The Official 2025 Offseason Thread Part 1

[Ghost of Kleine]

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[Fo-Real]

KTAR sounds like they are preparing us for Jared Dudley.

[Revived]

Sources tell The Athletic that Ishbia and CEO Josh Bartelstein took more prominent roles in trade negotiations and team operations during the 24-25 season. Bartelstein's role with the Suns moving forward is yet to be determined.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280020/James-Jones-Future-With-Suns-Uncertain-Contract-Expires-In-June

Lol it wasn’t James Jones, it was Ishbia that’s been running basketball operations since he got ownership. Why isn’t anyone saying “fire Ishbia”?

[sunskerr]

We are actually in a worse position than the Mavericks all things considered. Idk how that's possible, but it's true.

[schnakenpopanz]

I thought the post nash years were bad, but never say never.
Going back to 2022-23 season when they traded for Durant that narrow window of success closed. and will be shut for a long long long time.
Being bad will no benefit the culture, you can not draft anything with hight value since you don't have your own picks and the cap space is not there.
so a negative feedback loop is existing, you will get worse and worse and the owner of your picks holds all the cards and leverage.

[garrick]

This could actually be a smart hire imo. Guy is very young (39) but he’s shown he can be a good teacher and leader for a young team which what the Suns will be when they start rebuilding.

Florida is in talks with him on an extension though so Suns would have to move fast if he’s a potential target.

I think it was some guy names ZONA on Twitter but the five names they had

Willie Green
Cassell
Quinn
Dudley
Royal Ivey - with Durant leaving, not sure this one makes sense

I liked those options -- my guys are still Dudley and Cassell

But to me, its the GM job...

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If you ask me it doesn't matter what coach we bring in because this is the second coach in a row that Booker and KD have tuned out and refused to respect. You can change the coach but our stars are set in their ways and unless we trade them and start with hungrier more coachable players you could hire Phil Jackson and still get the same losing results.

[bullsaficianado]

I wonder with the Bud firing if they plan on keeping KD and Booker and will try to get rid of Beal and hire Malone as head coach. Seems like a typical Ishbia thing to do.

[garrick]

I thought the post nash years were bad, but never say never.
Going back to 2022-23 season when they traded for Durant that narrow window of success closed. and will be shut for a long long long time.
Being bad will no benefit the culture, you can not draft anything with hight value since you don't have your own picks and the cap space is not there.
so a negative feedback loop is existing, you will get worse and worse and the owner of your picks holds all the cards and leverage.

We had a young and rising Booker back then so at least so we could always root for him during the losing years and be excited at him trying to become an all star but now with Book peaking it's very hard to root for him getting his numbers and not being able to lead the team to the playoffs

[dremill24]

Been workshopping KD trades, nothing really vaults you into contention obviously but maybe you can get some B-level building blocks. Im not too concerned with magically making the team 10x better with a KD deal, I dont think thats on the table. Im trying to get something that can be part of a decent team in a couple years. I've been obsessed with a Jabari Smith Jr/Kel'el Ware combo and its obviously a little optimistic but I dont think its totally out of the question.

Miami sends Robinson, Rozier, Ware, #11 for KD
One good but not great prospect and one good but not great pick seems like a reasonabe KD price. Hes old and not worth a giant package but hes still a monster scorer for a team that struggles to put the ball in the hole and could net a good but not exceptional package like this. Maybe its a bit rich and they only do Ware OR #11, but I dont think its that crazy. Not the direction I'd personally take for MIA but certainly seems in line with their mindset. As always, more maneuvering would follow.

Phoenix sends KD for Robinson, Rozier, Ware, Smith Jr
I just like the idea of taking a gamble on some big, versatile, athletic frontcourt players to be entrenched and playable in real games by about 2027. Ware could be a very good drop big with lots of offensive potential inside and out, just is far from a sure thing. Smith Jr has lower upside but is already an impact defender inside/out who can spread the floor. Would be cool to siphon off Robinson or Rozier to a team with space to cut salary but it might take attaching a 1st to do so, which may be worth it if being under the 2nd apron opens up something worth it. If Houston would take either Robinson or maybe Allen, they'd drop a good chunk of money and be below the 2nd apron with declining Micic/Martin. More maneuvering would obviously follow.

Houston sends Smith Jr for #11
Projecting a bit to a fairly specific but not unheard of thought process...Smith Jr could end up being an odd man out. They would probly prefer to package him for a star but they seem like they're being picky about which one (as they should). But with Thompson and Eason in tow while Smith Jr's minutes have been up/down and is up for a contract extension this summer, its plausible they want to kick the can to restart the contract timeline with a lottery rookie on a cheaper 4yr deal. Would also give them 2 lotto picks to potentially move up or something like that, might even need something already lined up to make the deal. I also think they could be into taking Robinson on his 1yr deal to get some shooting, they'd just have to add Landale to PHX. Could be they're just still higher on him than this, but contract negotiations will clarify it one way or the other.

[BobbieL]

Sources tell The Athletic that Ishbia and CEO Josh Bartelstein took more prominent roles in trade negotiations and team operations during the 24-25 season. Bartelstein's role with the Suns moving forward is yet to be determined.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280020/James-Jones-Future-With-Suns-Uncertain-Contract-Expires-In-June

Lol it wasn’t James Jones, it was Ishbia that’s been running basketball operations since he got ownership. Why isn’t anyone saying “fire Ishbia”?

I think we knew ishbia was the GM

[KdoubleDees23]

Best Trade for KD:

Houston : Jabari Smith Jr, FVV, Eason, our pick back.
Suns: KD

Gives Suns
Youth Potential (Jabari Smith JR)
Defense (Eason)
FVV. ( Veteran point guard leader)
Top 10 draft pick

[Revived]

Sources tell The Athletic that Ishbia and CEO Josh Bartelstein took more prominent roles in trade negotiations and team operations during the 24-25 season. Bartelstein's role with the Suns moving forward is yet to be determined.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/280020/James-Jones-Future-With-Suns-Uncertain-Contract-Expires-In-June

Lol it wasn’t James Jones, it was Ishbia that’s been running basketball operations since he got ownership. Why isn’t anyone saying “fire Ishbia”?

I think we knew ishbia was the GM

Not enough people do. There’s still people blaming James Jones. All he does is be a figure head. Probably gets paid handsomely for it (200-400k) but still.

[SkyBill40]

Todd Golden

One wildcard for the Suns to consider is Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden, who just won a national championship in the NCAA. Golden had a tremendously successful campaign in the men's college basketball season and could look to build on that by taking the next step to the NBA. Golden is originally from Phoenix, so his connection to Arizona could make him an especially intriguing candidate.

https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2025/04/14/mike-budenholzer-fired-steve-nash-phoenix-suns-next-head-coach-odds/83082714007/

This could actually be a smart hire imo. Guy is very young (39) but he’s shown he can be a good teacher and leader for a young team which what the Suns will be when they start rebuilding.

Florida is in talks with him on an extension though so Suns would have to move fast if he’s a potential target.

I think it was some guy names ZONA on Twitter but the five names they had

Willie Green
Cassell
Quinn
Dudley
Royal Ivey - with Durant leaving, not sure this one makes sense

I liked those options -- my guys are still Dudley and Cassell

But to me, its the GM job...

No way in hell Cassell should ever show his face here. I don't care what his coaching acumen might be now. And it's pretty blasphemous to even put his name in any talk about a Suns coaching spot.

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[Revived]

“I will tell you after the Heat dealt with the Suns, Ishbia is a nightmare,” Le Batard said. “The guy who owns the Suns trying to play General Manager is making a mess of things as the rich person in charge of everything and wants to run his team and is doing so poorly as an amateur rich guy with toys and doesn’t know that you don’t try and make a trade for Jimmy Butler and just ruin everything by informing your superstar who came to be with you through means that aren’t direct that he’s going to be traded like that’s a poison. You can’t have that and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Kevin Durant left after this season.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/suns-owner-mat-ishbia-was-nightmare-to-deal-with-according-to-heat-insider/ar-AA1yVwno

This was from few months ago but it really gives you insight into how Ishbia is viewed in NBA circles. Le Batard is very plugged in with Heat ownership, he’s like the Miami Heat’s Gambo except bit more accurate.

[Saberestar]

Budenholzer asked Beal about being our own Jrue Holiday and he felt disrespected for that. Beal doesn't have winning habits.

Gambo:

I know about this story it is true - Beal told Bud "Don't ever disrespect me like that. Don't ever tell me to play like another player"

You will not see him play for Phoenix again.

I am excited about the addition by subtraction. Beal out of the roster is gonna be huge IMO.

[SunsRback4Good]

Budenholzer asked Beal about being our own Jrue Holiday and he felt disrespected for that. Beal doesn't have winning habits.

Gambo:

I know about this story it is true - Beal told Bud "Don't ever disrespect me like that. Don't ever tell me to play like another player"

You will not see him play for Phoenix again.

I am excited about the addition by subtraction. Beal out of the roster is gonna be huge IMO.

[Puff]

Beal is the and has been our 2nd Biggest problem. He just seemed to go through the motions and never seemed part of the team. Bud was a bigger problem, and he is gone.

I truly think the next to go should be both Jones and Bartelstein - I do not know why we are paying both of those guys why not just pay one competent GM. What does Bartelstein do except for support Beal while kissing Ishbia's azz. Maybe we can get Bob Myers and tell Ish that it is now Bob Meyers team, just pay the bills.

After we hire our new GM, his first job is to find a way to get rid of Bradley Beal.

After that is done and we are hell bent on trading KD, Myers may want to keep him, make the best deal humanly possible.

I think we can make trade prior to the draft, can we? If so, try to make a deal with Houston for KD and our 2025 pick back.

Lots and lots of other things to do but these are just a start on fixing the outhouse we call the Phoenix Suns.

[Ghost of Kleine]

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[Ghost of Kleine]

We are actually in a worse position than the Mavericks all things considered. Idk how that's possible, but it's true.

It's the pick swaps, the lesser overall roster (overall quality depth pieces/ tradable assets) and cap situation tied to 3 players, while the Mavs only have two and a much more balanced and favorable payroll allowing for some flexibility, wherein we have none.

[thamadkant]

KTAR sounds like they are preparing us for Jared Dudley.

Dudley licking his lips.... 50 Million contract and he gets to coach and stress for 1 season then stay home and get cheques until 2028. Easy money.

No one is saving this team while they are paying Booker 50M, Beal 20M via being stretched and chump change from KD trade.

Suns ultimately traded CP3, Ayton, Mikal, Cam Johnson, 5 first rounders, 6 pick swaps for what ever KD will fetch.

Not to mention 50M to Vogel, 50M to Bud and about 10M to Monty.... over 100M ro coaches in the next few years.

Think of that for a second and try not to punch a hole in the wall.