Suns @ Thunder 2026 Playoffs Sunday Game 1 Thread, 4-19-2026

[Raindog]

PLAY FLEMING WHEN IT MATTERS

He probably still won't get anything but garbage time the rest of the series. Ott has proven to be the stubborn type who would rather get curb stomped than step outside his "philosophy."

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

who is this fleming guy

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

When you see what it takes to compete for a title it is glaringly clear the Suns are more than an impact player away. They at the very least need two high impact players to add to this roster. How do we do that with Book's salary and our limitations? Puts this season into perspective.

You trade book for a bevy of picks. Hope you hit gold and that Fleming and Maluach get better.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

gg

 

[Phrazbit]

When you see what it takes to compete for a title it is glaringly clear the Suns are more than an impact player away. They at the very least need two high impact players to add to this roster. How do we do that with Book's salary and our limitations? Puts this season into perspective.

Booker salary is not the problem you think it is. He is still a positive asset by a wide margin and we could trade him away and there is absolutely no one that we could spend that money on who would have anywhere near the impact he has.

We’d be a 20 win team with a ton of Space and no control over our future pics and no one would want to play here.

We’d be the team signing Kuzma to a $30 million deal.

You want to trade booker for a ton of picks because by the time we can build a contender again, he will be on the back end of his career… fine, that is an argument that can at least be made.

Thinking we will trade Booker and be a better team for it within the next five years is just something that won’t happen.

The main impact will be us gifting the Rockets, one top five pick after another.

 

[dscher]

You guys watched this? lol

 

[Phrazbit]

PLAY FLEMING WHEN IT MATTERS

This is a coaching staff that leaned pretty heavy on analytics the first half of the season and Fleming has been one of their best players analytically. His impact is just huge.

Blows my mind that we’re not playing him.

 

[Mainstreet]

He probably still won't get anything but garbage time the rest of the series. Ott has proven to be the stubborn type who would rather get curb stomped than step outside his "philosophy."

The only thing I can figure, Ott doesn't want to destroy his confidence by playing him too much early in his career.

 

[82CardsGrad]

When you see what it takes to compete for a title it is glaringly clear the Suns are more than an impact player away. They at the very least need two high impact players to add to this roster. How do we do that with Book's salary and our limitations? Puts this season into perspective.

I know this will be viewed as an excuse… but, when was the last time Booker had impact, high-quality talent at C & PF with him on the court?

I’ve been a long time defender of Book, but I also came down hard on him after the Blazers loss.
But Book has never had reliable, impact, athletic size around him…Is Ayton the only name that can be offered?

For once I’d like to see Book with this sort of size, impact and athleticism…

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns should have already known they'd have to play team basketball coming into the game.

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[SirStefan32]

That was every bit as ugly as I thought it could be. Play Dunn, Fleming, and Man-man rotation minutes the rest of the series. Veterans are not going to get within 20 points of OKC, so you might as well give the kids an opportunity.

 

[Covert Rain]

It’s their rookie year where they barely played. Next year will be different

Gotcha. Doesn't change my point. Doing nothing about it still will guarantee 100% failure.

 

[Covert Rain]

Booker salary is not the problem you think it is. He is still a positive asset by a wide margin and we could trade him away and there is absolutely no one that we could spend that money on who would have anywhere near the impact he has.

We’d be a 20 win team with a ton of Space and no control over our future pics and no one would want to play here.

We’d be the team signing Kuzma to a $30 million deal.

You want to trade booker for a ton of picks because by the time we can build a contender again, he will be on the back end of his career… fine, that is an argument that can at least be made.

Thinking we will trade Booker and be a better team for it within the next five years is just something that won’t happen.

The main impact will be us gifting the Rockets, one top five pick after another.

Your take has one glaring weakness. We are paying Book like a #1 Superstar. That's why it's a problem. Not because Book sucks. He doesn't. Nobody said he isn't a positive asset. In fact, I do think he is. We should have parlayed that into multiple picks/assets in the offseason.

 

[Covert Rain]

I know this will be viewed as an excuse… but, when was the last time Booker had impact, high-quality talent at C & PF with him on the court?

I’ve been a long time defender of Book, but I also came down hard on him after the Blazers loss.
But Book has never had reliable, impact, athletic size around him…Is Ayton the only name that can be offered?

For once I’d like to see Book with this sort of size, impact and athleticism…

My problem with this it seems to be a moving goal post. First, it was Book needs a PG to play with. Then it was Book needs a closer to play with. Now it's Book needs a C/PF to play with? Seems like we are just playing spin the bottle with book hoping to find the player he "needs". Outside of us landing a #1 I am not sure you ever get that player.

 

[Phrazbit]

Your take has one glaring weakness. We are paying Book like a #1 Superstar. That's why it's a problem. Not because Book sucks. He doesn't. Nobody said he isn't a positive asset. In fact, I do think he is. We should have parlayed that into multiple picks/assets in the offseason.

Our offense goes from top 10 when he is on the court to dead last by a mile when he's off.

And we're not going to find anyone even remotely as impactful with that money.

 

[Covert Rain]

Our offense goes from top 10 when he is on the court to dead last by a mile when he's off.

And we're not going to find anyone even remotely as impactful with that money.

That's a possibility but you have a shot to find that player at least if he brings back a boatload of assets. However, we are not going to get a title with Book as your #1 player either. Plus, this team always chokes offensively in the playoffs so that stat seems pretty meaningless.

 

[Phrazbit]

That's a possibility but you have a shot to find that player at least if he brings back a boatload of assets. However, we are not going to get a title with Book as your #1 player either.

You are not accepting the reality of our situation.

There is no realistic scenario where this team competes for a title in the next, minimum, 7 or 8 years.

I'd rather they at least be interesting than watch them win 20 games when we don't even control our pick.

 

[TJ]

We got em right where we want em!!

 

[Chaplin]

You are not accepting the reality of our situation.

There is no realistic scenario where this team competes for a title in the next, minimum, 7 or 8 years.

I'd rather they at least be interesting than watch them win 20 games when we don't even control our pick.

I'm not sure you're in a good position to lecture here, especially since almost every post you make is full hyperbole.

 

[Covert Rain]

You are not accepting the reality of our situation.

There is no realistic scenario where this team competes for a title in the next, minimum, 7 or 8 years.

I'd rather they at least be interesting than watch them win 20 games when we don't even control our pick.

Sure I am. The reality of the situation is you can't have title expectations if Book is your #1. We don't have a boatload of assets, and we are still paying for Beal. It's going to take a monumental trade or great drafting with assets to get to where this teams needs to go. I have been saying this for MONTHS.

This team has had "fun" teams for on and off for the past 60 years. Fielding more fun teams at the expense of doing what we need, to get us where we need to go, is just going to delay the process. If a shocker trade cannot be done, holding onto Book out of loyalty while he still has peak value is a mistake.

 

[Cheesebeef]

What did we get from Utah that we sent them a 2031 unprotected #1 pick?

 

[Phrazbit]

I'm not sure you're in a good position to lecture here, especially since almost every post you make is full hyperbole.

I feel like my supposed hyperbole has been rather predictive the last few years.

 

[Phrazbit]

What did we get from Utah that we sent them a 2031 unprotected #1 pick?

I believe Nick Richards, then used another part of it to get Mark Williams.

 

[Phrazbit]

Sure I am. The reality of the situation is you can't have title expectations if Book is your #1. We don't have a boatload of assets, and we are still paying for Beal. It's going to take a monumental trade or great drafting with assets to get to where this teams needs to go. I have been saying this for MONTHS.

This team has had "fun" teams for on and off for the past 60 years. Fielding more fun teams at the expense of doing what we need, to get us where we need to go, is just going to delay the process. If a shocker trade cannot be done, holding onto Book out of loyalty while he still has peak value is a mistake.

I am not going to run in circles, Booker isn't getting traded anytime soon unless he demands it. That is an unshakeable reality.

And I am fine with that. I don't want to watch 5 years of 20 win basketball and allowing Houston to become a juggernaut thanks to our incompetence.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I believe Nick Richards, then used another part of it to get Mark Williams.

Oof.