We've obviously wanted Booker for awhile now. And, I'm totally on board with that. I've seen all the KD talk as noise, and have been adamantly against a move for him.(too much downside risk to injury/ falling off a cliff and having to pony up too many assets) But, come the offseason, cost will drop...and we DO hold the keys to the Suns rebuild. I'm starting to warm up to the seemingly farfetched idea that's been tossed about, of acquiring both. It's a given that they'd get all their swap/picks back. JG + PHX assets + ? I wouldn't give up much more. Just can't see Durant bringing a lot seeing as he's 38 and a rental...although we'd have the inside track to bring him back.
It is not plausible next year due to second Apron rules and collusion rules. You could maybe pull it off in consecutive years or as part of a huge four team trade, that would still be subject to league approval.
If they could pull it off they’d be the perfect pair of additions to level up this team. Those picks could be worth so much to Phoenix if they decided to tear it down, and maybe they’d see Green as a head start toward a rebuild.
Keep what we got, please. Hopefully draft that Lithuanian PG kid at Illinois or Flagg or some other impactful prospect. I like our squad, and hope to enjoy watching the kids grow up.
The Rockets are under the 2nd apron. FVV fits Booker and drops the Suns out of ther 2nd apron with Micic's option turned down. Green and Brooks fit Durant. Picks added as needed. Rockets would be under 2nd apron still. Suns would be under 2nd apron, barely. This doesn't push any of the NBA rules. The Knicks just signed guys a $1 over the minimum to skirt NBA rules while I don't see any 2nd apron rules or collusion in these 2 simple trades. Not sure Suns and Rockets could agree over the draft compensation,but trade rules easily met.
I don’t want to become the Suns. I’m good on both. I mean, I agree with @baubo and @Mathloom … not gonna lie, I kinda wanted Durant for TWO playoff runs. But 37 year old Durant on an expiring deal or you have to pay 37-year old Durant, ehhh… And(1) I’m good (do not want) on Booker. And(2) because we have the Suns picks doesn’t mean we’re restricted to trading with just the Suns.
This has been my stance all along. I wanted to maximize our expiring assets with Durant for two playoff runs rather than acting like we could just throw this year away as aw shucks these young kids. Don't want Booker. KD's value has gone way down now that he is: 37 years old, expiring, definitely being traded, and you almost have to immediately resign him rather than trade him on. I might still consider KD but I am not going beyond FVV and 2027 PHX. Suns have to trade with us, not the other way around. If Stone doesn't bend them over he is an idiot. I am 100% convinced the Suns did everything except deal with Houston because they know they are getting screwed. Each of those picks are worth 2 or 3 to the Suns. It controls their future. The deals have to be done separately but I would only consider acquiring Booker in a Durant deal if we were moving him on for Ant. We were stupid not pressing harder for Durant with our expiring contracts and other options. Durant pressed Suns to trade for Butler or he was gone. Its that simple. Now EVERYONE knows he is gone. Suns created the trade market to drive the price up on us, its also that simple. The fact that anyone believes Suns tried to trade Durant without his express request is just silly. If they failed, WHICH THEY DID, it ensured the very outcome we have now. The Suns wanted that GSW trade and thought they could regroup or get all of their assets back from us for Booker. Now they have nowhere to turn. Based on their decisions we can now ruin their future. I liked that Stone did this trade with the Nets at the time but I still feel like he could have also gotten the 2027 PHI pick if he would have tried harder. Nets had to deal with us.
I should add, I just don't see Rockets getting both, but it is a fun thought. I think it will be hard enough to get one.
There is a 7% chance we get an option to draft either of those guys. We need a top pick to be in that conversation...
I'd probably pass on Durant for 2025/6 season unless he was free. Would definitely trade for Booker at the right price. Would not go beyond Jalen plus Jock plus 2025 pick swap (they get their original pick back and we get Clevelands), plus one other talent (probably Tari, since he is so often injured and I'm not sold his career works out as a result). I get it, the Suns would probably say no. Good luck to them. They are going nowhere and fast.
Something is wrong with Booker, looks washed, Durant is near the end of a great career, just let him go.
The Rockets only own the 27 & 29 picks outright and the 25 pick is a swap. The 26 pick is a swap that Washington, Memphis and Orlando all play a part in - they couldn't get that pick back if they wanted to. The 28 pick is even messier with Brooklyn, Washington, NYK & Philly are tangled in a web for this pick. If they get the pick back from the Rockets, they still can't tank.
Yeah, I feel like if we just had many good picks from many teams, we would be opening our eyes a lot more than just looking at the Suns roster. I think the reason why the Rockets are acting like they're interested in Booker is precisely because of the competition over their own pick. We know heading into the summer, Suns will call us and say "if you don't trade us our pick back, we'll trade him to OKC for the next best pick available". Our strategy simple: tell us the price of Durant and the price of Booker separately and we will decide. They better be different or you're not negotiating in good faith (i.e. they're setting us up for an asset-heist).
Read that the Suns have a pathway to getting under the second apron this off-season by waiving Cody Martin (NG) and exercising team option on Micic. Not sure how accurate that is? Regardless it would take both Sengun and Jalen Green plus others. As someone stated prior, we would become the Suns of Texas.
