maybe, getting a solid PG and a nice solid C who may not do as much but does enough.

Anyway, it is what it is now.

I don't want to talk about it forever...I made that mistake when we took DA over Luka and pointed out DA's faults for almost a year, but what's done was done, and luckily, he vastly started improving after that first year anyway.

I just want to be excited about where we are now and it will be exciting I was actually a big time KD fan until he left to join the 73 win team that beat him who already had won a championship.

He will be very exciting to watch. A lot more exciting than Bridges or Cam, as much as I loved them. Would have loved to have seen them as Suns for life, but that's obviously out the window and this team is going to be a fun one to watch that will be very tough to beat.

I just hope we can stay healthy and that KD and CP3 can play very late into their careers at a very high level...would be great to see them get to their 40s at a high level.

[Frank Lee]

Yeah, but no real young teams ever win a title in their first playoff run. It usually takes more. I felt there was some real talent there in that core 4 that still could have had a decade together. Of course there would be ways to add pieces. We had Paul expiring, Jae to trade, all our picks, etc. I mean one could pick like what we could have done with Haliburton could have made a big difference. There would have been plenty of ways.

I mean, I am fine with the trade at this point and it is what it is...I'm just at this point responding to responses but I felt good with our core for the next decade and like being a team with special chemistry who is built from within and can add new pieces each year from the draft. My favorite players have always been the ones who played on the team since their rookie year...and like to see those guys get it.

Don't get me wrong, I like that core but let's be real....how long was that core going to stick together for? Between DA seemingly halfway out the door last offseason and us having an upper limit on Cam's extension...there's little guarantee it was going stick together for more than a couple of seasons.

I remember we had a discussion about when we thought the Suns would move DA and you even you didn't think DA would finish out his contract with the Suns

Two good points/opinions from somewhat different pastures

Johnson’s deal going forward was prime for a sign and trade. More so than DA’s last yr. Being cap-strung like we are, you have to have significant worthy salary to trade in order to get quality hopeful roster improvement back. Wrapping a pick(+) with CamJo I think would have yielded a pretty good player. However, my thoughts on Johnson have changed now he has exited the homer friendly gaze. First, I dont look at him as a true PF. He just isn’t. But the NBA has changed somewhat to allow more hybrid wings. And second, I’m not so sure that he is as good as I perceived(wanted him) to be. He can snipe them in, but seems to need high volume attempts to get cooking. With Book, an emerging Mikal, and DA, his ladder wrung is third or fourth option. Third, can he stay healthy? He still has that tippytoe gait and has yet to play a full season. CamJo is good to have but more so a luxury. Does he have ceiling left? Yes I guess, but I don’t know if he’d reach it it here. Bottom line is, he’s going to be around and productive with that buttery stroke and lofty IQ, but I would not have bet on him being here next yr, save for some studly playoff performance. One of him or DA was moving on, my guess.

My biggest concern resulting from this trade is our ability to get better next yr and beyond. Seems like our only option, after our MLE and BAE is to parlay Ayton into a couple quality players. Not so sure that’s the way forward as the Bahamian Blow Hard has yet to peak. Either way, we are going to be missing either a wing or PF. I feel if we can retain Okogie, that’s a huge HUGE plus. A combo of Book, Okogie, Durant is significantly better(it is, right?) than Book, Bridges, and Johnson. That’s a big IF though and we shouldn’t dally when reupping The JO. He rise reminds me of Richard Dumas. We retain him, providing he’s not a fluke, it lessens the need to deal DA. Of course our other concern is our elder dimesman, but that’s a separate challenge, that could have been solved with a solid draft selection …. Three words not commonly associated with Junkyard. His rookie love meter runs cold. It’s clear though, CPs wheels are going to have to fall off for him not to be here for the next couple years.


let me get that cart back behind the horse over the next 20 hopefully 30 games and see where we are then. This thing clicks, look out. Gotta like our chances. But I get the feeling, given the future landscape, this year champ odds are better than what next yr’s will be. Woe is we to be in this spot

[bwgood77]

Yeah, but no real young teams ever win a title in their first playoff run. It usually takes more. I felt there was some real talent there in that core 4 that still could have had a decade together. Of course there would be ways to add pieces. We had Paul expiring, Jae to trade, all our picks, etc. I mean one could pick like what we could have done with Haliburton could have made a big difference. There would have been plenty of ways.

I mean, I am fine with the trade at this point and it is what it is...I'm just at this point responding to responses but I felt good with our core for the next decade and like being a team with special chemistry who is built from within and can add new pieces each year from the draft. My favorite players have always been the ones who played on the team since their rookie year...and like to see those guys get it.

Don't get me wrong, I like that core but let's be real....how long was that core going to stick together for? Between DA seemingly halfway out the door last offseason and us having an upper limit on Cam's extension...there's little guarantee it was going stick together for more than a couple of seasons.

I remember we had a discussion about when we thought the Suns would move DA and you even you didn't think DA would finish out his contract with the Suns

Two good points/opinions from somewhat different pastures

Johnson’s deal going forward was prime for a sign and trade. More so than DA’s last yr. Being cap-strung like we are, you have to have significant worthy salary to trade in order to get quality hopeful roster improvement back. Wrapping a pick(+) with CamJo I think would have yielded a pretty good player. However, my thoughts on Johnson have changed now he has exited the homer friendly gaze. First, I dont look at him as a true PF. He just isn’t. But the NBA has changed somewhat to allow more hybrid wings. And second, I’m not so sure that he is as good as I perceived(wanted him) to be. He can snipe them in, but seems to need high volume attempts to get cooking. With Book, an emerging Mikal, and DA, his ladder wrung is third or fourth option. Third, can he stay healthy? He still has that tippytoe gait and has yet to play a full season. CamJo is good to have but more so a luxury. Does he have ceiling left? Yes I guess, but I don’t know if he’d reach it it here. Bottom line is, he’s going to be around and productive with that buttery stroke and lofty IQ, but I would not have bet on him being here next yr, save for some studly playoff performance. One of him or DA was moving on, my guess.

My biggest concern resulting from this trade is our ability to get better next yr and beyond. Seems like our only option, after our MLE and BAE is to parlay Ayton into a couple quality players. Not so sure that’s the way forward as the Bahamian Blow Hard has yet to peak. Either way, we are going to be missing either a wing or PF. I feel if we can retain Okogie, that’s a huge HUGE plus. A combo of Book, Okogie, Durant is significantly better(it is, right?) than Book, Bridges, and Johnson. That’s a big IF though and we shouldn’t dally when reupping The JO. He rise reminds me of Richard Dumas. We retain him, providing he’s not a fluke, it lessens the need to deal DA. Of course our other concern is our elder dimesman, but that’s a separate challenge, that could have been solved with a solid draft selection …. Three words not commonly associated with Junkyard. His rookie love meter runs cold. It’s clear though, CPs wheels are going to have to fall off for him not to be here for the next couple years.


let me get that cart back behind the horse over the next 20 hopefully 30 games and see where we are then. This thing clicks, look out. Gotta like our chances. But I get the feeling, given the future landscape, this year champ odds are better than what next yr’s will be. Woe is we to be in this spot

I agree about Cam. I liked him, but not as much as some, and I think maybe he could have been used with a pick to get a pretty good player, maybe a decent PG. But I liked core 3 of the others. Of course we are better with KD. I think if healthy, we will be unstoppable this season and probably next, but health is a big key. It's easy to assume we will be healthy now that we are, but we haven't been all season nor has KD. None of who we have left except for Okogie, Lee, backup Cs, etc.

I just pray we stay healthy and find ways to add some decent players as Paul's time expires and then KD. Hopefully KD can stay healthy and play strong for at least the next 3 years. If so, it will definitely be worth it. It will be interesting if we re-sign him after that and how much money we give him if he is still playing at a decently high level. It's just hard to know with the achilles and two knee injuries and all the missed games the last 4 years.

[Saberestar]

Kevin Durant plans to make his return to action and his debut for the Phoenix Suns against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Read on Twitter

HERE.WE.GO.

[Calvin Klein]

I'm ready for the worst but praying for the best.

[SunsRback4Good]

Kevin Durant plans to make his return to action and his debut for the Phoenix Suns against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Read on Twitter

HERE.WE.GO.

That’s a mighty big crane you got there.

[bwgood77]

Kevin Durant plans to make his return to action and his debut for the Phoenix Suns against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Read on Twitter

HERE.WE.GO.

That’s a mighty big crane you got there.

Is that this guy I saw posted about in the Media Lounge from a recent Harley Quinn episode (I think)? If so, now I know exactly how it works....lets TAKE DOWN SOME THE TOWERS OF THE NBA!

[SunsRback4Good]

Read on Twitter

HERE.WE.GO.

That’s a mighty big crane you got there.

Is that this guy I saw posted about in the Media Lounge from a recent Harley Quinn episode (I think)? If so, now I know exactly how it works....lets TAKE DOWN SOME THE TOWERS OF THE NBA!

That’s pretty hilarious too, but I think Saberestar photo is from Transformers a pretty good first few movies I watched with Shia LaBeouf & Megan Fox.

[Saberestar]

Kevin Durant enters his Suns debut averaging 29.7 PPG on the season, which already shatters the previous franchise record of 27.2 (Tom Chambers, '89-90)

Suns fans you are not ready. We've never seen a guy like this before.

Read on Twitter

[TOO]

Kevin Durant enters his Suns debut averaging 29.7 PPG on the season, which already shatters the previous franchise record of 27.2 (Tom Chambers, '89-90)

Suns fans you are not ready. We've never seen a guy like this before.

Read on Twitter

We've literally seen him for 12 years. Maybe the super casuals don't get it, but the hoop heads know it's about to be different for us.

[Saberestar]

Kevin Durant enters his Suns debut averaging 29.7 PPG on the season, which already shatters the previous franchise record of 27.2 (Tom Chambers, '89-90)

Suns fans you are not ready. We've never seen a guy like this before.

Read on Twitter

We've literally seen him for 12 years. Maybe the super casuals don't get it, but the hoop heads know it's about to be different for us.

More than that...15 years.

[Qwigglez]

I hardly watch ESPN but I remember they use to always poop on the Suns. But lately, I've been seeing a lot of Windhorst and he literally does not say anything negative about the Suns. Anything at all, and he rejects it. Definitely feel like he's in the pocket of someone within the Suns organization, or maybe Durant or another player. I'm not sure.

Watch on YouTube

[lilfishi22]

Legacy talk

[Phystic]

As much as I do and will miss Bridges and Cam, Durant is on another level. It was clear last night the impact he has by just being out there. As good as Bridges was he was not able to draw that attention.

[Saberestar]

Watch on YouTube

[enigmatics]

Watch on YouTube

The rest of the roster is going to have to learn how to be more efficient in their spacing. They really did look lost at times.

In fact that one sequence where there were 3 Suns and their 3 defenders all within close range of KD was embarrassing - but luckily he has something you can't truly defend against KD i.e. his length and release point of his shot.

[lilfishi22]

Watch on YouTube

90% of KD performances are like Booker's when Booker is on fire but it's just a regular game for KD.

Dude's IQ is off the charts, his understanding of spacing despite being a near 7 footer himself and just having his go-to elite shooting whenever he needs to bail on a move or a broken play is what makes him elite of the elites. Simply haven't watched this kind of scoring wizardry before in a Suns uniform

[suns12345]

Watch on YouTube

90% of KD performances are like Booker's when Booker is on fire but it's just a regular game for KD.

Dude's IQ is off the charts, his understanding of spacing despite being a near 7 footer himself and just having his go-to elite shooting whenever he needs to bail on a move or a broken play is what makes him elite of the elites. Simply haven't watched this kind of scoring wizardry before in a Suns uniform

Those stretched where he hit a few mid ranges in a row, I watched Book just chuckling on the bench to himself. And every time he hits a shot I find myself saying 'oooft' out loud cause they're all so tough and he just deposits them with ease.

He is playing a different game