The Official 2025 Offseason Thread Part 1

[Ghost of Kleine]

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[Ghost of Kleine]

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Thats pretty steep to expect Beal to take a pay cut of $34m - $17m per year

Hell, I thought $12m per year- or $24m was asking a lot

short term gain, longer term pain

Hang tough Bradley - hang tough!

Not to mention that people also forget to consider the 15.6 million trade kicker he has in his contract too! He'd be giving up that potential additional money if a buyout occurs. That additional 15.6 million to his proposed 17 -30 million he'd be asked to just give up as if nothing!

I agree that this would be very unlikely!

[lilfishi22]

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Thats pretty steep to expect Beal to take a pay cut of $34m - $17m per year

Hell, I thought $12m per year- or $24m was asking a lot

short term gain, longer term pain

Hang tough Bradley - hang tough!

Not to mention that people also forget to consider the 15.6 million trade kicker he has in his contract too! He'd be giving up that potential additional money if a buyout occurs. That additional 15.6 million to his proposed 17 -30 million he'd be asked to just give up as if nothing!

I agree that this would be very unlikely!

Kicker is spread across the years remaining in his contract so he's already been paid his pro-rata amount. He's not giving up an additional $15m in a buyout situation

[Ghost of Kleine]

Thats pretty steep to expect Beal to take a pay cut of $34m - $17m per year

Hell, I thought $12m per year- or $24m was asking a lot

short term gain, longer term pain

Hang tough Bradley - hang tough!

Not to mention that people also forget to consider the 15.6 million trade kicker he has in his contract too! He'd be giving up that potential additional money if a buyout occurs. That additional 15.6 million to his proposed 17 -30 million he'd be asked to just give up as if nothing!

I agree that this would be very unlikely!

Kicker is spread across the years remaining in his contract so he's already been paid his pro-rata amount. He's not giving up an additional $15m in a buyout situation

I'm sorry man! But that's actually not accurate.
Beal would lose his $15.6 million (trade kicker money) as it's contingent upon him getting it via a trade and not a buyout! But here is an explanation on that specific detail of his contract situation and buyout premise:

AI BREAKDOWN:

Yes, Bradley Beal would likely lose his $15.6 million trade kicker in a buyout scenario. A buyout, which is a mutual agreement between the player and the team to terminate the contract, would essentially result in Beal being released, which voids the trade kicker provision.

Also:

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/4/16/24407565/phoenix-suns-2025-offseason-bradley-beal-trade-waiver-buyout-ntc-financial-flexibility

Beal also has a 15% trade kicker (worth about $16.5 million) in his contract, which he would lose if he’s waived instead of traded, which could be a factor in any decision he makes on accepting a buyout.

Now most all NBA players prioritize securing their bag! Especially once on the wrong side of 30 yrs old too. And considering Beal's injury history/ durability issues, as well as his percieved value around the league.

I'd find it highly unlikely that he'd even remotely consider accepting a buyout and giving up that much money just to facilitate being dumped and then having to earn that money back on his next deal. And there's no guarantee that he'd even get another big contract after this one! So it makes no sense whatsoever for him to sacrifice any money he's already earned on his contract.

[lilfishi22]

Not to mention that people also forget to consider the 15.6 million trade kicker he has in his contract too! He'd be giving up that potential additional money if a buyout occurs. That additional 15.6 million to his proposed 17 -30 million he'd be asked to just give up as if nothing!

I agree that this would be very unlikely!

Kicker is spread across the years remaining in his contract so he's already been paid his pro-rata amount. He's not giving up an additional $15m in a buyout situation

I'm sorry man! But that's actually not accurate.
Beal would lose his $15.6 million (trade kicker money) as it's contingent upon him getting it via a trade and not a buyout! But here is an explanation on that specific detail of his contract situation and buyout premise:

AI BREAKDOWN:

Yes, Bradley Beal would likely lose his $15.6 million trade kicker in a buyout scenario. A buyout, which is a mutual agreement between the player and the team to terminate the contract, would essentially result in Beal being released, which voids the trade kicker provision.

Also:

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/4/16/24407565/phoenix-suns-2025-offseason-bradley-beal-trade-waiver-buyout-ntc-financial-flexibility

Beal also has a 15% trade kicker (worth about $16.5 million) in his contract, which he would lose if he’s waived instead of traded, which could be a factor in any decision he makes on accepting a buyout.

Now most all NBA players prioritize securing their bag! Especially once on the wrong side of 30 yrs old too. And considering Beal's injury history/ durability issues, as well as his percieved value around the league.

I'd find it highly unlikely that he'd even remotely consider accepting a buyout and giving up that much money just to facilitate being dumped and then having to earn that money back on his next deal. And there's no guarantee that he'd even get another big contract after this one! So it makes no sense whatsoever for him to sacrifice any money he's already earned on his contract.

1. The writer is wrong. The trade kicker is worth a lot less than $16.5m because regardless of what % the kicker is, his salary with the kicker cannot be over the league mandated maximum of 35%. Even if he was traded, he wouldn't gain the full $16m+ benefit of the trade kicker. Next season, his salary is projected to be 34.7% of the salary cap, so if he was traded, his kicker would amount to whatever can fit under 35%.

In essence, he has 0.3% of space this upcoming season under the maximum salary and 1.42% in the last season of his contract. That kicker would be valued at $460k + $2.41m = ~$2.9m. These trade kickers on supermax contracts (already at the league maximum 35%) is kind of notional. It's really in exceptional circumstances where the salary cap grows a massive amount, then those supermax guys could see some real value in the kicker.

2. I'm not 100% certain he even has the kicker anymore. According to spotrac: 15% Trade Bonus (voided via WAS-PHX trade). I don't know the full circumstances but there are 3 scenarios where it could be labelled void:
a) He chose to void it to get the deal done and thus he no longer has it, ie it's permanent as opposed to waived for that particular trade.
b) He chose to void it like he waived his NTC to get the deal done and but it's still in his contract
c) It's nullified/fulfilled now because he was effectively already maxed out on salary so it was "paid" out as part of that transaction

3. Assuming scenario B and he still has the kicker, it's worth under $3m - not anywhere close to the quoted figure

[Saberestar]

Jonathan Kuminga could be an interesting target in a S&T for Grayson Allen + pick. We know that we were (somewhat) interested in him at the deadline.

[BobbieL]

Jonathan Kuminga could be an interesting target in a S&T for Grayson Allen + pick. We know that we were (somewhat) interested in him at the deadline.

I am not against trading picks but the Suns really need to be pragmatic about trading picks

Watching the PHNX_SUNS webcast yesterday they were adding picks to O"Neale and Allen trades and it just doesn't make sense. Nobody they were trading for was worth adding even a 2nd round pick.

Its going to suck - but the Suns need to take a step back this summer, take a breathe and a vision and not this year by year thing chasing their tails

[Saberestar]

Jonathan Kuminga could be an interesting target in a S&T for Grayson Allen + pick. We know that we were (somewhat) interested in him at the deadline.

I am not against trading picks but the Suns really need to be pragmatic about trading picks

Watching the PHNX_SUNS webcast yesterday they were adding picks to O"Neale and Allen trades and it just doesn't make sense. Nobody they were trading for was worth adding even a 2nd round pick.

Its going to suck - but the Suns need to take a step back this summer, take a breathe and a vision and not this year by year thing chasing their tails

Well, obviously I would prefer to just trade Allen for Kuminga without any pick involved and for the answers that I got in the trade board picks would not be needed....so there is that.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Jonathan Kuminga could be an interesting target in a S&T for Grayson Allen + pick. We know that we were (somewhat) interested in him at the deadline.

I am not against trading picks but the Suns really need to be pragmatic about trading picks

Watching the PHNX_SUNS webcast yesterday they were adding picks to O"Neale and Allen trades and it just doesn't make sense. Nobody they were trading for was worth adding even a 2nd round pick.

Its going to suck - but the Suns need to take a step back this summer, take a breathe and a vision and not this year by year thing chasing their tails

Since losing won't help us next season (but winning is out of the question), these are the teams I'd like to emulate:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/2000.html
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/2014.html

Being .500 is fun when your roster's full of nobodies and the team is more than the sum of its parts. Watching all-stars flounder to the same record is dismal.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I don't understand how our FO managed not to understand the importance of offensive rebounding. A big part of the Warriors success was all those long rebounds that resulted from chucking threes going to smaller, energetic players who couldn't bang inside but could chase after loose balls.

The first things I look at on a box score are turnovers, offensive rebounds and 3FGs. More shots and better shots are and have always been the keys to winning.

KD, Book and Beal were never going to lead the league in hustle stats - just like Gary Payton II will never score a ton of points. But you need everything if you're going to win. You need balance.

Duh.

Sigh...

[BobbieL]

Jonathan Kuminga could be an interesting target in a S&T for Grayson Allen + pick. We know that we were (somewhat) interested in him at the deadline.

I am not against trading picks but the Suns really need to be pragmatic about trading picks

Watching the PHNX_SUNS webcast yesterday they were adding picks to O"Neale and Allen trades and it just doesn't make sense. Nobody they were trading for was worth adding even a 2nd round pick.

Its going to suck - but the Suns need to take a step back this summer, take a breathe and a vision and not this year by year thing chasing their tails

Since losing won't help us next season (but winning is out of the question), these are the teams I'd like to emulate:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/ORL/2000.html
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/2014.html

Being .500 is fun when your roster's full of nobodies and the team is more than the sum of its parts. Watching all-stars flounder to the same record is dismal.

I personally don't think Ishbia would want that. I think he would rather have the sizzle and flash of "bigger money" players over a grit and grind team. Even if game him two scenarios
Scenario 1: flashy team, big money player acquired in a Durant trade but still a lack of depth and 25% chance to win 41 games
Scenario 2: grit and grind team, building around Booker, good coach, dirt workers and 33% chance to win 41 games - I think he takes the former

[bwgood77]

I understand wanting to trade Booker but the hate he is getting after all these years is insane.

Yeah, he definitely doesn't deserve hate and is a great player who has fixed a lot of his weaknesses. I just feel trading him is really our only and best option if we want to have a chance at being relevant within the next 5-10 years, because he is our only player with solid trade value.

[bwgood77]

Some info by Gambo about the new HC:

Since Friday/Saturday Gregory has been doing zoom interviews with 14-15 candidates. Those interviews are taking about an hour asking about identity, accountability, defense, substitutions...

Gambo repeatedly said the Brian Gregory is making those zoom calls alone and is in charge of making the first cut of candidates.

Tomorrow he will probably have some names.

The blind leading the blind

Anybody with ties to Michigan State - thats the hire

This hire feels a lot like Trump hiring his real estate buddy Witkoff to negotiate with Putin.

[Sunsdeuce]

The blind leading the blind

Anybody with ties to Michigan State - thats the hire

This hire feels a lot like Trump hiring his real estate buddy Witkoff to negotiate with Putin.

I feel like whole Ishbia front office is the same as our current administration using unsecured methods of communication for top secret information. Bunch of unqualified clowns destroying everything they touch. This is the worst possible scenario. We are living in it!

[BobbieL]

Anybody with ties to Michigan State - thats the hire

This hire feels a lot like Trump hiring his real estate buddy Witkoff to negotiate with Putin.

I feel like whole Ishbia front office is the same as our current administration using unsecured methods of communication for top secret information. Bunch of unqualified clowns destroying everything they touch. This is the worst possible scenario. We are living in it!

Well, can only hope like a blind squirrel, Ish and Gregory are "aligned" to find that acorn.

[Calvin Klein]

I understand wanting to trade Booker but the hate he is getting after all these years is insane.

Yeah, he definitely doesn't deserve hate and is a great player who has fixed a lot of his weaknesses. I just feel trading him is really our only and best option if we want to have a chance at being relevant within the next 5-10 years, because he is our only player with solid trade value.

I agree, I just don't agree with all of those **** on him. And acting like he was not a top 4 MVP on the best RS we ever had and took us to the Finals (yeah, along with CP and the others). And while he of course melted down more than once in the playoffs, he's also had incredible games that these people completely ignore of course

[Ghost of Kleine]

Kicker is spread across the years remaining in his contract so he's already been paid his pro-rata amount. He's not giving up an additional $15m in a buyout situation

I'm sorry man! But that's actually not accurate.
Beal would lose his $15.6 million (trade kicker money) as it's contingent upon him getting it via a trade and not a buyout! But here is an explanation on that specific detail of his contract situation and buyout premise:

AI BREAKDOWN:

Yes, Bradley Beal would likely lose his $15.6 million trade kicker in a buyout scenario. A buyout, which is a mutual agreement between the player and the team to terminate the contract, would essentially result in Beal being released, which voids the trade kicker provision.

Also:

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/4/16/24407565/phoenix-suns-2025-offseason-bradley-beal-trade-waiver-buyout-ntc-financial-flexibility

Beal also has a 15% trade kicker (worth about $16.5 million) in his contract, which he would lose if he’s waived instead of traded, which could be a factor in any decision he makes on accepting a buyout.

Now most all NBA players prioritize securing their bag! Especially once on the wrong side of 30 yrs old too. And considering Beal's injury history/ durability issues, as well as his percieved value around the league.

I'd find it highly unlikely that he'd even remotely consider accepting a buyout and giving up that much money just to facilitate being dumped and then having to earn that money back on his next deal. And there's no guarantee that he'd even get another big contract after this one! So it makes no sense whatsoever for him to sacrifice any money he's already earned on his contract.

1. The writer is wrong. The trade kicker is worth a lot less than $16.5m because regardless of what % the kicker is, his salary with the kicker cannot be over the league mandated maximum of 35%. Even if he was traded, he wouldn't gain the full $16m+ benefit of the trade kicker. Next season, his salary is projected to be 34.7% of the salary cap, so if he was traded, his kicker would amount to whatever can fit under 35%.

In essence, he has 0.3% of space this upcoming season under the maximum salary and 1.42% in the last season of his contract. That kicker would be valued at $460k + $2.41m = ~$2.9m. These trade kickers on supermax contracts (already at the league maximum 35%) is kind of notional. It's really in exceptional circumstances where the salary cap grows a massive amount, then those supermax guys could see some real value in the kicker.

2. I'm not 100% certain he even has the kicker anymore. According to spotrac: 15% Trade Bonus (voided via WAS-PHX trade). I don't know the full circumstances but there are 3 scenarios where it could be labelled void:

a) He chose to void it to get the deal done and thus he no longer has it, ie it's permanent as opposed to waived for that particular trade.

b) He chose to void it like he waived his NTC to get the deal done and but it's still in his contract
c) It's nullified/fulfilled now because he was effectively already maxed out on salary so it was "paid" out as part of that transaction

3. Assuming scenario B and he still has the kicker, it's worth under $3m - not anywhere close to the quoted figure

Apparently, you're correct in that he gave up (voided) that up in his trade to Phoenix. What I referenced was in fact incorrect information. Upon further digging, here's what I came across that substantiates your first point:

Read on Twitter

So the mistake in the information I referenced was mine, and as you correctly pointed out, that wouldn't be a factor in this buyout scenario. I still don't think there's a good chance that he'd choose to agree to a buyout, but I suppose we'll have to see how it plays out.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

[BobbieL]

I'm sorry man! But that's actually not accurate.
Beal would lose his $15.6 million (trade kicker money) as it's contingent upon him getting it via a trade and not a buyout! But here is an explanation on that specific detail of his contract situation and buyout premise:

AI BREAKDOWN:



Also:

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2025/4/16/24407565/phoenix-suns-2025-offseason-bradley-beal-trade-waiver-buyout-ntc-financial-flexibility



Now most all NBA players prioritize securing their bag! Especially once on the wrong side of 30 yrs old too. And considering Beal's injury history/ durability issues, as well as his percieved value around the league.

I'd find it highly unlikely that he'd even remotely consider accepting a buyout and giving up that much money just to facilitate being dumped and then having to earn that money back on his next deal. And there's no guarantee that he'd even get another big contract after this one! So it makes no sense whatsoever for him to sacrifice any money he's already earned on his contract.

1. The writer is wrong. The trade kicker is worth a lot less than $16.5m because regardless of what % the kicker is, his salary with the kicker cannot be over the league mandated maximum of 35%. Even if he was traded, he wouldn't gain the full $16m+ benefit of the trade kicker. Next season, his salary is projected to be 34.7% of the salary cap, so if he was traded, his kicker would amount to whatever can fit under 35%.

In essence, he has 0.3% of space this upcoming season under the maximum salary and 1.42% in the last season of his contract. That kicker would be valued at $460k + $2.41m = ~$2.9m. These trade kickers on supermax contracts (already at the league maximum 35%) is kind of notional. It's really in exceptional circumstances where the salary cap grows a massive amount, then those supermax guys could see some real value in the kicker.

2. I'm not 100% certain he even has the kicker anymore. According to spotrac: 15% Trade Bonus (voided via WAS-PHX trade). I don't know the full circumstances but there are 3 scenarios where it could be labelled void:

a) He chose to void it to get the deal done and thus he no longer has it, ie it's permanent as opposed to waived for that particular trade.

b) He chose to void it like he waived his NTC to get the deal done and but it's still in his contract
c) It's nullified/fulfilled now because he was effectively already maxed out on salary so it was "paid" out as part of that transaction

3. Assuming scenario B and he still has the kicker, it's worth under $3m - not anywhere close to the quoted figure

Apparently, you're correct in that he gave up (voided) that up in his trade to Phoenix. What I referenced was in fact incorrect information. Upon further digging, here's what I came across that substantiates your first point:

Read on Twitter

So the mistake in the information I referenced was mine, and as you correctly pointed out, that wouldn't be a factor in this buyout scenario. I still don't think there's a good chance that he'd choose to agree to a buyout, but I suppose we'll have to see how it plays out.

I think he might agree to a buyout - but I doubt its $34m . Hence I think if Ishbia can get him in the $8-10m range per year - enough to help with some of the gap between apron levels - might be his best choice
Granted, I get why Ishbia wants to do the 5 year plan - it saves him the MOST money - salary cap be damned

[sunsbg]

I understand wanting to trade Booker but the hate he is getting after all these years is insane.

Yeah, he definitely doesn't deserve hate and is a great player who has fixed a lot of his weaknesses. I just feel trading him is really our only and best option if we want to have a chance at being relevant within the next 5-10 years, because he is our only player with solid trade value.

I agree, I just don't agree with all of those **** on him. And acting like he was not a top 4 MVP on the best RS we ever had and took us to the Finals (yeah, along with CP and the others). And while he of course melted down more than once in the playoffs, he's also had incredible games that these people completely ignore of course

It's not about hating Booker, it's about being realistic about him. Is there another example of a player who didn't make ASG and missed the playoffs in his prime on highest paid team in the league and is about to get paid like a superstar ? He just doesn't deserve it based on where he's as a player, both skill-wise and as a leader. As for being 4th in MVP, Monty and Jones were COY and EOY, so ... needs a good team around him and there is no indication Ishbia will be able to build it in the near future, wasting Booker's prime and not gaining any assets to improve in the future.