Suns News: 2026 Offseason Edition

[pickle]

[Mori Chu]

If Booker and Green don’t work together as a winning backcourt, trading Green isn’t the only available answer.

The team might have to be decide to be pragmatic about what it really has though, and understand the league’s current valuation of relatively inefficient high-usage scorers that are making supermax-level money. The Jaylen Brown trade this summer seems like a very relevant data point.

IMO the Jaylen Brown trade is more of a one-off panic move than anything else. The Celtics didn't like the way Brown seemed to want to be "the man" after carrying the team during Tatum's injury absence. They said that he ignored plays and tried to go hero-ball in the playoffs. Then they tried to trade him to get Giannis, but it fell through. So now the word is out there that you tried to trade him. They knew the relationship had been poisoned, that he wasn't going to be happy next year if he remained in Boston. So they rushed to trade him this summer. By all accounts they barely even gave teams time to make offers and counters before pouncing on the mediocre Philly package. So I don't think it is really accurate to say, "A shoot-first guard like Brown is only worth Paul George's corpse and a pick."

[Split T]

I don’t disagree, but I have two points to make. First, guess I’ve already made it in my last post, is that chemistry should mean something. I don’t want to improve by two wins just to bring in players that ruin the good vibes we have. Second, I don’t want to chase those minuscule gains by sacrificing future flexibility. If we can find a solid trade for green that brings back more future flexibility and good locker room presence that also helps balance our team, I’m all for it. But I have very little faith that this team can make moves while improving the long term asset situation, and I’d hate to get to 48 wins and realize we have nothing to trade anymore and that is our ceiling, by which time Booker is 33 and making 70 mil and barely worth the 37 yr old KD package.

I’m not saying keep Green at all costs or to bet on him suddenly becoming Jamal Murray. But I also don’t want to dump him for whatever distressed asset that comes on the market that are 5-7 yrs older just because he’s not a pg.

In regard to not moving more future assets…I feel like we’ve already moved any of the valuable stuff…the risk you outlined of being a 48 win team with a 33 year old Booker and no assets is very real..but I feel like that path might already be in front of us. The little assets we do have are not very valuable. I didn’t agree with trading 2033 because that pick had value…but now that it’s gone…I do kinda want to move 2027 and 2029. What are we keeping them for? To draft another Dunn, Oso, Fleming, or Peat? I like those guys, but that’s not the level of player we need.

The risk is high going all in, but we don’t have control of our own pick until 2032, then 2034 and beyond. I think our best bet in the next 5 years is to maximize the talent on the roster via trade/FA/draft(if you can) and hope you get someone who wants to come play with Booker. 6 years out is the first pick we control of our own. It likely won’t work, but sacrificing the picks we do have(from other teams) feels like the only way we win a championship with Booker on the roster…and yes it’s going to take getting very lucky. Most likely it ends more like Dame on the Blazers as its ceiling.

[INFORMER]

Bright Side takes some reader questions and gives their thoughts on Jalen Green, the Suns center rotation, Ryan Dunn, and more.

Spoiler: show/hide

I couldn't get past the Jalen Green answer. So many dumb takes:

I know people are hard up for a point guard. But I think Murray is as much a shooting guard as a point guard and he peaked in the 21-22 season.

Murray is a SG as much as he is a PG?! I feel like this guy has never even seen Murray play. I don't blame anyone for not being interested in Murray, but this is just dumb. He's probably basing it on Atlanta trying to run Trae Young and Murray together.

We’ve only seen a glimpse of what a fully healthy Jalen Green can do.

I know this is the popular take, but honestly, besides the reduction in minutes, he basically was the same player he has been in his entire career. The injuries limited his time on the court and thus the quantity of his production, but the quality of his play was essentially the same.

[INFORMER]

If Booker and Green don’t work together as a winning backcourt, trading Green isn’t the only available answer.

The team might have to be decide to be pragmatic about what it really has though, and understand the league’s current valuation of relatively inefficient high-usage scorers that are making supermax-level money. The Jaylen Brown trade this summer seems like a very relevant data point.

IMO the Jaylen Brown trade is more of a one-off panic move than anything else. The Celtics didn't like the way Brown seemed to want to be "the man" after carrying the team during Tatum's injury absence. They said that he ignored plays and tried to go hero-ball in the playoffs. Then they tried to trade him to get Giannis, but it fell through. So now the word is out there that you tried to trade him. They knew the relationship had been poisoned, that he wasn't going to be happy next year if he remained in Boston. So they rushed to trade him this summer. By all accounts they barely even gave teams time to make offers and counters before pouncing on the mediocre Philly package. So I don't think it is really accurate to say, "A shoot-first guard like Brown is only worth Paul George's corpse and a pick."

I'm not even a Celtics fan and that situation infuriates me. I read the article with the quotes from the press conference, and Celtics just sound dumb. All the Nico comparisons are warranted. Just absolutely abysmal.

[Superbone]

If Booker and Green don’t work together as a winning backcourt, trading Green isn’t the only available answer.

The team might have to be decide to be pragmatic about what it really has though, and understand the league’s current valuation of relatively inefficient high-usage scorers that are making supermax-level money. The Jaylen Brown trade this summer seems like a very relevant data point.

IMO the Jaylen Brown trade is more of a one-off panic move than anything else. The Celtics didn't like the way Brown seemed to want to be "the man" after carrying the team during Tatum's injury absence. They said that he ignored plays and tried to go hero-ball in the playoffs. Then they tried to trade him to get Giannis, but it fell through. So now the word is out there that you tried to trade him. They knew the relationship had been poisoned, that he wasn't going to be happy next year if he remained in Boston. So they rushed to trade him this summer. By all accounts they barely even gave teams time to make offers and counters before pouncing on the mediocre Philly package. So I don't think it is really accurate to say, "A shoot-first guard like Brown is only worth Paul George's corpse and a pick."

For some reason, I got Hubie Brown vibes reading that.

[Superbone]

Bright Side takes some reader questions and gives their thoughts on Jalen Green, the Suns center rotation, Ryan Dunn, and more.

Spoiler: show/hide

I couldn't get past the Jalen Green answer. So many dumb takes:

I know people are hard up for a point guard. But I think Murray is as much a shooting guard as a point guard and he peaked in the 21-22 season.

Murray is a SG as much as he is a PG?! I feel like this guy has never even seen Murray play. I don't blame anyone for not being interested in Murray, but this is just dumb. He's probably basing it on Atlanta trying to run Trae Young and Murray together.

We’ve only seen a glimpse of what a fully healthy Jalen Green can do.

I know this is the popular take, but honestly, besides the reduction in minutes, he basically was the same player he has been in his entire career. The injuries limited his time on the court and thus the quantity of his production, but the quality of his play was essentially the same.

Why don't you enlighten us with a good take.

[INFORMER]

Bone, I'm sorry I laughed and said you were trying hard to promote the Miles Bridges trade.

Jalen Green has great athleticism and scoring ability. So with a fully healthy season, let's see if the Suns can leverage that more for greater team success.

[JJ Slim]

Bone, I'm sorry I laughed and said you were trying hard to promote the Miles Bridges trade.

Jalen Green has great athleticism and scoring ability. So with a fully healthy season, let's see if the Suns can leverage that more for greater team success.

Or at least increase his trade value.

[JJ Slim]

Oh I see what they did! They saw Maluach in SL and are worried he is going to give Wemby troubles. They want to give Wemby a chance to try to figure him out before games start to count.