What should the Suns do?

[Split T]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

[Kryptonic]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Gonna need more than $2 hot dog night to get any fans in to watch that crap.

[Split T]

If we have our picks and have young players on the roster I think people will watch…

I’d love an Amen Thompson, Bradley Beal, Ryan Dunn, Jabari Smith Jr, Oso Ighodora lineup…the shooting might be rough, but the defense would be good and the athleticism would be top notch.

[TOO]

If we have our picks and have young players on the roster I think people will watch…

I’d love an Amen Thompson, Bradley Beal, Ryan Dunn, Jabari Smith Jr, Oso Ighodora lineup…the shooting might be rough, but the defense would be good and the athleticism would be top notch.

You wanna be a Pistons fan? That's basically what they've got going on over there.

[Cap]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

[TOO]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

But the Suns aren't tanking, they just don't look very good.

[Cap]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

But the Suns aren't tanking, they just don't look very good.

Matter of definition. Beal is going to be “commanding the tank” in the sense that we’re drowning in the septic tank, not that we’re doing it on purpose.

[JJ Slim]

If we have our picks and have young players on the roster I think people will watch…

I’d love an Amen Thompson, Bradley Beal, Ryan Dunn, Jabari Smith Jr, Oso Ighodora lineup…the shooting might be rough, but the defense would be good and the athleticism would be top notch.

You wanna be a Pistons fan? That's basically what they've got going on over there.

I don't know if you've noticed but besides the Thunder and Cavs, the Pistons have the best record over the last 10 games at 8-2.

[TOO]

If we have our picks and have young players on the roster I think people will watch…

I’d love an Amen Thompson, Bradley Beal, Ryan Dunn, Jabari Smith Jr, Oso Ighodora lineup…the shooting might be rough, but the defense would be good and the athleticism would be top notch.

You wanna be a Pistons fan? That's basically what they've got going on over there.

I don't know if you've noticed but besides the Thunder and Cavs, the Pistons have the best record over the last 10 games at 8-2.

Hey man, go pistons.

[Split T]

If we have our picks and have young players on the roster I think people will watch…

I’d love an Amen Thompson, Bradley Beal, Ryan Dunn, Jabari Smith Jr, Oso Ighodora lineup…the shooting might be rough, but the defense would be good and the athleticism would be top notch.

You wanna be a Pistons fan? That's basically what they've got going on over there.

Nah, Rockets from a couple years ago is what I’m thinking

[Split T]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

In this scenario we have our picks because we traded Booker to Houston

[Cap]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

In this scenario we have our picks because we traded Booker to Houston

I’m a little weary of putting our hope in things we imagine other teams are going to send us.

Let’s see if we can come up with scenarios where we aren’t a decade-long doormat despite other teams not helping us out of our jam.

[Split T]

There's no rebuilding Beal's value. Everyone in the league knows who and what he is. So you're keeping the one with the least amount of value and duplicating the Wizards plan where he's the best player on a losing/rebuilding team that wins 25 games and think THAT'S going to make him more attractive to teams?

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

In this scenario we have our picks because we traded Booker to Houston

I’m a little weary of putting our hope in things we imagine other teams are going to send us.

Let’s see if we can come up with scenarios where we aren’t a decade-long doormat despite other teams not helping us out of our jam.

You don’t think Houston would give us two picks for Booker?

I don’t really know what you expect scenario wise…you poo-poo any win now move and now say we can’t count on anything from other teams if we trade Booker/KD…sounds like you think all we can do is be mediocre to bad for 7 years and then rebuild in 2031?

[Kryptonic]

At that point you just let him command the tank and let him expire after two years.

Tanking for multiple years when you don’t have your pick for the next six drafts really, really sux. Yet it seems to be where we’re headed. Oy. Fucking. Vey.

In this scenario we have our picks because we traded Booker to Houston

I’m a little weary of putting our hope in things we imagine other teams are going to send us.

Let’s see if we can come up with scenarios where we aren’t a decade-long doormat despite other teams not helping us out of our jam.

You don’t think Houston would give us two picks for Booker?

I don’t really know what you expect scenario wise…you poo-poo any win now move and now say we can’t count on anything from other teams if we trade Booker/KD…sounds like you think all we can do is be mediocre to bad for 7 years and then rebuild in 2031?

Ding ding ding! Winner!

[O_Gardino]

Time to buy a jersey with #2031.

[Mori Chu]

Time to buy a jersey with #2031.

I wouldn't. That pick isn't safe at this rate.

[Cap]

Time to buy a jersey with #2031.

I wouldn't. That pick isn't safe at this rate.

The pick? I’m not entirely confident we’re going to get the year.

No my pessimism isn’t hyperbolic.

I see us all taking a trip together and Ish is driving the bus. I’m screaming, “No, no! Don’t let Ish drive!” while everybody holds me down and tries to get me to stop being so hysterical. Ish turns around and says, “Cap, dammit, if you don’t stop distracting me I’m going to—” I shout, “Ish, watch the god damn roa—” Too late.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I don't know what they "should do" because I'm not in that office. Maybe some say that's pedantic, but I'd say most of the ideas I read are asinine so let's call it a wash, OK?

It's January 15th when all the cards are fair to play, so here's what I think they'll do...

1. Neither Kevin Durant or Devin Booker will be traded. Quite simply, moving one would essentially be a precursor to moving the other and I don't think Mat Ishbia is ready for that this February. (TBD this summer)

2. Josh Okogie will not be on the Suns roster after the deadline. I know many of you pay attention so it should be easy to see, $16M/2YR with a non-guarantee on the second year before 6/30/25. He gone.

3. The Suns will acquire front court depth that will likely not boost them beyond a prospective second round appearance at best. Best case it's a someone young-ish that makes sense to continue building. Worst case it's someone who further exposes the geriatric misguided hopelessness.

[The Bobster]

John Hollinger's article today at The Athletic about the Pacific Division includes this assessment of the Suns' situation.

* * * * * *

Phoenix (19-20)
This is an emergency, and the Suns need to bail sooner rather than later before they salt the fields for an entire decade. There is no trade-deadline fix that is getting them out of this, although I’m sure they will kick every tire on Bradley Beal-for-Butler possibilities (not to mention Beal-for-literally-anybody possibilities; he’s not a terrible player, but his contract is about as terrible as terrible gets).

The Suns, much like the Lakers above and Warriors below, are still fighting the good fight and hoping a Devin Booker-Kevin Durant combination can lead them into contention. Or at least, you know, the Play-In Tournament.

I wrote about the horrors of Phoenix’s situation two weeks ago, but I can’t emphasize enough how they’re at the leading edge of all these Pacific Division teams in terms of diving headfirst into their fate. The Suns have to deal Booker and Durant this offseason and get their picks back, or the next decade will be one of the most dismal chapters in NBA history.

But not yet, since the Houston Rockets already have their 2025 first-round pick. At this point, it would be unwise to burn their 2031 first (the only thing they can trade) just to throw more assets at a team going nowhere, but there’s a case for using it on a young player who could help both now and later.

The Suns can only trade down in money because they’re over the collective bargaining agreement’s second apron, meaning, for example, that trading Jusuf Nurkić’s $18.1 million salary requires a lower amount coming back. One trade I’d call about: sending that pick (top-two protected) and Nurkić to the Orlando Magic for Wendell Carter Jr., who is 25 and signed at reasonable money through 2029.

Phoenix also still has three second-round picks it can trade, so it could opt to do smaller stuff around the edges, especially with little-used Josh Okogie’s $8.2 million contract, a de facto expiring deal since it isn’t guaranteed beyond this year.

* * * * * *

That's probably as realistic as you can put it.

[ShelC]

It would really suck to have to trade our homegrown star because of one man's hubris. Let's just start with trading KD and see where it gets us. We can always look into Book trades a year or two from now.