News from around the NBA 2025-2026

[Mainstreet]

I really don't. Not that I don't think he has knowledge. I think he has the type of personality that would become thin with players very very very fast. He pretty much did that everywhere he went. That isn't going to change as a coach IMO.

It might be a situation of feast or famine.

I do like Chris Paul, he didn't throw the Suns under the bus and he has tremendous basketball knowledge. He was always trying to coach players on the court. If this could be harnessed, he should make a good coach.

 

[Hoop Head]

It might be a situation of feast or famine.

I do like Chris Paul, he didn't throw the Suns under the bus and he has tremendous basketball knowledge. He was always trying to coach players on the court. If this could be harnessed, he should make a good coach.

I wonder if he'll make a good assistant. Nash was humble enough that he's able to blend in with various types of guys, both playing and post playing days. CP3 seems so headstrong that he may need the right staff to learn on, maybe another pairing with Monty somewhere or even Doc, before getting the chance to run his own team. I can't see him as an assistant more than a year though.

 

[Superbone]

I really don't. Not that I don't think he has knowledge. I think he has the type of personality that would become thin with players very very very fast. He pretty much did that everywhere he went. That isn't going to change as a coach IMO.

I would have the same concerns.

 

[Mainstreet]

I wonder if he'll make a good assistant. Nash was humble enough that he's able to blend in with various types of guys, both playing and post playing days. CP3 seems so headstrong that he may need the right staff to learn on, maybe another pairing with Monty somewhere or even Doc, before getting the chance to run his own team. I can't see him as an assistant more than a year though.

If Paul is humble enough to be an assistant, It's likely with the understanding, he will become a head coach sooner rather than later. It will require the right situation though for him to be patient.

 

[Hoop Head]

If Paul is humble enough to be an assistant, It's likely with the understanding, he will become a head coach sooner rather than later. It will require the right situation though for him to be patient.

Wasn't it Jason Kidd who moved straight to the bench as a head coach? I can see CP3 being given similar treatment. Nash likely could have as well. I could also see Paul ending up in the NCAA where he has fewer divas.

I still hope he signs with OKC. He'd likely get a ring without adding a new team to his resume. It's a subplot I'm invested in. He deserves better than he's received since he was sent out of Phoenix.

 

[Mainstreet]

Wasn't it Jason Kidd who moved straight to the bench as a head coach? I can see CP3 being given similar treatment. Nash likely could have as well. I could also see Paul ending up in the NCAA where he has fewer divas.

I still hope he signs with OKC. He'd likely get a ring without adding a new team to his resume. It's a subplot I'm invested in. He deserves better than he's received since he was sent out of Phoenix.

I think both were assistant coaches first. If a player could successfully move from a player to head coach, I think it's Chris Paul. He has been acting as sort of a player coach on the court for years.

We definitely agree, I'd like to see Chris Paul get a ring. He deserves one.

 

[Mainstreet]

The NBA will decide about expansion in 2026 per commissioner Adam Silver.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Adam Silver: Decision on NBA expansion will be made in 2026

Adam Silver laid out a definitive timeline for expansion for the first time, saying a decision will be made sometime in 2026 on whether to add more NBA teams.

www.espn.com

 

[boisesuns]

The NBA will decide about expansion in 2026 per commissioner Adam Silver.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

Adam Silver: Decision on NBA expansion will be made in 2026

Adam Silver laid out a definitive timeline for expansion for the first time, saying a decision will be made sometime in 2026 on whether to add more NBA teams.

www.espn.com

This will probably cost us draft picks somehow… good thing we’re ahead of the game and don’t have that many!

 

[JCSunsfan]

I really don't. Not that I don't think he has knowledge. I think he has the type of personality that would become thin with players very very very fast. He pretty much did that everywhere he went. That isn't going to change as a coach IMO.

College coach? I think he could coach hungry younger players. I am not sure what kind of recruiter he would be.

 

[JCSunsfan]

This will probably cost us draft picks somehow… good thing we’re ahead of the game and don’t have that many!

Last time we had expansion, teams could protect a certain number of players on the roster. I think it was eight. The rest were subject to the expansion draft.

With the way that free agency and the cap work now, there would be a lot of teams without eight players on the roster mid summer.

It creates some interesting scenarios. Some teams could leave aging high profile players available because they don’t think an expansion team would take the player. Who would we protect?

Booker, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Maluach, Green, Oso, Fleming.

So we would lose one of Allen, Royce, Goodwin, Gillespie, Brea.

We will lose one good player for nothing. The Suns are one of the teams that will have a tough decision in an expansion draft.

 

[95pro]

CP3 is a hot head and wants things done his way, he would wear on everyone fast kind of like Thibs. He wants people to see what he sees, very tough for point guards to translate their vision to the game.

 

[Covert Rain]

Last time we had expansion, teams could protect a certain number of players on the roster. I think it was eight. The rest were subject to the expansion draft.

With the way that free agency and the cap work now, there would be a lot of teams without eight players on the roster mid summer.

I forgot about that.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Last time we had expansion, teams could protect a certain number of players on the roster. I think it was eight. The rest were subject to the expansion draft.

With the way that free agency and the cap work now, there would be a lot of teams without eight players on the roster mid summer.

It creates some interesting scenarios. Some teams could leave aging high profile players available because they don’t think an expansion team would take the player. Who would we protect?

Booker, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Maluach, Green, Oso, Fleming.

So we would lose one of Allen, Royce, Goodwin, Gillespie, Brea.

We will lose one good player for nothing. The Suns are one of the teams that will have a tough decision in an expansion draft.

Interesting conversation. I think I'd swap Gillespie with Oso, especially if we're keeping Williams and Maluach.

 

[Mainstreet]

This will probably cost us draft picks somehow… good thing we’re ahead of the game and don’t have that many!

What's the saying, "You can't get blood out of a turnip".

 

[JCSunsfan]

Interesting conversation. I think I'd swap Gillespie with Oso, especially if we're keeping Williams and Maluach.

Yep. We probably need to start a thread about this. It would be a good ongoing conversation. Who would you protect in an upcoming NBA expansion draft?

 

[Mainstreet]

IIRC, once a player is chosen by an expansion team from another franchise, that team is allowed to remove a player among those left unprotected.

It seems like draft picks might be substituted if the expansion team agrees to it.

 

[Hoop Head]

Yep. We probably need to start a thread about this. It would be a good ongoing conversation. Who would you protect in an upcoming NBA expansion draft?

IIRC we can also offer cash or 2nd picks in addition to a player to further convince a team to go a certain direction in the expansion draft. I remember something happening back with Bobcats where we got them to take Jahidi White so we would have extra cap space that summer for Nash and Q.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Last time we had expansion, teams could protect a certain number of players on the roster. I think it was eight. The rest were subject to the expansion draft.

With the way that free agency and the cap work now, there would be a lot of teams without eight players on the roster mid summer.

It creates some interesting scenarios. Some teams could leave aging high profile players available because they don’t think an expansion team would take the player. Who would we protect?

Booker, Brooks, Dunn, Williams, Maluach, Green, Oso, Fleming.

So we would lose one of Allen, Royce, Goodwin, Gillespie, Brea.

We will lose one good player for nothing. The Suns are one of the teams that will have a tough decision in an expansion draft.

You would protect Oso over Gillespie?!? No way in hell.

 

[Proximo]

You would protect Oso over Gillespie?!? No way in hell.

Yeah, that is insane. I would protect Gillespie, Goodwin, Allen, Royce all before Oso.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Yeah, that is insane. I would protect Gillespie, Goodwin, Allen, Royce all before Oso.

I'd protect Oso over Goodwin though. I like Goodwin but our shortage of playable bigs makes Oso more valuable. I'd also seriously consider making Devin available depending on the actual rules and focus on protecting the players most likely to be lost to this draft. But it will all depend on what rules they set up for the expansion draft, it's changed often throughout the league's history.

 

[JCSunsfan]

You would protect Oso over Gillespie?!? No way in hell.

This is why we need to have this conversation in its own thread. It will be really interesting. I don't know for sure who I would protect at this moment, and the story will change by the expansion draft. Also, the contract will matter as much as the player. Expansion teams will look for good solid players on reasonable long term contracts. They won't want overpaid vets or expirings.

If Book keeps playing like he is now, and with that huge contract coming, who knows, maybe we wouldn't have to protect him? Thats a little sarcasm there, but just a little.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

You would protect Oso over Gillespie?!? No way in hell.

Yeah I like Oso but Gillespie is 6th man of the year / most improved player contender this year

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

This is why we need to have this conversation in its own thread. It will be really interesting. I don't know for sure who I would protect at this moment, and the story will change by the expansion draft. Also, the contract will matter as much as the player. Expansion teams will look for good solid players on reasonable long term contracts. They won't want overpaid vets or expirings.

If Book keeps playing like he is now, and with that huge contract coming, who knows, maybe we wouldn't have to protect him? Thats a little sarcasm there, but just a little.

Leaving Booker unprotected after all his loyalty is a terrible idea. It would have long term impact on the franchise

 

[clyde2tw]

I believe the new franchise has a certain salary level to fill so that they may not dislike picking some short term high salary players. Also, I thought one cannot protect, and no need to, upcoming FAs like Gillespie?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Leaving Booker unprotected after all his loyalty is a terrible idea. It would have long term impact on the franchise

I also said "based on the rules" which seem to change with each expansion draft. And I wouldn't just put him on the list without discussing it with him either, I figure we owe him that much. And if the rules this time are such that leaving him exposed would likely lead to him being selected, then we don't have to put him out there. We need to be smart about this and identify who is likely to be taken and who we are willing to risk, just protecting your top 8 players isn't good enough IMO.

Having said that, I wouldn't hate the idea of losing him in this draft as long as it's what the FO wants. It would solve a lot of Apron problems for us. Every year he gives us more and more reason to worry over his hamstring/groin problems and that's not likely to get better as he approaches 30. When his 70 Million per year salary kicks in, he will go from routinely overpaid to grossly overpaid (until the other borderline stars get their raises).