Suns @ Lakers Friday game thread, October 25th, 2024

[Cheesebeef]

You don't think Book is Elite? Prior to Durant and with Paul he was

Dude’s never cracked the top 5 of scorers in the league. He’s just at the edge, but I think his SOMEWHAT lack of athleticism separates him from the other elite guys who can get to the hole with abandon. That little burst of athleticism is the separator there, IMO.

It’s not a huge separation, but it’s there.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm sympathetic to the idea, but no one is giving up much value for Durant, so it's really only Booker, and I don't think he brings back multiple lottery picks, which is what the Suns need.

Agree to disagree on KD. I think the Olympics and general stat line. A still excite those not really paying attention. Not with blockbuster return, mind you, but at least a couple first rounders where if we try to have foresight and push those to the future, maybe we get lucky down the road.

But this team is on total rebuild more. Those Book picks won’t be lotto picks most likely either, but gotta start throwing darts at the board, regardless.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm sympathetic to the idea, but no one is giving up much value for Durant, so it's really only Booker, and I don't think he brings back multiple lottery picks, which is what the Suns need.

Hey… can’t send you a PM because I think I’m on your ignore list. Take it off for a day. Want to ask you a question (not for anything but a real convo about something else. No troll or any kind of BS otherwise.)

 

[Covert Rain]

That's up to Bud to demand this from the team or fix the cause.

I seriously doubt his job will be in jeopardy after the Suns moved on from Frank Vogel so quickly.

At what point do you stop blaming coaches and systems?! When the common denominator are the players on this team there is no denying it.

 

[Phrazbit]

Agree to disagree on KD. I think the Olympics and general stat line. A still excite those not really paying attention. Not with blockbuster return, mind you, but at least a couple first rounders where if we try to have foresight and push those to the future, maybe we get lucky down the road.

But this team is on total rebuild more. Those Book picks won’t be lotto picks most likely either, but gotta start throwing darts at the board, regardless.

The problem with trading Durant is... where... where do we send him that would want him and has cap space to take him and has assets to send back AND isn't over the apron? Oh, and that Durant would actually want to go there, no one is trading for him unless he expressly wants to play for them.

The contract math is especially difficult.

Booker, being much younger and not being toxic, we could probably land a hefty haul for him, but unless we trade him for our picks back, all we're doing is guaranteeing that Houston, Washington and whoever else owns our picks/swaps gets a brand new top 5 pick for the next 5 seasons straight.

 

[Hoop Head]

At what point do you stop blaming coaches and systems?! When the common denominator are the players on this team there is no denying it.

He's not blaming Bud though. Clearly we need a leader and it seems he hopes Bud can be that since no one has stepped up to lead in a positive way on the court. What's the issue, since according to you, someone hoping a coach gets the players to fall in is akin to blaming the coach for something. That's not me putting words in your mouth either, it's clear as day.


I won't be surprised when your panties get twisted and you tried to take this in another direction. You've lost the benefit of doubt with me. You force views on others, like you did here saying Mainstreet is blaming Budenholzer.

 

[Phrazbit]

It's only 2 games, the sky hasn't come crashing down yet but I see two major problems.

1. Nurkic is terrible. Skinny Nurk is even worse than kinda tubby Nurk. I don't know how we fix out center problem. Plumlee sucks too.

2. A ball movement, cutting, 3 point, fast paced offense is nice and all, but it's not going to work when the guy who is supposed to shoot the most plays totally separate from the rest of the offense.

 

[Hoop Head]

The problem with trading Durant is... where... where do we send him that would want him and has cap space to take him and has assets to send back AND isn't over the apron? Oh, and that Durant would actually want to go there, no one is trading for him unless he expressly wants to play for them.

The contract math is especially difficult.

Booker, being much younger and not being toxic, we could probably land a hefty haul for him, but unless we trade him for our picks back, all we're doing is guaranteeing that Houston, Washington and whoever else owns our picks/swaps gets a brand new top 5 pick for the next 5 seasons straight.

Houston. Get our picks and filler. They've got contracts to make it work. KD went to college in Texas. There's a good coach there in Udoka and they'd have a cast to accommodate him to a certain degree.

 

[Cheesebeef]

It's only 2 games, the sky hasn't come crashing down yet but I see two major problems.

1. Nurkic is terrible. Skinny Nurk is even worse than kinda tubby Nurk. I don't know how we fix out center problem. Plumlee sucks too.

2. A ball movement, cutting, 3 point, fast paced offense is nice and all, but it's not going to work when the guy who is supposed to shoot the most plays totally separate from the rest of the offense.

It’s just a rudderless ship again. Even with a new offense and PG. there just ain’t that guy to be THE guy who stirs the entire team’s drink and makes all the ingredients come together.

 

[Phrazbit]

Houston. Get our picks and filler. They've got contracts to make it work. KD went to college in Texas. There's a good coach there in Udoka and they'd have a cast to accommodate him to a certain degree.

I don't see any shot that Houston convinces themselves that KD fits their timeline, Booker maybe, but no shot it would be KD.

 

[Phrazbit]

It’s just a rudderless ship again. Even with a new offense and PG. there just ain’t that guy to be THE guy who stirs the entire team’s drink and makes all the ingredients come together.

I honestly think this offense should be deadly... they just need KD to be willing to move off the ball, work to get open and take open shots.

He doesn't have an interest in doing any of that. He is a statue, when he doesn't have the ball, he plays slow as molasses and he takes awful shots... he's a great shooter, so a lot of them go in, but there just isn't a lot of value there.

If this team is a drink, then it's something like a Manhattan... only with the bourbon set aside in a shot glass.

 

[CardNots]

a mountain of free throws at home equals a win every time

 

[somethingshesaid]

I believe the structure of the Suns team locks in their problem of having no starting power forward. Even if they got one, where would he play? Who would he replace?