Suns News: Weeks 24 & 25 (3/31 - 4/13)

[JeremyG]

I said there was no way we were winning the championship after the Ayton trade.

Do you deny we would have been a better team by simply not making the trade?

[Split T]

I said there was no way we were winning the championship after the Ayton trade.

Do you deny we would have been a better team by simply not making the trade?

I don’t think we would have been a better team last year. This year? Maybe

Also you continue to live in a video game world here. Booker was done with Ayton. It would have been a nightmare trying to bring him back. The team felt he quit on them the year before. Those are real issues that you can’t just pretend away. You can’t just look at production on the court and translate it. The Ayton Portland got is not the Ayton we would’ve got.

Camara is the only reason we would’ve had a better team this year.

[specialsauce]

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[Superbone]

Asambe sannaaa squash banana weeeya weeya weeya weeya

Well said.

[Mori Chu]

Do you deny we would have been a better team by simply not making the trade?

[ShelC]

<cough>JaredDudley<cough>

[ShelC]

I agree with Olson on this. I like Nick and Oso but I don't think they're starting centers. Nick's on a good deal and should be a very solid backup. I really like Oso as another big even tho his jumper is a major hindrance. But we need a true big who can play two ways and be a difference maker.

[Split T]

Oso could be really valuable if he ever figures out how to shoot. He could play the 4 at that point and then also play as a small ball 5. He could be a late career Horford

[Superbone]

Oso could be really valuable if he ever figures out how to shoot. He could play the 4 at that point and then also play as a small ball 5. He could be a late career Horford

With as broken as his shot is, I just don't see it happening. On the other hand, he's a smart guy so maybe. I just don't understand how he made it this far without learning how to properly shoot a jump shot.

[Split T]

Ya he’s got a long ways to go with it for sure

[ShelC]

I think there could be minutes for him as a PF but you'd need a stretch 5 who could also play defense against the true center. I don't think that form is fixable but he's a good enough passer/finisher in the short roll where he has a lot of value.

[Mori Chu]

I think Oso could have many years as a successful backup PF/C even without fixing his shot. Probably not starter material but he can still be a valuable asset off the bench.

[JeremyG]

Do you deny we would have been a better team by simply not making the trade?

And it’s still affecting our present. In fact, to quote ShelC two posts later: “we need a true big who can play two ways and be a difference maker.” We had one. Plus a Camara.

[TOO]

Do you deny we would have been a better team by simply not making the trade?

And it’s still affecting our present. In fact, to quote ShelC two posts later: “we need a true big who can play two ways and be a difference maker.” We had one. Plus a Camara.

Lol.

[Carno]

Oso could be really valuable if he ever figures out how to shoot. He could play the 4 at that point and then also play as a small ball 5. He could be a late career Horford

I see him as a Draymond without the attitude. His IQ is through the roof, and his defense has been way WAY better than advertised. Obviously, he's not Draymond now, but in a few years, he may be. He needs to bulk up a bit and be competent from 3.

[JeremyG]

The Ringer..... Chimes in:
https://www.theringer.com/2025/04/01/nb ... -standings

Despite the struggles of this campaign, Booker still wants to play his entire career in Phoenix. He’s seen his peers leave their teams in search of championships, often with frustrating results. “It’s not always greener on the other side,” Booker tells me. “People always want to leave their situation and end up in a worse situation and then they go missing. You’ll never have the love like you have by the team that drafted you.”

He strives to be the rare one-franchise star, and in particular, he wants to be the player who delivers a long-awaited title to Suns fans. “It’s great people,” Booker says, “and there’s an untapped fan base that it’s never been done here before and that’s what everybody’s been waiting on.”

[…]

“I’ll never be in a rebuild again,” Booker tells me. “We’re always going to be competing and trying to get to a championship.”

At least Booker and Ishbia can agree on that. Both have made it clear that their partnership will continue, but what’s less certain is how, exactly, the Suns will build another contender around their longest-tenured star.

Well this is depressing. Looks like we’re gonna be stuck in mediocrity for another 15 years.

[Mori Chu]

And it’s still affecting our present. In fact, to quote ShelC two posts later: “we need a true big who can play two ways and be a difference maker.” We had one. Plus a Camara.

It is true that Ayton CAN play two ways, and he CAN be a difference maker. He just doesn't.

[Split T]

I’m not too concerned about that quote..I think he means he doesn’t want to experience 2015-2019 again…and I don’t think anyone wants to go revisit those years.

It also doesn’t make much sense to tear the whole team down looking for picks while keeping Booker. Keeping Booker means we aren’t rebuilding.

Of course a lot of this just might be what people think rebuild means. When I hear rebuild, I think a complete tear down focusing on picks and young players as the return. Sacrificing short term wins to try and maximize long term wins. I think this would be shipping KD out for the biggest draft haul we can get, plus cap savings. Dumping Beal on whoever we can. Trading Grayson and Royce for whatever draft capital we can get and being a bad team over the next two years to try and add high lottery talent. Which this plan is complicated by two different teams having the rights to our 2026 and 2027 picks. This is the strategy I think Booker is against. It really doesn’t make sense to me to pursue this strategy with Booker on the team(and no easy way to get our 2026 pick).

Retool is different and I think Booker would be fine with this. You trade KD for the best haul you can get. I like the Houston offer of 2025/27 1sts plus Jabari Smith Jr and Tari Eason. I’d guess Houston doesn’t want to even give up that much. Eason and Smith are good rotation players now and are the types of guys you want with Booker. Young, long, athletic, and defensive minded.

You’ve also now added more picks to your arsenal and perhaps can now attach one or two to Beal to get real players back for him.

I’d probably look to move guys like Grayson and Royce as well. Team just needs an overhaul and need to focus more on size, athleticism, and defense. Though if we do move off Beal, I think it would be nice to keep Grayson around.

I wouldn’t mind spending a season seeing if point Book could actually work. Give Eason/Smith Jr a chance to see if they have some offensive creation upside. I would get worried about Book as the sole offensive creator, but maybe you can find someone in a Beal trade to alleviate that…or maybe it’s Jalen Green from Houston.

[ShelC]

[Mori Chu]

Seems like that Booker guy is pretty good. Book it!