Suns Off Season Changes for 2025-26

[Carolinacacti]

ok all jokes aside - if ayton doesn't show up for practices or rehabs and is late to team flights and doesn't give 100% but gets mad when he's benched...

im guessing the contract they made him sign is nuts - im guessing they put some different types requirements and responsibilities in their new investment

that shouldn't be a problem but who knows - i think ayton's biggest problem is going to be jj redick and lebron james - neither is going to let deandre take plays off

Ayton, Lebron and Luka take plays off. I was a big Ayton supporter even in the bad times. Now I hope he crashes and burns

 

[SunsTzu]

They were talking on the radio that noone could foresee both the number 1 and number 2 pick of the 2018 draft would not be on their original teams, and end up together on the same team. Both were supposed to be franchise players on the teams that drafted them.

Marvin Bagley isn't on the same team as Ayton though.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Marvin Bagley isn't on the same team as Ayton though.

I think most people forget Luka didn’t go #2

 

[Adrian]

Knicks interested in Phoenix Suns center | Sporting News

The Phoenix center could serve as a depth pieces going into next season.

www.sportingnews.com

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

Knicks interested in Phoenix Suns center | Sporting News

The Phoenix center could serve as a depth pieces going into next season.

www.sportingnews.com

let the bidding war continue with the mindset that we want to keep him

 

[Yuma]

I think most people forget Luka didn’t go #2

The radio guys may have worded it as the top two talents, since Bagley kinda flamed out.

 

[GatorAZ]

Ayton’s shortcoming will be magnified playing for the biggest NBA brand. Laker fans on social media and in general are pretty ruthless for the expectations and hating players who underperform. You can get away with most of it on a national level playing in Phoenix and Portland. Given DA’s legendary level of unawareness on how he “comes off” I expect this to go very poorly.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

From what I've read, it sounds like he's completely delusional as usual. Predraft there were some weird articles about him, about what a goof he was, and many people just put it aside. His biggest issue is between the ears, and that's never going to change.

That playoff run was magical though.

 

[Superbone]

Ayton’s shortcoming will be magnified playing for the biggest NBA brand. Laker fans on social media and in general are pretty ruthless for the expectations and hating players who underperform. You can get away with most of it on a national level playing in Phoenix and Portland. Given DA’s legendary level of unawareness on how he “comes off” I expect this to go very poorly.

It won't take long. We were stoked at first too.

 

[AzStevenCal]

All the Ayton in LA comments are accurate but he won't be their number one pick and they won't be lamenting assets they traded to get him and they won't be hamstrung by the 8 million a year they're paying him. He's an absolute steal for that franchise even if they just get the up and down regular season version of DA we saw that finals year. Sure, they could get the useless version of DA we saw his last season in Phoenix but even so, they lose almost nothing by this move.

 

[Proximo]

Man it really sounds like we are going to do a buyout and stretch on Beal.

I REALLY think that is a bad idea. With no picks to speak of for the next 5 years our access to cheap players is already severely limited, take another $20 million off our cap space and our ability to do anything over the next 5 gets even worse.

I hear PHNX arguing we need to do it to not have the next 2 years of Bookers prime wasted because we can't put a team around him. What kind of dream world are these people living in - there is zero scenarios where Bookers next 2 years aren't wasted. It is impossible to make this team good in the next 2 years.

OKC, Denver, Houston, Minnesota, San Antonio, Dallas are all almost 100% guaranteed to be better than us. The only reason it's not 100% is players can die or be put out of commission.

There are only 2 acceptable outcomes, eat the whole salary the next 2 years, or find a way to trade him for multiple smaller salaries where some portion can be dumped.

 

[Superbone]

Man it really sounds like we are going to do a buyout and stretch on Beal.

I REALLY think that is a bad idea. With no picks to speak of for the next 5 years our access to cheap players is already severely limited, take another $20 million off our cap space and our ability to do anything over the next 5 gets even worse.

I hear PHNX arguing we need to do it to not have the next 2 years of Bookers prime wasted because we can't put a team around him. What kind of dream world are these people living in - there is zero scenarios where Bookers next 2 years aren't wasted. It is impossible to make this team good in the next 2 years.

OKC, Denver, Houston, Minnesota, San Antonio, Dallas are all almost 100% guaranteed to be better than us. The only reason it's not 100% is players can die or be put out of commission.

There are only 2 acceptable outcomes, eat the whole salary the next 2 years, or find a way to trade him for multiple smaller salaries where some portion can be dumped.

Well, the good thing is Ishbia has a history of good NBA money moves.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The radio guys may have worded it as the top two talents, since Bagley kinda flamed out.

Except Ayton isn’t one of the top two talents from that draft. Luka, Shai, bridges, jjj all better than him. So that wouldn’t be accurate either.

 

[Superbone]

Except Ayton isn’t one of the top two talents from that draft. Luka, Shai, bridges, jjj all better than him. So that wouldn’t be accurate either.

Yep, that fact that he went #1 means absolutely nothing. He moves way down after a redraft.

 

[Mainstreet]

Man it really sounds like we are going to do a buyout and stretch on Beal.

I REALLY think that is a bad idea. With no picks to speak of for the next 5 years our access to cheap players is already severely limited, take another $20 million off our cap space and our ability to do anything over the next 5 gets even worse.

I hear PHNX arguing we need to do it to not have the next 2 years of Bookers prime wasted because we can't put a team around him. What kind of dream world are these people living in - there is zero scenarios where Bookers next 2 years aren't wasted. It is impossible to make this team good in the next 2 years.

OKC, Denver, Houston, Minnesota, San Antonio, Dallas are all almost 100% guaranteed to be better than us. The only reason it's not 100% is players can die or be put out of commission.

There are only 2 acceptable outcomes, eat the whole salary the next 2 years, or find a way to trade him for multiple smaller salaries where some portion can be dumped.

Duane Rankin at azcentral is talking about a possible buyout as well.

Sources: Phoenix Suns discussing possible Bradley Beal buyout

Bradley Beal has averaged 17.6 points in his two seasons with the Phoenix Suns, and has two years left on his contract totally $110 million.

www.azcentral.com

 

[SunsTzu]

Man it really sounds like we are going to do a buyout and stretch on Beal.

I REALLY think that is a bad idea. With no picks to speak of for the next 5 years our access to cheap players is already severely limited, take another $20 million off our cap space and our ability to do anything over the next 5 gets even worse.

I hear PHNX arguing we need to do it to not have the next 2 years of Bookers prime wasted because we can't put a team around him. What kind of dream world are these people living in - there is zero scenarios where Bookers next 2 years aren't wasted. It is impossible to make this team good in the next 2 years.

OKC, Denver, Houston, Minnesota, San Antonio, Dallas are all almost 100% guaranteed to be better than us. The only reason it's not 100% is players can die or be put out of commission.

There are only 2 acceptable outcomes, eat the whole salary the next 2 years, or find a way to trade him for multiple smaller salaries where some portion can be dumped.

Buyout and stretch is the worst possible outcome, especially if they sign Book to a max extension.

Imagine having nearly 100 million tied up in Book and dead cap.

 

[GatorAZ]

All the Ayton in LA comments are accurate but he won't be their number one pick and they won't be lamenting assets they traded to get him and they won't be hamstrung by the 8 million a year they're paying him. He's an absolute steal for that franchise even if they just get the up and down regular season version of DA we saw that finals year. Sure, they could get the useless version of DA we saw his last season in Phoenix but even so, they lose almost nothing by this move.

After a while draft position no longer matters. A player is who is he. Laker Nation has turned on their fare share of role players. I’m sure his face will be out on a Bin Laden meme soon enough.

 

[Raindog]

Buyout and stretch is the worst possible outcome, especially if they sign Book to a max extension.

Imagine having nearly 100 million tied up in Book and dead cap.

Yeah, I don't get it. That's not smart at all. You would even be (waaay) better off just having him sit on the bench for the next year and (possibly) half, and then move him as an expiring.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Maybe they just buy him out and move on without stretching.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

idk why ish would buy him out or stretch/prolong anything - look - beal might only play 50 games a season but how many is tatum gonna play next year? or kyrie? because they're still getting paid - and it's not like we're anywhere near contention - we could actually use the 1 and a half or 2 years to find out who we are and what we actually need - if you can't trade beal play beal - get at least a minimum return on your investment but cash out LATER when it's beneficial to the club

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Maybe they just buy him out and move on without stretching.

I'm guessing this is the route they go. Otherwise, they could just waive him and stretch him right now as it likely wouldn't make that big of a difference.

 

[JCSunsfan]

idk why ish would buy him out or stretch/prolong anything - look - beal might only play 50 games a season but how many is tatum gonna play next year? or kyrie? because they're still getting paid - and it's not like we're anywhere near contention - we could actually use the 1 and a half or 2 years to find out who we are and what we actually need - if you can't trade beal play beal - get at least a minimum return on your investment but cash out LATER when it's beneficial to the club

Because we have a stable of young shooting guards and he will want to play. If he just sits he is going to be a problem.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I'm guessing this is the route they go. Otherwise, they could just waive him and stretch him right now as it likely wouldn't make that big of a difference.

They have to get a little bit of a buyout to stretch him. There is a limit to how much salary a team can stretch and the Suns have two others that they stretched last year.

 

[Hoop Head]

I'm guessing this is the route they go. Otherwise, they could just waive him and stretch him right now as it likely wouldn't make that big of a difference.

They can't stretch him due to rules over how much dead salary a team can stretch. We have Nassir Little's deal stretched already which is standing in the way. Beal needs to sacrifice at least $20 million I believe in a buyout to be stretch eligible.

 

[AzStevenCal]

After a while draft position no longer matters. A player is who is he. Laker Nation has turned on their fare share of role players. I’m sure his face will be out on a Bin Laden meme soon enough.

My point was that DA bombing out cost us in many ways but even if it ends the same way for the Lakers, it will be nothing more than a minor disappointment for them and their fans. They just aren't as invested in him as we were with our first ever number one pick. And while I'm confident he'll eventually wear out his welcome in LA, it wouldn't surprise me to see that team contend this season. And if that team doesn't succeed, Lebron and/or Luka will likely draw most of the heat.