Should Phoenix Suns make a move or stay put as NBA trade deadline approaches?
WASHINGTON – The NBA trade deadline is Thursday and the Phoenix Suns have yet to make any moves.
They have limited assets after trading away players and picks to acquire Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in blockbuster deals last year. The Suns are strapped financially being over the league's second tax apron now and projected for next season because of player salaries, which leaves them with little flexibility in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Suns do have their $6.5-million and $5-million trade exceptions, in which they can send out cash in a deal and salaries that are aggregated, but this is the last time they can utilize it.
Phoenix must have a roster spot open to execute the trade exception. Right now, they don’t.
The $6.5 million exception came in the Cameron Payne trade to the San Antonio Spurs last summer and the $5 million exception was a result of the Dario Saric trade. The trade exception essentially matches the salary of a player as draft picks can be dealt in the trade.
The Suns need a taller wing defender with scoring ability, a backup big to help their interior defense and could use a backup point guard, in that order. The thought of them staying pat seems odd considering how aggressive Suns team owner Mat Ishbia has been in his first year as team owner.
It’ll be a full year on Tuesday since the NBA Board of Governors approved Ishbia purchasing the Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for a record $4 billion.
The wing could be addressed with Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop playing solid or in a trade.
Sources have informed The Arizona Republic the interest isn’t high in having Nassir Little paired with second-round picks. They’ve shown interest in Hornets' forward Miles Bridges, whose $7.9 million expiring contract matches up with Little’s this season if the Suns add a low-salary player such as, say, Jordan Goodwin.
Little is at $6.2 million this season while Goodwin is at $1.9 million. If Phoenix could trade two players in any type of deal and get one in return, that’d free up a roster spot without having to waive someone.
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This is where they could address the backup big with, say, former Suns big Bismack Biyombo, who the Grizzlies waived this season. The Suns have a full 15-man standard roster with Damion Lee being the only one out with a knee injury that’s kept him sidelined all season.
As for a backup point guard, the Suns are having Bradley Beal play more of the one, particularly against pressure, to relieve some ball-handling duties from Devin Booker and Durant. The Suns continue to have turnover issues as they committed 118 turnovers during the seven-game road trip.
The preseason multiple-ball-handler idea sounded good in theory but hasn’t worked out, but the Suns are hoping their efficiency on offense can offset the turnovers.
Phoenix is in a tough spot, but the right move could improve their chances of coming out of the West, which has the defending NBA champion Nuggets, Clippers, Thunder and Timberwolves.
The Clippers may arguably be the best team in the league right now while the Thunder and T-Wolves are 1-2 in the West, young and talented but lack playoff experience.
The Nuggets proved last season that a non-blockbuster move before the deadline can make a huge impact.
They traded Bones Hyland to the Clippers for Thomas Bryant and two second-round picks. Nuggets GM Calvin Booth explained in an interview with The Ringer going into the 2023-24 season he traded Hyland because the Nuggets didn’t need two guys who struggle defensively in Hyland and Michael Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. is the better shooter of the two. One of the NBA’s best. That left Hyland expendable.
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Pretty blunt, but the hidden part of the deal was moving Hyland gave rookie Christian Braun more opportunities to play. A rookie, Braun became part of the playoff rotation.
Parting ways with Hyland also freed up more shots for others on the team. Hyland hoisted a career-high 10.3 shots a game last season in averaging 12.1 points for Denver, but he shot a low percentage of 39.9%.
The Nuggets got better with that move and are now getting contributions this season from Peyton Watson, veteran Reggie Jackson and Braun.
The Suns can either make a move before the deadline with hopes of it being impactful in multiple areas with limited assets to exchange or just stand pat.
Now fully healthy outside of Lee, the Suns have 32 games to further establish their identity by playing through their Big 3, making the extra pass on offense and defending the paint. They also need to make multiple efforts on defense to contest 3-point shooters as they continue developing a chemistry that could take their talented team to a championship level.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Should Phoenix Suns make a move at trade deadline?
