2024 Phoenix Suns Trade Primer: Needs, restrictions and Grayson Allen trade rumors

The 2024 NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching, and Grayson Allen trade rumors are already picking up. That means it’s time for a Phoenix Suns trade primer to set the record straight on everything you need to know when it comes to realistic expectations for this team.

Why would the Suns trade the best 3-point shooter in the league, and what happens if they don’t? Who could be on the move, and who’s untouchable? What other assets does Phoenix have at its disposal, and what restrictions — current and further down the line — make this such a critical, difficult trade deadline?

We’ve covered some Suns trade scenarios before, and rest assured we’ll provide some new and updated ones next week, but for now, let’s answer all of those questions and more with our 2024 Phoenix Suns trade deadline primer.

Why is this trade deadline so important?

Let’s start with the obvious: The Suns are all in on contending for the franchise’s first championship. Their immediate window is probably one or two years, three at most. The Big 3 of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal have only played a grand total of 175 minutes over nine games together, which means they only have so much time to build chemistry for a Finals run.

Evaluating the role players in order to identify the right fits around that superstar trio becomes even more difficult when one remembers there’s less than three weeks until the trade deadline. That’s not a lot of time for Frank Vogel and company to pull the right strings internally and externally to address Phoenix’s weaknesses.

It doesn’t get easier from a roster-building standpoint either. Aside from the fact that Durant, Booker and Beal each make about $50 million next season, their methods for retooling the roster will be limited as a team that will undoubtedly be in the NBA’s second tax apron again next season.

That means this is the last trade deadline the Suns will be allowed to aggregate salaries in trades; starting in the 2024 offseason, they will only be able to make one-for-one deals, or trade a single player for multiple players if the incoming players’ salaries are less than the outgoing player’s salary. Teams in the second apron can currently take back up to 110 percent of the salary they’re sending out in any trade, but starting this summer, that number will drop to 100 percent, meaning the Suns won’t be able take on additional salary in any move.

This is also their last opportunity to send out cash considerations in trades as a sweetener, since that gets taken away this offseason too. Oh, and once Feb. 8 comes and goes, they won’t be able to use trade exceptions to absorb a player’s salary any more.

It gets worse! Starting in 2024 free agency, the Suns will no longer have access to the taxpayer mid-level exception — a valuable tool for teams to go over the salary cap and sign players for slightly larger amounts.

On the buyout market, the Suns can currently sign a bought-out player if that player’s prior contract was worth the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or less, approximately $12.2 million (so no, Chris Paul isn’t coming back). That will be the case again next season, and it applies only to players waived during the regular season.

So what does this mean? The 2024 NBA Trade Deadline is the last time the Suns will be able to combine players in a trade, take back up to 110 percent of the salary they’re sending out, or add cash incentives in a trade. Their options will be limited on the buyout market. Between all of that, and 55-plus years of anticipation for Phoenix’s first NBA championship, this is a pretty important trade deadline!

The Suns’ assets

It’s not a bare cupboard, but the Suns will struggle to make moves for significant needle-movers. Let’s start with the guys who are highly unlikely to go anywhere.

The Untouchables:

Devin Booker ($36 million salary, 4 additional years remaining on contract) – You’re not trading the face of your franchise until the day he asks to be moved. Next.

Kevin Durant ($46.4 million, 2 additional years remaining on contract) – Ditto for the best player that face of your franchise has ever played with. KD may be 35 years old and on a massive contract, but he’s still playing at an otherworldly level. Trading him now, just a year into trading for him in the first place, would be an all-time cowardly maneuver. He’s not going anywhere, especially now that the Big 3 are finally healthy.

Bradley Beal ($46.7 million, 3 additional years remaining on contract) – Even if the Suns thought this team couldn’t contend (they don’t), opted to pull the plug after nine games of the Big 3 (they won’t) and chose to trade Bradley Beal (they wouldn’t), Beal still has his no-trade clause. He didn’t leave Washington, where he spent his entire career, to spend a few months on his first ever title contender and then just allow himself be traded away.

Josh Okogie ($2.8 million, player option next year) – Nobody outside of the Big 3 is truly untouchable, but due to the contract Okogie signed last summer, he holds veto rights on any trade the Suns might try to include him in this season. Okogie loves playing on this team, so he’s highly unlikely to be going anywhere.

Damion Lee ($2.5 million, player option next year) – Lee hasn’t played a single game this season as he recovers from right meniscus surgery, and Vogel said they’re still hopeful to get him back before the end of the season. Lee’s a great locker room guy and a much-needed 3-point shooter when healthy. That doesn’t make him untouchable, but like Okogie, he holds veto rights on any trade. Lee loves Phoenix and this team, so count him out.

The Main Trade Candidates:

Jusuf Nurkic ($16.9 million, 2 additional years remaining on contract) – It feels highly unlikely the Suns would pull the plug on the Nurk experiment this soon. Even if they did, it’s hard to see how they get a rim-protecting, starting-caliber big in a deal for him. For all Nurk’s shortcomings on the defensive end, he’s been better than expected on that end, and offensively, his screen-setting and passing abilities are finally getting a chance to shine alongside the Big 3.

However, we can’t completely rule him out since the Suns are such a subpar defense. His $17 million salary would also be vital in constructing a trade for anyone in the $16-25 million salary range. Phoenix basically has three guys on max money who aren’t going anywhere, three guys in the middle who would be near the forefront of any deal, and a bunch of veteran minimum guys to round out the numbers. To that end, we can’t completely dismiss this possibility of Nurkic being moved.

Grayson Allen ($8.9 million, unrestricted free agent next year) — We’ll get to the Grayson Allen trade rumors at the end, because there’s too much for this little section. For now, just know that his $9 million salary is a steal for his career-best production, and that he’s probable Phoenix’s most desirable, realistically attainable asset.

Nassir Little ($6.3 million, 3 additional years remaining on contract) — It’s been another injury-laden, up-and-down season for Nas. He’s still only 23 years old, is athletic as hell and has flashed potential on both ends, but because he’s been inconsistent on the court and inconsistent in staying on the court, his trade value isn’t very high. Because of his contract and the Suns’ need for an upgrade on the wing, Little is probably the most likely player to be dealt if Phoenix makes a move.

Veteran Minimum Guys:

Eric Gordon ($3.2 million, player option next year) — The Suns aren’t trading their most consistent bench player, especially after he chose them over multiple suitors in free agency.

Keita Bates-Diop ($2.3 million, player option next year) — Having long defenders helps, but KBD hasn’t shown much offensively. Once seen as the Suns’ potential fifth starter, he’s gone from a career-high 39.4 percent shooting from 3 last year to just 26.9 percent this year. He’s one of the biggest disappointments from Phoenix’s offseason, so if they need to stack salary, he could be included.

Drew Eubanks ($2.3 million, player option next year) — To his credit, Eubanks has been more playable lately. He’s still prone to some nightmarish sequences and was virtually unplayable for over a month, but the Suns need center depth. Outside of an unproven Bol Bol, or going small with KD or Chimezie Metu at the 5, Eubanks is the only other option. That keeps him on the safer side, but certainly not off-limits.

Yuta Watanabe ($2.3 million, player option next year) — Even on a vet minimum deal, Watanabe looks like the Suns’ other big misfire from the offseason. He’s faded from the rotation, and after shooting a career-high 44.4 percent from deep last year, he’s made just 31.5 percent of his triples this year. He was supposed to be a corner sniper who could punish defenses for leaving him, but he’s missed a ton of open ones. His defense isn’t good enough to make up for that, so he’s expendable if the Suns need to stack salary.

Chimezie Metu ($2.3 million, unrestricted free agent next year) — Metu has been one of the Suns’ more reliable bench performers, and his ability to log minutes at the 4 and the 5 should keep him on the safer end of the expendable spectrum. Like Bol Bol, Phoenix owns Metu’s Non-Bird rights this offseason, which means they can re-sign him for up to 120 percent of his current salary.

Bol Bol ($2.2 million, unrestricted free agent next year) — Bol has missed the last few games with a foot sprain, which put his enticing four-game run as an impactful rotation player on hold. The Suns don’t believe it’s a long-term injury, but time is of the essence before the trade deadline. Can Bol legitimize that four-game stretch? Or will it ultimately be another example of potential not quite being realized?

Jordan Goodwin ($1.9 million, team option next year) — Goodwin is a tenacious defender and committed offensive rebounder, but his skill-set — and Achilles heel of poor 3-point shooting — overlaps too much with Okogie. He’s still only 25, so the Suns shouldn’t just dump him for no reason, but he’s faded from the rotation in recent weeks and isn’t off-limits.

Draft Picks:

If first-round picks were gifts, the Suns would be the Little Drummer Boy. They have no picks to bring, so they’re going to have to pa rum pum pum pum their way into trades with a barrage of second-rounders.

(NOTE: Common misconception, but the Suns actually do have first-round picks in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030. The Suns don’t control their own fate due to pick swaps, but whether those pick swaps are activated or not, Phoenix will have a first-rounder no matter what. The problem is, the Ted Stepien Rule prohibits teams from outright trading first-rounders in back-to-back drafts, and the Suns already sent first-rounders to the Brooklyn Nets in 2025, 2027 and 2029. Therefore, they can’t trade any first-rounders for the foreseeable future.)

As a result of tampering for Drew Eubanks (woof!), the Suns lost a 2024 second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets via the Orlando Magic. But they do still have some second-rounders to offer. Five, in fact:

• A 2024 second-rounder from the San Antonio Spurs (protected 31-54)
• A 2026 second-rounder (least favorable pick between the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic)
• A 2028 second-rounder from the Boston Celtics (protected 31-45)
• A 2028 second-rounder from the Memphis Grizzlies
• A 2029 second-rounder from the Grizzlies

Not exactly the mother lode of draft assets, but it’s the Suns’ only hope of sweetening the pot in deals. Depending on the package, it’ll probably take multiple seconds to get something done, unless that deal involves Grayson Allen.

Trade exceptions:

Trade exceptions cannot be combined with each other to absorb larger salaries, and they cannot be combined with player contracts to do the same. They can, however, absorb a player’s contract entirely if it fits within that designated amount.

The Suns have four trade exceptions at their disposal, but realistically, the first two are the only ones significant enough to actually use:

• $6.5 million trade exception (Cam Payne trade)
• $5 million trade exception (Dario Saric trade)
• $1.8 million trade exception (Isaiah Todd trade)
• $1.1 million trade exception (Toumani Camara trade)

The Suns’ needs at the trade deadline

No, it’s not a point guard. Please stop saying point guard.

The Suns already have three of the best offensive hubs in the world, elite scorers who naturally draw double-teams and are also capable of making plays for others, playing off the ball, spot-up shooting, cutting, setting screens and doing whatever else is needed to make it work. Why take the ball out of their hands and limit them as off-ball threats?

Thank you, @stevejones20, for speaking facts about the Suns “point guard” situation. Excellent stuff with @NekiasNBA and @jj_redick today.

Folks can learn a thing or two! pic.twitter.com/jMKWjWVoxo

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) January 16, 2024

Yes, the Suns need to get Devin Booker off the ball more and let him hunt, as Tim Legler put it. And yes, they could use a backup floor general when Booker or Beal is off the court, since Goodwin hasn’t really panned out in that role. But adding a starting point guard isn’t a need for this team; it’s an outdated, lazy, inaccurate way to sum up their (former) offensive struggles.

The truth is, the Suns’ lack of reps with their top six players was the root of those problems. But when the Big 3 have shared the court, they have an offensive rating of 124.4. Their starting lineup with the Big 3, Nurk and Allen? An offensive rating of 127.9. For reference, the Indiana Pacers lead the NBA in offensive rating at 121.7.

What about that screams “They still need a point guard”?

Even if it was a need, it’s unrealistic and not even on the team’s priority list. Chris Paul was one-of-a-kind for a reason: Old-school, table-setting point guards are a dying breed in this league. The Suns don’t have the assets (or salary-matching capabilities) to land a starting-caliber point guard, and even if they did, multiple sources have confirmed to PHNX Sports that they’re more focused on finding an athletic, defensive-minded wing than a point guard.

So stop yelling at the clouds about the Suns’ lack of a “true point guard,” old man. The future is here, and it’s position-less. Here are some real areas of need.

Actual Needs:

3-and-D wing upgrade — This is the only reason for trading Grayson Allen. As high-powered as Phoenix’s offense is, they’re giving up a ton of size with Booker, Beal and Allen starting together. Allen has taken on the tough perimeter assignments on defense, and he’s competed, but finding a starting-caliber wing who could handle those assignments and knock down the occasional 3 would be a huge help.

Even if the Suns can’t land the type of 3-and-D wing who will move Allen to the bench, finding any type of upgrade over Little, Watanabe and Bates-Diop feels vital to covering up some of this team’s defensive flaws.

A third center — Nurkic is a terrific connector, and as we already covered, it might be unrealistic to expect the Suns to trade him for a defensive upgrade at the 5. To that end, adding an athletic, defensive-minded, shot-blocking big would offer Phoenix a change of pace from Nurkic and Eubanks. Opponents will attack those two in the playoffs, so finding a more mobile big who can protect the rim and gobble up rebounds in limited minutes would be a massive win. And if they don’t trade for one, Bismack Biyombo is still floating around after being waived by the Grizzlies.

Backup point guard — Goodwin hasn’t been able to fill this role, and for the minutes where Booker and/or Beal are resting, it’d be useful to have a backup floor general to help set things up. The Suns also stand a much better chance of finding a capable backup 1 compared to a starting-caliber 1.

Is there anything to the Grayson Allen trade rumors?

Grayson Allen is the Suns’ most attractive, attainable asset in any trade. It shouldn’t be a surprise to hear his name come up in trade rumors.

According to Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Suns have “explored what the combination of Grayson Allen and Nassir Little could bring back to The Valley.”

It’s important to note that “exploring” doesn’t mean “actively shopping.” The Suns would be irresponsible to not do their due diligence on the trade market, and as we covered earlier, Allen is one of three players on this roster earning a salary in between “max money” and “vet minimum.”

Two things can be true at once: The Suns should field offers for Grayson Allen and explore what they might get for him, and they should also only trade him if they get an offer that knocks their socks off.

That feels unlikely, because even with Allen shooting a staggering 48 percent from 3, leading the league in 3-point percentage, and posting career highs in literally every single category, he’s doing that here in Phoenix. Other teams will still value him as a knockdown 3-point shooter, driver and secondary creator, but will they value him as highly as Phoenix currently does? Especially when whatever team trades for him won’t be able to pair him with a Big 3 like the Suns have?

It’s also worth noting how rapidly he’s won over a fanbase that’s been desperate for any sort of connection to the new faces. And for his part, Allen doesn’t want to go anywhere either:

I asked Grayson Allen about seeing his name in trade rumors: “My name has been in someone’s tweet every year since I’ve been in the league.”

Also said he doesn’t want to go anywhere: “I love playing with this team. I don’t want to be traded.” pic.twitter.com/Z7SerdSKCi

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) January 18, 2024

“I think my name has been in someone’s tweet every year since I’ve been in the league, so I hardly pay any attention to it,” Allen said of the trade rumors. “Usually it brings a smile to my face ’cause it’s a little funny. But I’ve loved playing here this season, I love playing with this team. I don’t want to be traded. So not worried about it.”

There’s also the future to consider. Allen is still only 28, having the best season of his career, and is currently eligible for an extension:

Right now, the max the Suns can extend Allen is:

$ 16,741,200
$ 18,080,496
$ 19,419,792
$ 20,759,088

4 Years/$ 75mil

— David (@theIVpointplay) January 18, 2024

That four years and $75 million may seem like a lot for a “role player,” but it’s actually pretty standard for a shooter of his pedigree at about $18.8 million annually. If the Suns don’t extend him by June 30 and he becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, Phoenix still has the inside track to re-sign him because they own his full Bird rights. That would allow them to re-sign Allen for more than any outside suitor could offer.

Whether they’d be willing to go that high and beat out all other teams remains to be seen. As an organization deep in the luxury tax, for every dollar the Suns spent on Allen’s contract, they’d add another four dollars (approximately) in luxury tax penalties. That means an annual salary in the $15-20 million range for Allen would add another $50-80 million in luxury tax payments.

That’s quite a commitment! It may also be a necessary one for owner Mat Ishbia, who traded for Bradley Beal with the understanding that if the Suns were going to dip their toe into that second tax apron, they might as well make it a complete f**king cannonball.

If Allen moves the Suns closer to title contention as a quality role player who fits with the Big 3 — and all evidence thus far indicates that he does — that’s not the sort of player you trade, and it’s the sort of player you reward with a new contract after a career year.

Aside from playing well and winning over the fanbase, trading Allen or letting him walk for nothing could make roster-building exceedingly difficult beyond this season. Even if the Suns wind up paying a hefty amount for Allen’s new contract and the accompanying tax bill, they need more capable players on salaries that aren’t veteran minimums.

Outside of the Big 3, Nurkic, Little and Allen are the only players who aren’t on minimum deals. The Suns won’t have the MLE exception to sign players who are above minimum value. If they let Allen walk or lose him to another team, can they really be expected to contend for championships by finding other players of Allen’s caliber while armed with nothing but vet minimum deals? That feels like a losing proposition and a quick way to wear out the Big 3’s faith in the front office.