2023-24 NBA Season Thread

[JustinVerlander07]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

I'm at the point where I don't care how much the owner has to pay in tax. The Suns just added Beal for Shamet and only have to pay money. Didn't Jordan just make 3 billion dollars in 10 years. I'm not worried about a tax bill. The Suns were stuck for the duration of Durant's contract, no depth and no picks. Now they're in the same spot but with Beal and more cushion to avoid the optics of giving up a prime pick down the road. I'm happier today than I was last week.

The key to this team being a contender is the play and mindset of Ayton. Selling low on him would be a disaster, passive Ayton is a disaster, Ayton reaching his potential is a title.

It's not about the tax bill, it's about the inability to add anything else now. They'll have no MLE to use, they can't sign ANYTHING but minimum deals. They'll eventually end up at the end of the draft by default, even if they stink. There are so many penalties for being over the 2nd apron that aren't worth it especially with a roster that has zero chance at winning a championship.

You're underthinking this.

[BlueXtreme]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Zion playing 20 games a season is more valuable than anything Jalen could give.

I’m thinking they hope for more than 20 games from him. Maybe they’re optimistic

[pingbling23]

Originally Posted by BlueXtreme

I’m thinking they hope for more than 20 games from him. Maybe they’re optimistic

I don’t know how much we will see of him but part of me thinks we would have seen him play more during his career if he had a better relationship with the organization. Zion gets moved he will play more games.

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

I'm at the point where I don't care how much the owner has to pay in tax. The Suns just added Beal for Shamet and only have to pay money. Didn't Jordan just make 3 billion dollars in 10 years. I'm not worried about a tax bill. The Suns were stuck for the duration of Durant's contract, no depth and no picks. Now they're in the same spot but with Beal and more cushion to avoid the optics of giving up a prime pick down the road. I'm happier today than I was last week.

The key to this team being a contender is the play and mindset of Ayton. Selling low on him would be a disaster, passive Ayton is a disaster, Ayton reaching his potential is a title.

You better win

Or this will be franchise crippling for the next 5 years

It’s not just money. That’s simply wrong. Suns are in the 2nd level of the apron. That changes all types of things

It’s not just cash

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by JustinVerlander07

It's not about the tax bill, it's about the inability to add anything else now. They'll have no MLE to use, they can't sign ANYTHING but minimum deals. They'll eventually end up at the end of the draft by default, even if they stink. There are so many penalties for being over the 2nd apron that aren't worth it especially with a roster that has zero chance at winning a championship.

You're underthinking this.

This is correct

[tcdyess]

Originally Posted by indyguy

Harden/KPJ/Smith/Zion/Sengun

PUKE

I'd rather keep the 4th pick at that point.

Harden/Green/Smith/maybe Jarace Walker/Sengun

KPJ as 6th man.

Feels a little more palatable...

they need to get rid of KPJ at any cost.. dude has very little hoop iq and just has guns blazing, usually for a miss

[asujbl]

This better work for PHX

[BlueXtreme]

Originally Posted by pingbling23

I don’t know how much we will see of him but part of me thinks we would have seen him play more during his career if he had a better relationship with the organization. Zion gets moved he will play more games.

I didn’t see or hear any indication of that unless I missed something. Seemed he liked and wanted to stay in NO

[daeve]

[Charania]Golden State Warriors four-time NBA champion Draymond Green is declining his $27.5 million player option for 2023-24 season and will enter unrestricted free agency, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told @TheAthletic @Stadium .

was expected but now official

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by daeve

was expected but now official

I’m super excited to see who overpays for him

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by Zedlaw

I'm at the point where I don't care how much the owner has to pay in tax. The Suns just added Beal for Shamet and only have to pay money. Didn't Jordan just make 3 billion dollars in 10 years. I'm not worried about a tax bill. The Suns were stuck for the duration of Durant's contract, no depth and no picks. Now they're in the same spot but with Beal and more cushion to avoid the optics of giving up a prime pick down the road. I'm happier today than I was last week.

Replace that last sentence with “this shows what a farce the NBA is”.

[indyguy]

Originally Posted by asujbl

I’m super excited to see who overpays for him

It will be the Pacers. Larry Bird is back consulting and Herb Simon loves him some Larry Bird inflated contracts to cripple the organization.

[yiguiri2002]

I still don't understand the hate on the Beal trade.

If they don't do anything with Ayton, sure. It's horrible. But can we at least wait a few weeks or months before that? They can be under the 2nd apron without giving up assets on an Ayton trade.

[pingbling23]

Originally Posted by BlueXtreme

I didn’t see or hear any indication of that unless I missed something. Seemed he liked and wanted to stay in NO

Do a brief search and it’s pretty obvious. He didn’t want to be there in the first place and every year it seemed like he wasn’t happy about this or that.

[daeve]

rumors hitting fast and furiously

[O'Connor] As for Portland, my sense from league sources is that Portland’s preference is Williamson, who’d be a weapon in the pick-and-roll and in handoffs alongside Damian Lillard (should he stick around) and Shaedon Sharpe.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by pingbling23

I don’t know how much we will see of him but part of me thinks we would have seen him play more during his career if he had a better relationship with the organization. Zion gets moved he will play more games.

If this is true it reflects really negatively on Zion as a leader.

[daeve]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I still don't understand the hate on the Beal trade.

If they don't do anything with Ayton, sure. It's horrible. But can we at least wait a few weeks or months before that? They can be under the 2nd apron without giving up assets on an Ayton trade.

Charania: Kevin Durant helped recruit Bradley Beal to the Suns

^here's how I know it's not gonna work. But in all seriousness, it has to do with overlap of skillsets. You need distributors and defenders, not just ISO scorers. It's been proven KD doesn't understand this and he thinks he can win in the NBA by choosing teammates as if he's running pickup ball at the LA Fitness, and it doesn't work. And this happening after Denver winning it all is doubly funny, since they're a model for how you can build a team around 1 foundational star with complimentary pieces.

[JustinVerlander07]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I still don't understand the hate on the Beal trade.

If they don't do anything with Ayton, sure. It's horrible. But can we at least wait a few weeks or months before that? They can be under the 2nd apron without giving up assets on an Ayton trade.

They may be able to avoid it this year (I doubt it but there is a slim chance), but in 2024-25 they have a 0.0% chance unless they plan on letting Booker walk as a FA (which they obviously aren't).

[JustinVerlander07]

Originally Posted by asujbl

I’m super excited to see who overpays for him

And here I thought we were being civil. Those are fighting words.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

If this is true it reflects really negatively on Zion as a leader.

I love the excuse that he didn’t mesh with the Pelicans. So he hated the front office so much that he bailed on his teammates when he was healthy enough to play? Suuuuuuuure.

[tcdyess]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

I love the excuse that he didn’t mesh with the Pelicans. So he hated the front office so much that he bailed on his teammates when he was healthy enough to play? Suuuuuuuure.

I wonder if it is basketball that Zion doesn't like...

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I still don't understand the hate on the Beal trade.

If they don't do anything with Ayton, sure. It's horrible. But can we at least wait a few weeks or months before that? They can be under the 2nd apron without giving up assets on an Ayton trade.

They have no PG, no depth, no wings, and a way worse version of Booker right next to him fighting him for the ball.

Good luck with that

[pingbling23]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

If this is true it reflects really negatively on Zion as a leader.

He’s never come across as a leader to me. But he’s still young.

[brothertona]

From the tea leaves it looks like Zion to Portland for #3 if Scoot is on the board, the other rumor is Porzingis to Portland for 3. I do wonder if a 3-team deal might work for the Suns/Mavs/Hawks - Hawks get #10 and clear some space, Suns get Capela/Bullock - provides some defense, and Mavs get Ayton

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I still don't understand the hate on the Beal trade.

If they don't do anything with Ayton, sure. It's horrible. But can we at least wait a few weeks or months before that? They can be under the 2nd apron without giving up assets on an Ayton trade.

What exactly do you think they are going to get for Ayton? Because it better be good

Because Beal, Durant, and Booker aren't winning anything on their own