Suns 2024-2025 Season Discussions

[Cheesebeef]

Don't know about the league rules, but I think there's no chance they do it.

I know we all love to accuse Ishbia of having a constantly fruiting money tree, but we are never going to waive and stretch Bradley Beal.

I don’t know. Some people thought we’d never bring him off the bench either because of his salary. If the league rules would get us under that apron, and we could start signing FAs and not having our picks locked to the bottom of the first, I wouldn’t be shocked if we did that.

 

[ProdigalSun]

It may take a while, but could this be the new version of the twins… that is, if they are not traded?

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I think Dunn might have a higher ceiling than Mikal or Cam

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Dunn might have a higher ceiling than Mikal or Cam

That would be a high ceiling indeed, but Dunn may be more athletic than either.

 

[Mainstreet]

No trade is imminent for Nick Richards per Gerald Bourguet.

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[GatorAZ]

I don’t know. Some people thought we’d never bring him off the bench either because of his salary. If the league rules would get us under that apron, and we could start signing FAs and not having our picks locked to the bottom of the first, I wouldn’t be shocked if we did that.

The Suns stretched Nassir Little who was owed 3 years /$22m. He’s on the books for $3m a year thru 2030. I can’t imagine them closing that to a player who owed $110m beyond this season.

 

[Finito]

No trade is imminent for Nick Richards per Gerald Bourguet.

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I’d be shocked if they got anyone to take him

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Suns stretched Nassir Little who was owed 3 years /$22m. He’s on the books for $3m a year thru 2030. I can’t imagine them closing that to a player who owed $110m beyond this season.

It would be a stretch, for sure.

(See what I did there?!)

 

[ProdigalSun]

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Dunn has been one of the bright spots on this team

 

[Mainstreet]

I’d be shocked if they got anyone to take him

If the Suns took on an extra year of a bad contract like Grant Williams, maybe, but it's a long shot.

 

[GatorAZ]

It would be a stretch, for sure.

(See what I did there?!)

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There’s just not a big enough difference between the first and second apron to push that much salary down the road.

 

[Hoop Head]

If the Suns took on an extra year of a bad contract like Grant Williams, maybe, but it's a long shot.

Can't believe he's hurt again. Feel for him because he seems like a good dude and that's got to be frustrating as an athlete. His career is basically over with another year long injury. I think that's the 3 year in a row he's suffered from something like that.

 

[Sunshooter]

If the Suns took on an extra year of a bad contract like Grant Williams, maybe, but it's a long shot.

Disable player exception can be used in 2nd apron team?

Nurkic for Richards and Williams...

 

[Yuma]

There isn't. Not in a million years will that happen.

Because the owner wouldn't eat the money? Or because the math doesn't math?

 

[Hoop Head]

Because the owner wouldn't eat the money? Or because the math doesn't math?

No one would eat that much money. The stretch provision uses a calculation of twice the years plus one extra and spreads the salary evenly. So 5 years and $110 million would cost the Suns roughly $22 million annually, which is more than Nurkic's salary. No one would pay that and anyone suggesting it as a solution doesn't account for the ramifications of it over the remainder of the 2020's.

 

[how_sweet_it_is]

I am thinking that every single time a Suns team has come anywhere seriously close to a championship, it was unexpected by the rest of the league and probably by themselves. In 1976, certainly. In 1993, yeah, they had gotten Charles Barkley and earned the best record in the league; but it was nevertheless a new team with no Finals record. It had to make a dazzling comeback in the first round; it had to fight through a game 7 in the third round; and it took the Bulls to game 6 only by miracle shots in game 3. In 2010, the team was dead in the water at mid-season. It fought its way into the playoffs, exorcised its playoff demons by sweeping the Spurs; and took the superior Lakers to game 6. Would have won that game and taken the Lakers to game 7, but for one mistake by Jason Richardson. 2021 was an even more out-of-nowhere Finals run than 1993. The point is that the Suns history of playoff success is a history of teams doing the unexpected and befuddling the league.

I haven't seen the slightest evidence that this team has that in them. Pulling a miracle in the second half of the season.

 

[GatorAZ]

I am thinking that every single time a Suns team has come anywhere seriously close to a championship, it was unexpected by the rest of the league and probably by themselves. In 1976, certainly. In 1993, yeah, they had gotten Charles Barkley and earned the best record in the league; but it was nevertheless a new team with no Finals record. It had to make a dazzling comeback in the first round; it had to fight through a game 7 in the third round; and it took the Bulls to game 6 only by miracle shots in game 3. In 2010, the team was dead in the water at mid-season. It fought its way into the playoffs, exorcised its playoff demons by sweeping the Spurs; and took the superior Lakers to game 6. Would have won that game and taken the Lakers to game 7, but for one mistake by Jason Richardson. 2021 was an even more out-of-nowhere Finals run than 1993. The point is that the Suns history of playoff success is a history of teams doing the unexpected and befuddling the league.

I haven't seen the slightest evidence that this team has that in them. Pulling a miracle in the second half of the season.

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The game was tied when Artest put back the Kobe air ball. We would’ve had to win in OT plus two more games. That team was inspiring but I never believed they would’ve won it all.
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Amare/Manning’s knee , JJ’s orbital bone, Raja’s calf and Horry suspensions will always be the ones for me.

 

[Ronin]

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[GatorAZ]

Great article. All facts, no emotion.
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Why the Phoenix Suns Should Trade Kevin Durant

Rather than acquire Jimmy Butler, the Suns should be learning from him. As painful as a reset might be, holding on to a star for too long presents an even grimmer picture.

www.theringer.com

 

[Yuma]

OK. Am I missing something? Ideally the Suns trade Nurkic to get Nick Richard. Which means we have to take another player back plus give out all our assets. Arizonasports.com says technically we could trade Okogie for Richard with just a second round pick or two. Now the salaries match. So I am thinking, we could do that trade now, if the other team is willing to do it. We would still be over the second apron, but we wouldn't have the problem of moving Nurkic in the deal. The contracts match, and it is a much simpler trade. You just keep Nurkic for now, until you trade him in a separate deal. Why couldn't we just do something like that?

 

[Yuma]

Great article. All facts, no emotion.
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Why the Phoenix Suns Should Trade Kevin Durant

Rather than acquire Jimmy Butler, the Suns should be learning from him. As painful as a reset might be, holding on to a star for too long presents an even grimmer picture.

www.theringer.com

So after reading this, just focusing on this season alone, forget about draft picks, etc we would get in return. We know we would have to take on other players to make the salary match. I prefer it's not butler. Rather two or three guys, hopefully some bigs, or at least some serviceable center better than Plumlee/Oso. (Assuming we don't have Richards from a trade.)

I have long been thinking we would play better with addition by subtraction. Case in point, no Nurkic, no turn overs and better defense, and Suns have been on a three game win streak. Taking away our best scorer in Durant may work, because then we could get two bigs on the court, use Tyus to generate the offense, and have Booker and Beal as your scorers. Ideally I keep Beal coming off the bench and have someone bigger like Oneal in that starting five. I would have Booker, Oneal, Tyus, Dunn, Plumlee/(Richards)/new center from Durant trade.) Two bigs help the rebounding and defense. Oneal is a better defender and can shoot the three. Booker is our scorer, and Tyus sets the table.

That makes our bench with Allen and Beal to lead the off bench scoring.

It could work just by making us a more traditional built team. Less time waiting for Durant to iso, but the trade off is would Booker then Iso like Durant, or would he still play like point book that can give you 5 to ten assists and 27 points a night?

 

[Hoop Head]

So after reading this, just focusing on this season alone, forget about draft picks, etc we would get in return. We know we would have to take on other players to make the salary match. I prefer it's not butler. Rather two or three guys, hopefully some bigs, or at least some serviceable center better than Plumlee/Oso. (Assuming we don't have Richards from a trade.)

I have long been thinking we would play better with addition by subtraction. Case in point, no Nurkic, no turn overs and better defense, and Suns have been on a three game win streak. Taking away our best scorer in Durant may work, because then we could get two bigs on the court, use Tyus to generate the offense, and have Booker and Beal as your scorers. Ideally I keep Beal coming off the bench and have someone bigger like Oneal in that starting five. I would have Booker, Oneal, Tyus, Dunn, Plumlee/(Richards)/new center from Durant trade.) Two bigs help the rebounding and defense. Oneal is a better defender and can shoot the three. Booker is our scorer, and Tyus sets the table.

That makes our bench with Allen and Beal to lead the off bench scoring.

It could work just by making us a more traditional built team. Less time waiting for Durant to iso, but the trade off is would Booker then Iso like Durant, or would he still play like point book that can give you 5 to ten assists and 27 points a night?

Did you read the whole article? It suggests VanVleet and Jeff Green for KD for salary purposes. VanVleet bumps Tyus to the bench, possibly bringing about a trade as well. Green is a bench forward who would be a serviceable PF for 10-15 minutes a night when Dunn, Royce, or whatever needs a break.

We'd likely be a play-in squad this year but those salaries are expiring. That reduces our salaries and brings us below the apron to allow for more options to move Nurkic, if he's still here, this summer.

I'd trade Tyus anywhere he wants to go for a pick or multiple swap rights down the line if he doesn't want to come off the bench. As a minimum salary signing we can trade him anywhere and they don't need to match salary sent back either so it can be straight up for a pick so long as it's not to a team over the apron.