The only way I see phoenix getting all their picks back is if they give us both KD and Booker. That's would be something.
I would've probably done a trade for Durant or Booker before the season started depending on the trade package. But currently at the #2 seed with a record of 26-12 nearly halfway through the season? Nah, not now. This team is so fun to watch.
I don't that could be done, salary matching wise. It would have to be 2 seperate trades if its even possible, because Phoenix can't aggregate salaries, because they are over the 2nd Apron. Durant makes 51m and Booker makes 49m. It would take almost our entire roster.
The Ringer still thinks the Rockets franchise exists only to dump trash and aging stars so the failing big boy teams can be thrown a life raft.
The Ringer trade proposal: Rockets recieve: KD/Nurkic/Ted Cruz Jr/Austin Reaves/2 Unprotected 3rd Round Picks from LAL Phoenix receives: 3 Original FRP's from Rockets/Jeff Green/FVV/Rui Hackaruma/Karen Bass LAL receives: Amen Thompson/Alperen Sengun/Jaesean Tate/Reed Sheppard/1 Phoenix FRP
If we are going to trade the Sun’s picks, it needs to be for a star that fits our timeline, not an old short-term rental. KD is an all time great, but not a fit for Houston given what he will cost. T he compensation the ringer is talking about is way too much.
Right now, KD is the type of player you sign to a $10 mil/1 yr contract to help your team get over the hump and provide experience. Not the type to trade assets and overspend for.
...the Ringer only recently stopped comparing NBA storylines to Shawshank Redemption character arcs - they are very behind on the times.
The idea that he drops off the books at the same time as FVV - means 90 Million available for the 2026 off season . .. is appealing Sengun/Green/Jabari/Tari/Whitmore and Amen would all be locked up - opens a big whole for a big add Rocket River
Exactly this. We have no need to make any offer to Phoenix. Wait for them to come groveling. They have the opportunity to get three picks back, and this year’s pick is shaping up to be lottery bound. They can’t let us make that pick. They will come around eventually, and when they do, put the screws to them.
If James Andrew Jones calls, Stone should not even bother answering. They have nothing to offer. Use or trade those picks later.
KD is perhaps the greatest scorer of all time - #8 all time in scoring despite playing less games than almost everyone else up there with him....but the guy has played like half his games for the last the decade and is entering a time when most players start to fall from their peak and see increased injuries....I get it, he's valuable, but you have to be "one KD away from the title" for that to make sense and I don't see us being "one KD away from a title" if we have to give up any of our young guys to get him....plus these guys haven't played a playoff series yet - we don't think we even know what we are "one x away from" at this moment because guys like Jalen and Alpi haven't been battle tested in that way. You jut gotta play it out this season and take the learning lessons that come from it.
Outside of his rookie season he's having the worst season of his career in terms of Win shares and BPM. Similar to Lebron, just glancing at his box score stats suggests he's still the same player. He's not. He's just not. As long as they're not asking for a Rudy Goebert type haul. 1 first, Cam, FVV, and necessary salaries is my best offer.
Just tell Jones that he needs to trade you Booker or else you are going to trade their draft assets all over the league and they will never get a chance to reclaim them all.
Look, KD is 36 years old, sure. But 27 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4 assists is worth more than $10,000,000. Giving up potential high first rounders for? No.
