Where will Jimmy Butler end up? 2025 edition

[Mainstreet]

I just hoping something happens. These trade rumors have gone from eyebrow raising to simply stupid.

The same here. Some of these trades may involve five teams. If so, it's easy to see why they are taking so long.

 

[Mainstreet]

For those wanting to watch, the PHNX Podcast just started.

CONFLICTING Jimmy Butler Reports Could Lead To WILD Trade Deadline For Phoenix Suns

Become a PHNX Diehard for just $4 a month! http://gophnx.com/intro-offer-youtubeThe Phoenix Suns and the NBA world has be “treated” to quite a few more rumor...

www.youtube.com

 

[AzStevenCal]

I'm not thrilled looking at the Suns future long term, but a lot of the dire forecasts are predicated on the current CBA which runs through the 2029-30 season. The new CBA will likely change with more salary flexibility.

Also, there will be expansion teams and the NBA will likely be involved in forming European teams of some sort which should result in more income.

Also, I can see current NBA owners investing in European franchises. This may supplement the foreign talent already in the NBA.

What I'm saying, we are looking at the future through the lens of today.

The traded draft picks and swaps concern me the most. They may come home to roost unless the Suns get excellent at drafting.

Although this is true do you really think the changes will make up for the gap we have in assets vs other teams? I don't see it. Every other team will also benefit from or face the challenges that come from those changes.

 

[Mainstreet]

Although this is true do you really think the changes will make up for the gap we have in assets vs other teams? I don't see it. Every other team will also benefit from or face the challenges that come from those changes.

It's not like we have a choice. There have been a lot of growing pains. Hopefully these are lessons learned.

However, Suns fans can hope Mat Ishbia's willingness to spend may turn into an asset over time. It's good to spend on a team if it's done wisely.

I do think he will take advantage of economic opportunities as they arise, to elevate the product they put on the court. It's hard to imagine him being happy with the mediocrity of the current product. He seems very competitive to me.

 

[AzStevenCal]

It's not like we have a choice. There have been a lot of growing pains. Hopefully these are lessons learned.

However, Suns fans can hope Mat Ishbia's willingness to spend may turn into an asset over time. It's good to spend on a team if it's done wisely.

I do think he will take advantage of economic opportunities as they arise, to elevate the product they put on the court. It's hard to imagine him being happy with the mediocrity of the current product. He seems very competitive to me.

I don't disagree with this but I strongly disagree with whoever it is out there that's thinking this team can be fixed. And if we spend future capital in an effort to fix this team, that's just making a bad situation worse IMO.

Even though it runs counter to everything we know about the value of high picks over low picks, I liked our trade with Utah. If we spend wisely on scouting and developing players it could make a big difference for us in the years to come. But if we just send them on their way so that we can fail with another aging star...

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't disagree with this but I strongly disagree with whoever it is out there that's thinking this team can be fixed. And if we spend future capital in an effort to fix this team, that's just making a bad situation worse IMO.

Even though it runs counter to everything we know about the value of high picks over low picks, I liked our trade with Utah. If we spend wisely on scouting and developing players it could make a big difference for us in the years to come. But if we just send them on their way so that we can fail with another aging star...

There are things we know and things we don't know. If the Suns are broken beyond repair, I'd hope the Suns FO and ownership would walk away. So I think we can agree on that.

However, I'm not convinced this is the case, nor the future would be much brighter for the next decade if the Suns blew it up.

IMO, the trade with Utah only makes sense if the Suns plan to use the picks along the way to keep improving the product.

I'd like to see what the Suns look like if they finished patching the hole in the bucket. Btw, I'm not locked into trading for Butler other than the Suns want to move on from Beal.

 

[Yuma]

There are things we know and things we don't know. If the Suns are broken beyond repair, I'd hope the Suns FO and ownership would walk away. So I think we can agree on that.

However, I'm not convinced this is the case, nor the future would be much brighter for the next decade if the Suns blew it up.

IMO, the trade with Utah only makes sense if the Suns plan to use the picks along the way to keep improving the product.

I'd like to see what the Suns look like if they finished patching the hole in the bucket. Btw, I'm not locked into trading for Butler other than the Suns want to move on from Beal.

Either way, getting Butler, or managing to dump Beal, getting off Nurkic, that all become more possible with splitting their draft pick into three picks. There's more options now.

 

[Mainstreet]

Either way, getting Butler, or managing to dump Beal, getting off Nurkic, that all become more possible with splitting their draft pick into three picks. There's more options now.

There are more options. Hopefully it's enough value to accomplish what the Suns want.

 

[Yuma]

There are more options. Hopefully it's enough value to accomplish what the Suns want.

End of the day and they can't get any deals done, they go into the draft and do what they did last year and pick up a player or two while trading down and picking up more picks.

 

[Mainstreet]

End of the day and they can't get any deals done, they go into the draft and do what they did last year and pick up a player or two while trading down and picking up more picks.

The Suns first round pick they received in 2025 looks to be near the end of the first round, so there is not a lot of room for movement.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Do you guys really think that Ishbia will let the Suns bottom out by 2031? He'll just spend money and at worst Suns will be mediocre. I can't imagine 2031 pick will be a top-five pick.

Agree. He won’t have the current contracts. So he’ll spend like a drunk sailor on free agents. Trade for terrible contracts and get draft picks like OKC did. Six years is a long ways away and ishbia keeps showing creativity that we’ve not seen much of since Jerry’s departure. Whether the creativity pans out or not is another story, but he’s not one to just accept the team sucking.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Right now we’re the most expensive team in league history and we’re decidedly mediocre. Our team is old and we have no realistic way to bring in meaningful talent.

Star players don’t sign with hopeless teams. We’re going to be the team throwing insane contracts to players like Jeremy Grant and Kyle Kuzma.

Barring striking gold and finding a superstar with what little late piddly draft assets we have, I don’t see any way we are not a terrible team in a couple years.

I mean we could literally do what the nets did. Have enough cap space to go after a couple high free agents that coordinate being available at the same time. That’s how the nets landed kd and uncle drew. And ishbia is definitely a players owner. And phoenix isn’t a dregs of the league team or location.

 

[Yuma]

The Suns first round pick they received in 2025 looks to be near the end of the first round, so there is not a lot of room for movement.

We didn't have the best picks last time we drafted either. I was not expecting to get two good players at were we drafted, let alone move down for more picks.

 

[Yuma]

I mean we could literally do what the nets did. Have enough cap space to go after a couple high free agents that coordinate being available at the same time. That’s how the nets landed kd and uncle drew. And ishbia is definitely a players owner. And phoenix isn’t a dregs of the league team or location.

I think our best asset is not draft picks, but money. The reason Butler is trying so hard to get to Phoenix is he knows Ishbia will give him that last payday he wants. How? From how Ishbia hasn't flinched to pay guys. Also, the Bartlestein connection between father and son in this equation. That's why I keep saying, if we ever did get under both aprons, our best asset, Ishbia's money. comes into play much more effectively. If used right you can target players who give the Suns the best value to succeed, not necessarily the most expensive. Right now because of the CBA, our best asset in severly minimized.

 

[BirdGangThing]

I think our best asset is not draft picks, but money. The reason Butler is trying so hard to get to Phoenix is he knows Ishbia will give him that last payday he wants. How? From how Ishbia hasn't flinched to pay guys. Also, the Bartlestein connection between father and son in this equation. That's why I keep saying, if we ever did get under both aprons, our best asset, Ishbia's money. comes into play much more effectively. If used right you can target players who give the Suns the best value to succeed, not necessarily the most expensive. Right now because of the CBA, our best asset in severly minimized.

money is what got us in this mess - everything went to ish-bia after we got money

 

[AzStevenCal]

money is what got us in this mess - everything went to ish-bia after we got money

Yeah. Spending wisely is one thing, spending freely is quite another. And no owner can spend freely for very long making the kind of mistakes this front office has been making. I remain hopeful that his deep pockets will help us eventually but the decision making thus far has been a huge concern.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I don't disagree with this but I strongly disagree with whoever it is out there that's thinking this team can be fixed. And if we spend future capital in an effort to fix this team, that's just making a bad situation worse IMO.

Even though it runs counter to everything we know about the value of high picks over low picks, I liked our trade with Utah. If we spend wisely on scouting and developing players it could make a big difference for us in the years to come. But if we just send them on their way so that we can fail with another aging star...

We traded with Utah so we will be free to trade our own unprotected future picks. You watch. We have a Stepien rule. There will eventually be an Ishbia rule. I am glad Ishbia is willing to spend money and is competitive, but like the Nets and Lakers of years past, his impatience and willingness to depend on old stars and the failure to see the importance of young energetic talent is his downfall.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We traded with Utah so we will be free to trade our own unprotected future picks. You watch. We have a Stepien rule. There will eventually be an Ishbia rule. I am glad Ishbia is willing to spend money and is competitive, but like the Nets and Lakers of years past, his impatience and willingness to depend on old stars and the failure to see the importance of young energetic talent is his downfall.

Well, sure. And we paid a premium to gain this flexibility. If the short history of Ishbia holds true, we'll waste them spectacularly and dig our hole even deeper. But since I'm a Suns fan for life, I have no choice but to hope against hope that our decision makers will learn from their mistakes.

 

[Mainstreet]

We didn't have the best picks last time we drafted either. I was not expecting to get two good players at were we drafted, let alone move down for more picks.

Trading down from #22 in 2024 is different from trading down from #29 or #30… wherever the Suns will draft in 2025.

We may finally find out how many times an atom can be split.

 

[Yuma]

Trading down from #22 in 2024 is different from trading down from #29 or #30… wherever the Suns will draft in 2025.

We may finally find out how many times an atom can be split.

I have been seeing on this board someone did an analysis the pick may not be that low. Anyways, it reminds me of those stories where a guy takes a paperclip and trades it for something, then trades that, etc, until they end up with a house, etc. Let's see if they can do that. LOL!

 

[Mainstreet]

I have been seeing on this board someone did an analysis the pick may not be that low. Anyways, it reminds me of those stories where a guy takes a paperclip and trades it for something, then trades that, etc, until they end up with a house, etc. Let's see if they can do that. LOL!

The season is not over, but Cleveland looks pretty good right now and are tied with OKC for the best record in the NBA.


From NBA.com News Services:

Jazz receive:

• 2031 unprotected first-round pick

Suns receive:

• 2025 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota or Utah*)
• 2027 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota or Utah)
• 2029 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota*, or Utah)

* = protected

Suns trade 2031 unprotected 1st-round pick to Jazz for draft capital | NBA.com

The Phoenix Suns have acquired three future first-round picks from the Utah Jazz in exchange for another first-round pick, the teams announced on Tuesday.

www.nba.com

 

[BirdGangThing]

The season is not over, but Cleveland looks pretty good right now and are tied with OKC for the best record in the NBA.


From NBA.com News Services:

Jazz receive:

• 2031 unprotected first-round pick

Suns receive:

• 2025 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota or Utah*)
• 2027 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota or Utah)
• 2029 least favorable first-round pick (via Cleveland, Minnesota*, or Utah)

* = protected

Suns trade 2031 unprotected 1st-round pick to Jazz for draft capital | NBA.com

The Phoenix Suns have acquired three future first-round picks from the Utah Jazz in exchange for another first-round pick, the teams announced on Tuesday.

www.nba.com

when they use the words "least favorable"... three different times... and you only have three... not good...

 

[Superbone]

money is what got us in this mess - everything went to ish-bia after we got money

Like they always say, follow the money.

 

[Superbone]

I have been seeing on this board someone did an analysis the pick may not be that low. Anyways, it reminds me of those stories where a guy takes a paperclip and trades it for something, then trades that, etc, until they end up with a house, etc. Let's see if they can do that. LOL!

Replace "house" with "championship" and I'm there with you.

 

[Mainstreet]

when they use the words "least favorable"... three different times... and you only have three... not good...

Yeah, it's looking the Suns will get Cleveland's first round pick in 2025.