2025 Suns Offeason News

[iLLmatic]

I am for keeping Beal. See what he can do without Durant screwing up the culture by being a ball hog, or at least insisting on dominating the offense. He has sacrificed his game and I am curious, not furious.

Beal needs to show he can play for ten straight games without getting hurt.

[Gladiator]

What are people’s thoughts on Monte Morris? I thought he was reasonably solid in the few bits I saw of him last season.

[The Bobster]

Here's what the Beal situation boils down to -

If you try to trade him -

PRO - You get something in return and this team has holes to fill
CON - You're still in salary cap hell and he has the right to veto any trade

If you waive and stretch him -

PRO - You get under the apron and have some cap flexibility and exemptions, you save a lot in tax penalties
CON - You eat close to $100 million, you won't be able to waive and stretch anyone else in the near future, you have to convince Beal to do it.

If you keep him on the roster -

PRO - ummm..... he was pretty good when featured in Washington years ago. (that's about all I've got at this point)
CON - he's an injury-prone redundant player that doesn't really make them better

But, for the sake of their player personnel moves this summer they have to make a decision NOW. Their chances of actually trading him will only improve later on as he gets closer to becoming an expiring contract, but can they afford to wait that long? The flip side is that this is the only option they have that doesn't take Beal's consent. But that's the Suns' fault and I don't blame Beal if he doesn't want to uproot his family again.

[ShelC]

I'd just tell him to stay home like we did with Jae. He doesn't want to be traded because he doesn't want to be away from his family. Great, sit home and spend time with them until we find a trade you like, you take a buyout, or your contract ends.

[JJ Slim]

I'd just tell him to stay home like we did with Jae. He doesn't want to be traded because he doesn't want to be away from his family. Great, sit home and spend time with them until we find a trade you like, you take a buyout, or your contract ends.

I suggested that a while ago and someone responded that the league wouldn't look kindly on it.

[ShelC]

He'd definitely file a grievance with the Players Association.

[ShelC]

Some Suns news....still have to make a decision on Richards today I believe.

[Mori Chu]

If you can attach O'Neale to Richards in a deal for a PF who could start and play 20+ non-shitty minutes a game that'd be a big win.

That's a nice idea, but we are currently still over the 2nd apron, so we cannot combine players in trades.

[The Bobster]

If you can attach O'Neale to Richards in a deal for a PF who could start and play 20+ non-shitty minutes a game that'd be a big win.

That's a nice idea, but we are currently still over the 2nd apron, so we cannot combine players in trades.

Yes, this would be contingent on getting the Beal situation straightened out.

[carey]

I have to say, the 2nd apron rules are so restrictive they border on ridiculous. You can barely make moves to even try to get under the apron, What is the benefit to the rest of the league by not allowing teams to combine players? It seems too punitive to teams trying to spend, which of course to the players is a good thing.

[TOO]

Owners wanted to kill super teams and did just that, I still don't get why CJ opened his mouth and said please sir, more poop.

[Split T]

You should be able to combine if you decrease salary, even if you don’t get all the way below the apron

[ShelC]

[Mori Chu]

They are going to have to rework the 2nd apron rules in the next CBA. I sympathize with the reasons it was created, but as currently constructed it doesn't offer enough avenues to a team that is stuck there and genuinely wants to get out. They should let you combine players in trades, so long as you do not increase your salary. I also think the "freeze your pick 7 years from now" constraint is really stupid.

I guess if you could summarize what I like vs dislike about the aprons, I like restrictions that stop teams from just piling on salary until they can build a superteam. But I dislike restrictions that block teams from using spending to help fix or improve their cap situation. There used to be a concern that the "haves" of the NBA would dominate the "have-nots" by outspending them. But I don't think it is such a problem anymore. All these owners have billions of dollars and can eat a $5m, $10m penalty here or there. That isn't the issue. It's that teams get their cap space gummed up and can't get free, so teams that have built a successful team with home-grown talent cannot keep that talent.

I think a team in the 2nd apron should still be able to send out cash, still combine players, etc., especially in service of offloading a player or contract to help get under the apron.

IMO player contracts should be shorter. There shouldn't be anything longer than a 3-year contract. Paying a player 5 years out is nuts. There also should be no "no-trade" clauses or trade kickers. I also think the max salary should be lower, a lower percentage of the cap. Teams aren't able to max out more than 1-2 players before they literally cannot even sign other players at above-minimum salary. If the NBPA permitted lowering the max, it would flatten the salary structure and give more money to the league's vanishing middle-class.

An even more extreme idea I have is that they should simplify contracts by having only a small number of possible contract amounts. For example, what if there were only 5 possible NBA salaries? Salary 1 is the minimum, given to min value players and rookies. It goes up from there, with each one being a few $M more than the last, up to Salary 5 which is the maximum contract. And then the salary "cap" is just some number like 28, where that is the sum of all the salary numbers you can have. Makes it simpler and easier to talk about salaries, contracts, negotiations, and trades.

[JJ Slim]

I think the reason for the ultra-restrictive 2nd apron rules is to dissuade teams from even going there. All it took was one team to get there and be stuck to be an example for the rest of the league. Unfortunately the Suns are now the poster child for that.

[The Bobster]

I think Boston would have replaced them as the poster child if Tatum hadn't gotten hurt.

[Split T]

Cleveland is there now too. Minny was there this year as well.

[Split T]

[Superbone]

What are people’s thoughts on Monte Morris? I thought he was reasonably solid in the few bits I saw of him last season.

How's his defense? I don't remember any but that could have been a symptom of the team. Who's more valuable to us? Morris or Jones? We know Jones can't play any defense.

[Mori Chu]

Monte Morris didn't really get much of a run here. I liked his size better than Tyus's, but Tyus's passing and overall assist generation (as well as taking good care of the ball with low TOs) are unmatched. I think I would narrowly rather have Tyus but it's close. Both guys are "meh" overall imo.