Durant to Houston

[CROBulls]

Beal as Bull? If AKME was looking to get rid of Zach and his contract to aquire Beal then he is even more dumber than I originally thought.

[sco]

Beal as Bull? If AKME was looking to get rid of Zach and his contract to aquire Beal then he is even more dumber than I originally thought.

Is he? He'd get a lottery first back taking Beal.

[jnrjr79]

Brad Beal has 2 years left on his deal. Are the Bulls realistically, under any practical scenario (ala not in AK's head, but in the real world) contenders next year or year after? Not a chance in hell.

So this lets you get the #10 in what is supposedly a strong draft. Grab a wing (KJ) or a big (Queen, Malauch, Sorber), grab the other at 12. Resigned Giddey, Matas, those 2. Then you can decide on Coby.

Basically the Bulls give up cap space, which is useful for them only in this exact manner, and spare parts from their perspective for the #10.

Assuming something like this is available, the only reason not to do it is if you think you can get a better set of assets in exchange for Vuc, Lonzo, Huerter. Maybe, but that seems pretty risky. The fact that you tie up cap with Beal is meaningless at worst, and if he rebounds under Billy and is flippable in the last year of his deal as a productive expiring contract could be useful (although hard to trade that level of salary even if he's a useful player).

Hilariously, I'm kind of liking this. It's probably still not worth it, but you'd get #10, make the Bulls worse next season and improve their draft pick, and maybe you could even get one of those crappy-ish future firsts that Phoenix has. You then buy out Beal and let him sign wherever to induce him to waive his NTC.

Again, it's probably not worth eliminating the possibility of doing something more meaningful (trade or signing) with the anticipated 2026 cap space/these expirings, but it's broadly in line with the "take on crappy contracts to acquire assets" thing that I wish the Bulls would be willing to do as a general matter.

[jnrjr79]

Beal as Bull? If AKME was looking to get rid of Zach and his contract to aquire Beal then he is even more dumber than I originally thought.

Beal would not be a Bull. He's not going to waive his NTC to come here (and the Bulls shouldn't want him, anyway). IMO, for this to work, you have to agree to buy him out so he can take a small contract with a contender.

[kodo]

There is zero smoke about the Suns giving up #10 to get rid of Beal, not even a random twitter from a random person.
So far all the news is whether the Suns will manage to trade Beal or buy him out. But in either case, they don't have to lose #10 to get rid of Beal.

All non-tax paying teams could give at least $14M for Beal, which lowers his $53M liability to $39M.
Or they could just keep him next season and assuming he picks up his PO he's now expiring.

[TheJordanRule]

I don't think the Suns would dump #10 just to get out from under Beal's relatively short contract. This is wishful thinking coming from the fact that if we were gonna get into the late lottery in any draft, this year's would be about the best outcome you could hope for. So many quality options. Not a snowball's chance in hell.

[burlydee]

I hear a lot of people praising tge Rockets for the trade, and on a certain level they had to do it, but...

I watch more Phoenix Suns basketball than any team besides the Bulls. I've seen KD in person numerous times in past year. He's still really good but he can't move and struggles against physical contact. One reason the Suns were so terrible down the stretch the last two seasons is that KD can't create anything beyond a pull up J. I don't think Houston is going to love the Durant experience. I don't think he can be the most important guy on a championship roster.

Depending on how the Suns build out the rest of the roster, would not be surprised if they weren't better. KDs sour demeanor kind of permeated everything.

[MrSparkle]

I hear a lot of people praising tge Rockets for the trade, and on a certain level they had to do it, but...

I watch more Phoenix Suns basketball than any team besides the Bulls. I've seen KD in person numerous times in past year. He's still really good but he can't move and struggles against physical contact. One reason the Suns were so terrible down the stretch the last two seasons is that KD can't create anything beyond a pull up J. I don't think Houston is going to love the Durant experience. I don't think he can be the most important guy on a championship roster.

Depending on how the Suns build out the rest of the roster, would not be surprised if they weren't better. KDs sour demeanor kind of permeated everything.

I kind of agree. They did send out their most replaceable/expensive players, which is the pro of the deal. They held Jabari, Reed, Eason, so either 1 of those guys needs to break out, or they can pursue another trade. IMO they still have enough to make a move for Giannis, if that opens up.

I'm also of the opinion that regardless of modern medicine and longer average player careers... there's just no example of a 36+ year old capable of being the #1 option on a championship team. Maybe Duncan, with a huge asterisk (Kawhi emerging as a superstar, the only guy who could slow down Lebron). Superstars make great role-players in their late 30s, but your 1-2 punch must be within its prime, barre anomalies (like Jordan and Lebron: 34 and 35 on their last rings, and they also had incredibly healthy careers... unlike Durant's brutal heel injury). I'm having a hard time imagining anybody topping Lebron's longevity and durability.

Getting out of $55M for those 2 expensive and divisive players has its advantages. There's a decent change Houston takes a step back; obviously in 2Y. I think the ethos pendulum is swinging too hard on Brooks and Green. Annoying, flawed, overpaid... sure... But Jalen just turned 22, played his first playoff series against a veteran Warriors squad. His playoff numbers weren't great, but his on/off was very good. If Suns pick the right guy at #10 and improve, this deal has all sorts of potential to blow up in Houston's face.

OTOH, Durant is a former superstar with 3P range and unreal length. It's on the young Rockets players to improve to make him a 3rd option. If KD has to work hard and be the top scorer, that'll be the first sign of the trade being a mistake.

[MGB8]

I hear a lot of people praising tge Rockets for the trade, and on a certain level they had to do it, but...

I watch more Phoenix Suns basketball than any team besides the Bulls. I've seen KD in person numerous times in past year. He's still really good but he can't move and struggles against physical contact. One reason the Suns were so terrible down the stretch the last two seasons is that KD can't create anything beyond a pull up J. I don't think Houston is going to love the Durant experience. I don't think he can be the most important guy on a championship roster.

Depending on how the Suns build out the rest of the roster, would not be surprised if they weren't better. KDs sour demeanor kind of permeated everything.

The key will be if Udoka and FVV force Durant to play within the team’s concept- where he will primarily be a finisher or bailout guy (not an initiator) - or not. If not, Durant will be subtraction by addition. But he fits nicely into the Jabari Smith offensive role, but better. He just has to accept it.