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

[Hoop Head]

Great, the loudest voices in favor of trading the Twins for KD are going to float new ideas sending Booker out after each loss against OKC.

We were never winning this series and aren't competing for a title in the next 4-5 years short of a miracle.

 

[Adrian]

What were guys expecting?

 

[Hoop Head]

What were guys expecting?

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[newBluePlanet]

Nobody said he isn't a positive asset.

i did! and have been. Should we be afraid to call it like it is?

it's in black and white in the offensive and defensive stats. The admin here has posted them. I posted them at the end of last season. Let's post them all, shall we? Don't like individual numbers? Check the team results -- wins and losses and collapses.

when you produce nothing but empty offensive stats and crunch-time collapses like Russel Westbrook, and make as much money as 11 other players on the team combined, that's the definition of a negative asset. And you get rid of it, like teams have done every year with Westbrook for 4 or 5 years.

 

[Covert Rain]

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.

You keep saying things nobody is saying. I would rather watch 5 years of 20-win basketball verses another 20 years of no titles. I would put up with more lean years if it meant a title a decade sooner (within the next 10 years vs 20).

 

[Mainstreet]

What were guys expecting?

More of it's all Devin Booker's fault.

 

[Yuma]

We finally have a Billionaire owner. Can't we have him poach away someone like Sam Presti? Just triple his salary. LOL. Give up a first rounder for tampering, and be done with it. Top line guidance to reset this franchise.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns two centers, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, contributed 0 points.

Ighodaro did have 9 rebounds and 3 assists.

 

[Sparky16]

What were guys expecting?

this thing is over already - go ahead and start man man and Fleming - get some PO experience. They need to shop Dillon in the offseason. Dude thinks he is the go to on offense and is a black hole on offense.

 

[swagron]

Don’t worry. Nobody’s trading for Books 70m contract. No way no how.

 

[Yuma]

Everyone keeps saying Booker's next contract is 70 million. Technically, literally technically, it is not. No one has crossed that line yet.

 

[Phrazbit]

You keep saying things nobody is saying. I would rather watch 5 years of 20-win basketball verses another 20 years of no titles. I would put up with more lean years if it meant a title a decade sooner.

huh?

You literally just said my expressed my counter argument and said you are fine with it.

Condemning ourselves to an situation far more depressing than even the mid 2010s were is something I am not down for, and I think the odds that it helps us in anyway whatsoever, even in the long term, are extremely dubious.

You're fine with that scenario.

I am not. It is what it is.

 

[Mainstreet]

Everyone keeps saying Booker's next contract is 70 million. Technically, literally technically, it is not. No one has crossed that line yet.

Yeah, Devin Booker is making $53,142,264 this season and his salary gradually progresses upward.

I guess saying he is making $70 million is a way to make his salary look more grievous.

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

Don’t worry. Nobody’s trading for Books 70m contract. No way no how.

yeah because nobody wants a team first top 10 scorer who's also top 20 in assists per game this season - because those just grow on trees - technically still in his 20s - truth is teams would be lining up - the money would be zero issue - it would be all the players/picks other teams would have to trade - that would be the hang up

this whole acting like these imaginary first round draft picks are going to be better than devin booker is hilarious - we had the top pick in the draft and how did that work out

devin booker isn't overpaid lol - any team with cap space would gladly pay him - book might be under appreciated and undervalued by a select group of geniuses but the real world knows exactly who book is

 

[Phrazbit]

yeah because nobody wants a team first top 10 scorer who's also top 20 in assists per game this season - because those just grow on trees - technically still in his 20s - truth is teams would be lining up - the money would be zero issue - it would be all the players/picks other teams would have to trade - that would be the hang up

this whole acting like these imaginary first round draft picks are going to be better than devin booker is hilarious - we had the top pick in the draft and how did that work out

devin booker isn't overpaid lol - any team with cap space would gladly pay him - book might be under appreciated and undervalued by a select group of geniuses but the real world knows exactly who book is

That guy is a laker fan and a troll.

Not worth it.

 

[Covert Rain]

huh?

You literally just said my expressed my counter argument and said you are fine with it.

Condemning ourselves to an situation far more depressing than even the mid 2010s were is something I am not down for, and I think the odds that it helps us in anyway whatsoever, even in the long term, are extremely dubious.

You're fine with that scenario.

I am not. It is what it is.

You said Booker isn’t getting traded. I never said he was. I was simply expressing what I think they should have done IMO.

I am for the fastest path to putting us into title contention. Being worried about fielding fun teams and keeping Book around for that purpose is the opposite path IMO.

 

[Phrazbit]

You said Booker isn’t getting traded. I never said he was. I was simply expressing what I think they should have done IMO.

I am for the fastest path to putting us into title contention. Being worried about fielding fun teams and keeping Book around for that purpose is the opposite path IMO.

Going for the fastest path tends to lead to disaster.

It would be nice for the franchise to go a while without shooting itself in the face.

 

[Raindog]

Booker supporters acting like the world exists in a vacuum. But the reality is diminishing returns is going to kick in... and likely already has. He already has perennial injury issues and those are only likely to get worse as he moves into his 30s.

He really needs to be moved while he still has something resembling peak value, unless you eventually want to be forced to try and move him when you have to ask for pennies on the dollar.

Anyone who thinks the Suns are going to in any way improve appreciably over the next 4-5 years WITHOUT trading Booker, I would like to hear your explicit plan on how that happens? Like what is something grounded in actual reality?

 

[SirStefan32]

Guys, they won a few more games this season when everyone thought they'd barely win 30 games. They did this while plagued with injuries. Somehow they managed to add two rookies who look like legitimate players. They developed two point guards who are now legitimate rotation players. This is not the time to trade your loyal star, especially since you don't have any of your own picks (Yes, I know they have picks, but they are all swapped). Hell, this is not the time to do anything major- enjoy the ride, trust the internal development, coach, and the GM.

 

[taz02]

We are too small up front, and the bigs we have, are not contributing. We are going nowhere until this is resolved.

Booker is Booker he has a habit of fading in big high-pressure games. Green is capable of picking up the slack, but we are so week inside we get steam rolled.

 

[SirStefan32]

Booker supporters acting like the world exists in a vacuum. But the reality is diminishing returns is going to kick in... and likely already has. He already has perennial injury issues and those are only likely to get worse as he moves into his 30s.

He really needs to be moved while he still has something resembling peak value, unless you eventually want to be forced to try and move him when you have to ask for pennies on the dollar.

Anyone who thinks the Suns are going to in any way improve appreciably over the next 4-5 years WITHOUT trading Booker, I would like to hear your explicit plan on how that happens? Like what is something grounded in actual reality?

Um, look at how much they improved this year. They have two legitimate rotation point guards on the roster, they have two rookies who look legit (especially Fleming), and we still don't know if Green will figure it out. Dunn is still a youngster who can improve. They also have an owner who will spend as much money as necessary. It's really not far-fetched to think they'll improve significantly over the next few years.

 

[Chaplin]

Booker supporters acting like the world exists in a vacuum. But the reality is diminishing returns is going to kick in... and likely already has. He already has perennial injury issues and those are only likely to get worse as he moves into his 30s.

He really needs to be moved while he still has something resembling peak value, unless you eventually want to be forced to try and move him when you have to ask for pennies on the dollar.

Anyone who thinks the Suns are going to in any way improve appreciably over the next 4-5 years WITHOUT trading Booker, I would like to hear your explicit plan on how that happens? Like what is something grounded in actual reality?

Maybe not treating people that might disagree with you as being insane might be a good start. There are a lot of different opinions here. Guess what? Yours isn't any better or any worse than the next guy.

 

[Chaplin]

Um, look at how much they improved this year. They have two legitimate rotation point guards on the roster, they have two rookies who look legit (especially Fleming), and we still don't know if Green will figure it out. Dunn is still a youngster who can improve. They also have an owner who will spend as much money as necessary. It's really not far-fetched to think they'll improve significantly over the next few years.

Didn't you know? We are a much more surprising team in spite of Booker, not because he's a key contributor. Apparently he single-handedly loses games for us and is the main reason we're going to flame out in the first round.

 

[Mainstreet]

Booker supporters acting like the world exists in a vacuum. But the reality is diminishing returns is going to kick in... and likely already has. He already has perennial injury issues and those are only likely to get worse as he moves into his 30s.

He really needs to be moved while he still has something resembling peak value, unless you eventually want to be forced to try and move him when you have to ask for pennies on the dollar.

Anyone who thinks the Suns are going to in any way improve appreciably over the next 4-5 years WITHOUT trading Booker, I would like to hear your explicit plan on how that happens? Like what is something grounded in actual reality?

Add some rotation 4/5s with size, not stars, just depth and the Suns will suddenly look much better. Then hope the rookies develop while keeping Goodwin and Gillespie.

I practically begged for the Suns to add then free agent Achiuwa this season. He would have helped.

 

[Mainstreet]

Btw, you don't dump stars that show loyalty, who want to be here, and could have asked to be traded.

It still sickens me the Suns traded Steve Nash. I think he wanted to stay, no matter the story line.

Again, if Booker wanted out, that's a different story. Then you accommodate him.