Trade & FA 2024-25:

[DanSchwartzgan]

Ahh. You're right. "Uses an outgoing player (or multiple players) in a trade for matching purposes to take back more than 100% of the outgoing salary."

It'd have to be Klay instead of Hardy then.

Klay, PJ, Gafford, Martin: $54,799,205
Durant: $54,708,609

Doesn't seem like a realistic possibility to me.  Even getting up to someone like Markkanen's level takes out a good bit of the depth. Given the age of our stars and what is happening right now, I suspect they will continue to prioritize depth.

For better or worse, I think they build around Kyrie/AD/Klay for now.  To me, the tea leaves say Lively and Christie are key components.  If you think D wins championships, you probably keep PJ (plus he swings nicely between starting SF and takes the non-AD minutes at PF).  If you think AD is a four, you keep both centers. I get that you have decisions to make on PJ and Gafford, but there is too much sunk cost there to not retain them. 

So, if we want to design trades, the better use of time IMHO is probably to eliminate the top seven...Kyrie, AD, Klay, Christie, Lively, PJ and Gafford (and maybe Marshall too) and work with what's left.

[Smitty]

Doesn't seem like a realistic possibility to me.  Even getting up to someone like Markkanen's level takes out a good bit of the depth. Given the age of our stars and what is happening right now, I suspect they will continue to prioritize depth.

For better or worse, I think they build around Kyrie/AD/Klay for now.  To me, the tea leaves say Lively and Christie are key components.  If you think D wins championships, you probably keep PJ (plus he swings nicely between starting SF and takes the non-AD minutes at PF).  If you think AD is a four, you keep both centers. I get that you have decisions to make on PJ and Gafford, but there is too much sunk cost there to not retain them. 

So, if we want to design trades, the better use of time IMHO is probably to eliminate the top seven...Kyrie, AD, Klay, Christie, Lively, PJ and Gafford (and maybe Marshall too) and work with what's left.

I would love for you to be right. We've seen the past two seasons just how much depth matters throughout the year. I just fear that Nico isn't in it for the long haul, and he'll go for what he thinks is the "homerun" to try and win a championship in the next 2-3 years.

[SleepingHero]

It’s hard to think rationally when it comes to trades right now as our GM made the most irrational choice 2 weeks ago. It’s rational to think our GM won’t leverage our depth for an aging star. It’s rational to think we’ll retain what’s left of our picks to salvage the future. And yet…

Again, clarifying it every time because I think it needs to be said. While I would not have ever thought about trading Luka, I can understand the WHY on Nico doing it. Heck I could have been convinced we had to move on from Luka after laying everything out and the Supermax looming! But the timing and return was what bothered me. Could have done it in the summer and had 1 final push with this team.

Ugh. Maybe I’m just beating a dead horse over and over. Y’all let me know if I’m overdoing it. I’m still grieving.

[SleepingHero]

@esidery
The Suns are currently the 11th seed in the Western Conference at 26-28.

Phoenix has the second-highest payroll for any American sports team at $408.9 million.

Unless the Suns pull off a miracle, this will go down as one of the most failed super team attempts in NBA history.

[WildArkieBoy]

@esidery
The Suns are currently the 11th seed in the Western Conference at 26-28.

Phoenix has the second-highest payroll for any American sports team at $408.9 million.

Unless the Suns pull off a miracle, this will go down as one of the most failed super team attempts in NBA history.

this is not the right thread, but it's pretty obvious Kidd was not playing Grimes up to his potential

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1889881383084105904


Kings sign FA PG Markelle Fultz.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

this is not the right thread, but it's pretty obvious Kidd was not playing Grimes up to his potential

He had a season high 30 pts for Philly in a loss.

[DallasMaverick]

this is not the right thread, but it's pretty obvious Kidd was not playing Grimes up to his potential

Yes!

Exactly the same as Christian Wood and Grant Williams!

[mvossman]

Yes!

Exactly the same as Christian Wood and Grant Williams!

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest Grimes is not the same as those guys.

[KillerLeft]

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest Grimes is not the same as those guys.

idk...in terms of fit he seemed better than either, but apparently not to Kidd. In terms of having an established NBA career, I'd say he's still ahead of Wood but trailing Williams by a considerable margin. 

I'm honestly interested to see where he lands this summer, and for how much.

[Jmaciscool]

I thought I read somewhere that his agent actually pushed for the trade after the Luka trade because he felt that Grimes was going to be getting less minutes with Christie incoming.

[DallasMaverick]

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest Grimes is not the same as those guys.

Okay, okay.

[mvossman]

idk...in terms of fit he seemed better than either, but apparently not to Kidd. In terms of having an established NBA career, I'd say he's still ahead of Wood but trailing Williams by a considerable margin. 

I'm honestly interested to see where he lands this summer, and for how much.

Honestly I don't really know why Grant was part of that comparison.  A lot of folks complained about Wood not getting enough minutes here (just like Grimes) and the evidence since has suggested they were wrong.  But nobody was asking for Grant to get more minutes.  Just about everyone was happy to get off that contract.  I think the comparison of Grimes to Wood is going to turn out to be very inaccurate.

As for where he goes, I will be curious.  My guess is its going to be for roughly the MLE and (assuming he doesn't stay) Philly is probably going to get an asset for him.

[mvossman]

I thought I read somewhere that his agent actually pushed for the trade after the Luka trade because he felt that Grimes was going to be getting less minutes with Christie incoming.

I read that as well although I don't remember how credible the source was.  It makes some sense given he was already arguably underutilized, they traded away the guy that created a lot of his offense, and traded for a guy that would directly complete with him for minutes, where were already scarce at that position.  I hope he kills it in Philly.

[F Gump]

I have no interest in the KD trade as proposed (Klay, PJ, Gaff, Martin, and all our picks). I think it's way too much talent and way too many picks, with his advanced age AND his massive salary.

[KillerLeft]

I have no interest in the KD trade as proposed (Klay, PJ, Gaff, Martin, and all our picks). I think it's way too much talent and way too many picks, with his advanced age AND his massive salary.

Yeah, I wasn't into the KD idea when I thought he was 34. Someone corrected me the other day and pointed out that he's actually 36, which means I'm as out on him as I can be. They've shortened the window too much for my liking already.

[Smitty]

I have no interest in the KD trade as proposed (Klay, PJ, Gaff, Martin, and all our picks). I think it's way too much talent and way too many picks, with his advanced age AND his massive salary.

Just to clarify my stance on the matter. This KD thing is NOT what I want to happen. It's what I think Nico's plan will be. I agree with everyone on the board that this is a terrible path but keep reminding people that we're dealing with a man that just traded Luka in the dark of the night. Prepare yourselves!

[cow]

The quicker we have non-Christian Wood 35 jerseys, the quicker we can burn this mofo to the ground.  Get it done, Nico.

[KillerLeft]

Just to clarify my stance on the matter. This KD thing is NOT what I want to happen. It's what I think Nico's plan will be. I agree with everyone on the board that this is a terrible path but keep reminding people that we're dealing with a man that just traded Luka in the dark of the night. Prepare yourselves!

Counterpoint: KD habitually contradicts "defense wins championships" tweets by replying "offensive wins championships."

[Smitty]

Counterpoint: KD habitually contradicts "defense wins championships" tweets by replying "offensive wins championships."

At this point I'm changing my motto to "availability wins championships"