The Durant Sweepstakes

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

But Monty is part of the equation. A big part.

A part of the teams success, yes. A part of a potential trade for KD, please tell.

 

[TJ]

Yup… I have no idea what their plan re: Ayton is. They could move him at the 15th… maybe they realize they need to build the offense around him more.

I gots no clue.

I guess they could but what if the Suns have a top-3 record and Ayton is playing well? Why would he be involved in a trade at that point , even for KD?

 

[JCSunsfan]

My prediction is that the Suns will trade for Durant either before the season or very early in it. The deal will include Mikal, Crowder, and hopefully Saric plus every pick we can reasonably trade.

 

[TJ]

My prediction is that the Suns will trade for Durant either before the season or very early in it. The deal will include Mikal, Crowder, and hopefully Saric plus every pick we can reasonably trade.

A trade of that magnitude would need to be done before the season. We will likely be sending 4-5 starters/rotational players in the deal and would have to incorporate new pieces. This team’s strength before the Dallas series was chemistry

 

[AZ Native]

A part of the teams success, yes. A part of a potential trade for KD, please tell.

He would have to coach and make proper adjustments even with KD. He has not shown that ability to do so IMO. That is my concern no matter who the players are. KD will not make him have better adjustments. That is on Monty regardless of the players. Monty has been out coached in the playoffs. That is my main concern no matter who the players are.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He would have to coach and make proper adjustments even with KD. He has not shown that ability to do so IMO. That is my concern no matter who the players are. KD will not make him have better adjustments. That is on Monty regardless of the players. Monty has been out coached in the playoffs. That is my main concern no matter who the players are.

You're not alone in thinking this but I just don't get it. How can we know it's the coach and not the players? He's been involved in 6 playoff series with us, we won 4 of them and we lost 2 of them. Did the players really win 4 series and the coach lost 2?

The only time I really thought he was truly outcoached in the playoffs was against the (heavily outmatched) Clippers. Maybe the Mavericks series was another example but watching them play I couldn't get over how out of character almost every Sun was playing and I'm not convinced that was a coach failing to make adjustments.

 

[JerkFace]

Little bit random and a touch off topic, but I was just sitting here thinking. I would 100% prefer we trade Johnson over Bridges, but can you imagine the open looks that Cam would get in a Paul, Booker, Cam, Durant, Ayton lineup? I mean, our defense would be atrocious… but imagine the offense… imagine it dammit!

 

[Phrazbit]

The whole "Monty can't coach" stuff is silly. We didn't blow a 4th quarter lead all year, we were one of the best late game teams in NBA history.

Against Dallas we had wide open look after wide open look... and we just flat out missed them over and over again. I don't know what the coach is supposed to do when basically everyone but Jae Crowder couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

 

[elindholm]

I think you are right, but I also think everything depends on how difficult KD decides he's going to be. If he says he's not gonna play and/ or develops a mysterious injury, he'll be in Phoenix within a week.

I really doubt that. Even if Durant makes himself impossible, the Nets will hold onto him until they can get a good return. Sooner or later Durant will figure out that, if he wants to play anywhere, he'll have to expand his list of acceptable teams. The Nets are going to be bullied into giving him away to Phoenix specifically.

 

[AZ Native]

You're not alone in thinking this but I just don't get it. How can we know it's the coach and not the players? He's been involved in 6 playoff series with us, we won 4 of them and we lost 2 of them. Did the players really win 4 series and the coach lost 2?

The only time I really thought he was truly outcoached in the playoffs was against the (heavily outmatched) Clippers. Maybe the Mavericks series was another example but watching them play I couldn't get over how out of character almost every Sun was playing and I'm not convinced that was a coach failing to make adjustments.

I see your point and hope you are right. Time will tell.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Little bit random and a touch off topic, but I was just sitting here thinking. I would 100% prefer we trade Johnson over Bridges, but can you imagine the open looks that Cam would get in a Paul, Booker, Cam, Durant, Ayton lineup? I mean, our defense would be atrocious… but imagine the offense… imagine it dammit!

Why would our D be atrocious? Book is a decent defender and Durant and Ayton are plus defenders.

That offense would be completely unstoppable.

 

[AZ Native]

The whole "Monty can't coach" stuff is silly. We didn't blow a 4th quarter lead all year, we were one of the best late game teams in NBA history.

Against Dallas we had wide open look after wide open look... and we just flat out missed them over and over again. I don't know what the coach is supposed to do when basically everyone but Jae Crowder couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

Not saying Monty can’t coach. He does great in the regular season but in the playoffs when we see the same team for 5-7 games, he appears to be out coached. See the Dallas series. Just my opinion.

 

[Phrazbit]

I really doubt that. Even if Durant makes himself impossible, the Nets will hold onto him until they can get a good return. Sooner or later Durant will figure out that, if he wants to play anywhere, he'll have to expand his list of acceptable teams. The Nets are going to be bullied into giving him away to Phoenix specifically.

Harden did that exact thing in order to join Brooklyn. The Nets ended up landing Harden for cap filler and a boat load of picks.

 

[1tinsoldier]

My prediction is that the Suns will trade for Durant either before the season or very early in it. The deal will include Mikal, Crowder, and hopefully Saric plus every pick we can reasonably trade.

that's a possibility
but instead of giving up the most versatile guy on the team for Durant
i'd argue for trading our picks for some other stud during the season to go into the playoffs with:

1. Booker
2. Paul
3. Ayton
4. Bridges
5. star/stud (for picks and parts to rebuilding team)
6. Cam J

we'd be stronger than last year, with less injury risk associated with Durant and our core defense still intact

the chemistry equation about a year from now would be:
star + Bridges + Cam J > 35 year old Durant

 

[Cheesebeef]

Harden did that exact thing in order to join Brooklyn. The Nets ended up landing Harden for cap filler and a boat load of picks.

Anthony Davis literally shut down until he forced his way to the Lakers. Ben Simmons did the same thing until he forced Philly to trade him. If Durant wants out and to a specific team, he can make that happen the same way AD, Harden and Simmons did.

 

[GatorAZ]

Harden did that exact thing in order to join Brooklyn. The Nets ended up landing Harden for cap filler and a boat load of picks.

KD isn’t getting fat, dogging an injury or threatening to retire if he doesn’t get his way. He “requested” a trade and if Brooklyn wants ti keep him they know they need to make it look like they at least tried to do him a solid.

 

[Hoop Head]

The whole "Monty can't coach" stuff is silly. We didn't blow a 4th quarter lead all year, we were one of the best late game teams in NBA history.

Against Dallas we had wide open look after wide open look... and we just flat out missed them over and over again. I don't know what the coach is supposed to do when basically everyone but Jae Crowder couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

The coach is supposed to play Aaron Holiday, dammit! That seems to be the main gripe I saw throughout the Mavs series. Holiday should have been given Payne's minutes and then a large chunk of Paul's minutes after CP3's birthday.

 

[FB94]

The whole "Monty can't coach" stuff is silly. We didn't blow a 4th quarter lead all year, we were one of the best late game teams in NBA history.

Against Dallas we had wide open look after wide open look... and we just flat out missed them over and over again. I don't know what the coach is supposed to do when basically everyone but Jae Crowder couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

If Crowder is the best shooter we have on any given night we have no shot. He is either on or off and nothing in between to me. Mostly way off

 

[AzStevenCal]

I see your point and hope you are right. Time will tell.

To be clear, I'm not saying he did a great job - I'm just saying I can't tell how much of it was coaching vs players. And I'm not at all sure a great coach would have saved our butts that last game.

 

[Phrazbit]

KD isn’t getting fat, dogging an injury or threatening to retire if he doesn’t get his way. He “requested” a trade and if Brooklyn wants ti keep him they know they need to make it look like they at least tried to do him a solid.

Neither was Harden until he felt like forcing his way out of Houston. I don't see Durant getting fat but I can see him playing games on cruise control, ignoring his coaches and having random "injuries" keep him out.

The Nets are in a jam. I don't think they ever want to let Kyrie in their locker room again and if they trade Kyrie with Durant still on the roster I fully expect Durant to say that he is going to sit out until they move him.

 

[Germz249]

If Crowder is the best shooter we have on any given night we have no shot. He is either on or off and nothing in between to me. Mostly way off

Right! Is it just me or what.. I swear Crowder seems more focus on hitting the ground and trying to sell the foul than just focusing on the shot.. I swear everytime he throws one up he is always on the ground..

 

[Muggz]

Right! Is it just me or what.. I swear Crowder seems more focus on hitting the ground and trying to sell the foul than just focusing on the shot.. I swear everytime he throws one up he is always on the ground..

other players are starting to do that now Cam J and Booker always fall now.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

He would have to coach and make proper adjustments even with KD. He has not shown that ability to do so IMO. That is my concern no matter who the players are. KD will not make him have better adjustments. That is on Monty regardless of the players. Monty has been out coached in the playoffs. That is my main concern no matter who the players are.

You haven’t answered my question. We are talking about trades here. You brought up monty. How does he factor into the trade discussion? Or are you saying all trades are useless bc monty will screw up any, and every, thing no matter who is on the squad?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

You're not alone in thinking this but I just don't get it. How can we know it's the coach and not the players? He's been involved in 6 playoff series with us, we won 4 of them and we lost 2 of them. Did the players really win 4 series and the coach lost 2?

The only time I really thought he was truly outcoached in the playoffs was against the (heavily outmatched) Clippers. Maybe the Mavericks series was another example but watching them play I couldn't get over how out of character almost every Sun was playing and I'm not convinced that was a coach failing to make adjustments.

I think he was absolutely outcoached in both clips and mavs series.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I think he was absolutely outcoached in both clips and mavs series.

Maybe but I doubt it had any bearing on the outcome of game 7.