Phoenix Suns expect to part ways with Kevin Durant this offseason. Could the Spurs be a good landing place?

[T Park]

Gambo is saying Vassell and Sochan are both part of the deal

Where is he saying this?

[Davidicus]

Sochan would make me think twice. He’s a decent 3P shot away from being a highly valued contributor on a championship team. His defense, rebounding, and off ball cutting would be missed. And he’s very young.

I’m hoping he’s not included in the deal. If the #14 is also included that’s a disaster, bc we would need that pick for a new F ala Fleming Bryant etc.

[T Park]

Not seeing this anywhere

Yeah I folllow Gambo, and I haven’t seen or heard him talk specifics yet

[mo7888]

I wouldn't trade 14 straightup for Durant.

14 should give the Spurs a solid starter on the same timeline with the core. There are going to be a few solid players there at 14. Develop the young guys and don't bring in a high priced veteran who has a short window.

Paying big money for a player with diminishing skills over the next three years isn't the way to go.

Spurs are going to win a championship without Durant with what they are building. In a couple of years they will be right there rising to the top even without Durant.

Look at the big jumps OK City and Houston made over the last couple of years and the Spurs will be deeper with young talent than both those teams.

Prepare yourself to be disappointed then..

[spursistan]

For the homers who think we are trading for a lemon with some of these packages they're putting out. Even this diminished KD at his age is still worth a FRP at a minimum..So #14 is going out in any scenario.. Wemby aside, current KD would be the best player on Spurs roster since 2017-18 Aldridge..

[BatManu20]

[dubross]

Where is he saying this?

This has already been posted somewhere but here it is

https://x.com/esidery/status/1932615...fZTX7nQnRN92Cw

[dubross]

Where is he saying this?

This has already been posted somewhere but here it is

https://x.com/esidery/status/1932615...fZTX7nQnRN92Cw

[RC_Drunkford]

[Seventyniner]

they are working together like it or not. KD's agent Rich Kleinman has the second most NBA players under contract. You him over, you'll have a huge problem signing anybody in the future. KD is not tanking his trade value publicly, so Phoenix gets some value back and the Suns send him to the Spurs. And the Spurs are trying to find a 3rd team so the Suns get a better return and the Spurs have to give up less.

Any idea if the Spurs absorbing Royce O'Neale's contract into their MLE is part of the deal? That would save the Suns a ton of tax money and could cause them to demand less elsewhere, like maybe not insisting on getting both Sochan and #14.

[Ice009]

Chris Paul is 100% gone to Dallas

I actually said that he should go there once their season ended due to Kyrie being out for a whole year. Have you heard that is happening or just saying what you think he should do. I didn't really want him going to a rival. Didn't want him giving up specific Spurs things to a team that could be a possible rival for a long time.

[Kevin]

Sochan makes sense in the deal since him and KD play the some position. He's too thin to play C with KD and he screws up spacing at SF for everyone.

Glad the Spurs aren't paying this offense VS defense role player. Moving forward no more paying offense VS defense role players like Sochan/KJ/Dev. Money is longer unlimited long term.

[RC_Drunkford]

Any idea if the Spurs absorbing Royce O'Neale's contract into their MLE is part of the deal? That would save the Suns a ton of tax money and could cause them to demand less elsewhere, like maybe not insisting on getting both Sochan and #14.

I thought the same but that's not possible. Phoenix can't get 3 players and trade 2 back. They would have to trade KD, O'Neal and somebody like Dunn to us to make it work. I don't see that happening. It's most likely a 3-team deal.

[spurraider21]

Vassell/Sochan isn’t enough salary. Someone else would have to go along.

would probably become a 3 team deal where keldon/barnes get re-routed somewhere

[Rocalcio]

---

My concerns are that people aren't appreciating how punitive the new cap is and I think max players need to be top-25 guys (honestly borderline perineal All-NBA but the league is full of idiots and trademill teams happy to pay for mediocre: see Lavine/Beal) to earn their pay if you want to be a contending team or unless you have a Brunson type that willingly takes less than market value. I don't think its reasonable to expect Fox to be a Top25 player in 2 yrs, I don't really expect him to be top Top25 again.

Fox is WAY better than Lavine and Beal, at what age? What exactly does Fox do exceptionally? He's definitely better defensively, today and at the same age, will he still be a better defender at 29 than Lavine? Is he so much better that that makes him WAY better?
Offensively? He is a far less efficient scorer than either and that's Fox's best attribute and its speed based and he's not getting faster and he has no positional versatility in a league where 6'2" starters are disappearing.

Lavine's career TS% is 58.7%, and he's been above 60% 4 of the last 5 yrs. Fox has 1 ing season better than Lavine's avg, Fox has never been above 60%, only above 57% once. Fox is a mediocre assist man, 19th amongst starting PGs this season, 20th the yr before. What is Fox elite at? Getting to the line? Not the last 2 seasons, where Lavine has been better.

I think Fox is a better player, but go look at age 23-27 Fox vs Lavine. WAY better? Not at the same age. WAY better on a team that needs 3% shooting? No, Lavine is arguably a better fit if you want to play Castle and not to mention the guy that definitely would've been draft #1 last yr (Harper).
Throw in Beal if you want, but I was pretty clearly talking about albatross contracts though. But even Beal jacking up crazy shots without help in WAS was a more efficient scorer.
As offense players, Fox is the least efficient player, the worst at getting points/shot. There are other things that make him better, but those 3 get Max money for scoring and for nothing else. Scoring efficiently. Fox is easily the most speed reliant and EASILY the worst shooter of the 3 and the least efficient scorer at that age (and from ages 23-27).

The concern you missed is that, if you view Lavine and Beal as albatross contracts, you shouldn't pay guys for what they've done but what they will do. This is especially true if they are not your franchise guy. IMO Fox screams potential albatross contract. I think its at least as likely Lavine lives up to the last 2 yrs of his K than Fox does to his if he gets the full max extension. Beal was still moveable this season because of his shooting, but he exercised a No Trade Clause to block it and those no longer exist. I'm concerned a slowed down, 29/30y/o Fox will be unmovable in a 2nd Apron league and potentially blocking Castle and/or Harper. And if he slows down enough, he becomes borderline unplayable. That's not a far fetched concern, speed goes. Fox has averaged <63 games played over the past 6 seasons, that's not great. There are reasons to be concerned, he's not a superstar and he never was. He's a former 1xAS/1xAllNBA3, and unlikely to be close ever again. He helped take 1 team, as the 2nd best player, to a first round exit. Sure, great 7 games against GSW. He was the best player on that team? The league and stats disagreed, as evidence by Sabonis getting 27 compared to 2 MVP votes, and nearly a double WS, with better efficiency almost across the board.

I like Fox and I want him for 2 more yrs, but I think Fox's decline has begun. I think its more likely a declining Lavine is capable of living up to his contract (like being the 14th most efficient starter in the NBA like he was THIS SEASON) at 29/30+ compared to Fox.
Its not about Harper, its about overall context. Fox made a ton more sense before the trade as compared to today, he is way more risky now given that context IMO. To me, that risk is pretty close to unjustified if we get KD for cheap (Vassell + 14 + filler). There's real concern and its not unreasonable.

I’m not sure you can say Fox’s decline has started. He’s only 27 and I’m sure playing with Wemby will allow him to increase his numbers, points wise and assist wise.

[Seventyniner]

I thought the same but that's not possible. Phoenix can't get 3 players and trade 2 back. They would have to trade KD, O'Neal and somebody like Dunn to us to make it work. I don't see that happening. It's most likely a 3-team deal.

I thought it could be structured as two different trades: Vassell + Barnes + #14 (or whatever) for KD, then O'Neale into the Spurs MLE for a top 55 protected second, with the proviso that neither deal happens unless the other one does.

[Rocalcio]

Prayingdog.gif

I don’t even hate Sochan… I’m just tired of having to see his stans posting summer workout vids

Just unfollow him on Instagram then…

[BatManu20]

[Rocalcio]

It's Durant. I am fine with giving up Vassell, Barnes, Sochan and #14. Durant will attract free agents.

Not sure about that, players know he’s a

[Rocalcio]

Oops, forgot we had the #2 pick

Fox/ Wesley
Harper/ Powell
Castle/ Julian
Durant/ Keldon/ Ingram
Wemby/ Bassey/ Minix

Minix isn’t a center

[RC_Drunkford]

I thought it could be structured as two different trades: Vassell + Barnes + #14 (or whatever) for KD, then O'Neale into the Spurs MLE for a top 55 protected second, with the proviso that neither deal happens unless the other one does.

maybe. I still think it's a 3-teamer. Suns don't need a third SG with Booker and Beal already on the roster. They need a center.

Shams is most likely reporting this so ESPN can milk the story for another 2 weeks. I'm pretty sure he's coming to San Antonio.

that is 33.6% of the cap in 26/27. Basically supermax territory. A 30% max extension would be:

26/27: 51,033,600
27/28: 55,116,288

I also heard he's willing to take a slight discount, but nothing crazy like 20 million. Something like a flat 50 million per year seems realistic.

[scottspurs]

Rockets can easily put the best offer together. If KD is cool with those 5 teams he will be Rocket. The Spurs will not include pick #2 or Castle. Vassell/barnes or Keldon and 14 can’t beat any rockets offer. They have unlimited assets.

pick 10, Jalen green, Jabari smith Jr., Cam whitmore, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet’s contract, Tari Eason, Suns picks back.

Spurs can’t match.

Only way KD ends up in San Antonio is a massive overpay or KD forces it.

I’m taking this report from Shams as those are the 5 teams KD is cool with. He will be a Rocket.

[scottspurs]

Shams on the Pat Mcafee show makes it sounds like the Rockets are in the drivers seat for KD. Just as I expected Suns mouthpiece driving the price up. Fully expect him to be a Rocket.

[rjv]

i have no problem with KD passing on SA and becoming a Rocket, but I'm not opposed to him being a Spur. There are pros and cons to both outcomes.

[Jordan Jackson]

KD already knows where he’s going. The team he’s going to already knows. Sham’s already has the tweet in his drafts. This is all theatre.

Now we all wait for the big reveal.

Any regular/causal online person claiming they know is another story. They’re full of . Although, those degenerate gamblers in Vegas seem to have some clue.

Either way. Big offseason for Spurs.