2025 NBA Season

[Pamadar]

I think it will be Torrey Craig. They have two of the most dangerous shooters in the league and CP3's options for an assist are doubled so they might as well use the hole for their defensive push.
Yeah, a lot of tension circling around on social media about how loyalty is not considered anymore. It's all business and it sounds brutal but players cannot do anything about it. Some even went further at defining it as players like items in the eyes of team management.
I think this had been the biggest trading swing that I have seen, with lots of colors.  
Western Conference became more competitive, and now Dallas Mavericks became a championship contender and so do the Suns.

It goes both ways though, I mean if Kyrie can force Nets to trade him, and basically Durant is forced Nets to trade him, then it means Suns could force their players to go to another team as well, there is not just a single lane there. Teams can trade or even waive players, and players could always force their teams to trade them, worst comes to worse, not resign with them and sit out injured like AD did to pelicans could still work.

I believe, both teams and players can do whatever they want, and there is nobody that stops them from doing it as long as they both consent to it, Nets do not have an amazing team anymore, but they at least got a good amount of picks now.

They let go their main alphas. Both KD and Kyrie can contribute there's nothing to doubt with their skills but the issue with those
dramas especially with Kyrie. Nets is still a business and management needs to let it go.

With that sentiment with players and management, yes, they can do things like that if both decide
to part ways, there's nothing that they can do but to agree with how things will be done and the
movement will be pushed.

[freedomgo]

Of course the biggest winner in this year's trade is Suns and I would say that Lakers is second.

Suns being called the biggest winner of that trade I guess shouldn't be the right term to be used. Don't just look at the status of how big the name Kevin Durant is but the Nets for me are the winner of that trade by looking at those several young prospects they got that might have good potential in the future. Durant can't even carry the Nets to a good position since he joined the team and you expect him to be a game-changer for the Suns?

The Suns are already good but since Durant shows interest to join the team, they grab it and it happened that they also want to ship Jae Crowder.

I don't even see and considered the Suns as a big threat to most teams. It's like just a usual day of trade in the NBA lol.

So I guess everyone should be considered a winner since every team that deal with a trade is looking for their team to level up.

Durant to Phoenix
Kyrie to Mavs
Nets winning with Spencer and Cam Thomas
Lakers did have a lot of good players to team up with Lebron

So yeah, everyone is a winner in this trade and its hard to grade them.

Well, I think as of now yes, but I think that will change in the following days or weeks when they start playing with their respective teams especially the Suns for having a strong starting five, but what about their role players? I think it will be a huge struggle for them if Durant and Booker will be injured as they already freed their role players for the recent trade. Aside from the Suns, I'm also excited about the Utah Jazz who now have Westbrook.

[püsür]

Suns is what Luka look up as a biggest opponent to defeat since they have Durant, CP3 and Booker which can deliver good performance according to their role. Suns is really a big problem since their rooster now is so deep so I guess other team also preparing for them since they are not so easy compare when Durant is on Brooklyn since they really have problem on chemistry and execution at that time.

We still need to confirm that because Durant failed to deliver on Brookly even if they are tandem with Kyrie. Durant is already not on his peak compared before so I’m now not that confident on the team he belongs unless he delivers already. He is monster when he is on GSW because his teammates is capable on carrying him on his bad game.

Booker and CP3 sometimes not that reliable if they have a bad game like what happened on last playoffs when they are beaten by Mavs. I think Nuggets and Grizzlies are more scarier than Suns with unproven Durant on their roster. They gave up a lot of there roster just to get Durant so I’m sure there will be a repercussions on this trade which we can find out once Durant play in actual.

That is a good point, his fail to keep the promise before means something. I would add Ayton to Durant, CP3 and Booker mentions, because he is also a solid player, although not on a superstar level.

On another subject, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, I don't know if he loses because of the name or if he plays in Oklahoma, but this year his personal rating is far below the value he deserves. He should definitely be in the top 3 of the mvp candidates. He scored 42 points today, scoring 82% from the field and 95% from the free throws. Flawless.

[Baofeng]

Okogie or Damion Lee might be the one replacing the twins, Cam Johnson and Mikhail Bridges departure from the Suns roster. Even Ayton has hard time digesting the event leading up to acquiring Durant, but this is the brutal business of basketball everyone is dispensable.

So let's look at the lineup, Durant, Booker, CP3 and Ayton plus one. I think that is solid already and it can play defense too.

Unless they are really trying to go full defense, then maybe they are going to rotate more.

I think it will be Torrey Craig. They have two of the most dangerous shooters in the league and CP3's options for an assist are doubled so they might as well use the hole for their defensive push.
Yeah, a lot of tension circling around on social media about how loyalty is not considered anymore. It's all business and it sounds brutal but players cannot do anything about it. Some even went further at defining it as players like items in the eyes of team management.
I think this had been the biggest trading swing that I have seen, with lots of colors.  
Western Conference became more competitive, and now Dallas Mavericks became a championship contender and so do the Suns.

We’ll find out right after the all star break. Most of the analysts seem to agree that it will be Craig. It was nice to see Booker back in action tonight against the Pacers. He helped them get the win with a pretty balanced scoring night from Booker/Ayton/Paul. They might already be making an effort to share the ball more evenly to set an example for when KD hits the court. It’ll be interesting to see the shot distribution.

Got trap there when Booker played against the Pacers hehehehe. Not sure about Torey Craig though, but given the chance, hopefully he can rise up to the occasion. True, when they heard the news, it seems everyone in the Suns suddenly find themselves to be on the positive note of the game.

So they won big, distributing the ball. It will be a good gauge to see how every team is doing right after the all star break. And for sure it is going to be competitive as they are going to make a last push on the second half of the season.

[harizen]

Lots of good things happening for Dallas right now, even if Luka is resting due to injury, their ranking is not affected, in fact, they are slowly going up in the ranking due to the 2 wins Kyrie had contributed so far. The pressure of Luka is now minimize, they'll certainly make it to the playoffs as Irving has a heart of a champion and he'll do everything to make Dallas a great team.

Agree that somehow, Dallas Mavericks is currently on the good track. Luka's demand to the management to at least have an upgrade on their roster is being granted and he was even considered asking for his permission on that trade.

Although Kyrie is known for showing sudden changes in behavior out of nowhere, it seems that he's having a good day playing with the Mavericks.

Hope that consistency of his thinking only pure basketball and not anything else will continue.

[tabas]

Many of us here have the same concern. No doubt that they certainly one of the strongest team now but that could really stop their reign if one of them becomes injure. KD is injury prone and that's not going to change the fact that he might get it again.
I guess they can manage to take care of this and they'll also be preserving most of these good players that they've got in the team. And that is because they're anticipating that they'll be making it to the finals or if not, close to the next stages.

Kevin Durant is likely to be prone to injuries and he can not do something about it because of his age, likely players that are 30 plus years are more prone to getting injured, but the good part about this is when those 4 players have combined and can play in a single game make no mistake the odds will be higher and the eye for that team for it to win is surely huge, those injuries are not permanent to the players and players would likely be healed of their injuries, so there is a chance for KD to play for the playoffs or the championship if Phoenix Suns would not be handed down with the Luka Special or if they could make it Through,

The healing process of the players depending on them and how severe the injury is. And yes, they've been through with it and they also healed afterwards.
I think we're all giving the same hype to the team because what we're all expecting is that they really are a strong and contender to hit the championship.
But hopefully, they'll justify that hype that we as fans are expecting and giving to them because there is no doubt on the posture of the team composed with these rosters.

[jakelyson]

I guess it will all be an isolation play when they hand KD the ball and Booker will be on the play style with Ayton and CP3. There will be a lot of adjustments that they need to polish as this will be the first they will have two assassins in both mid-range and outside shots. Will be looking forward at seeing them rotating the ball more.

It will be too easy to read through if it always is isolation for KD. Especially in the playoff, where opponents have time to dissect your plays. But it is interesting to know how coach Monty Williams will deploy these four together on the floor. Especially on crunch time, who will have the ball?

Booker should be the leader here because he is the franchise player, but he has to make sure that chemistry will exist as that's the only way that will give them a chance in the NBA Finals. They have been in the playoffs many times but Booker sometimes are not consistent because he is checked easily by their opponents, now that they have Durant who are a monster in scoring, they should be very unpredictable comes the playoffs.

Now that you mention it, you are right. He is good in the regular season but somehow, he is inconsistent during the playoffs. Just like how he choked in the playoffs last year or how he badly played against the Bucks in the finals the year before. I guess, though the Suns are his team, it will be KD's ball whenever they are in the pinch in the dying moments of the game. We all know KD is a killer and probably will not choke when the game is the line.

We still need to confirm that because Durant failed to deliver on Brookly even if they are tandem with Kyrie. Durant is already not on his peak compared before so I’m now not that confident on the team he belongs unless he delivers already. He is monster when he is on GSW because his teammates is capable on carrying him on his bad game.

He is a monster, but he cannot carry a team alone, especially in an era where superteams are formed. His tenure in the Nets is full of drama. He spent the first year on the bench since the Nets acquired him injured. Then there is the drama in Kyrie, then the problem with their coach Steve Nash. A team can have all the all-stars but will not win if it is that dysfunctional. Hopefully, with Monty William at the helm, we will see the full potential of KD unleashed in Phoenix. I want to see him play at a team that plays basketball as a team and not pure hero ball.

[gagux123]

I would love to see how KD will add his greatness to the Suns franchise,  let's hope for the best on both Suns and KD partnerships.

They'll be tested once they already playing together I'm sure they'll find ways to make
Things workable in chasing  a ring, Booker and CP3 are longing to have a ring hopefully they'll going to adjust.

Well, that's true! I'll also be curious to see how Durant will benefit the Suns.
CP3 + KD + Booker + Ayton (I have no doubt this could be an excellent combination, but let's see if they have chemistry between them.

I'll be rooting for this combination to work out, and I hope even more that CP3 gets his dreamed champion ring

If the chemistry between these players is successful, they can become champions. but my fear is the players who will get injured when playoff time comes. The Suns have a good squad right now, but if one of these names is injured, the number of good players who can replace him in the team is low. So they can run into problems.
It will be an exciting playoff, I hope they manage to win the ring. The retirement age is now very close

Exactly! You said something that didn't come to my mind...

During the playoffs some players can get injured more easily, especially CP3, he has a history of injuries during the recurring playoffs, and I have no doubt that this could be a big problem for the Suns.

I believe the Suns should have "some plan B" in case this kind of problem occurs for them during the playoffs.

[btc_angela]

Many of us here have the same concern. No doubt that they certainly one of the strongest team now but that could really stop their reign if one of them becomes injure. KD is injury prone and that's not going to change the fact that he might get it again.
I guess they can manage to take care of this and they'll also be preserving most of these good players that they've got in the team. And that is because they're anticipating that they'll be making it to the finals or if not, close to the next stages.

Kevin Durant is likely to be prone to injuries and he can not do something about it because of his age, likely players that are 30 plus years are more prone to getting injured, but the good part about this is when those 4 players have combined and can play in a single game make no mistake the odds will be higher and the eye for that team for it to win is surely huge, those injuries are not permanent to the players and players would likely be healed of their injuries, so there is a chance for KD to play for the playoffs or the championship if Phoenix Suns would not be handed down with the Luka Special or if they could make it Through,

The healing process of the players depending on them and how severe the injury is. And yes, they've been through with it and they also healed afterwards.
I think we're all giving the same hype to the team because what we're all expecting is that they really are a strong and contender to hit the championship.
But hopefully, they'll justify that hype that we as fans are expecting and giving to them because there is no doubt on the posture of the team composed with these rosters.

He comeback from one of the worst injuries for a basketball player is, however, he is injured again so yeah, I do believed that as he aged he will be prone to be injured, just like what Steph is right now, wherein they are in the age bracket wherein their body is just giving in because of the wear and tear.

However, I believed that the next 2 years will be the biggest for Durant, it will be a measurement if he is going to slow down a bit or still the same KD when he comes back as a Phoenix player and more likely, after the All-Star Break.

[LogitechMouse]

Lots of good things happening for Dallas right now, even if Luka is resting due to injury, their ranking is not affected, in fact, they are slowly going up in the ranking due to the 2 wins Kyrie had contributed so far. The pressure of Luka is now minimize, they'll certainly make it to the playoffs as Irving has a heart of a champion and he'll do everything to make Dallas a great team.

Agree that somehow, Dallas Mavericks is currently on the good track. Luka's demand to the management to at least have an upgrade on their roster is being granted and he was even considered asking for his permission on that trade.

Although Kyrie is known for showing sudden changes in behavior out of nowhere, it seems that he's having a good day playing with the Mavericks.

Hope that consistency of his thinking only pure basketball and not anything else will continue.

Well, many are wanting for the Mavericks to have another all-star that will play beside Luka.
We know how NBA is right now. In order for a team to win, it has at least 2-3 all-star players on it. One isn't enough in the current era right now. 2 is needed to have a chance to win.

Now Luka has an all-star on his side already, and both of them are currently playing as of this moment against the Kings. What I observe also in the Mavericks is that they have this Josh Green who is emerging and becoming the scorer of the team. He scored double digits in his last 4 games. If he will continue to play on that pace, he will be a good addition to the offense of the team.

[danherbias07]

Here's the information about the upcoming all-star game.
https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/35107493/nba-all-star-game-2023-location-schedule-rosters-news-more

Based on my understanding, there's an Eastern team and a Western team in which Giannis and Lebron are the captains respectively.
So from the name of the teams itself, it's the battle of the best in the West and the East, and since Irving was already transferred to the West, he should play in the West and his slot will be replaced in the East. The same goes with other players that are traded from West to East or vice versa.

Also, Durant will not play because he is recovering from injury.

Thanks, bro.
So there will be no picks that will happen anymore. And both players will still play for the East. I guess it doesn't matter too as this is just an event of the NBA so wherever they play it's just to enjoy the game.

Now Luka has an all-star on his side already, and both of them are currently playing as of this moment against the Kings. What I observe also in the Mavericks is that they have this Josh Green who is emerging and becoming the scorer of the team. He scored double digits in his last 4 games. If he will continue to play on that pace, he will be a good addition to the offense of the team.

One of the future stars of the league, Josh Green. As long as he gets those minutes he will definitely contribute to the Mavs and I think Mark Cuban is also liking that guy. The hustle and energy can create a big change, even McGee is showing off.  No time for Shaqtin.
But we have not seen yet what is the difference when Luka is with them. Perhaps, there will be changes in the play as the ball rotation will be different.

[YuginKadoya]

We still need to confirm that because Durant failed to deliver on Brookly even if they are tandem with Kyrie. Durant is already not on his peak compared before so I’m now not that confident on the team he belongs unless he delivers already. He is monster when he is on GSW because his teammates is capable on carrying him on his bad game.

Booker and CP3 sometimes not that reliable if they have a bad game like what happened on last playoffs when they are beaten by Mavs. I think Nuggets and Grizzlies are more scarier than Suns with unproven Durant on their roster. They gave up a lot of there roster just to get Durant so I’m sure there will be a repercussions on this trade which we can find out once Durant play in actual.

I agree to be a 37-year-old Chris Paul isn't healthy anymore and is most prone to injuries now, now that I was thinking about that Kevin Durant trade to the Suns I surely doubted if that could be convenient for the Suns or a liability, sure Kevin Durant is a monster of a player and could also play on every team he comes across with but right now a 3.5 years contract Durant versus a much younger player for the team is what the Suns needed and regarding the 37 years CP3 that mostly injured or isn't consistent anymore, I could think of something better for the Suns, and for Kevin Durant a better team he could possibly be, but the Phoenix Suns is sure willing to give their all in acquiring him to play for the team,

Make no mistake when Durant is back on the court that team is the team to beat.  Durant was playing with scrubs in Brooklyn when kyrie wasn't on the floor.  With cp3 setting the table who you guarding book, Durant?  Gonna single cover ayton down in the low post.  Going from bridges to Durant was an insane upgrade at the 3/4 spot.

On paper yes they are a great team but looking at CP3'averaging now he is not the same Chris Paul, but sure enough, he can set up a play for the team and be a 100% point guard this whole season because now they have Kevin Durant, but surely those guys are all prone to injuries even Devin Booker could get injured aswell, yes they are a very good team now, but what about the problems if Kevin Durant could handle the pressure of just being in the Phoenix Suns, that Deandre Ayton had already conquered, for me at some point those problems will surely show themselves in the future right now let's just wait for Kevin Durant to start playing with them,

[Vaculin]

I'll be rooting for this combination to work out, and I hope even more that CP3 gets his dreamed champion ring

Paul deserves to have at least one championship ring, but he doesn't have much time left. His current contract with the Suns will expire after the 24/25 season, and that's probably the last contract of his career because he'll be 40 years old by then. So it looks like Durant is Paul's last hope, although, as I said before, winning a championship won't be an easy task for the Suns.

The competition in the West now has getting harder and harder to climb especially for the Suns even if they got a good additional by acquiring Kevin Durant into their roster. Because how about if one or two of them gets injured in the playoffs where the intensity of the game brings too much wear and tear to the player, who will be the replacement of the said injured if there are already no reliable role players available. CP3 surely deserves to have at least one ring, but can they do it this season? Maybe but it won't be an easy journey as well as for the other teams in the league now.

[Captain Corporate]

Suns had that one season when they were pretty good, but CP3 has been getting older and Ayton has been quite unhappy at the team, so Booker himself couldn't handle the whole load himself. With Durant on the floor and Booker there as well, just those two would be amazing duo for any team, they will definitely be much better without a doubt. However, CP3 and Ayton are not bad for third and fourth options neither, could be harder for second position but when you add someone as amazing as Durant, then suddenly these two work out very well too. I think they are pretty good and could fight for a title but they still have many teams they have to beat first, but I would say they are the best in west right now, depending on how Durant will do of course.

[Jating]

Suns had that one season when they were pretty good, but CP3 has been getting older and Ayton has been quite unhappy at the team, so Booker himself couldn't handle the whole load himself. With Durant on the floor and Booker there as well, just those two would be amazing duo for any team, they will definitely be much better without a doubt. However, CP3 and Ayton are not bad for third and fourth options neither, could be harder for second position but when you add someone as amazing as Durant, then suddenly these two work out very well too. I think they are pretty good and could fight for a title but they still have many teams they have to beat first, but I would say they are the best in west right now, depending on how Durant will do of course.

That was their first year together, they went as high to the finals, but lost to the Bucks. And then we thought that they will make a run again the next season, but with all the Ayton drama, not getting a max rookie contract, they choke in the second round against the Dallas team lead by Luka. Booker's mistake that time is to trash talk him throughout the series, but Luka just destroyed them mentally. So let's see, it seems that they are in a momentum because of their price acquisition, although losing 2 of their core.

[dwyane36]

On paper yes they are a great team but looking at CP3'averaging now he is not the same Chris Paul, but sure enough, he can set up a play for the team and be a 100% point guard this whole season because now they have Kevin Durant, but surely those guys are all prone to injuries even Devin Booker could get injured aswell, yes they are a very good team now, but what about the problems if Kevin Durant could handle the pressure of just being in the Phoenix Suns, that Deandre Ayton had already conquered, for me at some point those problems will surely show themselves in the future right now let's just wait for Kevin Durant to start playing with them,

Injuries are the one thing that can derail any team's progress, but I hope the Suns can avoid that. As for Paul, his stats really get worse every season, and there's no doubt that Paul is far from his prime. However, as you mentioned, Paul should only play the role of a point guard on the court, and I'd say he's doing a good job of that, as he still averages 8.7 assists per game.

[Pamadar]

Suns had that one season when they were pretty good, but CP3 has been getting older and Ayton has been quite unhappy at the team, so Booker himself couldn't handle the whole load himself. With Durant on the floor and Booker there as well, just those two would be amazing duo for any team, they will definitely be much better without a doubt. However, CP3 and Ayton are not bad for third and fourth options neither, could be harder for second position but when you add someone as amazing as Durant, then suddenly these two work out very well too. I think they are pretty good and could fight for a title but they still have many teams they have to beat first, but I would say they are the best in west right now, depending on how Durant will do of course.

That was their first year together, they went as high to the finals, but lost to the Bucks. And then we thought that they will make a run again the next season, but with all the Ayton drama, not getting a max rookie contract, they choke in the second round against the Dallas team lead by Luka. Booker's mistake that time is to trash talk him throughout the series, but Luka just destroyed them mentally. So let's see, it seems that they are in a momentum because of their price acquisition, although losing 2 of their core.

With a healthy KD as their reinforcement, I can say that the winning chance is good for the Suns, they can move to the next round
and maybe a possible another West side Semis or maybe more than that.

We can't conclude yet, but hopefully they'll manage how to work together for that
same goal in winning a title.

[Ziskinberg]

Suns had that one season when they were pretty good, but CP3 has been getting older and Ayton has been quite unhappy at the team, so Booker himself couldn't handle the whole load himself. With Durant on the floor and Booker there as well, just those two would be amazing duo for any team, they will definitely be much better without a doubt. However, CP3 and Ayton are not bad for third and fourth options neither, could be harder for second position but when you add someone as amazing as Durant, then suddenly these two work out very well too. I think they are pretty good and could fight for a title but they still have many teams they have to beat first, but I would say they are the best in west right now, depending on how Durant will do of course.

That was their first year together, they went as high to the finals, but lost to the Bucks. And then we thought that they will make a run again the next season, but with all the Ayton drama, not getting a max rookie contract, they choke in the second round against the Dallas team lead by Luka. Booker's mistake that time is to trash talk him throughout the series, but Luka just destroyed them mentally. So let's see, it seems that they are in a momentum because of their price acquisition, although losing 2 of their core.

With a healthy KD as their reinforcement, I can say that the winning chance is good for the Suns, they can move to the next round
and maybe a possible another West side Semis or maybe more than that.

We can't conclude yet, but hopefully they'll manage how to work together for that
same goal in winning a title.

Durant will be more willing to help this team to reach the NBA Finals. When he was still with the Nets, he only got Irving, now he has all he needs to create a good team. CP3 and Booker can both be effective in the offense, while they have a good center at the same time. I can see that they'll not only pass the 2nd round, they'll reach the WCF the least.

[Baofeng]

Suns had that one season when they were pretty good, but CP3 has been getting older and Ayton has been quite unhappy at the team, so Booker himself couldn't handle the whole load himself. With Durant on the floor and Booker there as well, just those two would be amazing duo for any team, they will definitely be much better without a doubt. However, CP3 and Ayton are not bad for third and fourth options neither, could be harder for second position but when you add someone as amazing as Durant, then suddenly these two work out very well too. I think they are pretty good and could fight for a title but they still have many teams they have to beat first, but I would say they are the best in west right now, depending on how Durant will do of course.

That was their first year together, they went as high to the finals, but lost to the Bucks. And then we thought that they will make a run again the next season, but with all the Ayton drama, not getting a max rookie contract, they choke in the second round against the Dallas team lead by Luka. Booker's mistake that time is to trash talk him throughout the series, but Luka just destroyed them mentally. So let's see, it seems that they are in a momentum because of their price acquisition, although losing 2 of their core.

With a healthy KD as their reinforcement, I can say that the winning chance is good for the Suns, they can move to the next round
and maybe a possible another West side Semis or maybe more than that.

We can't conclude yet, but hopefully they'll manage how to work together for that
same goal in winning a title.

Durant will be more willing to help this team to reach the NBA Finals. When he was still with the Nets, he only got Irving, now he has all he needs to create a good team. CP3 and Booker can both be effective in the offense, while they have a good center at the same time. I can see that they'll not only pass the 2nd round, they'll reach the WCF the least.

It's too early to call that, it's a bold statement but we will have to see how the chemistry first and then we can speculate how good it will be or how far they can reach this season. Booker and CP3 was almost there, and if I'm not mistaken, it was the first time that CP3 is healthy and has a chance, but Giannis is too good during that run.

So right after the all star, or when KD is available, we will see how his blending with the other 2 super stars of Phoenix. I think the key here will be Ayton, because he will have to play good defense as they have loaded with offensive weapons already.

[Distinctin]

So right after the all star, or when KD is available, we will see how his blending with the other 2 super stars of Phoenix.

Most likely as Durant will not be able to participate in the all star, it's just unfortunate he got injured, but at the same time he is also fortunate because he landed on a championship team.

I think the key here will be Ayton, because he will have to play good defense as they have loaded with offensive weapons already.

Ayton always play good defense, if there's someone who needs to play good defense, it should be Chris Paul as he is known to be a good defender, but it's still positive if he is on the floor as he can facilitate the ball well.