With the first round of the NBA playoffs already underway, the Suns' offseason plan for 2024 has become a big talking point around the league. No team seems to be in a worse position than them right now.
The team's new owner, Matt Ishbia, tried to dismiss talk of them being in trouble, but he should take most of the blame for putting the team in this position in the first place.
While anyone in his place would have made a trade for Kevin Durant, trading Bradley Beal was a huge mistake, and one didn't have to be a basketball expert to realize that. With that in mind, and given the Suns' cap space and situation, we'll evaluate their options for the future.
Suns 2024 offseason plan: How to fix this mess?
The Phoenix Suns don't have control over their first-round picks from 2025 to 2030, and they don't have second-round picks either. The new CBA makes it difficult for teams to duplicate as luxury tax teams, and each arena has strict penalties.
That means this team will be thinking outside the box to get some help around its stars. They can only sign players to veteran minimum deals, which is another reason why they are in a “rush” to sign Grayson Allen to a contract extension.
Someone has to go
It goes without saying that Kevin Durant is one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history. However, it shouldn't be long before we see social media filled with trade rumors about Kevin Durant. The truth is, this makes sense for the team.
Durant may not like the idea of moving around again, but he shouldn't have a say in the matter. His trade value isn't as high as it used to be, but he stayed healthy for most of the season and was as effective as ever, so there are still multiple teams willing to trade him.
It makes sense for the Oklahoma City Thunder, as they have the assets and the opposing team, not to mention the emotional ties to it. The New York Knicks could also be in the mix, as they have enough picks to compete for him.
However, it may not be their best trading chip right now. All the Bradley Beal news points to is how bad the trade would be, especially given the fact that he didn't waive his no-trade clause, so they're pretty much stuck with him.
Bale is injury prone and can't play without getting a lot of touches. No team will take him with the $150+ million he's owed for the next three years unless the Suns attach a draft pick to his contract, which won't happen.
Possible poker trade
If you've done the math, you've probably realized that Devin Booker is now the odd man out. He's the star of their franchise and the youngest member of the Big 3, so they'd clearly hate to part with a homegrown talent like him.
However, under the current circumstances, this may be their only option. Even if he fails in the playoffs time and time again, Booker is one of the best scorers in the league, and he's still young and just entering his prime, so he should measure up to a lot of value to them.
There is no way to build a team without cap space or draft picks. They have no other assets to trade and surround their stars without making major sacrifices. The sun flew too close to the sun — no pun intended — and this risky bet they made didn't pay off. Who would have thought that a team without a starting goalie would struggle offensively?
