Fred Katz

But I did a story earlier this week on Phoenix, and I went into that story thinking, you know what? Everyone has covered the suns like a circus. Everyone has gone there and been like, this place is on fire. Let's bring some damn gasoline and see what happens. I just... I felt like there wasn't a good enough narrative around like, okay, but how did the Suns get here?

How did the basketball end up like this? Yeah, they're trying to get Jimmy Butler. And yeah, they're in this bad place with Bradley Beal. And yeah, they're 10th in the West. But they had to do something wrong as a basketball team in order to be 21 and 21. They had to disappoint on the court. How did they actually get here? That team right now defensively is not there.

How did the basketball end up like this? Yeah, they're trying to get Jimmy Butler. And yeah, they're in this bad place with Bradley Beal. And yeah, they're 10th in the West. But they had to do something wrong as a basketball team in order to be 21 and 21. They had to disappoint on the court. How did they actually get here? That team right now defensively is not there.

How did the basketball end up like this? Yeah, they're trying to get Jimmy Butler. And yeah, they're in this bad place with Bradley Beal. And yeah, they're 10th in the West. But they had to do something wrong as a basketball team in order to be 21 and 21. They had to disappoint on the court. How did they actually get here? That team right now defensively is not there.

The rim protection is not great. We'll see what Nick Richards does for that. The perimeter defense, the point of attack defense has not been great. We'll see what Ryan Dunn in the starting lineup does for that. He's been a little bit better, but their defense over the stretch with Dunn in the starting lineup, it's still bottom half of the league.

The rim protection is not great. We'll see what Nick Richards does for that. The perimeter defense, the point of attack defense has not been great. We'll see what Ryan Dunn in the starting lineup does for that. He's been a little bit better, but their defense over the stretch with Dunn in the starting lineup, it's still bottom half of the league.

The rim protection is not great. We'll see what Nick Richards does for that. The perimeter defense, the point of attack defense has not been great. We'll see what Ryan Dunn in the starting lineup does for that. He's been a little bit better, but their defense over the stretch with Dunn in the starting lineup, it's still bottom half of the league.

Still giving up over 115 points per 100 possessions during the stretch. So it's not like they just put in Ryan Dunn and they're good to go. They've made an effort to separate their worst perimeter defenders, like Tyus Jones and Beal are not playing as much together. But this team is very imperfect. The rebounding is not very good.

Still giving up over 115 points per 100 possessions during the stretch. So it's not like they just put in Ryan Dunn and they're good to go. They've made an effort to separate their worst perimeter defenders, like Tyus Jones and Beal are not playing as much together. But this team is very imperfect. The rebounding is not very good.

Still giving up over 115 points per 100 possessions during the stretch. So it's not like they just put in Ryan Dunn and they're good to go. They've made an effort to separate their worst perimeter defenders, like Tyus Jones and Beal are not playing as much together. But this team is very imperfect. The rebounding is not very good.

This team is just very far from perfect.

This team is just very far from perfect.

This team is just very far from perfect.

Even if you get the best version of Jimmy, I... Look... You can make a run. You can maybe win a playoff series, winning three playoff series. And you're getting older with Jimmy Butler. And it's one of the few scenarios where you're treating badly Bradley Beal. And you can't definitively argue you're getting healthier either. You're getting five years older and you might be getting unhealthier.

Even if you get the best version of Jimmy, I... Look... You can make a run. You can maybe win a playoff series, winning three playoff series. And you're getting older with Jimmy Butler. And it's one of the few scenarios where you're treating badly Bradley Beal. And you can't definitively argue you're getting healthier either. You're getting five years older and you might be getting unhealthier.

Even if you get the best version of Jimmy, I... Look... You can make a run. You can maybe win a playoff series, winning three playoff series. And you're getting older with Jimmy Butler. And it's one of the few scenarios where you're treating badly Bradley Beal. And you can't definitively argue you're getting healthier either. You're getting five years older and you might be getting unhealthier.

You're certainly not getting healthier. And you're still digging in to that money if you pay Jimmy Butler on a long term, you know, a 50 something million dollar salary long term. If you get him to opt out of his deal and maybe you pay him 30 a year for three years or something like that.

You're certainly not getting healthier. And you're still digging in to that money if you pay Jimmy Butler on a long term, you know, a 50 something million dollar salary long term. If you get him to opt out of his deal and maybe you pay him 30 a year for three years or something like that.

You're certainly not getting healthier. And you're still digging in to that money if you pay Jimmy Butler on a long term, you know, a 50 something million dollar salary long term. If you get him to opt out of his deal and maybe you pay him 30 a year for three years or something like that.

And as opposed to picking up the 52 million dollar player option, maybe we can have a little bit of a different discussion because that might be a more. movable sort of contract because when jimmy butler plays and when he doesn't go out of his way to intentionally derail your entire team he's still a really good basketball player but I don't know, man. It's tough. It's not enough.