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The Phoenix Suns have several pressing needs going into the 2024 offseason, but only a few avenues to address those needs. They have their entire starting five under contract heading into next season, and they have the inside track to re-sign Royce O’Neale as well.
However, there’s no question they could stand to improve by upgrading their center rotation, adding more defensive-minded wings, landing at least a backup point guard, and addressing several other areas like their shot creation, defensive versatility and all-around depth.
The problem is, as a second tax apron team, they’ll be restricted in how they can flesh out the rest of the roster. They have the No. 22 overall pick in this year’s draft, and their 2031 first-rounder becomes tradable on draft night, but they cannot take back more money than they send out in trades, and they cannot aggregate outgoing salaries in any trade.
As we saw with our hypothetical trade scenarios for Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little and David Roddy, that limits the value of what they could hope to get in return.
Further complicating matters, the Suns won’t have access to the mid-level exception as a second tax apron team, leaving them with only veteran minimum deals to offer external free agents. They can’t add a player through a sign-and-trade either, so looking ahead to July, they’re going to have to be better about nailing their vet minimum signings than last summer.
To be fair, Phoenix’s vet minimum additions of Eric Gordon, Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks and Yuta Watanabe were hailed as great value pickups at the time. Unfortunately, very few of those additions panned out, proving once again that the hit rate on veteran minimum deals is typically low for a reason.
However, as the Suns embark on another season with title aspirations, the importance of those bargain bin contracts has never been higher. Owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones will need to bring their best recruiting pitches to try and convince role players to take a little less to help them compete for championships.
Bearing that in mind, we’ll be taking a look at potential targets for Phoenix at the vet minimum in a recurring weekly segment. We’re starting Week 1 with 20 names that will more than likely be out of that range, but because we’re nothing if not thorough, it’s important to go through the ways each player would potentially fit, as well as the reasons why they’ll more than likely end up elsewhere.
Shooting down the most popular Suns targets
Tyus Jones
Jones has made frequent appearances on Suns fans’ wish lists for over a year now, and as one of the more underrated floor generals in the league, it makes sense. In his first season as a full-time starting point guard, he averaged career highs in scoring (12.0 points per game) and assists (7.3 per game), all while shooting a tidy 48.9 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from 3.
For the “Suns need a point guard” crowd, Jones would be one of the best potential fits. He doesn’t need to dominate the ball but still could help set up the Big 3, ranking 12th in the league in both assists and assist points created per game. Jones can run pick-and-rolls to keep defenses honest, placing in the 83rd percentile in points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, and he can space the floor when playing off-ball next to the Big 3, since he made 42.2 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s.
He would also help with some of Phoenix’s sloppy turnovers, since the 28-year-old continued to take incredible care of the ball in his first full season as a starter. Jones led all qualified players in assist-to-turnover ratio (7.35) and committed only 1.0 turnovers a night — a career-worst, by the way — in 29.3 minutes per game.
However, the fit isn’t perfect either. Although he gets his fair share of steals, the 6-foot-1, 196-pound Jones is undersized, making him something of a defensive liability. According to NBA.com’s (admittedly imperfect) tracking data, opponents shot 7 percent better than normal when defended by Jones, and the Washington Wizards — the NBA’s third-worst defense — were nearly 3.0 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor. He doesn’t put much pressure on the rim, and he’s a subpar finisher around the basket.
Most importantly, we’ve buried the lede: Even if the Suns promise Jones a starting job, it feels next-to-impossible that he’d accept such a steep discount at the veteran minimum (projected to be $3 million in this case). His last contract was a two-year, $29 million deal, and he stands to make plenty more by either re-signing with the Wizards or joining a team with cap space like the San Antonio Spurs or Orlando Magic. Even taking some team’s mid-level exception would grant him more money than Phoenix can offer.
Nic Claxton
Update: As expected, Claxton agreed to re-sign with the Nets for four years and $100 million, eliminating him from our list.
In terms of young, defensive-minded, rim-rolling bigs who’d still have room to grow on a contender, it doesn’t get better than Nic Claxton. The 25-year-old is hitting unrestricted free agency this summer, and he’d be a borderline idyllic fit in Phoenix.
At 6-foot-11, with a nearly 7-foot-3 wingspan, Claxton has All-Defensive team potential. He’s switchable on the perimeter, averaged 2.1 blocks in his 29.8 minutes per game, and opponents shot 7.4 percent worse at the rim when Claxton was contesting. As a rebounder, he put up 9.9 boards a night while ranking in the 86th percentile in offensive rebounds per 75 possessions and the 95th percentile in defensive rebounds per 75 possessions.
Offensively, he’s a bit more limited, but the Suns wouldn’t need much more than his 11.8 points and 2.1 assists a night. He’s a solid screener, ranking in the 92nd percentile in screen assists, per The BBall Index. However, he’s not the most adept playmaker in those roll man situations, ranking in the 57th percentile in points per possession on those plays.
Part of the reason is Claxton has no perimeter shot to speak of. He only took five 3-point attempts this year (making one), and 522 of his 558 shots came from inside of 10 feet. He made 65.5 percent of those looks, but his shot chart speaks to how his range is restricted to the paint:
Claxton has never cracked 60 percent shooting from the foul line in five NBA seasons, so don’t expect that problem to change anytime soon. In Phoenix, it wouldn’t be as much of an issue, since the Big 3 and Grayson Allen could provide enough gravity to open up his rim-running — which is where Claxton’s bounce and nearly 67 percent shooting at the rim would help.
However, it’s beyond wishful thinking to imagine one of the top center options in free agency will sacrifice millions to take a vet minimum with the Suns. The New York Post’s Brian Lewis reported that re-signing Claxton is the Brooklyn Nets’ “No. 1 priority,” in the words of general manager Sean Marks. Much like the next guy on our list, Claxton could approach $80-100 million on his next deal. Coming off a $9.6 million salary this season, don’t count on him settling for $2.4 million just to contend in Phoenix.
Isaiah Hartenstein
Update: According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaroswki, Hartenstein has agreed to a three-year, $87 million deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After bouncing around the league for his first few NBA seasons, Hartenstein started showing real potential with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers before landing on the New York Knicks. He’s spent the last two seasons there, and he made the most of this season, putting up 7.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while starting in 49 of his 75 appearances.
Mitchell Robinson’s injury helped pave the way for the 26-year-old Hartenstein, but he made the most of it. As a starter, he put up 8.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on 66.3 percent shooting. More importantly, he did the little things the Knicks needed, like setting bruising screens (93rd percentile in screen assists per 75 possessions) and finishing at the rim (68.8 percent).
Aside from ranking 14th in the NBA in screen assists per game (just ahead of Claxton in 15th), Hartenstein was an absolute beast on the offensive boards, ranking fifth among all qualified players in offensive rebounds per game. He placed in the 97th percentile in offensive boards per 75 possessions, as well as the 92nd percentile in put-backs per 75 possessions.
Like Claxton, Hartenstein is a bit limited offensively, taking 323 of his 362 shots from within 10 feet. But also like Claxton, he was efficient, making 65.9 percent of those looks. Defensively, despite only averaging 1.1 blocks a night, Harteinsten was an effective rim deterrent, using his 7-foot frame to hold opponents to 11.2 percent worse shooting than they’d normally shoot at the hoop.
Unfortunately, his two-year, $16 million deal with the Knicks looks like a bargain now, and according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer, the market for Hartenstein this summer “starts at $80 million and goes up.” Much like Claxton, the Suns may have to hope he winds up signing for an annual amount that’d be tradable down the road.
De’Anthony Melton
Update: Melton plans to sign a one-year deal worth $12.8 million with the Golden State Warriors, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
It was an injury-ravaged season for Melton, who missed most of the second half of the season due to a back issue that ultimately limited him to 38 games. That’s a pity, since the 26-year-old was on pace to have one of his most productive seasons yet, averaging career highs in scoring (11.0 points per game) and assists (3.0 per game).
Melton is not a traditional point guard on the offensive end, but again, the Suns don’t really need one, aside from someone who can bring the ball up the court, take some pressure off the Big 3 by being able to play on or off the ball, and defend opponents’ best perimeter threats.
This former Sun fits the bill on those counts. Offensively, he’s worked hard to improve his 3-point stroke, shooting 41.2 percent, 37.4 percent, 39 percent and 36 percent from deep over the last four seasons. He’s also a bit of an underrated playmaker because of the low volume, but he did rank in the 96th percentile in points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, as well as the 85th percentile in “passing versatility,” which gauges who is passing from what types of looks to reward more well-rounded passers.
The defensive end is where Melton would truly shine, however. Though he’s only 6-foot-3, Melton’s 6-foot-8 wingspan allows him to tackle tougher assignments in the backcourt and even on the wing. His defensive ranks are pretty elite, per The BBall Index:
- 93rd percentile in pickpocket rating
- 96th in passing lane defense
- 97th in steals per 75 possessions
- 96th in deflections per 75 possessions
Melton would’ve ranked fifth in the entire league in deflections if he had played enough games to qualify for the leaderboards, and the Suns could use that kind of defensive havoc.
However, even missing half a season with back problems won’t be enough to depreciate his market value that much. Landing Melton on a vet minimum would be a coup, but coming off a four-year, $34.6 million contract that paid him $8 million last year, it feels highly unlikely — especially when teams with cap space like the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Magic and Spurs loom large as potential fits.
Forget about it
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Update: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is opting out of his player option with the Nuggets and will reportedly sign a three-year, $66 million deal with the Orlando Magic.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would be a terrific two-way addition to the Suns, taking a ton of pressure off Kevin Durant to handle the toughest wing defensive matchups while also spacing the floor as a guy who ranked in the 94th percentile in points per possession off spot-up looks.
He’s been a double-digit scorer for the last three years, he’s won titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023, and he’s shot 38.5 percent or better from 3-point range in each of the last five seasons. KCP is the exact 3-and-D archetype Phoenix should be searching for to bolster its wing rotation.
However, even with the defending champion Nuggets coming up short in the second round, Caldwell-Pope has a $15.4 million player option for next season. If he opts out, it’ll either be to re-sign with Denver and keep a good thing going, or it’ll be to accept a hearty pay raise from another team with cap space. Even if he did view the Suns as a legitimate threat in the West, that’s probably not enough to sacrifice $12 million by signing with Phoenix.
Klay Thompson
Update: According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Thompson will join the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million deal via sign-and-trade.
Klay Thompson’s free agency should be fascinating. On the one hand, it’s pretty clear his best days are behind him. He’s no longer a lockdown defender and just posted his lowest scoring average since 2012-13. At age 34, Father Time’s decline is clearly setting in, and next year’s salary will look very different compared to the $43 million he earned this year.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s devoid of value either. Even in a “down” year, Thompson still put up 17.9 points per game and made 38.7 percent of his 3s while attempting a whopping 9.0 of them on a nightly basis. He attempted the fourth-most 3s in the entire NBA with 692, and even if we lowered the barrier of entry, he still posted the 10th-best percentage among all players with at least 500 3-point attempts.
Klay and the Golden State Warriors haven’t come to an agreement on an extension, which means he’ll likely become a full-on, unrestricted free agent. Competitive teams with cap space that need shooting (like the Magic or Sixers) will undoubtedly come calling.
That makes it hard to envision a scenario where Thompson’s market stoops so low that he winds up in Phoenix on a vet minimum. Maybe talks with the Warriors become too strained and feelings get hurt, but even if his value drops that precipitously, wouldn’t he just take the vet minimum to stay where he’s played his entire career? The Suns are well-stocked at the 2-guard spot anyway.
Buddy Hield
Update: Buddy Hield will join the Golden State Warriors on a four-year sign-and-trade agreement, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Eight years into his NBA career, it’s pretty clear what Buddy Hield provides at this point. In a season split between the Sixers and Indiana Pacers, Hield shot 38.6 percent from downtown on 6.8 attempts per game, making him one of 23 players to hit at least 200 triples on the season.
The problem is that the 6-foot-4 Hield still doesn’t provide much else outside of his trademark skill, and he plays a position where the Suns are already set. Hield has never managed to develop into a respectable defender, he’s not much of a playmaker or rebounder, and even his 12.1 points per game were the lowest of his career since his rookie year.
Hield was a virtual non-factor in Philly’s first-round playoff series, playing a grand total of 51 minutes, most of which came in a desperation Game 6 loss where he dropped 20 points in 21 minutes.
Even so, Hield made $19.8 million last year, so it’s hard to see him having to settle for the minimum. Getting a sharpshooter at that price would be great value in a vacuum, but it probably wouldn’t move the needle much for the Suns in a playoff setting.
Malik Monk
Update: Monk agreed to re-sign with the Kings for four years and $78 million.
He’s not a terribly efficient player, but Malik Monk still positioned himself for a big payday this summer. He’s a streaky, microwave bench scorer, but his heat checks are still hot enough to warrant a substantial raise.
The Sacramento Kings’ season ended in play-in disappointment, but Monk put up 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game — both career highs. He had more 20-point games off the bench than anyone in the NBA, and as ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out, prior to the MCL sprain that ended Monk’s season, he led all reserves in points and assists, and was also second in 3-point makes.
Again, though, Monk would be yet another score-first 2-guard on a team that’s full of them. He’s eligible for a four-year, $78 million payday from the Kings, or he could make even more on the open market from a team with cap space like the Magic, 76ers or Detroit Pistons.
Tobias Harris
Update: According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Harris has agreed to a two-year, $52 million deal with the Detroit Pistons.
Tobias Harris perpetually fluctuates between “way overrated” and “suddenly underrated,” with his gaudy contract doing him no favors. But now that his gargantuan five-year, $180 million deal is over, the pendulum may have already swung back in the other direction. Harris shouldn’t be some overpaid centerpiece for any roster, but he’s still a decent wing that can help a good team in the right role.
This season, Harris put up 17.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 35.3 percent from deep. He can play the 3 or the 4, and while he’s not a lockdown defender, he’s a solid contributor on the glass. His stout presence as a driver helps him get into the paint regularly, so at the very least, this 6-foot-8 swingman could help restock Phoenix’s depth and size on the wing.
However, the pendulum hasn’t swung that far, to where Harris would have to settle for a vet minimum. Bad teams with cap space will be willing to slightly overspend to start adding established talent, and even a slightly more competitive team like Orlando could consider a reunion at the right price.
Gary Trent Jr.
It’s difficult to say whether Gary Trent Jr. has interest in sticking around for whatever the Toronto Raptors are trying to build, telling Sportsnet’s Michael Grange that it’s “not really my choice” and that they “gotta want me.” Either way, there are too many teams that would value the shooting he provides for Phoenix to make a competitive offer.
After all, Trent is still only 25 years old, and despite Toronto’s chaotic season of change, he still made 39.4 percent of his 6.4 3-point attempts a night. More impressively, he was that efficient despite ranking in the 31st percentile in openness rating on those looks.
After making $18.6 million this year, Trent is probably heading for a payday somewhere between the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and $20 million annually. The Suns just can’t match that price.
Probably not now
Derrick Jones Jr.
Update: According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Derrick Jones Jr. has agreed to a three-year, $30 million deal with the LA Clippers.
Before the playoffs began, this might have been more feasible. But the Dallas Mavericks already wanted to keep him beforehand, and now they really have incentive to do so, since he’s been such an effective role player throughout their run to the NBA Finals.
During the regular season, Jones averaged 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.3 percent overall and 34.3 percent from 3. In the postseason, he’s stepped up his game to 9.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game on 49.2 percent shooting overall and a blistering 39.6 percent from 3.
He’s not a high-volume shooter by any means, but between his newfound efficiency from deep, the lob threat he provides Luka Doncic as a cutter/slasher, and his swarming defense, he’s lined himself up for a significant raise. Even if Dallas falls short in the Finals, they’ll be sure to find a way to reward him for that, depriving the Suns of the return of “Airplane Mode.”
Caleb Martin
Update: Martin will decline his player option to seek a larger deal in free agency.
Although he’s a tad undersized for the 3-spot at 6-foot-5, Martin’s 6-foot-10 wingspan and ability to contribute in multiple areas makes him something of a Swiss Army knife. He’s not much of a 3-point shooter, hovering around 35 percent the last two seasons, but defensively, he’s used to guarding primary ball-handlers and shot creators.
However, Martin has a $7.1 million player option, and he’ll more than likely seek a multi-year contract worth a larger annual salary. Even if the Miami Heat are unwilling to dive even deeper into tax apron territory or Martin gets lost in the Jimmy Butler shuffle, he still stands to make more than the vet minimum somewhere.
Kyle Anderson
Update: According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Anderson has agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors.
Coming off a trip to the Western Conference Finals, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ roster is about to get a lot more expensive next season. They’ve got most of their core locked in except for Kyle Anderson, whose usefulness fluctuated at times throughout the playoffs.
In the first two rounds against Phoenix and Denver, “Slow Mo” looked borderline unplayable. But against the Mavs, he was the only defender that Luka Doncic didn’t torch outright. Anderson has no 3-point shot to speak of, but he’s a big-bodied defender at 6-foot-9, and as a frequent drive-and-kick guy, he can even serve as a point forward for a team’s second unit.
Anderson wants to redeem himself after a season where he struggled with his vision for most of the year, and team president Tim Connelly wants him back too. The Wolves own Anderson’s Bird rights, but it’ll be interesting to see how far they’re willing to go into tax apron territory when their ownership situation is unclear and this franchise has only dipped into the luxury tax once since 2007-08.
Coming off a two-year, $18 million deal, Anderson’s Western Conference Finals performance may have earned him more time in Minnesota. If they cut him loose, there’s a slight chance his value could fall this far, but it’s ever so slight, and there would likely be some suitor willing to pay more than the minimum.
Gary Payton II
Update: Payton has picked up his player option to return to the Warriors.
Payton doesn’t function like a traditional point guard on the offensive end, but defensively, he could handle a lot of the point-of-attack assignments that Phoenix currently needs help with.
According to The BBall Index, Payton ranked in the 96th percentile in passing lane defense, the 98th percentile in steals per 75 possessions and the 98th percentile in deflections per 75 possessions, all while ranking in the league’s 84th percentile in time spent on primary ball-handlers. His 3-point efficiency dipped to 36.4 percent, and he’s not much of a threat offensively, but he could help shore up the Suns’ perimeter defense.
Unfortunately, his $9.1 million player option doesn’t leave a lot of avenues for that type of union to happen. If he opts in, he’s sticking with the Warriors. And even if he opts out, it appears he’ll be in the mix to get a longer deal to stay there:
Maaaaaybe, but still dicey
Spencer Dinwiddie
At 6-foot-5, Dinwiddie could provide a size advantage that Phoenix would love to have at the point guard position. He’d create mismatches with his ability to see over the defense and shoot over his own defender, and he’s coming off two seasons in Brooklyn where he averaged 9.1 and 6.0 assists per game.
Although he’s not a great finisher, Dinwiddie would put pressure on the rim, as he ranked in the 81st percentile in drives per 75 possessions, the 96th percentile in percentage of made shots at the rim that were unassisted, and the 88th percentile in drive assist rate.
However, he really struggled to make an impact during his limited time in LA, as his numbers plummeted to 6.8 points and 2.4 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. He made 38.9 percent of his 3s but only shot 39.7 percent overall. Dinwiddie has never really been an efficient shooter (except against the Suns in the playoffs, apparently), but that efficiency fell off even further in 2023-24.
One would imagine his recent struggles would lower his value, but whether it’s all the way to the vet minimum remains to be seen. Technically speaking, Dinwiddie’s $1.5 million that he earned with the Lakers was less than the minimum, but that only happened because he still got paid the final year of his three-year, $54 million contract leading up to his buyout with the Nets.
Dinwiddie is reportedly interested in staying in Los Angeles, but we’ll see if the Lakers feel the same way.
Lonnie Walker IV
The Nets’ season was forgettable, and Lonnie Walker IV’s place in the rotation seemed to get lost in the shuffle from January through March. After Brooklyn’s final game of the season, Walker reiterated he’s “just looking for a home” with a team that values him and is willing to offer him consistent minutes.
Averaging 9.7 points in just 17.4 minutes per game while shooting 38.4 percent from deep, one would imagine Walker will get more than the vet minimum from somebody. But that appeared to be the case last season too, when Walker put up a career-high 11.7 points per game for the Lakers, but he wound up settling for a vet minimum deal with the Nets instead.
The 6-foot-4 off-guard wouldn’t address a position of need, and he doesn’t really have a trademark skill. With that being said, he’s a decent enough scorer and is still only 25 years old, which means he might be worth a vet minimum swing if his market drops again. Of course, if it’s rotation minutes he’s after, maybe Phoenix isn’t the ideal landing spot.
Doug McDermott
Next season will be Doug McDermott’s 11th year in the league, and the 32-year-old may not have much time left to make an impact on a winning team. After being traded back to the Pacers this season, Dougie McBuckets only hit 32.1 percent of his 3s and barely played 11.3 minutes per game. He logged 64 minutes total during Indiana’s entire Eastern Conference Finals run, tallying a grand total of 13 points along the way.
With that being said, adding McDermott to the end-of-bench rotation wouldn’t hurt, especially on a vet minimum. You can never have too much shooting, and at 6-foot-6, he’d actually provide some depth on the wing. He may have struggled in his short stint back with the Pacers, but he made 43.9 percent of his 3s with the Spurs in 43 appearances before the trade, and he’s a career 41 percent sniper from beyond the arc.
Coming off a $14 million salary, maybe McDermott can do better than a $3.3 million vet minimum, especially if there’s a team in desperate need of shooting. But there’s also a good chance his market never materializes, and at that point, trying to help a contender like Phoenix might make sense for McDermott.
Malik Beasley
The Milwaukee Bucks are over the tax apron and cannot offer Beasley a starting salary of $4 million. Even if they could, there’s a good chance Bucks fans wouldn’t want to see him back in the Deer District, given how frustrating his game could be outside of his 3-point shooting.
And to be fair, Beasley shoots the heck out of the ball. He made 41.3 percent of his 6.9 long-range attempts per game, making him one of those aforementioned 23 players to make at least 200 triples this season — all despite ranking in the 12th percentile in openness rating. His defense and decision-making left a lot to be desired, but he’d be a snug fit in a Mike Budenholzer offense that wants to get up more 3s. It’s worth remembering that he played this season on a minimum contract too.
However, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko is reporting that the Houston Rockets have an interest in Malik Beasley, and they’re a team that still has their non-taxpayer MLE at their disposal. Even using a fraction of that would allow them to offer more than the vet minimum, which is the best the Suns can do.
Cedi Osman
Osman is the Spurs’ lone unrestricted free agent, and they have more than enough cap space to re-sign him if they so choose. However, as they look to take the next step forward and start assembling more established talent around Victor Wembanyama, is there a chance this veteran wing shooter gets lost in the proceedings?
If so, the Suns should look into adding this 6-foot-7 forward who shot a career-high 38.9 percent from distance this year. It came on only 3.1 attempts per game, but Osman filled a minor bench role admirably in San Antonio, knocking down 3s, being efficient with his looks on offense, finishing well at the rim (74 percent) and competing defensively. That’s really all the Suns would need from him too.
Osman’s value is probably closer to the vet minimum at this point, but shooting and wing depth are at a premium these days, and all it takes is one team to swoop in with a slightly better offer for the 29-year-old. It’s also worth remembering that the Suns have been left wanting — very recently — by a wing who had a solid year in San Antonio before crashing and burning on a vet minimum in Phoenix.
Still, this is one potential target the Suns should keep on their radar in case he finds himself in need of a new home.
Ain’t no way in hell…right?
LeBron James
Update: After the Lakers drafted Bronny James with the 55th overall pick, it’s impossible to picture LeBron James passing up on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play with his son by going somewhere else. James will reportedly opt out, but he’s expected to re-sign with LA on a new deal.
We’ve discussed this plenty on the PHNX Suns Podcast, but at the risk of coming off as sensationalism, it’s not as bat-shit insane as it sounds on paper.
Yes, LeBron James would have to opt out of his $51.4 million player option and choose to sign with the Suns for a $3.3 million vet minimum. He’d be sacrificing roughly $48.1 million to do so, and at no point in his career has the King given teams a discount by taking less than the max. More than likely, he’ll remain in LA and the Lakers will use the 17th overall pick to draft his son, Bronny James.
However, there are more than a few indications that James isn’t fully committed to finishing out his career with the Lakers. Aside from not taking part in their head coaching search, every step of this process has felt like back-channel, Game of Thrones-style politicking.
First, it was reported that James wanted to play with his son. Then, it was leaked that the Lakers might consider Bronny at No. 17. Not long after, reports surfaced that James’ future wasn’t necessarily tied to whoever drafted his son (most likely to ward off unworthy suitors that James wasn’t interested in playing for). If LeBron was convinced about his future in LA, he would’ve just said so and squashed the rumors by now. But he hasn’t.
That opens the door for other teams to potentially enter the mix, and as ESPN’s Bobby Marks said, every team owes it to themselves to at least have the discussion, even if it means potentially drafting Bronny higher than expected.
James would be able to play with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to contend from day one. Not only would he provide the best vet minimum value of all time coming off a Second Team All-NBA selection, but he’d also solve the Suns’ need for a “point guard” while providing a bigger body to move Durant to the 3. He may be turning 40 in December and has clearly lost a step defensively, but he just put up a 26-8-7 stat line on .540/.410/.750 shootings splits while playing in 71 games.
The Suns are one of a few teams that Bronny James will work out for, already narrowing the potential field. In terms of potential destinations for the King, few make more sense than Phoenix, aside from the obvious financial issue.
Everyone knows Mat Ishbia is one of the most aggressive owners in sports, and if he has an opportunity to do so, he’ll keep that possible avenue open. The Suns’ interest in Bronny isn’t only driven by their potential interest in LeBron either, and their new G League team would offer Bronny ample chances to develop, even if he didn’t crack Budenholzer’s rotation.
Furthermore, James wouldn’t be too far from his home and his family, since Phoenix is only an hour-and-a-half flight from Los Angeles. No other team in the league checks all of those boxes and has a workout scheduled with his son. As a billionaire with a capital B, if there were ever a time to sacrifice millions to play with his son and try to make it up on the back end, this might be it.
The fly in the ointment is Los Angeles is slated to pick before the Suns are on the clock at No. 22, but if LeBron did make up his mind about leaving the Lakers, their front office will know through back channels well in advance that using their 17th pick on Bronny would be pointless.
It’s still a wild, outlandish, borderline impossible scenario, and it probably won’t happen. But if it somehow does come to pass, and LeBron James chooses to break the internet by taking a massive pay cut to form a new super-team that allows him to play with his son, don’t be completely floored — only slightly.
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