The Durant Sweepstakes

[Proximo]

Fine, so I return to my original question: If Booker demanded a trade to Boston, and all the Celtics were offering was a role player and late picks, what would you advise the Suns to do?

I don't consider Mikal to simply be a role player, but the Suns are not in the same situation as the Nets.

The nets have nothing beyond Kyrie who will be gone in max a year and KD. They need to go full rebuild. Suns would not.

I think the Suns giving them cap space and 4 picks and swaps and a player who I think is nearly an all star is not crazy.

Should the Suns take a similar deal for Booker, well probably not. Number 1 I don't think at his age he would be willing to go as far as KD to get traded, so I think the suns would have more leverage. But the bottom line is if he was willing to play hardball then eventually you don't have a choice and you have to take whatever you can get for the player.

Same thing recently played out with Ben Simmons. Like it or not the players are ultimately in charge and you have to take whatever the market is willing to give you in the end.

With KD's age, the Nets don't have the luxury to wait another season or 2, because his age most likely drops his value more than you can get by waiting around for a better offer.

 

[Proximo]

Gambo is saying that the Celtics are a legit contender to get KD because they willing to give up Brown. He saying the Suns are still in it as well but Boston is a threat.

Well, if that is true and KD is willing to go there, than that is where he is going.

 

[Covert Rain]

Well, if that is true and KD is willing to go there, than that is where he is going.

Well he also said the Nets don't want to make a division rival better. So, that's a factor. Plus, we don't know if KD actually wants to go there.

 

[Mainstreet]

Well, if that is true and KD is willing to go there, than that is where he is going.

Well he also said the Nets don't want to make a division rival better. So, that's a factor. Plus, we don't know if KD actually wants to go there.

Jaylen Brown is better than what the Suns can offer so if the Nets want a star in return for Durant, there it is.

It's hard to believe the Celtics would part with Brown.

 

[Covert Rain]

Jaylen Brown is better than what the Suns can offer so if the Nets want a star in return for Durant, there it is.

It's hard to believe the Celtics would part with Brown.

I know I am in the minority, but I like Brown more than Tatum after watching them both in the playoffs. There were stretches where Tatum disappeared, and Brown looked for the ball and stepped up.

 

[Mainstreet]

I know I am in the minority, but I like Brown more than Tatum after watching them both in the playoffs. There were stretches where Tatum disappeared, and Brown looked for the ball and stepped up.

Yeah, I think if the Celtics offered Brown, the trade would already be done.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Want to hear a crazy stat? Utah has the best record in the Western Conference since Donovan Mitchell started for the Jazz.

 

[Covert Rain]

Yeah, I think if the Celtics offered Brown, the trade would already be done.

Depends. I mean most teams won't trade within their division. I seriously, doubt they want to setup the Celtics to beat them up for the next decade. Plus, even if they did offer up Brown they still have to convince KD. He might not want to go there. So, under normal circumstances it might be a lock but this isn't normal.

 

[TRW]

Want to hear a crazy stat? Utah has the best record in the Western Conference since Donovan Mitchell started for the Jazz.

Get rid of that bum!
-D. Ainge

 

[Covert Rain]

Gambo said he "knows for a fact" the Suns are exploring a 4 team trade. It involves the Jazz, Knicks, Nets and Suns. He said it's only exploratory (internal discussion), but the team has hit a roadblock on a direct trade with the Nets.

 

[Mainstreet]

Gambo said he "knows for a fact" the Suns are exploring a 4 team trade. It involves the Jazz, Knicks, Nets and Suns. He said it's only exploratory (internal discussion), but the team has hit a roadblock on a direct trade with the Nets.

I hope the trade does not include both Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges.

 

[GatorAZ]

Apples and oranges my friend! Book is a 25 year old that just re-upped for a super max deal.

Durant is a 34 year old coming off of injuries.

Doesn’t matter. If Booker was 34 and demanded a trade to New Orleans we wouldn’t be pining for Herb Jones and 4 picks I can assure you.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Booker at 34 you have to wonder if he is still playing.................l

 

[AzStevenCal]

Doesn’t matter. If Booker was 34 and demanded a trade to New Orleans we wouldn’t be pining for Herb Jones and 4 picks I can assure you.

Why does everyone leave the "repaired Achilles" out of the equation? I'm not saying it's going to end his career any day now but there isn't a good track record for older athletes following that repair so the risk is real IMO.

I'm pretty sure that if we can get 4 picks and a trash can for a 34 year old Devin Booker after he's recovered from a ruptured Achilles and with 194 million still owed to him, I'll be ecstatic.

 

[GatorAZ]

Why does everyone leave the "repaired Achilles" out of the equation? I'm not saying it's going to end his career any day now but there isn't a good track record for older athletes following that repair so the risk is real IMO.

I'm pretty sure that if we can get 4 picks and a trash can for a 34 year old Devin Booker after he's recovered from achilles repair surgery and with 194 million still owed to him, I'd be ecstatic.

KD was 2nd team all NBA last year so does that apply to your Booker hypothetical? He just had his highest PPG average in 8 years and a year removed from a legendary playoff run and Olympic MVP. He hasn’t had any issues with his achilles the last two years that I recall.

 

[Proximo]

I know I am in the minority, but I like Brown more than Tatum after watching them both in the playoffs. There were stretches where Tatum disappeared, and Brown looked for the ball and stepped up.

I get what you are saying.

Tatum just seems much more inconsistent than Brown. But Tatum has more talent and upside in most peoples opinion.

 

[Hoop Head]

Why does everyone leave the "repaired Achilles" out of the equation? I'm not saying it's going to end his career any day now but there isn't a good track record for older athletes following that repair so the risk is real IMO.

I'm pretty sure that if we can get 4 picks and a trash can for a 34 year old Devin Booker after he's recovered from a ruptured Achilles and with 194 million still owed to him, I'll be ecstatic.

Because he tore his Achilles a few years ago, before he turned 30 I believe. It's been over 3 years since then and he's shown it's not an issue. He didn't tear it last season and this wasn't his first year back after tearing it either.

When KD tore his Achilles there were some serious questions about whether he should have been playing at all. Some thought he might have had a small tear that was neglected by the training staff in Golden State and they put him out there anyways, where he ended up injuring it much worse.

The injury to Achilles isn't nearly as clear cut or recent as you try to say it was.

 

[AzStevenCal]

KD was 2nd team all NBA last year so does that apply to your Booker hypothetical? He just had his highest PPG average in 8 years and a year removed from a legendary playoff run and Olympic MVP. He hasn’t had any issues with his achilles the last two years that I recall.

Playing partial seasons. And I didn't say he's already lost it, I'm concerned about how it will progress from here. Most players aren't superstars as they hit their mid-30's and like I said, there isn't a good track record for older athletes that come back from Achilles repair.

Also, the risk isn't really future Achilles problems as I understand it. There isn't a lot of data on it but I've read several reports that indicate that a return to high form is likely but an accelerated decline afterwards is typical. Here's an excerpt from one study at Houston Methodist that concludes that players returned, often with no immediate loss in performance, but had shorter careers as a result of the injury/repair.

Spoiler

Conclusion: Shorter careers following Achilles tendon surgery
Although there was a 77% RTS rate in the MLS following Achilles tendon repair, those players had shorter careers and played fewer games per season than matched controls.

 

[Phrazbit]

KD was 2nd team all NBA last year so does that apply to your Booker hypothetical? He just had his highest PPG average in 8 years and a year removed from a legendary playoff run and Olympic MVP. He hasn’t had any issues with his achilles the last two years that I recall.

Because he tore his Achilles a few years ago, before he turned 30 I believe. It's been over 3 years since then and he's shown it's not an issue. He didn't tear it last season and this wasn't his first year back after tearing it either.

When KD tore his Achilles there were some serious questions about whether he should have been playing at all. Some thought he might have had a small tear that was neglected by the training staff in Golden State and they put him out there anyways, where he ended up injuring it much worse.

The injury to Achilles isn't nearly as clear cut or recent as you try to say it was.

He made his return from his achillies tear at the start of the 2020/21 season and he's missed nearly half of the Net's games since then.

The durability concerns are very real. I do not think he trade return should be comparable to what healthy guys in their 20s warranted.

 

[AZ Native]

Want to hear a crazy stat? Utah has the best record in the Western Conference since Donovan Mitchell started for the Jazz.

And who has the best record in the NBA without a title...

 

[AzStevenCal]

Because he tore his Achilles a few years ago, before he turned 30 I believe. It's been over 3 years since then and he's shown it's not an issue. He didn't tear it last season and this wasn't his first year back after tearing it either.

When KD tore his Achilles there were some serious questions about whether he should have been playing at all. Some thought he might have had a small tear that was neglected by the training staff in Golden State and they put him out there anyways, where he ended up injuring it much worse.

The injury to Achilles isn't nearly as clear cut or recent as you try to say it was.

Except I'm not being definitive about the outcome, just the risk. I'm challenging the assumption that it's a non-issue, not suggesting it will definitely be a problem. Studies show that soccer players typically return to high form but decline quicker than usual, miss a higher number of games and have shortened post repair careers compared to players of the same age. And we're looking at a 34 year old guy who is locked up for 4 more years.

And it isn't just about not going after him, it's about paying full price for someone that should be discounted due to his age, injury and contract. Brooklyn should be thrilled to get out from under that contract now that they know a championship isn't in their immediate future.

Giving them 4 picks and fillers is sufficient value for Durant and for assuming that contract IMO. And giving them Bridges plus fillers is reasonable value, but not the picks and Mikal.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Gambo is saying that the Celtics are a legit contender to get KD because they willing to give up Brown. He saying the Suns are still in it as well but Boston is a threat. He says the hesitation with the Nets is making the Celtics better.

We can’t top brown

 

[Covert Rain]

We can’t top brown

Nope but we might have two things going for us. He indicated the Nets are extremely hesitant to help a division rival and we don't know if KD even wants to play there. That's why the Suns are still in it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

KD was 2nd team all NBA last year so does that apply to your Booker hypothetical? He just had his highest PPG average in 8 years and a year removed from a legendary playoff run and Olympic MVP. He hasn’t had any issues with his achilles the last two years that I recall.

Right. The Achilles isn’t brought up because he’s proven it isn’t a hinderance.

 

[Phrazbit]

Right. The Achilles isn’t brought up because he’s proven it isn’t a hinderance.

Achillies or not, he's missed just under half their games the last 2 seasons.