Suns trade Kevin Durant to the Rockets

[Hoop Head]

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[Dr. Jones]

Kellan Olsen......

Suns get punked in Kevin Durant trade talks with low return

It was never going to be a home run for the Phoenix Suns this offseason when trading Kevin Durant but this contact off the bat isn't even leaving the infield.

arizonasports.com

 

[Sun Devil Mania]

I've never focused much on Green, but I'm surprised if the Rockets let him play this way.

Maybe Ott can work with him as he is so athletic.

 

[Mainstreet]

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This makes some sense. The Rockets didn't want to give up the Suns 2025 first round pick when it was still an unknown and possibly the number 1 pick. The flatter lottery odds have made first rounders, even from later lottery teams more valuable. They were never giving up our 2027 and 2029 picks unless they were getting Booker in return.

However, the Rockets would have had to add more players to make it work in February.

These are the salaries of Houston Rockets players

Hoopshype salaries of Houston Rockets players

hoopshype.com

 

[MigratingOsprey]

The rockets have some real potential in both the short and long term build.

This is about the best place where KD could have landed at this point. They have interior size/defense/rebounding, have good screeners, have a defender that can pick up anyone from 3pt line in - this will allow KD to really just play help and score. The rockets really need someone who could score and space, this should help open them up a bit and they aren't losing a ton of future flexibility

As for the Suns, a bit meh but they can continue to flip

 

[Yuma]

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I'd like to make a shirt of that to wear to a Suns game.

 

[Sun Devil Mania]

The Suns need “bigs”! It looks like Ace Bailey could slip a little in this draft. Try to go up a few spots and get him. If not, at #10 Derik Queen should be there. Either of these players could be what the Suns need!

 

[1982baskets]

I like this trade for both teams.

 

[Proximo]

It's refreshing to find someone who likes the trade.

Gambo agrees with you.

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Funny, he wasn’t talking very highly about green till we made the deal. I get it though he needs to keep his suns contacts happy. He is very biased, Kellen Olson on the other hand is keeping it real that the suns got punked.

 

[Mainstreet]

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This needs to go in the Bradley Beal 'Preciation Thread.

 

[Yuma]

The rockets have some real potential in both the short and long term build.

This is about the best place where KD could have landed at this point. They have interior size/defense/rebounding, have good screeners, have a defender that can pick up anyone from 3pt line in - this will allow KD to really just play help and score. The rockets really need someone who could score and space, this should help open them up a bit and they aren't losing a ton of future flexibility

As for the Suns, a bit meh but they can continue to flip

We could keep Green and Brooks. However when you start trying to make the starting five it gets crazy. You would have Green, Booker, Beale, Brooks, and (insert center here). That makes the Suns really small. But salaries dictate this lineup.

You could have Beal play off the bench. You could go Brooks, Green, Booker Dunn, (insert center here). Much better, especially if Dunn makes a jump as a better shooter and dive to the basket guy.

We still need a better Center. Hopefully the Suns can figure that out.

 

[Mainstreet]

We could keep Green and Brooks. However when you start trying to make the starting five it gets crazy. You would have Green, Booker, Beale, Brooks, and (insert center here). That makes the Suns really small. But salaries dictate this lineup.

You could have Beal play off the bench. You could go Brooks, Green, Booker Dunn, (insert center here). Much better, especially if Dunn makes a jump as a better shooter and dive to the basket guy.

We still need a better Center. Hopefully the Suns can figure that out.

A lot of talent there if they could figure out which way they are going. They be like fire ants.

 

[BirdGangThing]

We could keep Green and Brooks. However when you start trying to make the starting five it gets crazy. You would have Green, Booker, Beale, Brooks, and (insert center here). That makes the Suns really small. But salaries dictate this lineup.

You could have Beal play off the bench. You could go Brooks, Green, Booker Dunn, (insert center here). Much better, especially if Dunn makes a jump as a better shooter and dive to the basket guy.

We still need a better Center. Hopefully the Suns can figure that out.

you don't need a beal when you have a booker - same way you don't need a green when you have a booker - 3 shooting guards is not the way - beal and green gotta go

 

[Yuma]

A lot of talent there if they could figure out which way they are going. They be like fire ants.

We can't depend on Beal's health. Which is why I would start Green. They could be good. They are missing that center that can anchor the defense. With Richards and Oso we are are hoping one of them takes a leap. Better to have a known commodity at Center.

Booker has to become the leader of this team. The leadership issue is still hanging out there. I feel Booker was trying to do this when Coach Bud cut him off.

 

[Mainstreet]

you don't need a beal when you have a booker - same way you don't need a green when you have a booker - 3 shooting guards is not the way - beal and green gotta go

You will be slapping your pants if those ants crawl up your leg.

 

[Mainstreet]

We can't depend on Beal's health. Which is why I would start Green. They could be good. They are missing that center that can anchor the defense. With Richards and Oso we are are hoping one of them takes a leap. Better to have a known commodity at Center.

Booker has to become the leader of this team. The leadership issue is still hanging out there. I feel Booker was trying to do this when Coach Bud cut him off.

Suns need to get back to team basketball. They lost it somewhere along the way.

The Suns built around Booker once. Maybe they can do it again.

 

[Yuma]

Suns need to get back to team basketball. They lost it somewhere along the way.

The Suns built around Booker once. Maybe they can do it again.

Booker has proven he can play and change his game. He was the glue guy in the Olympics. He has shown he can be a sniper in games. He needs to get back to the Finals year where he was a guy who could carry a team. He needs to become the team leader.

Teams need depth. We have great depth pieces now. We really need Beal's contract gone because we need a starting center, and a maybe another wing. The answer is jettisoning Beal's contract. We need under that second apron while not trading away all our depth.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

NBADraft.net has the Suns taking Nolan Traore, https://www.nbadraft.net/nba-mock-drafts/

Intriguing

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Draft order is determined based on regular season record not the playoffs. An 8th seed could win the championship and still pick at #15 or #16. Winning a championship does not push a pick to the back of the round.

Okay replace “championship” with OkC.

 

[Yuma]

Intriguing

I am not feeling a PG that can't shoot or play defense. Defense is supposed to be part of our new "alignment." It kinda feels like a pick from guys who don't follow the Suns and are playing off the Suns don't have a PG on the roster thing. Heck. Anyone that watched last year saw we didn't use the PGs we had as PGs.

 

[Yuma]

Okay replace “championship” with OkC.

People were grumbling how Dallas could have made
the playoffs through the play in, yet had a lottery pick this year.

 

[Hoop Head]

Okay replace “championship” with OkC.

That still doesn't track. There were new provisions put in the CBA where teams over the second apron have their picks frozen as far as they can't trade them X years in the future and in addition to that when they receive those picks they are pushed to the end of the first round after the order is determined by record.

Edit - here is a piece describing details with the Cavs as an example. It explains the rules.

How does the second apron affect the Cavs?

Taking a closer look at the challenges Koby Altman and company will face this off-season.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I am not feeling a PG that can't shoot or play defense. Defense is supposed to be part of our new "alignment." It kinda feels like a pick from guys who don't follow the Suns and are playing off the Suns don't have a PG on the roster thing. Heck. Anyone that watched last year saw we didn't use the PGs we had as PGs.

We didn’t have good pgs. If this guy can be that it makes an enormous difference. At 6’4 he’s also not small for the position.

 

[Yuma]

We didn’t have good pgs. If this guy can be that it makes an enormous difference. At 6’4 he’s also not small for the position.

Not that it's a big difference, he was measured at 6'3" with bare feet. I just can't see a PG with both Green and Booker on the floor at the same time. I am assuming if we keep Green, we want him to start. The quotes say they want him playing with Booker. I still think this was a pick by someone who doesn't follow the Suns. The Suns themselves have leaked they are looking for bigs.

 

[BirdGangThing]

if we can't trade dillon brooks for 60 days id say that makes cody martin immediately available