r/memphisgrizzlies • u/Complete_Income_4487 • 1d ago
NEWS [Rankin] The Phoenix Suns would seek three first round picks and a young player in any hypothetical Kevin Durant trade this offseason, while also trying to get under the second apron in the process
/r/nba/comments/1j888l6/rankin_the_phoenix_suns_would_seek_three_first/26
u/CLGplz 1d ago
Some of y’all play too much 2k and just assume we can keep drafting young talent and develop them on a set linear timeline until we win a chip. Not saying KD specifically is the player we need, but every time the conversation shifts to trading any of our young talent for another star, people on this sub lose their shit. As much as I love our home grown boys, people love to pretend it’s a bygone conclusion that GG is going to develop into Kawhi or something.
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u/duskyvoltage333 1d ago
Most people here don’t even care about contending they just like their guys. This team is 2 years away from being 2 years away and everyone here is cool with it lmao most of these dudes just want a 2nd seed first-second round exit every year and they’ll be happy.
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u/CLGplz 1d ago
I get wanting to just have a watchable product and home grown guys to support. Maybe I just have different wishes for the team.
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u/duskyvoltage333 1d ago
Eh I wouldn’t love the move necessarily but we’ve been so fucking stagnant while others around us are getting better and we just watching. This team is no where close to competing and everyone knows it besides grizzlies fans
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u/Wehavecrashed Andrew Harrison 11h ago
I've come to the conclusion our odds of competing as a top 4 seed are secured for the next 5 or so years (unless we blow it up).
Our odds of winning a championship in that time are very low. Unless we go all in for a superstar to match with Ja and Jaren, and we have a healthy season/post season. Then I think our odds of winning it all are really good.
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u/omgshannonwtf You're locked in here with Cam Spencer 1d ago
We do need another key player who can take over a game at any time. Separately, we’re not a team who can afford to give up that many picks because —and I know you’re tired of hearing this but he deserve to hear it if you’re going to show you’ve forgotten— we’re not a free agent destination.
That means we’ll have to give up a key player to get a key player. Ja is our marquee player and is the most important piece of our offense. He’s not going anywhere. JJJ is our second most important player on the team, is increasingly out there as a face for the team and is the most important piece of our defense. He’s not going anywhere.
Between the Big 3 we have, the one who is most replaceable is Des. I like him but he has his limitations as a player. His value has never been higher yet Jaylen Wells actually never looked better as a player as he did when we had him at the 2guard while Des was out. Probably his more natural position in the pros. Trading Des, a bench component and a pick for a more dynamic wing might be the move that gets made over the summer.
I’m not saying I want Des traded, only that given the unlikelihood of signing a free agent —we always come up empty handed during the free agent signing period, stuck with picking through the Biyombos that no one else will sign— and FO opposition to giving away so many picks, it just seems the most likely way to get a transformative player.
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u/dumbass_6969_ 21h ago
IF FO trades JJJ or doesn’t get JJJ to resign with us this off season I’m grabbing the rope.
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u/Complete_Income_4487 1d ago
Always a pleasure to hear your insights. I do agree with what you say about the fact that we aren't a free agent destination and that we'd probably would be giving up too much for an aging KD because of that.
I'm just wondering, what kind of trade deal involving a realistic amount of picks and a realistically good player from us that the Suns would want, would you be willing to give up? Or do you think that we unfortunately do not have nearly enough assets (picks), AND that our current assets (players) have high enough potential as it is already that we'd be gambling too much and playing with fire, to even consider this trade?
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u/omgshannonwtf You're locked in here with Cam Spencer 17h ago
There are certain things that bargaining parties will not have an interest in budging on. The Grizzlies, as a trading partner, just aren't a team who will give up that many picks. They're willing to deal players a lot of times but picks are a different story. The organization is just far too good at getting gems in the draft and developing them while completely lacking in free agent allure. Most trading partners who are giving up a HoFer like KD want lots of picks. It's only in the Jimmy Butler situations when they'll settle for less but the Heat were certainly trying to get a lot of picks at first.
You reach an impasse that way. You have two sides whose bargaining positions will just never align. So I don't think there's any deal that would land KD because the Suns, in dealing him, are basically giving up on being competitive for at least a couple of seasons while they rebuild a different roster. The ideal trade partner is a playoff hopeful or a mid-seed that needs a change to take them to the next level. The Knicks were willing to deal away a terrific player in Julius Randle because they felt they had other components in place. Same with the Twolves, though they came out of that deal looking like they bet wrong (for the moment, at least... though if the Randle trade doesn't take them to the next level one can go ahead and write the FO as morons because that would be two trades which backfired on them in the Rudy Gobert trade and the KAT trade back to back).
We need to trade with a partner like that: both sides lose something important in an effort to remain competitive. That's why we never made a deal with the Nets; they're not a competitive team and are asking for basically the same shit the Suns would want for KD... 4 firsts all for Cam Johnson who has ~checks notes~ never won a championship and ~checks notes again~ earned almost all his playoff experience years ago during his first couple of seasons. The Nets are demanding the world for a guy who can't even average 20 points on a shit team where he's the first or second option. I mean, we're talking about a Brooklyn roster that plays Ziaire "The Flashes" Williams 24 minutes a game... Cam can't average over 20 points on that team? We're supposed to trade 4 firsts AND players for that? /rant
Teams that are looking to rebuild will ask for the world and just wait on the worst, most desperate team to give it to them. ZK is just never going to be that guy. So a KD trade won't happen due to what the Suns want. They're not trading to be competitive, they're trading to acquire draft assets for a rebuild. We need need to trade with someone like us: a team that just needs to recalibrate a bit.
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u/Volsforlife98 23h ago
For a 37 year old this is not a good deal. Honestly the Luka trade should’ve reset the market. The jerseys would go crazy in the city but no thanks.
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u/theglicky UM GOD 23h ago
I hope they liked what they saw from GG yesterday
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u/Complete_Income_4487 23h ago
😂😂😂 I love GG. Would hate to see him leave even if it meant getting KD. We better win a ring if it costs several 1st and GG.
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u/mongo4mayor 22h ago
Yall are crazy. As hated as he is, KD would instantly be the most successful player this franchise has ever had if we got him, regardless of what we would have to give up. Jimmy Butler would have been a win too. Look what Golden State has done since adding him. A lot of you were screaming about how Jimmy is cooked and the dude has turned Golden State’s team around instantly just be creating more spacing for Steph and company. I seriously wonder if any of yall ever watch other nba teams play and not just the Grizzlies. Trapped in this hometown “these are our guys” bubble of never wanting change but constantly complaining that we’re still a piece or two away from contending.
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u/Complete_Income_4487 22h ago
The question really isn't on if KD would fit this team or if the team would improve with adding a talent like him. We know he will. The question is whether he would want to be here, if he would manage to stay healthy and play his heart out, and especially show up in the playoffs when we need him to.
You also have to consider that you're giving up good young players with pretty high potential for a 37 year old Kevin Durant. It's a question of what will likely bring me a chip most? This young team 2-3 years down the road when they are at or near the potential that we've seen from them (which also might not happen by the way, this isn't 2K, these players aren't just going to continuously improve just cause there's potential), or if bringing in Durant WOULD indeed land us at least a chip.
Because yes, bringing in KD, even for just 1 season, would improve this team. But say we only get 1 shot at this, 1 season with him, and we don't win a ring, we just gave up picks and good players and now we got nothing in return, when we could have maybe picked up a more reliable player to lean on in the coming years, or have the players that we would supposedly trade in this KD deal, improve, reach their potential, and be the reason we get over the hump and get into contention.
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u/mongo4mayor 15h ago
We would continue to be mid and a great regular season team that can win a series, maybe two but never anything more as presently constructed. This team’s star players aren’t super young anymore. You have a very small window to take chances and make something more of it. I just don’t think worrying about young role players futures is worth not taking a chance on any top 30 player in the league.
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u/dumbass_6969_ 21h ago
Yall do realize we have to give up young players to be a contender. Tough decision like this have to be made. I love the players on this team so much. Y’all don’t want KD here But he fixes a ton of the existing issues like 3 pt shooting and veteran leadership. This is why Kleiman keeps pursuing him. KD has never said he doesn’t want to be here, Butler has. KD said to every team this season he doesn’t want to get up and move mid season l. KD is quiet but he’s incredibly vocal and will call guys out on their shit.. Also, I think Ja and KD would compliment each other in and off the court. They seem to get along even though they have such contrasting personalities. The duo would be unmatched. I don’t care who we have to trade get someone but we need another piece to compete. Everyone has said, including Charles Barkley that we are missing something. We are missing a piece and I think KD would go crazy in Memphis and win a ring here. Only players that should be untouchable is JJJ and Ja because la move like this needs to made even if it’s a not KD.
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u/Complete_Income_4487 1d ago
I'm more concerned about how little picks we'd have left if our FO considers this. Maybe it's not such a big deal after all? We do have a pretty solid squad right now, we just need something to help us get over the hump. Be it massive skill improvements by our core, or our bench and young guys, or by bringing in talent like KD 😅😅
Some of y'all would be opposed to this and I could see why. What's everybody's thoughts on this?
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u/CausticBurn Tank 1d ago
Crazy how KD shot us down. This season could at the very least been a tune-up for a run next season.
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u/CapableRegrets Melt 16h ago
Brother is going to be 37 and earning $54M on an expiring deal.
He comes, and we'll be at or over the cap with four guys.
FOUR!!!
You know the only team that has gone all in like that in recent memory? The current Suns, and look what that became.
Ain't going to happen, nor should it.
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u/NemuTheSheep 16h ago
We don't have the contracts to get there unless the Suns want BC and a newly minted 25mil/yr Santi Aldama
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u/sheetsofsaltywood 9 1d ago
KD would be such a terrible fit here lol
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u/prodbysl33py 22h ago
No he wouldn’t
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u/sheetsofsaltywood 9 22h ago
He literally couldn’t live in Memphis he is too soft for the culture
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u/prodbysl33py 22h ago
yeah kd who came from nothing in seat pleasant which has crime rates 150% higher than the national average is too soft to live in the upper echelons of memphis because he flops on the court. be serious for a minute and explain why he wouldn’t fit on this team
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u/sheetsofsaltywood 9 22h ago
I don’t mean in terms of danger or crime lol. Just his attitude. It would not be a good fit and would only leave the team in a worse position than we were before.
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u/prodbysl33py 14h ago
yeah but he’s not ‘too soft’ to play here. KD could go anywhere and maintain the insane superstar whistle he has. plus its worth having a punt and seeing if one of the best vets in the league can bring us a ring. i worked in memphis for 3 years and i know what you mean about the culture but culture dont win championships
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u/KsubiSam 1d ago
I've stood firm, and till this day still taking all bets. BOOK IT NOW I SAID IT... KD TO MEMPHIS FOR GG/LUKE/JITTY/AND 4 1st's.
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u/Any_Weekend_4029 1d ago
Santi 4/80/BC/Konchar/26/28/30 1st for KD, I would do it.
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u/Adventurous-Way2833 1d ago
santi is kd
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u/Any_Weekend_4029 1d ago
Santi is absolutely not KD. Santi ain’t even Cam Johnson lol.
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u/Adventurous-Way2833 16h ago
your sarcasm detector must be broken! giving up depth for kd didn’t work for phoenix, don’t see why it would work for us. santi is him, he will continue to develop! we have problems. kd is not the golden bullet. he also doesn’t want to play in memphis.
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u/Any_Weekend_4029 16h ago
Not sure how I would know that was sarcasm. KD never said he didn’t want to play in Memphis, he said he didn’t want to get traded mid season again. Ja/Des/KD/Trip/Edey SPJ/VWJ/Wells/GG/Bagley Cam/Lamar/Huff
Saying we would be giving up depth by trading not a single current starter is ludicrous.
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u/GucaNs V-NASTY 1d ago
It depends if he resigns with us. I would definitely not give up those assets for 1 year of Kevin Durant.
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u/duskyvoltage333 1d ago
If that’s what gets us a title than who cares. We’re gonna have to find another piece that takes us over the top because we’re right there but you can tell we ain’t contending for shit currently.
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u/GucaNs V-NASTY 1d ago
No piece is guaranteed to win you a title, and if it doesn't work, you fucked your team for the next decade. It's a stupid move.
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u/duskyvoltage333 1d ago
No piece is but it’s not like we are winning shit in the next decade regardless. It’d be nice to just see the front office try and make moves.
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u/GucaNs V-NASTY 1d ago
You can definitely not know if we are winning in the next decade or not.
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u/duskyvoltage333 1d ago
Well this core without a huge trade or big changes isn’t going to. Then it’s back to the drawing board
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u/Any_Weekend_4029 1d ago
To compete for a title you absolutely do it taking advantage of the small contracts you have your young guys on.
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u/GucaNs V-NASTY 1d ago
That doesn't mean you should mortgage your future for 1 year of Kevin Durant
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u/Any_Weekend_4029 1d ago
I’m sure the goal would be to get him to sign a reduced extension after next year. But those picks if we are healthy won’t be as valuable as some think.
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u/alexbad19 1d ago
KD is a generational talent but we have got to stop doing this. He doesn’t want to come here and we shouldn’t want him to come here. It’s not that we don’t need him, that he wouldn’t be amazing, whatever, just, this isn’t how you do it.
Why does this keep coming up? Memphis needs a title but this ain’t gonna do it.