Suns Off Season Changes for 2025: Trades, Buyouts, GM, Coaches, etc.

Hoop Head

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Trying to “ re tool “ and not be build would be the dumbest damn thing this franchise could do so yeah I expect them to do it.

Serious question, how you rebuild when you don't own your own draft picks for the next 7 years?

To me it all hinges on getting our picks back. If we can't do that then we can't commit to a full rebuild. Considering how many teams have the rights to swap our picks, it's much more complex than making a deal with Houston to get 2 of our picks back.
 

AzStevenCal

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Trying to “ re tool “ and not be build would be the dumbest damn thing this franchise could do so yeah I expect them to do it.
I know I've said this many times but I still think our best bet, by far, is to trade away all the veterans that we can and try to restock our draft situation by being a trade facilitator once we've cleared the books.

I believe our second best option is to try and re-tool on the fly without using any future assets to make it happen.

Our worst option, by far, is to re-tool on the fly while using our future assets each year in an ongoing attempt to fix our roster issues. I'm okay with either of the first two approaches although the first is obviously my preference. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure Ish and company will make the worst choice and try each year to turn this mess into an instant contender.
 

AzStevenCal

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Serious question, how you rebuild when you don't own your own draft picks for the next 7 years?

To me it all hinges on getting our picks back. If we can't do that then we can't commit to a full rebuild. Considering how many teams have the rights to swap our picks, it's much more complex than making a deal with Houston to get 2 of our picks back.
I think we can, we just won't gain anything by tanking. I think the best option is to just ignore our record and live with the embarrassment each year as we watch other teams get rich off of our draft picks. Put together the best young team we can and live with the losses until we're back on even ground with the other franchises. The key is getting under the cap, using our cap space as our number one tool to acquire future picks while focusing heavily on player development.
 

Hoop Head

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I think we can, we just won't gain anything by tanking. I think the best option is to just ignore our record and live with the embarrassment each year as we watch other teams get rich off of our draft picks. Put together the best young team we can and live with the losses until we're back on even ground with the other franchises. The key is getting under the cap, using our cap space as our number one tool to acquire future picks while focusing heavily on player development.

Maybe. That route hinges a lot on finding teams willing to part with picks to utilize our cap space. That will continue to happen but I see 1st round picks being more valuable in the modern league than ever before in regards to cheap rotation players. We're seeing more quality contributors found throughout the first round as teams seek to avoid apron penalties. Not all of them will pan out but I think teams will try to make them work vs sacrificing them entirely for a win now answer that comes with immediate financial restraints. Why sign a MLE player when 2 1st round picks can utilize the same salary space and give you just as much, if not more?

I don't have faith in following an OKC path because we're late to that party already and other teams are in a better spot to mimic that path sooner than we can.
 

AzStevenCal

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Maybe. That route hinges a lot on finding teams willing to part with picks to utilize our cap space. That will continue to happen but I see 1st round picks being more valuable in the modern league than ever before in regards to cheap rotation players. We're seeing more quality contributors found throughout the first round as teams seek to avoid apron penalties. Not all of them will pan out but I think teams will try to make them work vs sacrificing them entirely for a win now answer that comes with immediate financial restraints. Why sign a MLE player when 2 1st round picks can utilize the same salary space and give you just as much, if not more?

I don't have faith in following an OKC path because we're late to that party already and other teams are in a better spot to mimic that path sooner than we can.
Even with the changes I think teams will still try to buy a championship especially if they believe they are close. And those are the teams that will likely be up against cap rules and need a 3rd party. We'll have to be able to take back bad contracts along the way but to me it's the only real chance we have at reaching contender status in the next decade. i'm not saying it will be easy, we're in a bad place no matter what we do. I just don't see any other way out of this hole that doesn't involve aliens looking to stack their own basketball league.
 

Hoop Head

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Even with the changes I think teams will still try to buy a championship especially if they believe they are close. And those are the teams that will likely be up against cap rules and need a 3rd party. We'll have to be able to take back bad contracts along the way but to me it's the only real chance we have at reaching contender status in the next decade. i'm not saying it will be easy, we're in a bad place no matter what we do. I just don't see any other way out of this hole that doesn't involve aliens looking to stack their own basketball league.

What will the aliens want in exchange and how do you think we can meet their requests? I'm willing to hear them out.
 

Finito

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Serious question, how you rebuild when you don't own your own draft picks for the next 7 years?

To me it all hinges on getting our picks back. If we can't do that then we can't commit to a full rebuild. Considering how many teams have the rights to swap our picks, it's much more complex than making a deal with Houston to get 2 of our picks back.

Because you trade everyone you can for draft picks. I don’t give a damn who I get back I want picks and cap relief those are by far the most important things we can get back.
 

Hoop Head

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Because you trade everyone you can for draft picks. I don’t give a damn who I get back I want picks and cap relief those are by far the most important things we can get back.

And use those for what? We're the Hornets of the West. A little cap flexibility and late round picks don't create a contender. That's why I asked what the plan would be, sign a big name free agent or draft a stud? All great in theory but literally every non contender has those plans to some extent.

I believe we're screwed for the next 5 years minimum, if we can't get any of our picks back. Short of doing that what is put on the court doesn't matter much because we'll be contending for no more than play in games and early 1st round exits. That's our future and we were locked in when we gave up the farm for Durant and then Beal.
 

Hoop Head

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AzStevenCal

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Has this one been mentioned on the board yet?

Yeah the Dallas trade has been suggested a few times. The consensus here seems to be they'd be foolish parting with Flagg. I'm not so sure. I think Flagg has a really high floor but I'm not as sold on him as some are. If we made that trade I'd probably turn around and try to get multiple picks for the top spot.
 

AzStevenCal

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I don't love it but I'd be cool with it. I don't like Dunn being included also. That's what trips me up. Like throwing Camara in the Ayton deal.
Oh man I didn't even notice that. Yeah, no way would I do it. Not that I think Dunn is destined for greatness but we need the right kind of young players and he seems to fit the bill. It might be fair value-wise, I don't know, I just don't think it benefits us enough to make the deal.
 

Raindog

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I don't love it but I'd be cool with it. I don't like Dunn being included also. That's what trips me up. Like throwing Camara in the Ayton deal.
Honestly, that wouldn't be a bad deal for either team. Then move KD for picks and a couple younger pieces and we would at least have something to be enthusiastic about here again.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Oh man I didn't even notice that. Yeah, no way would I do it. Not that I think Dunn is destined for greatness but we need the right kind of young players and he seems to fit the bill. It might be fair value-wise, I don't know, I just don't think it benefits us enough to make the deal.
I do it with Dunn and I REALLY like Dunn. You don’t get a shot at a Flagg often. Absent a deal like this we won’t have that shot for years.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

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Honestly, that wouldn't be a bad deal for either team. Then move KD for picks and a couple younger pieces and we would at least have something to be enthusiastic about here again.
Right. If we could move Kd for two picks and Jalen green (and dare I say Reed shepperd?), do it. And move PJ and gafford for a two picks?

Flagg
Green
Reed
4 first round pics

For

Book
Kd
Dunn

Do it
 

Raindog

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Yeah the Dallas trade has been suggested a few times. The consensus here seems to be they'd be foolish parting with Flagg. I'm not so sure. I think Flagg has a really high floor but I'm not as sold on him as some are. If we made that trade I'd probably turn around and try to get multiple picks for the top spot.
I mean, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Flagg turns out to be Christian Laettner 2.0 - good, but not franchise changing. It's possible that Dallas might be thinking the same thing and maybe entertaining possible trade scenarios, if only tentatively.

But I would still be all over a potential move like this because it would create some massive buzz for the Suns, who currently seem to be stuck in a tide pool of decreasing relevancy, headed toward oblivion, with no clear way out at the moment. Something like this would give them a spark of real hope, at least.
 

Hoop Head

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I mean, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Flagg turns out to be Christian Laettner 2.0 - good, but not franchise changing. It's possible that Dallas might be thinking the same thing and maybe entertaining possible trade scenarios, if only tentatively.

But I would still be all over a potential move like this because it would create some massive buzz for the Suns, who currently seem to be stuck in a tide pool of decreasing relevancy, headed toward oblivion, with no clear way out at the moment. Something like this would give them a spark of real hope, at least.

I'd still worry it starts the countdown of when Flagg bails for help. His rookie deal ends in 4 years and we don't own control of our own picks. He's going to take some real lumps on bad teams here before he can be locked in long term. Can we build a real contender by then?
 

Cheesebeef

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I mean, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Flagg turns out to be Christian Laettner 2.0 - good, but not franchise changing. It's possible that Dallas might be thinking the same thing and maybe entertaining possible trade scenarios, if only tentatively.

He’s got natural passing and handle skills you can’t teach.
 

AzStevenCal

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I mean, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Flagg turns out to be Christian Laettner 2.0 - good, but not franchise changing. It's possible that Dallas might be thinking the same thing and maybe entertaining possible trade scenarios, if only tentatively.

But I would still be all over a potential move like this because it would create some massive buzz for the Suns, who currently seem to be stuck in a tide pool of decreasing relevancy, headed toward oblivion, with no clear way out at the moment. Something like this would give them a spark of real hope, at least.
I'm not convinced he's going to be a great player but I'd be surprised if he weren't several notches abover Laettner. I think he's going to be a rich man's Andrei Kirilenko - very good, almost great but not great enough to carry a franchise.
 

Raindog

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I'm not convinced he's going to be a great player but I'd be surprised if he weren't several notches abover Laettner. I think he's going to be a rich man's Andrei Kirilenko - very good, almost great but not great enough to carry a franchise.
So in other words, another Devin Booker? :)
 

Hoop Head

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I'm not convinced he's going to be a great player but I'd be surprised if he weren't several notches abover Laettner. I think he's going to be a rich man's Andrei Kirilenko - very good, almost great but not great enough to carry a franchise.

AK47 was a premiere defender in his prime. I think Flagg is Kevin Love at best. Good stats on a bad team or maybe a second or third banana on a contender. Gordon Hayward is a better comparison for his skillset though.

He's a sure thing as a #1 pick because his floor is very high but his ceiling isn't that high as the building isn't very tall and construction is closed to finalized.
 
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