Durant to Suns

[CardsSunsDbacks]

That sucks. I understand things happen incredibly fast with some of these trades, but Bridges (and Cam) deserved to be treated with class.

Just depends on how the info got out. If it was leaked by the nets side of things as soon as the deal was made it really wouldn't be the Suns fault.

 

[leclerc]

I'm excited. I think our playoff chances are much better now. Finally something big happens

Now it's just a matter of getting and staying healthy and be fresh for the playoffs.

Let's go boys!

All the best to Bridges and Cam Johnson, good luck in NYC!

 

[Mainstreet]

Now it has been said, the Nets were offer four first round picks by one team for Mikal Bridges.

Nets Were Offered Four First Round Picks By Unnamed Team For Mikal Bridges

Nets Were Offered Four First Round Picks By Unnamed Team For Mikal Bridges - RealGM Wiretap

basketball.realgm.com

 

[Proximo]

Now it has been said, the Nets were offer four first round picks by one team for Mikal Bridges.

Nets Were Offered Four First Round Picks By Unnamed Team For Mikal Bridges

Nets Were Offered Four First Round Picks By Unnamed Team For Mikal Bridges - RealGM Wiretap

basketball.realgm.com

Yeah, it was hinted it was Memphis

 

[Mainstreet]

Yeah, it was hinted it was Memphis

I understand they wanted OG Anunoby as well.

 

[BirdGangThing]

The only thing that still bugs me about the trade is Cam Johnson. He could've gotten the surgery for his injury but elected not to because he wanted to be ready for the playoffs - ready to make another run with the Suns. Especially because Crowder's sensitive ass was sitting out, putting more pressure on Cam to return sooner. Pretty sure if he had known he'd be in Brooklyn with zero chance of a championship he would've made different choices, or at least I would've. Other than that I'm good

 

[Carolinacacti]

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Bridges will have fun in NYC with this guy

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Vecenie: Why Suns’ Kevin Durant bet is a chance worth taking

Simply put, if you have an open title window and an opportunity to make a move for a player of Durant's caliber, you do it.

theathletic.com

Durant was my pick for MVP before his MCL sprain in January. He was carrying a Nets team on his back that had gone through an immense amount of adversity once the season started – from a coaching change to Kyrie Irving’s suspension in November for a minimum of five games without pay after he posted a link to a documentary promoting antisemitic views on his social media accounts, then repeatedly refused to apologize for doing so. At the time of Durant’s injury, the Nets were 27-13 following a disastrous 2-6 start. In the team’s previous 20 games, they’d ripped off 18 wins as Durant averaged 31 points, seven rebounds and five assists on an absurd 59.4 percent from the field, 43 percent from 3 and 96.5 percent from the line. In addition, he was pairing wonderfully with Nic Claxton to carry the Brooklyn defense to a top-10 mark in the league. There was nobody on Earth playing better than Durant.

This isn’t your typical All-NBA, top-15 player being traded. Durant is a top-15 player of all time, still playing at his peak.

And the Suns aren’t your typical team. They been arguably the most consistently successful one over the last two-plus seasons, reaching the NBA Finals in 2021 and winning a league-high 64 games last season before Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks unceremoniously dispatched them in the second round. Even though they’ve taken a slight step back this year, the bones of those teams were always there. The Chris Paul–Devin Booker-Bridges-Johnson-Deandre Ayton lineup had outscored its opponents by 22 points in a limited sample, per PBPStats. The team went 7-3 in its first 10 games, winning five of those games by 13 or more points, before Paul went down with his heel injury. Even with the 30-26 record, you could make a case for the Suns being among the West’s best.

As the Suns started to learn this year due to the Booker and Paul injuries, you never know how long a contention window is going to last. Paul is not getting any younger. Booker has entered his prime years. Ayton has playoff experience. If you have a genuine chance to win a title, and you also have a chance to acquire someone like Durant, it’s a move you have to swing, regardless of cost. The team learned that lesson the hard way last season when it chose not to make a significant deadline acquisition to bolster its chances. That ended in heartbreak.

 

[Ronin]

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[Raindog]

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With all of these teams throwing draft picks around like they're candy, one thing that is very apparent is that the current Suns braintrust (i.e., Jones and Monty) don't give a flying damn about the draft or developing younger talent.

That could come back to bite us hard in the future, as it did under/after D'Antoni's reign. In fact, I am certain it would, if Sarver had continued to be the owner. Ishbia seems more focused on putting a winner on the floor through whatever method, so I'm not as concerned, but it's another less than stellar aspect of both Jones and Monty as franchise managers.

 

[Praxis]

We're absolutely winning the title if everybody is healthy. The talking heads are underselling this lineup. KD puts us over the top. I know people are sad to see Bridges and Johnson go, but you'll feel a lot better soon.

Here are some highlights in the meantime...

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[Germz249]

With all of these teams throwing draft picks around like they're candy, one thing that is very apparent is that the current Suns braintrust (i.e., Jones and Monty) don't give a flying damn about the draft or developing younger talent.

That could come back to bite us hard in the future, as it did under/after D'Antoni's reign. In fact, I am certain it would, if Sarver had continued to be the owner. Ishbia seems more focused on putting a winner on the floor through whatever method, so I'm not as concerned, but it's another less than stellar aspect of both Jones and Monty as franchise managers.

I somewhat agree. I do believe we should develop young talent but I don’t know if its because we been trash for so long that I just want to have a winning team that contends now.

Maybe its cause we just couldn’t hit in the draft is what has me in the lets win now mode. The Bender, Chriss and Jackson picks still kills me to where its like screw drafting but I guess as of late it has been better.

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

With all of these teams throwing draft picks around like they're candy, one thing that is very apparent is that the current Suns braintrust (i.e., Jones and Monty) don't give a flying damn about the draft or developing younger talent.

That could come back to bite us hard in the future, as it did under/after D'Antoni's reign. In fact, I am certain it would, if Sarver had continued to be the owner. Ishbia seems more focused on putting a winner on the floor through whatever method, so I'm not as concerned, but it's another less than stellar aspect of both Jones and Monty as franchise managers.

Developing younger talent is for rebuilding teams, like OKC. Picks are obviously easy to come by, so why worry about it. We can trade Ayton for a slew of picks down the road, and boom, problem solved.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We're absolutely winning the title if everybody is healthy. The talking heads are underselling this lineup. KD puts us over the top. I know people are sad to see Bridges and Johnson go, but you'll feel a lot better soon.

Here are some highlights in the meantime...

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I think most of us here, if not all of us here, would say something similar. Durant gives us a very strong chance to win it all if we're healthy. Probably the best chance we've ever had. But the problem is, he also increases the likelihood we won't all be healthy. But those are just odds, all we can do now is hope we have better luck with injuries this time than we've had in the past.

 

[Krangodnzr]

With all of these teams throwing draft picks around like they're candy, one thing that is very apparent is that the current Suns braintrust (i.e., Jones and Monty) don't give a flying damn about the draft or developing younger talent.

That could come back to bite us hard in the future, as it did under/after D'Antoni's reign. In fact, I am certain it would, if Sarver had continued to be the owner. Ishbia seems more focused on putting a winner on the floor through whatever method, so I'm not as concerned, but it's another less than stellar aspect of both Jones and Monty as franchise managers.

The problem with Sarver was selling damn picks.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The problem with Sarver was selling damn picks.

Selling picks was stupid but it was a symptom, not really the problem IMO. Thinking he was smarter than everyone else, always prioritizing the bottom line over everything else and his need to micromanage buried us. That he was a buffoon was an unpleasant bonus. Fortunately, the fact that he either created, encouraged or at least tolerated a toxic work environment brought him down and brought us some much needed relief.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Bridges said he found out about the trade through FaceTime with Damion Lee. He then went on Twitter and saw it posted everywhere.

I think we need to get over the fact that players are going to find out about trades in the media. There is just too much social media, too many leaks, to expect the teams are going to be able to inform players before word gets out. There are always two teams that have differing levels of security. There is probably some secretary sitting in these meetings that is texting Woj through the whole process. He has an insider or two on every team on his payroll.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Selling picks was stupid but it was a symptom, not really the problem IMO. Thinking he was smarter than everyone else, always prioritizing the bottom line over everything else and his need to micromanage buried us. That he was a buffoon was an unpleasant bonus. Fortunately, the fact that he either created, encouraged or at least tolerated a toxic work environment brought him down and brought us some much needed relief.

Ha. Sarver managed the team probably a lot like I would if I was the owner. I am not saying that is a good thing. I dont think I would be a good owner.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think we need to get over the fact that players are going to find out about trades in the media. There is just too much social media, too many leaks, to expect the teams are going to be able to inform players before word gets out. There are always two teams that have differing levels of security. There is probably some secretary sitting in these meetings that is texting Woj through the whole process. He has an insider or two on every team on his payroll.

Plus I think there's another layer involved. Whether it's required or simply customary, I'm pretty sure they notify the agent first who then notifies the player.

 

[ProdigalSun]

I think most of us here, if not all of us here, would say something similar. Durant gives us a very strong chance to win it all if we're healthy. Probably the best chance we've ever had. But the problem is, he also increases the likelihood we won't all be healthy. But those are just odds, all we can do now is hope we have better luck with injuries this time than we've had in the past.

I know with the luck this team has....I remember being so HYPED for Backcourt 2000 Kidd and Penny...what a disappointment that was

 

[Krangodnzr]

Ha. Sarver managed the team probably a lot like I would if I was the owner. I am not saying that is a good thing. I dont think I would be a good owner.

The Suns would be more profitable if they had won a title or two during the SSOL era. Trading those picks hurt that.

Imagine Rajon Rondo as a sub on those teams.

 

[AzStevenCal]

The Suns would be more profitable if they had won a title or two during the SSOL era. Trading those picks hurt that.

Imagine Rajon Rondo as a sub on those teams.

Yeah Sarver was definitely short sighted. Not only would it have given us a better chance and ultimately increased our chances to win games but draft picks (the process and the players) invigorate the fans. And happy fans spend more money.

 

[Muggz]

Does this bitch even want to be here? Not a word from him yet.
He was probably wanting to go to the Celtics.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Fun fact: Durant is now the team leader in Blocks per game and is only two total blocks behind Biz in total blocks. Biz has also played in 5 more games.

 

[Bufalay]

The picks in 27, 28, and 29 won't be late in the first round. They're likely to be in the lottery.

Bender, Jackson and Len.