AYTON TRADED!

[Raindog]

Terrible, awful trade for the Suns. So much for being an indisputable favorite next season. I guess dumping Ayton's contract was the primary motivation here, but we got back garbage in return. Maybe wouldn't have been as terrible if we had at least gotten some kind of draft pieces.

Nurkic is a downgrade on both sides of the court, and can't stay healthy. Allen might upgrade depth a bit, but the other two pieces aren't any better than anyone we already had on the end of the bench.

 

[unseenaz]

Bad trade for all teams IMO. Jrue is a beast of a perimeter defender who gave Booker and CP3 fits.

Woulda loved to get Jrue on this team. I’ll be happy to not watch Ayton on this team anymore, dude was a flat tire on a sports car. My wife loves him and is mad so I’m celebrating quietly.

 

[Folster]

Watch Jrue go to the Heat.

 

[95pro]

Was this a low key cost cutting move?

Or is this because Ayton wanted out?

Or are KD and Book tired of this guy?

 

[Proximo]

This deal is awful.

We better find out Ayton was refusing to play for us, or something. Otherwise this is just stupid.

A clear downgrade at center and subpar depth pieces is not what we needed.

 

[Folster]

I'll just pretend we traded CP3 and Ayton for Beal and Nurkic.

 

[Proximo]

I don't get it. Allen is a good role player but where does he get min? Say what you want about Ayton but he plays 70 plus games a year. This is a little confusing.

Exactly, he is a worse version of Gordon. We don't need him unless someone gets hurt.

Same with Little and Johnson. Not sure how they even get playing time.

Worse yet - we still have to make two roster spots for these dudes - One is probably Ish - but where is the other coming from?

 

[Sun Devil Mania]

Uh... what?

I HATE that we gave up Toumani. HATE it. But I imagine Keon Johnson will be waived. Grayson Allen, uh, I'm not sure about this. On one hand it's nice to get an enforcer, but ugh. I wonder if there is more to this, because this would be the first truly bad deal of Ishbia's short tenure.

Chap ...... On the surface, it does not make any sense. My sense is that he was such a divisive figure on the team. Also, it's very possible that the Suns did not like the people (Pornstar girlfriend and friends) that Deandre is hanging around with.

 

[TJ]

That's probably true, but not sure what your point is? It wasn't a straight up trade.

The net gain benefits Milwaukee by a wide margin. Theyre the only team that gets considerably better in this deal. Portland loses top-10 talent that Ayton and Jrue likely wont equal. Phoenix? Well, Phoenix just wanted to say it was doing something of substance.

 

[PDXChris]

FYI, Nurk the last two seasons is one of the worst clutch players in the NBA in defense. He forgets how to play defense in the final two minutes of close games.

 

[Chaplin]

Chap ...... On the surface, it does not make any sense. My sense is that he was such a divisive figure on the team. Also, it's very possible that the Suns did not like the people (Pornstar girlfriend and friends) that Deandre is hanging around with.

Oh, I think where there is smoke, there is also some fire. But even though I knew there was a chance we'd see a below market trade for DA, nothing in Isbhia's short history here would have prepared me for something like this.

 

[Chaplin]

FYI, Nurk the last two seasons is one of the worst clutch players in the NBA in defense. He forgets how to play defense in the final two minutes of close games.

How many close games in the last two minutes did Portland have? The only saving grace here is that talent-wise (especially in the clutch), we won't have as many close games in the final two minutes as Portland did. Well, hopefully. Lillard is a fantastic clutch performer, but so is Book, Durant, and Beal.

Also:

Portland's Center tandem in 2022-2023:
Josuf Nurkic
Drew Eubanks

Phoenix's Center tandem in 2023-2024:
Jusuf Nurkic
Drew Eubanks

 

[Proximo]

The net gain benefits Milwaukee by a wide margin. Theyre the only team that gets considerably better in this deal. Portland loses top-10 talent that Ayton and Jrue likely wont equal. Phoenix? Well, Phoenix just wanted to say it was doing something of substance.

The only excuse for making this deal is they simply decided keeping Ayton was impossible for some team chemistry reason.

Actually that doesn't excuse it, there had to be a better return available than this.

 

[PDXChris]

Portland fans are devastated in losing Dame, but knew it was coming and are happy to at least shed Nurk in the process. The Blazers just got young and should be bad, but fun!

 

[TJ]

Putting up empty stats for a loser team is perfect for him. No expectations and no bad history with the fans cause he wasn’t drafted by them. He might be the biggest winner here.

Ayton personally comes out ahead because he gets a clean slate from a new organization and new fans. Better than naught chance he averages > 20/11

 

[TJ]

Welp I hated ainge and elie before they were aholes for us and rooted for them here. Will do the same for Allen I guess.

Allen intentionally injures players, went to Duke, and has the second most punchable face in the NBA. F**k him. He’ll never get my love

 

[PDXChris]

How many close games in the last two minutes did Portland have?

A lot! 36 last year and 33 the year before for a .400 winning percentage.

24th worst team the last two seasons.

 

[Chaplin]

Ayton personally comes out ahead because he gets a clean slate from a new organization and new fans. Better than naught chance he averages > 20/11

That's because he doesn't give two craps about winning a title. He's all about the bling and the time.

 

[PDXChris]

Allen intentionally injures players, went to Duke, and has the second most punchable face in the NBA. F**k him. He’ll never get my love

Yup! He almost ended DeRozen's season last year.

 

[Proximo]

Portland fans are devastated in losing Dame, but knew it was coming and are happy to at least shed Nurk in the process. The Blazers just got young and should be bad, but fun!

That should tell you everything you need to know about Nurk - Portland fans wanted him gone.

 

[Chaplin]

Allen intentionally injures players, went to Duke, and has the second most punchable face in the NBA. F**k him. He’ll never get my love

LOL. Sounds like a certain player that the Suns had. Initials are also DA. Oh and also RB.

 

[Chaplin]

That should tell you everything you need to know about Nurk - Portland fans wanted him gone.

So what? Phoenix fans wanted DA gone.

 

[PDXChris]

That should tell you everything you need to know about Nurk - Portland fans wanted him gone.

I'm a Bulls fan, but love watching Dame, especially live. Fans started booing Nurk in the 4th.

 

[GatorAZ]

The only excuse for making this deal is they simply decided keeping Ayton was impossible for some team chemistry reason.

Actually that doesn't excuse it, there had to be a better return available than this.

The Suns have been trying to move on from DA for 2.5 years. Everyone was done with him idk how that isn’t clear. If Book and KD wanted him back he’d be back.

 

[PDXChris]

So what? Phoenix fans wanted DA gone.

A fresh start for both is good. DA is young and athletic, so fun for a rebuild. Hopefully Nurk won't have to do as much being surrounded by nearly an All-Star team.