Suns Off Season Changes for 2025-26

[SunsTzu]

I had season tickets... well, I still do but I lowered my amount by half.

It was a slog.

Yikes. I couldn't make it past November the past 2 seasons.

 

[Proximo]

Rude awakening? LOL

Literally no one thinks we aren't rebuilding. The vast majority are hoping for a more enjoyable product over improved record. Record is secondary this season. We need to establish a new culture after KD's "just hooping" nonsense led us to salary cap hell and an empty warchest.

Are you kidding me, there are at least 2 or 3 on this board who don't think we are rebuilding.

 

[Proximo]

It's not like the Suns need a full roster of players and there is always the trade deadline.

If the Suns could sign Precious Achiuwa, I'd be very pleased.

Here is a list of some remaining free agents.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25223211-25-best-nba-free-agents-still-available-plus-top-landing-spots

That list is complete garbage in terms of it's rankings.

Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook ranked above Beal? Melton 14 - no more like 7.

It is unbelievable the amount of hate Beal is getting league wide for no good reason. Watch him sign with the Lakers and become their number 2 guy and everyone starts praising the Lakers for being so smart for picking him up and how stupid the Suns were for cutting him. I can see it now.

 

[95pro]

The expectations most have are vastly different than last year. This year winning more than 36 games and making the play in would be a positive. Last year winning 36 games when we were supposed to be competing for a championship wasn't even a bad joke, it was disgusting and I believe it made many fans question their allegiance to the Suns.

We should be slightly better record wise this year on defense alone. Our defense alone lost us so many games last season, we scored enough in a lot of games but gave up way too may points. I am just excited to see KD gone, young talent (Green), and some heigh, length and athleticism on the roster this year at the forward and center spots.

 

[95pro]

That list is complete garbage in terms of it's rankings.

Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook ranked above Beal? Melton 14 - no more like 7.

It is unbelievable the amount of hate Beal is getting league wide for no good reason. Watch him sign with the Lakers and become their number 2 guy and everyone starts praising the Lakers for being so smart for picking him up and how stupid the Suns were for cutting him. I can see it now.

Are you serious about this?

 

[95pro]

Oso played 4 years at Marquette. He isn't changing his jumper at 22 years old. He's played too long at this point to have hope he develops better mechanics.

Yeah its pretty bad, and at this level he's not even looking at the rim. Last season they didn't even guard his shot and played his passing lanes. You would expect a bad player to inflate their numbers on a bad team but he did not at all. I really wish we would just move on from Oso.

 

[95pro]

It's hard to know how good or bad the Suns will be this coming season, but I expect their defense to be much better.

Because the Suns couldn't plug the middle of their defense, they alternated between giving up layups and wide open threes.

At times, it was a freeway to the basket. It became disheartening to watch them. Opponents knew exactly how to win.

Now at least now the Suns have added some big men to their roster who should help fix their interior defense.

Watching isolation basketball and turnovers on offense was almost as bad.

It's hard to see how they are worse than last season, but who knows. It got to the point I didn't want to see Durant and Beal play anymore.

Just catching up this morning on things here, whats funny is i posted something similar in the Beal thread. We can score that was not the issue last season, its just that we couldn't come close to stopping anyone.

 

[JCSunsfan]

By far the least amount I have watched.

Me too. The least since I really started following the Suns as a 13 year old. And that was almost 50 years ago.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Yeah its pretty bad, and at this level he's not even looking at the rim. Last season they didn't even guard his shot and played his passing lanes. You would expect a bad player to inflate their numbers on a bad team but he did not at all. I really wish we would just move on from Oso.

Yeah. I look at that jumper and just can't see how Oso can make it.

 

[Proximo]

Are you serious about this?

Yes, I am serious. What is his great crime, having 10 different injuries in the same season and being paid too much? Is it just that people expected him to make us a contender and it didn't happen? Really I don't understand it. I have only ever seen him be a nice dude.

He produced when he played, not a good defender but it's not like anyone ever expected him to be. He just didn't fit with Booker and KD.

 

[Proximo]

Just catching up this morning on things here, whats funny is i posted something similar in the Beal thread. We can score that was not the issue last season, its just that we couldn't come close to stopping anyone.

Yes, the problems were turnovers, rebounding, and defense. But mainly turnovers and rebounding - we just lost the number of possession's battle almost every game.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Oh my goodness. Its like he is trying to make that shot horrible. How is it possible to have a shot that looks that bad? It can't be real. If it is, just cut him now. There is no hope.

I’m not sure I could purposefully create an uglier shot if I was trying.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I just hope watching them doesn’t make me wanna jump off a bridge. These last couple years have been a very joyless and boring brand of basketball.

If you expect good basketball, keep away from bridges. If you expect, and enjoy, watching young players develop, sit back, let the stress flow out of you and enjoy.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I had season tickets... well, I still do but I lowered my amount by half.

It was a slog.

It’s interesting, I was going to type “why buy tickets for something you can’t stand” and then I remembered fondly all the years of going to horrid Cardinals games. But maybe there’s something bigger in going to a nfl game than the nba . . .

 

[Mainstreet]

Forward Isaiah Livers will sign a two-way NBA contract with the Suns.

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Isaiah Livers Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Isaiah Livers. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[Covert Rain]

If you expect good basketball, keep away from bridges. If you expect, and enjoy, watching young players develop, sit back, let the stress flow out of you and enjoy.

I am hoping for two things. Seeing young guys develop. We are going to see some young talent that gives us hope. We at some point are going to get frustrated with losing but seeing young guys develop and hustle will give us something. The other part for me will be seeing some kind of coherent plan from the front office that involves Book.

You have to wonder what the team has told him since he has expressed in the past that anything less than competing isn't acceptable. This team is not really competing anytime soon. I wonder what they have communicated to him?! Maybe they have told him they need time to reload and they promised another attempt at a big move later? The alternative is that Book is OK regardless because he is loyal and wants to stay no matter what. Not exactly the competitive spirit you want out of your best player.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Are you kidding me, there are at least 2 or 3 on this board who don't think we are rebuilding.

Yeah… and some more who think we’ve got a good chance to be better next year.

I think watching games will be slightly more enjoyable because we get to start seeing a youth movement and are rid of KD, but from a wins and losses perspective, I’ll be stunned if we’re better or even close to 36 wins.

 

[Mainstreet]

So much is unknown about the new version of the Suns. It's hard to see them coming out of the gate fast with a lot of new players and a new coaching staff.

However, they can start a veteran lineup and have young depth. It's not like this team doesn't have talent. They should be long and athletic.

For me, wins and losses are more of an indication of how quickly the team comes together and if Jalen Green can coexist with Devin Booker. This part worries me more than anything. If the experiment works, this could be a very exciting team.

It's like a new product being put on a grocery shelf. I want to check it out before I grade it.

 

[95pro]

Yes, I am serious. What is his great crime, having 10 different injuries in the same season and being paid too much? Is it just that people expected him to make us a contender and it didn't happen? Really I don't understand it. I have only ever seen him be a nice dude.

He produced when he played, not a good defender but it's not like anyone ever expected him to be. He just didn't fit with Booker and KD.

His offensive number were good, but overall he was just such a negative on the court. And yes, availability is considered given the salary.

But hey lets not worry about him collecting checks as long as he's being nice.

Then why is no one willing to trade for him?

 

[AzStevenCal]

His offensive number were good, but overall he was just such a negative on the court. And yes, availability is considered given the salary.

But hey lets not worry about him collecting checks as long as he's being nice.

Then why is no one willing to trade for him?

I don't know what to think about Beal. He played pretty well for us the year before last but we just weren't the same team when he took the court this past season. I really expect him to bounce back and be a great pickup for whoever gets him on the cheap but I also understand why we're moving on from him. And no one wants to trade for him because in addition to the NTC, the writing is on the wall, he'll be available at a hugely reduced price when we dump his contract.

 

[Chaplin]

Yeah… and some more who think we’ve got a good chance to be better next year.

I think watching games will be slightly more enjoyable because we get to start seeing a youth movement and are rid of KD, but from a wins and losses perspective, I’ll be stunned if we’re better or even close to 36 wins.

One thing is for sure, we'll be able to see how much KD influenced this team, both on and off the court. When KD sat, Bud never altered the offense, and without KD that offense tailored around him was putrid. Will not having KD, as well as anyone who coached him, make a difference on the court? Will we see Book return to his alpha ways?

To me, that's a huge question mark. It's not as simple as, "we subtracted KD, we're going to be worse." We may very well be worse, and expectations will be low. But I don't think we can make any kind of accurate prediction based on many factors.

 

[95pro]

One thing is for sure, we'll be able to see how much KD influenced this team, both on and off the court. When KD sat, Bud never altered the offense, and without KD that offense tailored around him was putrid. Will not having KD, as well as anyone who coached him, make a difference on the court? Will we see Book return to his alpha ways?

To me, that's a huge question mark. It's not as simple as, "we subtracted KD, we're going to be worse." We may very well be worse, and expectations will be low. But I don't think we can make any kind of accurate prediction based on many factors.

Green helps replace some missing offense. Then removing KD from overshadowing Book will only benefit Book.

We were so slow and unathletic at the forward and center spots that it was a layup line last year, I'm expecting better defense.
The backcourt is important for frontcourt aggressiveness on D. Our defense will give us a few more wins than last year.

 

[Mainstreet]

Green helps replace some missing offense. Then removing KD from overshadowing Book will only benefit Book.

We were so slow and unathletic at the forward and center spots that it was a layup line last year, I'm expecting better defense.
The backcourt is important for frontcourt aggressiveness on D. Our defense will give us a few more wins than last year.

I'm thinking Green can create his own shot at full speed, much like Booker.

This should help make the Suns offense quicker and take some burden of shot creation off Booker.

Durant could create his own shot, but it was usually on isolation post up plays which slowed the offense down.

 

[Chaplin]

I'm thinking Green can create his own shot at full speed, much like Booker.

This should help make the Suns offense quicker and take some burden of shot creation off Booker.

Durant could create his own shot, but it was usually on isolation post up plays which slowed the offense down.

That, and when he was on the floor, he became a target that was not used well. You have the young guys forcing passes to KD when they probably shouldn't, and then you have KD forcing passes to guys that aren't expecting him to pass. Turnovers were such a huge problem last year, and a lot of that problem started and ended with KD.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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