Rumors, Random Thoughts, and non-Threadworthy Posts 18.0 Dave Cowens drove a taxi

[Astaluego]

Felt like 6 months but draft lottery was only a month ago.

That offer still isn't enough for Durant, my guess is Jabari or Reed are added to make the deal. Which do you think is more likey?

I guess they can meet somewhere in the middle. I think J. Smith/Green +10 and filler (Landale). Houston wouldn't be able/wanted to pay Smith with Durant on the roster anyway. I guess the Suns try to send Green to another team for a better fit?
Ideally a Center and a PG?
My Mavs teammates disagree, but I'd give him a chance on the MAVS.
Gafford/Klay? Are the SUNS trying to turn Klay (or Allen, even if he's 29?) into a PG (Smart? Lonzo?/D. Murray?

KD/Hawkins HOUSTON

Gafford/JSmith/D.Murray+10 SUNS

Murray/Booker/Beal/Smith/Gafford
10/Allen/Dunn/Oso/Richards

Landale/Klay/Royce NOP

Green MAVS

New Orleans moves Murray by only attaching Hawkins, deal!

They also eat Klay and Royce...their last years of contract are of dubious value
Maybe eliminate the Mavs and NOP keeps J.Green?

J.Green to NOP
Murray/Hawkins/J.Smith/Gafford+10+SUNS
KD/Hawkins HOUSTON
G.Allen MAVS

[daoneandonly]

WOuld any of the teams in the top 9 of the lottery this year be interested in AD? If so, what would a package look like? Intentionally put 9 because Dallas should have zero interest in Jalen Green, and 9 straight games is probably the most AD has ever played in his entire career.

[jayjaysee]

WOuld any of the teams in the top 9 of the lottery this year be interested in AD? If so, what would a package look like? Intentionally put 9 because Dallas should have zero interest in Jalen Green, and 9 straight games is probably the most AD has ever played in his entire career.

I don’t think Dallas should care about eating Jalen Green, pending the rest of the trade obviously

He expires a year before Flagg gets paid so would have a chance to retool and he makes far enough under the max that he is a useful salary filler as an expiring in general. If he happens to get better as basketball over the next 12-18 months, even better.

[LarsV8]

That offer still isn't enough for Durant, my guess is Jabari or Reed are added to make the deal. Which do you think is more likey?

Jabari, due to salary and positional overlap with Durant.

But that "more likely" is "unlikely"

[wemby]

so after that, could they also use #2, Johnson, Vassell and future 1sts for Giannis?

That'd be malpractice, they'd tie 100% of the capspace to Durant (35%), Fox (30%), and Giannis (35%), and are two years away from Wemby's extension kicking in, with little to no depth and an aging and injury prone roster. I think a lot of people would like them to be shooting stars who come, burn their assets for a bright few years then go out, allowing for Wemby to contemplate leaving once his rookie extension ends, Spurs should practice restraint, it probably even yield better results as soon as a couple of years too.

[wemby]

https://hoopshype.com/2025/06/16/kevin-durant-prefers-to-play-in-san-antonio/
But amid their most recent round of talks with Phoenix, the Timberwolves were made aware that he prefers to play elsewhere — specifically, league sources say, the Spurs.

I'm getting the sense Durant told the Suns he wants to go to the Spurs, and the other teams were included by the Suns for leverage. I hope Spurs don't budge and destroy in a minute an incredible long term future ahead that took years and a lot of luck to build up.

[Godaddycurse]

https://hoopshype.com/2025/06/16/kevin-durant-prefers-to-play-in-san-antonio/
But amid their most recent round of talks with Phoenix, the Timberwolves were made aware that he prefers to play elsewhere — specifically, league sources say, the Spurs.

I'm getting the sense Durant told the Suns he wants to go to the Spurs, and the other teams were included by the Suns for leverage. I hope Spurs don't budge and destroy in a minute an incredible long term future ahead that took years and a lot of luck to build up.

Spending 14 and maybe a protected future 1st is hardly destroying their incredible long term future..

[Texas Chuck]

so after that, could they also use #2, Johnson, Vassell and future 1sts for Giannis?

That'd be malpractice, they'd tie 100% of the capspace to Durant (35%), Fox (30%), and Giannis (35%), and are two years away from Wemby's extension kicking in, with little to no depth and an aging and injury prone roster. I think a lot of people would like them to be shooting stars who come, burn their assets for a bright few years then go out, allowing for Wemby to contemplate leaving once his rookie extension ends, Spurs should practice restraint, it probably even yield better results as soon as a couple of years too.

Some may want that. I think most though are earnest in believing in Wemby now and thinking the Spurs should try and contend now. Especially since he comes with injury concerns smaller stars don't.

Like I doubt Diop here is thinking let me post on this message board an idea about San Antonio trading for Giannis so that in 5 years Wemby demands a trade to Charlotte.

[Texas Chuck]

https://hoopshype.com/2025/06/16/kevin-durant-prefers-to-play-in-san-antonio/
But amid their most recent round of talks with Phoenix, the Timberwolves were made aware that he prefers to play elsewhere — specifically, league sources say, the Spurs.

I'm getting the sense Durant told the Suns he wants to go to the Spurs, and the other teams were included by the Suns for leverage. I hope Spurs don't budge and destroy in a minute an incredible long term future ahead that took years and a lot of luck to build up.

Spending 14 and maybe a protected future 1st is hardly destroying their incredible long term future..

He might be referring to reports saying Phoenix wants #2 or Castle. But even with that, if the Spurs hadn't moved up in the lottery, he'd still believe they had an incredible long term future and so even if San Antonio overpaid in a way we don't think they will, he can't pretend now he thinks that would wreck their incredible future.

Wemby just hates the idea of adding stars over 30. Which is his right of course. But his chicken little routine contradicts his own points about the Spurs having been favorites for Giannis/KD before moving up, so he knows they already have plenty of future value...oh yeah and the brightest young star in the world.

[wemby]

https://hoopshype.com/2025/06/16/kevin-durant-prefers-to-play-in-san-antonio/
But amid their most recent round of talks with Phoenix, the Timberwolves were made aware that he prefers to play elsewhere — specifically, league sources say, the Spurs.

I'm getting the sense Durant told the Suns he wants to go to the Spurs, and the other teams were included by the Suns for leverage. I hope Spurs don't budge and destroy in a minute an incredible long term future ahead that took years and a lot of luck to build up.

Spending 14 and maybe a protected future 1st is hardly destroying their incredible long term future..

No, that's about as far as I think is reasonable, but anything beyond that might be. Personally, I wouldn't even go that far. People think it terms of assets going out but it's also salary invested (he's making 35% of the cap, takes a lot of options away), risks taken (what if you extend him on a near max and he suffers another serious injury?), missed opportunities (players you can't sign or trade for), etc. KD isn't just his best self, he's carrying a lot of risks with him, more than most are willing to admit,

[Texas Chuck]

KD isn't just his best self, he's carrying a lot of risks with him, more than most are willing to admit,

This board absolutely understands this which is why with rare exception the asking price from San Antonio has reflected that. Sorry but Keldon/Barnes/Sochan(or future first)/14 for KD factors in the age/money/risk. If he was 31, we'd be talking about #2 and Castle and a bunch of future picks.

[wemby]

But his chicken little routine contradicts his own points about the Spurs having been favorites for Giannis/KD before moving up, so he knows they already have plenty of future value...oh yeah and the brightest young star in the world.

Huh? I don't know what you're talking about, I already said plenty of times before the lottery went down that I wouldn't trade an unprotected 2025 draft pick exactly because of what happened, Spurs had about a 30% of landing a top 4 pick, it isn't as shocking as most think that they got lucky. Ttrading away Castle or that pick before the lottery absolutely would have elicited the same response from me.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Im clearly late to this conversation, but after reading a bit this am, could the Spurs swing Giannis and KD?

Keldon, Barnes, Sochan, 14 for KD

Vassell, Castle, 2, future pick(s) for Giannis

[mlloyd10]

Im clearly late to this conversation, but after reading a bit this am, could the Spurs swing Giannis and KD?

Keldon, Barnes, Sochan, 14 for KD

Vassell, Castle, 2, future pick(s) for Giannis

Can we please stop with this...Not nearly enough

[bkohler]

Im clearly late to this conversation, but after reading a bit this am, could the Spurs swing Giannis and KD?

Keldon, Barnes, Sochan, 14 for KD

Vassell, Castle, 2, future pick(s) for Giannis

Can we please stop with this...Not nearly enough

For which one?

[mlloyd10]

Im clearly late to this conversation, but after reading a bit this am, could the Spurs swing Giannis and KD?

Keldon, Barnes, Sochan, 14 for KD

Vassell, Castle, 2, future pick(s) for Giannis

Can we please stop with this...Not nearly enough

For which one?

Giannis for sure and probably both - The reported asking price for KD stared with Castle or #2

[shrink]

Im clearly late to this conversation, but after reading a bit this am, could the Spurs swing Giannis and KD?

Keldon, Barnes, Sochan, 14 for KD

Vassell, Castle, 2, future pick(s) for Giannis

KD and Giannis are about $100 mil in incoming salary.

Setting aside value, simply doing a legal deal without Fox seems problematic.

[MoneyTalks41890]

Im clearly late to this conversation, but after reading a bit this am, could the Spurs swing Giannis and KD?

Keldon, Barnes, Sochan, 14 for KD

Vassell, Castle, 2, future pick(s) for Giannis

KD and Giannis are about $100 mil in incoming salary.

Setting aside value, simply doing a legal deal without Fox seems problematic.

Totally agree it’s unrealistic and creates future complications but I believe with the rookie salaries the outgoing is about the same

[Klomp]

My discomfort is that I think that this could mean Rudy Gobert is going out instead of Julius Randle, which would be a HUGE bummer, but in the end, I am comfortable with Tim Connelly making whatever decision he sees as fit.

I'm honestly split on this. I think where I stand currently is that the offensive jump this team needs to take supersedes the defensive floor that Gobert provides.

[MoneyTalks41890]

My discomfort is that I think that this could mean Rudy Gobert is going out instead of Julius Randle, which would be a HUGE bummer, but in the end, I am comfortable with Tim Connelly making whatever decision he sees as fit.

I'm honestly split on this. I think where I stand currently is that the offensive jump this team needs to take supersedes the defensive floor that Gobert provides.

Rudy’s contract is just starting to look good though imo