2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation

[bwgood77]

I've been hoping we would blow this team up since our game 7 loss to the Mavs. Now, we can't blow it up unless the Rox are willing to send our picks back for Booker. But if you're the Rockets, do you go for it? Or does holding our picks guarantee they'll contend for the next 10+ years? What makes this nearly impossible is that because of Jalen Green's extension, his contract has a poison pill, so we can't take him back in any deal. They'd have to find a third team for him, which would be very difficult unless the Pistons would send us Ivey for him.

Ideally:
- Booker and O'Neale to HOU; Brooks, Adams, Sheppard, Ivey and picks to PHX; Green to DET
- Tyus Jones somewhere for 3 2nd rd picks
- Allen somewhere for a bad contract and a 1st
- Durant to the highest bidder
- Let Beal rot here in hell

Dream scenario: Loop WAS into the Durant trade so we get our picks back in exchange for whatever Durant would net us.

Problem #1 is that if Houston isn't interested, we are f*cked, pure and simple.
Problem #2 is that Ishbia thinks he's smarter than he is. I bet he'd prefer to trade for other team's picks and continue trying to win - and this simply will not work. If he tries to avoid the tank, he'll turn 10 years of sucking into 20. And at some point, we'll all be dead.

I'll preface this by saying that I fully expect Problem#2 to be our outcome because Ishbia (our very own Kendall Roy) would rather keep doubling down than admit failure and take any true accountability. His excessive hubris will keep fueling his delusion as he scrambles to avoid any accountability. But as for my perspective on Jalen Green, I'd prefer him included because I actually think he's a smaller raw version of Booker, But with much more athleticism and more bravado and aggression. And to your point about the money concerns.............

Actually even with the "poison pill" provision, Greens' salary (incoming would only count for $33 million. So we could trade for him in a blow it up rebuild situation, and not have to rush his development. And personally, he'd be a key piece that I'd want back to replace Booker because I for my part at least see "star potential" with him. I get that he's not as efficient as Booker. And he doesn't have the size that Booker has (albeit maybe 2 2-inch disparity). But he's significantly more of an explosive athlete, a better ballhandler and iso creator, and can put up points in a hurry quite easily. Also, BOTH he and Booker state that Kobe is/was their idol, but unlike Booker, Green is actually aggressive and a fierce competitor.

And in any trade with the Rockets, with Booker being a SG same as Green, he'd likely be required to come back as a salary-matching piece in the deal because the Rockets won't really want to gut their young core completely to make the money work. And as a rebuilding team, I wouldn't really want Van Vleet back, maybe Brooks though for a tough thuggish mentality. But my ideal package would be:

Booker for Jalen Green/ Landale (or Jeff Green- expiring)/ Eason/ Whitmore/ PHX 25' 1st/ PHX 27' 1st/ PHX 29' 1st.
For my part, I'm really looking to try and get us a good promising, and talented young core, while also getting our key picks back so we can full-on tank/rebuild. And in taking back Green, the Rockets wouldn't really be sending out their top perceived players (currently) in Thompson,Also in keeping Van Vleet and Brooks too, they can be competitive and these two factors give us greater leverage to get our picks back in the deal (in terms of equitable value exchange). Our package (in my eyes) would give us:

- A young, very explosive, aggressive raw Booker/ Wade archetype player in Green.
- An elite lockdown defensive 3/4 ( Marcus Morris/ Anunoby/ Jerami Grant archetype)
- An $8 million expiring (Jeff Green).
- A young, explosive high potential fringe star wing talent in Whitmore (Stackhouse/ DeRozan archetype). can become our 6th man off the bench or be showcased and moved for another young piece.
- Our 3 1sts back in 25,27, and 29. This way we could rebuild without worrying about giving up potential lottery picks to other teams. The package (incoming young players) seems modest in order to get our picks back. but has the potential to still be really great with the young players and their skillsets/talents we'd get back in the trade. Then in getting our 3 most critical picks back in the 25,27, and 29 1sts, we can more freely bottom out. That Booker trade would give us a very solid young core. Then I'd follow that up with this KD trade:

KD to Denver for Michael Porter Jr/ Saric/ Westbrick/ Braun/ Holmes/ Tyson (filler)/ DEN 26' 1st/ DEN 2030 1st.
Post KD and Booker trades, we'd be getting back:
Core assets for rebuild
- Michael Porter Jr (KD replacement).
- Jalen Green (Booker replacement).
- Tari Eason Young, athletic elite lockdown defensive SF (can create lockdown defensive wing/forward duo with Dunn interchangeably or together at 3 and 4 positions in small-ball lineups).
- Cam Whitmore Young, explosively athletic power wing and explosive scorer (can replace Beal once he chooses to leave as we rebuild).
- Christian Braun Young, very talented/skilled SG (at 6'6 could be our version of Austin Reeves).
- Day'ron Holmes Very athletic, skilled 2 way power forward/center with high potential.
- Hunter Tyson (low-cost filler just to make the money work). A 6'9 Doug Mcdermott/ Bojan Bogdanovic type sniper at the 4.
- Dunn. A long ultra-athletic, high energy, high IQ lockdown defensive wing/forward. Can create a suffocating elite lockdown defensive duo with Eason.
- Ighodaro. A long athletic high IQ, playmaking defensive small ball center.

Picks
PHX 25' 1st (back), PHX 27' 1st (back), PHX 29' 1st back, DEN 26' 1st, DEN 2030 1st (**premium pick likely post-Jokic and KD). The only draft year we'd really be missing is the 2028 1st.

Tradable vet contracts
Jeff Green, Saric, Westbrook, O'neale, Allen, Okogie, Nurkic, etc.
I'd look to trade any/all of them (as needed for 1sts and/or 2nds?? draft/trade for a young PGOTF. draft/sign/ trade for a young athletic center option. Fill out the roster with low-cost minimum players, and rebuild.

You know, you weren't posting when we were 8-1, but look at us now and that glimmer of possibility that we trade for our picks back....gonna have to fire up that draft thread soon! I was just looking at some of the prospects. Some interesting prospects. Aside from the top 3 or 4, Edgecomb and Demin would be really interesting if they were a little better shooters.

[bwgood77]

But I think mainly KD and Book are just not totally into it even though they are our best two players and put up great numbers. I don't think they have enough fire to overcome our weaknesses at C, athleticism, defense and size.

I hate to do this to you again, so believe me, I think your whole post was excellent and on point. Your last paragraph, however, most speaks to me, so I pulled that to avoid confusion.

I'll begin with some minor disagreement. I do not agree that KD or Book are not totally into it or lack fire. Kevin is known for his fanatical work habits and self improvement. He came back from the achilles better than he was before. And you cannot be as good as either if indifferent, IMO. Giving up summer recuperation for FIBA play, however, has been known for causing fatigue, and even injuries.

Your listing of our weaknesses and question as to whether they can overcome them is most valid. I believe you left a major one out however. Check BBall Ref for our roster, and see the difference between our best six players and the remaining eleven on the roster. Ishbia and Jones have taken much grief about giving up two good players for two superstars. And I will not argue that the costs of the picks can be overcome. I'm not sure. But the Nets did it when it was really necessary. They already improved our rotation by having added O'Neale, Allen, Jones, Morris, Plumlee, Dunn, Oso, and for a while even Gordon. But they did inherit the rest, and those already traded. I, maybe wishfully, believe that more is pending to solve the size, balance, and quality. They have already shown that this is possible in spite of 2d Apron limitations. In the mean time I do not believe that KD and Book should be getting such grief, herein.

As an example, I previously mentioned how Brad seems to have resolved the horrible third quarter problems by playing Durant the whole period. Recently there were complaints about our slow starts, and KD played the whole first quarter last game. And against the Hornets that seemed to work, since we "won" those periods by a total of fifteen points. Unfortunately Durant has rested an average of six minutes to start the second and fourth quarters, and we "lost" them by 26 points, and the game by the eleven point difference. I'm sure now that Book is back (and if we still have Brad) Bud will tweak KD's rest times. I'm partial, of course, but I think the team, and particularly the young guys, look more composed and confident when he is on the floor.

Well, as you point out the #s, it makes your case for last night's game, and we have always been much better when KD has played. Obviously this team started really losing at first when he was out. He is still one of the most talented players in the world and makes an enormous impact when he plays, and if he played 48 minutes without being fatigued we'd probably be fine.

I don't mean so much that they are not into it or taking it seriously, but for some reason it doesn't seem like it bothers them as much as it would have in the past (for both of them) when we are losing or have a bad loss. Now I know it's best not to focus on a loss and move on but I think there is a little bit of fire missing, maybe in part to the olympics.

But you are right, our main problem is that we don't have a C, are not very good defensively, and although I love Tyus Jones, I think as I mentioned, even though he has shot great and done well and has a great ast/to ratio, what our lineup needed probably wasn't another initator given who we already had (as I mentioned in my post).

Defense is our big problem, and even though Tyus has been great shooting and passing, it doesn't outweigh the need for having defense at that spot. Nurkic has really regressed too it feels like. He wasn't great last year but ok. I think Royce being out too right now is hurting us.

I don't really mean to lay the blame on KD and Booker as much as to say as talented as they are, we do not have enough depth, defense, size, etc, for their talents to overcome.

If everyone was 100% engaged on D all the time, we could upgrade at C, etc, I think we could still be good and I think if we did get on a roll, we could win a bunch of games in a row or something. But I really think we need a change at C more than a 35 year old Butler who just wants to be paid. Though maybe if he got a quick extension he would really ball out this year and we could win a playoff series. Unfortunately I think getting to the 2nd round is the peak for this team, even with an engaged Butler, and it would likely cost us too much and the team would be on the downtrend.

If you are mainly just a fan of KD, would you rather he continue to be a Sun or go to a different contender?

[Calvin Klein]

Why doesn’t anybody call out Kevin Durant and Devin Booker for their laziness and sloppy play? But quick to hate on Bradley Beal. Kevin Durant with all the turnovers, the awful passes never boxes out for rebound Devin Booker with all the bricks, turnovers, never boxes out for rebounds, play no defense. Those are the reasons why we’re losing not Bradley. It’s the same thing as when we had Ayton. Booker gets away with doing nothing but scoring and we blame everybody else.

As long as Booker is the number 1 or 2 guy this team will never win anything.

Booker is best served as a role player like on team USA.

have you read anything? plenty of us are blaming them as well

[Slim Charless]

They can take whatever they want for all I care if we can get all three of our FRPs back.

....and draft who? This year. Since we're giving away the farm. Who's up for 2025 that will kick start this thing?

I don't know who to draft but it would beat the alternative of giving up Oso, the 2031, Dunn for an aging JImmy Butler
have no real draft picks and watch this team get old

Durant and Booker have value now --

I doubt Ishbia actually has the b*lls to do it. Talks a good game but does he have the b*lls to admit the direction to take the team
My guess, he doesn't

That is NOT the alternative.

The alternative is to actually try and get value from the Rockets and not thinking that we should sell Booker for picks and filler.

Maybe you're not aware of this and you only watch the Suns. But Houston has a TON of good young players on the team. If you move Booker get some of those back and not just ask for Dillon Brooks and picks like a sucker. No offense meant.

[Slim Charless]

HIs point is the most important pieces by far are getting OUR picks because they are tied to how bad our team is (will be) and we will certainly be last in the west and bottom 3 or 4 team. I would love to get Sengun, would really like Smith Jr, or Thompson.

However, each of our picks is more valuable than Green, Eason, Sheppard, or any of those guys, and maybe more valuable than ANY of their players...because they could all quite easily be #1 or at least top 4 picks.

If you trade Booker elsewhere and maybe get a better player but get a few picks that are that teams, and Book makes that team good or top tier, the picks are not that valuable at all. Like not even lotto...almost maybe like 2nd rounders.

That's a HUGE difference.

Fine, there's a huge gap between the 2 on that we can agree.

Look, just on basic math alone the Rockets have to get rid of Jalen Green if they take on Booker. Why dudes are willing to take nothing on the dollar is funny and sad. You can ask for more.

Obviously people want the best offer they can get which would start with something, but I think (hope) we wouldn't walk away from any deal where we get all of our picks back.

The only reason 4 picks were not included in the first place was because we thought they'd not be that good because we'd be some sort of juggernaut.

Number of firsts doesn't always matter, but what kind of firsts do. Anyone of those firsts probably far exceeds the value of any of their prospects outside of Sengun. But I imagine we'd get at least one prospect back anyway. I think they'd be fine if Green was the filler. I just thought someone said that wasn't possible due to some poison pill thing..not sure if that is right though.

If the trade happens in the summer, then Green's deal becomes normal at 33 per year. Still leaving them 20 million short. That's when you get prospects.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Spoiler:

I've been hoping we would blow this team up since our game 7 loss to the Mavs. Now, we can't blow it up unless the Rox are willing to send our picks back for Booker. But if you're the Rockets, do you go for it? Or does holding our picks guarantee they'll contend for the next 10+ years? What makes this nearly impossible is that because of Jalen Green's extension, his contract has a poison pill, so we can't take him back in any deal. They'd have to find a third team for him, which would be very difficult unless the Pistons would send us Ivey for him.

Ideally:
- Booker and O'Neale to HOU; Brooks, Adams, Sheppard, Ivey and picks to PHX; Green to DET
- Tyus Jones somewhere for 3 2nd rd picks
- Allen somewhere for a bad contract and a 1st
- Durant to the highest bidder
- Let Beal rot here in hell

Dream scenario: Loop WAS into the Durant trade so we get our picks back in exchange for whatever Durant would net us.

Problem #1 is that if Houston isn't interested, we are f*cked, pure and simple.
Problem #2 is that Ishbia thinks he's smarter than he is. I bet he'd prefer to trade for other team's picks and continue trying to win - and this simply will not work. If he tries to avoid the tank, he'll turn 10 years of sucking into 20. And at some point, we'll all be dead.

I'll preface this by saying that I fully expect Problem#2 to be our outcome because Ishbia (our very own Kendall Roy) would rather keep doubling down than admit failure and take any true accountability. His excessive hubris will keep fueling his delusion as he scrambles to avoid any accountability. But as for my perspective on Jalen Green, I'd prefer him included because I actually think he's a smaller raw version of Booker, But with much more athleticism and more bravado and aggression. And to your point about the money concerns.............

Actually even with the "poison pill" provision, Greens' salary (incoming would only count for $33 million. So we could trade for him in a blow it up rebuild situation, and not have to rush his development. And personally, he'd be a key piece that I'd want back to replace Booker because I for my part at least see "star potential" with him. I get that he's not as efficient as Booker. And he doesn't have the size that Booker has (albeit maybe 2 2-inch disparity). But he's significantly more of an explosive athlete, a better ballhandler and iso creator, and can put up points in a hurry quite easily. Also, BOTH he and Booker state that Kobe is/was their idol, but unlike Booker, Green is actually aggressive and a fierce competitor.

And in any trade with the Rockets, with Booker being a SG same as Green, he'd likely be required to come back as a salary-matching piece in the deal because the Rockets won't really want to gut their young core completely to make the money work. And as a rebuilding team, I wouldn't really want Van Vleet back, maybe Brooks though for a tough thuggish mentality. But my ideal package would be:

Booker for Jalen Green/ Landale (or Jeff Green- expiring)/ Eason/ Whitmore/ PHX 25' 1st/ PHX 27' 1st/ PHX 29' 1st.
For my part, I'm really looking to try and get us a good promising, and talented young core, while also getting our key picks back so we can full-on tank/rebuild. And in taking back Green, the Rockets wouldn't really be sending out their top perceived players (currently) in Thompson,Also in keeping Van Vleet and Brooks too, they can be competitive and these two factors give us greater leverage to get our picks back in the deal (in terms of equitable value exchange). Our package (in my eyes) would give us:

- A young, very explosive, aggressive raw Booker/ Wade archetype player in Green.
- An elite lockdown defensive 3/4 ( Marcus Morris/ Anunoby/ Jerami Grant archetype)
- An $8 million expiring (Jeff Green).
- A young, explosive high potential fringe star wing talent in Whitmore (Stackhouse/ DeRozan archetype). can become our 6th man off the bench or be showcased and moved for another young piece.
- Our 3 1sts back in 25,27, and 29. This way we could rebuild without worrying about giving up potential lottery picks to other teams. The package (incoming young players) seems modest in order to get our picks back. but has the potential to still be really great with the young players and their skillsets/talents we'd get back in the trade. Then in getting our 3 most critical picks back in the 25,27, and 29 1sts, we can more freely bottom out. That Booker trade would give us a very solid young core. Then I'd follow that up with this KD trade:

KD to Denver for Michael Porter Jr/ Saric/ Westbrick/ Braun/ Holmes/ Tyson (filler)/ DEN 26' 1st/ DEN 2030 1st.
Post KD and Booker trades, we'd be getting back:
Core assets for rebuild
- Michael Porter Jr (KD replacement).
- Jalen Green (Booker replacement).
- Tari Eason Young, athletic elite lockdown defensive SF (can create lockdown defensive wing/forward duo with Dunn interchangeably or together at 3 and 4 positions in small-ball lineups).
- Cam Whitmore Young, explosively athletic power wing and explosive scorer (can replace Beal once he chooses to leave as we rebuild).
- Christian Braun Young, very talented/skilled SG (at 6'6 could be our version of Austin Reeves).
- Day'ron Holmes Very athletic, skilled 2 way power forward/center with high potential.
- Hunter Tyson (low-cost filler just to make the money work). A 6'9 Doug Mcdermott/ Bojan Bogdanovic type sniper at the 4.
- Dunn. A long ultra-athletic, high energy, high IQ lockdown defensive wing/forward. Can create a suffocating elite lockdown defensive duo with Eason.
- Ighodaro. A long athletic high IQ, playmaking defensive small ball center.

Picks
PHX 25' 1st (back), PHX 27' 1st (back), PHX 29' 1st back, DEN 26' 1st, DEN 2030 1st (**premium pick likely post-Jokic and KD). The only draft year we'd really be missing is the 2028 1st.

Tradable vet contracts
Jeff Green, Saric, Westbrook, O'neale, Allen, Okogie, Nurkic, etc.
I'd look to trade any/all of them (as needed for 1sts and/or 2nds?? draft/trade for a young PGOTF. draft/sign/ trade for a young athletic center option. Fill out the roster with low-cost minimum players, and rebuild.

You know, you weren't posting when we were 8-1, but look at us now and that glimmer of possibility that we trade for our picks back....gonna have to fire up that draft thread soon! I was just looking at some of the prospects. Some interesting prospects. Aside from the top 3 or 4, Edgecomb and Demin would be really interesting if they were a little better shooters.

Yeah, I was away for quite a bit because I had to deal with some significant family crisis. Still working on stabilizing things for my family even yet. And haven't really even looked at the draft much honestly because of the damage done to our future by our overzealous and reckless owner. If I'm being honest, I don't even expect him to do the right thing and blow it up no matter how badly we finish. Because of his excessive ego, He'll just continue to double down on his mistake trying to subtly pivot as much as possible to try and deflect blame. And ultimately, it'll cause him to end up more hated and despised than Sarver in the end once he pushes us into a 20-year rebuild abyss because he can't admit his mistakes due to his overblown yet fragile ego.

As for the draft, Once we actually commit to getting our picks back and legitimately rebuilding, I'll likely put out a list of the best available prospects for us within our range. And of course, the obligatory 2nd round to undrafted gems to target as is customary for my reputation...lol. Lastly, Yes!!! I absolutely agree with you that there are some interesting prospects. We definitely need shooters, a rim running big (3 & D) 4/5, and a potentially elite under-the-radar PGOTF. I did peruse a few very interesting ideal fits that might seem fairly attainable:

PGOTF
Neoklis Avidalas (Doncic 2.0- He's listed as a SF, but is much more a huge 6'8 guard/wing with playmaking skills), Sergio de Larria. Garway Dual, Tyrese Proctor, Freddy Dillione.

Shooters -SG
Jackson Robinson, Kobe Brea, Alex Karaban, Liam Mcneeley, Mackenzie Mabako, Milan Momcilovic, Tucker Devries, **John Mobley Jr (only 6'1- Ohio State), but shoots similar to Steph Curry.

Small Forwards
BaBa Miller, Kwame Evans, Jacob Toppin, Berke Buyuktuncel, Hamad Moussa, Nathan Missia Dio.

Power Forwards
Johnni Broome, Trevon Brazile, Grant Nelson, Brandon Garrison, Thomas Sorber, Rasheer Fleming, Amari Williams.

Centers
Zonimir Ivisic, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Xavier Booker, Clif Omoruyi, Danny Wolf, Hansen Yang, Hunter Dickinson.

[sunsfan1o1]

Why doesn’t anybody call out Kevin Durant and Devin Booker for their laziness and sloppy play? But quick to hate on Bradley Beal. Kevin Durant with all the turnovers, the awful passes never boxes out for rebound Devin Booker with all the bricks, turnovers, never boxes out for rebounds, play no defense. Those are the reasons why we’re losing not Bradley. It’s the same thing as when we had Ayton. Booker gets away with doing nothing but scoring and we blame everybody else.

As long as Booker is the number 1 or 2 guy this team will never win anything.

Booker is best served as a role player like on team USA.

have you read anything? plenty of us are blaming them as well

Not the media or coach. Booker needs to b benched for lazy play and not boxing out. At least KD gets buckets and he’s old. Booker has no excuse. If I was coach I would bench him the 4th quarter if he doesn’t play with more energy and put a body on some one after a shot.

[BobbieL]

....and draft who? This year. Since we're giving away the farm. Who's up for 2025 that will kick start this thing?

I don't know who to draft but it would beat the alternative of giving up Oso, the 2031, Dunn for an aging JImmy Butler
have no real draft picks and watch this team get old

Durant and Booker have value now --

I doubt Ishbia actually has the b*lls to do it. Talks a good game but does he have the b*lls to admit the direction to take the team
My guess, he doesn't

That is NOT the alternative.

The alternative is to actually try and get value from the Rockets and not thinking that we should sell Booker for picks and filler.

Maybe you're not aware of this and you only watch the Suns. But Houston has a TON of good young players on the team. If you move Booker get some of those back and not just ask for Dillon Brooks and picks like a sucker. No offense meant.

Fair enough. Maybe a combo of young talent and draft picks. But the suns need a couple of those picks back

Works for me .

[SunsRback4Good]

Why doesn’t anybody call out Kevin Durant and Devin Booker for their laziness and sloppy play? But quick to hate on Bradley Beal. Kevin Durant with all the turnovers, the awful passes never boxes out for rebound Devin Booker with all the bricks, turnovers, never boxes out for rebounds, play no defense. Those are the reasons why we’re losing not Bradley. It’s the same thing as when we had Ayton. Booker gets away with doing nothing but scoring and we blame everybody else.

As long as Booker is the number 1 or 2 guy this team will never win anything.

Booker is best served as a role player like on team USA.

have you read anything? plenty of us are blaming them as well

Not the media or coach. Booker needs to b benched for lazy play and not boxing out. At least KD gets buckets and he’s old. Booker has no excuse. If I was coach I would bench him the 4th quarter if he doesn’t play with more energy and put a body on some one after a shot.

Popovich, Spo other great coaches would see that Book is struggling and make proper adjustments such as benching him, But Bud & Vogul cuddle his ego and won’t do what is necessary for us to win. Booker is either A) injured or B) having one of his worst seasons as a Sun.. there’s no in between.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

[Slim Charless]

I miss Chris Paul.

[ChuckS]

If you are mainly just a fan of KD, would you rather he continue to be a Sun or go to a different contender?

First thanks for giving me a chance to correct making Brad coach instead of Bud. I have senior moments.

In response to your question, I have no great preference. I think players should honor their contracts but otherwise go to where they would like to be, kind of like the rest of us. I do feel a lot older than when he was with GS though, but at least there is one hour less of a time difference with the Suns.

Truthfully, the game threads sometimes depress me, but I expect wherever he goes will be, to some degree similar, because of reaction from his move from OKC to GS, and outspoken nature. The exception might be Texas, where he would have more support. But I like the Suns' core, with Book, Royce, and Allen, particularly, and believe he will be treated right by Ishbia. So I have no preference.

[bullsaficianado]

Read on Twitter

If the Suns want Butler so bad than why have they not told Beal about it. He is the one with the NTC and can say no and no deal.

[garrick]

I would do that deal as well. I have no illusions of getting the total best value for Durant and Booker. But getting off the contracts, getting some good players back and with Booker if he goes to Houston, draft picks - would be the best thing moving forward.

Ishbia isn't stupid. I would think he knows what the smart thing to do is but will his ego and fandom take over. Thats what got the Suns to where they are now if reports are true - that he was at dinner with buddies and he made the trade with Joe Tsai himself. My theory,.. He wanted to impress his friends so he took it out to show how big he is.. "...hey I just bought a team and going to get Durant you MFers - drinks on me!!!"

Yeah, and he was probably like "I'll show that Dan Gilbert what a real NBA team looks like over the next few years!"

Anyway, regarding fandom, if a true fan, he would make the right moves and look toward the future. If we could get a few exciting young players, and our picks back, at least us struggling in games wouldn't be so painful and we could look forward to the future.

Strugging but probably getting better - seeing younger players grow together
Would have to fire James Jones though and see if Sam Presti wants a new job

Sam would only come here if we get our picks back.

I seriously don't think he would come here with the cupboard bare and we would really need to go to a full rebuilding mode. Ishbia can afford to overpay for him but he needs to admit defeat and start over first.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

If the Suns want Butler so bad than why have they not told Beal about it. He is the one with the NTC and can say no and no deal.

Obviously Beal and his agent knows about it but the Suns can't find any taker for Beal because the Heat does not want him (at least for now). What are they gonna say?

It's too early, Feb 6 is too far away from now and big trades usually be done in the last day.

[sunsbum]

Remember that dork in school that people were only friends with because he was rich and everyone knew it but him? Hey Jimmy, have you met my friend Matt?

[SunsRback4Good]

[dremill24]

Read on Twitter

If the Suns want Butler so bad than why have they not told Beal about it. He is the one with the NTC and can say no and no deal.

There's not really any reason to go ask him if he'll waive the NTC if theres no deal agreed to. Not a great interaction for him to say "ok i'll do it" and then have to come back and say "just kidding they pulled out."

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Jimmy wants PHX because he knows we'll give him the bag. Rileys eyeing that golden lottery ticket. Everyone's hoping the whale pushes all in.

[bullsaficianado]

Read on Twitter

If the Suns want Butler so bad than why have they not told Beal about it. He is the one with the NTC and can say no and no deal.

There's not really any reason to go ask him if he'll waive the NTC if theres no deal agreed to. Not a great interaction for him to say "ok i'll do it" and then have to come back and say "just kidding they pulled out."

Ok yeah that makes sense. They will let him know when they have an agreed upon deal and hope he accepts it.