News from around the NBA 2025-2026

[BooksOrangePlanet]

book isn't going to beal

 

[Mainstreet]

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).

It defies logic to leave a valuable asset like Devin Booker available in an expansion draft.

A new franchise would simply select him and then trade him for a boatload of assets. The Suns could do that on their own.

Devin Booker is one of the few things right with the franchise.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It defies logic to leave a valuable asset like Devin Booker available in an expansion draft.

A new franchise would simply select him and then trade him for a boatload of assets. The Suns could do that on their own.

Devin Booker is one of the few things right with the franchise.

I don't know if we could get a boatload of assets for Devin right now let alone once his extension kicks in. If I ran a team I wouldn't trade for Booker unless I was one shooter away from being a strong contender and had plenty of picks and some younger rotation players that weren't deemed essential. Not a lot of teams fit that description IMO.

But my point was, the rules might give us reason to include someone like Devin. I've seen expansion drafts in the past where stars were left unprotected. Granted those stars were mostly older than Booker but there are other restrictions the league could apply that might make it unlikely for an expansion club to grab high salaried players.

Regardless, for us, the key is to not give up any more value than necessary and if research suggests Devin is safe even without protecting him, then use that to protect someone else.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I would hate to lose Brea, Gillespie, or Oso. But you would have to expose 2 of the three IMO.

Book, Williams, Dunn, Brooks, Maluach, Green, Fleming. That’s seven.

You get to choose one more. If it’s Gillespie, (if we are able to sign him and he is still playing well), then you lose one of Oso, Allen, Royce, Brea.

I don’t remember anyone giving up draft picks to expansion teams. So we would have to figure out soon if the Green/Book combo works. If not, it would make sense to convert one of those players to as many draft picks as possible and then protect another— I think I would chose Brea, but that depends on how he develops.

 

[JCSunsfan]

book isn't going to beal

That new contract makes him a less valuable asset.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't know if we could get a boatload of assets for Devin right now let alone once his extension kicks in. If I ran a team I wouldn't trade for Booker unless I was one shooter away from being a strong contender and had plenty of picks and some younger rotation players that weren't deemed essential. Not a lot of teams fit that description IMO.

But my point was, the rules might give us reason to include someone like Devin. I've seen expansion drafts in the past where stars were left unprotected. Granted those stars were mostly older than Booker but there are other restrictions the league could apply that might make it unlikely for an expansion club to grab high salaried players.

Regardless, for us, the key is to not give up any more value than necessary and if research suggests Devin is safe even without protecting him, then use that to protect someone else.

Clearly we value Devin Booker differently.

It wasn't long ago you wanted to trade Booker to help rebuild the Suns franchise. Now you would consider leaving him unprotected in a 2026 NBA expansion draft. You've added a caveat of sorts, but leaving Booker unprotected, possibly receiving nothing in return, is unacceptable in my book.

Contenders would be knocking the door down to trade for him from an expansion franchise. This might be enough to keep a player like Giannis happy in Milwaukee not to mention a myriad of other teams.

Devin Booker is only 29 and NBA salaries are going up. He shouldn't be discarded on the hope and a prayer that no team would jump on the chance to acquire him in an expansion draft because of his salary.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

That new contract makes him a less valuable asset.

i think book's in phx for as long as he wants to be

 

[Chaplin]

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).

The fact that you're entertaining a) a team would unprotect their franchise player, and b) an expansion team would pick up that contract, is crazy, even for Suns fans.

 

[95pro]

I don't know if we could get a boatload of assets for Devin right now let alone once his extension kicks in. If I ran a team I wouldn't trade for Booker unless I was one shooter away from being a strong contender and had plenty of picks and some younger rotation players that weren't deemed essential. Not a lot of teams fit that description IMO.

But my point was, the rules might give us reason to include someone like Devin. I've seen expansion drafts in the past where stars were left unprotected. Granted those stars were mostly older than Booker but there are other restrictions the league could apply that might make it unlikely for an expansion club to grab high salaried players.

Regardless, for us, the key is to not give up any more value than necessary and if research suggests Devin is safe even without protecting him, then use that to protect someone else.

His raise is percentage based, so things will virtually be the same.

*edit - do i think he's overpaid yes, they all are. I wish stars thought with championships instead of increasing their bank account.

 

[Adrian]

Kevin Garnett rejoins Timberwolves as team ambassador

Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett has agreed to reunite with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx in a new, all-encompassing role as team ambassador, involving business, community and fan-engagement efforts, and content development.

www.espn.com

 

[AzStevenCal]

His raise is percentage based, so things will virtually be the same.

*edit - do i think he's overpaid yes, they all are. I wish stars thought with championships instead of increasing their bank account.

I really can't fault Devin, he's outplayed expectations and has been all we could hope for as an Ambassador for Phoenix and the NBA. And when all is well, he probably has another 4 or 5 years where we can expect him to be a dominant player most nights. But all is not well with Booker. Since 2018 he's been plagued by lower limb injuries, particularly ankle, knee, hamstring and groin. Based on what I've seen from following the NBA I have serious concerns that these problems will surface more frequently and linger longer as DB ages.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I would hate to lose Brea, Gillespie, or Oso. But you would have to expose 2 of the three IMO...
I don’t remember anyone giving up draft picks to expansion teams. So we would have to figure out soon if the Green/Book combo works. If not, it would make sense to convert one of those players to as many draft picks as possible and then protect another— I think I would chose Brea, but that depends on how he develops.

I don't either but at least once in the past a franchise has paid an expansion club to not draft one of their unprotecteds so it wouldn't surprise me. Plus, in the past, they've restricted expansion clubs to just 67% initially of the league salary cap which increases to 80% in the second year - which is why some teams have left high value players on the table in the past. And I think I heard that previously they were allowed to protect players by paying expansion teams to select a specific player from their roster so they can't select anyone else from it.

 

[Hoop Head]

There won't be an expansion draft after this year, it would be announced but likely after next season at the soonest. I imagine we'll have a bad contract to dangle out there by then.

Remember people thought that Grayson and Royce were on bad deals prior to this season. A lot can change fast.

 

[AzStevenCal]

There won't be an expansion draft after this year, it would be announced but likely after next season at the soonest. I imagine we'll have a bad contract to dangle out there by then.

Remember people thought that Grayson and Royce were on bad deals prior to this season. A lot can change fast.

I never thought they were on bad contracts but I never expected them to play as well as they have this season so yeah, things can change fast.

 

[Hoop Head]

I never thought they were on bad contracts but I never expected them to play as well as they have this season so yeah, things can change fast.

Bad might have been the wrong way to put it, "negative assets" would probably be more accurate given the length of their deals.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Bad might have been the wrong way to put it, "negative assets" would probably be more accurate given the length of their deals.

Either works I believe. I saw a lot of posters complaining about those contracts. I thought and still think those players are tradable without adding assets, we just have fewer reasons to want to move them.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

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.

I think this is nuts also. If you want to get rid of his salary do so in a trade and get assets back. Losing boom for nothing is just flat out bonkers.

 

[leclerc]

Separate thread for expansion draft is a great idea.

 

[Hoop Head]

Separate thread for expansion draft is a great idea.

202? NBA Expansion News & Draft

The NBA will decide about expansion in 2026 per commissioner Adam Silver. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/47330098/adam-silver-decision-nba-expansion-made-2026 Separate thread for expansion draft is a great idea.

www.arizonasportsfans.com

 

[GatorAZ]

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[95pro]

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Amen’s bro

And what does Bum do?

 

[Russ Smith]

Seems like the right thread. am I the only one who didn't know Michael Porter Jr now plays every game with this insane brace on? Apparently a side effect of the back surgeries he had when younger is he has something called Neurological Foot Drop which impacts the way he walks and runs. So he plays with this brace on every game every practice

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Mainstreet]

The NBA and FIBA are moving forward in January in their joint exploration of a pan-European men’s basketball league.

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[Yuma]

The NBA and FIBA are moving forward in January in their joint exploration of a pan-European men’s basketball league.

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This could be interesting. Right now soccer seems to be the only true global game. If we could get tournaments set up worldwide ala soccer, it could be good. The only downfall is the NBA season is too long. Fitting 82 games around year round tournaments would be very stressful for the NBA athlete.

 

[Adrian]

Longtime Sun is realizing he made a grave mistake signing with new team

Tables beginning to turn on them.

valleyofthesuns.com