KEVIN DURANT TRADED TO SUNS

[TOO]

That's a take.

[Flagrant Fowl]

More like, take away their keyboard.

[Vladimir_Taltos]

Moving Ayton to make room for Draymond and Kyrie this summer is the most toxic timeline.

That would make it really hard to continue to cheer the team...

[virtual9mm]

More like, take away their keyboard.

They're not wrong. It's a terrible trade value-wise. 1st rounders are being thrown around like candy and we'll see rationalization in the coming years. We've sold our future firstborn children off, let alone Mikal and Cam.

But we're set for two years of glory in the here and now...if healthy.

[virtual9mm]

Moving Ayton to make room for Draymond and Kyrie this summer is the most toxic timeline.

That would make it really hard to continue to cheer the team...

Regarding Kyrie, I was ok moving CP3 for him just as a stopgap -- not sure the Suns would have picked up his option had it not been for the Durant trade. (Hated myself for saying this.) But while it made sense on the court without Durant where the Suns needed a second creator, it doesn't with him on board. A version of CP3 that is like Rubio a few years ago is just fine as long as he can distribute and hit open 3's.

Regarding Draymond, I would welcome him on a vet minimum, which obviously would not happen.

[Split T]

I don't want Draymond on my team ever. Or Patrick Beverley. Or Grayson Allen.

Gambo was actually hinting that we might sign Beverley.

Beverley the player would make sense…that being said I want nothing to do with him

[TOO]

More like, take away their keyboard.

They're not wrong. It's a terrible trade value-wise. 1st rounders are being thrown around like candy and we'll see rationalization in the coming years. We've sold our future firstborn children off, let alone Mikal and Cam.

But we're set for two years of glory in the here and now...if healthy.

We also have a new owner with seemingly bottomless pockets, I do not believe things are so dreary in the future.

[mjwang92]

I’m so excited for what could be. No negatives here: I imagine so many possibilities. I imagine Paul’s assist rate should increase. Ayton and KD together are 2 big targets, and oh yeah, there’s Booker. Put Lee on the 3 point line. How the hell do you double at all against that? You don’t. Put anyone out there that’s a 3 point threat with that and forget it. I’ll miss Mikal, but make no mistake. This was necessary. It’s K D! It’s a thin bench, and hopefully they get 1 solid pickup that wants to come win. I imagine being around Book, Paul, and now, Durant, it will elevate Ayton’s game. There’s got to be a buyout candidate or two that will want to come here to try to win a title. I realize I have to wait, but oh boy. I imagine this group possibly even spending a little more time studying, practicing, and perfecting their team game. Between Paul, Book, Durant, midrange game should be sick. Kevin. Fricking. Durant.

[mjwang92]

I’m so excited for what could be. No negatives here: I imagine so many possibilities. I imagine Paul’s assist rate should increase. Ayton and KD together are 2 big targets, and oh yeah, there’s Booker. Put Lee on the 3 point line. How the hell do you double at all against that? You don’t. Put anyone out there that’s a 3 point threat with that and forget it. I’ll miss Mikal, but make no mistake. This was necessary. It’s K D! It’s a thin bench, and hopefully they get 1 solid pickup that wants to come win. I imagine being around Book, Paul, and now, Durant, it will elevate Ayton’s game. There’s got to be a buyout candidate or two that will want to come here to try to win a title. I realize I have to wait, but oh boy. I imagine this group possibly even spending a little more time studying, practicing, and perfecting their team game. Between Paul, Book, Durant, midrange game should be sick. Kevin. Fricking. Durant.

Just after I finish this, I go to B/R and see Ross signing here. KD effect…

[Split T]

I’m curious how everyone would rate the following scenarios…I think we all agree that if we turn into a mini dynasty and win 2-3 titles over the next 4 years that that is a clear win and best case scenario. Similarly, KD getting hurt and us never getting out of the 2nd round and turning into a middling play-in team or worse is kinda the worst case scenario.

Let’s say we win the title this year and then the team kinda falls apart and struggled to even make the play-in. We turn into sort of a joke and give up high lotto picks to Brooklyn. Think something similar to the Lakers with the bubble title? I think we’d all probably take it because we’ve never experienced a title, but I imagine there’d be a lot of 2nd guessing smaller decisions that led to our downfall and it would be frustrating to fall off so quickly.

Other scenario, how would you feel if this team never won a title, but it did make the finals twice and made it to the WCF every year over the next 4…would that make the trade successful?

What if we never made the finals but we’re in the playoffs every year, advanced to at least the 2nd round and say made the WCF 3 of 4 years? So think like 7SOL Suns?

I guess I’m just curious what about everyone’s cut off is that would make this a successful trade?

[Shabazz]

Successful? A title. Justified? Probably a lot less than that.

[ShelC]

When you trade for arguably the world's best player and mortgage your future for it, the only benchmark is a championship. One title will justify the trade, given we've never won. Two titles will shut everyone up about everything (Was the trade worth it? Can KD win on his own? Is Book a winner/superstar?)

[specialsauce]

A title is always the benchmark, not exclusive to this move.

[Split T]

I guess I’m just wondering how everyone here would feel in those situations. If we don’t win a title during the KD years will you look back and call the trade a mistake? What if we are in the finals 2/4 years and are in the WCF all 4?

So 4 years from now what will we have had to accomplish for you to not wish we hadn’t made the trade?

[JeremyG]

A championship. Why would I want to give up Mikal and Cam for anything less?

[Split T]

A championship. Why would I want to give up Mikal and Cam for anything less?

I don’t know, that’s up to you. I personally wouldn’t have regrets if we were in the mix all 4 years. I think I’d need to have made the finals at least once, but I didn’t think we were winning a title with Mikal/Cam either.

Would you be ok if we won this year and followed that up with 5-6 years of lottery teams and gave up high picks to Brooklyn?

[specialsauce]

I guess I’m just wondering how everyone here would feel in those situations. If we don’t win a title during the KD years will you look back and call the trade a mistake? What if we are in the finals 2/4 years and are in the WCF all 4?

So 4 years from now what will we have had to accomplish for you to not wish we hadn’t made the trade?

Yes.

The ultimate goal is to make moves to win a championship. If that didn’t happen, it was an object failure. Whether it’s that trade or the rest of the moves or the coaching, we failed.

There are no moral victories. Moral victories are for teams and fanbases that are used to losing. A bunch of sad sacks

[TOO]

Why worry about 4 years from now? Suns have done something we've been waiting for, got a superstar to pair with Booker, got an owner that seems committed to winning, these are supposed to be happy times.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Yeah, they’ve achieved the hardest part outside of plying the games by getting KD. As long as they have him and Booker playing at a high level, they’re in the mix for a title.

[JeremyG]

A championship. Why would I want to give up Mikal and Cam for anything less?

I don’t know, that’s up to you. I personally wouldn’t have regrets if we were in the mix all 4 years. I think I’d need to have made the finals at least once, but I didn’t think we were winning a title with Mikal/Cam either.

Not winning a title with Mikal/Cam is a lot more fun than not winning a title with KD. I don't like KD; I like Mikal and Cam.

Would you be ok if we won this year and followed that up with 5-6 years of lottery teams and gave up high picks to Brooklyn?

Absolutely. If we had won a championship previously, then probably not.