Shams: Suns trade for Miles Bridges

[JCSunsfan]

Selling our soul, and a big chunk of the future for a guy who has never been an impactful player and is a PR headache is a helluva choice.

Not much of a surprise from the current regime.

From the day Ishbia bought the team to today, he seemingly has zero regard for the long term future or the character of this team.

He's a narrow minded, meddling owner, and a high risk gambler.

We pray that he's a good gambler.

You are using hyperbole, I hope.

 

[1tinsoldier]

You are using hyperbole, I hope.

more like "hyper-reality"

but instead of "zero regard" i'd say:
like a typical business mogul today, Ishia focuses on perceived short-term gains without the discipline and maturity to factor in a long-term strategy

a contributing factor was probably that the Brooks move payed off. but this new move is one here would have done in his shoes. There were better ways to create cap space.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Its ONE pick. We have no idea where it will be, but it is very likely to be in the mid-to late draft.

I lived through the years when we had that 2015 mythical "Laker pick" and we treasured it like Gollum and his ring.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Its ONE pick. We have no idea where it will be, but it is very likely to be in the mid-to late draft.

Why is it likely to be in the mid to late draft? This team missed the playoffs two years ago, barely made the playoffs last year and is projected to miss the playoffs again this year and by 2031 Book will be way past his prime (a prime where he barely or isn’t good enough to make the playoffs).

My fear, beyond the obvious black eye this gives the team off the court, is that it stunts the growth of one of our most talented young guys, burying Fleming, especially if we double down on Bridges and give him some kind of large extension.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Why is it likely to be in the mid to late draft?

Pure wishcasting.

My fear, beyond the obvious black eye this gives the team off the court, is that it stunts the growth of one of our most talented young guys, burying Fleming, especially if we double down on Bridges and give him some kind of large extension.

No chance they acquire him without confidence he'll be extended. Good luck.

 

[Phrazbit]

Its ONE pick. We have no idea where it will be, but it is very likely to be in the mid-to late draft.

I lived through the years when we had that 2015 mythical "Laker pick" and we treasured it like Gollum and his ring.

It's one pick... it's also our only tradable pick that wasn't already leveraged 4 ways. When he bought the team he traded away every tradable pick we had the same day. He's since traded away every pick he could the instant those picks became moveable. He's also attached pick swaps to all the other picks he couldn't trade away flat out.

Our future is already heavily mortgaged and he keeps taking out loans on "shaky" assets.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's one pick... it's also our only tradable pick that wasn't already leveraged 4 ways. When he bought the team he traded away every tradable pick we had the same day. He's since traded away every pick he could the instant those picks became moveable. He's also attached pick swaps to all the other picks he couldn't trade away flat out.

Our future is already heavily mortgaged and he keeps taking out loans on "shaky" assets.

Who have the Suns drafted early that's been really good in recent history?

The jury is out on Khaman Maluach.

Devin Booker was drafted 13th in 2015.

The Suns traded for the rights to Mikal Bridges selected at #10 in 2018 and we know how their overall #1 pick turned out.

TJ Warren was drafted 14th in 2014 and Amare was drafted #9 in 2002.

 

[1tinsoldier]

i know it's just me, but even without giving away the pick, i wouldn't have traded our best 3 point weapons. hell, i wouldn't have traded Allen for Bridges straight up. If the goal was cap space, i'd just have traded Royce for someone cheaper

 

[Phrazbit]

Who have the Suns drafted early that's been really good in recent history?

The jury is out on Khaman Maluach.

Devin Booker was drafted 13th in 2015.

The Suns traded for the rights to Mikal Bridges selected at #10 in 2021 and we know how their overall #1 pick turned out.

TJ Warren was drafted 14th in 2014 and Amare was drafted #9 in 2002.

The Suns long run of success from 1988 to 2010 was sustained through draft prowess.

Our lack of success and mediocrity since that point has has been a reflection of our failures in the draft and our front office putting little value on future picks.

Sarver would trade them away to save money, Ishbia trades them away in one disastrous trade after another because he’s impatient and meddlesome.

We finally dug our way out of the abyss because we managed to hit on some players in the draft. Booker, Johnson, Mikal… even Ayton, while a massive disappointment as the number one pick, was still a key player in the turnaround.

 

[AzStevenCal]

i know it's just me, but even without giving away the pick, i wouldn't have traded our best 3 point weapons. hell, i wouldn't have traded Allen for Bridges straight up. If the goal was cap space, i'd just have traded Royce for someone cheaper

I didn't want to lose either player but we had to cut salary and I have no idea if there was really a better way to make that happen.

My dream scenario for the offseason was to find a way to trade for another top 10 pick so we could draft draft Peat and then I was hoping we'd stand in line to sign Awaka to a 2 way contract. I figured maybe we'd be able to hang onto 1 or 2 from that CG, Goodwin, Williams group and that would be it. We didn't sign Awaka and we traded for a PR challenge but all told, short of trading Booker or Green to solve our future draft pick situation, this was a near perfect offseason AFAIC.

 

[elindholm]

Its ONE pick. We have no idea where it will be, but it is very likely to be in the mid-to late draft.

And yet most of this board has penciled in the #30 pick in the last draft as an instant rotation player.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns long run of success from 1988 to 2010 was sustained through draft prowess.

Our lack of success and mediocrity since that point has has been a reflection of our failures in the draft and our front office putting little value on future picks.

Sarver would trade them away to save money, Ishbia trades them away in one disastrous trade after another because he’s impatient and meddlesome.

We finally dug our way out of the abyss because we managed to hit on some players in the draft. Booker, Johnson, Mikal… even Ayton, while a massive disappointment as the number one pick, was still a key player in the turnaround.

If you factor in trades it changes the whole equation. That's what the Suns are doing now.

 

[Carolinacacti]

If you want a star player you get them in free agency. It's Ish is way

 

[GatorAZ]

If you want a star player you get them in free agency. It's Ish is way

Who was the last superstar in their prime to sign with a different team in free agency?

 

[AzStevenCal]

If you want a star player you get them in free agency. It's Ish is way

I'm hoping that won't be "his way" going forward. More often than not, that star you're getting is overpaid. Overpaying has been a good way to pick up a star player but under today's rules, overpaying is now a really bad idea.

 

[JCSunsfan]

And yet most of this board has penciled in the #30 pick in the last draft as an instant rotation player.

Not me.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I didn't want to lose either player but we had to cut salary and I have no idea if there was really a better way to make that happen.

My dream scenario for the offseason was to find a way to trade for another top 10 pick so we could draft draft Peat and then I was hoping we'd stand in line to sign Awaka to a 2 way contract. I figured maybe we'd be able to hang onto 1 or 2 from that CG, Goodwin, Williams group and that would be it. We didn't sign Awaka and we traded for a PR challenge but all told, short of trading Booker or Green to solve our future draft pick situation, this was a near perfect offseason AFAIC.

We knew that Grayson and Royce had to go. We needed a PF. That was posted all the time on the board last year. If Fleming or Koa want to beat Miles out for the job; let them do it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not me.

Not you and not a lot of people. We earned low grades from ESPN and others on draft night for a reason. But I think some of us are convinced we got a top 10 pick with Peat even though we may have overpaid to acquire that 30th pick. And while I have concerns about his ceiling, I have none about his floor, so I expect he'll see time this season even though it is a very crowded roster.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think you are guys are overweighting the KD trade.

 

[Superbone]

This team missed the playoffs two years ago, barely made the playoffs last year and is projected to miss the playoffs again this year and by 2031 Book will be way past his prime (a prime where he barely or isn’t good enough to make the playoffs).

Says who? I have not seen a consensus on that anywhere.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Who was the last superstar in their prime to sign with a different team in free agency?

Lebron 4 times can't think of anyone else

 

[Cheesebeef]

Says who? I have not seen a consensus on that anywhere.

Didn’t someone JUST post that Vegas has our over/under at 38 wins. I’d say that projects us not to make the playoffs, no?

And here’s where we’re projected to have the 9th best odds in the West to win the title from a host of different betting sites, placing us outside the playoffs:

NBA 2026-27 Futures: NBA Championship & Finals Futures Odds

Get the latest on 2027 NBA futures odds provided by VegasInsider, along with more oddsmaker insights from behind sportsbook counters, from VI's Patrick Everson.

www.vegasinsider.com

 

[Hoop Head]

Didn’t someone JUST post that Vegas has our over/under at 38 wins. I’d say that projects us not to make the playoffs, no?

And here’s where we’re projected to have the 9th best odds in the West to win the title from a host of different betting sites, placing us outside the playoffs:

NBA 2026-27 Futures: NBA Championship & Finals Futures Odds

Get the latest on 2027 NBA futures odds provided by VegasInsider, along with more oddsmaker insights from behind sportsbook counters, from VI's Patrick Everson.

www.vegasinsider.com

And what was the over/under the last couple of seasons? We blew it out of the water last year and were projected to be a contender with KD here. These experts you're relying on now have been wrong for the last 3-4 years regarding the Suns.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

And what was the over/under the last couple of seasons? We blew it out of the water last year and were projected to be a contender with KD here. These experts you're relying on now have been wrong for the last 3-4 years regarding the Suns.

He wasn’t really “relying” on anything. He just said the suns were projected there. And based on Vegas, he’s right. That is where they’re projected.

 

[Raindog]

Personally, I think the Suns will do better than 38 wins. But there are certainly reasonably projectible circumstances where they don't - injury and chemistry issues being chiefly among them. How things actually shake out will depend on a lot of variables.

Anyone acting like the Suns are shoo-ins to match or exceed last year's results are being more than a little presumptuous IMO. There's no guarantee that a core that's mostly leaning into getting older and has some questionable skill gaps is going to produce a guaranteed successful season. And the assumption that the younger guys are going to improve, or even get the playing time to have a chance to improve, is no sure thing, either.

It's not impossible that the Suns will do well enough to at least be a play-in team. But betting the farm that they will exceed that standard is simply not prudent at this juncture.