If we can land Book while keeping Sheppard you have to do it The Reed Book combo would be the highest IQ backcourt of all time
Don't believe it at all, especially given he started with a false and made up take: Suns have no choice. If you're considering trying to win, there's no reason to prioritize your own picks over other team's picks. They just need good picks. They would only want their own picks specifically if they're blowing it up or it's the best deal on the table. Stone is an asset manager from before even joining the Rockets, he won't do it. He's not going to send over 4-5 picks for the chance to do that. There will be better players on the market, you guys do this before every playoffs acting like "who else though?" and then every single playoff season some new stars break loose that you never expected to break loose. Just patience, we'll have a better option this summer. A few of Giannis, Lillard (lesser but way cheaper), either JJJ or Morant, Haliburton, Barnes, Markkanen will become available in the near future. I will say though if Green doesn't finish out the season well and the Suns want him, I will be 0% surprised if they ship him out for Booker. He's not going to stay on this roster imo if he doesn't have a strong finish to the season.
Won't happen because the Rockets don't own the Suns 2026 pick. There is no benefit for the Suns to trade Booker to the Rockets and tank. So either the Rockets pay full market price of gazillion picks and some youngsters, or Phoenix trade him elsewhere
Same. Rockets get the considerably better player, the Suns get a younger flashy, high scoring player to sell their fans on.
Rockets need Booker. Phoenix needs their picks. Makes sense. They're going to likely want Reed, Jabari or Tari. Phoenix simply is going to want all their picks back plus a prospect (Reed or Bari). Rockets should offer picks plus Jalen.
Booker is in the prime of his career and is signed for the next 3 seasons. He won't become a free agent until the summer of 2028. And, YES, the salary cap will indeed adjust. For the 2028/29 season, it will be ~45% higher than it is now. That said, if Booker is still playing well enough to earn $70M starting in 2028, it would mean the previous 3 years were pretty great. IMO, your argument on salary fails. It basically comes downs to whether the Suns trade demands are reasonable. Also, pipe-dreaming on Giannis, JJJ, Halliburton, etc is just silly. You can take the "wait for better" argument and toss it in File 13.
3 things: 1. Not news, simply rehashing old ****. 2. Suns are committed to keep him. 3. Rockets are not served with Booker when it will take a lot of youth for a guy who’s not known for carrying a team, is soft and does not do much for us.
