Not really, Phoenix' first round draft picks - the primary value piece in getting Durant - does not help you in the playoffs. This year's draft pick is basically 90% going to NOT be in the top 4. You're basically banking it all on the SUns being bad enough to be bottom 4 in 2027 and 2027 being a draft class that is actually good, unlike this past year where the prize is Reed sheppard. I don't think either of these things are 50% probalities.
They exist and can be used to acquire a different player. If Durant is available, Booker is available. I think Booker is better than Durant now, but even if you view Durant as a better player this season, Booker likely will be better longer than Durant. Also, the picks could turn into players that can help in the playoffs...just not this year. The NBA does not cease to exist this season. I am for trying to get someone this season as I don't want to punt this season. I just am for getting someone that helps in a lot of years or doesn't cost much.
According to what law? The Suns built an NBA finalist around Booker before Durant and he's 28. They can easily keep him & reload.
The idea is that the Rockets as constructed are Maxed out. Their is no NEXT GEAR to go to in the Playoffs (Like the old Utah Teams) [It remains to be seen if it is true] Rocket River
We don't need to win this year? What kind of talk is that? I've heard multiple people say that. Problem with that logic is the Rockets may not get back to this level next year. See Sacramento last year. See the 86 Rockets. The Rockets made it to the finals and were the young up-coming team. It took them 8 years to get back to the finals. For the right price, GO ALL IN! Phase 2 of rebuild is now over. Congrats to them being ahead of schedule but the championship window is now open. There is no crystal ball of how long that window stays open. This "young core" will not be together in 4 years as-is. When they acquired Harden, only like 2 players remained on the team after 3 years. Turnover happens. It's time
Looking at their salary cap breakdown, I only see 4 guys who are on expiring contracts. Two of those guys are Tyus Jones and Monte Morris, who I would think would hold enough value that it would hurt to let them go. I suppose you can see if somebody else can trade you something like an expiring contract + some second rounders for Tyus Jones. I think he'd be worth at least that. But my point is, it doesn't appear to be as simple as you make it out to be. Also, I really just don't see them trading him without getting their picks back. And I'd just rather not. I really do think that while Durant might be a valuable option in the 4th quarter, he'd slow our offense down the rest of the time.
Common sense. If you struggle to or can't make the play-in with Durant, common sense would say they can't "easily" reload around him without good draft picks, without good contracts, and without cap space. Though if the Suns decide to keep Booker and to reload without the picks, cap space, and moveable contracts they needed to build an NBA finalist around Booker, the Rockets should hold onto those picks. That roster is so devoid of talent besides Booker that Durant might not even get the Suns to a play-in game if he stays healthy. Maybe the Suns can get lucky and rebuild around Booker. I can't see the future. I just see a team with few options to improve. I would not let the Suns off the mat without them coughing up Booker.
i'd like to remind everyone that you're giving up a decent shot at any of these prospects for a 36 year old Durant:
I'd like to remind you that we have multiple players on the roster now that are better than all three of those prospects. "Potential" means you haven't done anything (yet). That Rockets have a good team right now. They literally can contend for a championship this year, if you have Durrant. The Rockets are in win-now mode (or should be).
Disagree. They would be in a win now mode if they trade for Durant cuz Durant has 2 good years left. That would just be a gamble and if you dont win a ring in 2 yrs you just ****ed up royally. Making panic moves is what bad GMs do. Look at OKC their biggest FA signing is an overpaid Hartenstein when they have all the picks and resources to trade for almost any star.
The question isn't whether they want to keep him to rebuild - it's whether he has enough faith in his front office to give them yet another try to build another contending roster around him. If the roster construction with Durant is failing and you suspect Booker has lost confidence in his front office - then they actually would be better advised to trade him in the next two years to maximize value before you start losing value on him being an expiring contact. Basically anything they do with Durant better improve the team or they risk losing Booker's confidence.
That just seems too much like NBA 2k franchise mode/Rockets fan motivated reasoning - I just don't think that Mat Ishbia or whoever is in charge in Phoenix necessarily sees the world the same way or feels powerless underneath the leverage of Devin Booker who is in the *first* of a 4-year supermax and signed through 2028 - that he's going to send him out right now. Maybe in 2027 things look different. But it's a lot harder to find a new Devin Booker than it is to keep the one you have.
You must be sinking a lot more money into 2k VC than me. I mean generally you get that pull as a top 10 player in the league and Booker is definitely in the ballpark of that conversation.....although Butler is proving having leverage can be contextual to your value to other teams and how much of a hard ass you want to be with your current team. In short, I don't think the player empowerment movement is dead as you seem to suggest. It's a matter of time before Booker(or his agent) understands the Suns need him more than he needs the Suns.
Anything you do is a gamble. Gamble #1: Stand pat and hope one of your existing stars turns into the next Hakeem that can lead you to a championship. Gamble #2: Pin your hopes on a future draft pick (1st risk, that pick needs to be a lucky high pick. 2nd risk, that prospect needs to pan out) Gamble #3: Cash in SOME of your chips for known commodities and hope you can win sooner. Nothing you do is without risk. To me, gamble #2 has the most risk. Rockets had a chance to get Wemby but instead dropped to #4.
I would just like to add that Gamble 1 technically shouldn't exist in a practical setting unless your front office simply screwed up, such as when the Clippers traded away SGA for PG13. Because technically you should be able to mostly ascertain which of your young players has superstar future and not include them in the trade. Not to mention any win-now trade will feature picks more heavily than existing prospects. Any star trade the Rockets make would involve likely only Sheppard among the youngsters on the current team, since the Rockets would still need their other young players that are currently in the rotation. They still need Tari and Jabari and Cam in the scenario where they get KD or Booker. So it's really all about future picks or player now.
We can't trade the 25 pick until the draft has happened. We will know where we are picking by then. You would have to acquire a 26 frp prior to any trade of the 25 pick. Maybe you can do that by trading with a contender sending out a guy or two that can help them in the playoffs. The 26 pick just has to be FRP. It doesn't have to be a good one. I just don't know who outside our core might be a candidate. In all likelihood we are drafting with the Phx pick this upcoming draft.
Gamble 1 "shouldn't" be a gamble?! It absolutely is. Let's rejoin reality. Nobody can predict the future. You are being dishonest by putting an * on it by factoring in that all previous "gambles" are now a known quantity. As of right now, nobody knows if Jalen Green is going to turn into a 10x all-star and capable of leading a team to a championship. ALSO, you can't predict injuries or any other of life's curve balls. Based on what we know right now, especially in the western conference, standing pat is definitely a gamble. Here are possible WC movements by next season that hurts the Rockets. #1: OKC keeps getting better (scary) #2: Wemby turns into a monster that can carry the Spurs single handedly #3: Denver re-ignites on the back of Jokic #4: Dallas catches fire cause they all stay healthy #5: Yannis gets disgruntled and gets traded to a WC team I could go on. Standing pat is a risk. Maybe it's a good risk ...but a risk non-the-less. Ask Sacramento how that worked out for them last season.
