2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part V

[bwgood77]

Memphis better snap back. They may fall to 7 or 8 and lose a play in game or two. Imagine if they fire their coach and then miss the playoffs. Maybe not the best move with a few weeks left in the season. Seems like they went from a 2nd tier contender to first round fodder fairly quickly.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Any chance this clown tries to trade Beal for embiid?


And then we’d have to see people say “well at least he tried” when embiid plays 3 games a season.

Thats my biggest worry - he trades Beal for Embiid or a Paul George
like you say, to show he is "all in"

Luckily! Bradley "I hold all the cards" NTC Beal has to agree to his trade destination, or it's a no-go! And there's simply no way he'd agree to go back East and a no-win rebuilding situation! ** Just another reason to hold onto Beal and rebuild ourselves because he surely won't want to stay here in a rebuilding situation too! Once KD and Booker are gone, he'll want out and waive his no trade clause at that point if next season!

[Ghost of Kleine]

Memphis better snap back. They may fall to 7 or 8 and lose a play in game or two. Imagine if they fire their coach and then miss the playoffs. Maybe not the best move with a few weeks left in the season. Seems like they went from a 2nd tier contender to first round fodder fairly quickly.

And then the bigger question that follows........................................

Would losing out then cause Morant to demand a trade, and if he asks out, does a fire sale happen shortly after?

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

I'm not sure Booker is being a realistic about our situation currently! What does he really think we'll be when KD is traded or even if KD stays and he falls off a clif completely.

And/or becomes completely irrelevant/ non impactful and Beal finally expires?? How competitive does he really think we'll be in the coming years honestly?

Especially with ZERO ASSETS and zero high end elite young talent too.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

[sunsbum]

Read on Twitter

I'm not sure Booker is being a realistic about our situation currently! What does he really think we'll be when KD is traded or even if KD stays and he falls off a clif completely.

And/or becomes completely irrelevant/ non impactful and Beal finally expires?? How competitive does he really think we'll be in the coming years honestly?

Especially with ZERO ASSETS and zero high end elite young talent too.

Book and Matt are on the same page. Our wet dream of tearing it down to the nub is the unrealistic version unfortunately.

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

The book isn’t closed on Durant returning to the Suns next season. League sources suggest that Durant, who will be eligible for a two-year, $122 million extension this offseason, would be open to a return.

Booker says he’d be excited to continue playing with his idol. “Hell yeah, I want to play alongside him,” Booker says. “The team’s been in a tough situation. So, that’s the NBA today. I think K understands the business too, that when things aren’t going the right way, people are going to explore options. I don’t know how serious it actually was, but we moved past it. You see his morale, you see how he feels about the city.”

I think that KD is seriously thinking about staying on the Suns next year, that’s why he is gonna play in a week after the ankle sprain.

If he would know that he will not be a Sun for sure next year he would rehab it slowly and probably would not play again in the season.

[BobbieL]

Read on Twitter

I'm not sure Booker is being a realistic about our situation currently! What does he really think we'll be when KD is traded or even if KD stays and he falls off a clif completely.

And/or becomes completely irrelevant/ non impactful and Beal finally expires?? How competitive does he really think we'll be in the coming years honestly?

Especially with ZERO ASSETS and zero high end elite young talent too.

Book and Matt are on the same page. Our wet dream of tearing it down to the nub is the unrealistic version unfortunately.

Booker just happy getting paid $60m - could care less about winning with the Suns. So any talk from Booker about "winning" - I take it with a grain of salt. Durant would be open to staying in Phoenix if Ishbia gives him $120/2 years - of course he would stay in town. He and Book - they would be happy and content. Neither is most concerned about winning. I think he is delusional a bit if he thinks this team can be "re-tooled" and not "rebuilt"

Booker will hang out a couple more years - lower his value to nothing and that is when he will be traded

Hopefully Ishbia has a change of heart from what he told reporters 2-3 weeks ago as Booker, if he is true to his word, would want out if it was a rebuild.

[Puff]

Unless we get a great return in a trade for KD or Book why should we trade them? I am all in on trading them for actual talent and good draft picks. However, if it is for the next Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Monte Morris or Tyus Jones, why make the trade? This is along with draft picks late in the draft, why do it? If in fact we can get some great draft picks and players that can play I say trade everyone. I just do not see another team willing to do that for us. I hope I am wrong. I stand by my belief that Bud has to go no matter what we do with the player roster. He is just horrible. I would not want to watch him infect the new incoming players with his coaching.

It was short lived, but I thought Book and Colin played well in the Houston beat down. Book appeared to return to the scoring guard that he truly is. Could the Olympic accolades he received affected the way he has played this year? He wants to be like Kobe. Kobe played both ends of the court but in the end was a tremendous scoring guard. Book, that is who you need to be. Please stop trying to be POINT BOOK.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Watch on YouTube

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

The book isn’t closed on Durant returning to the Suns next season. League sources suggest that Durant, who will be eligible for a two-year, $122 million extension this offseason, would be open to a return.

Booker says he’d be excited to continue playing with his idol. “Hell yeah, I want to play alongside him,” Booker says. “The team’s been in a tough situation. So, that’s the NBA today. I think K understands the business too, that when things aren’t going the right way, people are going to explore options. I don’t know how serious it actually was, but we moved past it. You see his morale, you see how he feels about the city.”

I think that KD is seriously thinking about staying on the Suns next year, that’s why he is gonna play in a week after the ankle sprain.

If he would know that he will not be a Sun for sure next year he would rehab it slowly and probably would not play again in the season.

I mean, probably.

[bullsaficianado]

There is no point in trading Durant. You will never get equal value back. Of course teams are salivating from the mouth trying to get him. He is one of the greatest NBA players ever. Keep him and extend him let him retire a Sun.

You still try and build around Booker and Durant. Figure out what to do with the Beal contract this summer.

[Slim Charless]

Unless we get a great return in a trade for KD or Book why should we trade them? I am all in on trading them for actual talent and good draft picks. However, if it is for the next Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Monte Morris or Tyus Jones, why make the trade? This is along with draft picks late in the draft, why do it? If in fact we can get some great draft picks and players that can play I say trade everyone. I just do not see another team willing to do that for us. I hope I am wrong. I stand by my belief that Bud has to go no matter what we do with the player roster. He is just horrible. I would not want to watch him infect the new incoming players with his coaching.

It was short lived, but I thought Book and Colin played well in the Houston beat down. Book appeared to return to the scoring guard that he truly is. Could the Olympic accolades he received affected the way he has played this year? He wants to be like Kobe. Kobe played both ends of the court but in the end was a tremendous scoring guard. Book, that is who you need to be. Please stop trying to be POINT BOOK.

Who would you like to coach? Give us your list of guys who can turn this around.

[BobbieL]

There is no point in trading Durant. You will never get equal value back. Of course teams are salivating from the mouth trying to get him. He is one of the greatest NBA players ever. Keep him and extend him let him retire a Sun.

You still try and build around Booker and Durant. Figure out what to do with the Beal contract this summer.

Trading Booker and Durant isn't about one season - its about the next 10-12 seasons

If you keep holding on to them, without draft picks - you are basically screwed for a long time

[BobbieL]

Unless we get a great return in a trade for KD or Book why should we trade them? I am all in on trading them for actual talent and good draft picks. However, if it is for the next Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, Monte Morris or Tyus Jones, why make the trade? This is along with draft picks late in the draft, why do it? If in fact we can get some great draft picks and players that can play I say trade everyone. I just do not see another team willing to do that for us. I hope I am wrong. I stand by my belief that Bud has to go no matter what we do with the player roster. He is just horrible. I would not want to watch him infect the new incoming players with his coaching.

It was short lived, but I thought Book and Colin played well in the Houston beat down. Book appeared to return to the scoring guard that he truly is. Could the Olympic accolades he received affected the way he has played this year? He wants to be like Kobe. Kobe played both ends of the court but in the end was a tremendous scoring guard. Book, that is who you need to be. Please stop trying to be POINT BOOK.

Booker and Durant have different evaluations
One is 37, entering the last year of his deal
One is 28 - still in his prime

With Durant, it would be getting good value that is better than losing him for nothing or if you extend him, you are just setting yourself for long term failure over some misguided sense that this team can compete
With Booker - it is getting top end EXCELLENT value for a player of his skill set

[Slim Charless]

There is no point in trading Durant. You will never get equal value back. Of course teams are salivating from the mouth trying to get him. He is one of the greatest NBA players ever. Keep him and extend him let him retire a Sun.

You still try and build around Booker and Durant. Figure out what to do with the Beal contract this summer.

I hate cowardly answers like the one you just gave.

Don't just say "figure out what to do"

Give an actual answer as what YOU would do. He's 1 of the worst contracts in the league. He has a NTC and can veto anyplace he doesn't want to go to. You can't just shrug your shoulders and say "figure it out" it not that easy.

I've already said I'll keep him and move Booker to DET or HOU and Durant to Miami. Let Beal stay and play out his deal.

Tell everyone what you want to happen with Beal. Be specific.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

I'm not sure Booker is being a realistic about our situation currently! What does he really think we'll be when KD is traded or even if KD stays and he falls off a clif completely.

And/or becomes completely irrelevant/ non impactful and Beal finally expires?? How competitive does he really think we'll be in the coming years honestly?

Especially with ZERO ASSETS and zero high end elite young talent too.

Book and Matt are on the same page. Our wet dream of tearing it down to the nub is the unrealistic version unfortunately.

Most likely! And we will sadly be all the worse for it in the long term, as it'll result in a much longer decade + of painful slow rebuild taking twice as long due to having no legitimate assets/ draft picks/ young high-end (elite talent) which has become the currency of the league to engineer trades and roster construction under our new CBA. Also, with having KD (extended) at $66 million, Booker (on his supermax deal) around $57 million, and Beal making around $57 million, tying up around $180 million just on 3 players alone!!

Meaning, just to maintain our current roster, we'll still at the very least be a 2nd apron team again, with no picks, no elite young talent, no cap flexibility, and no future either as we treadmill as an 11th- 13th-seed lottery team over the next 2 to 3 years until KD retires and Beeal expires too!
So we'll likely finally enter our 10- 15 year rebuild in 27-28, after 2-3 more years of the same embarrassing seasonal collapses still being a league-wide punching bag treadmill lottery team giving up our picks to other teams and watching them get stronger at our expense as our franchise slowly decays into nothing. And we might begin to finally show progress around 2038 (if lucky)!!

This sounds like a completely reasonable and logical plan!

[BobbieL]

There is no point in trading Durant. You will never get equal value back. Of course teams are salivating from the mouth trying to get him. He is one of the greatest NBA players ever. Keep him and extend him let him retire a Sun.

You still try and build around Booker and Durant. Figure out what to do with the Beal contract this summer.

I hate cowardly answers like the one you just gave.

Don't just say "figure out what to do"

Give an actual answer as what YOU would do. He's 1 of the worst contracts in the league. He has a NTC and can veto anyplace he doesn't want to go to. You can't just shrug your shoulders and say "figure it out" it not that easy.

I've already said I'll keep him and move Booker to DET or HOU and Durant to Miami. Let Beal stay and play out his deal.

Tell everyone what you want to happen with Beal. Be specific.

I am still waiting for somebody to show me how the team can build around Booker -and that includes a post-Durant trade - that would allow the team to compete for at worst the WCF. Not just the play-in game, but winning at least 10 play-off games.
Above the apron, nothing really worth a damn to trade (Richards, O"Neale, Allen, Dunn and Oso are the only players, well Martin but for apron reasons, they probably waive him), no real draft capital

How does the team get better building around Booker, with a post-Durant trade? Even stretching Beal, that might create room for the MLE - big deal, its 5 years of pain.

And Slim - I know you and I are of the same mindset about blowing it up. But I see it on X/Twitter - lets just trade Beal and attach another draft pick. Great, what are you getting back - nothing very good. Its not worth it to trade Beal. Not like the Wizards would move Beal and Smart for Middleton -- for a FRP -- well I doubt they would

[Ghost of Kleine]

There is no point in trading Durant. You will never get equal value back. Of course teams are salivating from the mouth trying to get him. He is one of the greatest NBA players ever. Keep him and extend him let him retire a Sun.

You still try and build around Booker and Durant. Figure out what to do with the Beal contract this summer.

That really sounds like a great plan, man! So far, this kind of strategy has worked out incredibly well and totally paid off for....................................................................................................................................................................................






.......The teams actually making the playoffs, our opponents in general, and the teams cashing in on our lottery picks (because we actually are a lottery team as constructed) ............................. And obviously not us, as reflected by our record, our blowouts, the league-wide perception of us being horrifically bad and a complete laughingstock and punching bag for the majority of teams that are much stronger, bigger, more athletic, more physical, and more competitive than we are!

[BobbieL]

Read on Twitter

I'm not sure Booker is being a realistic about our situation currently! What does he really think we'll be when KD is traded or even if KD stays and he falls off a clif completely.

And/or becomes completely irrelevant/ non impactful and Beal finally expires?? How competitive does he really think we'll be in the coming years honestly?

Especially with ZERO ASSETS and zero high end elite young talent too.

Book and Matt are on the same page. Our wet dream of tearing it down to the nub is the unrealistic version unfortunately.

Most likely! And we will sadly be all the worse for it in the long term, as it'll result in a much longer decade + of painful slow rebuild taking twice as long due to having no legitimate assets/ draft picks/ young high-end (elite talent) which has become the currency of the league to engineer trades and roster construction under our new CBA. Also, with having KD (extended) at $66 million, Booker (on his supermax deal) around $57 million, and Beal making around $57 million, tying up around $180 million just on 3 players alone!!

Meaning, just to maintain our current roster, we'll still at the very least be a 2nd apron team again, with no picks, no elite young talent, no cap flexibility, and no future either as we treadmill as an 11th- 13th-seed lottery team over the next 2 to 3 years until KD retires and Beeal expires too!
So we'll likely finally enter our 10- 15 year rebuild in 27-28, after 2-3 more years of the same embarrassing seasonal collapses still being a league-wide punching bag treadmill lottery team giving up our picks to other teams and watching them get stronger at our expense as our franchise slowly decays into nothing. And we might begin to finally show progress around 2038 (if lucky)!!

This sounds like a completely reasonable and logical plan!

Pretty much
well stated GoK
The way to maximize the opportunity to get draft picks is to do it this summer - every year, those draft picks become less and less
Plus, being a second apron team - oh boy, signing a bunch of vet minimum free agents so Gambo can say "told you they were going to sign X player" while Flex is saying "the front office is playing 4d chess on the rest of the league"

Well Ainge pawned Ishbia's backside giving up three really late FRPs for an unprotected pick in 2031. So yes, you are not being hyperbolic about the time line of 10 years if they screw this up this summer