The Official 2024 Offseason Thread

[Saberestar]

Read on Twitter

One less option available for us as a HC.

Lee was considered a solid option for various teams for a couple years already.

[Saberestar]

Watch on YouTube

Grayson Allen had some crazy dunks this season.

[Desertfox]

Sad thing is, had we drafted Haliburton we would have failed to develop him properly and then included him in the Beal trade...

This team is done until JJ is gone.

[bwgood77]

Honestly, looking at the top rankings of coaching candidates, the only names like are Chris Quinn and Budenholzer. I am not sure how he is with offense, but any right hand man of Spoelstra I trust.

Then honestly I would go with Budenholzer. He is strictly a spread the floor offensive guy who wants his team to shoot a lot of 3s. He did great things with that Hawks team despite them not having the talent...he took them as far as he could...but of course they ran into prime LeBron and Kyrie.

Then in Milwaukee he dominated....he took over a team coached by Kidd that went 44-38 and went to 60 wins...and went 8-1 in the first two rounds before losing to the Kawhi-led Raptors, who were dominating in the playoffs.

The following year they were completely dominating in the regular season...I remember Zach Lowe writing about how their ratings was miles ahead of second place and they were just killing it. But then the COVID break happened and there were months off, and they were not quite the same team when they came back....they still got the 1 seed going 56-17 and this was a team without a ton of talent outside of Giannis and Middleton. They had Bledsoe, Lopez (who only shot 31% from 3 that year) and then Wesley Matthews and a 2nd year DiVincenzo.

So it's not like he had much depth, with his 3rd of 4th best player being Bledsoe and then quite a drop off after that.

Then he gets Jrue and Portis and as we all know, wins the finals.

He knows offense. He knows how to get players to spread the floor and hit 3s. the Bucks didn't even have great 3 pt shooters. We do.

I think with him and our offensive weapons, we would destroy teams on offense.

I know Bucks fans complained about him because they had a great record and lost in the playoffs to Miami, but the talent top to bottom wasn't that strong, and he really overachieved in the regular season with the talent they had.

And unlike us, after going to the ECF and then losing in the 2nd round, they retooled, and won the championship.

Quinn might have us more disciplined, and better defensively, and I started this post saying I think Quinn is the best choice, but the more I think about it, I think Bud is by far the best choice. Lue might be better, but out of guys out there, we should hire Bud. He would be MUCH MUCH better than Vogel.

I'm not the biggest Bud fan but honestly, he's just a better fit than Vogel. Even when Vogel was hired it was an odd fit given he's more of a defensive focused guy and they tried to make it work by throwing Young in as the offensive mind. For all the Bud blunders in the playoffs, I do really like the offense he runs and I think he does have the ability to get a lot of balance and output out of the team (ie that ATL team had no one averaging more than 16.7ppg) and given our situation, we need everyone to be contributing.

I don't really know enough about Quinn to have an opinion. I know a few teams were looking at him not too long ago but either he decided to stick with Miami for now or those teams decided to go in a different direction.

Bud really doesn't have that many blunders in the playoffs. Atlanta really overachieved in the regular season and LeBron and Kyrie were just better. I think Korver was out too.

Then the Bucks, first year with a great record, with Bledsoe as their 3rd best player, won 60 and lost in the ECF to Kawhi and a Raptors team that has been to the ECF for years.

The one stumble was Miami the next year in the 2nd round...however they were a bit discombulated after the COVID break and dominating the regular season, and if I recall correctly, Milwaukee had some serious stuff with cops and Minnesota nearby, is where George Floyd was murdered. They also still had Bledsoe/Lopez as 3rd best player and the next year against us had traded Bledsoe for Jrue, they added Portis and Lopez really improved. They later got rid of Bud but have become worse, in the regular season and playoffs after making the finals.

[bwgood77]

Why did JJ pass on Brunson?

Just national player of the year, played with Bridges, led a team to the national championship. But Okobo must have looked awfully good I suppose.

[bwgood77]

Haliburton wouldn't have gotten playing time behind CP3 and Cam Payne for three years. Sitting on the bench would not have developed him. Started 150 games in the first three years. He wouldn't have started a game under Monty. Monty didn't give playing time to the youngsters. After one bad game, the rest of the season in the doghouse.

Who cares? He would have gotten plenty of time when Paul was out, especially in the playoffs, and certainly would have been over Payne and gotten 25 minutes and taken over post Paul.

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

Well, as long as Ishbia is in his delusional phase (assuming it's not a lifetime thing), we won't see a functional, likable team. We can pray something happens forcing him to sell (like the Sarver thing), but that's just pure sf right now. Maybe in a few years when he sees scorched earth all around him, he'll understand how comically incompetent he is and let actual professionals run things here. Till that day comes, stay strong fellas.

I was a little concerned when the sale was being planned that, being an *, Sarver might choose another * to bolster his own reputation one day by the inevitable retrospective comparison, and as a final F you to the fans. I knew nothing about Ishbia when he was announced, and it's reasonable to consider that the very worst sort of person might be the type to make the best offer to buy a sports team, so it's possible Sarver being an * isn't what resulted in us having another * owner.

Either way, I'm pretty sure Ishbia's an * -- just a big, loose *, as opposed to the squeaky tight variety. I don't think he'll ever sell - unless, as you said, ESPN finds a bunch of dirty $hit everywhere. The odds of him getting humbled like you're hoping for are currently pretty low, but they should get better over time as L's and age pile up.

This is why I want to go back to the tank. You don't have to be a nice guy to nail a draft pick. It won't happen this year, but one day, surely?

[Ghost of Kleine]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024/5/8/24147846/way-too-early-targets-phoenix-suns-free-agency-trade-nba
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/

“Way too early” targets for the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns need to find a creative way to get better this summer.

By Brandon Duenas
May 8, 2024, 6:00am MST

Spoiler:

The Phoenix Suns have work to do this offseason.

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are still going strong, but the offseason has already begun for 22 teams.

For the basketball junkies, it’s never too early to dive into the potential names in free agency or the trade market. The NBA Draft is another route they can take, but that is unlikely now.

In a press conference earlier this week, James Jones was asked by Baxter Holmes about his overall view on how the Suns can build out their roster from a flexibility standpoint. His response: “We have assets add players to the positions that will make us better. I’m not thinking about 2031. None of us are thinking about 2031.” Reading between the lines here: do not get attached to the Suns’ 1st round pick this season. Or their 2031 first-rounder. This team wants to win now at all costs.

There is value in having cheap rotation players on rookie contracts; there are several examples of those situations around the league. The draft still matters for contenders despite popular opinion. However, if Phoenix can find a way to improve and the cost is dealing another pick, I’m fine with it.

The team is set on continuing to go all-in on their established core. Who are some players that could help the Suns now? The type of player the Suns could receive in this hypothetical scenario is intriguing. Their ability to deal multiple picks is flying under the radar. While they can’t stack contracts, they can send one (Nurkic, Little, etc.) attached with multiple picks to sweeten the pot.

Read on Twitter

The Targets
This will be an informal dive into some players tossed around in my mentions in reply to this tweet the other day. There is plenty of time for the nerdy cap space stuff, so we’ll save that for later. The names in the replies included:

LeBron James (yes, the people are speaking... see John’s piece here)
James Harden (what salary restrictions?)
These two are going to generate buzz (whether there’s a real shot or not) and

Read on Twitter

Let’s step back and throw some names at the wall like a couple of friends sitting at a bar for this segment.

Read on Twitter

- Chris Paul (reunite him with the fellas and bring LeBron on board to get crazy & old)
- Russell Westbrook (KD-Russ reunion on a vet min?)
- Kyle Lowry (a vet that can take Gordon’s minutes and fill a need)
- Clint Capela (a playable veteran center, I’m in!)
- Brook Lopez (see above)
- Alex Caruso (we’ve been flirting with this idea for years)
- Marcus Smart (tough to see this happening)
- Dennis Schroeder (also been flirting with this one for a while)
- Saddiq Bey (a playable wing/forward that can shoot? why not)
- Kris Dunn (defense and playmaking)
- Larry Nance Jr. (via trade, unlikely)
- Mason Plumlee (sure?)
- Robert Covington (3&D)
- PJ Tucker (pure nostalgia... he doesn't have a ton left in the tank)
- Patrick Beverley (gross)
Okay, now we’re in deep conversation. Approaching sicko territory.

- Richaun Holmes (sure... welcome back)
- Dario Saric (Dario strong. why not... welcome back)
- Monte Morris
- Cam Payne (could’ve used turbo last year at times...)
- Josh Richardson
- Delon Wright
- Bismack Biyombo (BIZ!)
- Christian Wood
- Mo Bamba
- Torrey Craig (again)
- Bronny James (secure LeBron on a minimum contract, 4D Chess)

Looking internally, I want Phoenix to bring back Royce O’Neale and Bol Bol. Josh Okogie to a lesser extent.

Which names interest you the most above? Who is missing? Drop your favorite targets below!

Do any of these listed names sound intriguing to you guys, or even realistic as vet min depth options??

[SunsRback4Good]

https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/2909238

“Rick Carlisle believes his Indiana Pacers have been victimized by unfair officiating in their series against the New York Knicks.”

“Small-market teams deserve an equal shot," Carlisle said, according to SNY. "They deserve a fair shot - no matter where they're playing"

“Games where it felt like the whistles weren't balanced," he added. "We pulled clips, and there's a way to send it to the NBA head office. ... There were 29 plays in Game 1 that we thought were clearly called the wrong way. I decided not to submit them because I just felt like we'd get a more balanced whistle tonight. It didn't feel that way."

“The Pacers identified 49 questionable calls in Game 2, plus 29 from Game 1, and submitted all 78 instances to the league office for review Wednesday night, sources told ESPN's Brian Windhorst.”

“Give New York credit for the physicality that they're playing with. But their physicality is rewarded and ours is penalized - just time after time. I'm just really disappointed."

[sunskerr]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024/5/8/24147846/way-too-early-targets-phoenix-suns-free-agency-trade-nba
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/

“Way too early” targets for the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns need to find a creative way to get better this summer.

By Brandon Duenas
May 8, 2024, 6:00am MST

Spoiler:

The Phoenix Suns have work to do this offseason.

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are still going strong, but the offseason has already begun for 22 teams.

For the basketball junkies, it’s never too early to dive into the potential names in free agency or the trade market. The NBA Draft is another route they can take, but that is unlikely now.

In a press conference earlier this week, James Jones was asked by Baxter Holmes about his overall view on how the Suns can build out their roster from a flexibility standpoint. His response: “We have assets add players to the positions that will make us better. I’m not thinking about 2031. None of us are thinking about 2031.” Reading between the lines here: do not get attached to the Suns’ 1st round pick this season. Or their 2031 first-rounder. This team wants to win now at all costs.

There is value in having cheap rotation players on rookie contracts; there are several examples of those situations around the league. The draft still matters for contenders despite popular opinion. However, if Phoenix can find a way to improve and the cost is dealing another pick, I’m fine with it.

The team is set on continuing to go all-in on their established core. Who are some players that could help the Suns now? The type of player the Suns could receive in this hypothetical scenario is intriguing. Their ability to deal multiple picks is flying under the radar. While they can’t stack contracts, they can send one (Nurkic, Little, etc.) attached with multiple picks to sweeten the pot.

Read on Twitter

The Targets
This will be an informal dive into some players tossed around in my mentions in reply to this tweet the other day. There is plenty of time for the nerdy cap space stuff, so we’ll save that for later. The names in the replies included:

LeBron James (yes, the people are speaking... see John’s piece here)
James Harden (what salary restrictions?)
These two are going to generate buzz (whether there’s a real shot or not) and

Read on Twitter

Let’s step back and throw some names at the wall like a couple of friends sitting at a bar for this segment.

Read on Twitter

- Chris Paul (reunite him with the fellas and bring LeBron on board to get crazy & old)
- Russell Westbrook (KD-Russ reunion on a vet min?)
- Kyle Lowry (a vet that can take Gordon’s minutes and fill a need)
- Clint Capela (a playable veteran center, I’m in!)
- Brook Lopez (see above)
- Alex Caruso (we’ve been flirting with this idea for years)
- Marcus Smart (tough to see this happening)
- Dennis Schroeder (also been flirting with this one for a while)
- Saddiq Bey (a playable wing/forward that can shoot? why not)
- Kris Dunn (defense and playmaking)
- Larry Nance Jr. (via trade, unlikely)
- Mason Plumlee (sure?)
- Robert Covington (3&D)
- PJ Tucker (pure nostalgia... he doesn't have a ton left in the tank)
- Patrick Beverley (gross)
Okay, now we’re in deep conversation. Approaching sicko territory.

- Richaun Holmes (sure... welcome back)
- Dario Saric (Dario strong. why not... welcome back)
- Monte Morris
- Cam Payne (could’ve used turbo last year at times...)
- Josh Richardson
- Delon Wright
- Bismack Biyombo (BIZ!)
- Christian Wood
- Mo Bamba
- Torrey Craig (again)
- Bronny James (secure LeBron on a minimum contract, 4D Chess)

Looking internally, I want Phoenix to bring back Royce O’Neale and Bol Bol. Josh Okogie to a lesser extent.

Which names interest you the most above? Who is missing? Drop your favorite targets below!

Do any of these listed names sound intriguing to you guys, or even realistic as vet min depth options??

All those targets sound unrealistic or fully washed up.

Outside of the role player we acquire for our picks, we're in for another year of cast offs and over the hill vets. There's a reason the junkyard jones nickname stuck around here.

If we have to move the picks I'd prefer Capela (from that list) since that would give us size and could let us move Nurk to the bench as a 6th man, and would surely help our interior finishing and defense. He's declining a little bit but he's not over the hill by any stretch.

Lopez would be huge too providing spacing and defense. Maybe we bring him off the bench and split minutes with Nurkic. But he's 36 I'd hate to give up a draft pick for him.

Caruso seems like a pipe dream but at the same time it's like we need more size since the FO seems intent on forcing this no PG kind of offense through. Like running all these guys Beal/Booker/Caruso/Grayson major minutes will require them to spend time at the 3 which is similar to the problem we had this past season - we're a bit small. Certainly not complaining if we get him but I also expect the Bulls to be idiots like us and not blow it up.

As for the vet min level guys they're all interchangeable grab bag stuff. You get lucky and hit on one of them getting you a decent year or even more likely you miss on them all. It doesn't really matter to discuss them since they are statistical crapshoots.

I do think Paul on a minimum would help us out in the regular season off the bench. Lower his minutes and bubble wrap him for the playoffs maybe he can give you 24 mpg in May. Much prefer him over Westbrook. Lord knows we need Paul's coaching and leadership too.

God it's almost futile discussing this stuff with these idiots in charge. What's the point lol.

[Puff]

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2024/5/8/24147846/way-too-early-targets-phoenix-suns-free-agency-trade-nba
https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/

“Way too early” targets for the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns need to find a creative way to get better this summer.

By Brandon Duenas
May 8, 2024, 6:00am MST

Spoiler:

The Phoenix Suns have work to do this offseason.

The 2024 NBA Playoffs are still going strong, but the offseason has already begun for 22 teams.

For the basketball junkies, it’s never too early to dive into the potential names in free agency or the trade market. The NBA Draft is another route they can take, but that is unlikely now.

In a press conference earlier this week, James Jones was asked by Baxter Holmes about his overall view on how the Suns can build out their roster from a flexibility standpoint. His response: “We have assets add players to the positions that will make us better. I’m not thinking about 2031. None of us are thinking about 2031.” Reading between the lines here: do not get attached to the Suns’ 1st round pick this season. Or their 2031 first-rounder. This team wants to win now at all costs.

There is value in having cheap rotation players on rookie contracts; there are several examples of those situations around the league. The draft still matters for contenders despite popular opinion. However, if Phoenix can find a way to improve and the cost is dealing another pick, I’m fine with it.

The team is set on continuing to go all-in on their established core. Who are some players that could help the Suns now? The type of player the Suns could receive in this hypothetical scenario is intriguing. Their ability to deal multiple picks is flying under the radar. While they can’t stack contracts, they can send one (Nurkic, Little, etc.) attached with multiple picks to sweeten the pot.

Read on Twitter

The Targets
This will be an informal dive into some players tossed around in my mentions in reply to this tweet the other day. There is plenty of time for the nerdy cap space stuff, so we’ll save that for later. The names in the replies included:

LeBron James (yes, the people are speaking... see John’s piece here)
James Harden (what salary restrictions?)
These two are going to generate buzz (whether there’s a real shot or not) and

Read on Twitter

Let’s step back and throw some names at the wall like a couple of friends sitting at a bar for this segment.

Read on Twitter

- Chris Paul (reunite him with the fellas and bring LeBron on board to get crazy & old)
- Russell Westbrook (KD-Russ reunion on a vet min?)
- Kyle Lowry (a vet that can take Gordon’s minutes and fill a need)
- Clint Capela (a playable veteran center, I’m in!)
- Brook Lopez (see above)
- Alex Caruso (we’ve been flirting with this idea for years)
- Marcus Smart (tough to see this happening)
- Dennis Schroeder (also been flirting with this one for a while)
- Saddiq Bey (a playable wing/forward that can shoot? why not)
- Kris Dunn (defense and playmaking)
- Larry Nance Jr. (via trade, unlikely)
- Mason Plumlee (sure?)
- Robert Covington (3&D)
- PJ Tucker (pure nostalgia... he doesn't have a ton left in the tank)
- Patrick Beverley (gross)
Okay, now we’re in deep conversation. Approaching sicko territory.

- Richaun Holmes (sure... welcome back)
- Dario Saric (Dario strong. why not... welcome back)
- Monte Morris
- Cam Payne (could’ve used turbo last year at times...)
- Josh Richardson
- Delon Wright
- Bismack Biyombo (BIZ!)
- Christian Wood
- Mo Bamba
- Torrey Craig (again)
- Bronny James (secure LeBron on a minimum contract, 4D Chess)

Looking internally, I want Phoenix to bring back Royce O’Neale and Bol Bol. Josh Okogie to a lesser extent.

Which names interest you the most above? Who is missing? Drop your favorite targets below!

Do any of these listed names sound intriguing to you guys, or even realistic as vet min depth options?? :dontknow:

Tobias Harris - He is a free agent - How much will he cost?

Best available PF/C with our draft pick

[ImNotMcDiSwear]

I want youth. Not because they may have upside, but because they'll bring energy.

[enigmatics]

Haliburton wouldn't have gotten playing time behind CP3 and Cam Payne for three years. Sitting on the bench would not have developed him. Started 150 games in the first three years. He wouldn't have started a game under Monty. Monty didn't give playing time to the youngsters. After one bad game, the rest of the season in the doghouse.

Who cares? He would have gotten plenty of time when Paul was out, especially in the playoffs, and certainly would have been over Payne and gotten 25 minutes and taken over post Paul.

Such an obtuse and dismissive response.

They weren't carrying 4 PG's in the roster in 20/21. They had already bought into the Cam Payne fool's gold from the bubble run and CP3 was the piece they felt they needed to ascend. Plus as mentioned before - Monty didn't play youngsters.

There is some logic behind loading up on a strength of a team that could potentially lead to trading assets and the obviously there's the CP3 age factor so it would've been wise to prepare. The question is whether JJ felt Payne was the heir apparent which in hindsight ain't smart.

[enigmatics]

Well, as long as Ishbia is in his delusional phase (assuming it's not a lifetime thing), we won't see a functional, likable team. We can pray something happens forcing him to sell (like the Sarver thing), but that's just pure sf right now. Maybe in a few years when he sees scorched earth all around him, he'll understand how comically incompetent he is and let actual professionals run things here. Till that day comes, stay strong fellas.

I was a little concerned when the sale was being planned that, being an *, Sarver might choose another * to bolster his own reputation one day by the inevitable retrospective comparison, and as a final F you to the fans. I knew nothing about Ishbia when he was announced, and it's reasonable to consider that the very worst sort of person might be the type to make the best offer to buy a sports team, so it's possible Sarver being an * isn't what resulted in us having another * owner.

Either way, I'm pretty sure Ishbia's an * -- just a big, loose *, as opposed to the squeaky tight variety. I don't think he'll ever sell - unless, as you said, ESPN finds a bunch of dirty $hit everywhere. The odds of him getting humbled like you're hoping for are currently pretty low, but they should get better over time as L's and age pile up.

This is why I want to go back to the tank. You don't have to be a nice guy to nail a draft pick. It won't happen this year, but one day, surely?

Sarver didn't sell to Ishbia to sabotage the Suns. GTFO. That's just weird trauma talking.

[Ghost of Kleine]

If the Suns front office ownership are really hell-bent on limiting their options to only NBA free agency, and/or trades to try and fill/upgrade their bench depth and shore up positional weaknesses, then this is my list of our best available and realistic options in the veteran minimum range.

Suns Top 5 best vet minimum options for depth at each position!!!

Point Guards (**Aside from the obvious Chris Paul or Kyle Lowry considerations) ** I'm only offering names that I actually consider REALISTIC OPTIONS at a vet min pricetag!
*** Chris Paul or Kyle Lowry IF available and mutually interested? .......... Otherwise
1- Kris Dunn.
2- Delon Wright.
3- RJ Nembhard Jr.
4- George Hill.
5- Cory Joseph.
** Shaq Harrison?

Shooting guards

1- Victor Oladipo.
2- Kenyon Martin Jr.
3- Reggie Bullock.
4- Alec Burks.
5- Garrison Matthews.
** Donovan Williams?


Small Forwards

1- Kelly Oubre.
2- Robert Covington.
3- Nic Batum.
4- Montrez Harrell or Moe Harkless.
5- Stanley Johnson.
** Feron Hunt?

Power Forward
1- Kai Jones.
2- Dwight Howard or Demarcus Cousins.
3- Mike Muscala or Davis Bertans or Frank Kaminsky (3 PT spacing big men)??
4- JaMychael Green or Jeff Green.
5- Dario Saric.
*** Makur Maker or Wenyen Gabriel?

Centers

1- Goga Bidatze.
2- Nerlens Noel.
3- Christian Koloko (IF his health checks out)???
4- Damion Jones.
5- Bismack Biyombo.
** EJ Onu or Amidah Brimah?

[Dr Manute]

The way I see it, the Suns can only improve if they trade one of the Big 3 for 3 quality roll players. I suggest Durant to New York or OKC. Durant is hanging with Jimmy in Miami - maybe the friendship between him a Booker isn't as strong as it was last year.

The Suns need quality roll players and the only way they can get them is:

1) trade - we would need to trade something of value to get something of value. Quality roll players are valuable.
2) draft - we would need to be very lucky because of our late picks.
3) free agent - very unlikely at vet minimum.

NY: Durant and Roddy for Hart, Anunoby, Hartenstein and #24 pick
OKC: Durant for Giddey, Dort a load of draft picks and cap relief.

and, Ishbia should hire a Negotiator to work with JJ to handle the trade so we get the max we can for Durant.

[enigmatics]

The way I see it, the Suns can only improve if they trade one of the Big 3 for 3 quality roll players. I suggest Durant to New York or OKC. Durant is hanging with Jimmy in Miami - maybe the friendship between him a Booker isn't as strong as it was last year.

The Suns need quality roll players and the only way they can get them is:

1) trade - we would need to trade something of value to get something of value. Quality roll players are valuable.
2) draft - we would need to be very lucky because of our late picks.
3) free agent - very unlikely at vet minimum.

NY: Durant and Roddy for Hart, Anunoby, Hartenstein and #24 pick
OKC: Durant for Giddey, Dort a load of draft picks and cap relief.

What we saw this year was one of the worst outcomes possible and a smart ownership group would have a contingency plan to not make it worse given how small the window is.

They honestly should just start over. There's not much redeemable about this iteration and that's coming from someone who gave it the entire year.

None of the Big 3 are Prime NBA superstars and they have redundant skill sets most specifically obsession with iso midrange. When you stack that on top of too many roster deficiencies and no floor leadership it becomes even more apparent.

Beyond that after watching these playoffs it's fairly obvious the NBA has methodically moved on from super teams. There's just too much talent across the league for it to be a factor like it once was.

They're likely wasting their time with this.

[ChuckS]

Let KD go to Miami I can’t stand watching him anymore. The guy had 15 years to practice how to dribble & pass instead decided to shoot, shoot & shoot. Arguable the greatest shooter ever but can’t do anything else on the court. He’ll never be an alpha that’s why teaming up with greats makes most sense to him. KD is not a first option and will never be one.

I apologize for intruding on your board, but watched recent Suns games because of KD and Royce. I naturally agree with your comments on his shooting but have some disagreements.

As far as his dribbling I, personally, never expect a seven footer to handle like Marques Haynes. Even Magic Johnson averaged 3.9 turnovers. And any great shooter will suffer the consequences of doubles and traps. KD has a career average of 3.2 turnovers per game. This is not all that different than other current offensive threats. LeBron has averaged 3.5 and Nurkic 3.3 for example. Even Larry Bird had a comparable 3.1. I will admit, however, that there have been similar others who have averaged somewhat fewer.

I also think you may be overlooking his decent rebounding and assist numbers, but mostly his defensive prowess. One of, if not the best, defensive coaches I've admired is Ron Adams, of OKC and GSW most recently. He speaks highly of KD.

https://www.warriorsworld.net/ron-adams-praises-kevin-durants-defensive-ability/

Durant is a lengthy weapon on the defensive end with his quick feet and 7’5’’ wingspan. Adams has high hopes for Durant in the defensive scheme the team runs.

“His versatility is outstanding,” said Adams about Durant. “He’s a terrific defender, who played with great defensive consistency in our playoff series.”

But I most disagree that KD is not an alpha or first option. He's been a ROY, League MVP, 2 times Finals MVP, Olympic MVP, FIBA World Champion MVP, and 2 time all star game MVP. That is many occasions of being the best of the best. In spite of the "Curry coat tails crap", IMO if you are on the floor with and against Curry, Klay, Draymond, LeBron, and Irving and win Finals MVP twice, and Gold Medal MVP on a team with Dame, Tatum, Booker, etal, you are the bus driver. Following are the sentiments of a few who were there:

https://fadeawayworld.net/steve-kerr-says-kevin-durant-is-the-most-gifted-player-of-all-time-michael-jordan-magic-johnson-larry-bird-theyre-in-awe-of-kevin

https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/draymond-cites-stephs-growth-in-why-dubs-needed-kd-in-17-18/1421112/

https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/gregg-popovich-i-would-have-begged-cried-done-anything-to-get-kevin-durant-on-team-usa

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10053107-klay-thompson-it-bothers-me-when-people-dont-talk-about-kevin-durants-greatness

[Qwigglez]

The Suns with the wedding gift! Thanks for firing Vogel!

[Saberestar]

VOGEL IS GONE!!!!!

LETSSSSS GOOOO!