Yeah, that’s an absolutely ridiculous comparison. He’s going to be 37 next season. Talking about how he’s going to be 38 “next year” in this context makes no sense. Exactly…that should show you how impactful he still is when he plays. We wouldn’t be the Suns because under this hypothetical we would have our same team minus FVV. Reed needs to get more minutes anyway. IMO it depends on price and what happens in this series against the Warriors. If we get bounced and it’s because Green or Sengun don’t step up being the guy, it’d be crazy not to consider it if the price is reasonable.
Based on NBA.com article probably going to a contender, Boston, Cavs and or Knicks could be suitors out East. He probably going to East because OKC and Lakers probably not trading for him.
Yeah, If I thought Durant would make us the favorites for a 2 year period, I'd deal for him ..... But two things - First, I don't think he puts us over OKC .... that team is just loaded top to bottom. Second, our best player has been starting at the spot he'd come to play .... sure, I guess you could tinker with the lineup, but I don't see it as closing the gap on OKC - who's running the point? (I don't buy Amen as the PG and Shepard isn't ready). To make that deal, you'd either have to send out FVV and another small salary OR one of Sengun or Amen to pair with Brooks. Sending out One of Green or Sengun is a big no from me. Sending out FVV weakens our weakest position to add a player at our deepest position and fixes a lot of the Suns problems. I don't particularly want FVV on the Rockets but he's a vastly better option than anything the Suns could get and even losing Durant probably increases their win total because they lack any players who do the little things that add up to Wins. If we trade FVV for Durant, we still have to replace FVV .... who and how? Where do we stand in relation to OKC after these two moves?
I think LaMelo Ball is the Target. Rafael Stone said He wants a Player of this Age Group, not a older player. Kevin Durant is 36 years old.
Mikal Bridges for Kevin Durant fits both Teams. Mikal Bridges reuniting with Devin Booker. Went to the Finals, fits the Suns.
There are no individuals except Jokic and maybe Doncic that move us above OKC in the regular season so that's not a logical standard. None of Jokic, Doncic or SGA won the title last season. You have to fix your test by using a successful model. OKC has never been past the second round of the playoffs, it would be crazy of us to build towards that instead of the Celtics model which suits us more.
Whether 37 or 38 KD is old AF. If you look at Jeff Green he is KD's batchmate. Imagine counting on old Jeff to play 35 mins a night lol. Sengun and Jalen are only 23 its dumb to let their very first playoff series dictate their entire future. They havent reached their prime yet. Even if they totally flop it doesnt mean anything considering how young they are. KD is necessary for the Suns because he makes 30% of their entire salary, obv when he is hurt they suck. Check Grizzlies record without Morant or LA record without Lebron. That is my main issue with him. Missing 20 games is wild, and thats not counting the other injuries he always has every other year of his career. The whole "he has no impact" only lasts for one year. Once we extend him and Amen is earmarked for a max or near max we have no money to pay everyone else. We will be top heavy exactly like the Suns, except Fertita isnt generous like Ishbia and we wont reach 2nd apron at all. If you dont think adding a maz contract like KD has little impact on the team then tbh you just dont understand how the cap works.
If adding Durant to this core without giving up key young pieces doesnt put you in a place where you can compete with okc then there really isnt a move to be made and this is all moot anyways. If youre looking at trying to get a younger player who shakes loose you'll be giving up more to get them. I really cant think of a single player who we could add (also considering what itd take to get them) that'd put us over okc. To me, being stagnant or excepting someone to give us a young star without giving up a kings ransom isnt what id bank on. Im not understanding the best player starting in his spot thing. Adding Durant doesnt change who Amen guards on defense or how he plays on offense really. Not sure it matters who is labled the 3 or 4, because their style of play doesnt clash. Also, if the goal is for Jabari to eventually start you have the same "issue". As far as losing FVV, I think he's getting the pat bev treatment around here. I remember when it was a general consensus that pat was considered the perfect compliment to Harden. There were people who were against trading him for cp3. Insane to look back and think about that now. If fred were to be moved for Durant I think theyd fill the void. Between Jalen's improvement as a ball handler, Amen's improvement initiating offense, Reed, Holiday, picking up a competent vet i think theyd be fine. Plus Fred's biggest asset has been directing the offense or making sure we're organized and running good sets offensively in the half court...Besides the things i just mentioned, if you add Durant youd need that a lot less since hed be the go to guy in the half court. Now you dont need what Fred brings as much because now KD is using his scoring and gravity to make sure we are operating efficiently.
It is impossible to get KD without giving up other pieces. In the trade itself you may not give up a lot of pieces, but when its time for extensions you will have to give all the guys up. Sengun will make 38M, Jalen 33M and Amen will prob make the max at 42M. If you add the 50M salary of KD that means we will need to get rid of all of our depth and only keep people making 8M or less. FVV only made 40M this year because all our guys were on rookie extensions. Next year with Jalen and Sengun extensions kicking in paying his 40M salary was never an option. KD current salary is around 50M but his contract will require an extension next year when he turns 28. The new deal will start at 60M and may go as high as 70M. Thats insane for a 38 yr old. I would rather spread KD's money around given his age. I rather have Adams, DB, FVV at a reduced price and one more vet signing over KD. KD is good when healthy but you cant count on him to be healthy given his age and health history. The "stagnation" worry is baseless because we have guys who are 23 yr old and younger and we also have PHX assets coming in. This team went from 0.500 to second seed and the only they added is Steven Adams. Is that stagnant to you? lol Even if we cant beat OKC now who says we cant catch up in 3-5 yrs? We have a lot of guys that can break out within the next 3 yrs and even Sengun and Jalen are still getting better.
It's so funny Suns have realize the error of their ways and want to build a defensive culture and identity and but posters here are dying to be the new Suns except with an older KD.
I understand how the cap works. We have bird rights on all of our players that matter so we don’t have to lose any of them like you keep saying. If Tillman won’t pay the tax and sign them, then yes I agree. You’re the one throwing out incorrect ages, contract figures, etc. I see you talking about him making $70M in a comment above. The max he can get is 2 years and $124M. Has he even said he was going to demand that?
The tax isn't the boogie man it once was - now it's the apron(s). The tax is actually lower than the 1A. 2025/26 cap numbers- Cap 154,647,000 Tax $187,900,000 1A $195,946,000 2A $207,825,000 The Rockets (assuming they pick up the FVV option) will be at $190,321,540, already over the tax line with three open roster spots (Adams, Green, Tate expire), also doesn't include draft pick compensation which will either be $6,016,080 for the 10 pick or $6,332,520 for the 9th pick unless they trade it leaving 2 open roster spots, now above the 1A and $11,487,380 (10th pick money) below the 2A. Sure - you have those bird rights and can use them ..... but where does that leave you? Matching Adams money from this year puts you over the 2A.
KD on the cheap and I’m in, but Phoenix can forget about getting most or all of their picks back because a 36 year old simply isn’t worth that price even if he’s KD
Having the bird rights doesnt mean anything if Tilman isnt gonna pony up the cash. KD is a very soft and insecure individual in what world would he not demand the max? He literally said he is very expensive. Unfortunately I cant find the sound bite but he said getting him would cost a lot of assets etc its probably posted here somewhere. He caused the Nets to trade DLo who was looking like a perennial all star at the time just so he wont look bad as he got traded. So yeah he would def demand the max cuz he is concerned about his image. You are hemming and hawing about immaterial crap that doesnt matter. Whether 37 or 38 that is still way too old. Whether 62M or 70M that is still too much. How does that change any of my arguments? OMG KD will only make 62M instead of the 70M I claimed. What a discrepancy The reality is going the "um achktually" route doesnt really change any of the fundamental issues with KD, he is too old and he will cost too much. If you look at the salary structure of Celtics, you will see that if we keep Sengun, resign KD at max and Amen extends for the supermax then Rox will no longer have any money for anyone else. We will only have room for rookie deals or vet mins. Tilman isnt the previous Celtics owner I highly doubt he would he willing to go to 2nd apron. Rox right now Rockets dont have a superstar but they have a deep team and lots of young players. The bet is some of these guys "level up" and outperform their contracts. For example Sengun is a relatively cheap All star, if a couple other guys join him will we still need that superstar? IMO no. OTH if we trade for KD we revert to a typical "Big 3" structure and will need to gut the team due to cap. I dont necessarily object to that but that dude better be a work horse who is an iron man and can play 35+ mpg every night. If its KD who is now pretty brittle then forget it.
Forget KD, too old and not worth hamstringing the cap. I’d much rather resign our guys like Tari and Bari to reasonable extensions and maintain our depth. If ANT or Lámelo comes available then push all the chips in and make the deal.
