2024-2025 Around the NBA Thread

[Mainstreet]

I hate to go back to this but again, some of us were confident that we could have had Durant for much less and we jumped the gun. AFAIC the writing was on the wall, Durant had to go and Brooklyn didn't have any real suitors. Had we made the trade and hung onto Cam and a few picks we'd have been in much better shape when it came to filling out the post trade roster.

If, by holding firm, someone else was able to jump in and steal KD before us or if the Nets turned us down even at the last minute, than so be it. We simply didn't have the assets to pay the price we did for KD and still round out the rotation.

We mostly agree, but I wouldn't have traded Bridges.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We mostly agree, but I wouldn't have traded Bridges.

I'm torn on that, now and when it went down. I love Bridges but if we had the chance to get KD without giving up much more value than Mikal, I understand the appeal and I'm okay with the gamble. But with CP3 aging out and Ayton pulling such a disappearing act, we were no longer all that close to winning it all with or without KD.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm torn on that, now and when it went down. I love Bridges but if we had the chance to get KD without giving up much more value than Mikal, I understand the appeal and I'm okay with the gamble. But with CP3 aging out and Ayton pulling such a disappearing act, we were no longer all that close to winning it all with or without KD.

As I saw the trade, Bridges, was untouchable.

The Suns could have made a trade like the Mavericks if they hadn't panicked, who acquired Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.

 

[Chaplin]

As I saw the trade, Bridges, was untouchable.

The Suns could have made a trade like the Mavericks if they hadn't panicked, who acquired Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.

Bridges wasn't untouchable. That's revisionist history, and obviously incorrect, since he was traded. You hang your hat on "what ifs" and it's amazing that you continue to do so for so long. What if we didn't trade Mikal? What if we drafted Haliburton? What if we signed a 4th string center or a 5th string guard? It's not like we traded Bridges for Gordon Hayward or Mike Conley.

You have to give up to get, that's the reality of trades. Mikal Bridges was gangbusters on a bad Nets team for the first half of his time there, but he did fall back to earth and wasn't this great indispensable superstar you'd like him to be. The problem with the KD trade has nothing whatsoever to do with Mikal Bridges and even Cam Johnson. It's all about the draft picks. I'm in the camp that the picks aren't going to be as valuable as everything thinks they will be, but I will concede they were at the very least potentially good trade chips. The value in the KD trade is ONLY in the picks, especially now, considering Bridges is nothing more than a good role player and Cam Johnson is always injured.

 

[Yuma]

I hate to go back to this but again, some of us were confident that we could have had Durant for much less and we jumped the gun. AFAIC the writing was on the wall, Durant had to go and Brooklyn didn't have any real suitors. Had we made the trade and hung onto Cam and a few picks we'd have been in much better shape when it came to filling out the post trade roster.

If, by holding firm, someone else was able to jump in and steal KD before us or if the Nets turned us down even at the last minute, than so be it. We simply didn't have the assets to pay the price we did for KD and still round out the rotation.

we'll never know.

 

[Yuma]

Bridges wasn't untouchable. That's revisionist history, and obviously incorrect, since he was traded. You hang your hat on "what ifs" and it's amazing that you continue to do so for so long. What if we didn't trade Mikal? What if we drafted Haliburton? What if we signed a 4th string center or a 5th string guard? It's not like we traded Bridges for Gordon Hayward or Mike Conley.

You have to give up to get, that's the reality of trades. Mikal Bridges was gangbusters on a bad Nets team for the first half of his time there, but he did fall back to earth and wasn't this great indispensable superstar you'd like him to be. The problem with the KD trade has nothing whatsoever to do with Mikal Bridges and even Cam Johnson. It's all about the draft picks. I'm in the camp that the picks aren't going to be as valuable as everything thinks they will be, but I will concede they were at the very least potentially good trade chips. The value in the KD trade is ONLY in the picks, especially now, considering Bridges is nothing more than a good role player and Cam Johnson is always injured.

I agree with all this. Just using Chap's post as a jump off point.

However the picks as trade chips, maybe we could have gotten a few guys with lesser talent for the same amount of picks and upgraded around the edges instead of using them to get KD. We used the picks in one trade instead of several trades. We probably would have ended up using the same picks since we didn't value them at the time anyway. Even if we did use the picks like everyone wanted, it doesn't mean we would have been any more successful than we are now. Not arguing with you Chap, just using your post to add on more to it since I agreed with what you said. I am just pointing out in general that yes there are many ways we could have done things, but we didn't. In general this topic keeps coming up over and over in this forum. I believe we would have traded all those picks. All in on one player, or several players, who knows how it would have turned out? It's not what happened.

 

[Cheesebeef]

As I saw the trade, Bridges, was untouchable.

The Suns could have made a trade like the Mavericks if they hadn't panicked, who acquired Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington.

That would have been meaningless moves around the edges.

It also ignores that the Mavs also made a trade for Kyrie, who was the key second superstar to a generational Luka to get the Mavs to the Finals.

In your scenario, we’re then looking at a team built around Booker/Bridges… with a Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington… while also giving away draft picks. That core might not even make the playoffs much less even come close to smelling the Finals, while also giving away some of our future.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Suns could have likely made a similar trade as the Mavericks did for Gafford and Washington and had plenty of change to make other trades then or later. They didn't have to give up Bridges and likely not Cam Johnson either.

The Durant trade was a Hail Mary pass play when none was necessary.

The Suns didn't get good value in return for what they gave up. See below:


By Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff WriterFeb 8, 2024, 11:44 AM ET:

This is all the Mavericks gave for these two players.

The Mavericks sent center Richaun Holmes and draft compensation to the Wizards for Gafford, and traded forward Grant Williams, guard Seth Curry and their lightly protected 2027 first-round draft pick to the Hornets for Washington.

The Mavericks announced that they agreed to swap rights of 2028 first-round picks with the Thunder in order to obtain Oklahoma City's 2024 first-rounder. The 2024 pick will be sent to Washington in the Gafford deal.

Mavs get Gafford, Washington in separate trades

The Mavericks made a pair of trades before Thursday's deadline, acquiring Daniel Gafford from the Wizards and P.J. Washington from the Hornets.

www.espn.com

 

[Hoop Head]

Bridges wasn't untouchable. That's revisionist history, and obviously incorrect, since he was traded. You hang your hat on "what ifs" and it's amazing that you continue to do so for so long. What if we didn't trade Mikal? What if we drafted Haliburton? What if we signed a 4th string center or a 5th string guard? It's not like we traded Bridges for Gordon Hayward or Mike Conley.

Did you miss this part from @Mainstreet ?

As I saw the trade, Bridges, was untouchable.

There is nothing revisionist about his opinion. He's been the loudest voice here saying Mikal shouldn't have been included even before the KD trade happened, back when the rumor was floated 6-7 months before the trade happened. You are either ignoring he's stating his point of view, which seems odd since you go on to list some other things he's been vocal about, or you are trying to twist his words in order to make a point. I'm going with the latter. So why start by misrepresenting his view and saying it's "revisionist history" when it's clearly not?

Mikal was on the verge of breaking out. He was coming off being 1 of the 3 finalists for DPOY and 1st Team All Defense honors and his offense was looking good, while Monty was trusting him within the system to do some Booker like drives for middies and score more overall, since Ayton wasn't a real option.

Mikal was our top asset. Young, elite 3&D wing who never got hurt and was on an excellent contract long-term. He was exceeding his value from jump, from a strict dollars to production standpoint. Plus we've seen since he's been dealt that he was a glue guy in that locker room that kept everyone upbeat while also making it fun to watch as a fan. He was looking to be the Pippen to Booker that many of us hoped, prayed, and foolishly convinced ourselves Josh Jackson was supposed to be. I was one of those guys. He wasn't untouchable, to me or any team since few guys are, but we didn't receive proper value for him. A year and a half after we traded him he was dealt again for 5 1st round picks and not to be a #1 somewhere, or even a #2, but to be that #3 guy who picks up the slack. He showed he could do that here but we didn't get to see that play out since Ayton's ego, CP3's age, and Monty's disagreements with JJ, didn't allow that team to reach it's full potential.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Suns could have likely made a similar trade as the Mavericks did for Gafford and Washington and had plenty of change to make other trades then or later. They didn't have to give up Bridges and likely not Cam Johnson either.

Great. Building around a Booker, Bridges, Cam Johnson, Gafford and Washington would have done what exactly? Struggle to make the playoffs? Maybe win us 45 games a season. Yay. And it would have cost us some of that “change” to those guys. Sure we have a more picks at our disposal, but if we wanted to contend in the future, we still needed to get a legit… eh, here’s the real question Mainstreet that might bring some clarity to this discussion.

Do you believe the Suns could have built a title contending team around Booker/Bridges as your superstar #1 and 2 players?