2024-2025 Around the NBA Thread

[Hoop Head]

To be fair here being excited that the Suns DID SOMETHING would mean any move you made you would be excited about. People keep trying to pigeon hole being for this trade was specifically about KD. When in reality it was about getting another star level player.

Perhaps to you and that actually helps me your understand your perspective more, so I appreciate this comment a lot. I think some had KD colored glasses and that's been displayed by that same posters rigorous defense of KD when he's been called out for his Twitter antics post trade.

 

[AzStevenCal]

No it’s not. It’s one great; but one-dimensional player, the best role player in the game and another role player who misses 1/4 of every season. And they would have all already entered their prime so it’s not like they’re young and have a decade to grow together.

I don't consider Booker one-dimensional at all unless you're planning on keeping him at the PG spot. But if that's the case, I wouldn't even consider him a great player because he simply can't defend that position and is no better than mid-tier as a facilitator. I love Cam, he's a great teammate and when fully healthy he's probably a top 60 to top 80 player but I agree, his injuries make him someone you just can't rely on. He'd be okay as your number 8 guy but it's tough to count on him as part of your regular rotation.

 

[Covert Rain]

Perhaps to you and that actually helps me your understand your perspective more, so I appreciate this comment a lot. I think some had KD colored glasses and that's been displayed by that same posters rigorous defense of KD when he's been called out for his Twitter antics post trade.

If somehow the Suns could pull off some trade magic, move KD and get a younger star....(I know it's not realistic) that could help Booker for the foreseeable future I would be all for it. I am not and never have been married to specifically KD. I think you would find most posters that were pro-trade would feel the same.

 

[Hoop Head]

If somehow the Suns could pull off some trade magic, move KD and get a younger star....(I know it's not realistic) that could help Booker for the foreseeable future I would be all for it. I am not and never have been married to specifically KD. I think you would find most posters that were pro-trade would feel the same.

From this point forward, I'm naming names. I think you should do the same. Speaking for others gets these discussions drawn out and heated.

 

[AzStevenCal]

If somehow the Suns could pull off some trade magic, move KD and get a younger star....(I know it's not realistic) that could help Booker for the foreseeable future I would be all for it. I am not and never have been married to specifically KD. I think you would find most posters that were pro-trade would feel the same.

I'm actually still a KD fan and have been since his Texas season. And I think I might have been the lone supporter here on his decision to leave OKC for GS. I'm aware of his insecurities and his bizarre social media activity but I'm a fan of Kevin the player, the rest is just noise AFAIC.

But a few playoffs ago, Boston showed the league how to turn him from superstar to liability in clutch moments and teams have used that approach against us regularly. It's a problem for us but we made it into a nightmare by not having a true PG out there to take off some of the pressure.

I'm hoping that the KD we see now will still be a superstar for much of the game and a relief valve in crucial moments but no longer the focal point of the offense late in the 4th. If this happens and if we stay healthy, this team should have an outside chance to compete for a title. I think our cupboard is too bare though to send him away for picks if we're not also bringing back a near all star level player. So, IOW, if we trade him it would be my first move towards a complete rebuild that would almost certainly involve moving Devin too.

 

[Mainstreet]

You’re either being extremely obtuse or again showing you have no concept of what a star is. A broken down Bradley Beal, who can’t play more than 50 games a year, with a massive/poisonous contract, is arguably not a star anymore. And he certainly isn’t the type of #2 star needed to try and compete for a title.

Back to name-calling again. It's so you. If you can't win an argument, you insult the poster.

 

[Chaplin]

Back to name-calling again. It's so you. If you can't win an argument, you insult the poster.

Saying you are BEING obtuse isn't name calling. It's pointing out that your argument is flawed.

 

[Mainstreet]

Online bullying DOES work!

The above is an example of the things you write.

 

[Chaplin]

The above is an example of the things you write.

Oh come on -- you are so sensitive. This site is full of people that consider disagreements to be bullying.

 

[Mainstreet]

True. But that wasn't the deal Ishbia made. Yes, we did trade for KD, and truthfully, he's been healthier and played better than many here thought he would. Here we go again about picks that will be at the end of round one. Yes we could have held this picks and traded for lesser players than KD, or get one great player in KD, yada, Yad, yada. We all know each sides points by now. I should have @Chris_Sanders give bans to people bringing this topic up again. Last time I made my points about the trade everyone brow beat me over it. Now @Mainstreet is saying we could trade for Beal without including Bridges who we didn't even have his rights anymore. WTF kind of argument is that? I love you @Mainstreet, but those gummies must be good!

I don't have a clue what you are talking about. What's the deal about the gummies?

 

[Hoop Head]

Oh come on -- you are so sensitive. This site is full of people that consider disagreements to be bullying.

You, Chaplin, are actually calling someone else sensitive? WOW. Do you have a mirror on your screen and catch your own reflection to spit that gem out?

 

[Chaplin]

You, Chaplin, are actually calling someone else sensitive? WOW. Do you have a mirror on your screen and catch your own reflection to spit that gem out?

Proving my point, one post at a time.

 

[Hoop Head]

Proving my point, one post at a time.

Thought I was on ignore? Going to continue ignoring the topic we're discussing and want to stay personal? I just want to know so we're on the same playing field.

 

[Mainstreet]

This is a terrible argument.

Because it happened?

 

[Cheesebeef]

A playoff team awash with picks and a bunch of good players in their 20s, that’s what we were.

A playoff team with a bunch of good players? I’m not sure that team has a bunch of good players. It had Book/Bridges, an oft-injured Cam Johnson and a dog with fleas with Ayton. I don’t think you can automatically assume that is a playoff team. They have no elite leader/no one who can run an offense. I think it’s likely they’re a repeat play IN team, but I don’t even know if they’re even at Sacramento’s level. They’d still have all their picks and a better chance in future though, while being likely worse in the present.

I also think automatically calling that team moving forward a playoff team really ignores how crucial an All-NBA level CP3 was to that squad and how hard it is to replace that level of floor leader. As good as Booker is, he ain’t that guy.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Back to name-calling again. It's so you. If you can't win an argument, you insult the poster.

I’m sorry for calling you obtuse. I was frustrated by what I believe to be the specious argument you keep making about Beal being a star, even after being presented with facts to the contrary (Beal not sniffing the All-Star game for two year prior to our trade, his play falling off considerably since those days, not being able to get on the court for much more than half a season, while also having the most toxic contract in the league for a guy breaking down).

Also, the argument was never about Bridges being necessary for a deal for any star. The argument has repeatedly been Bridges would have been necessary to deal for a legit #1 superstar the team needs to compete for a title.

But no matter how many times all of the above is posted, you simply respond that Bradley Beal was a 3 time All-Star and that proves we didn’t need to trade Bridges for a star. I’m sorry, but that’s not only changes the arguments myself and others are making, but it completely ignores what happened to Beal after his last All-Star game, which happened two seasons before we traded for him.

 

[Covert Rain]

From this point forward, I'm naming names. I think you should do the same. Speaking for others gets these discussions drawn out and heated.

I typically directly respond to comments but I am going to call out generalizations if they are being used to paint the majority of fans.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Because it happened?

You really believe that because Beal made All-Star teams two years before we traded for him meant he was still a star last summer, even though his body completely broke down for his last two years with the Wiz, where he couldn’t stay healthy to save his life and his level of play from two years previous dropped dramatically?

And AGAIN, NO ONE EVER SAID Bridges needed to be moved to get a “star”, much less one of Beal’s dubious level. The argument was Bridges needed to be moved if we ever wanted to get a LEGIT #1 STAR or at least a 1b star because a lot of us don’t think Booker is a guy you can win a title with as the number one option/leader of the team.

Now, can you please stop projecting the specious argument that people are saying Bridges needed to be traded for a star and note the distinction that we thought that if we were ever to contend again, he needed to eventually be traded for a #1 superstar? You don’t have to AGREE with that, while holding on to your belief that we could have surrounded Booker/Bridges with great depth to contend. But at least acknowledge no one is saying Bridges need to be traded for a Beal level player, who was nowhere near a 1 or good 2 star at the point we traded for him.

 

[Hoop Head]

You really believe that because Beal made All-Star teams two years before we traded for him meant he was still a star last summer, even though his body completely broke down for his last two years with the Wiz, where he couldn’t stay healthy to save his life and his level of play from two years previous dropped dramatically?

Also, no one ever made the argument that Bridges needed to be moved to get a “star” of Beal’s level. The argument was Bridges needed to be moved if we ever wanted to get a legit #1 superstar or at least a 1b superstar because a lot of us don’t think Booker is a guy you can win a title with as the number one option/leader of the team.

But again… that’s been repeated numerous times… and you know that.

Beal gets injured and is no longer a star but KD gets injured, torn Achilles at that, and doesn't lose value? Do you not see the double standard? Literally everything you said about Beal can be applied to KD except KD has more miles on him.

 

[Mainstreet]

Beal gets injured and is no longer a star but KD gets injured, torn Achilles at that, and doesn't lose value? Do you not see the double standard? Literally everything you said about Beal can be applied to KD except KD has more miles on him.

Unfortunately, some ignore facts when it doesn't fit their perception. They don't want to hear it.

The Suns didn't choose to pay Beal $50 million plus over multiple years for nothing.

Are we to ignore he was a 3 x NBA All-star? It is what it is. It's not a matter of who is better, Durant or Beal.

 

[Chaplin]

Unfortunately, some ignore facts when it doesn't fit their perception. They don't want to hear it.

The Suns didn't choose to pay Beal $50 million plus over multiple years for nothing.

Are we to ignore he was a 3 x NBA All-star? It is what it is. It's not a matter of who is better, Durant or Beal.

The Phoenix Sun Bradley Beal can't even sniff the All-Star team, so what does it matter? Are you saying that Beal LAST SUMMER had the same worth as Kevin Durant? If you aren't, then why bring him up at all?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Beal gets injured and is no longer a star but KD gets injured, torn Achilles at that, and doesn't lose value? Do you not see the double standard?

Well… no. Beal is no longer a star because his injuries robbed himself of being one, even when he is on the court. KD lost some value because if injuries, but he’s not just a star when he’s on the court… he’s still one of the top 10-15 players in the league (2nd Team All-NBA 2022/2024).

Beal was a distressed asset that Wizards couldn’t wait to unload who’s nowhere close to the All-Star he once was and it was dubious to even considered him star at the point we traded for him. He was certainly a huge risk with a contract that could be a killer. That wasn’t the situation with KD. He still had A LOT of value, just nowhere close to what we gave up for him.

Beal also started from a much lower perch and with his injuries, he’s not even sniffing past glory, nary even an All-Star game in sight.

Literally everything you said about Beal can be applied to KD except KD has more miles on him.

This just isn’t true. I’ve said repeatedly that even when Beal is on the court, he’s not a star anymore. Do you think he’s still a star? And he hasn’t been anything remotely close to being someone you could even possibly consider a solid #2 star star since 2021. Hate on the KD trade as much as you want and I won’t begrudge you, but you when KD is on the court, he’s STILL one of the best players in the league ( even in 2023, the only reason he didn’t make an All-NBA team was because of games lost, because when he was on the court for the majority of the first half of the Nets season, he was still being talked about as a legit MVP candidate.

Again, I think the trade was a bad one and can see now that KD wasn’t the number 1 Booker needed to be paired with. We’re now saddled with two peak #2s. But he’s still one of the best #2 players in the game and arguably a top 10 player while Beal is a shell of
himself with an albatross of contract that we’re now stuck with.

The only similarities I see between the two are they’ve injury issues. But again, those might have knocked KD from being one of the best ever, but he’s still currently one of the best game, while Beal was an All-Star level player on the outskirts who’s nowhere close to that anymore, with a noxious contract that likely can’t be moved. So, while they share some similarities, they don’t share anything close to their value in the league.

 

[Mainstreet]

You really believe that because Beal made All-Star teams two years before we traded for him meant he was still a star last summer, even though his body completely broke down for his last two years with the Wiz, where he couldn’t stay healthy to save his life and his level of play from two years previous dropped dramatically?

And AGAIN, NO ONE EVER SAID Bridges needed to be moved to get a “star”, much less one of Beal’s dubious level. The argument was Bridges needed to be moved if we ever wanted to get a LEGIT #1 STAR or at least a 1b star because a lot of us don’t think Booker is a guy you can win a title with as the number one option/leader of the team.

Now, can you please stop projecting the specious argument that people are saying Bridges needed to be traded for a star and note the distinction that we thought that if we were ever to contend again, he needed to eventually be traded for a #1 superstar? You don’t have to AGREE with that, while holding on to your belief that we could have surrounded Booker/Bridges with great depth to contend. But at least acknowledge no one is saying Bridges need to be traded for a Beal level player, who was nowhere near a 1 or good 2 star at the point we traded for him.

Sometimes I wonder if you are responding to what you think I said rather than what I really said.

Who wanted to trade Bridges for Beal? I don't get it. I wouldn't trade Bridges for Durant.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Sometimes I wonder if you are responding to what you think I said rather than what I really said.

Who wanted to trade Bridges for Beal? I don't get it.

Nevermind.

Just stop distorting others arguments. That stuff is really lame, especially if you’re going to constantly play the victim.

 

[Mainstreet]

Nevermind.

Just stop distorting others arguments. That stuff is really lame, especially if you’re going to constantly play the victim.

Try defending your position based on fact and not distortion. Those parting jabs like calling someone a "victim" are unnecessary.