It's not like the Brooklyn situation. We don't have consecutive pick control of PHX's, and they've traded their swaps in '26 and '28 and 100% cannot get them back. It's just not realistic that a team would say, "let me trade Devin Booker this summer and suck for a couple years, and WAS will get my high lottery pick in 2026, but at least I'll get the one in 2027! Oh and I'll probably be giving another lottery pick away in 2028 after that". I know it's been talked about ad nauseum on here, but it's not gonna happen that way. Especially with Ishbia. No team has ever traded away their under contract stars for picks in advance of years when someone else has their pick totally unprotected. It's like, would we have traded away Harden to tank (rather than for good players back) if OKC had owned our 2021 and 2023 picks unprotected? No.
Some offseason trade targets: Jaren Jackson Jr. I think he's going to make All-NBA this season, which will make him supermax eligible during the offseason. That would make Memphis a second apron team. I would lay better odds they hang onto him than trade him, but I don't think it's guaranteed. I'd definitely call them up and ask them about a swap centered on Jabari and multiple FRPs. I'd be very intrigued to see a JJJ/Sengun frontcourt--Jackson Jr neatly covers for Alpi's weakest areas, outside shooting and defense. Naz Reid. Also a guy I could see as an upgraded frontcourt partner for Sengun, and/or sixth man backing up PF/C. Granted, not nearly as good as JJJ. Extension eligible in the offseason, IIRC. Depends on the cost. Collin Sexton. Also extension eligible. Not as exciting, but would be a great sixth man for us. I'd see if they'd bite on Cam. Would want to know what kind of extension Sexton is looking for though. Coby White. Same deal as with Sexton, somewhat similar players. Mikal Bridges is also extension eligible in the offseason, but I don't think I want to pay him what he'll be looking for--any extension would start at his age 30 season, and his defense has already taken a steep decline.
Brooklyn traded away their stars when Houston had their picks unprotected. Ishbia can want to avoid rebuilding all he wants. Phoenix is going to be bad with or without Booker.
lol Brooklyn is exactly my point - they had the option of trying to trade for one or two of their picks back when they traded Kyrie and KD... and they totally rejected it. Brooklyn chose to try to compete, not tank. No team chooses to tank when their picks are owed unprotected. Brooklyn traded away their stars for prime age good players and picks, after each of Harden, KD, and Kyrie demanded a trade. Brooklyn absolutely did not choose to trade away their stars to tank. They got Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Ben Simmons, and Dorian Finney Smith back instead. All 25-29yo's perceived as winning players worth 1-4 first round picks each. They intended to be good. Vegas thought they would be pretty good. They just failed at it. If Phoenix trades Booker, they'll do the same -- trade him for a package of players that keeps them competitive, with some picks thrown in; not try to tank when it means giving away 2 high lottery picks to WAS and BKN in 2026 and 2028.
The Nets traded away their under contract star for picks in advance of years when someone else has their pick totally unprotected. The Nets knew full well that they would be a worse team on the court after the trade even with Bridges and Johnson in addition to the picks. The Nets hoped they could trade picks to add a star for a quick rebuild. That doesn't change the facts of the case that the Nets traded away their under contract star for picks in advance of years when someone else has their pick totally unprotected. Booker is not Durant. The Suns ae not the Nets. The Suns will likely not be able to get a player as good as Bridges for Booker and also get the picks.
JJJ doesnt seem gettable. He’s looked great this year as a scorer. Last year was ugly but he has really improved his efficiency to go along with his well-established defensive contributions. I’ve mentioned this a few times but I really like Sexton as a fearless bench scorer destroying second units and occasionally closing games for us. I would definitely consider giving up one of Cam or Reed for him. The likelihood that of either of them being better than Sexton is right now is low in my opinion. Cam tracks as a JR Smith type athletic gunner who you don’t want making decisions. Reed will eventually be a great shooter, but will he ever be able to finish as well as Sexton? I would take Sexton’s 49/40/86, .6TS shooting splits all day given his ability to function as a floor spacer and finisher. I looked at his net on/off splits while in Utah and he has legitimate impact over his 3 years there. I’m really annoyed we didn't package a couple of our expirings with protected picks to get him. God knows we need help offensively. I trust that Ime would be able to turn his competitiveness, athleticism and wingspan into passable if not outright good defender.
Love the idea of acquiring Naz Reid. More reasonable than JJJ and would not require unloading all the Rockets trade assets.
I'd love JJJ or Naz. I think Sexton and White have the same issue as Green. The Rockets try really hard to keep Sengun out of actions on the perimeter which forces more work from the guards and forwards defensively. I'm just not sure the Rockets want to add guys that can't defend unless they are a star or a near star. I'd like guys like Keon Ellis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker as 3 and D guys. Not sure of a good switchable 3 and D PG. Lonzo Ball or Alvarado may be the best available there. I've not seen too much of the Pelicans this year, but I think Alvarado plays good gambling defense, but not sure how switachable.
So, A-Rod and Mark Lore are probably about to take over as majority owners now in Minny I doubt any ownership change will result in the level of stupidity the Mavs just demonstrated, but you never know
Who knows what kind of owners they are going to be. I wonder if they know what they have gotten themselves into. Minnesota is over the 2nd Apron. Because of insane salaries they really only have one substantial asset in Ant and very little draft capital. Gobert and later on the trading of Kat for another overpaid "star" in Randall has really put the screws to them. It is very unlikely that new owners would have the balls to trade away one of the two best players in the league in their first years, so I think any aspirations for the Rockets and Ant can be put to rest. Randall can probably be traded, but certainly not for a haul. They will have to attach assets to get rid of Gobert.
that was my argument last yr against trading the 2025 Brooklyn pick, and why I was hoping we’d squeeze them for more. But I understand the value of pushing picks out further into the future. Brooklyn actually has more quality depth than Phoenix does. The Suns are literally an injury away from complete free fall.
My initial reaction was I didn't like trading away the Brooklyn picks as well. Not as harsh as most people at the time, but looking at the Suns roster, cap situation has flipped me. Durant is on pace for his 2nd healthiest year in the last 6 and just don't have much talent outside Booker and him. I just can't see trading him saving the Suns and I wouldn't bet on his good stretch of health to continue.
As far as whether JJJ is gettable--keep in mind they already have Bane and Morant on max contracts. If JJJ becomes supermax eligible and won't sign for less, it becomes almost inevitable that they end up above the second apron unless they run a roster almost entirely comprised of minimum-salary/rookie contract players. Not every organization is willing to go into the second apron, or even get all that close.
How many picks are you giving up. You can pound that drum all you want, but it makes absolutely zero sense for the Mavs. They would rather let him walk than get FVV and Dillon which would help keep them out of the lottery next year. If Kyrie is gone, they will tank. The 26 draft is also good and deep (that's what she said).
One team I would try to engage with and see what they're thinking during the offseason is Detroit. They have a number of players who might interest us. Obviously everyone is banging the drum to re-unite the twins, but I actually feel like Jaden Ivey might make more sense--and Detroit basically committed to re-upping Malik Beasley by honoring his request not to be traded at the deadline, and they have a plethora of other guards and wings needing minutes, so that increases the odds that Ivey could become available. I also might talk to them about Marcus Sasser as a backup PG option for us, though I suspect the front office won't make a move that so clearly signals they're giving up on Reed. Lastly, there's Isaiah Stewart, who could be a nice Adams replacement, but they may prefer to hold onto him since they're not that deep at center.
If we trade for Ja I'm going to be annoyed that we didn't just get Fox for the price the Spurs paid. They're similar players, but Fox has been healthier and has had fewer maturity problems.
