The Suns are 2-11 this season without Kevin Durant. Although KD's injury is unfortunate, it's still overall a major boon for the Rockets. The Sun's currently have no reason to lose games because the pick goes to Houston. However, they also have no incentives to play their best players because any injury would severely impact their potential trade value (and Durant is likely shut down for the season if they want to protect his trade value). Objectively speaking, shutting down their best players is the best move, and Durant's injury hopefully will incentivise them to do that. The season is lost either way, and the only reason to try to win games is to spite Houston. Otherwise, you risk injuries with your best asset, and any injury for older players can severely affect their trade value. Chicago and Miami also have an opportunity to overtake Phoenix. Miami is on a 4 game win streak, and Chicago is 7-3 in their last 10 games with a lot of positive momentum. With a bit of luck, Sun's can drop to 9th worse record in the league (with Portland overtaking), though chances of them out-tanking Spurs for 8th worse record in the league is slim.
After all the hype for the 2025 class I actually found this class disappointing. After the first two seems like there isnt a blue chip prospect anymore, the rest are flawed players with high upside like Ace Bailey and solid guys who dont project as superstars like Knuppel. Maluach is a lock for the top 10. Derick Queen as well based on his recent play. Sorber is similar to Clint Capela with some passing skills, I'd love to have that guy.
I've never been a conspiracy guy, but if you're the kind of guy who thinks the draft is rigged - there isn't a better team in a better market for Cooper Flagg. The only argument I could see is San Antonio. Much smaller market, but putting him next to Wenbanyama would be brutal. That said, I don't think he's really the ideal fit next to Wemby. He ought to have his own team to lead.
If you’re a conspiracy guy (and I know you said you aren’t), then you have a LOT of twisting to do to explain how the biggest star in the last decade ended up in the smallest market in the central time zone.
Im gonna try this one last time: the biggest market teams have by and large been unlucky on lotto night. Folks need to just look up the history. All those years the Knicks sucked and couldn’t get top picks. Or just look at the year before last in a great draft: SA, Charlotte, Portland? Come on. How about the year before that? Orlando and OKC? Or the year before that: Detroit, Houston, Cleveland? draft conspiracy theories don’t make any logical sense. Plus these are billionaire owners with the biggest egos in the world. If there was a legit sense the lotto was rigged don’t you think some of these owners would go to war? lots of paranoid, misguided, cynical, easily manipulated people out there.
It’s hard to see much upward mobility for that pick. Miami still probably wants the play-in but Chicago loses their pick if they move outside of top 10. Without having the Suns’ name drawn on Lottery Night, 11 is probably as high as it gets.
The basketball gods like to punish teams that mortgage their future for aging vets. Kyrie Tatum Brown (Hopefully Reed)
i'm still upset at the Bucks and Cavs blowing these games to the Suns but last night was huge for the tank. A top 10 pick in this draft class with some of our available ammunition to move up is huge!
