@Nook would they want Booker running point and keeping Jalen or would Jalen have to be in the deal to acquire Booker? Also would the Rockets be interested in KD?
If the Rockets trade for Booker and a better player/fit became available, odds are Booker is better than any trade asset another team has and is willing to part. I doubt Booker's contract and Bird rights become depreciating for at least 3 years, but probably more in the 4-5 range. The only player I think better that might become available soon is Giannis who is 2 years older and probably not a good fit with Amen and Sengun.
Ant might demand a trade. I wouldn't give up Amen for anyone in the league. I wouldn't give up Jalen for anyone other than Ant and I wouldn't give up Sengun for anyone other than Giannis or Jokic. If we are talking draft picks and filler then Booker, Durant, Haliburton, Lamello and a few others could come into the equation. I really don't think anyone other than Durant and Booker are going to become available though.
I know stone won’t want to disrupt the team right now, but some version of FVV for Sexton and Collins would be perfect for this team. Collins has a team option for next year. You could pick him up and trade him or simply let him walk and extend Sexton. Breaking Fred’s contract into multiple pieces would give us more flexibility and Sexton probably fits tge team a little better, certainly on the timeline.
My guess is that the best guys available in the near future Giannis (not as near as others), Booker, and Fox. Of those, I see Booker as clearly the best fit. I'm hoping someone is available this trade deadline, but more thinking the offseason for Fox or Booker. While I think Fox is better than Cam Johnson, I think Cam Johnson may fit better than Fox especially if Green keeps this up. I don't trust Durant to stay healthy and I think Mat ishbia is going to have a temper tantrum if they try to trade Durant in the offseason once he sees what other teams offer for him.
I would do that in a second. I've always liked Collins as a really valuable bench piece. Sexton could also light it up off the bench. I've wanted to get rid of FVV for a while, but if Ime can use him like he is now, he is proving to be very valuable as a spot up shooter and someone that can step in when the youngsters are getting careless. So the trade would be a gamble.
Beginning of the year I would have traded Green and their picks back for Booker. Now, I think I’d try to get Booker and Durant by offering up all the picks, FVV, Brooks, Tari and Reed. Booker Green/Cam Amen Durant/Bari Sengun
While the Rockets probably did want Booker as a Jalen replacement earlier in the season, it's almost certainly not true now. It probably leaked now by the Suns to make it seem like there is interest in him still to increase the offers they are getting for him.
Fair point. Regardless, I think it's looking pretty unlikely Phoenix will trade Booker before this offseason at the earliest, if ever barring a trade request from him.
I think you were basically agreeing with me. I'm saying no one is trading a top 5 talent, and if we're trying to trade for one, it'd have to be a younger guy who could be that, but we already have that at home potentially. If we're trading, it'd have to be a 2nd tier player like Booker, or we just don't trade at all really. I'm content to let Stone decide that, but people saying "let's wait until we can trade for an established superstar" are just not being realistic about what's possible.
I’m in the camp of keeping our core and growing. However, the bashing on Booker is kind of weird. The guy is a stud. I think the multiple changes and coaching turnovers through the years have affected him. I truly believe if we added him to our team surrounded by Amen, Sengun, Jalen, etc he would flourish. But yeah, he’s owed a lot and we’re balling so meh.
Superstars do get traded when they demand out (Harden, Durant for example). I think Ant and Giannis could very well force a trade in the next 2 years, maybe as early as next year for Giannis. Guys that good are not going to be satisified on non-contending teams with no flexibility to get better.
Could Booker and Jalen (assuming he continues to improve) be an effective backcourt tandem? Seems like their skills can be complimentary: Jalen can be more of a slasher/finisher while Booker more of a facilitator/shooter. But do they have enough defensive chops? I wonder how good of a defender Booker could be if Ime got his hands on him (pause).
IIRC USA basketball asked him to be more of a facilitator and backcourt defender during Olympics. Most coaches said he was unsung hero IIRC.
That's a good point. Someone else pointed out that these trades almost never seem to work out for whatever reason. I'd definitely want Ant over Booker or Giannis. Being a GM is way easier on 2k I swear man. I think we're in a good position, which means no matter what Stone does or doesn't do, people are going to question it and be upset. Does this mean you're in the sit and wait for a better situation to come up vs trading for Booker or Fox? I personally like Fox and think he can turn around his shooting percentages vs dealing with Booker's potential bad fit with Jalen (and I don't want to trade Jalen regardless of either of these guys coming in).
I really don’t want to blow our flexibility on either Booker or Fox in-season, because I don’t think either one makes a contender this year.
Defense with Green would be my only concern. I typically watch basketball for fun so I have not been reviewing who is messing up rotations on defense lately. My guess would be either Amen, Green, or Sengun. I think Amen has different responsibilities than Jabari (Amen is usually at the POA while Jabari is often the low man) and whoever is suppose to be taking Jabari's duties isn't.
I'm opposed to trading for Booker, but I will say: the reason Booker's basic shot metrics are down is he because he's being asked to do less of what he's great at (jumpshooting) and more of everything else. In exchange for that small dip in jumpshooting, he's bringing like more assists, more steals, helping set up the offense more and playing better defense. I think it's good for him to get more well-rounded. However if they had a couple of guys capable of guarding elite perimeter players and being floor general, Booker would easily go back to his peak offensive efficiency.
