2026 Offseason

[ShelC]

The Pistons wouldn't have anything I'd want.

[virtual9mm]

Trotting out a Gillespie/Goodwin - Green - Brooks - Fleming - Mark or Man-Man line-up is hard to envision as being anything more than a play-in team year over year.

I don't mind seeing them struggle into the playoffs next year. The question is what other assets the Suns could get and how much Green, Fleming, and Man-Man can develop. I think that Fleming and especially Man-Man have massive upside -- I can see Maluach being a Gobert who can defend in space and hit the 3. That's an all-NBA center. Hard to say what Fleming could become but I would say that his floor is looking like a solid role-player starter.

I think Green is more expendable and because of his flashes of big-game brilliance and age, teams might be willing to take a chance on him.
I don't want to see anymore 3 guards 6'5" and under starting line-ups. If you can bring in a solid 3-4 with defensive capabilities or ball handler that lets Booker play off-ball for Green, I'd do it.

Green has certainly rehabilitated his value by his play in the play-in and the playoffs. He's definitely worth more than what the Suns gave up for him because he proved that he's not a choker and that his nagging injury is behind him. I'm not even sure that I'd want to trade him.

[virtual9mm]

Those in the trade Book camp, what do you think trading him does for us?

I agree that we are on a tricky situation and likely are looking at 4-5 years where we’d be lucky to make the 2nd round of the playoffs, but what about trading Booker makes our situation better?

I think it might give the allusion of hope, but unless you get a true young cornerstone back for him(which I highly doubt), you’re just making your team worse for maybe a slightly better chance you strike gold in the draft.

I think we are pretty locked in to being mediocre at best for the next 5 years. I’ll take a repeat of this year over the 2010s without our picks…reminder, the nba is also going to make tanking even harder this summer, so even if we get some of our picks back(impossible to get all), those picks will have less value.

Restock with a treasure trove of draft picks while getting off a 70 million USD contract.

[virtual9mm]

I've always been curious about a Dejounte Murray or Jalen Suggs pairing with Booker, but with Booker's 3 point shooting struggles it would be tougher to see it work to add more streaking shooters. Either way, the idea of another guard with plus-playmaking and size defensively would be the ideal prototype.

Both of those guys are somewhat distressed assets (Suggs and Black are somewhat redundant, and Murray doesn't fit NOP's timeline) that could be had for Jalen Green.

I hate that I'm typing this but Mikal's struggles mean he could be had on the cheap at this point when the NYKs flame out of the playoffs. He's not a playmaker by any stretch but has shown glimpses of ball handling when needed and comes with the defensive skills that I think are critical to being Booker's backcourt partner.

Book's strength has been posting up smaller guards and being a classic SG who has playmaking ability. I wanted Murry earlier and this could be enough to liberate Book to play his natural game.

Yet -- look at how Bradley Beal declined so early in his 30s. He wasn't much worse than peak Booker at his peak. I'm really worried that Book is on the same trajectory. He's had many, many miles on him.

Mikal's washed -- too many miles from D'Antoni riding him too hard during too many extended playoff runs where Mikal never missed a game.

[virtual9mm]

The Pistons wouldn't have anything I'd want.

Massive cap relief, 3x first rounders, a couple of swaps or 2nd rounders? Plus a decent young player or two.

[ShelC]

Who are the decent players? Ron Holland? They're likely not giving up Ausar. And if the three 1sts are theirs those picks will be in the 20s.

[virtual9mm]

Who are the decent players? Ron Holland? They're likely not giving up Ausar. And if the three 1sts are theirs those picks will be in the 20s.

I didn't say great young players, decent players with upside and expiring contracts. And I don't mind 3x picks in the 20s if there are other assets that come back. That massive contract makes Book a lot less valuable.

[Superbone]

The idea of point guards is still relevant, it's the form they take which has changed. They used to be 6-0 to 6-3 guards. Now they come in all shapes and sizes which I think is why people think point guards don't exist or are no longer relevant. But it's more about being that extension of the coach on the floor - the one who organizes the offense, understands the flow of the game and when certain things need to be done, which teammate needs the ball, how to attack a defense or a certain player, manage the clock, etc.

So by that definition - Luka's a point guard, Harden's a point guard, Fox is a point guard but also has Wemby who can make plays, Hali's a point guard. I'd put Jamal Murray there but we also know Jokic handles the ball and makes plays like a PG. Sabonis is a similar "hub". Same with Oso who was working smoothly with CG earlier in the season but is probably our best overall passer with court vision.

Brunson is a scoring PG who manages the game as well as anyone - he's the son of a coach and plays like it. PG. Yea some of those guys are scoring more now, but it's the mentality they have and approach to the game that differentiates them. Look at the Knicks-Hawks series. McCollum is playing "point guard" same as Brunson, both are great scorers but Brunson is the actual "point guard" of the two.

I think offenses are so spread out and guys are so skilled now that there isn't much of a need for one guy to get 10-12 assists. And it may be best that way - how many times did we see teams focus on taking the ball out of Nash's hands in the playoffs? "Cut off the head of the snake and make QRich, Shawn, Raja beat us". Same with CP when the ball seemingly always ended up in Crowder's hands at the end of the shotclock. On flipside, 20 years ago the Spurs never had anyone averaging more than 7-8 assists. TP, Manu and Tim were each always in that 4-7 apg range.

Not all smaller scoring guards are combo guards. There are more scoring "point guards" now but still comes down to how they manage the game and the team. Some are better than others at thinking the game but it's always been that way. And if Nash played today, people would call him a combo guard because he'd probably be averaging 23-25ppg and shooting 6-7 threes a night. Wouldn't mean he's not a point guard.

Nailed it!

[Split T]

Those in the trade Book camp, what do you think trading him does for us?

I agree that we are on a tricky situation and likely are looking at 4-5 years where we’d be lucky to make the 2nd round of the playoffs, but what about trading Booker makes our situation better?

I think it might give the allusion of hope, but unless you get a true young cornerstone back for him(which I highly doubt), you’re just making your team worse for maybe a slightly better chance you strike gold in the draft.

I think we are pretty locked in to being mediocre at best for the next 5 years. I’ll take a repeat of this year over the 2010s without our picks…reminder, the nba is also going to make tanking even harder this summer, so even if we get some of our picks back(impossible to get all), those picks will have less value.

Restock with a treasure trove of draft picks while getting off a 70 million USD contract.

I guess I don’t see the treasure trove of draft picks coming

[3TheHardaway]

Trotting out a Gillespie/Goodwin - Green - Brooks - Fleming - Mark or Man-Man line-up is hard to envision as being anything more than a play-in team year over year.

I don't mind seeing them struggle into the playoffs next year. The question is what other assets the Suns could get and how much Green, Fleming, and Man-Man can develop. I think that Fleming and especially Man-Man have massive upside -- I can see Maluach being a Gobert who can defend in space and hit the 3. That's an all-NBA center. Hard to say what Fleming could become but I would say that his floor is looking like a solid role-player starter.

I think Green is more expendable and because of his flashes of big-game brilliance and age, teams might be willing to take a chance on him.
I don't want to see anymore 3 guards 6'5" and under starting line-ups. If you can bring in a solid 3-4 with defensive capabilities or ball handler that lets Booker play off-ball for Green, I'd do it.

Green has certainly rehabilitated his value by his play in the play-in and the playoffs. He's definitely worth more than what the Suns gave up for him because he proved that he's not a choker and that his nagging injury is behind him. I'm not even sure that I'd want to trade him.

I agree about Maluach's upside, and I'm very intrigued by Fleming as well. But neither of those guys have franchise cornerstone written on them, at least not yet. While Booker had a down year (and post-season), he has embraced the role of veteran leader with the bonafides to command respect. Brooks is vocal in that regard, but I think it's harder for young guys to look to him as the true alpha with his somewhat limited 'bag,' (relative to Booker).

I really just don't to see us regress into a middling team without direction with talented but young guys lacking proper guidance and mentorship ala Booker's 1st 5 years here. Especially given that we don't control our draft picks more years than not going forward. That's a recipe for perpetual mediocrity like NO, Washington, Charlotte, etc.

[3TheHardaway]

Who are the decent players? Ron Holland? They're likely not giving up Ausar. And if the three 1sts are theirs those picks will be in the 20s.

Holland falling out the rotation with Duren due for an extension could make a Green for Holland/Stewart/Filler deal possible. Both add something we lack (size) while Detroit gets a bonafide scorer next to Cade.

[3TheHardaway]

I've always been curious about a Dejounte Murray or Jalen Suggs pairing with Booker, but with Booker's 3 point shooting struggles it would be tougher to see it work to add more streaking shooters. Either way, the idea of another guard with plus-playmaking and size defensively would be the ideal prototype.

Both of those guys are somewhat distressed assets (Suggs and Black are somewhat redundant, and Murray doesn't fit NOP's timeline) that could be had for Jalen Green.

I hate that I'm typing this but Mikal's struggles mean he could be had on the cheap at this point when the NYKs flame out of the playoffs. He's not a playmaker by any stretch but has shown glimpses of ball handling when needed and comes with the defensive skills that I think are critical to being Booker's backcourt partner.

Book's strength has been posting up smaller guards and being a classic SG who has playmaking ability. I wanted Murry earlier and this could be enough to liberate Book to play his natural game.

Yet -- look at how Bradley Beal declined so early in his 30s. He wasn't much worse than peak Booker at his peak. I'm really worried that Book is on the same trajectory. He's had many, many miles on him.

Mikal's washed -- too many miles from D'Antoni riding him too hard during too many extended playoff runs where Mikal never missed a game.

It's not a terrible comparsion (Book/Beal) but Beal was always more heavily reliant on generating rim pressure and driving, skills that don't age well. Booker's game being polished footwork at the elbow centric likely ages better. I think we saw him wear down at the end of the year due to high usage and offensive duties this year (combined with his usual annual hamstring/groin/ankle issues). I really don't think he was healthy for the last month of the year but due to Brooks missing time and Green not in rhythm, he was forced to play through injuries that would have responded with rest.

I don't know if Mikal is washed or not, he's still somewhat young. It's just clear to me that he's not working in NY and his value is at an all time low. Unfortunately we don't have the assets to pluck high value guys off rosters. I think the focus has to be on guys who are underperforming or redundant on their current rosters who can be had for cheap.

[BKinSJC]

I've always been curious about a Dejounte Murray or Jalen Suggs pairing with Booker, but with Booker's 3 point shooting struggles it would be tougher to see it work to add more streaking shooters. Either way, the idea of another guard with plus-playmaking and size defensively would be the ideal prototype.

Both of those guys are somewhat distressed assets (Suggs and Black are somewhat redundant, and Murray doesn't fit NOP's timeline) that could be had for Jalen Green.

I hate that I'm typing this but Mikal's struggles mean he could be had on the cheap at this point when the NYKs flame out of the playoffs. He's not a playmaker by any stretch but has shown glimpses of ball handling when needed and comes with the defensive skills that I think are critical to being Booker's backcourt partner.

Book's strength has been posting up smaller guards and being a classic SG who has playmaking ability. I wanted Murry earlier and this could be enough to liberate Book to play his natural game.

Yet -- look at how Bradley Beal declined so early in his 30s. He wasn't much worse than peak Booker at his peak. I'm really worried that Book is on the same trajectory. He's had many, many miles on him.

Mikal's washed -- too many miles from D'Antoni riding him too hard during too many extended playoff runs where Mikal never missed a game.

Are we blaming Mike D'Antoni for leaning too hard on a player that that the Suns didn't draft until ten years after he stopped coaching in Phoenix? Huh.

[ShelC]

Mikal's been miscast in his roles since he left Phoenix and he also benefited a ton playing here playing next to Book and CP.

[Split T]

Mikal is good at a lot of things but not really great at anything. Though he was pretty great at defense for awhile. He’s too passive at times and that definitely shows up when he’s on a team like the Knicks. We saw what he is capable of in Brooklyn, but they weren’t trying to win and he was forced to be more aggressive.

[virtual9mm]

Trotting out a Gillespie/Goodwin - Green - Brooks - Fleming - Mark or Man-Man line-up is hard to envision as being anything more than a play-in team year over year.

I don't mind seeing them struggle into the playoffs next year. The question is what other assets the Suns could get and how much Green, Fleming, and Man-Man can develop. I think that Fleming and especially Man-Man have massive upside -- I can see Maluach being a Gobert who can defend in space and hit the 3. That's an all-NBA center. Hard to say what Fleming could become but I would say that his floor is looking like a solid role-player starter.

I think Green is more expendable and because of his flashes of big-game brilliance and age, teams might be willing to take a chance on him.
I don't want to see anymore 3 guards 6'5" and under starting line-ups. If you can bring in a solid 3-4 with defensive capabilities or ball handler that lets Booker play off-ball for Green, I'd do it.

Green has certainly rehabilitated his value by his play in the play-in and the playoffs. He's definitely worth more than what the Suns gave up for him because he proved that he's not a choker and that his nagging injury is behind him. I'm not even sure that I'd want to trade him.

I agree about Maluach's upside, and I'm very intrigued by Fleming as well. But neither of those guys have franchise cornerstone written on them, at least not yet. While Booker had a down year (and post-season), he has embraced the role of veteran leader with the bonafides to command respect. Brooks is vocal in that regard, but I think it's harder for young guys to look to him as the true alpha with his somewhat limited 'bag,' (relative to Booker).

I really just don't to see us regress into a middling team without direction with talented but young guys lacking proper guidance and mentorship ala Booker's 1st 5 years here. Especially given that we don't control our draft picks more years than not going forward. That's a recipe for perpetual mediocrity like NO, Washington, Charlotte, etc.

I totally get your point of view. Although I think i respectfully disagree regarding Maluach. He is already a defensive game changer.

[virtual9mm]

Who are the decent players? Ron Holland? They're likely not giving up Ausar. And if the three 1sts are theirs those picks will be in the 20s.

Holland falling out the rotation with Duren due for an extension could make a Green for Holland/Stewart/Filler deal possible. Both add something we lack (size) while Detroit gets a bonafide scorer next to Cade.

I think that one of Booker or Green need to go to Detroit. It just makes too much sense.

[virtual9mm]

I've always been curious about a Dejounte Murray or Jalen Suggs pairing with Booker, but with Booker's 3 point shooting struggles it would be tougher to see it work to add more streaking shooters. Either way, the idea of another guard with plus-playmaking and size defensively would be the ideal prototype.

Both of those guys are somewhat distressed assets (Suggs and Black are somewhat redundant, and Murray doesn't fit NOP's timeline) that could be had for Jalen Green.

I hate that I'm typing this but Mikal's struggles mean he could be had on the cheap at this point when the NYKs flame out of the playoffs. He's not a playmaker by any stretch but has shown glimpses of ball handling when needed and comes with the defensive skills that I think are critical to being Booker's backcourt partner.

Book's strength has been posting up smaller guards and being a classic SG who has playmaking ability. I wanted Murry earlier and this could be enough to liberate Book to play his natural game.

Yet -- look at how Bradley Beal declined so early in his 30s. He wasn't much worse than peak Booker at his peak. I'm really worried that Book is on the same trajectory. He's had many, many miles on him.

Mikal's washed -- too many miles from D'Antoni riding him too hard during too many extended playoff runs where Mikal never missed a game.

Are we blaming Mike D'Antoni for leaning too hard on a player that that the Suns didn't draft until ten years after he stopped coaching in Phoenix? Huh.

Meant Monty lol -- late nights and age start taking a toll on your brain.

[ShelC]

Who are the decent players? Ron Holland? They're likely not giving up Ausar. And if the three 1sts are theirs those picks will be in the 20s.

Holland falling out the rotation with Duren due for an extension could make a Green for Holland/Stewart/Filler deal possible. Both add something we lack (size) while Detroit gets a bonafide scorer next to Cade.

I think that one of Booker or Green need to go to Detroit. It just makes too much sense.

Green to the Pistons is a very interesting thought. They seem to need the firepower. Ironically, I thought Orlando might be a destination for him, but they're exposing the Pistons' lack of offense in this 1st round. I still don't think they have any assets I'd want tho. They won't send Stewart, I've never been impressed with Holland and their picks just don't do it for me, tho I'd take two of them in a deal for Green even if they're late round picks. But other than those things, you're looking at some combo of Huerter, Duncan Robinson and Levert.

[O_Gardino]

It was just last season that Mikal was making great defensive plays in the playoffs. I like the idea of getting him back, but he's not on a bargain deal anymore. Would the Knicks give us a couple of picks to swap him for Green?