2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part V

[Frank Lee]

That’s a fair take deuce….. no doubt there will be some KD offers that will pivot to Book, and the godfather offer is always there. Seems though MadMat is on thin ice with the fan base and might see it necessary to hang on to Book.
But, as with anything, anything is possible. One thing tho, Wishbia deals book and keeps KD… I’m done

[enigmatics]

The longer the Suns tie their destiny to Booker the further away they will remain from winning an NBA title.

You simply cannot have a guy with an albatross like a supermax who doesn't have multiple elite tools and that special quality of willing his team to wins - especially when there are injuries.

As we have routinely seen teams can gameplan him his effectiveness right out beyond empty 20pt games. Nice kid and certainly has developed into a sometimes unconscious all-NBA shooter, but it is what it is at this point.

[BobbieL]

Disagree. Booker hasn’t earned the right to not be traded. How many titles does he have.
Booker might be happy making 55m living in PV

The goal is to win a title. Not make the playin game


His value only goes down from here.

Explore his value.

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Sorry but you are wrong. Booker is equivalent to Gilbert Arenas stat wise. They both did the same things. Booker isn’t a pilar of the community. I live in Phx, he’s NEVER around except for some token photo ops. He doesn’t have the love that Fitzgerald has or Majerle, or even Doan has within Phx. He’s been more interested in himself.

He’s not a “role model” or “humble” (see his bitching about not being picked by the fans, coaches or the league to be an All-Star”. He’s not even an example setter.

Me and you have very different views on Booker. I think you are just a fan boy and you think I’m just a hater. Problem is I’ve see. Plenty of “Booker” type players come and go over the last 25 years. All stats no substance.

To me, to earn that “I get a say in if I stay or go” has to be earned from the heart you put into an organization, the heart you put into a community, the leadership example you have been to a team from day one, being completely humble, and being able to carry a team on your back. Booker is none of that.

Good post. The fact they have to find an Alpha type with Booker on the team, shows the problem. He is not a leader. He would be perfect in Detroit as Cade C is the alpha leader and Booker can just score 26-28 ppg and ride the coattails.

I don't get it from Ishbia -- I still hold out hope he is just not saying Booker is tradeable to keep some level of fan interest this season and to not tank his trade value.

[BobbieL]

The longer the Suns tie their destiny to Booker the further away they will remain from winning an NBA title.

You simply cannot have a guy with an albatross like a supermax who doesn't have multiple elite tools and that special quality of willing his team to wins - especially when there are injuries.

As we have routinely seen teams can gameplan him his effectiveness right out beyond empty 20pt games. Nice kid and certainly has developed into a sometimes unconscious all-NBA shooter, but it is what it is at this point.

Quoted for truth. Making the assumption that Durant will be traded and the Suns get assets - there are four options

1) keep Booker, trade Beal and see what the team would be

2) keep them both, see what trades you can make around the margins with Royce and Allen

3) Keep Booker, stretch Beal and see what you can do salary cap wise

4) keep Beal and trade Booker and really get a bunch of talen

I truly think option four would present the best opportunity, in the LONG-run, to win an NBA title. Which should be the goal

[sunsbum]

Again, explain to me what Booker has done to earn the right to stay - how many titles does he have?

This is not about what Devin Booker wants or fans who just have his jersey, the goal is to win a title.

You said it - the team needs an alpha because Booker is not an Alpha. Durant will get you good pieces but Booker can get you better pieces. Its not wishful thinking - wishful thinking is the team can build around Booker and Booker will be a leader who will get this team to a title. Thats fantasy land. This year has proved that. He and Booker can go and I won't miss either one

I’m not debating with you about Bookers trade value because Matt has made the rules. The boards vision vs Matt’s are 2 very different pictures and I bet yours and mine are probably pretty parallel. But the fact is Matt runs this universe. So unfortunately we play in his sandbox. The difference between you and I is Im not going to sit here and waste my time tearing down book for fantasy draft simulator purposes. It is what it is. Book is a great player and a good kid that we’ve built a championship team around before.

What Ishbia said through the meda, doesn't really matter
It is what he does in July that matters..

Ahhh the ole what if game. Let’s just ignore everything he says and play pretend some more!

[sunsbum]

Again, explain to me what Booker has done to earn the right to stay - how many titles does he have?

This is not about what Devin Booker wants or fans who just have his jersey, the goal is to win a title.

You said it - the team needs an alpha because Booker is not an Alpha. Durant will get you good pieces but Booker can get you better pieces. Its not wishful thinking - wishful thinking is the team can build around Booker and Booker will be a leader who will get this team to a title. Thats fantasy land. This year has proved that. He and Booker can go and I won't miss either one

I’m not debating with you about Bookers trade value because Matt has made the rules. The boards vision vs Matt’s are 2 very different pictures and I bet yours and mine are probably pretty parallel. But the fact is Matt runs this universe. So unfortunately we play in his sandbox. The difference between you and I is Im not going to sit here and waste my time tearing down book for fantasy draft simulator purposes. It is what it is. Book is a great player and a good kid that we’ve built a championship team around before.

What Ishbia said through the meda, doesn't really matter
It is what he does in July that matters..

I guess you don’t read posts very well (at all?) I’ve stated multiple times in the past few months and yesterday that I would be up for trading Booker. I would blow this team up like a beached whale on the Oregon coast. Once again, this ain’t my ride. Im just pony stuck on a carousel. So until matt proves otherwise I’m going to trust what he says he’s going to do because so far his actions has followed his words. He doesn’t want to rebuild. Booker will stay.

[wheezy]

Disagree. Booker hasn’t earned the right to not be traded. How many titles does he have.
Booker might be happy making 55m living in PV

The goal is to win a title. Not make the playin game


His value only goes down from here.

Explore his value.

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Sorry but you are wrong. Booker is equivalent to Gilbert Arenas stat wise. They both did the same things. Booker isn’t a pilar of the community. I live in Phx, he’s NEVER around except for some token photo ops. He doesn’t have the love that Fitzgerald has or Majerle, or even Doan has within Phx. He’s been more interested in himself.

He’s not a “role model” or “humble” (see his bitching about not being picked by the fans, coaches or the league to be an All-Star”. He’s not even an example setter.

Me and you have very different views on Booker. I think you are just a fan boy and you think I’m just a hater. Problem is I’ve see. Plenty of “Booker” type players come and go over the last 25 years. All stats no substance.

To me, to earn that “I get a say in if I stay or go” has to be earned from the heart you put into an organization, the heart you put into a community, the leadership example you have been to a team from day one, being completely humble, and being able to carry a team on your back. Booker is none of that.

Booker goes to some of the lowrider events around town and does a lot of charity work in underserved parts of the city. The community take doesn't seem like a fair critique of him. Dude just seems super private, which is hardly a bad thing.

[Sunsdeuce]

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Sorry but you are wrong. Booker is equivalent to Gilbert Arenas stat wise. They both did the same things. Booker isn’t a pilar of the community. I live in Phx, he’s NEVER around except for some token photo ops. He doesn’t have the love that Fitzgerald has or Majerle, or even Doan has within Phx. He’s been more interested in himself.

He’s not a “role model” or “humble” (see his bitching about not being picked by the fans, coaches or the league to be an All-Star”. He’s not even an example setter.

Me and you have very different views on Booker. I think you are just a fan boy and you think I’m just a hater. Problem is I’ve see. Plenty of “Booker” type players come and go over the last 25 years. All stats no substance.

To me, to earn that “I get a say in if I stay or go” has to be earned from the heart you put into an organization, the heart you put into a community, the leadership example you have been to a team from day one, being completely humble, and being able to carry a team on your back. Booker is none of that.

Booker goes to some of the lowrider events around town and does a lot of charity work in underserved parts of the city. The community take doesn't seem like a fair critique of him. Dude just seems super private, which is hardly a bad thing.

Going to lowrider events isn’t exactly backing up your thesis.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

[bwgood77]

Interesting results in the poll at BSOTS:

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

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

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

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

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

I think our only chance at contending soon is clearing a whopping ton of cap space when Beal expires and hopefully signing one or two solid free agents. This team isn't good enough to carry $22 million on the books and it wouldn't create enough cap space to do anything meaningful.

[sunsbum]

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Sorry but you are wrong. Booker is equivalent to Gilbert Arenas stat wise. They both did the same things. Booker isn’t a pilar of the community. I live in Phx, he’s NEVER around except for some token photo ops. He doesn’t have the love that Fitzgerald has or Majerle, or even Doan has within Phx. He’s been more interested in himself.

He’s not a “role model” or “humble” (see his bitching about not being picked by the fans, coaches or the league to be an All-Star”. He’s not even an example setter.

Me and you have very different views on Booker. I think you are just a fan boy and you think I’m just a hater. Problem is I’ve see. Plenty of “Booker” type players come and go over the last 25 years. All stats no substance.

To me, to earn that “I get a say in if I stay or go” has to be earned from the heart you put into an organization, the heart you put into a community, the leadership example you have been to a team from day one, being completely humble, and being able to carry a team on your back. Booker is none of that.

Booker goes to some of the lowrider events around town and does a lot of charity work in underserved parts of the city. The community take doesn't seem like a fair critique of him. Dude just seems super private, which is hardly a bad thing.

also seems to be a big advocate of his sister. “ She was born with DiGeorge syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, which is one of the reasons why Booker is heavily involved with the Special Olympics.“

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

[bwgood77]

Book wants to stay then Book gets to stay… for now. This is a three yr project to become relevant again. No real rush. Moving KD and a few others will be a better focus and if done right (haha) will make us at least watchable.

Book isn’t going to hurt us, and a handful of picks and whatever players are not necessarily going to make much of a difference. It’s just more trade fodder to WinNowWishbia and crew and these guys aren’t quite batting .500 with their dealings.

I think if we keep Book we will at best be a treadmill team on the verge of making the playoffs. The reason so many of us hope we could trade him to Houston for our picks back, is because we will certainly be one of the worst teams, and will have a chance at drafting a star or two we have control of for 9 years and we can be excited about watching another guy or guys grow into stars like Book did.

Of course it's not a guarantee, but we would have 3 chances (if we get this year's). I doubt we get this year's, and I think we keep Book, but maybe next offseason or during the season, if we are hovering outside the play in again which is likely, he may want to go to a contender anyway and Houston will likely want/need that scorer and we can get a solid vet role player a, couple of young guys and our 2 picks back in 27 and 29. Maybe one of their other picks too. Either their own or a Dallas one they own (I think in 29 when AD and Kyrie are old).

[bwgood77]

Disagree. Booker hasn’t earned the right to not be traded. How many titles does he have.
Booker might be happy making 55m living in PV

The goal is to win a title. Not make the playin game


His value only goes down from here.

Explore his value.

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Again, explain to me what Booker has done to earn the right to stay - how many titles does he have?

This is not about what Devin Booker wants or fans who just have his jersey, the goal is to win a title.

You said it - the team needs an alpha because Booker is not an Alpha. Durant will get you good pieces but Booker can get you better pieces. Its not wishful thinking - wishful thinking is the team can build around Booker and Booker will be a leader who will get this team to a title. Thats fantasy land. This year has proved that. He and Booker can go and I won't miss either one

He has led us through one of our darkest times in Suns history for years, scoring a lot of points, averaging like low 20s in wins for years until Paul came along to lead us.

[sunsbum]

Read on Twitter

why don’t you write for these guys?

[bwgood77]

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Again, explain to me what Booker has done to earn the right to stay - how many titles does he have?

This is not about what Devin Booker wants or fans who just have his jersey, the goal is to win a title.

You said it - the team needs an alpha because Booker is not an Alpha. Durant will get you good pieces but Booker can get you better pieces. Its not wishful thinking - wishful thinking is the team can build around Booker and Booker will be a leader who will get this team to a title. Thats fantasy land. This year has proved that. He and Booker can go and I won't miss either one

I’m not debating with you about Bookers trade value because Matt has made the rules. The boards vision vs Matt’s are 2 very different pictures and I bet yours and mine are probably pretty parallel. But the fact is Matt runs this universe. So unfortunately we play in his sandbox. The difference between you and I is Im not going to sit here and waste my time tearing down book for fantasy draft simulator purposes. It is what it is. Book is a great player and a good kid that we’ve built a championship team around before.

Ishbia also said he would not sacrifice the future to win now in his first press conference, and then the next day traded 2 great young players on solid contracts in Bridges and Cam, 4 first round picks a first round swap and Crowder for a soon to be 35 year old KD who had been injured half the time is previous few years. So I don't totally take his word at face value.

I don't think he will trade Book, but I wouldn't count it out for sure.

[Ghost of Kleine]

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[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

why don’t you write for these guys?

I might look into it at some point honestly. Currently though the majority of my time and focus is spent on trying to stabilize my kids and their mother's living situation and future a bit. But yeah, it's something that I have pondered a bit.

[BobbieL]

this is barely debatable. Booker has every right to stay here and if he wants to try and turn this thing around It makes me like him even more. Ishbia isn’t trading him and he don’t want to leave. Let go of the wishful thinking and start identifying some talent we can put around him. We need an Alpha on this team badly though. That’s going to be the toughest thing to find.

Again, explain to me what Booker has done to earn the right to stay - how many titles does he have?

This is not about what Devin Booker wants or fans who just have his jersey, the goal is to win a title.

You said it - the team needs an alpha because Booker is not an Alpha. Durant will get you good pieces but Booker can get you better pieces. Its not wishful thinking - wishful thinking is the team can build around Booker and Booker will be a leader who will get this team to a title. Thats fantasy land. This year has proved that. He and Booker can go and I won't miss either one

He has led us through one of our darkest times in Suns history for years, scoring a lot of points, averaging like low 20s in wins for years until Paul came along to lead us.

I get that. But if the goal is to win a title and trading Booker gets you closer to that title-- why not explore it

I wouldn't trade Booker just to trade him. The trade has to make sense. But as you wrote above, they will be a tread mill team

[sunskerr]

I don't think we're a treadmill team if we retool around Booker. We're a treadmill team with Durant and Booker. With only Booker and what I'm assuming won't be an amazing package for 37 year old KD, we could be a high 20/low 30 win team.