Phx-Suns.Net

I like Sochan, but I'd only do it if it were some sort of low-risk high-reward type of deal. Like Nick Richards and NHD for Sochan.

Sochan is also an RFA this summer and you’d have to pay him. I think I’d pass. Not sure he really offers us anything and I’d rather pay Williams/Gillespie/Goodwin in the summer

Split T wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 01, 2026 10:29 am

Sochan is also an RFA this summer and you’d have to pay him. I think I’d pass. Not sure he really offers us anything and I’d rather pay Williams/Gillespie/Goodwin in the summer

If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Sure, if something noticeably better comes along, sure. Definitely not something to tweak though.

I'd pass on Sochan because the Suns are still trying to develop Rasheer Fleming.
Granted, Fleming hasn't wowed anybody yet, but it's his first year and he's (hopefully) in the process of learning.
Too early to give up on him, yet.

Ya that’s a good point too. I’m more and more convinced we shouldn’t do anything this year…except dump Richards to get under the tax.

IMO the special secret sauce of this team is that most of our top 10 rotation players are pretty decent two-way players who can hold their own at shooting/scoring as well as defense. Some are noticeably better on one end than the other, like Booker or Grayson Allen offensively, or Jordan Goodwin or Ryan Dunn defensively. But basically none of these guys is a complete dud or liability on either end. Booker has improved his defense to a tolerable level, Goodwin is hitting 3s at a pretty impressive clip, etc. We just don't have that many weaknesses to attack, and everybody can kind of hold things together, play decent help defense, adapt, etc. I think this kind of versatility and flexibility is very 2026-NBA in terms of contributing to winning regular season games on a nightly basis.

I don't know whether Sochan is such a player, but if he is a really bad shooter, that's a strike against him. We have Oso who cannot shoot, but he's big enough and versatile enough otherwise on offense that he makes up for it. But you couldn't play 2-3 Osos in the same rotation, so I don't know if Sochan really fits. And if he's an RFA, all the more reason not to bother for a 4-month rental.

I need some STIXX

Sochan is a significantly better shooter than Oso, but that ain't saying much. I def agree that he isn't worth pursuing if there's much of a price tag. He's always injured, his game doesn't seem to have grown much, and he probably wants a lot more from his next contract than he's worth. I do like the guy, but I wouldn't move assets for him.

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 01, 2026 1:23 pm

I need some STIXX

We definitely gave up on him too soon. I don't know what that regime was thinking. Didn't even extend the qualifying offer?

They didn’t even pick up his year 3 or 4 option

Split T wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 02, 2026 12:16 pm

They didn’t even pick up his year 3 or 4 option

Yeah, that's what I meant.

I thought this was a weird trade proposal from The Athletic power rankings. And he made it sound like trading Goodwin (and Maluach) was no big deal.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/701558 ... ed_article

Tier 3: The Bubble

9. Phoenix Suns (30-20)

Last ranking: 9
In the last week: W vs BRK, W vs DET, W vs CLE, L vs LAC
Offensive rating: 114.3 (15th place)
Defensive rating: 112.0 (seventh place)

Trade deadline Photoshop: SF Bennedict Mathurin

The Suns had an impressive week of wins, blowing out both the Pistons and Cavaliers without All-Star Devin Booker. Keep in mind, this is a Suns team that won one game all of last season without Booker in the lineup, and Jalen Green has only played five games this season. I do wonder if they could use a free-throw merchant like Mathurin for the bench in the playoffs, especially if it would only cost them Jordan Goodwin and seldom-used center Khaman Maluach. Green’s and Booker’s returns to health are going to squeeze small guard minutes, and Mark Williams has played well enough to be considered the team’s center of the future; would that change how the Suns approach the deadline?

That proposal just goes to show that whoever wrote that shit doesn't watch the Suns. Goodwin has been integral to this team this year and we're just gonna throw him and ManMan away for a bench bucket getter?

That's an odd scenario, not just giving up one of our best players and key bench guy but also our #10 pick for a 6-7 wing who's been out of favor in Indy for 2+ seasons.

I don’t think I’d say Mathurin has been out of favor. He’s playing 30 minutes a game. Mathurin is a good young scorer, but he’s also 6’5. I do think the trade reads like someone who doesn’t watch the suns though. Would make more sense if Mathurin was a 6’9 PF

TOO wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 02, 2026 12:53 pm

That proposal just goes to show that whoever wrote that shit doesn't watch the Suns. Goodwin has been integral to this team this year and we're just gonna throw him and ManMan away for a bench bucket getter?

Exactly this. The author of that trade doesn't watch the Suns and doesn't get how valuable Goodwin has been. Chuckers like Mathurin are way easier to find than a bulldog like Goodie. Heck, go get Butler who we cut to make room for Goodwin, if you want bench scoring so much.

I don’t know that I’d call Mathurin a chucker. I mean he’s not really a playmaker, so maybe that’s what you meant, but he’s a fairly efficient scorer. Gets to the line and shoots 38% from 3.

I don’t think the value is bad in this hypothetic trade, but it makes no sense for the suns to target another 6’5 SG.

You'd go for Mathurin if you didn't have Allen, I don't see the fit otherwise. They need size.

Superbone wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 02, 2026 11:07 am

specialsauce wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 01, 2026 1:23 pm

I need some STIXX

We definitely gave up on him too soon. I don't know what that regime was thinking. Didn't even extend the qualifying offer?

Has he improved any since he was here? Statistically, he's almost exactly the same, but I admit I haven't actually watched him much.

TOO wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 02, 2026 6:13 pm

You'd go for Mathurin if you didn't have Allen, I don't see the fit otherwise. They need size.

Even then, we still have Booker and Green, but ya, if we are trading for anything, it should be size on the wing(considering the 4 a wing position here, but we could also use a more traditional 4).