Suns 2024-2025 Season Discussions

[Mainstreet]

You really just need to stop. I get it trust me I do, but you really need to take off the glasses.

It’s over Bud it was a fun season in 20/21 but it’s 2025 and we might make the play in game lol.

I would have built the Suns differently, but that's not in my job description.

The Suns are past the point of no return and there seems to be no turning back.

I see clearly enough. If the Suns are going for it, I'm sticking around for the ride.

 

[BirdGangThing]

bud is making substantial changes

if you're making all star money and not playing all star basketball - you're not starting - if you don't like it you can rethink your trade clause

after that it's r&d - rebounds and defense for the bigs - if you're not rebounding you're not playing - just ask oso - if you're a liability on defense you're not playing - just ask nurk (if you can find him)

in the beginning of the season we appreciated bud's tendency to play each game's productive players at the end of games - whoever was hot but then it all went to ish-bia

adios nurk

richards and plum (and kd) can handle rebounds for now - idk if oso can - when he gets position he gets bodied - he's rarely in position because he gets boxed out

these are serious concerns but perhaps we were a bit eager to place similar trajectories with he and dunn - oso hasn't just flashed he's played stretches of quality basketball it's just the boards

regardless oso got some quality minutes and experience - will probably be super eager to improve on the glass

yeah it was the dilapidated nets but we played like we were supposed to which is good for us - we don't need double doubles from richards - we need 11-15 rebounds with him staying out of foul trouble

we still suck tho

 

[Proximo]

I would have built the Suns differently, but that's not in my job description.

The Suns are past the point of no return and there seems to be no turning back.

I see clearly enough. If the Suns are going for it, I'm sticking around for the ride.

There is no such thing as the point of no return unless you know of a set date for the end of humanity.

Time is not stopping - this team will exist in 5 years, and most likely 10 years.

This team with a core of Booker and KD will never win a title. The offense they demand to run is inefficient, and 3 different coaches have not broken them of it - so I don't expect it to change. We have changed out all the players around them - twice - and we are still a .500 team. They are the problem. Nothing changes till at least one of them goes.

 

[Ronin]

While trade rumors swirl, Kevin Durant believes he can lift Suns: 'I ain’t a regular 36-year-old'

Phoenix is .500 halfway through the season, but 20-12 when KD plays.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Ronin]

Suns Star Devin Booker Achieves Another Career Milestone

After scoring 32 points in the Phoenix Suns' blowout win over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday, Devin Booker now has 200 regular-season games with 30 points or more for his career. Booker became the 10th shooting guard in NBA history to reach the milestone and did so in 636 career games across 10 NBA...

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Ronin]

Suns predicted to acquire Heat's $146 million superstar in bold Bradley Beal trade

In an intriguing wing swap, the Suns could move forward with a Miami Heat superstar desperate for a change. “The Suns have taken a rebellious approach to the NBA's restrictive new rules for high spenders,” Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus wrote Wednesday.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Mainstreet]

There is no such thing as the point of no return unless you know of a set date for the end of humanity.

Time is not stopping - this team will exist in 5 years, and most likely 10 years.

This team with a core of Booker and KD will never win a title. The offense they demand to run is inefficient, and 3 different coaches have not broken them of it - so I don't expect it to change. We have changed out all the players around them - twice - and we are still a .500 team. They are the problem. Nothing changes till at least one of them goes.

When I talked about the point of no return, I'm talking about the Suns maximizing the trade value of the players they currently have on the team if they were to go this direction… blowing up the team. That could be now or this summer, but nether Mat Ishbia or James Jones has expressed any intention about doing so.

Their plan seems to be, move forward with at least two stars from their current roster, presumably Durant and Booker.

Where we might have a difference of opinion, the Suns might be able to move forward with the same "stars" they currently have if they could pull off a trade like Dallas when they added Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington.

I think this might be doable, as the Suns don't need any more "stars," but rather they need to balance the roster. The addition of three first round draft picks provides the flexibility if they wanted to use them.

As I see it, the Suns failure to address the interior weakness of this team both offensively and defensively has left the team crippled.

Every opponent knows their weakness and it shows on the court. They extend their defense without any fear of reprisal.


Edited to read: “the point of no return” in the first sentence.

 

[Cheesebeef]

When I talked about the point of return, I'm talking about the Suns maximizing the trade value of the players they currently have on the team if they were to go this direction… blowing up the team. That could be now or this summer, but nether Mat Ishbia or James Jones has expressed any intention about doing so.

Their plan seems to be, move forward with at least two stars from their current roster, presumably Durant and Booker.

Where we might have a difference of opinion, the Suns might be able to move forward with the same "stars" they currently have if they could pull off a trade like Dallas when they added Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington.

I think this might be doable, as the Suns don't need any more "stars," but rather they need to balance the roster. The addition of three first round draft picks provides the flexibility if they wanted to use them.

As I see it, the Suns failure to address the interior weakness of this team both offensively and defensively has left the team crippled.

Every opponent knows their weakness and it shows on the court. They extend their defense without any fear of reprisal.

It amazes me that you still refuse to see the glaring difference between the Mavs and Suns. They can make moves around the edges because they have Doncic, a superstar leader of their team who can control/orchestrate the entire offense. We don’t have that so making moves around the margins won’t fix our fatal flaw of having two one dimensional, non-leader stars which the team revolves around.

 

[Mainstreet]

It amazes me that you still refuse to see the glaring difference between the Mavs and Suns. They can make moves around the edges because they have Doncic, a superstar leader of their team who can control/orchestrate the entire offense. We don’t have that so making moves around the margins won’t fix our fatal flaw of having two one dimensional, non-leader stars which the team revolves around.

I'm talking about the type of trade I think the Suns need. It just so happens, Dallas was the team that made such a trade.

I'm focused on the players, not the team.

 

[carrrnuttt]

It amazes me that you still refuse to see the glaring difference between the Mavs and Suns. They can make moves around the edges because they have Doncic, a superstar leader of their team who can control/orchestrate the entire offense. We don’t have that so making moves around the margins won’t fix our fatal flaw of having two one dimensional, non-leader stars which the team revolves around.

I hate to rub salt in, but you mean that guy the Suns could have drafted instead of the mattress connoisseur?

 

[Proximo]

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I like this better than Butler, even though I don't think it moves the needle.

At least we aren't stuck with a 35 year old injury prone player with a bad attitude.

 

[Proximo]

It amazes me that you still refuse to see the glaring difference between the Mavs and Suns. They can make moves around the edges because they have Doncic, a superstar leader of their team who can control/orchestrate the entire offense. We don’t have that so making moves around the margins won’t fix our fatal flaw of having two one dimensional, non-leader stars which the team revolves around.

Yep. It's not like Doncic is flawless, but he is a much better piece to build your offense around.

 

[Covert Rain]

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I like this better than Butler, even though I don't think it moves the needle.

At least we aren't stuck with a 35 year old injury prone player with a bad attitude.

I don't buy it. This makes no sense. He is ANOTHER SG. One of the biggest complaints about Beal is he creates a log jam at that position and you are going to replace Beal for another SG? I don't know. If they are just looking at it from a stats perspective that's what got them into trouble trading for Beal in the first place.

 

[Proximo]

I don't buy it. This makes no sense. He is ANOTHER SG. One of the biggest complaints about Beal is he creates a log jam at that position and you are going to replace Beal for another SG? I don't know. If they are just looking at it from a stats perspective that's what got them into trouble trading for Beal in the first place.

Well, it's certainly not ideal - however both Beal and him need to leave their teams at this point. If you look at Levine's numbers this year - they are very good efficency wise, better than Beal's.

I also think he is better able to play small forward even though he is still small for the role.

I get the feeling this is the Suns last choice, but it is better than having an unhappy Beal stuck here - well assuming he would ok the deal.

 

[Covert Rain]

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[Phrazbit]

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I like this better than Butler, even though I don't think it moves the needle.

At least we aren't stuck with a 35 year old injury prone player with a bad attitude.

Yikes. I think Lavine is one of those quietly terrible players. Zero defense, can’t pass, terrible in the clutch, iso ball hog.

He’s a chucker, and not a particularly good one.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

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Will believe it when I see it.

 

[95pro]

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A bunch of teams gasping for air, looking to trade each others trash for another.

 

[Phrazbit]

The Bulls have spent a year trying to give LaVine away and have found no takers.

I don't know that Beal is going to be willing to waive his no trade clause for Chicago, their ownership is notoriously terrible.

 

[Ronin]

I don't know how Zach Lavine helps this team. Hard pass.

 

[Proximo]

I don't know how Zach Lavine helps this team. Hard pass.

I don't think he does - but I think he hurts it less than Beal, and probably a lot less then Butler in the long run.

Remember Levine is 29 and is actually likely to retain some value throughout his whole contract, maybe negative value, but less negative than the other 2.

I know I have a different perspective than many on this board, I am looking to minimize the disaster this team has become, I think there is less than a 1% chance it can be saved for years.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don't think he does - but I think he hurts it less than Beal, and probably a lot less then Butler in the long run.

Remember Levine is 29 and is actually likely to retain some value throughout his whole contract, maybe negative value, but less negative than the other 2.

I know I have a different perspective than many on this board, I am looking to minimize the disaster this team has become, I think there is less than a 1% chance it can be saved for years.

The problem is you are going to have to give up assets for someone that has no chance of moving the needle. Sure, I can buy the argument that Butler isn't going to help us win the title either but at least there would be a chance to move the needle. You don't give up assets for someone who isn't going to move the needle at all and make moving your current SG redundant.

There is no sense to this move at all.

 

[hcsilla]

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Hmm, this might be a reasonable framework.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I don't care if they get a Butler deal done, as long as it doesn't cost us Dunn. Just giving up some or all of our remaining first round picks is shortsighted enough, no need to take it to the absurdedly stupid level. Of course we probably have a "will panic and fold" reputation amongst the league's GM's so I'd imagine Miami is trying to hold firm on that demand.

 

[Proximo]

The problem is you are going to have to give up assets for someone that has no chance of moving the needle. Sure, I can buy the argument that Butler isn't going to help us win the title either but at least there would be a chance to move the needle. You don't give up assets for someone who isn't going to move the needle at all and make moving your current SG redundant.

There is no sense to this move at all.

Well I am looking at it more through the lens of the Suns are still screwed if they do nothing by keeping Beal. The bridge there is burnt.

I think of three bad options, Levine is the least bad.