Suns trade Kevin Durant to the Rockets

[95pro]

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Good riddance.

I'm not sure why some thought he was going to do us any favors, we just didn't have any leverage for anything much.

Book is your captain now (insert Captain Philips meme).
Accept Green as your #2, the rest are defensive wings.
Insert athletic big.
Insert spacing big.

That will be your list of moves this season.

 

[Cheesebeef]

man... the other thing that sucks about this move is it takes Houston out of being the prime team that could have given us our picks back, and good young talent, when we eventually realize we need to trade Book, once it's apparently how bad we are this season.

 

[Mainstreet]

I am now skeptical of these “we never made an offer” statements. I think they’re saying that to appease both their players who may have been rumored to be in the deal and their fans for not closing the deal. If this IS true then KD had essentially zero value and we can’t take stop killing the suns for the rockets deal because there wasn’t anything else out there. Can still kill them for the original KD acquisition, but the rockets deal would’ve been the best they could do.

I liked the rumored Minnesota offer, but I don't think there were a lot of good trade offers on the table and Durant didn't want to go there.

It's surprising the Heat didn't step up to the plate, but then again, they didn't for Jimmy Butler either.

When it comes to the Suns, I don't believe Gambo reports what he doesn't know.

Yeah, I think the Suns took what they thought was the best offer. If Ime Udoka hadn't wanted Durant, and the price low, even that might not have happened.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

The Spurs reportedly never made an offer for Durant.

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Basically the Spurs did what I wish Ishbia would have done. Keep the young, awesome core and just enhance it...don't blow it up.

 

[angel_ofthe_south]

Basically the Spurs did what I wish Ishbia would have done. Keep the young, awesome core and just enhance it...don't blow it up.

In order to keep a young, awesome core, you need to have a young, awesome core.

 

[angel_ofthe_south]

Is there any chance the trade could fail because the teams can't make salaries match 100 percent? Aren't they required to, and doesn't that mean down to the last cent?

 

[RON_IN_OC]

In order to keep a young, awesome core, you need to have a young, awesome core.

Like Booker, Bridges ,etc? lol

 

[Superbone]

To be honest, I’ll have pushed the last 2.5 years outta my memory altogether within a year.

It never happened. I hope I can push it out of my memory! Please! Some of my least favorite times as a Suns fan in my 50 years of fandom. There was this, the drug years, the malaise years, the Sarver 10 year suck period, but this was the worst of it.

 

[Dback Jon]

It never happened. I hope I can push it out of my memory! Please! Some of my least favorite times as a Suns fan in my 50 years of fandom. There was this, the drug years, the malaise years, the Sarver 10 year suck period, but this was the worst of it.

Agreed - there was supposed to be so much promise for this team, so much disappointment

 

[SirStefan32]

I still cannot figure out how the team was so bad last year.

 

[Superbone]

I still cannot figure out how the team was so bad last year.

It was a perfect storm.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Like Booker, Bridges ,etc? lol

lol... that's not an awesome core. Wemby is a once in a generation unicorn and Booker is bascially the same level as Fox and Castle and their #2 pick's potential dwarf a bridges, who's a very good role player. .

we basically had the core of the 2023 Sacremento Kings, with Booker as a sometime All-Star, Bridges as a no time star.

Sure, it's a younger group, and had so much more flexibility and hope simply because they had draft picks to trade or likely get great talent because they would have still been bad... but they were decidedly not an awesome core or anything like the core of SA.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I still cannot figure out how the team was so bad last year.

no one to run an offese and awful leadership.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

no one to run an offese and awful leadership.

It was obvious why they were never even close - zero chemistry, terrible roster fits, horribly basketball IQ and effort. It was the same show all year long.

 

[PHI PHX PHAN]

man... the other thing that sucks about this move is it takes Houston out of being the prime team that could have given us our picks back, and good young talent, when we eventually realize we need to trade Book, once it's apparently how bad we are this season.

I've thought about this as well to some degree, but let me pose a scenario.

As it stands KD is a test run. He is on a team he WOULD sign an extension with but there's no guarantee that happens.
There is a chance he doesn't move the needle there (a la his time here) and they don't extend him.

It would be very out of the ordinary but I believe they had interest in Book. If the stars align a certain way, they could still wind up inquiring about him next year.

They didn't give up anything from their current roster construction that should completely deter them from exploring that possibility again if it doesn't work with KD.

Or is this an impossible scenario?

 

[GatorAZ]

I liked the rumored Minnesota offer, but I don't think there were a lot of good trade offers on the table and Durant didn't want to go there.

It's surprising the Heat didn't step up to the plate, but then again, they didn't for Jimmy Butler either.

When it comes to the Suns, I don't believe Gambo reports what he doesn't know.

Yeah, I think the Suns took what they thought was the best offer. If Ime Udoka hadn't wanted Durant, and the price low, even that might not have happened.

I think Pop and Riley are done dealing with big name drama guys after the Kawhi and Jimmy debacles. If KD went to Miami he’d more checked out of doing the dirty work than he was here. I think teams also look at last year when he added three more lower leg injuries to his portfolio for a player entering year 18. He’s now 6 years post Achilles so he can break down any time and teams know it.

 

[Covert Rain]

I definitely think the Suns have plans to get under the second tax apron to make moves.

Afterward, who knows. They might jump right back into it again.

I don’t recall the exact rules but it was something like if you are over the 2nd Apron in 3 out of 5 seasons the draft penalty kicks in. Someone can correct me if they are more up to date.

So sounds like we could be over only 2 more times over the next 4 years. So the length and amount of longer term contracts we take on matter.

 

[Mainstreet]

Gambo relays information about Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks from NBA coaches.

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[leclerc]

Fresh
Start

 

[Phrazbit]

I know you hated that Beal deal as well, but with KD gone, do you see a world where Beal actually starts showing his value more? As you said, KD has a style, and his stature dictated that we follow that style or else. That's out the door now, so it will be interesting to see what this team looks like.

No, I think Beal’s biggest problem is the years and years and leg injuries have sapped him of his quickness.

 

[Cheesebeef]

No, I think Beal’s biggest problem is the years and years and leg injuries have sapped him of his quickness.

same. even when "healthy", there was no special to his game anymore.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I still cannot figure out how the team was so bad last year.

They checked out early and left their hearts at the bank.

 

[Chaplin]

same. even when "healthy", there was no special to his game anymore.

If he was healthy, his numbers rivaled what would be considered 6th man of the year potential. The problem is that he'll never reach the minimum number of games. Which is the big reason why nobody in their right mind will trade for him.

 

[95pro]

No one is trading for Beal unless the #10 and four second rounders are attached. Beal is a dead horse and we should be beating, but this topic is tiresome.

 

[Covert Rain]

No one is trading for Beal unless the #10 and four second rounders are attached. Beal is a dead horse and we should be beating, but this topic is tiresome.

What adds insult to injury with this historically bad trade is that Beal has a player option. He might be attractive to some team for that expiring contract in 2026-2027 if not for his player option.