2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part V

[sunsbg]

GoK and lilfishi showing more commitment to this topic than half the married couples in this country show to each other

Or any Suns player to their fans and winning.

[lilfishi22]

Although I do absolutely understand your reasoning and logic for your position, and both acknowledging that we're not dealing with absolutes and that possibility does not equal likelihood of probability, neither of us can speak on someone else's thought processes or value systems in specific situations that we are both detached from contextually.

The arguments we both are making are theoretical inferences on what we ourselves believe or interpret him to do based upon how we percieve the context of the situation. In that I can't fully say it's very unlikely, because we simply don't know his thought processes in correlation to each specific premise. Sure you can attribute past patterns as a correlate assessment mechanism if you like man and there's nothing wrong with that and siding on base predictability.

I'm just saying that there's a multitude of factors that are implicit in such decisions and anyone can say they expect a specific outcome based on past patterns. But to the point of human nature, people evolve, situations change, perspectives change too in correlation to varying contextual dynamics involved. To your position, again not dealing with absolutes here and also dealing with unknown factors/ variables of influence that may be present and influence such decisions.

The best you can claim is the probability based upon what you would interpret him to do in a specific situation. But people are really not that predictable. And even the ones that are relatively consistent in pattern behaviors can change or be affected by factors that we both are likely unaware of.

And those factors make possibilities even ones you might determine ( under normal circumstances) highly unlikely or "a safe bet position" more ranging to both extremes. Again your points are valid, but it's just hard to tell beyond subjective opinions what the outcome could be without knowing all of the factors involved that could sway outcome.

I will give you though that under normal ranges of conditions, with only base conditional factors present, it could be highly unlikely. And that's honestly about as close as I could come to equitable compromise on this premise without knowing the full range of factors/ influences involved for further dissemination.

But I do love your salient points for reflection and the intellectual discourse you bring in your responses. Even if I can't fully agree on outcome without full range of conditions being known.

But you're essentially saying that if we can't know KD 100% fully, then all possibilities are relevant and equivalent which just isn't true. While we can't know everything for sure, that doesn't mean we can't make good presumptions and predictions based on the past. In fact, that’s what we do every day. We know it’s possible we could fall into a sinkhole and die tomorrow, but we also know the probability of that happening is extremely low. Instead of staying home and avoiding the world over that tiny possibility, we go about our day.

That’s the exact thought process I apply when writing these posts. We may not know exactly what KD or anyone else is thinking at any given moment, and yes, their thoughts could change. But despite the potential for unpredictability, most people are still relatively predictable based on past behaviour. If you lend someone money multiple times and they fail to pay you back and they ask again, are you expecting them to pay it back or do you So while we can't know for certain what KD is thinking, we can make a pretty educated guess about what he's likely not seriously considering, given what we know of his past actions.

When you argue that everything is a possibility, you're not adding anything substantive to the discussion

I get what you're saying man. The possibilities are not equivalent because under normal conditions that are the majority outcomes, those distinct possibilities are ultimately more outlier than prevalent. So the likelihood of possibility and probability being equitable is ultimately a false equivalency due to the frequency of those outcomes playing out in comparison to common/ everyday probability outcomes.

The ranges of such equity being farther apart in range to make equitable comparison (kind of an apples to Oranges comparison) based upon the means outcome in most situations absent outlier or unknown variables that may slide that range polarity closer or farther from equity outcome. Your metric of outcome being far more likely as it falls in normal ranges, and mine being less as it would fall in a wider, less frequent outcome from the standard. Does that sound about right?

I had to use ChatGPT to put this into the way normal people speak but yes. KD going to a competitive team is far more probable than KD joining the Washington Wizards which is not impossible but unlikely.

[lilfishi22]

I doubt that there will be the fallout from fans if we do trade Booker that happened when Dallas traded Doncic, to all teams, the Lakers. I would have no problem if the return we get it what has been suggested.

If we trade both of them they could be really fun to watch again. I just hope Bud follows them out the door.

The Luka situation was clearly a pretty dramatic pivot that no one saw coming and made worse by the poor return. I don't expect Book to get traded, nor do I wish for us to trade him but if he was moved, I wouldn't be blindsided like Mavs fans were. I just hope we get a good haul for him.

The poll in trade Booker thread makes it pretty clear most fans are ready to move on from him. With this FO there is still risk of disappointment though. What is the equivalent of Luka trade - something like Butler(older but two way player), Kuminga and one 1st. That's still not as bad as Doncic trade being Booker is far from a top 3-5 player in this league.

We certainly could. As our play-in/playoff chances continue to fade, the likelihood of Book getting traded rises. That calculus isn't lost on me. Just from a fan standpoint, I don't want to trade Book but I wouldn't be surprised either

[lilfishi22]

GoK and lilfishi showing more commitment to this topic than half the married couples in this country show to each other

My wife laughs at me sometimes and doesn't understand why I post on an internet forum from the 2000's. Sometimes, I also question why

[sunsbg]

GoK and lilfishi showing more commitment to this topic than half the married couples in this country show to each other

My wife laughs at me sometimes and doesn't understand why I post on an internet forum from the 2000's. Sometimes, I also question why

Listen to your wife. Sounds like she's a wise woman.

[Ghost of Kleine]

As for trading Booker and KD, I will say that I'm somewhat intrigued by the concept of these trade combinations:

1- KD to OKC and Booker to Detroit
KD for Hartenstein/ Caruso/ Dieng/ Topic/ LAC 25' 1st/ UTA 25' 1st/ DAL 28' 1st.

Booker for Stewart/ Ivey/Thompson/ Klintman/ DET 27' 1st/ DET 29' 1st/ DET 31' 1st.
*** Trade Allen for Bidatze.
*** Trade O'neale for future 2nds.

Caruso/ Beal / Thompson/ Hartenstein/ Richards.
Topic/ Ivey / Dunn / Stewart / Bidatze.
Draft/ Trent Jr/ Klintman/ Dieng/ Ighodaro.

- LAC 25' 1st (17th pick).
- CLE 25' 1st (29th pick).
- UTA 25' 1st (likely becomes a 26' lotto pick).
- DET 27' 1st.
- DAL 28' 1st.
- DET 29' 1st.
- DET 31' 1st.


2- KD to Orlando and Booker to Houston
KD for Isaac/ Suggs/ De Silva/ ORL 28' 1st/ ORL 30' 1st/ DET or MIL 26' 2nd/ ORL 26' 2nd.

Booker for J Green/ Landale/ Whitmore/ Sheppard/ PHX 27' 1st/ PHX 29' 1st/ 31' HOU 1st.
*** Trade Allen for Bidatze.
*** Trade O'neale for future 2nds.

Beal / J Green / Dunn / Isaac / Bidatze.
J Suggs/ Whitmore/ De Silva/ Bol Bol/ Richards.
Sheppard/ De Silva/ Whitmore/ Ighodaro/ Landale.

- CLE 25' 1st (29th pick).
- DEN 25' 2nd (55th pick).
- MIL or DET 26' 2nd, ORL 26' 2nd.
- PHX 27' 1st, CLE 27' 1st.
- ORL 28' 1st.
- PHX 29' 1st.
- ORL 30' 1st.
- HOU 31' 1st.

3- KD to OKC and Booker to Utah
KD- for Hartenstein/ Caruso/ Dieng/ Topic/ UTA 25' 1st/ Clippers 25' 1st/ DAL 28' swap.

Booker- for Collins/ Sexton/ Hendricks/ Collier/ UTA 27' 1st/ UTA 29' 1st/ PHX 31' 1st
*** Trade O'neal for future 2nds.

Caruso/ Beal/ Hendricks/ Hartenstein/ Collins.
Sexton /Allen / Dunn / Bol Bol / Richards.
Collier / Topic / Dieng / Ighodaro / Raynaud.

- LAC 25' 1st (17th pick).
- CLE 25' 1st (29th pick).
- DEN 25' 2nd (55th pick).
- UTA 25' 1st (Likely becomes a 26' lotto pick).
- UTA 27' 1st.
- DAL 28' swap.
- UTA 29' 1st.
- PHX 31' 1st.

[Frank Lee]

Intrigued ???? you are obsessed and borderline deranged especially with Hartenstien. He was Prestis prize get and in no way he deals him for a dude who dropped a colossal steamer on their franchise. Go over to their site and propose your Wonka-ish anything is possible IH deals. It just isn’t happening.

Dude pace yourself… we have a ways to go before any deal is made. Perhaps give KD a rest and focus on moving ONeal and Allen. Just get them off the team.*
Neither have been any help this year. But they were the only players azzhat could sign over the min (along with Okogie) Jones has been a big zero too. Cut him lose.

There is as much an argument that the supporting cast is the real downfall here. Coach included. People can’t believe a team with Book and KD could be so bad??? Just take a look at players 3-15. None of them would start anywhere else.

Bud also exasperates this problem and needs to kick into ‘next yr’ mode. Let’s shut this muther down and see what we have in Bol, Dunn, Oso, and Gillespie. We have nothing else to look forward to.

It just sucks to be us and if not for Dallas, we’d be the shining star of ineptitude. In one ‘hey watch this’ move, Nico stole the spotlight from Azzhat Mat. At least Philly can blame it on health.

* I’ve given up on moving BadBrad. What a waste as that deal tops the list for Wishbia’s impetuous idiocy

[Saberestar]

Intrigued ???? you are obsessed and borderline deranged especially with Hartenstien. He was Prestis prize get and in no way he deals him for a dude who dropped a colossal steamer on their franchise. Go over to their site and propose your Wonka-ish anything is possible IH deals. It just isn’t happening.

Dude pace yourself… we have a ways to go before any deal is made. Perhaps give KD a rest and focus on moving ONeal and Allen. Just get them off the team.*
Neither have been any help this year. But they were the only players azzhat could sign over the min (along with Okogie) Jones has been a big zero too. Cut him lose.

There is as much an argument that the supporting cast is the real downfall here. Coach included. People can’t believe a team with Book and KD could be so bad??? Just take a look at players 3-15. None of them would start anywhere else.

Bud also exasperates this problem and needs to kick into ‘next yr’ mode. Let’s shut this muther down and see what we have in Bol, Dunn, Oso, and Gillespie. We have nothing else to look forward to.

It just sucks to be us and if not for Dallas, we’d be the shining star of ineptitude. In one ‘hey watch this’ move, Nico stole the spotlight from Azzhat Mat. At least Philly can blame it on health.

* I’ve given up on moving BadBrad. What a waste as that deal tops the list for Wishbia’s impetuous idiocy

We need to trade Beal in the summer and I think and hope) that we can do it.

It's about working next to him and his agent about teams/cities where he will be comfortable and then getting a "bad" contract and if needed giving up a positive asset (FRP) to sweeten the deal.

For example...we can take Paul George from the Sixers if Beal is open to play for the Sixers. Or Rudy Gobert from the Wolves if they fail hard in the playoffs. Jerami Grant is another option on the rising Blazers. Middleton from the Wizards.

All those players probably aren't exciting but they could start for us and all of them don't have NTC...and that's HUGE.

[sunsbg]

We need to trade Beal in the summer and I think and hope) that we can do it.

It's about working next to him and his agent about teams/cities where he will be comfortable and then getting a "bad" contract and if needed giving up a positive asset (FRP) to sweeten the deal.

For example...we can take Paul George from the Sixers if Beal is open to play for the Sixers. Or Rudy Gobert from the Wolves if they fail hard in the playoffs. Jerami Grant is another option on the rising Blazers. Middleton from the Wizards.

All those players probably aren't exciting but they could start for us and all of them don't have NTC...and that's HUGE.

Only Gobert will be a difference maker on this team out of those players and his contract expires after next season, Wolves have no use of Beal at all so no chance this happens. I remember you said early in the season that PG is the worst contract in the league and now want to take his longer contract and give a FRP. Stop being a James Jones/Matt Ishbia clone lol.

[Saberestar]

We need to trade Beal in the summer and I think and hope) that we can do it.

It's about working next to him and his agent about teams/cities where he will be comfortable and then getting a "bad" contract and if needed giving up a positive asset (FRP) to sweeten the deal.

For example...we can take Paul George from the Sixers if Beal is open to play for the Sixers. Or Rudy Gobert from the Wolves if they fail hard in the playoffs. Jerami Grant is another option on the rising Blazers. Middleton from the Wizards.

All those players probably aren't exciting but they could start for us and all of them don't have NTC...and that's HUGE.

Only Gobert will be a difference maker on this team out of those players and his contract expires after next season, Wolves have no use of Beal at all so no chance this happens. I remember you said early in the season that PG is the worst contract in the league and now want to take his longer contract and give a FRP. Stop being a James Jones/Matt Ishbia clone lol.

The Wolves have a disappointing season so far and they probably see Naz Reid as their next starting C for years to come, so Gobert can be on the market because he is old and overpaid.

Yeah, old and overpaid players are what we would need to get in a trade for Beal, but none of them have a NTC and most of them are better basketball players than Beal.

Yeah, I said that Paul George is the worst contract in the league but again... he doesn't have a NTC and he is much impactful than Beal as a defender. At 6'8/6'9 PG is gonna be always more useful on defense than Beal, I wouldn't hesitate in trading Beal for PG in the summer.

[Frank Lee]

‘Positive assets’ haha
Good one saber

We won’t be any good anyway…. Can’t keep giving up future pieces for past mistakes

[schnakenpopanz]

GoK and lilfishi showing more commitment to this topic than half the married couples in this country show to each other

My wife laughs at me sometimes and doesn't understand why I post on an internet forum from the 2000's. Sometimes, I also question why

My wife asked my why i did not chose a better basketball franchsie to be a fan of.
She is not a basketball fan and obviously has no understanding how fandom in sports work.
In the early 90s here in Germany when I was a teenager everyone was loving the bulls or lakers for obvious reasons.
While everyone was cheering for MJ i chose to do the contray. I chose the opponent in the finals. Damm you Sir Charles!!

[sunsbg]

My wife asked my why i did not chose a better basketball franchsie to be a fan of.
She is not a basketball fan and obviously has no understanding how fandom in sports work.
In the early 90s here in Germany when I was a teenager everyone was loving the bulls or lakers for obvious reasons.
While everyone was cheering for MJ i chose to do the contray. I chose the opponent in the finals. Damm you Sir Charles!!

Damn you twice, Sir Charles!!

Wish KD and Booker had 1/10 of his charisma so this team is at least fun to watch even when losing.

[m1chal]

My wife asked my why i did not chose a better basketball franchsie to be a fan of.
She is not a basketball fan and obviously has no understanding how fandom in sports work.
In the early 90s here in Germany when I was a teenager everyone was loving the bulls or lakers for obvious reasons.
While everyone was cheering for MJ i chose to do the contray. I chose the opponent in the finals. Damm you Sir Charles!!

Damn you twice, Sir Charles!!

Wish KD and Booker had 1/10 of his charisma so this team is at least fun to watch even when losing.

Same thing happened to me. I couldn't stand all of my friends drooling over Jordan and Pippen, so I chose the other team to follow.
I was more of a KJ fan, though. I have always liked creative PGs.

[sunsbum]

GoK and lilfishi showing more commitment to this topic than half the married couples in this country show to each other

My wife laughs at me sometimes and doesn't understand why I post on an internet forum from the 2000's. Sometimes, I also question why

tell your wife to mind her own buisness. Message boards are becoming sacred.

[SunsRback4Good]

My wife asked my why i did not chose a better basketball franchsie to be a fan of.
She is not a basketball fan and obviously has no understanding how fandom in sports work.
In the early 90s here in Germany when I was a teenager everyone was loving the bulls or lakers for obvious reasons.
While everyone was cheering for MJ i chose to do the contray. I chose the opponent in the finals. Damm you Sir Charles!!

Damn you twice, Sir Charles!!

Wish KD and Booker had 1/10 of his charisma so this team is at least fun to watch even when losing.

Don’t worry fellas. When we finally win a title in 2047 it’ll all be worth it.

[RaisingArizona]

Just embrace it. 2021 was feeling weird being up 2-0 in the Finals. This all feels much more normal to me.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Intrigued ???? you are obsessed and borderline deranged especially with Hartenstien. He was Prestis prize get and in no way he deals him for a dude who dropped a colossal steamer on their franchise. Go over to their site and propose your Wonka-ish anything is possible IH deals. It just isn’t happening.

Dude pace yourself… we have a ways to go before any deal is made. Perhaps give KD a rest and focus on moving ONeal and Allen. Just get them off the team.*
Neither have been any help this year. But they were the only players azzhat could sign over the min (along with Okogie) Jones has been a big zero too. Cut him lose.

There is as much an argument that the supporting cast is the real downfall here. Coach included. People can’t believe a team with Book and KD could be so bad??? Just take a look at players 3-15. None of them would start anywhere else.

Bud also exasperates this problem and needs to kick into ‘next yr’ mode. Let’s shut this muther down and see what we have in Bol, Dunn, Oso, and Gillespie. We have nothing else to look forward to.

It just sucks to be us and if not for Dallas, we’d be the shining star of ineptitude. In one ‘hey watch this’ move, Nico stole the spotlight from Azzhat Mat. At least Philly can blame it on health.

* I’ve given up on moving BadBrad. What a waste as that deal tops the list for Wishbia’s impetuous idiocy

LOL obsessed or deranged with Hartenstein? The idea around including Hartenstein is actually quite simple, man. It's in the interest of accomplishing a couple of very important considerations that might not make sense to some on the surface due to the perceived value of a player like Hartenstein as Prestis' " prized get" and his balling out. But there are actually other more important factors in the grand scheme of things here.

1- Necessary large salary inclusion for matching purposes under this CBA. Salary still does have to meet a specific % threshold to be close enough in these cap conditions to be considered legal and passed by the league office. Hartenstein is / has been great. But is the biggest matching salary that can he included for OKC to not otherwise have to gut a large portion of their roster for a KD trade.

2- In this premise, they still have to give up value and positional matching as they can't field that many bigs at a singular position, it's either going to need to be Holmgren or Hartenstein? and they're not going to give up their top 2 lottery pick in Holmgren over Hartenstein in any trades, obviously. They're also not going to give up J Williams or gut their core either for a 2-3 yr ( at best) contention window with KD. So again, due to salary implications, it's either Hartenstein due to his large-scale salary allowing them to send back a smaller package of players, while extending their young core and keeping them together as long as possible and also keeping more depth, or choosing to send back multiple key core players and depth pieces. Which do you suppose they'd prefer in this premise?

3- Sure Hartenstein has been great, but obviously the OKC Thunder have paid Hartenstein quite a bit for his mini max level deal, putting up double/ double Nurkic type numbers but no 3 PT shooting this season! And obviously not a threat from the perimeter as a value determinate/ escalator and have quite a sizable salary commitment already, with still having major core contract extensions looming and significant salary increases to consider, unless they'd prefer to have to break up this exciting core due to financial implications under this new CBA. Does Hartenstein carry more value to Presti than his exciting young core he's spent years building?? I really doubt he'd be the holdup consideration here, man. Ultimately he's a rich man's Nurkic, would be great value if not on that contract/ salary (despite slight descalations the next two seasons).

4- In any trade there has to be an equitable value exchange. Now you might fall in the category of KD having mediocre value as a position for an argument, but regardless of age, contract situation, and potential commitment or not, KD is in fact still putting up near triple double production on elite efficiency and has still been highly impactful clearly representative of value as an game changing all time great talent. OKCs question in this trade premise is whether or not they'd prefer to make up that value by surrendering key core players or a large contract and only one orb two other fillers that has been great but very in a KD trade. I just don't see Hartenstein carrying more value than their much more favored long term core pieces. And especially not to their fanbase either.

5- Almost every trade has a centerpiece value for the exchange. This trade with Hartenstein as a centerpiece helps them accomplish critical cap reductions right around the time when their core extensions for players like Holmgren and J Williams come due. rather than being forced to break up that promising young core for a 2nd time, which might not be well received by fans, prospectively having history repeat itself from that angle, man. Also, moving Hartenstein allows them to feature Holmgren more alongside or positionally interchangeable to KD in their frontcourt, giving them an immense size/ versatility combination they just wouldn't have with Hartenstein. As Hartenstein can't space the floor for them as well as a Holmgren Durant twin towers duo could. And this would be very important to consider for opening up lanes more for Shais' and J Williams' driving/penetration oriented games too.


So by trading for KD and sending back Hartenstein's $30+ million instead of multiple younger players and core pieces allows them to most likely reach the finals and win a championship, and then KD expires giving them 54 million in cap reduction to actually absorb their core extensions/ increases. Or they could choose to keep Hartenstein and surrender multiple key pieces Presti handpicked himself for the long term future. Or simply choose to not do the trade altogether and still have to end up breaking up their core due to not being able to extend/ pay their imminent increases under the new cap.

And that results in giving up multiple key young, promising handpicked (drafted) players by Presti himself because they simply can't afford to keep them all, and pay them all, so it comes down to giving up a max player plus .................(Hartenstein or Shai) fillers to be able to keep their core together longer. Or blow up the team that they've invested years to build. And which of Shai or Hartenstein do you think they'd give up 1st or 5-6 core players/ depth pieces??? Hartenstein (for his salary value) is easily the most logical choice here man.

Sure you can talk about the situation around KD choosing to leave OKC for GS. And sure, there might obviously still be some residual sore feelings still involved by some fans towards KD.  But fans and front office executives are not bound by the same optics and considerations in trades and projected value outcomes. All things being considered,  which do you really think would have more overall value to them? Continuing to focus on the past and a "sour grapes" bitter mentality, and rejecting adding KD just to spurn him?


Or adding KD to put them over the top! and the incredible storyline of the prodigal son returning with a redemption arc by returning and elevating them to the franchise's 1st ever championship! Then allowing them as a byproduct of his expiring to also keep the vast majority of their young now championship core together? And he can retire where he began his incredible career too for another great storyline! Which optics and storyline tracks better for their franchises' and fanbases' interests? 

[Ghost of Kleine]

Intrigued ???? you are obsessed and borderline deranged especially with Hartenstien. He was Prestis prize get and in no way he deals him for a dude who dropped a colossal steamer on their franchise. Go over to their site and propose your Wonka-ish anything is possible IH deals. It just isn’t happening.

Dude pace yourself… we have a ways to go before any deal is made. Perhaps give KD a rest and focus on moving ONeal and Allen. Just get them off the team.*
Neither have been any help this year. But they were the only players azzhat could sign over the min (along with Okogie) Jones has been a big zero too. Cut him lose.

There is as much an argument that the supporting cast is the real downfall here. Coach included. People can’t believe a team with Book and KD could be so bad??? Just take a look at players 3-15. None of them would start anywhere else.

Bud also exasperates this problem and needs to kick into ‘next yr’ mode. Let’s shut this muther down and see what we have in Bol, Dunn, Oso, and Gillespie. We have nothing else to look forward to.

It just sucks to be us and if not for Dallas, we’d be the shining star of ineptitude. In one ‘hey watch this’ move, Nico stole the spotlight from Azzhat Mat. At least Philly can blame it on health.

* I’ve given up on moving BadBrad. What a waste as that deal tops the list for Wishbia’s impetuous idiocy

We need to trade Beal in the summer and I think and hope) that we can do it.

It's about working next to him and his agent about teams/cities where he will be comfortable and then getting a "bad" contract and if needed giving up a positive asset (FRP) to sweeten the deal.

For example...we can take Paul George from the Sixers if Beal is open to play for the Sixers. Or Rudy Gobert from the Wolves if they fail hard in the playoffs. Jerami Grant is another option on the rising Blazers. Middleton from the Wizards.

All those players probably aren't exciting but they could start for us and all of them don't have NTC...and that's HUGE.

I understand that you're trying to keep the duo of KD and Booker together because they've clearly been great together and Beal is where we really started messing up badly! But people need to get past the illusions that we'll somehow be able to trade Beal this summer. Beal has a "no trade clause that's iron clad and he has all the power in trades to approve or determine his outcome. Beal came here because he wanted to be here not only for the chance to contend, but also to be in an environment with warm sunny weather and close to California (where he's had houses and spends the summer with his family. He's already gone on record saying that he loves it here and wants to stay as does his family. So it's very very unlikely he'll approve any trades elsewhere. And especially not back to the last coast with their harsh winters and a depressing horrible rebuilding outcome with Philadelphia.

Now he might consider a Cali team due to spending his summers there and the nice warm weather, but even then, there'd still have to be mutual interest and I'm just not sure there's a team that has interest in Beeal for the money he's paid given his injury history, inconsistencies. No team is excited or intrigued by that contract or the idea of adding it. Also, Beal came here due to the connections with Bartelstein. So I don't see his agent helping convince him to leave either.

And I don't see any possibility of the Suns being interested in George for the money he's owed and how he's performed for Philly along with his injury concerns. They'd be trading an already horrible outcome scenario with Beal for an older, worse producing, appears to be completely washed player on a huge salary longer term deal than Beal has (if even only a year longer. Creative thinking to try and get off of Beals' contract, but I'd think the Suns would be prioritizing getting under the 2nd apron as a byproduct of any trade, and not being stuck in it longer until Booker's contract is up. Also again, I just don't see Bal approving any trades unless it's to one of the California teams or Miami. But not any6 others at all.

[schnakenpopanz]

My wife asked my why i did not chose a better basketball franchsie to be a fan of.
She is not a basketball fan and obviously has no understanding how fandom in sports work.
In the early 90s here in Germany when I was a teenager everyone was loving the bulls or lakers for obvious reasons.
While everyone was cheering for MJ i chose to do the contray. I chose the opponent in the finals. Damm you Sir Charles!!

Damn you twice, Sir Charles!!

Wish KD and Booker had 1/10 of his charisma so this team is at least fun to watch even when losing.

No matter the achievments or personality, this is why Chris Paul is highr in my impact list than KD.
KD is the better overall player, but CP ist the better team player.
He holds others accountable. You need players like this to win.