Around the NBA (and other Sports), 2025-26 – (Old Thread)

[bucknersrevenge]

On a scale of 1 to 10 how f**ked are the Phoenix Suns?? Is it time to just tear it all down?

[ConstableGeneva]

On a scale of 1 to 10 how f**ked are the Phoenix Suns?? Is it time to just tear it all down?

What does that even entail? Beal has an NTC. KD is 36. Book might be the only one who can bring back real value. Like Butler, his salary is hard to match in-season.

[ConstableGeneva]

Not even sure why Ja has been out so long. + Smart, Yet they still compete with anyone.

Jenkins proven past few years he's a good coach. But like the Knicks, Grizz been feasting on bad teams. Just 8-8 against .500-and-above. About to lose to another one (w/o Curry). Still won't do much damage if Ja isn't right in the postseason.

[playa-hater]

On a scale of 1 to 10 how f**ked are the Phoenix Suns?? Is it time to just tear it all down?

9, not 10 because they can still get a good Haul for KD IMO. Literally should be calling GS right now.

[Fierce1]

On a scale of 1 to 10 how f**ked are the Phoenix Suns?? Is it time to just tear it all down?

If 10 is the highest then they're at 10 right now.

There's just no excuse for how bad they are right now.

They can't justify their play with the payroll that they have.

Tearing it down would mean trading KD.

But if the owner refuses to do that and will think next season's going to be better, the Suns will go down and it will be winter solstice all over again.

[playa-hater]

Kawhi return has so little hype. I do want him to be his dominant self again (just not against us). Enough injuries.

At this point I think everyone expects him to play a few weeks and then be lost to injury again. Kawhi makes KP look like Lou Gehrig.

[Fierce1]

If KD ends up with Steph again then that only proves what KD was trying to disprove when he left GSW in 2019 and that is he can't win without Steph.

[JaMarco]

The KAT for Randle+ trade is the stupidest trade of all time.

If Minny wants out of the KAT contract then it's not stupid.

There was no way Minny was winning a championship with KAT and Ant.

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

[Fierce1]

The KAT for Randle+ trade is the stupidest trade of all time.

If Minny wants out of the KAT contract then it's not stupid.

There was no way Minny was winning a championship with KAT and Ant.

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

I can't believe you couldn't see the point!

Randle's contract is only up to next season for around 31m.

KAT's contract runs up to 2028 and that's a total of 171m.

See the difference between 171m and 31m?

So why would the Wolves pay an extra 140m when they're not winning it with either one of those two.

[Fierce1]

You guys remember this era?
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nba/can-celtics-trade-for-kevin-durant-without-sacrificing-their-identity

With the offer of forward Jaylen Brown, back-up point guard Derrick White and a future first-round pick apparently not being enough, the GMs — three from the Eastern Conference, three from the Western — were asked a simple question:

What gets a deal done for KD, and would you do it?

The responses were far from uniform, but if there was a player that represented the tipping point, it was Smart.

"The Nets should ask that he be part of the deal," said one of the Eastern Conference GMs. "Because Marcus just brings a different element. There's risk, but with all the great ones, there's normally risk. And not to say Marcus is great, but when he's good he's really, really f---ing good."

A second Eastern Conference GM agreed.

"I imagine Brooklyn wants three rotation guys," he said. "Derrick White, Jaylen Brown are two. If there's a third person, Brooklyn has every right to ask for Marcus Smart. If you're Boston and say, ‘That's too much,' well, then you're not going to get the guy (Durant)."

As much as they valued Durant, both GMs would do it.

"As long as Jayson is not in the deal, if you roll out Jayson and KD plus whatever, you have more than a fighting chance (to win a title)," said the first GM.

[JaMarco]

If Minny wants out of the KAT contract then it's not stupid.

There was no way Minny was winning a championship with KAT and Ant.

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

I can't believe you couldn't see the point!

Randle's contract is only up to next season for around 31m.

KAT's contract runs up to 2028 and that's a total of 171m.

See the difference between 171m and 31m?

So why would the Wolves pay an extra 140m when they're not winning it with either one of those two.

They would be right there with the Thunder this year if they still had KAT.

[Fierce1]

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

I can't believe you couldn't see the point!

Randle's contract is only up to next season for around 31m.

KAT's contract runs up to 2028 and that's a total of 171m.

See the difference between 171m and 31m?

So why would the Wolves pay an extra 140m when they're not winning it with either one of those two.

They would be right there with the Thunder this year if they still had KAT.

Spend an additional 140m just to be right there with OKC?

No way!

A franchise like the Lakers would do that.

But a small market team like Minny will not.

The ownership of the Wolves are focusing more on money.
If that were not true then they would not have traded KAT after making the western conference finals.

Clearly the KAT trade was about money.

[bucknersrevenge]

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

I can't believe you couldn't see the point!

Randle's contract is only up to next season for around 31m.

KAT's contract runs up to 2028 and that's a total of 171m.

See the difference between 171m and 31m?

So why would the Wolves pay an extra 140m when they're not winning it with either one of those two.

They would be right there with the Thunder this year if they still had KAT.

Easy to say. Harder to prove. Nevertheless the sale of the team has come with plenty of drama and stress and they felt that they needed to shed some salary. That's how it is.

[Fierce1]

Can't believe the Bulls will retire Rose's number.

The guy didn't even make the finals with the Bulls.

[phincsfan]

The KAT for Randle+ trade is the stupidest trade of all time.

If Minny wants out of the KAT contract then it's not stupid.

There was no way Minny was winning a championship with KAT and Ant.

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

To shed a big contract. Ant will sell tickets whether they win or lose.

[phincsfan]

The Lakers are just like the Knicks when it comes to optics. Now LA at least wins when they make their moves. They always went after the big name big man and they won when they got him even if it was the bubble . AD is locked up for the next few years and LeBron will do his one year Brady deals for the next 10 years, but who will be the next big splash? As a fan I like a bunch of their pieces (Rui, Knecht and Reaves) but when it comes to LA optics those guys won’t cut it for them. The only safe contracts I see are AD and Bronny . What type of splash do you see LA making? I’m not insinuating any moves between LA and Boston just wondering who LeBron is talking to the GM about .

[JaMarco]

If Minny wants out of the KAT contract then it's not stupid.

There was no way Minny was winning a championship with KAT and Ant.

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

To shed a big contract. Ant will sell tickets whether they win or lose.

Yea but they arent a contender now when they were before with KAT.

[JaMarco]

If Minny wants out of the KAT contract then it's not stupid.

There was no way Minny was winning a championship with KAT and Ant.

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

To shed a big contract. Ant will sell tickets whether they win or lose.

And what happens when Ant gets tired of mediocrity and wants to leave?

[phincsfan]

And they're even further from winning a championship now with Randle and Ant so what's your point?

To shed a big contract. Ant will sell tickets whether they win or lose.

Yea but they arent a contender now when they were before with KAT.

New owners obviously wanted no part of being a 2nd apron team. Maybe the owners said if they won last year then they’d consider keeping it together but they flopped.

[JaMarco]

To shed a big contract. Ant will sell tickets whether they win or lose.

Yea but they arent a contender now when they were before with KAT.

New owners obviously wanted no part of being a 2nd apron team. Maybe the owners said if they won last year then they’d consider keeping it together but they flopped.

The new owners are stupid. Wolves were a top contender just last year with their franchise player just 22y/o and rapidly improving every year. They would have had as good a chance to win a title this year as any team if they kept KAT.