The Official 2025 Offseason Thread Part 1

[Saberestar]

Tonight's game is gonna be FUN.

I don't remember waiting to a Game 7 without the Suns as much as I am looking forward to tonight's Rockets-GSW.

DEN LAC was a bit disappointing so hopefully this one is better. The youngins vs the oldies. Probably GSW experience will prevail, let's see.

Home teams usually wins Game 7, so with no injuries and coming back from 3-1 I would say that Rockets are the favorites.

With the way the refs are calling games and much more physicality is allowed in RS and even more in the playoffs teams with two bigs playing a good amount of minutes together.

3-4 years ago no one would have expected Randle+Gobert, Holgrem+Hartenstein, Sengun+Adams or Mobley+Allen being successful starting frontcourts.

The rules change everything and we need to adapt our roster to that rules. But we need to know if the league wants to keep it this way or they are gonna stop the high physicality next year.

[Sunsdeuce]

Tonight's game is gonna be FUN.

I don't remember waiting to a Game 7 without the Suns as much as I am looking forward to tonight's Rockets-GSW.

DEN LAC was a bit disappointing so hopefully this one is better. The youngins vs the oldies. Probably GSW experience will prevail, let's see.

Home teams usually wins Game 7, so with no injuries and coming back from 3-1 I would say that Rockets are the favorites.

With the way the refs are calling games and much more physicality is allowed in RS and even more in the playoffs teams with two bigs playing a good amount of minutes together.

3-4 years ago no one would have expected Randle+Gobert, Holgrem+Hartenstein, Sengun+Adams or Mobley+Allen being successful starting frontcourts.

The rules change everything and we need to adapt our roster to that rules. But we need to know if the league wants to keep it this way or they are gonna stop the high physicality next year.

GS OG players aren’t exactly on unfamiliar ground choking in the playoffs. If GS loses, you can add this to another choke job by Curry and Mr. Draymond “Most overrated NBA player of all time” Green.

[sunsbg]

Tonight's game is gonna be FUN.

I don't remember waiting to a Game 7 without the Suns as much as I am looking forward to tonight's Rockets-GSW.

DEN LAC was a bit disappointing so hopefully this one is better. The youngins vs the oldies. Probably GSW experience will prevail, let's see.

Home teams usually wins Game 7, so with no injuries and coming back from 3-1 I would say that Rockets are the favorites.

With the way the refs are calling games and much more physicality is allowed in RS and even more in the playoffs teams with two bigs playing a good amount of minutes together.

3-4 years ago no one would have expected Randle+Gobert, Holgrem+Hartenstein, Sengun+Adams or Mobley+Allen being successful starting frontcourts.

The rules change everything and we need to adapt our roster to that rules. But we need to know if the league wants to keep it this way or they are gonna stop the high physicality next year.

The league had become so soft it's more about going back to normal physicality so they better keep it. Watching no D, no intensity games is boring.

[Saberestar]

By Robbie Poulain.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Good for us and a potential KD trade this summer?

[Slim Charless]

Good for us and a potential KD trade this summer?

I think Dubs winning today and somehow Denver upsetting OKC would make the perfect storm for a KD haul.....unfortunetly not sure either of those will happen. Did not like the way they played in the last game, hopefully Jimmy, Draymond and Step remember that they are the vets here vs a team of kids and play accordingly.

[Saberestar]

Good for us and a potential KD trade this summer?

I think Dubs winning today and somehow Denver upsetting OKC would make the perfect storm for a KD haul.....unfortunetly not sure either of those will happen. Did not like the way they played in the last game, hopefully Jimmy, Draymond and Step remember that they are the vets here vs a team of kids and play accordingly.

But the Rockets aren't a "team of kids".

FVV is 31 and he has been in all type of playoff wars. Adams is 31 with tons of experience too.
Dillon Brooks is 29 and you know him.

Aaron Holiday is in the rotation for the last two wins and he is 28.

And Udoka as a HC who isn't a rookie coach at all.

Sengun is their best player and he is really young and obviously there are other youngsters on the rotation but they aren't a super young team without experience.

[Bogyo]

Good for us and a potential KD trade this summer?

I think Dubs winning today and somehow Denver upsetting OKC would make the perfect storm for a KD haul.....unfortunetly not sure either of those will happen. Did not like the way they played in the last game, hopefully Jimmy, Draymond and Step remember that they are the vets here vs a team of kids and play accordingly.

I think its best if everyone stops dreaming about any KD "haul"... if we only had our old GM who lost every trade he was involved in it would be better than having a fully new and incompetent one who is only a yes man to the fully incompetent owner. Furthermore any and every GM knows by now that KD is not all that as he proved it here (and BKN). So no haul, not by a longshot, no matter who does what in the playoffs. Just putting it out there, so there is no dissapointment later.

[Puff]

I can't wait for the meltdown when Gregory hires Tom Izzo as our new head coach. This is while Gregory/Ish decides to keep the Big Three in place.

It will be epic.

[Saberestar]

The Phoenix Suns have widely been expected to hire a first-time head coach to replace Mike Budenholzer. Phoenix has cast a wide net, which includes several assistant coaches still working in the NBA playoffs.

New Suns general manager Brian Gregory may also bring in a coach with some experience as well. New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego and Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Dave Joerger have emerged as candidates for the role, as well.

Borrego was the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets for four seasons from 2018 to 2022. He was also the interim head coach of the Orlando Magic in 2015.

Joerger was the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies for three seasons from 2013 to 2016. He was then the head coach of the Sacramento Kings for three seasons from 2016 to 2019.

Borrego and Joerger as candidates are interesting names, but I would prefer Royal Ivey.

[lilfishi22]

Maybe he wasn't, maybe he was? But at least I've offered evidence of support for my position. Do you have anything at all apart from personal opinion that even mentions or supports the premise that he wasn't a key decision maker in those sub par/ detrimental decisions?

Also, going off what we know of Jones during his tenure here and his proclivities in trades and overall value assessments, and his aversion to the draft in general over free agents and other vets, what would really be your counter position? We can both argue from a logical fallacy position. And continue to go back and forth on differing perspectives.

But I've at least furnished evidence of inside information establishing pattern of outcome and correlative substantiative factors towards my position. But even if your counter would be that Jones wasn't/ isn't a key decision maker in those processes and outcomes man,


Then that would then only further substantiate that he's a "Yes man" in his role, and as a byproduct would obviously invalidate the overall credibility of his even being in that title position in the first place. Because if that's the case, then he's only a faux GM and a puppet representative of the position. Which really kind of tracts with our outcome over the past number of seasons up till currently.

I used the same evidence you put forward

I cited actual articles with quotes from what Jones said himself, tweets from NBA sources, and cedentialed Phoenix media and also front office sources, etc.

Basically repeating much of the same perspectives that I offered man. I apologize if I've somehow missed the articles and/ or tweets from Phoenix suns sources that echo your position. But I honestly don't remember you citing anything your own perspectives.

It's fine to disagree on how we each might view Jones' overall legitimacy as a GM. But apparently the Suns front office are clearly sharing a similar perspective on Jones to what I've offered by his being replaced and demoted to senior advisor with Gregory replacing him as GM. And I wouldn't at all be surprised if he's just quietly phased out and his contract not renewed this June either.

Puzzling because if he was such a good GM and even average in role, you'd think they would choose to keep him. But I guess we'll see how things play out over the next month or two.

He was Executive of the Year. But no GM has absolute tenure. Many just wear out their welcome after a few years of disappointment.

[lilfishi22]

Not sure if posted yet, but thoughts? I doubt we'd get one of Utah's own picks, but probably one they got from Mnny in the Gobert trade.

Yeah I don't want Lauri. I want half of what Utah got in this scenario

[lilfishi22]

This was the model of a Bobby Pincus trade a couple weeks ago and my thoughts at the time, and I think I responded to him on Twitter was something like "except for Ishbia probably liking the flash of Markkanen, I would skip Utah and take the Rockets part." He didn't seem to disagree

Markkanen is signed through 2029 and if you extend Booker - your team is Markkanen and Booker taking up $110-120m alone... not enough flexibility plus he is not the needle mover that the value of that contract shows.

Get the young players, get the picks and move forward

Yeah, I thought the same, that I'd rather take the Houston package, but if we are keeping Book, I think it would be more likely we'd accept the Utah package. Not that I think we'd be very good, but for KD I still think it's a nice package and then when Book finally decides he wants to move on and stop fighting for the play in, we could deal Markkanen as well.

there is no doubt in my mind Ishbia would take "style" over substance. meaning Houston could even add another FRP and I doubt Ishbia takes it

granted, if Gregory is good at player development - one would hope that the suns kind of get back to that type of rebuild

makes the GM signing a bit odd. Certainly zero flash so is there substance?

[ChuckS]

... Furthermore any and every GM knows by now that KD is not all that as he proved it here (and BKN). So no haul, not by a longshot, no matter who does what in the playoffs. Just putting it out there, so there is no dissapointment later.

I only agree with the part about the potential "haul" in any trade. But I think that is only because of his age and probability of not re-signing if he believes it will decimate his new team.

Actually, his shooting efficiency has been higher with Brooklyn and Phoenix than it was with his good teams, GS and OKC. "BBall Ref". lists him averaging 29PPG with Brooklyn, 27.4 with OKC, 26.8 with the Suns, and 25.8 with GS. In playoff games he was 32.3PPG with Brooklyn, 29.6 with GS, 28.8 with OKC, and 28.4 with the Suns. Certainly one can assume a drop at his age, but it has not yet been evidenced. For perspective, "Land of Basketball.com" lists him as number one in Suns history for PPG in seasons and playoffs.

He has proven to be consistently exceptional IMO. I think we should not equate his value with team performance. I have less of a problem with those guessing at his longevity however.

[BobbieL]

Not sure if posted yet, but thoughts? I doubt we'd get one of Utah's own picks, but probably one they got from Mnny in the Gobert trade.

Yeah I don't want Lauri. I want half of what Utah got in this scenario

Half? Why not all of it

[lilfishi22]

Not sure if posted yet, but thoughts? I doubt we'd get one of Utah's own picks, but probably one they got from Mnny in the Gobert trade.

Yeah I don't want Lauri. I want half of what Utah got in this scenario

Half? Why not all of it

Because the haul includes the value of Lauri.

[dremill24]

Yeah I don't want Lauri. I want half of what Utah got in this scenario

Half? Why not all of it

Because the haul includes the value of Lauri.

?? Why would you say Houston is paying for Lauri if they're not getting him?

[lilfishi22]

Half? Why not all of it

Because the haul includes the value of Lauri.

?? Why would you say Houston is paying for Lauri if they're not getting him?

I should've been more clear but I'm saying in this proposed scenario, the value of Lauri appears to somehow be baked into the package Utah is getting as some sort of multiplier because I don't think Lauri is worth close to that package nor do I think Rockets would give up that much for their KD or Lauri.

Ultimately I don't really want Lauri and I'd rather trade straight up with Houston and get what they have which realistically is probably half the haul Utah proposed in this scenario.

[BobbieL]

Because the haul includes the value of Lauri.

?? Why would you say Houston is paying for Lauri if they're not getting him?

I should've been more clear but I'm saying in this proposed scenario, the value of Lauri appears to somehow be baked into the package Utah is getting as some sort of multiplier because I don't think Lauri is worth close to that package nor do I think Rockets would give up that much for their KD or Lauri.

Ultimately I don't really want Lauri and I'd rather trade straight up with Houston and get what they have which realistically is probably half the haul Utah proposed in this scenario.

Fair enough

But ishbia would take the “name” though I think what Houston would send makes the team deeper and better.

[KdoubleDees23]

Not sure if posted yet, but thoughts? I doubt we'd get one of Utah's own picks, but probably one they got from Mnny in the Gobert trade.

Yeah I don't want Lauri. I want half of what Utah got in this scenario

Give me Lauri, Whitmore or Eason, and 1st. For KD. I would take that