The Kevin Durant Problem

[TOO]

Barrett is a bit overpaid, but if you’re trying to be decent next year, Booker/Barrett/Poeltl is solid. You add the 9th pick plus Dunn and whatever comes of Grayson/Royce and we should at least be a respectable team that probably makes the play-in.

RJ Barrett since going to TO has been very good.

[Mori Chu]

Yeah, Barrett or Quickley with Poetl and 9th pick sounds good to me. Would love to get Dick tho.

So would your mama!!!

[Split T]

I was looking at his numbers…21/6/5 last year…efficiency numbers aren’t great with a .547 TS%. I looked at his shot charts and didn’t see an obvious issue…maybe a down year from floater range is the big culprit. He’s an ok shooter and he does get to the rim a decent amount. Needs to improve that 3-10 foot floater/pull up efficiency. Only 25. He’s probably a nice wing to pair with Book.

Is he good enough of a playmaker to share the backcourt with Book? Maybe…I can’t say I watched much of Toronto…how is the defense?

[TOO]

His defense has never been his strong suit, decent rebounder though. I think TO would definitely prefer to move Barrett because they've already got Barnes and Ingram on the wing.

[ShelC]

RJ is a really good 20-5-5 player. 6-7 strong 225lb power swing who gets downhill and to the basket pretty easily. He's not a consistent perimeter scorer tho and isn't really comfortable or happy off-ball standing and waiting to shoot. His defense can be really good but isn't consistent either. I think footspeed is an issue defensively against 2s and smaller guards so he's played a lot at SF but then he doesn't have much size/athleticism defensively there either. I don't think he's a perfect fit with Book unless he's embracing a Jaylen Brown type of role and Ott can make sure the ball is moving between the scorers (sounds familiar). I wouldn't expect Book and RJ to work in the backcourt fulltime. We'd still need a PG.

IQ would give us a starting PG, a ton of speed and athleticism with dynamic offense. The upside is higher with IQ IMO.

[virtual9mm]

I'm liking the media circus that's materializing. Bodes well for a good return.

I don't like the idea of taking on older players like Gobert. I do like the idea of a youth movement with proven young players. I don't mind players in their prime such as Zubac.

I'd love to get the Suns' future draft picks back. I wouldn't mind keeping Beal, I do think he's gotten a bad rap in the one-on-one fest that the Suns were last year. Trade him after you rebuild his value.

[Mori Chu]

Hmm, what if we worked with Houston and Memphis to get our picks back? Memphis has our 2026, Houston has our 2027 and 2029. Something like:

PHX out: KD
PHX in: JJJ, KCP, 2026 1st, 2027 1st

HOU out: Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, 2027 PHX 1st
HOU in: KD

MEM out: JJJ, KCP, PHX 2026 1st
MEM in: Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard

I don't think that quite works, but something kind of similar to that?

[JeremyG]

Whatever we do we need at least two first round picks.

There’s no reason to rush this, just keep the bidding war going up until the last minute on draft day and use that deadline to get teams to offer up more assets to pull the trigger. There’s absolutely no reason to take a lesser offer this week or at any point before draft day.

[TOO]

Whatever we do we need at least two first round picks.

There’s no reason to rush this, just keep the bidding war going up until the last minute on draft day and use that deadline to get teams to offer up more assets to pull the trigger. There’s absolutely no reason to take a lesser offer this week or at any point before draft day.

You are correct. Often I wonder if the FO will just out think itself and take a bad deal.

[Mori Chu]

https://bsky.app/profile/ohnohedidnt24. ... qln6tsz22l

[Split T]

Hmm, what if we worked with Houston and Memphis to get our picks back? Memphis has our 2026, Houston has our 2027 and 2029. Something like:

PHX out: KD
PHX in: JJJ, KCP, 2026 1st, 2027 1st

HOU out: Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, 2027 PHX 1st
HOU in: KD

MEM out: JJJ, KCP, PHX 2026 1st
MEM in: Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard

I don't think that quite works, but something kind of similar to that?

I don’t really see why Memphis does that. JJJ is the single best asset in the trade…we aren’t getting JJJ and our picks back.

I think more likely would just be taking JJJ out and sending Green for KCP/2026 1st. We keep everything else from Houston. Something like this:

Suns get KCP, Jabari Smith Jr, 2025/26/27 1sts

Rockets get KD

Grizzlies get Green.

Grizz probably have to give us another contract, like Kennard or Clarke too.

[Superbone]

Spoiler: show/hide

Yeah, Barrett or Quickley with Poetl and 9th pick sounds good to me. Would love to get Dick tho.

I've heard that about you.

[Superbone]

I see promising reports and then not so promising reports.

[virtual9mm]

I see promising reports and then not so promising reports.

Really simple. KD is trying to engineer a trade to a favored team for a terrible return, using re-signing as a bargaining chip. The Suns are like "go fuck yourself" and talking to other teams.

I would get very close to sending him to the Raptors so that SA throws in Castle or the #2 or Houston sends back multiple Suns picks. Play hardball.

I am liking what I am seeing.

[Split T]

Feels like Minny clearly has the best offer and the suns are saying they will send him there. KD doesn’t want to go there, so we are waiting to see if those other teams will up the offer.

[Superbone]

Feels like Minny clearly has the best offer and the suns are saying they will send him there. KD doesn’t want to go there, so we are waiting to see if those other teams will up the offer.

Yeah, but is Minny going to go through with the offer if KD doesn't want to be there? Apparently Toronto would.

[Split T]

Feels like Minny clearly has the best offer and the suns are saying they will send him there. KD doesn’t want to go there, so we are waiting to see if those other teams will up the offer.

Yeah, but is Minny going to go through with the offer if KD doesn't want to be there? Apparently Toronto would.

Sounds like they are still being aggressive in pursuit so I think they are.

[JeremyG]

Gambo is making it sound like the Suns don’t want Wiggins or Ware, because they don’t help you win games right now, and they are “soft” players.

[TOO]

Gambo is making it sound like the Suns don’t want Wiggins or Ware, because they don’t help you win games right now, and they are “soft” players.

Not enough Michigan St for the FO.

[JeremyG]