2024-25 Season Discussion and Speculation Part IV

[thamadkant]

Give me

Coby White
Patrick Williams
Vucevic

For KD. Screw 1st rounders.

Coby White
Booker
Dunn
Patrick Williams
Vucevic

bench

Beal, Allen, Bol Bol, Richards.

That's a 30 win team since Suns are a West conference team.

Well done.

[thamadkant]

Suns franchise is doomed if they keep Booker. Doomed.

[Puff]

Damn the Lakers trade for Luka
The Warriors deal for Butler and both are now in the conversation to be in the WCF. Of course, OKC, Memphis and Houston might have something to say about that, I hope so.

We sit on our hands and wait until the off season to move KD. I hope that we didn't have any offers other than the GS offer.

Will KD really be wanted after his struggles in the desert? I don't mean his but our teams. I think potential trade partners are going to consider that in what we night get.

[garrick]

your opinion is noted, man. I agree on Booker as he just doesn't have the length, toughness or explosive athleticism to ever be an elite defender. But cumulatively, I'd think this tweet could be accurate in this current offensively driven climate

Dunn is decent but I ain’t in love with his game like others here. He needs a lot of refining. As good as he is on defense, he’s just as bad on offense. It’s a give and take. I’ve seen some here say he has a higher floor than M Bridges, which to me is insane. I don’t see Dunn as any more than a decent role player, never starter material. I mean, I hope I’m wrong but we shall see.

Well, honestly, the bulk of responsibility for Dunn's stalling development has to be responsibly attributed to the coach not playing him or at all. Dunn was starting out the season really well offensively too, indicating the clear two-way potential. but then after injury, coach Bud started going to him less and less, and now he barely gives him any minutes if he plays him at all. Obviously, this is very counterproductive to his key growth/ development, and confidence. But what makes things even more asinine is our glaring critical defensive weaknesses that have undoubtedly affected the outcome of countless games this season when we clearly have the exact player that was drafted for his skillset and abilities he's already shown repeatedly to address those critical needs. Yet he doesn't play him.

So I guess that my point here would be that it's hard to progress and develop when you're not getting any playing time or "in game" experience to build upon as a young player. Again laughably bad decisions by our coach when we drafted a dynamic young defender exactly for these concerns, and Bud just continues to sit him on the sidelines as our team gets crucified by the consensus for our biggest glaring weakness which again is defense...LOL

Dunn's offense has been pretty bad with the minutes he's gotten and so he's like a worse version of Okogie since he doesn't typically attach the rim hard either which is something Okogie at least could do.

It might take a couple seasons for him to develop his offensive skills but we don't really have time to wait for him to develop.

[Frank Lee]

Jones/wishbia have traded away a better team than they put together

[KdoubleDees23]

Give me

Coby White
Patrick Williams
Vucevic

For KD. Screw 1st rounders.

Coby White
Booker
Dunn
Patrick Williams
Vucevic

bench

Beal, Allen, Bol Bol, Richards.

That's a 30 win team since Suns are a West conference team.

Well done.

I would rather a 30 win team than this team who has 3 all stars that cant even win 30 games.

But reality Coby White and Patrick williams are a great fit around Booker. I think this team would surprise you.

[KdoubleDees23]

Suns franchise is doomed if they keep Booker. Doomed.

No they aren't . He just needs to fall to his place as a 2nd or even 3rd option and give him a PG!!!!!! See our team when we had a leader / PG in CP3. That was our best basketball! We also had 2-3 young hungry players who hustled, and accepted their role.

TBH if we didn't do the CP3 trade or the Ayton trade but still got KD.

CP3
Booker
Craig / Toumani Camara
KD
Ayton

That team would have competed

[Courant]

Phoenix should have kept the team that went to the 2021 NBA Finals. The only weak spot was Chris Paul's age, but the Suns could have traded with San Antonio for Dejounte Murray in 2022, when the Spurs openly were trading him. A team of Murray, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton would have been much less costly and would have had a longer title window than what Phoenix has now.

Phoenix trading for Kevin Durant gutted the team. It cost the Suns a top-tier, two-way young small forward (Bridges), an emerging combination forward (Johnson) and four future unprotected first-round picks for an aging scorer who has proven he only works as an addition to a loaded squad.

People keep overlooking that Golden State was unstoppable with Durant because it didn't cost the Warriors any personnel to acquire him. He signed as a free agent addition to a team with three players on the 2016 All-NBA team (including the only unanimous league MVP in NBA history) that went 140-24, won the 2015 title and lost in a historic upset in the 2016 Finals in the previous two seasons without him.

[Sunsdeuce]

Suns franchise is doomed if they keep Booker. Doomed.

No they aren't . He just needs to fall to his place as a 2nd or even 3rd option and give him a PG!!!!!! See our team when we had a leader / PG in CP3. That was our best basketball! We also had 2-3 young hungry players who hustled, and accepted their role.

TBH if we didn't do the CP3 trade or the Ayton trade but still got KD.

CP3
Booker
Craig / Toumani Camara
KD
Ayton

That team would have competed

Unfortunately, we can’t revise history. I’d say out of 100 scenarios where Booker stays, only 20 of them play out where the Suns are contenders again. I see better odds of building a true contender where Booker is traded and assets are returned for a rebuild.

The other part to the Booker scenario is his off the court/on the court leadership. Simple put, it doesn’t exist. He has never and will never be leader of men. He’s always just along for the ride. Those type of players don’t lead teams to championships.

The straw that broke the camels back was the moment the fans, the league and the commissioner didn’t pick Booker as an All-Star and instead of seeing that HIS play isn’t Star worthy, he blamed everyone but himself. That moment is going to be his defining moment of who he is. AND I believe him. He is no leader or example setter!

[BobbieL]

Suns franchise is doomed if they keep Booker. Doomed.

No they aren't . He just needs to fall to his place as a 2nd or even 3rd option and give him a PG!!!!!! See our team when we had a leader / PG in CP3. That was our best basketball! We also had 2-3 young hungry players who hustled, and accepted their role.

TBH if we didn't do the CP3 trade or the Ayton trade but still got KD.

CP3
Booker
Craig / Toumani Camara
KD
Ayton

That team would have competed

Unfortunately, we can’t revise history. I’d say out of 100 scenarios where Booker stays, only 20 of them play out where the Suns are contenders again. I see better odds of building a true contender where Booker is traded and assets are returned for a rebuild.

The other part to the Booker scenario is his off the court/on the court leadership. Simple put, it doesn’t exist. He has never and will never be leader of men. He’s always just along for the ride. Those type of players don’t lead teams to championships.

The straw that broke the camels back was the moment the fans, the league and the commissioner didn’t pick Booker as an All-Star and instead of seeing that HIS play isn’t Star worthy, he blamed everyone but himself. That moment is going to be his defining moment of who he is. AND I believe him. He is no leader or example setter!

Bickley nailed it about both KD and Booker - why they were perfect for the Olympics but not alpha leaders. They could just sit back and score.

I go back to this Pincus trade -- Jazz, Suns and Rockets. Personally, I leave the Jazz out of it as I think the Suns are better with the players from the Rockets but Ishbia might be attracted to the shiny contract and "name" of Markkanen. But between this trade and another trade in kind for Booker the Suns, like you said, would be much closer to a title. I know Booker and markkanen aren't doing squat. Suns get Shepperd Smith Whitmore, Holiday, Green and apick for Durant - plus whatever Booker brings, that would be a solid rebuild

Suns get:

Lauri Markkanen (from Jazz)
Jock Landale (from Rockets)
Lower 2025 first-rounder from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets or Jazz)

Rockets get:

Kevin Durant (from Suns)

Jazz get:

Reed Sheppard (from Rockets)
Jabari Smith Jr. (from Rockets)
Cam Whitmore (from Rockets)
Aaron Holiday (from Rockets)
Jeff Green (from Rockets)
Jae'Sean Tate (from Rockets)
Higher 2025 first-rounder from the Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets)
$20.4 million trade exception (Markkanen)

[Slim Charless]

Beal for PG13?

I don't know about that one lol. Hopefully that writer is just guessing and not basing that off anything concrete.

What are the sixers adding to take on that contract?

Knowing ishbia he would go the Pincus trade getting Markkanen while the Jazz get loaded followed by trading Beal and a pick for George


That Pincus trade of Durant to Houston leaving out the Jazz would be a slam dunk trade for the suns

Ishbia wants a name but the rockets players would be better than markkanen

Yeah Philly needs to add a pick or 2. They have alot of picks coming up, so its possible I think. PGs deal goes on another 2 years after Beal so we need something.

That's if Beal wants to even go to Philly.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Dunn is decent but I ain’t in love with his game like others here. He needs a lot of refining. As good as he is on defense, he’s just as bad on offense. It’s a give and take. I’ve seen some here say he has a higher floor than M Bridges, which to me is insane. I don’t see Dunn as any more than a decent role player, never starter material. I mean, I hope I’m wrong but we shall see.

Well, honestly, the bulk of responsibility for Dunn's stalling development has to be responsibly attributed to the coach not playing him or at all. Dunn was starting out the season really well offensively too, indicating the clear two-way potential. but then after injury, coach Bud started going to him less and less, and now he barely gives him any minutes if he plays him at all. Obviously, this is very counterproductive to his key growth/ development, and confidence. But what makes things even more asinine is our glaring critical defensive weaknesses that have undoubtedly affected the outcome of countless games this season when we clearly have the exact player that was drafted for his skillset and abilities he's already shown repeatedly to address those critical needs. Yet he doesn't play him.

So I guess that my point here would be that it's hard to progress and develop when you're not getting any playing time or "in game" experience to build upon as a young player. Again laughably bad decisions by our coach when we drafted a dynamic young defender exactly for these concerns, and Bud just continues to sit him on the sidelines as our team gets crucified by the consensus for our biggest glaring weakness which again is defense...LOL

Dunn's offense has been pretty bad with the minutes he's gotten and so he's like a worse version of Okogie since he doesn't typically attach the rim hard either which is something Okogie at least could do.

It might take a couple seasons for him to develop his offensive skills but we don't really have time to wait for him to develop.

Well of course his offense has gotten worse since he went down with injury early in the season and was trying to work his way back, but then (even though defense was/ is our biggest problem) coach Bud repeatedly decided to not play him much if at all.

And even while our offense was still top 3 this season but our defense was absolutely terrible and near league worst 28th. And with no other real legitimate athletic POA defenders on our roster, it made absolutely no sense at all.

So naturally as with most any players (especially young first year players) not getting any playing time is going to dramatically affect in game development and self confidence. So it's only reasonable and should be expected that his offense would be bad and not improve!


Players need playing time to develop their games and overall skillsets. Practice time just doesn't do very much at all towards such development. But we saw what he's capable of at the beginning of the season before he went down with an injury and the coach Bud completely iced him out of the rotation.

That should be our focus to build upon. That and understanding that a 1st year prospect in his rookie season is far from a finished product in any capacity.

Now being a worse version of Okogie is honestly not much of a fair assessment when actually comparing his 1st year stats and what Okogies' stats where in his same first year too:

Josh Okogie
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/okogijo01.html

7 points/ 2.9 rebounds/ 1.2 assists/ 1.2 steals/ 0.4 blocks on 38% FG/ 27% 3PT/ 72% FT/ 44% EFG.

Ryan Dunn
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dunnry01.html

6 points/ 3 rebounds/ 0.8 assists/ 0.4 steals/ 0.5 blocks on 43% FG/ 30% 3 PT / 44% FT/ 51% EFG.

So while his FT % is admittedly horrific, his FG%, 3 PT%, and FG efficiency are all better than Okogies' 1st year. The points are basically the same within a point or less. Dunns' a slightly better rebounder in his first season, Okogie is better in steals and assists but not by a lot. And Dunn is slightly better in blocks.


But overall my point here would be that we're looking at projection with young players, and when you consider their multiple similarities statistically, and Dunns already better shooting/ scoring efficiency in the same contextual stage, you can predict a favorable outcome IF ONLY GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR IN GAME DEVELOPMENT.

I put much of Dunns' struggles on Coach Bud just as I will with Osos' lack of development! The young players are our future and he's severely inhibiting their progress and development. The subject of his lack of attacking the rim can he easily attributed to the lack of self confidence and in game experience / development that gives those players confidence and growth.

As for not having time to wait?? Not sure what this statement is based upon man? I mean obviously we're nowhere near contending or even likely competing for a playoff run either.


The reality is that we're a lottery team as currently constructed and we don't have the assets, roster, multitude of conditions to even be measurably competitive and we're about to enter an inevitable long rebuild!

So what situation are we in exactly wherein we do we not have time to wait to develop our young players? Especially considering those young players are really the only viable future we have left thanks to Ishbia and Jones.

[Ghost of Kleine]

No they aren't . He just needs to fall to his place as a 2nd or even 3rd option and give him a PG!!!!!! See our team when we had a leader / PG in CP3. That was our best basketball! We also had 2-3 young hungry players who hustled, and accepted their role.

TBH if we didn't do the CP3 trade or the Ayton trade but still got KD.

CP3
Booker
Craig / Toumani Camara
KD
Ayton

That team would have competed

Unfortunately, we can’t revise history. I’d say out of 100 scenarios where Booker stays, only 20 of them play out where the Suns are contenders again. I see better odds of building a true contender where Booker is traded and assets are returned for a rebuild.

The other part to the Booker scenario is his off the court/on the court leadership. Simple put, it doesn’t exist. He has never and will never be leader of men. He’s always just along for the ride. Those type of players don’t lead teams to championships.

The straw that broke the camels back was the moment the fans, the league and the commissioner didn’t pick Booker as an All-Star and instead of seeing that HIS play isn’t Star worthy, he blamed everyone but himself. That moment is going to be his defining moment of who he is. AND I believe him. He is no leader or example setter!

Bickley nailed it about both KD and Booker - why they were perfect for the Olympics but not alpha leaders. They could just sit back and score.

I go back to this Pincus trade -- Jazz, Suns and Rockets. Personally, I leave the Jazz out of it as I think the Suns are better with the players from the Rockets but Ishbia might be attracted to the shiny contract and "name" of Markkanen. But between this trade and another trade in kind for Booker the Suns, like you said, would be much closer to a title. I know Booker and markkanen aren't doing squat. Suns get Shepperd Smith Whitmore, Holiday, Green and apick for Durant - plus whatever Booker brings, that would be a solid rebuild

Suns get:

Lauri Markkanen (from Jazz)
Jock Landale (from Rockets)
Lower 2025 first-rounder from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets or Jazz)

Rockets get:

Kevin Durant (from Suns)

Jazz get:

Reed Sheppard (from Rockets)
Jabari Smith Jr. (from Rockets)
Cam Whitmore (from Rockets)
Aaron Holiday (from Rockets)
Jeff Green (from Rockets)
Jae'Sean Tate (from Rockets)
Higher 2025 first-rounder from the Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets)
$20.4 million trade exception (Markkanen)

What's funny too is when you compare Michael Porter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen statistically, their scoring production and numbers/ efficiency are almost the same. But with Markannen making significantly more money and on a longer deal.

Lauri of course with slightly better per 36 numbers and overall height. But MPJr obviously likely costing much less in trade too. I agree with the Houston trade premise you mentioned. And I really think it has a good chance of happening due to KDs' connections with their young players and their coach Udoka as well as their critical needs for halfcourt offensive creation!

Slim pointed out how Houston and KD would be a great trade partner and how we'd get back a much better package than some think we would. And I emphatically agree on that. Ultimately I agree with both of you that Houston should be #1 for us in a KD trade. With maybe OKC and Dallas or San Antonio being 2 and 3 options for us.

But we'll first sure have multiple options this summer. Now whether or not our front office can make solid smart decisions and negotiate at all is another story entirely.

[Sunsdeuce]

No they aren't . He just needs to fall to his place as a 2nd or even 3rd option and give him a PG!!!!!! See our team when we had a leader / PG in CP3. That was our best basketball! We also had 2-3 young hungry players who hustled, and accepted their role.

TBH if we didn't do the CP3 trade or the Ayton trade but still got KD.

CP3
Booker
Craig / Toumani Camara
KD
Ayton

That team would have competed

Unfortunately, we can’t revise history. I’d say out of 100 scenarios where Booker stays, only 20 of them play out where the Suns are contenders again. I see better odds of building a true contender where Booker is traded and assets are returned for a rebuild.

The other part to the Booker scenario is his off the court/on the court leadership. Simple put, it doesn’t exist. He has never and will never be leader of men. He’s always just along for the ride. Those type of players don’t lead teams to championships.

The straw that broke the camels back was the moment the fans, the league and the commissioner didn’t pick Booker as an All-Star and instead of seeing that HIS play isn’t Star worthy, he blamed everyone but himself. That moment is going to be his defining moment of who he is. AND I believe him. He is no leader or example setter!

Bickley nailed it about both KD and Booker - why they were perfect for the Olympics but not alpha leaders. They could just sit back and score.

I go back to this Pincus trade -- Jazz, Suns and Rockets. Personally, I leave the Jazz out of it as I think the Suns are better with the players from the Rockets but Ishbia might be attracted to the shiny contract and "name" of Markkanen. But between this trade and another trade in kind for Booker the Suns, like you said, would be much closer to a title. I know Booker and markkanen aren't doing squat. Suns get Shepperd Smith Whitmore, Holiday, Green and apick for Durant - plus whatever Booker brings, that would be a solid rebuild

Suns get:

Lauri Markkanen (from Jazz)
Jock Landale (from Rockets)
Lower 2025 first-rounder from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets or Jazz)

Rockets get:

Kevin Durant (from Suns)

Jazz get:

Reed Sheppard (from Rockets)
Jabari Smith Jr. (from Rockets)
Cam Whitmore (from Rockets)
Aaron Holiday (from Rockets)
Jeff Green (from Rockets)
Jae'Sean Tate (from Rockets)
Higher 2025 first-rounder from the Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets)
$20.4 million trade exception (Markkanen)

Nailed it

[Sunsdeuce]

Removing teams that put superstars together on the same team that were in their retirement tours (rockets with Pippen, Barkley and Hakeem as an example), is there a super team in their prime, a bigger disaster than THIS suns team?

This team hurts my eyes to watch. Bunch of individuals, with no Desiree, no effort, entitlement (looking at you Booker), collecting unearned paychecks. I’ve watched this team since 1993 and there isn’t a team I hate worse than this and that includes Lindsey Hunter coach years and the Bledsoe years. This team is an insult to professional basketball. I know it’s negative but it’s hard to have any other feelings about this team but disgust.

Watching the Mavs -Suns game and this team gives no sh$&s. These players just taking our money as fans and telling us to go F ourselves.

Bol Bol at least is trying because he has to prove himself. He’s really the only player I think the suns should attempt to keep. And maybe, MAYBE keep Dunn and Oso just because they are young and need to develop. But everyone else, good bye and good bless, but you got to go!

[Calvin Klein]

36 year old KD is not in his prime, nor is 31 year old injury prone Beal. Still an enormous (and very predictable) disaster

[BobbieL]

Unfortunately, we can’t revise history. I’d say out of 100 scenarios where Booker stays, only 20 of them play out where the Suns are contenders again. I see better odds of building a true contender where Booker is traded and assets are returned for a rebuild.

The other part to the Booker scenario is his off the court/on the court leadership. Simple put, it doesn’t exist. He has never and will never be leader of men. He’s always just along for the ride. Those type of players don’t lead teams to championships.

The straw that broke the camels back was the moment the fans, the league and the commissioner didn’t pick Booker as an All-Star and instead of seeing that HIS play isn’t Star worthy, he blamed everyone but himself. That moment is going to be his defining moment of who he is. AND I believe him. He is no leader or example setter!

Bickley nailed it about both KD and Booker - why they were perfect for the Olympics but not alpha leaders. They could just sit back and score.

I go back to this Pincus trade -- Jazz, Suns and Rockets. Personally, I leave the Jazz out of it as I think the Suns are better with the players from the Rockets but Ishbia might be attracted to the shiny contract and "name" of Markkanen. But between this trade and another trade in kind for Booker the Suns, like you said, would be much closer to a title. I know Booker and markkanen aren't doing squat. Suns get Shepperd Smith Whitmore, Holiday, Green and apick for Durant - plus whatever Booker brings, that would be a solid rebuild

Suns get:

Lauri Markkanen (from Jazz)
Jock Landale (from Rockets)
Lower 2025 first-rounder from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets or Jazz)

Rockets get:

Kevin Durant (from Suns)

Jazz get:

Reed Sheppard (from Rockets)
Jabari Smith Jr. (from Rockets)
Cam Whitmore (from Rockets)
Aaron Holiday (from Rockets)
Jeff Green (from Rockets)
Jae'Sean Tate (from Rockets)
Higher 2025 first-rounder from the Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets)
$20.4 million trade exception (Markkanen)

Nailed it

The sad part is that Ishbia would see the name "Markannen" and the big contract and think that is better for the team. Heck, with the above haul, if that is what the Suns actually got for Durant -- they could make the argument to keep Booker and build around the above and Booker. Granted, I would still trade Booker but at least with the above - it would be better than Booker, Landale and Markkannen

[Ghost of Kleine]

Read on Twitter

KD talking to his new coach this summer?? (On the condition of Dallas' top 5 lotto pick coming back in the trade)!

[lilfishi22]

Apologies if this has already been posted and I missed it

https://www.espn.com.au/nba/insider/story/_/id/44108357/kevin-durant-trade-proposals-four-deals-suns-star

Four hypothetical trade offers for KD

Dallas Mavericks
Herring's trade offer:

Mavericks get: Kevin Durant
Suns get: Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, Dereck Lively II, 2025 first-round pick (via Dallas)

Why it makes sense for both sides

In dealing then-25-year-old Luka Doncic for 31-year-old Anthony Davis, the Mavericks have made no secret that they view their window to contend for a title as the next few years. With that in mind, they would seemingly be of the mind of continuing to push the chips in, even with Kyrie Irving's torn ACL likely affecting their chances next season.

Getting Durant, one of Irving's closest friends and his former Brooklyn teammate, would be a clear way to ensure the team's perimeter scoring and ballhandling stay afloat while Irving rehabs. And it would also give Davis another future Hall of Famer to take pressure off his shoulders night to night. The move would also give Durant a chance to potentially finish his career in the state where he became a one-and-done superstar for the Texas Longhorns.

In this deal, the Suns immediately deepen their rotation, getting not only historic sharpshooter Thompson, but also key win-now players in Washington and Marshall. Most importantly, they would get Lively, who enjoyed a fantastic rookie season on both ends of the floor with Dallas en route to the Mavs reaching the NBA Finals last year. The haul, and the draft pick in a deep selection pool, should be enough to convince franchise player Devin Booker that Phoenix has enough to be competitive.

On the other side, Dallas, like the current Suns roster, would undoubtedly be a thin, top-heavy group as a result of this move -- one with a trio of stars who would ultimately need a decent stretch of good health to give the club a chance at glory. It may seem like a heavy investment and risk for the Mavs. Frankly, it is one. But after dealing away Doncic, isn't that exactly what Mavs general manager Nico Harrison and the club have signed up for at this point?



Houston Rockets
Kram's trade offer:

Rockets get: Kevin Durant
Suns get: Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, Jock Landale, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks (via Phoenix; the 2025 first is conveyed after the May draft lottery)

Why it makes sense for both sides

The Rockets are a natural trade partner for the Suns for two main reasons. First, Durant slots neatly into Houston's largest hole. Thanks to a shiny young core and ferocious defense, the Rockets are rising in the West. But they lack the go-to scorer required to lead a contender and rank just 25th in half-court offense this season, per Cleaning the Glass.

Even at 36, Durant would represent a major improvement in this area. He has a higher usage rate and much better true shooting percentage than any player in Houston's rotation.


Second, the Rockets control Phoenix's draft picks in 2025, 2027 and 2029, which the Suns had initially sent to Brooklyn when they traded for Durant. Reacquiring some or all of those picks would bring Phoenix's Durant era full circle and also allow the team to make whatever future moves it desired without worrying about the potential loss of lottery picks.

In the meantime, this return could also help Phoenix put together a competitive roster around Devin Booker and avoid a full rebuild. Brooks is a useful 3-and-D wing on a declining contract who could plug one hole in the Suns' porous perimeter defense. Sheppard hasn't found his footing in his rookie season in Houston, but the No. 3 pick offers more upside than any player on Phoenix's roster. So too does Whitmore, an occasionally electric scorer (career 22 points per 36 minutes) who hasn't checked enough other boxes to earn more of coach Ime Udoka's trust.

Phoenix would acquire the young talent and picks it is missing, while Houston would upgrade from Brooks to Durant without sacrificing anyone else from its current core. That seems like a win-win deal.



Miami Heat
Pelton's trade offer:

Heat get: Kevin Durant
Suns get: Nikola Jovic, Andrew Wiggins, 2025 first-round pick (via Golden State), 2030 first-round pick (via Miami), 2026 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)
Nets get: Duncan Robinson, Keshad Johnson, 2029 first-round swap (top-4 protected), 2031 first-round swap (top-4 protected), 2031 second-round pick (via better of Indiana and Miami)

Why it makes sense for both sides

If the other offers here actually come in for Durant, the Heat don't realistically stand a chance. Miami doesn't have premium draft picks or young prospects to offer and must send out more salary than Durant's $53.3 million for 2025-26 to avoid a hard cap at the lower luxury tax apron, necessitating sending some of the pick value to the Nets to take Robinson's $19.9 million salary into cap space. (Some $10 million of Robinson's 2025-26 contract is non-guaranteed, but the Heat would have to guarantee it in order to count fully as outgoing salary in trade.)

Instead, Miami has to hope that Dallas decides not to sacrifice massive amounts of depth for a Durant pursuit and Houston prefers to wait for a younger star player (say, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Booker) who better fits the team's timetable.

In that scenario, the Heat can check multiple boxes for the Suns. This trade cuts about $20 million from Phoenix's 2025-26 payroll, which the Suns could either reinvest in a center or simply take as enormous luxury tax savings. Getting Wiggins, who has bounced back this season as an above-average starter, and Jovic improves Phoenix's forward depth. And the Suns end up with both the first-round pick the Warriors sent Miami in the Jimmy Butler trade and a valuable unprotected draft pick in 2030 to replenish the team's coffers.


New York Knicks
Snellings' trade offer:

Knicks get: Kevin Durant
Suns get: OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson

Why it makes sense for both sides

In this deal, the Knicks get Durant after missing out to their crosstown rivals six years ago. The Knicks' offense is strong but requires consistent heavy lifting from Jalen Brunson to create for the other finishers in the lineup. Well, Durant is one of the greatest finishers in NBA history and would pair with Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to give the Knicks one of the most efficient and productive offensive cores in the NBA. Their skill sets mesh well and could be enough to help the Knicks take that next leap to join the Celtics and Cavaliers in true contention to win the Eastern Conference. They would need to add more depth and size in the offseason, but their offensive foundation and upside would be tremendous.

In Anunoby, the Suns get a 27-year old impact forward on a similar career timeline with 28-year old franchise player Booker. Anunoby is an elite wing defender, named second-team All-Defense in 2023 and with Booker would form a wing tandem that is excellent at both ends of the floor. The Suns also still need more size and muscle in the middle, and the 26-year old Robinson would give them another young veteran entering his peak seasons capable of contributing to the main rotation of a winning squad. Robinson has had health issues, but when on the court, he is one of the better defensive and rebounding bigs in the league.


The verdict: Durant to the Rockets?
Dallas, Miami and New York make compelling cases, but it is hard to turn down the trade proposal Houston has offered. The Rockets' package checked four boxes Phoenix set off to accomplish in trading Durant: draft picks, controllable contracts, players who can help now and financial flexibility.

The trade recouped two firsts lost in the original Durant trade to Brooklyn and puts Phoenix in control of its first in two out of the next three years (Washington has the right to swap firsts in 2026). The other three trade proposals only had Phoenix receiving one first. Prior to the trade, Phoenix had no control of its own first over the next seven years.

The addition of Sheppard and Whitmore gives Phoenix two controllable contracts for the future and an injection of youth into an aging team. The Suns finished the 2024-25 regular season behind only the Clippers as the oldest team in the NBA. Before the trade, last year's draft picks Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro were the only players on the roster who were 23 years old or younger. The Rockets trade is the only proposal that includes two players on first-round rookie scale contracts.

And while OG Anunoby is probably the best "win-now" player included in the trade, the $176 million left on his contract after this season is a hard no. Brooks can give Phoenix the same production at a quarter of what is owed to Anunoby.

The financial component sealed the deal with Houston. By taking back $11 million less than what is owed to Durant and then releasing Cody Martin and Vasilije Micic, the Suns would drop below the second apron in 2025-26, finally allowing the Suns to aggregate contracts and send out cash in a trade.

-- Marks

I think it's pretty clear Houston's offer is the best of the bunch here.

Dallas makes sense and it's more or less along the line of what I had previously proposed but it doesn't beat Houston's offer

I don't like that Miami 3 way with Brooklyn. I don't think Jovic, Wiggins and a couple of meh picks are a good return.

The Knicks trade straight up sucks. OG is a really good basketball player, elite defender, but he doesn't stand out as an offensive player, this is his first pretty healthy season since his early career, and I'm not betting $175m remaining on his contract that he'll continue to be healthy. And Mitch Rob's played 3 games this season because of injury. Damn good chance we end up with a massive contract for an unhealthy, unavailable player and an expiring contract.

fully agree with your assessment here man! The Houston and Dallas trades are plenty good! The Miami trade is pizz poor having us at Wiggins' salary and only getting back Jovic and the GS 25' 1st (19th pick) and will likely finish in the early to mid 20s' at best! very poor value return if not getting Ware back in the deal. instead (with the declining value of the GS 1st, the trade should instead be KD for Rozier (25 million expiring)/ Robinson (19 million expiring)/ Jovic/ Jacquez/ GS 25' 1st/ MIA 29' 1st/ MIA 31' 1st. And this would be the absolute lowest value offer I'd consider from Miami.

And the Knicks offer without any picks at all does absolutely nothing for me unless it's Bridges coming back instead of Anunoby! The package would have to instead be Bridges/ Robinson/ Achiuwa/McBride / Dadiet/Huktpori (for matching purposes within 1 million).
But I sure as heck wouldn't do this New York trade unless we're getting back Bridges instead of Anunoby.

But perhaps we could instead do this (costly but maybe worth it)???

Minnesota/Denver/ New York/ Phoenix (4 way trade);

Minnesota- Durant.

Denver- Randle $30 million expiring / Martin $8 million expiring/ 2 CLE 1sts.

New York- Michael Porter Jr.

Phoenix- Bridges/ DiVencenzo/Achiuwa/ Dillingham Jr/ McBride/ Dadiet/ DET 25 1st (20th pick from Minnesota)/ MIN 31' 1st.

**The money matches dollar for dollar from New York getting MPJr and us getting back Bridges/ Achiuwa/ McBride and Dadiet. I'm following this trade up with Dillingham/ O'neale/ Dadiet/ DET 1st (20th pick) to San Antonio for Sochan/ ATL 25' 1st (15th pick) and UTA 26' 2nd/ POR 26' 2nd. Then I'm trading Allen to Orlando for Bidatze/ Josephs' 3 million expiring.

After these 3 trades, we've traded KD/ Allen/ O'neale for:

Mikal Bridges/ Bidatze/Achiuwa/ Sochan/ DiVincenzo/ McBride/ 15th pick/ MIN 31' 1st/ two 26' 2nds. And in this draft we'd also have the 15th pick/ 29th pick/ 54th pick. I'm trading the 15th pick to Brooklyn for the 22nd and 23rd picks.
22- Sergio de Larrea. 6'7 PG
23- Danny Wolf. 7'0 PF/C
29- Jo'an Beringer. 6'11 (7'5 wingspan) center.
54- Kob Brea. 6'7 SG.

Booker/ Beal/ Bridges/ Bol/ Bidatze.
McBride/ DiVincenzo/ Dunn/ Achiuwa/ Richards.
Larrea/ Brea/ Sochan/ Wolf/ Ighodaro.

G League two-way contracts (development).
1- Colin Gillespie.
2- Jo'an Beringer.
3- Trevon Brazile.

I've seen you post about MPJr a number of times but I can't see them moving off MPJ. He's put together b2b healthy seasons, he's got 2 years left on his deal and there just isn't anyone who can step up and replace his scoring imo. Unlike moving on from Bruce Brown when they kind of already had a young guy in Braun you could reasonable see take on that role. You might also be surprised to know the Nuggets aren't in the 2nd apron this season or the next and that's even with Murray's new extension kicking at $46m next season. His contract also didn't hit the super max category because he didn't make all-NBA unlike someone like Trae who is on the same deal but is already on $43m and will finish at almost $50m whereas MPJ's will max out at just under $41m. They just aren't looking to trade their championship core imo and while you could MAYBE make an argument if they brought in say two guys who end up being more productive and add more depth than one MPJ, Randle is the anti-thesis of Denver basketball.

The Nuggets are still just chugging along, fuelled by, without a doubt in my mind, Jokic's best MVP season so far.

[lilfishi22]

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Would any of you do this trade for Lauri Markannen? (I don't think that Utah would at all though)??

Suns get:
- Lauri Markkanen (from Jazz)
- Jock Landale (from Rockets)
- Lower 2025 first-rounder from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets or Jazz)

Rockets get:
- Kevin Durant (from Suns)

Jazz get:
- Reed Sheppard (from Rockets)
- Jabari Smith Jr. (from Rockets)
- Cam Whitmore (from Rockets)
- Aaron Holiday (from Rockets)
- Jeff Green (from Rockets)
- Jae'Sean Tate (from Rockets)
- Higher 2025 first-rounder from the Timberwolves and Suns (via Rockets)
- $20.4 million trade exception (Markkanen)

Honestly, the Lauri shine has kind of faded a fair bit for me. I still think he's a pretty unique NBA big who fits very well in today's NBA but wasting away in Utah while having so-so health for most of his career and now he's in the first year of a pretty signficant extension, it's not a no-brainer anymore. While I don't know whether he's indeed one of the tougher contracts out there, it's certainly not, as a mentioned, a no-brainer.

Also...Pincus calls Lauri one of the tougher contracts but Utah still some how cash in with 3 pretty good 20-21 year old players? I dunno, I feel like *we* should be getting a piece of that