The Official 2025 Offseason Thread #4 Free Agency Opens!

[BobbieL]

You’ve come a long ways with your stretchology understanding Bobbie. it’s about time.

I don’t think the Beal bailing is a toxic situation. Communication has likely been there considering the family ties (agent/Exec). It’s just business. Beal is gauging his offers which may not have been as plentiful as anticipated. He will play somewhere this season… just not in Phnx.

I’m buying into Big’s payroll theory.

I may be slow
but I'm not fast

So 53 becomes basically $39.5
next year is $57
total still owed Beal 96.5
subtract 13.9
82.6
divide by 5 = 16.5 that is stretched
this year would be 13.5 + 16.5 == so 30 this year and 16.5 the next five years - unless

he gets paid 13.9 now to get to the magic number
and the rest is than stretched so beal gets his entire $110m
but the stretch numbers are 19.5 becasue he got the 13.9m up front

that would be genius on Beals part if he got all 110m

[dremill24]

His cap figure is what it is no matter the schedule of it getting paid out. That's what you're stretching.

[KdoubleDees23]

Beal sucked for this Org - was empty stats in Washington. Career loser. Robbed the NBA of millions! Worst trade in the history of the Suns.

[sunsbum]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.
I’m not saying Beal is chopped liver but I don’t think he’s that 30ppg scorer like he thinks he is.

[sunsbg]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

[TeamTragic]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

How many finals appearances for Bradley Beal? Maybe you don't think this is important.

How many superstars want to play with Beal? Both CP3 and KD joined Booker in Phoenix.

Who just got a 70M contract extension? Ishbia could have just traded Booker like he did with KD.

[sunsbg]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

How many finals appearances for Bradley Beal? Maybe you don't think this is important.

How many superstars want to play with Beal? Both CP3 and KD joined Booker in Phoenix.

Who just got a 70M contract extension? Ishbia could have just traded Booker like he did with KD.

Put Bradley Beal at Booker's age on that Suns team and I don't see much of a difference honestly. Beal is not a less talented player or a worse team leader, just broken down player. Hopefully Booker turns out to be much more durable, despite not being a great athlete and already shown hamstring issues in the past, to somewhat earn the contract.

[sunsbum]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

pippen is a career loser w/o Jordan, Klay Thompson w/o Steph blah blah blah

[sunsbg]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

pippen is a career loser w/o Jordan, Klay Thompson w/o Steph blah blah blah

Pippen led a team to the playoffs, won ASG MVP, etc. without Jordan, so I'm not so sure.

[BobbieL]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.
I’m not saying Beal is chopped liver but I don’t think he’s that 30ppg scorer like he thinks he is.

I have never once blamed Booker for taking the money -- more power to him

I blame the decision by Ishbia to extend him. Granted, it does make sense to extend him in the context that if there is a trade market in the future years, he is signed already and won 't be a pending free agent.

[TeamTragic]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

pippen is a career loser w/o Jordan, Klay Thompson w/o Steph blah blah blah

Disagree. Thompson just pulled Megan Thee Stallion.

[Sunsdeuce]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.
I’m not saying Beal is chopped liver but I don’t think he’s that 30ppg scorer like he thinks he is.

I have never once blamed Booker for taking the money -- more power to him

I blame the decision by Ishbia to extend him. Granted, it does make sense to extend him in the context that if there is a trade market in the future years, he is signed already and won 't be a pending free agent.

You have defended Booker and his money. Multiple times so no one can say you haven’t. So I have your back on that.

Here’s my point, Booker is the very definition of empty stats and sucking an organization dry. He has a career record of around .500 and the only winning he saw was when this team has CP, Bridges, and Ayton together who carried Bookers career. But to the people who say Booker, “Earned” his money are just lying to them selves. As pointed out before, there is no statistical measure that Booker has produced that supports him being a top 10 paid player. He’s never been top 15 player in any statistical measure (WINS, VORP, PPG, ASTs, RBs, efficiency, +\-). It’s been on record the Ishbia gets Bookers sign off on almost all traded by Ishbia himself including trading for Beal. So all you Beal haters and Booker boot lickers have only yourself to blame.

If anything, Booker is the one most responsible dragging this team down. The same people sh&$ting on Beal are the same people praising Booker who has done EVERYTHING the exact same as Beal (statistical on the court, FDT, Behavior on and off the court, and failure to carry a team to wins). Some people need to stop and smell what they are shoveling while they point fingers at people! “Do as I say, NOT as I do” from Booker fans is sad!

Personally I didn’t love, hate, admire, despise or any other feeling/emotion towards Beal. My issue is he was a clone of Booker and KD, play wise/court style and it was a stupid roster construction from the start. He didn’t make the trade happen. The owner did. So I’m not gonna sh$& on someone who didn’t make the trade or is responsible for the roster construction. Blame the man in charge who made it all happen.

[Djedefre]

We have the data. I don't see how it's up for debate if Booker is a career loser as a leader. He just is. Marginally better player than prime Beal and both very far from that top15 discussion.

If you are trying to build something and look as an even remotely serious organization, you simply do not hand that kinda contract to a player like him. Objectively it's a bad and stupid move. You can try to sugarcoat it, lie to yourself, be in denial, but it won't change the fact that there's probably no other owner or GM in this league willing to do the same. Ok, maybe Nico, but i'm still pretty sure he is not an idiot, and there is foul play behind that Doncic trade that time will reveal.

[BobbieL]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.
I’m not saying Beal is chopped liver but I don’t think he’s that 30ppg scorer like he thinks he is.

I have never once blamed Booker for taking the money -- more power to him

I blame the decision by Ishbia to extend him. Granted, it does make sense to extend him in the context that if there is a trade market in the future years, he is signed already and won 't be a pending free agent.

You have defended Booker and his money. Multiple times so no one can say you haven’t. So I have your back on that.

Here’s my point, Booker is the very definition of empty stats and sucking an organization dry. He has a career record of around .500 and the only winning he saw was when this team has CP, Bridges, and Ayton together who carried Bookers career. But to the people who say Booker, “Earned” his money are just lying to them selves. As pointed out before, there is no statistical measure that Booker has produced that supports him being a top 10 paid player. He’s never been top 15 player in any statistical measure (WINS, VORP, PPG, ASTs, RBs, efficiency, +\-). It’s been on record the Ishbia gets Bookers sign off on almost all traded by Ishbia himself including trading for Beal. So all you Beal haters and Booker boot lickers have only yourself to blame.

If anything, Booker is the one most responsible dragging this team down. The same people sh&$ting on Beal are the same people praising Booker who has done EVERYTHING the exact same as Beal (statistical on the court, FDT, Behavior on and off the court, and failure to carry a team to wins). Some people need to stop and smell what they are shoveling while they point fingers at people! “Do as I say, NOT as I do” from Booker fans is sad!

Personally I didn’t love, hate, admire, despise or any other feeling/emotion towards Beal. My issue is he was a clone of Booker and KD, play wise/court style and it was a stupid roster construction from the start. He didn’t make the trade happen. The owner did. So I’m not gonna sh$& on someone who didn’t make the trade or is responsible for the roster construction. Blame the man in charge who made it all happen.

Thanks

And yes, if Ishbia had trade for Dame Lillard with the Paul contract for instance - at least the player wasn't duplicative. But with the new CBA combined with the duplicative natuire of the three players - made no sense. And now Ishbia is back into a corner with the Beal buyout - which he could have avoided

[phnart]

And now Ishbia is back into a corner with the Beal buyout - which he could have avoided

The worst part, at least for me, is that there is very little evidence that they are learning anything from their mistakes. While they may very well be more entertaining next year, the utter dumbassery that this team seems to want to champion makes it hard for me to care.

[KdoubleDees23]

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

pippen is a career loser w/o Jordan, Klay Thompson w/o Steph blah blah blah

Disagree. Thompson just pulled Megan Thee Stallion.

So a big fat round women who has 5 million miles on her. That wont last long

[lilfishi22]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

That's like saying Lebron without Kyrie, Love, Bosh, Wade and AD is a career loser because he couldn't get it done without them.

[lilfishi22]

Honestly there's zero reason to engage with Phoenix Suns fans who is convinced Book is a career loser. More or less like trying to convince the 1-2 DA fans that he isn't a different situation away from unleashing Dominayton

[sunsbum]

Kevin Durant can’t even win on his own, this is hardly a Booker problem. When he was supported with a good team he performed well. It’s nice watching Booker live rent free (paid by Ishbia) in some of your heads. I look forward to the weeping and nashing of teeth for the next 5 years.

[sunsbg]

Weird to see ppl hate on Booker for a contract he’s earned and then turn around and stick up for Beal in the same breath. I get the logistics of it but there’s no denying Beal is and was a terrible fit for this team. Asking someone to take on a role like another player because “gee we don’t need 3 Devin bookers on this team” isn’t that bad of a request. I guess it’s kinda like what demar carrol said twords the end of his career. “Every nba player still thinks they got it” even when they are run down.

How? Remove CP3 and Dominayton and he's a career loser just like Beal.

That's like saying Lebron without Kyrie, Love, Bosh, Wade and AD is a career loser because he couldn't get it done without them.

Nope. Lebron with KD is not missing the playoffs.