2025-26 Season News & Discussion

[Calvin Klein]

i might have a chance to catch my first suns game ever in NOLA and was really considering it but looks like Book's not gonna be there. It will never happen I guess...

[lilfishi22]

The Suns are not trading Brooks.

How can the Suns keep Mark Williams then?

Yeah lets trade a player in their prime and being a leader for this team. We do that trade and its all downhill from here.

Also where is ATH at? He hates brooks so much, and brooks is keeping us in the games!

We can't really afford them all especially if CG and Williams get the market rate (call it $12m and $20m)

[lilfishi22]

4-3 so far in this Nightmare before Xmas stretch

[bigfoot]

How can the Suns keep Mark Williams then?

Yeah lets trade a player in their prime and being a leader for this team. We do that trade and its all downhill from here.

Also where is ATH at? He hates brooks so much, and brooks is keeping us in the games!

We can't really afford them all especially if CG and Williams get the market rate (call it $12m and $20m)

Ishbia can afford anything. Honestly we haven't even seen the real Suns yet. We need to see how Green meshes with the starting lineup. That's at least four weeks away with Booker out, so we could get our first taste of what to expect in mid-January. Keeping Gillispie, Williams, and Goodwin are extremely important for continuity next season. Livers and Bouyea have been key depth pieces too. Brea is waiting in the wings as well. How the Suns front office is finding these guys is amazing.

Would love to see them find a good backup center/power forward in the g-league. Giving minutes to Richards and Nigel has been way more miss than hit. IMHO the Suns need to stand pat until the playoff picture is clear. Even then the only move to make this season would be to trade away Richards. Suns got a good thing going and I think its worth seeing how it plays out over the next two years.

[lilfishi22]

Yeah lets trade a player in their prime and being a leader for this team. We do that trade and its all downhill from here.

Also where is ATH at? He hates brooks so much, and brooks is keeping us in the games!

We can't really afford them all especially if CG and Williams get the market rate (call it $12m and $20m)

Ishbia can afford anything. Honestly we haven't even seen the real Suns yet. We need to see how Green meshes with the starting lineup. That's at least four weeks away with Booker out, so we could get our first taste of what to expect in mid-January. Keeping Gillispie, Williams, and Goodwin are extremely important for continuity next season. Livers and Bouyea have been key depth pieces too. Brea is waiting in the wings as well. How the Suns front office is finding these guys is amazing.

Would love to see them find a good backup center/power forward in the g-league. Giving minutes to Richards and Nigel has been way more miss than hit. IMHO the Suns need to stand pat until the playoff picture is clear. Even then the only move to make this season would be to trade away Richards. Suns got a good thing going and I think its worth seeing how it plays out over the next two years.

Historically Ishbia has shown he's willing to pay whatever but realistically, I do think he wants to pull back on spending now. The biggest indicator of that is the Beal waive and stretch was in part to get below the tax but also I think to avoid the repeater tax which we would pay again if we went into the tax next season. My big assumption is that Ishbia wants to stay under the tax, at least for another season.

But I guess the big consideration now is that no one, probably not even Ishbia thought we'd be this good, ie this time might be worth investing in. If we were a bottom 5 which most expected us to be, I can totally understand thinking this team wasn't worth going into the penalty tax for. My thought was if this team wasn't good but we still wanted to retain the young guys like Williams and CG then we'd probably have to try to find takers for a couple of the vets in order to pay the young guys and stay under the tax. So yes, it's maybe too early to say for sure the tax line is the limit for Ishbia at this stage.

[Qwigglez]

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[garrick]

We can't really afford them all especially if CG and Williams get the market rate (call it $12m and $20m)

Ishbia can afford anything. Honestly we haven't even seen the real Suns yet. We need to see how Green meshes with the starting lineup. That's at least four weeks away with Booker out, so we could get our first taste of what to expect in mid-January. Keeping Gillispie, Williams, and Goodwin are extremely important for continuity next season. Livers and Bouyea have been key depth pieces too. Brea is waiting in the wings as well. How the Suns front office is finding these guys is amazing.

Would love to see them find a good backup center/power forward in the g-league. Giving minutes to Richards and Nigel has been way more miss than hit. IMHO the Suns need to stand pat until the playoff picture is clear. Even then the only move to make this season would be to trade away Richards. Suns got a good thing going and I think its worth seeing how it plays out over the next two years.

Historically Ishbia has shown he's willing to pay whatever but realistically, I do think he wants to pull back on spending now. The biggest indicator of that is the Beal waive and stretch was in part to get below the tax but also I think to avoid the repeater tax which we would pay again if we went into the tax next season. My big assumption is that Ishbia wants to stay under the tax, at least for another season.

But I guess the big consideration now is that no one, probably not even Ishbia thought we'd be this good, ie this time might be worth investing in. If we were a bottom 5 which most expected us to be, I can totally understand thinking this team wasn't worth going into the penalty tax for. My thought was if this team wasn't good but we still wanted to retain the young guys like Williams and CG then we'd probably have to try to find takers for a couple of the vets in order to pay the young guys and stay under the tax. So yes, it's maybe too early to say for sure the tax line is the limit for Ishbia at this stage.

I think even Ishbia has to be worried about a possible recession and the market is due for a correction after record highs so he can't afford to be as reckless as he was a couple years ago. I see so many layoffs in the tech sector due to the rise of AI I feel like the white collar job market is going to dry up as companies chase efficiency and cost cutting to boost their stock prices as much as possible.

Reality has set in and he can't really afford to bleed 100-300M every year in luxury tax payments and no one really can stand those kinds of losses unless you're like Elon Musk level of wealth.

[Saberestar]

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[KdoubleDees23]

Giannis going to ask out. Wonder where he goes

[sunskerr]

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He's raw but it's worrying at a time where we can't say we have a regular backup C that Maluach can't even sniff the court

[Saberestar]

Good news!

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[lilfishi22]

Ishbia can afford anything. Honestly we haven't even seen the real Suns yet. We need to see how Green meshes with the starting lineup. That's at least four weeks away with Booker out, so we could get our first taste of what to expect in mid-January. Keeping Gillispie, Williams, and Goodwin are extremely important for continuity next season. Livers and Bouyea have been key depth pieces too. Brea is waiting in the wings as well. How the Suns front office is finding these guys is amazing.

Would love to see them find a good backup center/power forward in the g-league. Giving minutes to Richards and Nigel has been way more miss than hit. IMHO the Suns need to stand pat until the playoff picture is clear. Even then the only move to make this season would be to trade away Richards. Suns got a good thing going and I think its worth seeing how it plays out over the next two years.

Historically Ishbia has shown he's willing to pay whatever but realistically, I do think he wants to pull back on spending now. The biggest indicator of that is the Beal waive and stretch was in part to get below the tax but also I think to avoid the repeater tax which we would pay again if we went into the tax next season. My big assumption is that Ishbia wants to stay under the tax, at least for another season.

But I guess the big consideration now is that no one, probably not even Ishbia thought we'd be this good, ie this time might be worth investing in. If we were a bottom 5 which most expected us to be, I can totally understand thinking this team wasn't worth going into the penalty tax for. My thought was if this team wasn't good but we still wanted to retain the young guys like Williams and CG then we'd probably have to try to find takers for a couple of the vets in order to pay the young guys and stay under the tax. So yes, it's maybe too early to say for sure the tax line is the limit for Ishbia at this stage.

I think even Ishbia has to be worried about a possible recession and the market is due for a correction after record highs so he can't afford to be as reckless as he was a couple years ago. I see so many layoffs in the tech sector due to the rise of AI I feel like the white collar job market is going to dry up as companies chase efficiency and cost cutting to boost their stock prices as much as possible.

Reality has set in and he can't really afford to bleed 100-300M every year in luxury tax payments and no one really can stand those kinds of losses unless you're like Elon Musk level of wealth.

I don't think we're going to be hitting anywhere near the levels of total payroll plus tax that we saw over the past two seasons ($260m and $366m) but given how we've been palying, I guess I wouldn't be so sure he wouldn't go into the tax. I still think he'll try and stay under because of how much of an impact the repeater tax has on the overall bill due but I can't really say he's given Gregory a mandate to stay under either.

[lilfishi22]

Giannis going to ask out. Wonder where he goes

I hope he stays East

[Mr Puddles]

Good news!

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Hopefully this means he'll atleast be back for the two games against GSW and the Lakers games after - probably the most winnable games of our next 6.

HOU, Wolves, OKC will be tough without Book. Hoping we can steal one game there.

[lilfishi22]

Surprised this wasn't brought up but CP3 got waived by the Clippers

ATLANTA -- Chris Paul was not on speaking terms with LA Clippers coach Ty Lue for several weeks before the veteran point guard's abrupt ouster from the team, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that the organization's decision to part ways with Paul did not come from one isolated incident, and that the sides had multiple conversations before Paul was informed he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move Wednesday.

Paul and his leadership style clashed with Lue and the Clippers, according to sources, who told Charania that the 12-time All-Star was vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable.

The Clippers felt that Paul's style had become disruptive, sources told Charania.

"This decision had nothing to do with one incident or one meeting that did or did not happen," Frank said. "Some of our business, respectfully have to keep in-house, but this didn't come down to just a one incident and one meeting.

"It just wasn't the right fit. ... We had conversations with Chris throughout, even before we started -- call it the onboarding process -- and throughout. So this isn't like an isolated one-conversation decision. No, these are fluid throughout."

Frank said two days ago, he set up a meeting with Paul to take place when the team arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday, one day ahead of the Clippers' game against the Hawks.

But the Clippers were delayed in Miami for six hours because of mechanical issues with the plane and did not arrive to Atlanta until late. Frank said he let Paul know of the team's decision during a three-hour talk which was emotional at times.

Paul, one of the greatest players in Clippers franchise history, posted to social media at nearly 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday that he learned he was being sent home to Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, Frank texted a statement to ESPN confirming that Paul will no longer be with the team.

"There's a ton of history between Chris -- not just with the franchise but with me," Frank said of why the conversation took so long and went so late into the night. "I had a ton of conversation with Chris leading up to this. I'm a very, very direct person and going through all the different plausible things. Chris and I have had conversations throughout.

"So someone that you care about, someone that means a great deal with the organization -- it's not going to be a five-minute 'Moneyball' meeting. There's a lot there, there's a lot things to talk through and explain and there's a lot of emotion. And there's disagreements. Chris sees it differently than how I see it. And you talk through those things, you're not going to agree on those things, but it's the relationships that you have."

While the Clippers (5-16) are off to a massively disappointing start, Frank said Lue will continue to be the coach for a long time.

"Because the significance of what Chris means to the organization, these are very, very, very hard decisions," Frank said. "And ultimately it's my job to do what's best for the organization, do what's best for the team, even if it's not popular.

"I just want to reemphasize we're 5-16. I completely own that. I'm not putting that on Chris Paul at all. This is not a situation where I'm using Chris as a scapegoat for the job that I've done. Chris' legacy with us stands, this situation just didn't work out at this time."

IF we brought him on, would he be a net positive for our team, which is kinda vibing right now? I certainly feel like a lot of the guys on the roster would benefit from his knowledge and experience. And we know Book and CP3 had mutual interest in getting him back in the offseason before he signed with the Clippers. But this is also situation our front office wanted to avoid even if it wasn't guaranteed to happen and this being the main reason why they decided against bringing him back. Emotionally, I want him back on the team, I want him to retire as a Sun and I think he's a net positive but I also recognise there is risk there

Edit: and before anyone calls him washed, yeah he looks washed this year but this Clippers team is completely dysfunctional. Last season he played ALL 82 games, averaged 7.4APG with only 1.6TPG (4.7 A:T ratio), shot 37.7% from 3 on 4.5 attempts a game for a competitive, well coached Spurs team

[SunsRback4Good]

Giannis going to ask out. Wonder where he goes

I hope he stays East

Booker, Green, Allen, Williams for Giannis and Kuzma. Make it happen.

[lilfishi22]

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[Calvin Klein]

any chance book is back for christmas?

[garrick]

Surprised this wasn't brought up but CP3 got waived by the Clippers

ATLANTA -- Chris Paul was not on speaking terms with LA Clippers coach Ty Lue for several weeks before the veteran point guard's abrupt ouster from the team, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that the organization's decision to part ways with Paul did not come from one isolated incident, and that the sides had multiple conversations before Paul was informed he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move Wednesday.

Paul and his leadership style clashed with Lue and the Clippers, according to sources, who told Charania that the 12-time All-Star was vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable.

The Clippers felt that Paul's style had become disruptive, sources told Charania.

"This decision had nothing to do with one incident or one meeting that did or did not happen," Frank said. "Some of our business, respectfully have to keep in-house, but this didn't come down to just a one incident and one meeting.

"It just wasn't the right fit. ... We had conversations with Chris throughout, even before we started -- call it the onboarding process -- and throughout. So this isn't like an isolated one-conversation decision. No, these are fluid throughout."

Frank said two days ago, he set up a meeting with Paul to take place when the team arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday, one day ahead of the Clippers' game against the Hawks.

But the Clippers were delayed in Miami for six hours because of mechanical issues with the plane and did not arrive to Atlanta until late. Frank said he let Paul know of the team's decision during a three-hour talk which was emotional at times.

Paul, one of the greatest players in Clippers franchise history, posted to social media at nearly 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday that he learned he was being sent home to Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, Frank texted a statement to ESPN confirming that Paul will no longer be with the team.

"There's a ton of history between Chris -- not just with the franchise but with me," Frank said of why the conversation took so long and went so late into the night. "I had a ton of conversation with Chris leading up to this. I'm a very, very direct person and going through all the different plausible things. Chris and I have had conversations throughout.

"So someone that you care about, someone that means a great deal with the organization -- it's not going to be a five-minute 'Moneyball' meeting. There's a lot there, there's a lot things to talk through and explain and there's a lot of emotion. And there's disagreements. Chris sees it differently than how I see it. And you talk through those things, you're not going to agree on those things, but it's the relationships that you have."

While the Clippers (5-16) are off to a massively disappointing start, Frank said Lue will continue to be the coach for a long time.

"Because the significance of what Chris means to the organization, these are very, very, very hard decisions," Frank said. "And ultimately it's my job to do what's best for the organization, do what's best for the team, even if it's not popular.

"I just want to reemphasize we're 5-16. I completely own that. I'm not putting that on Chris Paul at all. This is not a situation where I'm using Chris as a scapegoat for the job that I've done. Chris' legacy with us stands, this situation just didn't work out at this time."

IF we brought him on, would he be a net positive for our team, which is kinda vibing right now? I certainly feel like a lot of the guys on the roster would benefit from his knowledge and experience. And we know Book and CP3 had mutual interest in getting him back in the offseason before he signed with the Clippers. But this is also situation our front office wanted to avoid even if it wasn't guaranteed to happen and this being the main reason why they decided against bringing him back. Emotionally, I want him back on the team, I want him to retire as a Sun and I think he's a net positive but I also recognise there is risk there

Edit: and before anyone calls him washed, yeah he looks washed this year but this Clippers team is completely dysfunctional. Last season he played ALL 82 games, averaged 7.4APG with only 1.6TPG (4.7 A:T ratio), shot 37.7% from 3 on 4.5 attempts a game for a competitive, well coached Spurs team

Yeah that Clippers organization is so dysfunctional the way they let Kwahi do whatever he wants with zero accountability I am not surprised CP3 clashed with management.

I think he can be a good presence as an assistant coach although there is always the fear that he will finally wear on players because he's so vocal and outspoken. He might feel he has more insight than Ott so I think the potential for clashes could be pretty high but I don't think we have too much to lose.

[Mr Puddles]

Surprised this wasn't brought up but CP3 got waived by the Clippers

ATLANTA -- Chris Paul was not on speaking terms with LA Clippers coach Ty Lue for several weeks before the veteran point guard's abrupt ouster from the team, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.

Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Wednesday that the organization's decision to part ways with Paul did not come from one isolated incident, and that the sides had multiple conversations before Paul was informed he would no longer be a part of the team in a stunning overnight move Wednesday.

Paul and his leadership style clashed with Lue and the Clippers, according to sources, who told Charania that the 12-time All-Star was vocal in holding management, coaches and players accountable.

The Clippers felt that Paul's style had become disruptive, sources told Charania.

"This decision had nothing to do with one incident or one meeting that did or did not happen," Frank said. "Some of our business, respectfully have to keep in-house, but this didn't come down to just a one incident and one meeting.

"It just wasn't the right fit. ... We had conversations with Chris throughout, even before we started -- call it the onboarding process -- and throughout. So this isn't like an isolated one-conversation decision. No, these are fluid throughout."

Frank said two days ago, he set up a meeting with Paul to take place when the team arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday, one day ahead of the Clippers' game against the Hawks.

But the Clippers were delayed in Miami for six hours because of mechanical issues with the plane and did not arrive to Atlanta until late. Frank said he let Paul know of the team's decision during a three-hour talk which was emotional at times.

Paul, one of the greatest players in Clippers franchise history, posted to social media at nearly 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday that he learned he was being sent home to Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, Frank texted a statement to ESPN confirming that Paul will no longer be with the team.

"There's a ton of history between Chris -- not just with the franchise but with me," Frank said of why the conversation took so long and went so late into the night. "I had a ton of conversation with Chris leading up to this. I'm a very, very direct person and going through all the different plausible things. Chris and I have had conversations throughout.

"So someone that you care about, someone that means a great deal with the organization -- it's not going to be a five-minute 'Moneyball' meeting. There's a lot there, there's a lot things to talk through and explain and there's a lot of emotion. And there's disagreements. Chris sees it differently than how I see it. And you talk through those things, you're not going to agree on those things, but it's the relationships that you have."

While the Clippers (5-16) are off to a massively disappointing start, Frank said Lue will continue to be the coach for a long time.

"Because the significance of what Chris means to the organization, these are very, very, very hard decisions," Frank said. "And ultimately it's my job to do what's best for the organization, do what's best for the team, even if it's not popular.

"I just want to reemphasize we're 5-16. I completely own that. I'm not putting that on Chris Paul at all. This is not a situation where I'm using Chris as a scapegoat for the job that I've done. Chris' legacy with us stands, this situation just didn't work out at this time."

IF we brought him on, would he be a net positive for our team, which is kinda vibing right now? I certainly feel like a lot of the guys on the roster would benefit from his knowledge and experience. And we know Book and CP3 had mutual interest in getting him back in the offseason before he signed with the Clippers. But this is also situation our front office wanted to avoid even if it wasn't guaranteed to happen and this being the main reason why they decided against bringing him back. Emotionally, I want him back on the team, I want him to retire as a Sun and I think he's a net positive but I also recognise there is risk there

Edit: and before anyone calls him washed, yeah he looks washed this year but this Clippers team is completely dysfunctional. Last season he played ALL 82 games, averaged 7.4APG with only 1.6TPG (4.7 A:T ratio), shot 37.7% from 3 on 4.5 attempts a game for a competitive, well coached Spurs team

Yeah that Clippers organization is so dysfunctional the way they let Kwahi do whatever he wants with zero accountability I am not surprised CP3 clashed with management.

I think he can be a good presence as an assistant coach although there is always the fear that he will finally wear on players because he's so vocal and outspoken. He might feel he has more insight than Ott so I think the potential for clashes could be pretty high but I don't think we have too much to lose.

I loved CP3 during his time here, but I'd hate it if we gave him minutes of Gillespie and Bouyea at this stage of his career - the young guns have earned their way into our rotation.