Suns 2025-2026 Season Discussion

[JCSunsfan]

Houston having a huge amount of our draft capitol and us sending Durant to them (as his preferred destination) and not geting those picks back is embarrassing.

It has been widely reported that Houston made that trade with the Nets SPECIFICALLY so they could leverage them to get Durant or Booker... and all we came away with was the 10th pick in a weak draft...

If Maluach doesn't pan out we would have been better off waiving KD. The price of dealing with Houston should have been our picks back... and if we don't get em... screw it, send him somewhere else or sit on him and let him walk in a year.

"Doing good" by KD did nothing but screw us over and massively benefit Houston. They kept our picks, they still got KD and they're going to draft in the top 10 repeatedly by virture of our failings.

Just because we made a bad trade in getting Durant in the first place does not mean that we should expect another team to make a bad trade in getting Durant from us. Durant is two years older now. And those two years make a huge difference in trade value as well. The trade with Houston was not the bad part of this situation. I am convinced is the best we could do. The big problem is that we should not have traded for Durant in the first place.

 

[Hoop Head]

Just because we made a bad trade in getting Durant in the first place does not mean that we should expect another team to make a bad trade in getting Durant from us. Durant is two years older now. And those two years make a huge difference in trade value as well. The trade with Houston was not the bad part of this situation. I am convinced is the best we could do. The big problem is that we should not have traded for Durant in the first place.

It was a bad trade with Houston though. Throw in either Jabari Smith Jr, a Suns 1st, or swap VanVleet for Jalen and it's much less bad. The problem isn't KD's trade value it's how we allowed him to determine where he'd land. A deal with Minnesota would have given us more.

Maluach was the main takeaway for the Suns.

 

[Mainstreet]

The big problem is that we should not have traded for Durant in the first place.

No doubt about it, but at this point, it's water under the bridge.

Also, this topic has been discussed to exhaustion.

Competing with worse recent trades by the Suns, is the Beal and Ayton trades.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

kd is gone - beal gone - ayton and the twins gone gone gone - cp3 was long gone - sarver's gone - monty's gone - everybody not named devin booker is gone - can we please finally move on

 

[Hoop Head]

No doubt about it, but at this point, it's water under the bridge.

Also, this topic has been discussed to exhaustion.

Competing with worse recent trades by the Suns, is the Beal and Ayton trades.

I think the main difference between the KD trade and the Ayton and Beal trades is how much worse the KD trade is in a vacuum. We gave up a ton for an over the hill sidekick. The Beal trade was an upgrade in talent but clearly we had no intention of seeing it through to the end of his contract. The Ayton trade was bad because we had better options a year earlier that we passed on and his value plummeted.

Ishbia has struck out with those 3 those moves. Here's to hoping he'll be more patient this next at bat. Fortuneately/Unfortunately we aren't in a good spot so he has a few years to figure it out. He needs to stop making the hole we're in larger.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think the main difference between the KD trade and the Ayton and Beal trades is how much worse the KD trade is in a vacuum. We gave up a ton for an over the hill sidekick. The Beal trade was an upgrade in talent but clearly we had no intention of seeing it through to the end of his contract. The Ayton trade was bad because we had better options a year earlier that we passed on and his value plummeted.

Ishbia has struck out with those 3 those moves. Here's to hoping he'll be more patient this next at bat. Fortuneately/Unfortunately we aren't in a good spot so he has a few years to figure it out. He needs to stop making the hole we're in larger.

It sort of feels like Mat Ishbia wants to blame this on the past Suns past administration without saying it… former GM James Jones and start with a fresh slate.

 

[Hoop Head]

It sort of feels like Mat Ishbia wants to blame this on the past Suns past administration without saying it… former GM James Jones and start with a fresh slate.

It's a tough spot because JJ is in the league office now. Throwing him under the bus won't help the Suns at all. I think most fans who pay attention know JJ is responsible for a nice chunk of the problems. How much is up for debate but he's definitely responsible to some extent. Hopefully it was the lion's share and things improve. Ishbia bought himself as clean of slate as he'll get.

 

[clyde2tw]

Nothing is worse than the Beal trade, given the roster situation then. KD trade per se was a bit overpay, but the idea to pair him with Book was OK though. But Beal trade was likely KD related. I recall Irvine was not happy after trade to Mavs, and expressed desire to join Suns in the offseason, while Mavs was said to like DA. Cut CP3, swap DA with KI sign and trade, a KD/DB/KI core with Payne, Okogie, Camara, Shamet's expiring contract, and MLE to use, the situation was not that bad.

 

[Mainstreet]

@Hoop Head

I was going to give you a "like" on one of your posts when I saw your reaction score was 17,777.

I'll let someone else do it, as I don't want to be a jinx.

It's hard to beat four 7s.

 

[Adrian]

Devin Booker Still Viewed as Top NBA Shooting Guard

The Athletic is still really high on Devin Booker heading into the 2025-26 season.

www.si.com

 

[Adrian]

Upshaw to join Phoenix Suns staff - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee great and former Coordinator of Player Development Reggie Upshaw has been named the Player Development and Video Coord...

goblueraiders.com

 

[JCSunsfan]

Upshaw to join Phoenix Suns staff - Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee great and former Coordinator of Player Development Reggie Upshaw has been named the Player Development and Video Coord...

goblueraiders.com

Nah. Their mascot is the Lightning.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is some video on Reggie Upshaw who has been named Player Development and Video Coordinating Assistant for the Suns.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[leclerc]

Great to get more focus on player development.

 

[Adrian]

Suns Slammed for Trading Future Away

ESPN wasn't fans of the Phoenix Suns' offseason.

www.si.com

 

[Hoop Head]

Suns Slammed for Trading Future Away

ESPN wasn't fans of the Phoenix Suns' offseason.

www.si.com

Good. ESPN has been comically wrong in regards to how we'd compete during the KD error. Calling us out now without acknowledging how they co-signed each move that got us here is rich.

 

[Phrazbit]

Suns Slammed for Trading Future Away

ESPN wasn't fans of the Phoenix Suns' offseason.

www.si.com

Bad headline. The return for KD is very underwhelming but the "future" was traded away 2 years ago. That said, the trading of the 2031 pick at the deadline was abominably stupid... regardless though, all of that damage was prior to this off season.

 

[Mainstreet]

Bad headline. The return for KD is very underwhelming but the "future" was traded away 2 years ago. That said, the trading of the 2031 pick at the deadline was abominably stupid... regardless though, all of that damage was prior to this off season.

Yeah, the Suns seemingly made that trade with the Jazz to replace Nurkic and never did during the 2024-25 season.

And indeed, their future was traded away in 2023.

 

[Covert Rain]

Blink and October 3rd will be here.

 

[Superbone]

Blink and October 3rd will be here.

I'm excited. I bought a 6 game Suns package yesterday in the lower bowl which includes opening night at PHX Arena against the Kings.

 

[95pro]

Good. ESPN has been comically wrong in regards to how we'd compete during the KD error. Calling us out now without acknowledging how they co-signed each move that got us here is rich.

I just dont even if its from espn or SI.

 

[Mainstreet]

Per a report, Mat Ishbia and the Suns are rejecting the demands of two limited partners to be bought out.

Anyhow, this is how I interpret it.

The details are in Gerald Bourguet's free to read article which has a link below.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[Hoop Head]

Per a report, Mat Ishbia and the Suns are rejecting the demands of two limited partners to be bought out.

Anyhow, this is how I interpret it.

The details are in Gerald Bourguet's free to read article which has a link below.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

This is why I never bought into the "Ishbia is going broke" narrative that popped up. He has his brother only own roughly 60% of the Suns. While they shelled out a lot of cash for that they didn't pay $4 billion or whatever the sale price was, they paid 60% of that. I'm a little surprised they didn't buy out the other owners to get a larger stake but they don't have to. The other owners had the chance to be bought out when Sarver sold, from what was known, but wanted to ride along while Ishbia opened his wallet. Now they want out but Ishbia isn't obligated to meet their requests.

 

[Phrazbit]

This is why I never bought into the "Ishbia is going broke" narrative that popped up. He has his brother only own roughly 60% of the Suns. While they shelled out a lot of cash for that they didn't pay $4 billion or whatever the sale price was, they paid 60% of that. I'm a little surprised they didn't buy out the other owners to get a larger stake but they don't have to. The other owners had the chance to be bought out when Sarver sold, from what was known, but wanted to ride along while Ishbia opened his wallet. Now they want out but Ishbia isn't obligated to meet their requests.

I could absolutely believe that they might be strapped for free cash. I have little doubt that the vast majority of their fortunes are attached to assets that they'd have to sell if they needed to shell out millions and millions of dollars.

 

[Mainstreet]

This is why I never bought into the "Ishbia is going broke" narrative that popped up. He has his brother only own roughly 60% of the Suns. While they shelled out a lot of cash for that they didn't pay $4 billion or whatever the sale price was, they paid 60% of that. I'm a little surprised they didn't buy out the other owners to get a larger stake but they don't have to. The other owners had the chance to be bought out when Sarver sold, from what was known, but wanted to ride along while Ishbia opened his wallet. Now they want out but Ishbia isn't obligated to meet their requests.

As I read it, the two limited partners want to sell their interest in the franchise to Mat Ishbia for the newly increased value.

That's a pretty good chunk of change… $825 million.