The Official 2025 Offseason Thread #5 Dog Days

[KdoubleDees23]

Yesssir

Kuminga would be the best player in any trade we make with Golden State. Royce and whoever, for salary. I don't think it would be to much to add a couple of seconds. Maybe we trade Oso eventually. Or maybe he proves himself too valuable. There will be second rounders we can get in further trades.

Not trying to be a homer because I know Kuminga is better than Dunn but if Kuminga's development stagnates anymore than he already has and Dunn takes a leap in his, the gap between the two may be smaller than their name value would suggest.

TBH Dunn is a bench player and average NBA player. Kuminga will have a better career and Dunn will never get close.

[KdoubleDees23]

Kuminga would be the best player in any trade we make with Golden State. Royce and whoever, for salary. I don't think it would be to much to add a couple of seconds. Maybe we trade Oso eventually. Or maybe he proves himself too valuable. There will be second rounders we can get in further trades.

Not trying to be a homer because I know Kuminga is better than Dunn but if Kuminga's development stagnates anymore than he already has and Dunn takes a leap in his, the gap between the two may be smaller than their name value would suggest.

Davis and or Fleming could be better than Kuminga or Dunn. I can't wait to see what we actually have in the group we have added and drafted last year.

Kuminga will avg 18 ppg +

[Waylay13]

Not trying to be a homer because I know Kuminga is better than Dunn but if Kuminga's development stagnates anymore than he already has and Dunn takes a leap in his, the gap between the two may be smaller than their name value would suggest.

Davis and or Fleming could be better than Kuminga or Dunn. I can't wait to see what we actually have in the group we have added and drafted last year.

Kuminga will avg 18 ppg +

No he wont because he is going to be on the Warriors. They have stopped all talks on his trade. He has no leverage due to being a restricted free agent and no teams having the cap space to sign him straight up.

[dremill24]

MoAr PPG!

[Saberestar]

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[Sunsdeuce]

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Get Bronny away from Maluach and Fleming. We don’t need that kind of evil around here.

[Saberestar]

For those super worried about not having an starting PG...

Rick Pitino:

“You know, I said this to the team, who’s the point guard of the Knicks, the Lakers, the Celtics, the world champions [Oklahoma City Thunder]?” Pitino asked rhetorically. “The point guard is totally done in basketball."

"The days of John Stockton are long gone. There are no more point guards. Chris Paul is probably the last one. So you got to play with everybody handling the basketball, five out and just create good movement.”

He called Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “a combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. Yeah, and thank God he is. Who’s the point guard of the Thunder? Who’s the point guard of the Lakers?...It’s just a different game. It’s not necessarily better or worse.”

https://www.nj.com/advice/2025/08/st-johns-pitino-ready-to-embrace-position-less-basketball-the-point-guard-is-totally-done-in-basketball.html

[sunsbg]

If no true PG than better have high IQ players who don't turn the ball over and a good system (obviously excludes Suns past two seasons). Still don't see how having a John Stockton or Chris Paul hurts.

[SideSwipe]

[quote="Saberestar"]For those super worried about not having an starting PG...

Rick Pitino:

[quote]“You know, I said this to the team, who’s the point guard of the Knicks, the Lakers, the Celtics, the world champions [Oklahoma City Thunder]?” Pitino asked rhetorically. “The point guard is totally done in basketball."

"The days of John Stockton are long gone. There are no more point guards. Chris Paul is probably the last one. So you got to play with everybody handling the basketball, five out and just create good movement.”

He called Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “a combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. Yeah, and thank God he is. Who’s the point guard of the Thunder? Who’s the point guard of the Lakers?...It’s just a different game. It’s not necessarily better or worse.”
[/quote]
https://www.nj.com/advice/2025/08/st-johns-pitino-ready-to-embrace-position-less-basketball-the-point-guard-is-totally-done-in-basketball.html[/quote]

This only happens when no one is excelling at playing a particular way. The PG position is about leadership and decision making with the ball in your hand which includes setups, playmaking and the handling to get to those situations. Some other guards are good enough at those things to hide the need- see the 90's Bulls, but those Bulls were pushed to the brink by Detroit (beat them), Utah and Phoenix, all with top level traditional PG's. The trick is that AAU and even high school sports isn't teaching that type of game because it requires selflessness and a desire to make the team shine rather than the player. There is a dearth of quality playmaking and leadership at the guard position because scorers get on screen and get praise. This current system of bball is also working because the defense is bad. Good defense kills the passing game Pitino is describing and make ball handling more important. If we get one to come up others will follow them.

[Mr Puddles]

For those super worried about not having an starting PG...

Rick Pitino:

“You know, I said this to the team, who’s the point guard of the Knicks, the Lakers, the Celtics, the world champions [Oklahoma City Thunder]?” Pitino asked rhetorically. “The point guard is totally done in basketball."

"The days of John Stockton are long gone. There are no more point guards. Chris Paul is probably the last one. So you got to play with everybody handling the basketball, five out and just create good movement.”

He called Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “a combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. Yeah, and thank God he is. Who’s the point guard of the Thunder? Who’s the point guard of the Lakers?...It’s just a different game. It’s not necessarily better or worse.”

https://www.nj.com/advice/2025/08/st-johns-pitino-ready-to-embrace-position-less-basketball-the-point-guard-is-totally-done-in-basketball.html

Interesting that Pimento left out the eastern conference champions who were arguably an injury (to a player at a certain position that rhymes with joint fart) away from winning the championship.

[lilfishi22]

For those super worried about not having an starting PG...

Rick Pitino:

“You know, I said this to the team, who’s the point guard of the Knicks, the Lakers, the Celtics, the world champions [Oklahoma City Thunder]?” Pitino asked rhetorically. “The point guard is totally done in basketball."

"The days of John Stockton are long gone. There are no more point guards. Chris Paul is probably the last one. So you got to play with everybody handling the basketball, five out and just create good movement.”

He called Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “a combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. Yeah, and thank God he is. Who’s the point guard of the Thunder? Who’s the point guard of the Lakers?...It’s just a different game. It’s not necessarily better or worse.”

https://www.nj.com/advice/2025/08/st-johns-pitino-ready-to-embrace-position-less-basketball-the-point-guard-is-totally-done-in-basketball.html

I interpreted it differently. Sounds like he's not saying PG's aren't important, he's saying there just aren't many ball dominant PG's whose primary focus is playmaking/running the team and not necessarily out there to score left. If you look at some of the best PGs of the last 10-15 years, guys like Steph, Dame, Russ, Kyrie, SGA and JA are all scoring focused PGs. But when you look at playmaking first PGs in the same period....that's basically CP3 and Haliburton. There are far more PGs who do at least 50% scoring and 50% playmaking. I agree with his point, the days of Nash, CP3, Deron Williams, Kidd type of ball dominant PGs who's primary role is playmaking are sadly a thing of the past.

[NapoleonII]

For those super worried about not having an starting PG...

Rick Pitino:

“You know, I said this to the team, who’s the point guard of the Knicks, the Lakers, the Celtics, the world champions [Oklahoma City Thunder]?” Pitino asked rhetorically. “The point guard is totally done in basketball."

"The days of John Stockton are long gone. There are no more point guards. Chris Paul is probably the last one. So you got to play with everybody handling the basketball, five out and just create good movement.”

He called Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “a combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. Yeah, and thank God he is. Who’s the point guard of the Thunder? Who’s the point guard of the Lakers?...It’s just a different game. It’s not necessarily better or worse.”

https://www.nj.com/advice/2025/08/st-johns-pitino-ready-to-embrace-position-less-basketball-the-point-guard-is-totally-done-in-basketball.html

I interpreted it differently. Sounds like he's not saying PG's aren't important, he's saying there just aren't many ball dominant PG's whose primary focus is playmaking/running the team and not necessarily out there to score left. If you look at some of the best PGs of the last 10-15 years, guys like Steph, Dame, Russ, Kyrie, SGA and JA are all scoring focused PGs. But when you look at playmaking first PGs in the same period....that's basically CP3 and Haliburton. There are far more PGs who do at least 50% scoring and 50% playmaking. I agree with his point, the days of Nash, CP3, Deron Williams, Kidd type of ball dominant PGs who's primary role is playmaking are sadly a thing of the past.

Yup.

I think elite passing is more tied to skill now, and not system or an archetype "PG". It used to be.....whoever was good at dribbling and taking care of the ball learned how to be point guards and were given the keys to most coach's systems. Get guys their looks and feed your 1st/2nd options, maybe get some open threes, etc.

Denver took 1-2 years to figure out what they had in Jokic, and then bam, he's their system. Lebron was the first modern iteration of point SF/1st option, Luka is the last. And on the other end, Post-Curry, scoring/combo guards figured out that with shooting at a premium and spacing everywhere, they could carve out 24-26 ppg and throw 5-6 assists and call it a game.

Like, I remember the league being littered with solid middle of the road PG's running teams:

Andre Miller
Kirk Hinrich
Raymond Felton
Jose Calderon

All those guys might be unplayable in today's game, or at least overlooked/unneeded. Sucks to be Tyus Jones, he's about 12 years late to the party.

It's also why Shai is so freaking valuable. He already had the PG skills, but then got a masterclass from CP3 in how to pace-press a game / not turn it over. Then he has a big bag of scoring ability / free throw merchant status.

[schnakenpopanz]

TH s ist how He will celebrate once the sins won their first game of the season come mid November.

Gesendet von meinem Pixel 8 Pro mit Tapatalk

[Saberestar]

For those super worried about not having an starting PG...

Rick Pitino:

“You know, I said this to the team, who’s the point guard of the Knicks, the Lakers, the Celtics, the world champions [Oklahoma City Thunder]?” Pitino asked rhetorically. “The point guard is totally done in basketball."

"The days of John Stockton are long gone. There are no more point guards. Chris Paul is probably the last one. So you got to play with everybody handling the basketball, five out and just create good movement.”

He called Knicks guard Jalen Brunson “a combo scoring guard. I don’t think he’s looking for the assist. I think he’s looking to score. Yeah, and thank God he is. Who’s the point guard of the Thunder? Who’s the point guard of the Lakers?...It’s just a different game. It’s not necessarily better or worse.”

https://www.nj.com/advice/2025/08/st-johns-pitino-ready-to-embrace-position-less-basketball-the-point-guard-is-totally-done-in-basketball.html

I interpreted it differently. Sounds like he's not saying PG's aren't important, he's saying there just aren't many ball dominant PG's whose primary focus is playmaking/running the team and not necessarily out there to score left. If you look at some of the best PGs of the last 10-15 years, guys like Steph, Dame, Russ, Kyrie, SGA and JA are all scoring focused PGs. But when you look at playmaking first PGs in the same period....that's basically CP3 and Haliburton. There are far more PGs who do at least 50% scoring and 50% playmaking. I agree with his point, the days of Nash, CP3, Deron Williams, Kidd type of ball dominant PGs who's primary role is playmaking are sadly a thing of the past.

He said what he said, he isn’t sad or nostalgic about it. He said that teams are successful now in the league without any point guard. The current champions and most of the best teams in the league.

He says that "it's not necessarily better or worse" . "Everybody handling the ball, five out and just create ball movement".

It's about the players not their specific position. We can be bad or mediocre next season but I don't think going with Green&Book as our starting backcourt over a pure PG next to Book would be one of the primary reasons.

Most of the teams have a more traditional PG as a backup playing starting minutes here and there. McConnell, Pritchard, Schroeder...and we have Gillespie. We believe in him for that important role.

Then we have Jordan Goodwin who is a great POA defender and decent on offense. Not a traditional PG at all but he play the position.

And Jared Butler who will have his opportunity in training camp to make final roster. He is an scoring PG.

I think we have a good backcourt. All these players + Grayson Allen + Koby Brea. Better defense/athleticism and better attitude than last year.

[Puff]

What is going away, is the little guys getting the PG position on teams. They are going to struggle in any system. That means the guys maybe up to 6'2 could struggle. It is now a 6'4" and bigger not 6'4" and under league. I really like Gillespie but I think he could struggle, especially with the depth we have in the back court.

Halliburton puts up PG numbers that every point guard is measured. His assist to tov last year was 9.2/1.6 = 5.8 ratio. His career numbers are 8.8/2.1 = 4.2 ratio. That is just outstanding. However, what I think is more amazing is the speed that he plays at. I was really bummed to see him go down against the Thunder. The Pacers made my head spin with how all of them passed the ball. Halliburton sets the tone and their coach I expect demands it. My hope is that see a lot of that and none of Booker pounding the ball until the end of the shot clock. Halliburton also was their biggest threat to score at crunch time and he did just that. Hopefully our $75 Million man has watched film of that series and changes his game to match how the game is now being played.

[Saberestar]

It seems that Khaman Maluach is gonna play in Afrobasket with his South Sudan National team.

Great news (if true), they are one of the favorites to win the tournament. Big experience for Maluach.

There's no info about it other than this post, so we will need to wait to confirm that Maluach will play in the tournament.

First game next Tuesday.

OFFICIAL: Bright Stars arrived in Madrid
for Afrobasket Training Camp
South Sudan's national basketball team, the
Bright Stars, have set up camp in Madrid, Spain,
as preparations intensify ahead of the FIBA
Men's Afrobasket 2025, scheduled for August
12-24 in Angola.
The camp brings together most of South
Sudan's Olympic roster, including NBA rising
star Khaman Maluach, alongside Carlik Jones,
Nuni Omot, Wenyen Gabriel, and Marial Shayok,
among others. The mix of NBA and overseas-
based talents has sparked huge excitement
back home as fans dream of the country's first-
ever Afrobasket title.
Ranked No. 1 in Africa, the Bright Stars are
determined to finally convert that status into
silverware.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=748229421135504&id=100078453594379

[KdoubleDees23]

Warriors talking with Bulls for a Kuminga Giddey s&t.

[Sunsdeuce]

This player is one player I don’t want the Suns to ever touch. He’s stats are the most empty calorie stats I have ever witnessed. I think Booker has an empty calorie stats but not to Cams level. Cams is next level.

Cam Thomas and the Nets are reportedly very far apart in negotiations. This has led to speculation that he may accept his qualifying offer. He has until October 1 to accept it or let it expire. The Nets would have the option to extend it if they’d like, but he’d remain a restricted free agent if they don’t.
Third Apron

[sasquatchBob]

We're for sure over 31.5 wins. SunsRback4Good (unsure if thats how your username goes), this is the one you bet on. You complain that your bets dont go through. This is the one! And Im not sarcastic. On paper we have a solid regular season team. Not good enough for West, yes. But if we we're in east, i wouldnt be suprised if we'd finish 7-8th. Probably I would expect it

[Sunsdeuce]

These podcasters come up and talk about the dumbest and most unrealistic nonsense.

Trae Young to the Suns. Come on. Click baiters. Oh I’m sure Atlanta is just dying to get Nick Richard’s, 2nds, and Green. That’s their dream trade. Plus Trae is a stat stuffer. These fans need to stop targeting empty stat players and start targeting quality stars in their dream/fantasy trades where the Suns give up crumbs and get a star.

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