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Ranking top 15 point guard targets for Suns at veteran minimum in 2024 NBA free agency
The 2024 NBA Draft is nearly here, and not long after that, the Phoenix Suns will have some options to pursue in free agency.
As a second tax apron team, the Suns’ trade flexibility is more limited. Making a move for established talent isn’t impossible, but as we’ve covered in painstaking detail with our weekly hypothetical trades for every player under contract, it will be exceedingly difficult.
Phoenix has needs up and down the roster, from improving the center depth to adding bigger, defensive-minded wings to securing a reliable backup point guard. The Suns don’t need a starting-caliber point guard, and their avenues for landing one are pretty obstructed, but if they can bring in a capable floor general to handle the ball, run some offense and make life easier for the second unit, that could go a long way in stabilizing the Suns’ offense whenever the Big 3 aren’t all sharing the court.
Their point guard options in the draft are somewhat underwhelming at No. 22, unless Phoenix really likes Devin Carter and finds a way to trade up for him. Fortunately, this year’s free agency class is ripe with affordable backup point guards who may even be able to start in a pinch — the ideal sweet spot for this team.
The Suns can only offer veteran minimum deals to outside free agents due to the second tax apron, so some of these names may have to take a discount in order to play with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. We’ve already covered pie-in-the-sky targets, big men options and wing targets in free agency, so today, let’s turn our attention to 15 point guard options.
Honorable mentions: Patty Mills, Kira Lewis Jr., Jordan McLaughlin, Garrett Temple, Jacob Gilyard
Low-end Point Guard options for Suns
15. Shake Milton
Milton’s time in the league has been marred by diminishing returns as a backup point guard, which is why he barely cracks our list. At 6-foot-5, Milton is more of a combo guard, but he brings good size to the position, is still only 27 years old, and puts pressure on the rim, ranking in the 83rd percentile in drives per 75 possessions, according to The BBall Index.
Those attributes might make him worth a flier for some team, but it’s difficult to envision that team being the Suns. Milton is coming off a hectic season where he played 48 games for three different teams, and Phoenix needs stability with players who can contribute right now.
The 4.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 12.1 minutes per game Milton averaged while shooting 40.5 percent overall and 28.1 percent from deep don’t suggest he can be that guy. Although he got into the paint quite a bit, it rarely resulted in made buckets (55 percent shooting at the rim) or assists (34th percentile in drive assist rate). Phoenix can and should do better.
14. Malachi Flynn
Flynn is another guy who struggled to find his footing last season while playing for three different teams thanks. The Detroit Pistons could make him a restricted free agent, but The Athletic’s James Edwards III believes it’s unlikely they’ll extend him that $5.8 million qualifying offer.
The 26-year-old averaged 5.5 points and 1.9 assists in 12.7 minutes per game last year, shooting 41.8 percent overall and 33.1 percent from 3. It’s not much, and he was largely inconsistent, but he’s not incapable either, as he showed in early April with arguably the most unexpected 50-ball in NBA history:
Flynn’s sweet shooting stroke hasn’t translated as a career 33.4 percent shooter from deep, but he only ranked in the 20th percentile in openness rating. That number would improve in Phoenix, and his ability to put pressure on the rim would help too. Flynn ranked in the 80th percentile in drives per 75 possessions and the 88th percentile in percentage of unassisted makes at the rim.
However, the speedy guard shot 59.5 percent at the basket, and while his full-speed forays into the paint looked impressive when shots fell, at 6-foot-1, he often had to resort high-difficulty attempts, floating the ball high off the glass or trying to sneak it past taller rim protectors in a hurry. Flynn was a decent playmaker in limited stints, ranking in the 84th percentile in assist points per 75 possessions, but his lack of size will make him a target on the defensive end.
13. Aaron Holiday
The Athletic’s Kelly Iko believes Aaron Holiday’s time with the Houston Rockets could be at an end soon, so how about a retread who didn’t get a fair shake during his last Suns stint? Holiday is still only 27 years old, and although he’s not a traditional point guard on the offensive end, he could handle those pesky point-of-attack assignments on defense.
Although the youngest Holiday brother is undersized at 6 feet tall, he makes up for it with a near 6-foot-8 wingspan. That allows him to defend either guard spot capably, and although he wasn’t elite in defending many actions last year outside of isolation plays, he was still one of the league’s best off-ball chasers:
Holiday’s 6.6 points and 1.8 assists in 16.3 minutes per game weren’t much, but he did shoot 38.7 percent from deep on 2.8 attempts a night. Even with all that in mind, Holiday is more of a third string option than the true backup floor general Phoenix needs.
Established but mediocre options
12. Patrick Beverley
At age 35, Pat Bev is what he is: A consistent irritant whose mental head games outweigh what he actually provides on the court. He spent most of his season in that defensive pest role with the Philadelphia 76ers before doing the same for the Milwaukee Bucks. Overall, he put up 6.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 20.0 minutes a night, shooting 33.7 percent from deep.
However, even if we ignore his past clashes with Devin Booker and general cheap shots against the Suns, Beverley’s shooting has been slowly trailing off for years. The 6-foot-2 guard is a career 37.1 percent shooter from deep, but he hasn’t topped 35 percent in a season since 2020-21. He’s still one of the top rim-protecting guards in the league, but his reputation exceeds his actual on-court impact at this point.
Couple that with the four-game suspension Beverley will have to serve at the start of next season as punishment for some of his usual disrespectful antics, and this option isn’t worth the trouble.
11. Monte Morris
It was only a few seasons ago that Monte Morris was one of the league’s elite backup point guards on a winning team. He’s struggled to replicate that impact since the Denver Nuggets traded him away, spending one decent season with the Washington Wizards before recovering from a quad injury that limited his time with the Detroit Pistons to start last season.
After Detroit traded him to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Morris struggled to find his footing, losing minutes to Jordan McLaughlin at times and finishing his 27-game stint there averaging 5.1 points and 2.1 assists in 15.1 minutes per game. He only shot 41.7 percent from the floor, but nearly half his shot attempts came from beyond the arc, and he made 42.4 percent of those looks. The Wolves are reportedly optimistic they can bring Morris back on a vet minimum, but if he hits the open market, he’s worth a look.
Perhaps a fully healthy offseason and training camp would make a difference for the soon-to-be 29-year-old, rather than trying jump full-swing into the season in January. If that’s the case, and he can get back to the guy who put up 10.3 points and 5.3 assists per game on .480/.382/.831 shooting splits in his last healthy season, Morris could wind up being an offseason steal who can score, knock down 3s at a career 39.1 percent clip, set the table for the second unit and defend opposing lead guards.
10. Kris Dunn
If the Suns prioritize finding a point-of-attack defender in free agency, they won’t be able to do much better than Kris Dunn. The eight-year veteran is in the same vein as Josh Okogie, only a little more respectable in the 3-point shooting and playmaking departments.
Last year with the Utah Jazz, Dun averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 18.9 minutes a game, shooting 47 percent overall and 36.9 percent from 3. It came on low volume (1.7 attempts per game), but it wasn’t a fluke either, since Dunn shot 47.2 percent on a similar number of attempts per game the season prior (albeit in only 22 games).
Dunn has good size at 6-foot-3, and he’s a frequent driver who ranked in the 85th percentile in drive assist rate, 96th percentile in assist points per 75 possessions and 94th percentile in The BBall Index’s “playmaking talent” metric.
Adding a defensive pest who placed in the 97th percentile in deflections and 91st percentile in steals per 75 possessions would obviously help, especially since Dunn is one of the league’s top rim-protecting guards and on-ball suppressors with his 6-foot-9 wingspan. If he’s actually available at the vet minimum, this would be an intriguing option, despite some overlap with Okogie.
Younger fliers that deserve a look
9. Dennis Smith Jr.
Similarly, Smith is one of the better point-of-attack options on the open market this summer. His 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 18.9 minutes per game didn’t leap off the page, but the 26-year-old was a smothering presence on the perimeter.
Above all else, Smith was elite in forcing turnovers, ranking in the 90th percentile in pickpocket rating and the 98th percentile in both steals and deflections per 75 possessions. He doesn’t have a ton of length, but he’s tenacious in harassing ball-handlers, shadowing their every move and finding a way to poke the ball free or get up a good contest:
The problem is, much like Okogie, Smith sometimes struggles to find ways to contribute on offense. He’ll break free for a rim-shattering dunk every now and then, but he only shot 43.5 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from 3 last year — right in line with his career average of 29.8 percent. The Suns wouldn’t be able to count on him as a floor-spacer, which can automatically cramp spacing.
The (hopeful) difference would be the playmaking DSJ brings to the table. His 3.6 assists per game don’t sound like much, but that was nearly 7 assists per 36 minutes. Phoenix wouldn’t need much more than that off the bench, and Smith received sterling grades across the board in The BBall Index’s playmaking category, including a 96th percentile rating in their overall “playmaking talent” metric.
8. Vit Krejci
There’s a very good chance the Atlanta Hawks value Krejci and bring him back as a restricted free agency. They kept him on a two-way contract to close out the 2023-24 season, but according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Lauren L. Williams, they hope to bring him back on a four-year deal. If that’s the case, Phoenix’s one- or two-year vet minimum offer wouldn’t compare.
But the Hawks are close to tax apron territory, and they also have Saddiq Bey’s restricted free agency to worry about. So if Krejci somehow gets lost in the process as a salary cap casualty, Phoenix should at least make a call and hope some other team doesn’t come swooping in with a mid-level offer. There aren’t many 6-foot-8 players with the skill-set of a guard, after all.
Vit Krejci just turned 24 years old, and while he’s clearly not a traditional point guard, he showed some really promising flashes during Trae Young’s absence this season. Krejci only averaged 6.1 points and 2.3 assists per game in 22 appearances, but he also shot a tidy 49 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from deep.
To be fair, Krejci is far from a finished product, and the Suns may need more of a win-now option. But if he’s somehow available for the vet minimum, this would be an excellent swing to take on size, youth, playmaking and shooting.
7. Dalano Banton
For the first half of his season, Banton barely saw minutes on the best team in the league, averaging a meager 7.1 minutes a night for the Boston Celtics. But once he got traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, he exploded onto the scene, averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.
Sure, he was filling up the stat sheet on a tanking team, and no, he wasn’t particularly efficient, shooting 40.8 percent overall and 31.1 percent from 3. That production also came in a 30-game sample size. But much like Krejci, if you can add a 6-foot-8, 24-year-old with a guard skill-set, shouldn’t you at least try?
As the video clip shows, Banton had little problem attacking pick-and-rolls with a downhill mindset, getting into the paint and either elevating or using his length for some impressive finishes. He ranked in the 87th percentile in drives per 75 possessions, but he had no problem functioning as a secondary creator either, placing in the 88th percentile in role-adjusted assist points per 75 possessions.
Banton has a $2.1 million team option for next season, which feels like a no-brainer for a lottery team to pick up on a young talent with potential. But the Blazers are also in the tax apron, and Banton’s numbers largely came with guys like Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe and Scott Henderson banged up. Portland has at least 11 players under contract for next season, plus Banton’s team option, non-guaranteed deals for Toumani Camara and Jabari Walker, and up to four incoming rookies with picks at No. 7, No. 14, No. 34 and No. 40.
Something’s got to give, and if it’s Banton, the Suns should consider swooping in on a young, super-sized guard with potential.
Solid options that feel unlikely
6. Reggie Jackson
UPDATE: Jackson has in fact opted into his player option to remain in Denver next season.
Reggie Jackson has a $5.3 million player option to return to the Denver Nuggets for next season, so even if he wants a change of pace, it’s unlikely he’ll opt out to take less money somewhere else. Jackson won a title with Denver in 2023, so more than likely, he’ll be back in the Mile High City or sign a multi-year deal elsewhere for more money.
Either scenario would rule out the Suns, but free agency can be unpredictable. If he opts out in search of a pay raise that never comes, there are worse “last resorts” than joining Phoenix on a vet minimum.
Jackson is 34 years old, but he still brings veteran experience, poise and double-digit scoring as a backup point guard. He just put up 10.2 points and 3.8 assists per game last season, shooting 35.9 percent from beyond the arc despite only ranking in the 12th percentile in openness rating. He’s not the facilitator Phoenix might prefer, but in terms of giving the bench some ball-handling, rim pressure and scoring pop, Jackson should be on the radar if he opts out and can’t find a better deal.
5. Markelle Fultz
Even if the Orlando Magic choose to go in a different direction and let Markelle Fultz walk, it’s hard to see the market for this former No. 1 overall pick falling all the way to vet minimum territory. He obviously hasn’t panned out as a franchise centerpiece, but there’s still plenty of value in a 26-year-old who can run an offense, distribute and defend opponents’ top guards.
However, if a market for Fultz never materializes, or if he’s willing to sacrifice a couple million dollars to play for a contender, the Suns should consider building on this ongoing reclamation project. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, Fultz is a capable point-of-attack defender, ranking in the 95th percentile in steals per 75 possessions despite spending the majority of his time on primary ball-handlers.
Fultz is clearly not a star, but two seasons ago he put up 14.0 points and 5.7 assists a night as the Orlando Magic’s starting point guard before anchoring their second unit this season. His numbers dropped to 7.8 points and 2.8 assists in 21.2 minutes per game, but he shot 47.2 percent overall, and he ranked in the 92nd percentile in “playmaking talent.”
Fultz’s lack of a perimeter shot (22.2 percent last year) continues to hold him back, but he proved he can contribute on a legitimate team, as Orlando was a +32 in his 106 minutes in the playoffs. He’ll probably wind up costing more than a vet minimum, but if the market dries up quickly, this is an upside swing worth serious consideration.
4. Kyle Lowry
Lowry is 38 years old, and it’s clear his best days are behind him. And yet, even at this stage of his career, the 18-year veteran finds ways to impact winning, whether it’s playing physical defense, taking questionable charges or knocking down 3s at a respectable clip.
The 6-footer may be undersized, but Lowry makes up for it with sheer girth and basketball IQ. He averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 assists in 28.2 minutes per game in a season split between the Miami Heat and his hometown Sixers.
Lowry’s 39.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc dipped considerably in the playoffs, but with Philly being so banged up, nobody in that series was playing their normal role. He can’t put pressure on the rim these days like he used to, but in a backup role, Lowry still has more than enough in the tank to compete.
Unfortunately, The New York Times’ Marc Stein reported over the weekend that the Sixers are “widely expected” to re-sign their hometown point guard. Even on a vet minimum, the allure of staying home would probably be too great to contend with.
Ideal Suns targets
3. Delon Wright
Remember Delon Wright, a.k.a. the buyout target who got away? Well, if you look beyond his 4.5 points, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 15.8 minutes per game last season, you might notice how he stepped his numbers up when he went from the tanking Wizards to the playoff-bound Heat, or how he stepped them up again in the playoffs, putting up 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds a game on 60 percent shooting from the floor and from 3.
Sure, the Heat lost that series in five games, and Wright only shot 39.4 percent overall on the season. But he did make 36.8 percent of his 3s, including 41.2 percent of his catch-and-shoot triples, which would theoretically allow him to space the floor while playing off the ball next to Phoenix’s Big 3.
On the ball, Wright flashed his playmaking chops during his limited minutes, ranking in the 96th percentile in passing efficiency and the 98th percentile in role-adjusted assist points per 75 possessions. He likes to drive, and although he’s not a great finisher among the trees at age 32, he knows how to drive and kick, which would be useful on a Suns team that needs to generate more 3s.
Defensively is where he’ll make the most impact, since Wright is 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-7 wingspan. Last season, he was an elite defensive disruptor, placing in the 99th percentile in steals, 97th percentile in deflections and 93rd percentile in passing lane defense. If the Heat are unwilling to bring him back and he’s available in this price range, the Suns should pounce on this type of depth piece.
2. Cam Payne
Even with Bol Bol’s successful season, dumping Cam Payne remains one of the more baffling moves of the Suns’ 2023 offseason. They envisioned Jordan Goodwin being able to take over that role, and when it didn’t happen, Phoenix was left without a reliable backup point guard. Payne, meanwhile, went on to prove his worth in both Milwaukee and Philly.
Payne didn’t blow anyone away on the Bucks, averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 assists in only 14.9 minutes a game, but he did make 39.7 percent of his 3s. After the trade to the Sixers, he took on a more prominent role, averaging 9.3 points and 3.1 assists in 19.4 minutes a night, all while shooting 38.2 percent from deep. Payne’s minutes were cut shorter in the postseason, but he was still productive with his opportunities and shot 8-for-18 from 3.
The Suns need a downhill presence to change the tempo and speed things up with the second unit, and everyone knows Cam Payne has no problem doing that. He’s more of a score-first point guard than a true facilitator, but the 6-foot-3 Haboob loves the Valley, and he’s never been better in his entire career as an NBA journeyman than he was during his time in Phoenix.
If the Sixers are preoccupied with bigger moves and Payne is available at a vet minimum, this reunion would make a ton of sense. The soon-to-be 30-year-old would provide a backup playmaker who can shoot, push the pace, orchestrate some offense and restore some of the good vibes that were missing last year.
1. Chris Paul
This is entirely dependent on the Golden State Warriors being unable to trade Paul’s $30 million salary before it becomes fully guaranteed on June 28, which is what they’re currently trying to do, per Marc Stein. But if they can’t find someone willing to absorb that much money for a 39-year-old, or they’re unable to move that guarantee date back, cutting him becomes the most sensible course of action…at which point the Point God would become an unrestricted free agent.
If that scenario unfolds, Stein expects the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers to be in the running for his services, but it’d be genuinely shocking if he didn’t at least consider a return to Phoenix, even in a backup role. Paul was far better than he was given credit for in his first season with the Warriors, but after that tumultuous season, his time with the Suns has to shine brighter in his memory banks now than it probably did a year ago.
Last season with Golden State, Paul put up 9.2 points, 6.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26.4 minutes per game. He missed some time due to injury (as per usual), but the Point God still anchored the Dubs’ second unit, providing leadership, playmaking and his usual control of the game, all while shooting 37.1 percent from 3. He’s still an elite floor general, ranking in the 100th percentile in passing creation volume and 95th percentile in playmaking talent.
The Suns made the right move trading him for Bradley Beal when they did, but Paul returning in a backup role would provide Phoenix with a much-needed floor general for the second unit. He’d allow the Big 3 to play off the ball more whenever they shared the court with him, and while he’d still be a defensive (and injury) liability, the Suns wouldn’t be so heavily dependent on him staying healthy. Moreover, they’d greatly benefit from his locker room leadership.
Maybe there’s a team that would offer more than the vet minimum if he hit free agency, but a CP3 reunion just makes sense, since it’d be hard to find a better “true point guard” anywhere else. Paul already deserves to be in the Suns Ring of Honor based on his first Phoenix stint, and there’d be no better storybook ending — for him or the Suns — than CP3 returning to help Phoenix finally get over that championship hump.
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