The Official 2025 Offseason Thread #4 Free Agency Opens!

[Saberestar]

What do you think is the ceiling of Maluach ? He certainly didn't show in college or SL being worth more than unprotected pick from projected top 5-6 worst team, much less another pick added. I don't see him as more than high role player, fringe star unfortunately. With how **** up this franchise's future is with Ishbia's suicide moves gambling again on a top pick in supposedly deep draft wouldn't been too bad. I had a look at comparisons for projected '26 top two picks, one is Tracy McGradey and the other - Devin Booker. Our FO would've picked a Booker clone in a heart beat lol.

High ceiling for sure. Look at the tools:

A mobile 7'2, 253 lbs with high motor, good shooting for a C , coachable, fast learner and hard worker.

We are talking about a 18/19 yo who played great his role in his freshman season at Duke.

He was highly expected to be drafted somewhere from #6 to #9, but we were lucky to have him available at #10.

He was OK in Summer League. He showed good things but he is developing yet.

Most of the rookies did about the same. How Demin played? How Murray-Boyles played? Those two were selected before him.

Yeah, all three were OK but not impressive on the court but got experience and it was a nice first experience as a pros. They knew some coaches, sets...it was a good experience.

Coward (#11) couldn't even play because he was injured. That's much worse than not being super impressive as a rookie in Summer League.

Still do you see anything like franchise player out of him you can potentially get from unprotected pick ? If unlucky I'm sure there would be some other lottery talent next draft who'll get you excited even with subpar SL play.

Franchise player...who knows? Who knew that Nash could be a franchise player before his rookie season?

IDK if we could get "some other lottery talent" next year. The Pelicans will not tank and they have a pretty solid roster. Injuries were their biggest problem last year.

What I know for sure is that Maluach will be an exciting rookie to watch for me.

[Saberestar]

.

Gobert came to mind right away and then Joakim Noah.

Ben Wallace (5.8 min) , Isaiah Hartenstein (7.9 min) , DeAndre Jordan (14.5), Clint Capella (7.5) Jermaine O'Neal (10.2)...

There's a pretty long list to pick from tbh

And that's not counting guys who only got minutes because they were high draft picks on crappy teams like Tyson Chandler, but didn't come into their own until they were a few years in the league.

There’s a long list of top 15 selected centers selected who played 7 minutes or less a game?
Ben Wallace: was not drafted
Isaiah Hartsensein: 43rd pick
Deandre Jordan: 35th pick
Clint Capella: 25th pick
Jermaine O’Neal: 17th pick (17 years old)

Tyson Chandler: 2nd overall pick, played 20 minutes a game his rookie year and contributed to the team right away.

Let me repeat for reading impaired. It’s ok to take projects (centers) late in the first round or anywhere in the 2nd round. BUT LOTTERY picks should be able to play in an impactful way their rookie year and be able to contribute 15-20 minutes as minimum. I have yet to see someone give me an example of a top 15 selected center who didn’t play or who didn’t have impactful minutes contributed to the team that was selected them in the top 15.

You are anticipating that he will not play next year but I think he will play close to 20 mpg as our backup C.

And answering your question a couple names came to my mind... Steven Adams and Jacob Poetl.

Yeah, they aren't All-Stars but they have been good starting Cs for years and years. Poeltl in particular is a great two-way C that I like as core piece in a contender.

You have there 2 examples of rookie Cs who didn’t play in his rookie season. Poetl was #9 and Adams #12.

[NapoleonII]

.

Gobert came to mind right away and then Joakim Noah.

Ben Wallace (5.8 min) , Isaiah Hartenstein (7.9 min) , DeAndre Jordan (14.5), Clint Capella (7.5) Jermaine O'Neal (10.2)...

There's a pretty long list to pick from tbh

And that's not counting guys who only got minutes because they were high draft picks on crappy teams like Tyson Chandler, but didn't come into their own until they were a few years in the league.

There’s a long list of top 15 selected centers selected who played 7 minutes or less a game?
Ben Wallace: was not drafted
Isaiah Hartsensein: 43rd pick
Deandre Jordan: 35th pick
Clint Capella: 25th pick
Jermaine O’Neal: 17th pick (17 years old)

Tyson Chandler: 2nd overall pick, played 20 minutes a game his rookie year and contributed to the team right away.

Let me repeat for reading impaired. It’s ok to take projects (centers) late in the first round or anywhere in the 2nd round. BUT LOTTERY picks should be able to play in an impactful way their rookie year and be able to contribute 15-20 minutes as minimum. I have yet to see someone give me an example of a top 15 selected center who didn’t play or who didn’t have impactful minutes contributed to the team that was selected them in the top 15.

you're reaching, and to make what point exactly?

And I've already given you examples to your pretty arbitrary goalposts.

Bam (drafted 14th)
Sabonis (drafted 11th)

Took both of them at least 1-2 years to put it all together, and both of them were older than the guy we drafted at #10

[Sunsdeuce]

Ben Wallace (5.8 min) , Isaiah Hartenstein (7.9 min) , DeAndre Jordan (14.5), Clint Capella (7.5) Jermaine O'Neal (10.2)...

There's a pretty long list to pick from tbh

And that's not counting guys who only got minutes because they were high draft picks on crappy teams like Tyson Chandler, but didn't come into their own until they were a few years in the league.

There’s a long list of top 15 selected centers selected who played 7 minutes or less a game?
Ben Wallace: was not drafted
Isaiah Hartsensein: 43rd pick
Deandre Jordan: 35th pick
Clint Capella: 25th pick
Jermaine O’Neal: 17th pick (17 years old)

Tyson Chandler: 2nd overall pick, played 20 minutes a game his rookie year and contributed to the team right away.

Let me repeat for reading impaired. It’s ok to take projects (centers) late in the first round or anywhere in the 2nd round. BUT LOTTERY picks should be able to play in an impactful way their rookie year and be able to contribute 15-20 minutes as minimum. I have yet to see someone give me an example of a top 15 selected center who didn’t play or who didn’t have impactful minutes contributed to the team that was selected them in the top 15.

you're reaching, and to make what point exactly?

And I've already given you examples to your pretty arbitrary goalposts.

Bam (drafted 14th)
Sabonis (drafted 11th)

Took both of them at least 1-2 years to put it all together, and both of them were older than the guy we drafted at #10

How many minutes per game did Bam and Sabonis play the first season? Was it in the 15-20 minute range?

Maluach better be capable of playing 15-20 minutes a game!

[KdoubleDees23]

There’s a long list of top 15 selected centers selected who played 7 minutes or less a game?
Ben Wallace: was not drafted
Isaiah Hartsensein: 43rd pick
Deandre Jordan: 35th pick
Clint Capella: 25th pick
Jermaine O’Neal: 17th pick (17 years old)

Tyson Chandler: 2nd overall pick, played 20 minutes a game his rookie year and contributed to the team right away.

Let me repeat for reading impaired. It’s ok to take projects (centers) late in the first round or anywhere in the 2nd round. BUT LOTTERY picks should be able to play in an impactful way their rookie year and be able to contribute 15-20 minutes as minimum. I have yet to see someone give me an example of a top 15 selected center who didn’t play or who didn’t have impactful minutes contributed to the team that was selected them in the top 15.

you're reaching, and to make what point exactly?

And I've already given you examples to your pretty arbitrary goalposts.

Bam (drafted 14th)
Sabonis (drafted 11th)

Took both of them at least 1-2 years to put it all together, and both of them were older than the guy we drafted at #10

How many minutes per game did Bam and Sabonis play the first season? Was it in the 15-20 minute range?

Maluach better be capable of playing 15-20 minutes a game!

Yall really arguing with each other in regards to our rookies. lol. Let them play. Give them a year.

If they suck in 1 year or 2 year, then talk crap. Cheer them on for now and have high hopes.

[lilfishi22]

Read on Twitter

I would've taken it. I was looking more at OKC and Sorber but this deal would've been better.

[Mr Puddles]

.

Gobert came to mind right away and then Joakim Noah.

Ben Wallace (5.8 min) , Isaiah Hartenstein (7.9 min) , DeAndre Jordan (14.5), Clint Capella (7.5) Jermaine O'Neal (10.2)...

There's a pretty long list to pick from tbh

And that's not counting guys who only got minutes because they were high draft picks on crappy teams like Tyson Chandler, but didn't come into their own until they were a few years in the league.

There’s a long list of top 15 selected centers selected who played 7 minutes or less a game?
Ben Wallace: was not drafted
Isaiah Hartsensein: 43rd pick
Deandre Jordan: 35th pick
Clint Capella: 25th pick
Jermaine O’Neal: 17th pick (17 years old)

Tyson Chandler: 2nd overall pick, played 20 minutes a game his rookie year and contributed to the team right away.

Let me repeat for reading impaired. It’s ok to take projects (centers) late in the first round or anywhere in the 2nd round. BUT LOTTERY picks should be able to play in an impactful way their rookie year and be able to contribute 15-20 minutes as minimum. I have yet to see someone give me an example of a top 15 selected center who didn’t play or who didn’t have impactful minutes contributed to the team that was selected them in the top 15.

Sweetheart, the quote from you that I was responding to was:

Andrew Bynum is the only player I remember being a project who played less that 7 minutes a game his first year as a center who turned into a stud (VERY VERY brief stud because he was out of the league by 27 years old).

Can you think of any centers who barely played their first 2-3 years and turned into studs?

This mentions nothing about the player needing to be a top 15 pick, so I'm not sure where the reading impaired insult is coming from.

Your question was: "Can you think of any centers who barely played their first 2-3 years and turned into studs?"

And I listed a handful from the top of my head.

We have no idea how much minutes Maluach will play next season, but there have been plenty of centers who needed a few years to develop before eventually turning into studs.

[kennydorglas]

Pressure will mount on Maluach after this rejected trade.
Just like that one we had (kyrie for Josh jackson) lolllll

[sunsbum]

Imagine watching 3 summer league games of an 18 y/o rookie that’s been playing ball for 4 years and crashing out daily on a message board about it. I have realistic expectations myself. I hope one day he can avg 12/9/2 while being able to step out and hit a few threes a game and making some kind of all defensive team.

[sunsbg]

Imagine watching 3 summer league games of an 18 y/o rookie that’s been playing ball for 4 years and crashing out daily on a message board about it. I have realistic expectations myself. I hope one day he can avg 12/9/2 while being able to step out and hit a few threes a game and making some kind of all defensive team.

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

[lilfishi22]

Imagine watching 3 summer league games of an 18 y/o rookie that’s been playing ball for 4 years and crashing out daily on a message board about it. I have realistic expectations myself. I hope one day he can avg 12/9/2 while being able to step out and hit a few threes a game and making some kind of all defensive team.

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

Especially if we supposedly had Mark Williams deal done. I would've taken a punt on next year's pretty strong draft with a potentially higher pick.

Oh well

[garrick]

Imagine watching 3 summer league games of an 18 y/o rookie that’s been playing ball for 4 years and crashing out daily on a message board about it. I have realistic expectations myself. I hope one day he can avg 12/9/2 while being able to step out and hit a few threes a game and making some kind of all defensive team.

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

Especially if we supposedly had Mark Williams deal done. I would've taken a punt on next year's pretty strong draft with a potentially higher pick.

Oh well

Had we done the trade we probably take Fleming at #23 this year then we wouldn't need to trade the #36 pick and give away two additional second round picks to the Wolves to move up to grab Fleming.

I thought the Pelicans were idiots for trading away their 2026 pick but now hearing this news I think Ishibia/Ott are the bigger idiots for not taking a chance to fleece Joe Dumars.

[Saberestar]

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

Especially if we supposedly had Mark Williams deal done. I would've taken a punt on next year's pretty strong draft with a potentially higher pick.

Oh well

Had we done the trade we probably take Fleming at #23 this year then we wouldn't need to trade the #36 pick and give away two additional second round picks to the Wolves to move up to grab Fleming.

I thought the Pelicans were idiots for trading away their 2026 pick but now hearing this news I think Ishibia/Ott are the bigger idiots for not taking a chance to fleece Joe Dumars.

When we were on the clock at #10 we got multiple trade offers BECAUSE how valuable Maluach is for other teams too.

When you have the opportunity to get a player that was 5 in your big board you take him and called it a day. He was projected to go somewhere from 4-10 (mostly from #6 to #9) and it was our favorite player available BY FAR.

An unprotected pick is always nice but it's a lottery ticket. The Pelicans will not tank AT ALL and they will win games at the end of the RS just to make his pick worse than expected. And if they go to the playoffs what?

The West is wide open with so many good teams. Only the Jazz has a bad roster IMO, but I the Pelicans aren't worse than the Kings, Grizzlies and Blazers.

[sunsbg]

Especially if we supposedly had Mark Williams deal done. I would've taken a punt on next year's pretty strong draft with a potentially higher pick.

Oh well

Had we done the trade we probably take Fleming at #23 this year then we wouldn't need to trade the #36 pick and give away two additional second round picks to the Wolves to move up to grab Fleming.

I thought the Pelicans were idiots for trading away their 2026 pick but now hearing this news I think Ishibia/Ott are the bigger idiots for not taking a chance to fleece Joe Dumars.

When we were on the clock at #10 we got multiple trade offers BECAUSE how valuable Maluach is for other teams too.

When you have the opportunity to get a player that was 5 in your big board you take him and called it a day. He was projected to go somewhere from 4-10 (mostly from #6 to #9) and it was our favorite player available BY FAR.

An unprotected pick is always nice but it's a lottery ticket. The Pelicans will not tank AT ALL and they will win games at the end of the RS just to make his pick worse than expected. And if they go to the playoffs what?

The West is wide open with so many good teams. Only the Jazz has a bad roster IMO, but I the Pelicans aren't worse than the Kings, Grizzlies and Blazers.

Then put some money on Pelicans as their O/U is worse than any of these three teams, even ours by 1 win.

[KdoubleDees23]

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

Especially if we supposedly had Mark Williams deal done. I would've taken a punt on next year's pretty strong draft with a potentially higher pick.

Oh well

Had we done the trade we probably take Fleming at #23 this year then we wouldn't need to trade the #36 pick and give away two additional second round picks to the Wolves to move up to grab Fleming.

I thought the Pelicans were idiots for trading away their 2026 pick but now hearing this news I think Ishibia/Ott are the bigger idiots for not taking a chance to fleece Joe Dumars.

So we would have taken Fleming at 23? and then next year who would be a draft pick to turn us around. Its still a gamble. Also, if Maluach played another year at Duke and went next year draft he would still be a top 10 pick. They value Maluach as he is young, and grabbed Mark Williams to start and work on developing Maluach.

I dont think the draft next year does anything for us. The only thing would be to use that 2026 1st for a trade for someone that fits our timeline.

[KdoubleDees23]

Had we done the trade we probably take Fleming at #23 this year then we wouldn't need to trade the #36 pick and give away two additional second round picks to the Wolves to move up to grab Fleming.

I thought the Pelicans were idiots for trading away their 2026 pick but now hearing this news I think Ishibia/Ott are the bigger idiots for not taking a chance to fleece Joe Dumars.

When we were on the clock at #10 we got multiple trade offers BECAUSE how valuable Maluach is for other teams too.

When you have the opportunity to get a player that was 5 in your big board you take him and called it a day. He was projected to go somewhere from 4-10 (mostly from #6 to #9) and it was our favorite player available BY FAR.

An unprotected pick is always nice but it's a lottery ticket. The Pelicans will not tank AT ALL and they will win games at the end of the RS just to make his pick worse than expected. And if they go to the playoffs what?

The West is wide open with so many good teams. Only the Jazz has a bad roster IMO, but I the Pelicans aren't worse than the Kings, Grizzlies and Blazers.

Then put some money on Pelicans as their O/U is worse than any of these three teams, even ours by 1 win.

Message me. I will bet you that the Pelicans have a better record then the Jazz, Kings

[sunsbg]

The West is wide open with so many good teams. Only the Jazz has a bad roster IMO, but I the Pelicans aren't worse than the Kings, Grizzlies and Blazers.

Then put some money on Pelicans as their O/U is worse than any of these three teams, even ours by 1 win.

Message me. I will bet you that the Pelicans have a better record then the Jazz, Kings

I didn't include Jazz, they are clearly a worse team based on O/U predictions. Blazers are at +3, Kings +5, Grizzlies +10 wins more than Pelicans. I know those are just projections (Suns 46.5 last season lol), but still there is nothing to suggest Pelicans will be in the playoffs and West is wide open. If so, just go and put a bet on them. Having a team with -1 predicted wins than Suns doing well is also not good for our play(in/off) chances.

[sunsbum]

Imagine watching 3 summer league games of an 18 y/o rookie that’s been playing ball for 4 years and crashing out daily on a message board about it. I have realistic expectations myself. I hope one day he can avg 12/9/2 while being able to step out and hit a few threes a game and making some kind of all defensive team.

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

Yea, the cardinals did that a few years ago and ended up with a far worse pick from a Texans team that was certified dog water by ever single talking head in the league. It was a shoe in top 3 pick, until it wasn’t.

[sunsbg]

Imagine watching 3 summer league games of an 18 y/o rookie that’s been playing ball for 4 years and crashing out daily on a message board about it. I have realistic expectations myself. I hope one day he can avg 12/9/2 while being able to step out and hit a few threes a game and making some kind of all defensive team.

Rejecting unprotected pick from a projected bottom 5-6 team for that doesn't look smart. Should've taken even a slim chance for a franchise player with how bad our picks situation is next few years.

Yea, the cardinals did that a few years ago and ended up with a far worse pick from a Texans team that was certified dog water by ever single talking head in the league. It was a shoe in top 3 pick, until it wasn’t.

Yeah there is a risk, but Maluach is a risk too. Depends on what you consider a greater risk. It requires some vision and direction by the team too. I'm not sure what is Suns direction. They want to win but pick the youngest and biggest project in the draft, who if the other two Cs are healthy and Suns are actually trying to win, won't see much time outside of GLeague.

[King4Day]

Pressure will mount on Maluach after this rejected trade.
Just like that one we had (kyrie for Josh jackson) lolllll

If the Pels pick lands at the top, that's one thing, but next year isn't supposed to be a good draft.

Maybe we draft Fleming at 23 had this deal gone down?
We need youth to start building now. Not to bank on a team to be really bad next season in hopes to draft a player with the upside of.....Maluach.